“Walking in her Shoes”

Walking in someone else’s shoes sounds unhygienic!

Am I right? I mean, who knows what you might catch from someone else’s shoes? Oh… wait, sorry, it’s a metaphor. When we say we are “walking in someone else’s shoes” we mean that we are seeing life from their perspective. We “walk in someone else’s shoes” when we experience their experience, and doing this helps us see things their way.

Right now, I am working out of Toolern Vale campus more than I usually do. My usual routine is to be at Brookfield campus and Toolern Vale campus pretty much equally. But right now, I am trying to be more present at Toolern Vale than usual, because Ms Kellie Giannes, the Head of Toolern Vale campus, is serving a school interstate in the context of a study-tour placement that also assists a small, outback-town school.

It is wonderful that I get to see things, right now, from Ms Giannes’s perspective. I am “walking in her shoes” by being predominantly at Toolern Vale campus while she is offsite.

Let me tell you about what I am noticing…

Something that stands out to me as I watch the arrival of families is that the teacher-to-learner relationship is nurtured very carefully, it is greatly valued. The teachers and other staff, wait at the gate and as each child arrives, they are greeted; greeted by name. That is impressive.

Adding to that, it is not only teachers, but all staff take the time to know your children. For example, the grounds manager; Mr Tim Meager knows each child’s name.

Sure, Mr Meager knows lots of names. He knows the species names of all the plants onsite. He knows the names and details of every paint colour, all surface materials, roadway materials, fencing materials, textures and styles used in all our buildings, and all those things that are part of his job. But the remarkable thing that I am noticing is that Mr Meager can greet each child by name. It is just one example of why at this school your children don’t get lost in the crowd. They are known by name.

Then there’s the teachers. Let me use another person of influence as an example. Ms Areli can demonstrate that she knows each child, not only by name, but by each child’s strengths. Ms Areli knows the children as individuals.

Of course I love our school: I’m the principal. But there’s more, I love this school because it’s a welcoming community. There’s a deep culture at this school that, even as the school has doubled in size, has not been lost. This school, which is growing steadily, is still focused on community and still focused on belonging. So, parents and staff, let’s always work together to protect and nurture that deeply valuable culture of community and belonging. Let’s always know and care for each child as an individual. That culture is worth preserving.

DAVID GLEESON, PRINCIPAL