Relationship & Trust Before Education
As a parent, & having worked in education for part of my career, it is fair to say that not every child or student suits the traditional learning environment. Never before have learning styles & know your student ever been so heavily focused on at the front of education. However, there still is not enough hours in the day for any teacher to provide the best duty of care to students who are just not coping with a traditional school setting.
There is no label for a student who this may apply to. It could be an environment, a tough home life, a trauma or loss. There are an infinite number of reasons why a student may become disenfranchised & unable to cope in the standard education setting.
This is where Carinity Education Glendyne provides hope. It extends a hand to those students & focuses on knowing the whole person. The whole student, but also who they are at home & underneath the layers. It is with the building of understanding & relatinoship building that Principal Dale Hansen says, learning can then begin.
So, when I recently chatted with Glendyne's Principal, Dale Hansen, I was instantly brought back to my own high school experiences.
A refreshing perspective & pedagogy. Where building trust & relationships with new students is at the forefront of the journey before learning can take place.
Understandably high school has changed significantly since I attended, I see it even with my own children's education. For me though, I cannot recall ever having a conversation with a high school teacher or head of school. I ponder, how that would have changed my own experience in high school? How would that sense of being known, sense of belonging & having trust in those teaching me could have taken my education further..
There is no sad sally story there though, I went on and did many great challenges & didn't let my high school experience deter me for pursuing further study & high goals in career. I only mention it to add value to what Glendyne is providing to their students.
I have heard that Glendyne has had a bad rap, or a stigma associated with it. I must confess I have not heard any of the negativity, but I do tend to block negativity out where possible. So for me, I only see an education facility that is able & willing to adjust the learning delivery to meet outcomes with adjusted and personalised learning styles. It provides ultimately a personalised education, but expands to work on the whole person, not just the senior certificate.
The hope that Glendyne provides the students and families of the Fraser Coast is significant. The multiplier effect of students breaking an inherited unemployment cycle, or lacking self worth, or just personally recovering from a trauma cannot be undervalued. It is with this hope & tailored education that students take one step at a time towards a brighter future.
Success is measured in many ways, from finishing school at year 12, to starting a job, moving up to management, contributing back to community in voluntary roles, being a positive role model for future students. These are only a few ways success is measured. Having said this, a strong sense from what Dale Hansen says in our podcast, there are no failures. As just agreeing to work on self & continue learning at Glendyne is a positive step.
How womderful this setting sounds to me, as I recall the isolation room they sat me in a few times when having a bad day at school. The kind of room you see in a psychiatric ward 1070s movie, with the little window and padded walls. How far our education has come in many ways. I can't say that little room did anything for my own sense of worth.
With building the self worth at Glendyne, students can identify purpose, find their place or make steps to finding their place and their future. I really am a fan of this philosophy & practice.
So by now, if you are still reading, you possibly know a child that may fit the setting of Glendyne. To attend this small school,you must be referred. Visit the Glendyne website link HERE - to find out more information.
There are many valuable points Dale makes about Glendyne and the Carinity Education Services, and to hear them all listen to the podcast link below.
Listen to Episode 60: Purpose, Place & Positivity
Shout out to any past students of Glendyne who would like to share their story, we would love to share your story.
Thank you Dale & all of your staff at Glendyne for doing such an inspiring contribution to the Fraser Coast Region.
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Everything Fraser Coast, positive storyteller of the Fraser Coast Region, contact Jussy if you would like to be featured. It only costs your time. Jussy 0497 7337
