It is a bit of a challenge...

HELLO ALL!

My apologies in this massive blog update you are beginning to read, but I have a lot of catching up to do as there is so much I would like to share with you guys! Last week was one of the most exciting thus far. I had the opportunity to attend the year five students' Christian leadership development camp held at "Challenge Ranch" in Somersby. This camp operates under the auspices of the Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay in which St. Patrick's is a part of. Challenge Ranch is classified as an outdoor education facility lead by trained employees who specialize in outdoor recreational activities. The camp was held over a period of two days where the students were to further develop an awareness of leadership attitudes and skills as they move towards being the "senior class" next year as year sixes. At the end of camp five girls and five boys are nominated by their peers for the position of "school captain" during their final year six year. But enough of the background information! I had not worked with any of the year 5 students or teachers prior to this experience and so naturally I was eager to see what this camp was all about. We arrived at camp Tuesday morning where we were greeted by the Challenge Ranch staff members. The staff was a wide range of individuals from around the world who had a passion for adventure and a love of working with kids. (Sound familiar?) The students were divided into three groups, and another teacher and myself worked specifically with a group 18 students. Our first leadership building activity was to have the students use an assortment of barrels, wooden planks, ropes, and oars in order to build a raft that was capable of transporting their entire team of 9 across a lake. Easier said than done. Aside from the initial bickering by the girls wanting to assign roles to people, the boys stepped up to show their teammates knot tying skills they had learned in Scouts or from their dad. After what the kids thought they had done an excellent job in constructing actually fell to pieces once a boy hopped aboard, the students eagerly re-thought how to improve their raft. I also was thrilled to use this as a teachable moment about buoyancy, balance, and what makes objects able to float :) YAY SCIENCE! Yet, after the kid's second failed attempt I asked them if they wanted my help and they decided Miss. Seevers may know a helpful trick or two. (Little did they know, I remembered doing this exact activity at camps growing up). Finally, on our third go at the raft building our team was able to work together well enough to make it across the lake with the raft intact. Check out my raft builders below!

After morning tea and DVD exercises involving the students identifying why they are special, what their personal goals are as leaders, and how they can develop these strengths at camp the students and I set off for the next adventure: abseiling! Now, if you are wondering what exactly that is as I was until about 5 minutes before we began, it is when you decend down a face of a rock using a rope on a pulley system. The Challenge Ranch staff member flew down the make-shift wall build from wooden planks about 10 meters up, making it look like a piece of cake. Many of the students were rather nervous before this activity, but this was where I saw the leadership in students come to life. The words of encouragement I heard from students given to friends who were scared delighted me to no end! Some of these students were really starting to show qualities of school captains. Take a peak at these action shots. Oh and I got to have a go at the wall as well!

The rest of the afternoon and evening included reflection time, free swim (it was VERY HOT that day), showers, dinner, soccer (which was fun to play in with the kids), and the night ended by our parish father giving a mass for the children before bed. Lights out was suppose to be 9:30 p.m. Needless to say, a huge cabin full of rooms of 10 and 11 year olds both boys and girls did NOT go to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. Lucky teachers right? It was funny though to think about how just yesterday I was away at camp with my friends and we probably would have tried to stay up causing mischief the same exact way. I pleasantly reminded the other teachers, that it was just one night away from home so of course the thrill is new and they will want to not sleep through the entire night. Kids will be kids.

The next day included similar leadership building activities and our final outdoor activity with the Challenge Ranch team. Flying fox was what the Aussie kids called it. We know it in the States as a zip line. After a quick chat about keeping an eye out for red bellied snakes since the weather was so hot and it had rained the previous night, we set out on our hike up to the take off platform. The kids had an absolute blast during this activity, and thankfully we saw no snakes. Take a look here, and yes, of course I gave this one a go as well! The last picture is of me and the other teacher, Lauren, who lead the same group of kids during the two days of camp. She was a blast!

We got back from camp Wednesday afternoon, and I was exhausted and eaten alive from the mozzies here (mosquitos). Shower, food (as the camp had no meatless options-so I was very thankful my host mum thought to pack me with snack alternatives just in case :) ) , mozzie cream, and sleep immediately.

That Friday at school was sport day! It is absolutely mind blowing to think about how American schools, specifically public ones, stop recess/sport recreation each day typically after year 5. Aussie students have recess every day twice, (including time for lunch), from kindy until year 12. That helps to explain a lot about Australia valuing sport in such a passionate way. The boys were practicing cricket, and AFL (Australian Football League) rules (similar to touch football in the State where you wear the waist belts with flags, but using a rugby ball instead of a football). The girls wanted to play soccer, which of course I got to ref. Here are my lovely lot of kids below as well as pictures of my school that are long overdue. Oh and I also was volunteered to help our handyman cook roughly 100 sausages on the barbie for the First Communion students....... I did not quite have a choice and as a visitor I know I should just go with the flow, so I had to try my very best to not want to throw up while turning over the massive sausages for a half hour. Fiona, my teacher, laughed later after she realized what exactly they had me doing and called me "the Jack of all Trades!" The things I do for kids...needless to say there are no pictures of this.

Ok now up to the weekend! Speed version. I caught a train down to Mosman to meet Elizabeth and we wondered about looking for some good ole fashioned American pizza at a pub as it had been a long week at school for the both of us. Now you have to understand the za here is NOT like it is in the States. It is normally given as thin crust and a small size could be eaten easily by one semi-hungry person. Must remember that in future!!

Saturday Elizabeth and I took a bus to Bondi Beach where we had the opportunity to participate in the annual Sculpture by The Sea walk. This walk from Bondi Beach to Tamarama displayed the most interesting, creative, and abstract pieces of art work by various artists. Not to mention the view of the ocean was like nothing I had ever seen before! I took about a 100 pictures this day, but I will only put up a few of my favorites!

I came home from Mosman early Sunday, and FINALLY got to Skype with my Mom for the first time, who was visiting Carol in Indy, and then with Ellen and Troy who I am able to see more often. I didn't realize how much I missed them until I actually got to see and hear them on the computer! After wiping away a tear or two, I quickly had to help the Goodways get ready for a barbie we were hosting at their place. I got to meet finally their new granddaughter, Gieselle, who is only a month or so old. So precious!

This week at school I am leading reading groups, teaching maths-percents, science-packaging, religion-justice/injustice in the Kingdom of God, reading the novel Bridge to Terabithia-I already warned them I will cry at the end, an integrated unit-media and advertising, and I am teaching a unit on figurative language in writing. The boys are starting to get a bit, how do I say this nicely, unruly and some of them have begun to notice girls in a new way, if you get my drift. Tomorrow I am volunteering at the Gosford Sailing Club with their Sailability program where disabled people gave the opportunity to learn how to sail. Maybe I will be lucky enough to get a sailing lesson or two in there!

Alright. That is all for now, I have lessons and marking to do and ANOTHER barbie to attend tonight at the parish. Love to all.

Jules

P.S. A sunset view of the waterfront by my house from this past week on a walk.