Do You Ride a Horse to School?

          Today was the first day of school at Whites Hill State College. The bus ride is very long, about 30 minutes, plus a 10 to 15 minute walk up the hill. When we wake up we are ready to go, but by the time we finally get to the school we are tired and sweaty!

          The three of us girls spoke with the principal named Belinda and she assigned us to our classroom teacher that we will observe and teach with for the next 3 weeks. My teacher's name is Chris Seipel. He is very young and cute. His specialization is science but he teaches all subjects. Mr. Richters, the head of the department, gave us a tour of the school and led us to our classroom. This month is called "MOvember" at the school. The male teachers let their moustaches grow out during this month for prostate cancer. It is much like the "no shave" November in America.

          Immediately, we noticed many differences in the school building and atmosphere of the classrooms. The school is very open and spread out. Instead of air conditioning, the classrooms have ceiling fans and windows that open to the outside. The setup of the classroom is similiar to an elementary classroom in that the same students stay in the same classroom all day. The teacher teaches all subjects including maths, science, social studies and english. The students have 2 electives, sports, and swimming class. The students also have a 20 minute morning tea time and a 1 hour lunch period! The school day begins at 9 am and ends at 2:55 pm.

          In Australia, the schools are on a year-round schedule. All students, private and state school students, wear uniforms. However, the teachers can dress VERY casual. The men wear cargo shorts and tennis shoes, while the women wear low tops and spaghetti strap shirts. The atmosphere at this school is very relaxed and laid-back. The students go outside to identify trees in the "rainforest," work on the computers to create movies, and debate topics in front of the class. The students eat lunch outside and buy food from the tuck shop.

          Overall, the day went well and the students were very welcoming and interested in the United States. I've already begun to see many differences and similiarities in the school system and the culture of Australia!