Walk the Mile

Do you ever wonder about how you learn? As in you, personally? As a school, our main business is about learning, but how do we do it? And is learning different for different people? In this episode I speak with Katie Brett, Head of Learning Support. We discuss how students may be supported in their learning, how we might learn and the question of success. This is an important discussion for everyone as it goes further than being delivered information so that we can retain it. I hope you enjoy our conversation. 

One of the strengths of our school is the long serving members of staff who leave a legacy of teaching and learning. Last year, a devoted and accomplished maths teacher, Katherine Bailey, retired after 44 years of service to the SCEGGS community. In this episode, we discuss her path to teaching, what she has seen change over the years, the importance of a maths education and how she has sustained such a long stint being a teacher. It was an encouraging conversation and I hope you enjoy it as well. 

I wonder if you have ever tried to learn a language? My own attempts have never been that successful, always stumbling around accents and fearful of making a fool of myself. Angelique Deleeuw and Vivien Dong are two of our language teachers that have had vast experience in not only teaching other languages but also learning new languages. In this episode we discuss the benefits of learning a language beyond the basics, the variety of ways you can learn a language and how it can enhance the whole person. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

As the school year begins, it can be a nervous time for some of our students for all sorts of reasons. This can also be the case for some of our parents too. This episode addresses the issues that might occur when starting school, from a parent's perspective,  whether it be for the first time, a new school or a new year. Rob Jessup and Anna Chandler are both parents that have children in both the Primary and Secondary School. This year, they have one starting Kindergarten and Year 7 respectively. They share their concerns, good advice and experience as they get ready for what is ahead. I hope you enjoy the conversation and find it to be helpful.

The idea behind this podcast was that Peter Eyers (Head of Drama at SCEGGS) and I would chat about the year gone by and all that it held. What eventuated was a discussion about religion, power, loss and community!!  A very interesting conversation about how we take what has happened and look towards the future. I hope that you enjoy it. It's the last one for this year and I want to say thank you to everyone that has listened, been a guest and given feedback. I am proud to say that we have made it to 60 episodes with a growing number of listeners and doing its job of building community and communities. I look forward to another 60 conversations!

I have conducted over 300 weddings in my 24 years as an Anglican minister and many of those have been for students that I have taught. This is always a great privilege and honour to be invited into such an important event in their lives, to continue that connection post school and to recognise that the SCEGGS community means something to people, even after they no longer walk in through the green gate. I first taught Unity Patterson when she was in Year 1 back in 2002. Who would have thought that one day I would be conducting her wedding to Chris Warren in January 2025? In this episode, we talk about marriage in the 21st century, the reasons why some people choose it and others don't, the value of commitment and the perceptions that we place upon it. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

This time of the year is when our Year 12 students are finishing up their school life and looking towards a new and different future. Two of those students, Amelie and Lauren Ransom, have gone through their whole schooling life together. In fact, they have been together their whole lives as they are twins, identical ones at that! In this conversation, we find out what its like to be a twin from their perspective and I get to ask some of those questions that you might have always wanted to ask. I hope you enjoy our discussion.

There is much to be said about leadership and it is modelled to us many different ways by those that lead. We all have experience and ideas of what leadership is and what might make a “good” leader. Pretty soon we will be selecting new student leaders for 2025 and we spend time beforehand considering what leadership looks like for our school. Margot Faraci runs a business called “Love Leadership” which approaches leadership, as the name suggests, from a love perspective. We talk about parenting and how that has influenced her view of leadership, what do we define love as and the model that she uses, not just with her clients, but also in her day to day life. I found it a very helpful conversation and I hope you do as well.

The SCEGGS Primary School observed Reconciliation Week last week and Secondary School is doing so this week. Going along with these events, this week's podcast is a conversation with two of our Indigenous Aunties: Aunty Kath Farrawell and Aunty Viv Freeman. They both share their own stories, as well as their ancestors, and talk about what drives them to continue being a voice to future generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We discussed reconciliation and its part in constructing a stronger, more compassionate and equitable nation. I hope you gain something from our conversation. This episode contains references and stories about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that may cause distress.

The goal to be “successful” is very enticing for many of us. Not only do we want to be good at what we do but we would love to be recognised and applauded for it. But is that all there is to success? This is a conversation with one of our former Head Girls, Zoe Vrachnas. We talk about what success might look like, the subjectiveness of such a description and whether it is necessary for confidence and fulfillment. We also discuss her path to where she is now and what influences or impacts her goals and dreams. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

The concerns about our environment and the impact that we have on it continue to be a regular topic of discussion. The changing weather patterns, our use of resources, consumerism and waste management are all issues that we can not only talk about but affect each one of us in different ways. They will also determine what sort of planet the generations of the future will live upon. In this discussion, I am speaking with Hudson Worsley, a long-time SCEGGS dad and the owner of his own sustainability company. Hudson has done some great work with us to help reduce our waste and the way we use our resources. We talk about sustainability from an ethical point of view and how we might play our part in maintaining the land that we inhabit. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

This conversation is with a former school board member, parent and media personality Sally Loane. We discuss what it takes to build communities in all sorts of settings and some of the obstacles to building community within our current environment. Sally's experience on television, radio and through print media has provided her with many insights into what it takes to create and maintain strong communities. I hope you enjoy our chat.

Ross and Sunny Lusted are two of our Primary School parents. They have had years of working in the hospitality industry and together have created restaurants and hotels around the world. Through their travels, they have learnt many lessons about community, culture and people that can only come through experience. In this conversation, they share some of their learnings and how it has shaped what they do and who they are. I hope you enjoy our chat.  

One of the great joys that I have received from standing at the gate each morning to greet the students is getting to know many of our neighbours. Don Spencer OAM is one of those people that I have got to know over the years and have enjoyed hearing his story. He has had a lifetime in the music industry, was a presenter on the ABC's Playschool for many years and has established a charity which addresses the needs of the most vulnerable children in our society. In this conversation, Don shares his journey and what drives him to be the person that he is. I hope you enjoy our chat.

I often hear people say they overthink things. But when can you do too much thinking? This conversation is with a former student, Eleanor Gordon-Smith (Class of 2009). Eleanor is a philosopher, academic and has been writing an advice column for the Guardian Australia for the last four years. She has also published a book titled “Stop Being Reasonable”. We discuss the value of thought, the nature of advice and why we seek it and the place that doubt has in our beliefs. It might all sound pretty deep but I can assure you that there are plenty of examples and anecdotes that makes this conversation easily accessible.

This episode addresses the issues that might occur when starting school: whether it be for the first time, a new school or a new year. Heidi Anderson (a very experienced Kindergarten teacher) and Ashleigh Smith (our current Year 7 Co-ordinator) talk about what is important when starting or returning to school. There are massive changes to consider and we know it can be overwhelming for some, students and parents alike. I hope you enjoy the conversation and find it to be helpful.

Here is the second part of our Walk The Mile Podcast “Life is a Drama” . This is our first attempt at doing a podcast LIVE!! It was recorded late last term and all of our guests (Elizabeth Butcher, Peter Eyers, Deborah Galanos, Charlotte Friels and Poppy Lynch) are people involved in the performing arts, particularly the theatre world. We talk about what they get from the stage, the highs and lows, the benefits and the drawbacks. I hope you enjoy it!

This was our first attempt at doing a podcast LIVE!! Admittedly, I was worried how it might go, whether I could keep the style of conversation going in front of an audience and just having to adapt to a new concept. In the end, I think we experienced something quite different and it was great to feel the vibe in the Great Hall. This was recorded late last term and all of our guests (Elizabeth Butcher, Peter Eyers, Deborah Galanos, Charlotte Friels and Poppy Lynch) are people involved in the performing arts, particularly the theatre world. We talk about what they get from the stage, the highs and lows, the benefits and the drawbacks. This is the first part of the conversation and the second will be published next week.

Being a parent can be a rollercoaster of emotion, never really knowing what the person in your care is going to bring each day. Although there is plenty of advice out there, your child does not come with an instruction manual and it can feel like you are making it up as you go (speaking from firsthand experience here!). This is a conversation with a current parent at our Primary School, Angela McLaughlin, and a former parent and current staff member, Chris Barrett. Our discussion is about the highs and lows of parenting, the perspective of what you hope for as a young parent compared to the stuff you have learnt as a parent of adult children. It's a very honest and reflective conversation which I found very helpful. I hope you do as well.

It is estimated that in 2021, over 46 000 children were living in out of home care in Australia. And more and more kids get added to that number every day. The struggle to find adequate accommodation and care is also increasing. In this conversation, I speak to a parent within our community who has been a foster carer for a number of years, to a variety of children. She shares her own experience, the highs and lows, and the lessons that she has learnt through her experience. I found it a very enlightening and encouraging conversation and I hope you find it helpful. This podcast contains material that some might find confronting or disturbing. Sometimes words or images can cause sadness or distress or trigger traumatic memories for people. For some people, these responses can be overwhelming. If you need to talk to someone, support is available. Kids helpline: 1800 55 1800 Lifeline: 13 11 14 Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511 Parent Line: 1300 1300 52 Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 198 024 Domestic Violence Hotline 1800 737 732 (1800RESPECT)

Everyone in our society goes to school and you go to school to learn. But how do you do that? For many people, the act or process of learning is not so simple and can often have a huge impact one's own identity and wellbeing. In this conversation, I speak to Cristi Wilsmore, the Deputy Head of Primary School (Teaching and Learning). Cristi explains what she has discovered about her own learning and the learning of others. We discuss the mechanics of learning and the need for listening and patience in discovering how different individuals learn. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

In this episode I speak to one of our Alumni, Vivienne Smith (Class of 2008), about her career as an adventure documentary film maker and world traveller. We discuss her experience of different cultures and landscapes and how that has impacted who she is today. Viv also explains the new app that she is involved with that takes the viewer to the locations of a whole range of famous movies and television shows. Her story about documenting other people's stories is exciting and eye opening. I hope you enjoy it.  

Julie McCrossin is a well-known broadcaster, interviewer and alumni of SCEGGS. She spends much of her time asking people questions and facilitating conversations at conferences and other gatherings. In this episode, I get to ask her about her life and how her experiences and history have formed her passions and her beliefs. We discuss a whole range of topics, all bracketed by the ideas of purpose and meaning. I found this a very interesting discussion and I hope you do too.

There is plenty of stuff out there telling us how we can find happiness. But what is it that we are looking for? Dr Caroline West is a SCEGGS parent and Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sydney, where she teaches and researches on topics ranging from ethics to happiness. She is a popular public speaker and writer and is currently working on a book on the philosophy of happiness. In our discussion we talk about the value of philosophy, a historical view of happiness and what it might look like for the individual. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Everyone that's ever been to school would have had to study Science at some stage. While it provides many answers to some of our questions, it is also a subject that offers a whole lot more. Dr Joseph Guss is part of our Science Department and in this episode we discuss the practice of science, how it connects with philosophy and belief, and what it means to teach scientifically. A very interesting conversation which might sound a bit lofty but is really quite reflective and personal.

Fashion has been fashionable since the dawn of time. The clothes we wear say a lot about us, the things that are important to us, how we see our place in the world. And fashion extends to all sorts of creative practices that we participate in. Madeleine Park has her own podcast which deals with this area of fashion and identity. We discuss her passion for fashion, her quest to gather a deeper understanding of societal trends and individual leanings, and the need for more thought and effort in the area of sustainable fashion. I found this to be an enlightening conversation and hope you do too.

SCEGGS has had a long tradition of producing accomplished female artists and encouraging all students to create and explore through their own artistic ability. Some would argue that it is not only important to education but to life itself. Heidi Jackson is the Head of Visual Arts at SCEGGS and has a deep passion for her subject that goes well beyond her role as a teacher. She even has an exhibition coming up in the next couple of weeks with some other members of her department. Our conversation considers the value of art, what it tells us about ourselves and why it is important to society. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

When you can make a career out of something you are passionate about it has the opportunity to provide countless rewards, many of them unexpected. Abby-Rose Schmidt, an Old Girl from the class of 2012, talks about why she loves nursing, her philosophy of the profession and what it was like to be an ICU nurse during a pandemic. It's a great story of compassion and serving others in their time of struggle.

The practice of mindfulness has become more popular over the last few years as our society deals with the chaos and busyness of life. The application of this practice can sometimes be difficult and approached with cynicism or caution. Amy Marrero is the Mindfulness Co-ordinator at SCEGGS and in this podcast she breaks down some of the misconceptions that we might have. Amy explains how she became interested in mindfulness, its benefits to all people in all situations, some helpful techniques and its place in education. I hope you find it interesting.

Throughout sports history there have been a number of games that were once considered to be the domain of men only: soccer, cricket, rugby league, rugby union, AFL. It has been great to see how that has all changed and there have been  a number of competitions and significant women that have pioneered a path that has inspired countless girls to give it a go. One of our Old Girls, Emily Chancellor (Class of 2009), has been one of those women who is passionate about rugby. She has played for the New South Wales Waratahs, the Wallaroos in the World Cup and is now playing semi-professionally for the Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby competition, the top level of English rugby union. She speaks about how she got there, what its like, and where she is hoping to go. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

There are a wide range of causes and projects that, on any given day, we might be called upon to donate towards. In the end, it is up to the individual to consider what philanthropy might mean to them, how they might want to contribute, what they think is worthy of their contribution or even if it's necessary. In this episode, two very active members of our parent body, Christy Boyce and Matt Jones, share their thoughts on giving and how it plays an important part in their thinking and practice.

The journey of a full-time athlete can be a unique and bumpy experience in the effort to succeed at their given sport. This episode is a conversation with Marina Carrier, an Old Girl from the Class of 2014, who has represented Australia in the Modern Pentathlon in the Olympics. She talks about her years devoted to the sport, the things she learnt, the highs and the lows. We also discuss what its like to face retirement in her twenties. A very insightful and interesting discussion that I hope you enjoy.  

If you had the same school experience as me, Social Science was basically map reading and rock formations. From this conversation with our Head of Social Sciences, Zoe Thompson, I have been pleasantly enlightened to see how it is so much more and how it helps us to understand the world we live in, even on a daily basis. I hope you enjoy the discussion as much as I did.

Going to school is more than just sitting in a classroom and absorbing information. Pastoral care and wellbeing play an important part in many schools today. Laura Connolly is our Director of Student Wellbeing and she talks about the challenges and the vision that she has for her role and the students of SCEGGS. Laura only stepped into the position last year and it has come with many challenges. We hear a lot about self care these days but sometimes it isn't always clear as to what it might mean for us personally. I hope that this discussion might help you in your own understanding of pastoral care and wellbeing.

This is another conversation with my very first guest, Peter Eyers, Head of Drama at SCEGGS. We look back over the year and discuss some of the things which have impacted the lives of many. There is also a very special guest at the end of the podcast so make sure you don't switch off.

This episode is a conversation with one of our local community members, Rob Caslick. Rob is the CEO and the brains behind Two Good, a company that empowers women that have experienced domestic violence to build confidence, regain their dignity and restore their lives. It has been great to watch this company emerge over the years and for our school to be involved in several ways. 

This episode is a conversation with our Head of Design and Technology, Caroline O'Sullivan. Caroline has been involved a wide variety of creative ventures throughout her career and is passionate about encouraging others to make, build and create. We discuss the importance and benefits of being able to be “hands on” when it comes to problem solving and producing amazing creations. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

We use the word "community" a lot at school and it is often used to describe the collective mass and its character. But what do we actually mean when we use the word and how do we know we have got one? This week's episode is a conversation with our Alumni Relations Officer, Michelle Kadi. We talk about the need for true community, how to build it and why it is important to the survival of the planet. I hope you enjoy the discussion.

Words can be very powerful things. They can be used to encourage, enquire, empathise and enrich. They can also be used to destroy, confuse, offend and humiliate. This episode is a conversation with our Head of English, Jenny Bean, and one of our exiting Year 12 students. We discuss all things English: the benefits of studying it, the reasons why we do study it, the power of literature and a vision for it as well. I hope you enjoy listening to some words about words.

SCEGGS has had a great connection to many of the local welfare agencies for a long period of time. One of those services that we consistently are working with is Rough Edges, a community centre for the poor, lonely and marginalised, located under the hall of St John's Anglican Church, Darlinghurst. Twice a week, our staff take whatever leftover food we have at the end of the day from our cafeteria to Rough Edges so that they can provide it to those that attend this centre. To find out more about what Rough Edges is and does please have a listen to the current episode of our podcast. This podcast contains material that is sometimes confronting and disturbing. Sometimes words or images can cause sadness or distress or trigger traumatic memories for people. For some people, these responses can be overwhelming. If you need to talk to someone, support is available. Kids helpline: 1800 55 1800 Lifeline: 13 11 14 Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511 Parent Line: 1300 1300 52 Alcohol and Drug Support Line: 1800 198 024 Domestic Violence Hotline: 1800 737 732 (1800RESPECT)

On Sunday June 5 people across the globe observed World Environment Day. It is a great opportunity for everyone to stop and consider our role as citizens of this planet and the impact we might be making on it. There are a number of people within our school community that are passionate about continuing to function sustainably and encouraging all members to consider their environmental footprint. Two staff members that have a lot to do with reaching our environmental goals are Sue Zipfinger and Laura Tennant and they join me in this episode to discuss the things that we are doing as a school, the roadblocks to being “environmentally friendly” and the hope for the future. This is definitely something we all need to consider for ourselves, our current neighbours and generations to come.

In this episode, Pauline Chow, Head of Music at SCEGGS, speaks about the management of music and all of its complexities: from organising concerts, helping people be creative and find their passion and encouraging everyone to be musical. We also discuss what music can do for our communities and wellbeing.

This episode is with our Director of Sport, Alison Gowan. We discuss some of the challenges of doing sport over the last couple of years and how things have changed. We also talk about the importance of offering sport at school and what are some of the deeper lessons we learn from participating in it. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

One of the more specialist positions that we have at SCEGGS is our school archivist, Prue Heath. What does a school archivist do you might ask? In this episode, we hear about the origins of the School, the importance of history for the present and the significance and learning from past stories.

Beginnings and Endings of Teaching (and everything in between and after)

This episode is a discussion with the general manager of Lou's Place, Nicole Yade. Lou's Place is a day refuge for women that are in need, whether it be due to homelessness, domestic violence or any other disadvantage. It has been a safe haven for hundreds of women for over 20 years and the work they do is essential to the lives of many. Due to the nature of the conversation around sensitive issues please listen to this podcast with discretion. If you are concerned by any of this, please do reach out to one of the counselling services:Lifeline: 13 11 14 Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511 1800RESPECT https://www.1800respect.org.au/ the sexual assault counselling Australia 1800 211 028 https://www.rape-dvservices.org.au/

This episode is a discussion with Janet McEwen and Olivia Matthews, two of our school counsellors. For many people, the step of talking to someone about what might be going on is very difficult. The risk of being misunderstood or judged or even not being heard can be an obstruction to connecting with others. This discussion is about what might happen in the counselling room and what it might provide. Maybe it might help in making the decision for yourself or a loved one.

This episode is a discussion with Julia Jaekel, a member of the Primary School Staff that has taught many different years over her time at SCEGGS. Her first child was born unable to hear which created certain challenges for Julia and her partner. We discuss what she has learnt form her experience, the issues surrounding hearing loss in young children and the opportunity of having her story broadcast on national television.

This episode is a discussion with Lanneke Jones, music teacher and choir conductor in our Primary School. She has also worked as a professional singer and songwriter. We discuss the power of song and how it can affect our mental health, help to connect with others and its importance in understanding yourself.

Amelia McCallan is Head of PDHPE at SCEGGS and has three young children and a husband who is also a teacher. She talks about how the lockdown has affected her various roles in different ways and also having to rethink how we teach and promote physical activity at a distance.

This episode is a discussion with an ex-student, Julia Fraser, who runs our Philosophy Club, a co-curricular activity in the Secondary School. Julia speaks about the purpose and focus of the Club and the benefits of talking about some of the big philosophical questions addressed there. She also shares her personal perspective and experience of consent and how our world view may impact our responses. I hope this discussion might be helpful among the current topics being discussed in our government and media. Please do note that some people might find some aspects of the latter part of this podcast distressing as Julia talks about matters of consent. If you are concerned by some of the content or would like to talk further, please do reach out to one of the counseling services below or contact me at garryl@sceggs.nsw.edu.au: Kids helpline: 1800 55 1800Lifeline: 13 11 14Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511Parent Line: 1300 1300 52