As one year ends and another begins we can reflect upon what we leave behind and look forward to all that offers us in the days ahead.
In our work, our parenting or our teaching of children, we want children to always respect us, but never to fear us. (Walker, Kathy 2010)
In our work, our parenting or our teaching of children, we want children to always respect us, but never to fear us. (Walker, Kathy 2010)
“The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think—rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with the thoughts of other men.” ~John Dewey
Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it. ~William Haley
We believe it is important that a school be 'led' by a set of agreed shared beliefs. To achieve this staff and community need to enter into 'learning conversation's to define and articulate such a philosophy. As it is said: If you stand for nothing you will fall for anything' or 'Control your own destiny or someone else will'.
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.?John Quincy Adams
Before we can guide and support our children we need to understand ourselves as parents.( Kathy Walker 2009 Parenting.)
It is the teacher and the learning environment that must strive to engage the child. Not the child that must engage themselves in a disengaging environment with disinterested staff.
It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself. ~Joyce Maynard
We worry about what what our children will be in the future and yet we often miss valuing what they are right now.
Allow children to be children. Don't think that to treat them with respect and to give them a voice equals expecting them to have the understanding of an adult. (Kathy Walker 2010)
Children need love, especially when they do not deserve it. ~Harold Hulbert
Integrity and persisting in what you believe is right is ultimately more convincing and powerful than quick fixes and always provides what is best for children in the long run.
Not all children are ready to learn the same thing at the same time in the same way. (Kathy Walker)
We used to teach for children. Now we teach for results, data and Government politics.
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
- Albert Einstein
“Principals need to be expert in curriculum, educational philosophy and pedagogy. Administration, budgets etc are not what leads a rigorous teaching and learning community.” Kathy Walker
Many are schooled, few are truly educated. Thomas Moore
"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn."
-- John Cotton Dana
