A lecturer of mine at university years ago was dear to me and my fellow students. He spoke a lot about strange, irrelevant topics such as lichen and telephones, but the thing I most remember him for is his use of analogies. Here is my favourite:
Life is much like a row boat. In order to make progress and move forwards, the best position to do so is to sit facing backwards.
He told us this in the context of the importance of teaching history, but I feel as though it applies on an individual level as well. I often find myself needing to spend some time sitting in my row boat, looking back, to gather myself and get ready to move forwards. Hence I give you, my "Row Boat Post".
Looking Back
2015 has been a year of huge progress for my little Light Reading House. After much paperwork chasing and back and forth with the ATO and the Charity Commission, we have become an incorporated association and registered as a charity. We have run our first pilot program with students and began the long process of grant and sponsorship applications. 67 - yes, 67! - of our dear friends have showed support and helped us pursue a community grant from Carlisle Homes, and that is the kind of support that for which thank you doesn't really seem to cut it. Our team of Patterson River Light Readers raised $388 for Kids Cancer Research for WABIAD, and as a result a copy of their newly published book, Tugatah, is shelved in the school library! We have written collaborative stories, played 'Would You Rather', started stories with chatterboxes, explored the mystery genre, discussed books vs movies, used photos as inspiration and had a whole heap of fun.
Reflecting on all of these things achieved in 2015 leads me to one main idea; it has been busy, difficult and challenging, but it has also been fun and rewarding on a level of nothing I've ever done before. And that tells me that this year I've been on the right track, living what I love and serving my purpose.
Looking Forward
2016 is time to expand. You may have read about Lighthouse Workshops already, and they are only 3 months away!!! I am so looking forward to these holiday workshops and will begin marketing them at the beginning of the school term. So far we will be playing with sound effect software to make our own audio-stories, and looking at famous portrait paintings and developing our own 'character portraits' for story telling. There will be 8 workshops in total across the two-week period and, all going to plan, more will be scheduled in the June and September holidays as well.
Slowly, but surely. I'd love to be fully immersed in LRH by this time next year, but a large part of this project is based on 'see how it goes' philosophy. If nothing else, this enterprise is definitely helping develop my patience! Instead of my usual early-planning self, I'm learning to allow this to evolve into what it needs to be, rather than what I want it to be. I'll be open for further workshop opportunities such as after-school expansion, and then hopefully move towards school visits in 2017.
So, with thoughts gathered and oars firmly in hand, I'm wishing everyone a productive, flexible and fulfilling New Year that allows you to be lucky enough to live what you love. See you next year!
Life is much like a row boat. In order to make progress and move forwards, the best position to do so is to sit facing backwards.
He told us this in the context of the importance of teaching history, but I feel as though it applies on an individual level as well. I often find myself needing to spend some time sitting in my row boat, looking back, to gather myself and get ready to move forwards. Hence I give you, my "Row Boat Post".
Looking Back
2015 has been a year of huge progress for my little Light Reading House. After much paperwork chasing and back and forth with the ATO and the Charity Commission, we have become an incorporated association and registered as a charity. We have run our first pilot program with students and began the long process of grant and sponsorship applications. 67 - yes, 67! - of our dear friends have showed support and helped us pursue a community grant from Carlisle Homes, and that is the kind of support that for which thank you doesn't really seem to cut it. Our team of Patterson River Light Readers raised $388 for Kids Cancer Research for WABIAD, and as a result a copy of their newly published book, Tugatah, is shelved in the school library! We have written collaborative stories, played 'Would You Rather', started stories with chatterboxes, explored the mystery genre, discussed books vs movies, used photos as inspiration and had a whole heap of fun.
Reflecting on all of these things achieved in 2015 leads me to one main idea; it has been busy, difficult and challenging, but it has also been fun and rewarding on a level of nothing I've ever done before. And that tells me that this year I've been on the right track, living what I love and serving my purpose.
Looking Forward
2016 is time to expand. You may have read about Lighthouse Workshops already, and they are only 3 months away!!! I am so looking forward to these holiday workshops and will begin marketing them at the beginning of the school term. So far we will be playing with sound effect software to make our own audio-stories, and looking at famous portrait paintings and developing our own 'character portraits' for story telling. There will be 8 workshops in total across the two-week period and, all going to plan, more will be scheduled in the June and September holidays as well.
Slowly, but surely. I'd love to be fully immersed in LRH by this time next year, but a large part of this project is based on 'see how it goes' philosophy. If nothing else, this enterprise is definitely helping develop my patience! Instead of my usual early-planning self, I'm learning to allow this to evolve into what it needs to be, rather than what I want it to be. I'll be open for further workshop opportunities such as after-school expansion, and then hopefully move towards school visits in 2017.
So, with thoughts gathered and oars firmly in hand, I'm wishing everyone a productive, flexible and fulfilling New Year that allows you to be lucky enough to live what you love. See you next year!