“Oh I get by with a little help from my friends…”
Lyrics sung by arguably one of the best musical groups of all time and one of my favourite groups - The Beatles. Have you ever wondered why some groups gel together, making hit after hit, while others never make the grade or at best have a one hit wonder and then fade into oblivion? The musical genius of The Beatles grew out of the very different interests and skills that each band member brought to the group, resulting in classics like: I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends, Come Together, Help, Imagine, Can’t Buy Me Love, Yesterday and hundreds of other songs that have stood the test of time. What makes The Beatles stand out as one of the all time great musical bands? Was it the chemistry of the four beatniks? Was it their individual talent or genius for lyrics and music? Or was it something else?
Synergy is that secret ingredient that takes the ordinary to the extraordinary. It’s not just in the music world, that such creative synergy exists though. Think about the sporting world and the combinations that brought such success to the Brisbane Broncos, year after year, or the former, (it grieves me to say) winning combination of the Australian Cricket team that endured for many long years. In the business world, we find similar creative synergy that results in the kind of incredible innovation in communications – like Apple’s iPod and iPad. Teams of people worked with Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and CEO, to create and produce this amazing new technology.
Steve Jobs is a creative genius but he didn’t achieve what he did alone, and let’s face it, he only achieved these remarkable things with the help of others. Synergy in essence occurs when a group of people can achieve so much more than any one individual working alone. It begs the question though: do you have to be an extraordinary person to achieve great things? One of the great authors of our time said:
I learned the most important lesson of my life: that the extraordinary is not the birthright of a chosen and privileged few, but of all people, even the humblest. That is my one certainty… (Paolo Coehlo)
Think about the efforts of ordinary people in Brisbane, in Toowoomba, and all over the state during the recent floods, as well as the devastating cyclone Yasi. Yes many an ordinary person went to extraordinary lengths to risk their own life to help save others or to help neighbours and strangers get to safety or to help clean up after the devastation had passed. These were extraordinary circumstances that ordinary people found themselves in and many thousands of ordinary people pitched in to help fellow Australians – strangers - but in a true Australian style, we considered all of these people as ‘our mates’ and thought nothing of giving our time and our money to help those affected. The sad truth is though, that many of these people still need our help, because they are still without flood insurance, still without homes restored and still struggling financially.
Whether a partnership of music or business or even education, there are certain special ingredients that contribute to the success of partnerships or a group of people. Sir Ken Robinson, author of “The Element” maintains that the critical elements of extraordinary and successful synergy – the magic that comes when people work together and achieve an extraordinary outcome that would not be possible with just one person working individually. People often derive a large sense of who they are through affiliation with a specific group and it’s likely to boost their self esteem too. Schools, too, can provide this kind of connectedness.
According to Robinson, the best and most creative teams are diverse, dynamic and distinct. The group or partnership needs different sorts of people, with different but complementary talents. Diversity of talents is important, but it’s not enough. Robinsons argues that successful groups have a distinctive personality and come together to do something specific – to get a job done.
Caloundra City Private School is organising a “Caloundra Reaches Out Concert” at the Caloundra RSL on Sunday, 6 March at 3pm to 5.00pm to raise funds for the Premier’s Appeal. The concert will be a great family event with a fabulous magician, the Tenorissimos, the Sunshine Coast Orchestra and other performers such as the singing sensation, 13 year old Straalen McCallum, who recently appeared on Channel 7’s Sunrise and was one of the youngest stars ever signed to Sony Music Australia. Tickets are priced for families: $25 Adults, $10 children and $50 for a family ticket – two adults and up to three children and will be available from the School and from the Reception Desk at the Caloundra RSL.
When there is a greater need than our own, it’s time to think about what we can do to help. This is a special way that our families and the wider community of Pelican Waters and Caloundra can help raise funds for fellow Queenslanders in need. It’s the Australian way to help our mates, and what better way to help our mates by making a contribution as a school community, to the Premier’s Disaster Appeal and enjoying a concert in the process.
The School is in a partnership with parents. The success of this partnership depends on the support and willingness of parents to commit to the common vision, shared values and sense of purpose in achieving the best that we can for the young people in our care. We can teach our young people the power of teamwork by the whole school community committing to this event. Surely each of us wants our young people to grow up with a strong sense of community and a commitment to helping others in need, it’s the very least we can do. Extraordinary things happen when ordinary people band together to make things happen. This is something we can all do; we can make a difference to so many people affected by the devastating floods and cyclone.
James Taylor once sang….
When you're down and troubled
and you need a helping hand
and nothing, whoa, nothing is going right…..
Hey now, all you've got to do is call.
Lord, I'll be there, yes I will. ……
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
You've got a friend.
Let’s be that friend. Let’s be that extraordinary team that comes together, with all of our will, to realise a goal of helping our fellow Queenslanders.
Karon Graham
Principal
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
What leadership legacy will you leave?
Have you ever wondered why ancient people created, carved and built such monumental and remarkable features that have stood the test of time? These relics of the past are some of the most enduring mysteries of life on earth. Why have people since the dawn of time, left these mysterious creations?
Some are gigantic megaliths, while others are more humble and simple arrangements of rocks and stones or carvings in rock. Deep in the caves of France, Indonesia and Laura in far north Queensland are rock paintings which have survived to this day as testament of another time, another people , and another lifestyle.
Amazing icons like Stonehenge – a ring of grey rocks on the desolate Salisbury Plain in England, chiselled and placed there over 4000 years ago. It is unique in prehistoric standing stones, for the fact that, all of the rock was artificially shaped and placed in an architectural plan. Was it a religious meeting place or an elaborate way to predict eclipses of the moon and sun or simply an observatory of the universe above?
Over a thousand kilometres away in the Pacific Ocean on a remote, tiny island, stand the eerie stone giants of Easter Island. They stand like sentinels, keeping guard over the horizon.
The massive and imposing pyramids and sphinx of Egypt built over 3000 years ago, which took thousands of people and many years to construct and in the ancient city of Teotihuacan in Mexico, well before the Aztecs, was a city of wide avenues and massive pyramids built more than 1400 years ago. Although considered primitive, ancient people have shown wonderful resourcefulness to create and build these amazing monuments to honour great leaders, great civilizations and demonstrate a great understanding of the power of leaving a legacy.
Further south in the desert plains of Peru at Nazca, are incredible rock shapes which can best be seen from the air. These precision drawings, using only piles of stone and rocks are spectacularly large, with one solar line drawn over 6 kilometres long, with 18 bird shaped figures, spiders and other shapes only discerned from the air, but why ? It would be another thousand years before people could fly and see them from the air.
On the weekend, astrophysicists reported that they have discovered an ancient Aboriginal sundial , west of Melbourne, that could be more than 10,000 years old – older than the Stonehenge, older than the pyramids of Egypt. Not as grand but still impressive for its time.
In the m
ost remote northern hemisphere in the Arctic region are found stones built in the form called inukshuk by the Inuit people. They indicate migration routes or places where food can be found and sometimes they are built to signify places of power or important spiritual places. These ancient relics were built in many different designs – some mean “you are on the right path.” And others simply mean “someone was here.”
Around the world we find these ancient remnants of past civilisations. Since time immemorial, ancient peoples have left reminders of their presence. At the most basic level, I guess all of these ancient relics – large or small - are a way of people saying “someone was here.” Don’t forget that we were here; remember us. It’s their legacy to future generations – something special happened here.
Many did not have a written form of communication, or if they did, they knew that the written form would not survive unless it was carved in stone or rock. So the only way to leave a message, and to leave a legacy was in the form of a great monument of rock or stone – something that would not perish over time.
Napoleon Bonaparte once said:
“The human race is governed by its imagination.”
We are led and governed by the endless possibilities that lie ahead, untapped, unknown until someone reveals them. It’s a basic human desire to be remembered. Each of us deep inside wants to leave a legacy of sorts. We want to know that we have made a difference in this life – to someone - to our family, to our friends and for some people the power to influence and inspire tens or hundreds, even thousands, if not millions of people.
What kind of legacy do you wish to leave? Have you given any thought to the difference that you can make to other people’s lives? You have enormous power to do something positive in your life. Leadership is not the kind of thing to be taken lightly. It requires courage, fortitude and integrity. Leadership, like rock, is hard but once understood can transform lives – including your own.
Leadership means taking on more responsibilities.
Leadership is helping others before you help yourself.
As Winston Churchill said:
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Leadership is having the moral fortitude and integrity to do the right thing all the time – not just when someone is looking.
Leadership is leading people in the right direction.
Leadership is having enthusiasm, being energetic and sharing your time with others willingly. John Quincy Adams once said:
“ The influence of each human being on others, in this life, is a kind of immortality.”
It’s the kind of immortality, like the ancient peoples used – their immortality was in rock and stone, but your immortality can be in words and deeds and just as enduring. Be the sort of leader that leaves a legacy for others to follow in your footsteps, just like the Inuit people.
Be a rock. In other words, be strong for others to look up to and follow with confidence. Above all, be the kind of leader that people respect, can count on and trust.
“In matters of style, swim with the current,
In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
Some are gigantic megaliths, while others are more humble and simple arrangements of rocks and stones or carvings in rock. Deep in the caves of France, Indonesia and Laura in far north Queensland are rock paintings which have survived to this day as testament of another time, another people , and another lifestyle.
Amazing icons like Stonehenge – a ring of grey rocks on the desolate Salisbury Plain in England, chiselled and placed there over 4000 years ago. It is unique in prehistoric standing stones, for the fact that, all of the rock was artificially shaped and placed in an architectural plan. Was it a religious meeting place or an elaborate way to predict eclipses of the moon and sun or simply an observatory of the universe above?
Over a thousand kilometres away in the Pacific Ocean on a remote, tiny island, stand the eerie stone giants of Easter Island. They stand like sentinels, keeping guard over the horizon.
The massive and imposing pyramids and sphinx of Egypt built over 3000 years ago, which took thousands of people and many years to construct and in the ancient city of Teotihuacan in Mexico, well before the Aztecs, was a city of wide avenues and massive pyramids built more than 1400 years ago. Although considered primitive, ancient people have shown wonderful resourcefulness to create and build these amazing monuments to honour great leaders, great civilizations and demonstrate a great understanding of the power of leaving a legacy.
Further south in the desert plains of Peru at Nazca, are incredible rock shapes which can best be seen from the air. These precision drawings, using only piles of stone and rocks are spectacularly large, with one solar line drawn over 6 kilometres long, with 18 bird shaped figures, spiders and other shapes only discerned from the air, but why ? It would be another thousand years before people could fly and see them from the air.
On the weekend, astrophysicists reported that they have discovered an ancient Aboriginal sundial , west of Melbourne, that could be more than 10,000 years old – older than the Stonehenge, older than the pyramids of Egypt. Not as grand but still impressive for its time.
In the m
ost remote northern hemisphere in the Arctic region are found stones built in the form called inukshuk by the Inuit people. They indicate migration routes or places where food can be found and sometimes they are built to signify places of power or important spiritual places. These ancient relics were built in many different designs – some mean “you are on the right path.” And others simply mean “someone was here.”Around the world we find these ancient remnants of past civilisations. Since time immemorial, ancient peoples have left reminders of their presence. At the most basic level, I guess all of these ancient relics – large or small - are a way of people saying “someone was here.” Don’t forget that we were here; remember us. It’s their legacy to future generations – something special happened here.
Many did not have a written form of communication, or if they did, they knew that the written form would not survive unless it was carved in stone or rock. So the only way to leave a message, and to leave a legacy was in the form of a great monument of rock or stone – something that would not perish over time.
Napoleon Bonaparte once said:
“The human race is governed by its imagination.”
We are led and governed by the endless possibilities that lie ahead, untapped, unknown until someone reveals them. It’s a basic human desire to be remembered. Each of us deep inside wants to leave a legacy of sorts. We want to know that we have made a difference in this life – to someone - to our family, to our friends and for some people the power to influence and inspire tens or hundreds, even thousands, if not millions of people.
What kind of legacy do you wish to leave? Have you given any thought to the difference that you can make to other people’s lives? You have enormous power to do something positive in your life. Leadership is not the kind of thing to be taken lightly. It requires courage, fortitude and integrity. Leadership, like rock, is hard but once understood can transform lives – including your own.
Leadership means taking on more responsibilities.
Leadership is helping others before you help yourself.
As Winston Churchill said:
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Leadership is having the moral fortitude and integrity to do the right thing all the time – not just when someone is looking.
Leadership is leading people in the right direction.
Leadership is having enthusiasm, being energetic and sharing your time with others willingly. John Quincy Adams once said:
“ The influence of each human being on others, in this life, is a kind of immortality.”
It’s the kind of immortality, like the ancient peoples used – their immortality was in rock and stone, but your immortality can be in words and deeds and just as enduring. Be the sort of leader that leaves a legacy for others to follow in your footsteps, just like the Inuit people.
Be a rock. In other words, be strong for others to look up to and follow with confidence. Above all, be the kind of leader that people respect, can count on and trust.
“In matters of style, swim with the current,
In matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Taking the Worry Out of the Return to School
Returning to school for most students is a positive experience – catching up with friends, meeting new people and the excitement of new learning combines in such a way that it seems young ones are running on adrenalin for the first week or so. Like all natural ‘highs’, there comes a time where it all catches up with your son or daughter and suddenly you find that they are tired very early in the day and wanting to sleep more and lacking energy. Also starting at a new school with new teachers, new subjects and new people can set up more stresses and strains.
Older students on the other hand, begin the year with determined effort, to stay on top of their studies and homework and will often stay up very late and insist that they ‘absolutely, have to’ get something completed before they go to bed which could be as late as midnight. The end result can be that students ‘overdo it in the first few weeks’ and for some students they then ‘hit a wall’ and say that it’s all too hard and it ends in tears. This can be upsetting for parents, who want to encourage their sons and daughters to achieve and do well, but at the same time don’t want them to be so emotional, worried and upset. It’s important to get the right balance because as parents you want to encourage your son or daughter to do well but at the same time, we need to set some sensible boundaries for homework and study.
Homework for the very youngest students (Prep to Year 3) - around 15 minutes is acceptable, Years 4 -7 about 30 – 60 minutes, Years 8 – 10 about 60 to 90 minutes and Years 11 and 12, around 2 to 3 hours is the norm. Obviously homework time and study time may vary depending on the day of the week and time of the year, upcoming examinations and due dates for assignments for example, however; with these time allocations in mind, parents will have a better sense of what is fair and reasonable for your child.
Please consider some of these simple strategies to help reduce stress any upset: around school, homework and study. Developing good routines with your son or daughter is one of the most important keys to the kind of good start you want for your child.
The Night before School:
• Develop routines with your son or daughter.
• Ensure that they are prepared for the next day – everything is packed the night before ready for school, PE clothes, Library books, Permission forms signed, homework completed etc.
• Students of all ages, need to get a good night’s sleep – 8 hours for everyone and younger students will need longer. Having a routine of the same bed time for younger students helps prepare them for sleep time.
• Quiet time before bed helps relax the brain. Quiet reading time for older students and reading stories to younger students will help this process. Blaring music or television or intense impact computer games will not relax your child and it will make the process of falling asleep difficult.
Before School
• Always – no matter what the rush – ensure that everyone has a good breakfast and students have a nutritious morning tea and lunch for school. The television ad that shows the ‘fuzziness of the brain without food’ is funny, but it’s also true. Growing children do need high energy foods – and not high energy ‘sugar’ drinks.
• Remind your child to drink plenty of water. Research shows that dehydration and a lack of water, also makes it difficult for students to concentrate in class.
After School:
• Listen to what your child has to say on the way home in the car (or when they arrive home) – this is where you get the best sense of how the day has gone; remember that students will be more emotional at this time than later – keep it all in perspective. Be reflective in your listening – don’t jump in and ask too many questions. Let your child tell you in their own way and rather than ask questions that only require a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response, make statements that allow them to give a longer response.
• Let them change into casual clothes straight away
• Allow time for play or relaxation for an hour
• Have a set time for homework and make sure that they have a space to do the homework. It’s ok to do homework with you around but try to keep the noise to a minimum where possible and encourage your child to problem solve before seeking help from you. Avoid giving the answer to your child.
• Homework should not be stressful for the student or parent. If your child is having difficulty, either, write a note to the teacher or make a time to meet with the teacher to discuss the issue. The teachers at CCPS are here to help you, please talk to them sooner rather than later about any problems.
• Encourage your son or daughter to find solutions to his or her problems without your intervention. This is important to allow students to develop their own problem solving strategies. If they are having difficulty solving the problem, having a small break can help but not if the break is watching television which can become a huge time waster.
• Praise your child genuine efforts but avoid overdoing the praise. Be specific about what you are praising your child for and only give praise when it’s deserved.
• Encouragement and praise are powerful motivators for your son or daughter, use criticism sparingly and seek to find a positive way to encourage your son or daughter to work harder or to a higher level. Keep it fun and interesting!
No two people study the same way, and there is little doubt that what works for one person may not work for another. However, there are some general techniques that seem to produce good results. No one would argue that every subject that you have to take is going to be so interesting that studying it is not work but pleasure. We can only wish.
Everyone is different, and for some students, studying and being motivated to learn comes naturally. Your son or daughter’s success in school is dependent on his or her ability to study effectively and efficiently. The results of poor study skills are wasted time, frustration, and low or failing grades. All I can say, upon reflection of many years as a teacher, (and parents I know you will agree), is that time is precious and not to be squandered, no matter what your son or daughter believes right now.
Parents, my blog on 3 February, 2009 has much more detail, for older students, on how to study more effectively and includes some useful strategies for learning and studying sourced from a range of websites and books.
Effective study skills must be practised in order for you to improve. It is not enough to simply "think about" studying; you have to actually do it, and in the process use information from what you do, to get better. All that follows depends on this single concept. At school, I often talk to the students about setting a goal to improve by 10% - this is a relatively small percentage and is achievable. Over time, like compound interest the improvement in a student’s academic performance can be profound. The secret is to be persistent, to continue to practise the skills necessary to learn and over time, student achievements will improve too because:
"Practice doesn't make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect."
Author, Louise May Alcott, once wrote:
“Have regular hours for work and play;
Make each day both useful and pleasant,
And prove that you understand the worth
Of time by employing it well.
Then youth will be delightful,
Old age will bring few regrets and life
Will become a beautiful success,
In spite of poverty.”
A lovely sentiment to help keep us all grounded on life and the 'here and now'. Life is all about finding the right balance, don’t you think?
Karon Graham
Older students on the other hand, begin the year with determined effort, to stay on top of their studies and homework and will often stay up very late and insist that they ‘absolutely, have to’ get something completed before they go to bed which could be as late as midnight. The end result can be that students ‘overdo it in the first few weeks’ and for some students they then ‘hit a wall’ and say that it’s all too hard and it ends in tears. This can be upsetting for parents, who want to encourage their sons and daughters to achieve and do well, but at the same time don’t want them to be so emotional, worried and upset. It’s important to get the right balance because as parents you want to encourage your son or daughter to do well but at the same time, we need to set some sensible boundaries for homework and study.
Homework for the very youngest students (Prep to Year 3) - around 15 minutes is acceptable, Years 4 -7 about 30 – 60 minutes, Years 8 – 10 about 60 to 90 minutes and Years 11 and 12, around 2 to 3 hours is the norm. Obviously homework time and study time may vary depending on the day of the week and time of the year, upcoming examinations and due dates for assignments for example, however; with these time allocations in mind, parents will have a better sense of what is fair and reasonable for your child.
Please consider some of these simple strategies to help reduce stress any upset: around school, homework and study. Developing good routines with your son or daughter is one of the most important keys to the kind of good start you want for your child.
The Night before School:
• Develop routines with your son or daughter.
• Ensure that they are prepared for the next day – everything is packed the night before ready for school, PE clothes, Library books, Permission forms signed, homework completed etc.
• Students of all ages, need to get a good night’s sleep – 8 hours for everyone and younger students will need longer. Having a routine of the same bed time for younger students helps prepare them for sleep time.
• Quiet time before bed helps relax the brain. Quiet reading time for older students and reading stories to younger students will help this process. Blaring music or television or intense impact computer games will not relax your child and it will make the process of falling asleep difficult.
Before School
• Always – no matter what the rush – ensure that everyone has a good breakfast and students have a nutritious morning tea and lunch for school. The television ad that shows the ‘fuzziness of the brain without food’ is funny, but it’s also true. Growing children do need high energy foods – and not high energy ‘sugar’ drinks.
• Remind your child to drink plenty of water. Research shows that dehydration and a lack of water, also makes it difficult for students to concentrate in class.
After School:
• Listen to what your child has to say on the way home in the car (or when they arrive home) – this is where you get the best sense of how the day has gone; remember that students will be more emotional at this time than later – keep it all in perspective. Be reflective in your listening – don’t jump in and ask too many questions. Let your child tell you in their own way and rather than ask questions that only require a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response, make statements that allow them to give a longer response.
• Let them change into casual clothes straight away
• Allow time for play or relaxation for an hour
• Have a set time for homework and make sure that they have a space to do the homework. It’s ok to do homework with you around but try to keep the noise to a minimum where possible and encourage your child to problem solve before seeking help from you. Avoid giving the answer to your child.
• Homework should not be stressful for the student or parent. If your child is having difficulty, either, write a note to the teacher or make a time to meet with the teacher to discuss the issue. The teachers at CCPS are here to help you, please talk to them sooner rather than later about any problems.
• Encourage your son or daughter to find solutions to his or her problems without your intervention. This is important to allow students to develop their own problem solving strategies. If they are having difficulty solving the problem, having a small break can help but not if the break is watching television which can become a huge time waster.
• Praise your child genuine efforts but avoid overdoing the praise. Be specific about what you are praising your child for and only give praise when it’s deserved.
• Encouragement and praise are powerful motivators for your son or daughter, use criticism sparingly and seek to find a positive way to encourage your son or daughter to work harder or to a higher level. Keep it fun and interesting!
No two people study the same way, and there is little doubt that what works for one person may not work for another. However, there are some general techniques that seem to produce good results. No one would argue that every subject that you have to take is going to be so interesting that studying it is not work but pleasure. We can only wish.
Everyone is different, and for some students, studying and being motivated to learn comes naturally. Your son or daughter’s success in school is dependent on his or her ability to study effectively and efficiently. The results of poor study skills are wasted time, frustration, and low or failing grades. All I can say, upon reflection of many years as a teacher, (and parents I know you will agree), is that time is precious and not to be squandered, no matter what your son or daughter believes right now.
Parents, my blog on 3 February, 2009 has much more detail, for older students, on how to study more effectively and includes some useful strategies for learning and studying sourced from a range of websites and books.
Effective study skills must be practised in order for you to improve. It is not enough to simply "think about" studying; you have to actually do it, and in the process use information from what you do, to get better. All that follows depends on this single concept. At school, I often talk to the students about setting a goal to improve by 10% - this is a relatively small percentage and is achievable. Over time, like compound interest the improvement in a student’s academic performance can be profound. The secret is to be persistent, to continue to practise the skills necessary to learn and over time, student achievements will improve too because:
"Practice doesn't make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect."
Author, Louise May Alcott, once wrote:
“Have regular hours for work and play;
Make each day both useful and pleasant,
And prove that you understand the worth
Of time by employing it well.
Then youth will be delightful,
Old age will bring few regrets and life
Will become a beautiful success,
In spite of poverty.”
A lovely sentiment to help keep us all grounded on life and the 'here and now'. Life is all about finding the right balance, don’t you think?
Karon Graham
Monday, January 31, 2011
What sort of effect do you have on other people?
Have you ever wondered how you affect other people’s lives? You’d like to think it was a good effect, wouldn’t you? People would leave you feeling better about themselves and about you as a person. Sometimes this is true and other times, quite the reverse is the case - we leave people feeling hurt and upset – even though that may not have been our intention. We have all experienced the thought: ‘if only I could have changed what I said or did’, but many of us don’t have an opportunity to undo what has happened or take back what was said.
The message is clear. Each of us has huge potential to influence other people’s lives – either directly or indirectly. Your actions and your words can make a difference – positive or negative on one person’s life or maybe thousands of people can be affected by what you say and do.
Some of you may have read “Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom, which tells the moving story of Eddie who is accidentally killed on his 83rd birthday saving a young girl from certain death. He wakes in heaven and is taken on a journey ‘back in time’ to meet five people whose lives he has affected. The strange thing about the journey is that Eddie does not always know the people and is totally oblivious to the impact he has had on someone else’s life.
Ironically, while his life has intersected with other people’s, in an almost random way, the theme that runs through the book is that nothing is random and there are no random acts in life.
Eddie reflects on his life and realises he has had a far greater impact on other people’s lives than he ever gave himself credit for while he was alive. Some people have been saved by Eddie’s actions, one has lost his life and others have been affected for the better by his deeds. Ultimately Eddie realises that in spite of his bitterness, anger and regret about his life, he has made a difference to many people’s lives and Talia the last person he meets, helps him see this in the most emotional way imaginable.
Eddie reflects on his life and realises he has had a far greater impact on other people’s lives than he ever gave himself credit for while he was alive. Some people have been saved by Eddie’s actions, one has lost his life and others have been affected for the better by his deeds. Ultimately Eddie realises that in spite of his bitterness, anger and regret about his life, he has made a difference to many people’s lives and Talia the last person he meets, helps him see this in the most emotional way imaginable.
In the book: 
“The Butterfly Effect” by New York Times bestselling author, Andy Andrews, shares some real life stories of how one person’s actions affected not one, not five but millions of people’s lives for the better. He begins the book by recounting how in 1963, Edward Lorenz presented a hypothesis to the New York Academy of Science which stated that:
“A butterfly could flap its wings and set molecules of air in motion, which would move other molecules of air, which in turn would move even more molecules, eventually capable of starting a hurricane on the other side of the planet.”
“The Butterfly Effect” by New York Times bestselling author, Andy Andrews, shares some real life stories of how one person’s actions affected not one, not five but millions of people’s lives for the better. He begins the book by recounting how in 1963, Edward Lorenz presented a hypothesis to the New York Academy of Science which stated that:“A butterfly could flap its wings and set molecules of air in motion, which would move other molecules of air, which in turn would move even more molecules, eventually capable of starting a hurricane on the other side of the planet.”
While this theory was dismissed and ridiculed, years later physics professors announced The Law of Sensitive Dependence Upon Initial Conditions’, which supports the notion that the first movement of any form of matter – including people - can result in very different outcomes.
Andrews gives some wonderful real life experiences of how individuals have changed the course of history and changed the world forever because of a single action or words said. Take Norman Borlaug, for example, or George Washington Carver or Henry Wallace, and I’m guessing that you don’t know who these people are, but they were scientists, Henry Wallace was a former Vice President of the USA and by their very actions, individually and collectively, were responsible for hybridized high yield, disease resistant corn and wheat for arid climates, which have in turned saved billions of people’s lives.
Andrews gives some wonderful real life experiences of how individuals have changed the course of history and changed the world forever because of a single action or words said. Take Norman Borlaug, for example, or George Washington Carver or Henry Wallace, and I’m guessing that you don’t know who these people are, but they were scientists, Henry Wallace was a former Vice President of the USA and by their very actions, individually and collectively, were responsible for hybridized high yield, disease resistant corn and wheat for arid climates, which have in turned saved billions of people’s lives.
The message is clear. Each of us has huge potential to influence other people’s lives – either directly or indirectly. Your actions and your words can make a difference – positive or negative on one person’s life or maybe thousands of people can be affected by what you say and do.
Don’t underestimate the power of one person (yourself included) to change the world, to change the course of history, or simply to change the life of one other person for the better. Life is not as random as it seems and the people you meet and interact with may in turn be changed forever because of your words or your actions.
As Andrews says in his conclusion:
“Your life …
And what you do with it today
Matters Forever. "
“Your life …
And what you do with it today
Matters Forever. "
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Reach for the Stars
How many times have you heard the expression: “It’s written in the stars?” What does this mean exactly? And by what power is fate written for each and every one of us? How can that be?
So are we all a little starry eyed when it comes to our destiny? Is it written down somewhere what we’re destined to do or to be? This timeless question has puzzled many great philosophers down through the ages and quite a few authors.
In Paulo Coelho’s, lyrical fable, The Alchemist, he tells the tale a young Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago, who falls asleep in an abandoned, ruined church where an enormous sycamore tree grows. He tends his sheep during the day and at night he reads
books. He dreams a recurring dream. He’s dreamt the same dream week after week but wakes each time, before the end of the dream. In this dream, he dreams that if he travels to the pyramids of Egypt, he will find his fortune.
So Santiago sets off on a journey to discover his personal legend.
Along the way he encounters many mysterious and magical people, surprising twists and turns, and omens and obstacles await Santiago on his quest. He meets a gypsy woman who tells him he must go forward on his journey to fulfil his destiny. He meets an old King, who tells Santiago to never stop dreaming and follow the omens and pursue his dream.
He buys a ticket to Tangier, but is robbed of all of his money when he gets there and so he must work for a Crystal Merchant who teaches the young boy about patience - following through and not giving up on his mission, his dream.
The girl of his dreams, he finds in the desert at an oasis and falls in love at first sight. He meets an Alchemist, rumoured to be 200 years old, who gives just the right amount of direction and encouragement to allow Santiago to find his Personal Legend on his own.
As he nears the end of his journey at the pyramids and digs, Santiago finds, in an ironic twist, that the treasure isn't what or where he thought it was. It was in fact back at home in the ruined church where he first began his quest. Life’s often like that, don’t you think? – you never know where you’ll find your treasure.
So are we all a little starry eyed when it comes to our destiny? Is it written down somewhere what we’re destined to do or to be? This timeless question has puzzled many great philosophers down through the ages and quite a few authors.
In Paulo Coelho’s, lyrical fable, The Alchemist, he tells the tale a young Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago, who falls asleep in an abandoned, ruined church where an enormous sycamore tree grows. He tends his sheep during the day and at night he reads
books. He dreams a recurring dream. He’s dreamt the same dream week after week but wakes each time, before the end of the dream. In this dream, he dreams that if he travels to the pyramids of Egypt, he will find his fortune.So Santiago sets off on a journey to discover his personal legend.
Along the way he encounters many mysterious and magical people, surprising twists and turns, and omens and obstacles await Santiago on his quest. He meets a gypsy woman who tells him he must go forward on his journey to fulfil his destiny. He meets an old King, who tells Santiago to never stop dreaming and follow the omens and pursue his dream.
He buys a ticket to Tangier, but is robbed of all of his money when he gets there and so he must work for a Crystal Merchant who teaches the young boy about patience - following through and not giving up on his mission, his dream.
The girl of his dreams, he finds in the desert at an oasis and falls in love at first sight. He meets an Alchemist, rumoured to be 200 years old, who gives just the right amount of direction and encouragement to allow Santiago to find his Personal Legend on his own.
As he nears the end of his journey at the pyramids and digs, Santiago finds, in an ironic twist, that the treasure isn't what or where he thought it was. It was in fact back at home in the ruined church where he first began his quest. Life’s often like that, don’t you think? – you never know where you’ll find your treasure.
Have you ever dreamed of finding some long lost treasure? Yes? I did too. As a child I wanted to be an archaeologist to go exploring exotic places in the world, digging for never before seen ancient treasure – just like Indianna Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. I’m not sure at what point I changed my mind. It may have been when my father pointed out to me that: “Archaeologists are underpaid publicity agents for deceased royalty.”
If nothing else my dad was pragmatic…. Not unlike Indianna Jones, come to think of it. Remember Indianna’s great line to his newly arrived, starry eyed archaeology students:
“Archaeology is the search for fact. Not truth. If it's truth you're interested in, Doctor Tyree's Philosophy class is right down the hall. So forget any ideas you've got about lost cities, exotic travel, and digging up the world. We do not follow maps to buried treasure, and 'X' never, ever marks the spot. Seventy percent of all archaeology is done in the library. Research and Reading.” And he’s right you know.
Treasure is not always buried. Sometimes it’s right under our noses. Don’t believe me? Imagine the surprise of an English brother and sister cleaning out their late parent’s house and happened upon a beautiful vase. Inquisitive as to its value, they took the vase to an antique auctioneer in London, only to be told that it was in fact a rare 18th century Chinese porcelain vase marked with the Imperial seal and was valued at $800,000. At the auction held last week, a fast and furious bidding war commenced and in less than 30 minutes the vase had sold to the shocked pair for $83 million!
I can see it in your eyes now – you’re thinking - If only I could have been that person…..but in a sense we are that person. We do have treasure right under our noses and sometimes we just don’t even see it. There’s a saying that ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ and I think this is true to some extent. We don’t value what treasure we have around us, and unfortunately, we find out too late, the value of something that we’ve lost or something that is gone forever.
For students, the treasure of your home and family life are things that you can take for granted. The one true thing I have learned in this life is that it can change in the blink of an eye. Treasure your parents. Respect your teachers and make the most of every opportunity to learn. Don’t leave it too late, don’t have regrets later in life that you didn’t make the most of the opportunities that you have at Caloundra City Private School.
For our graduating Year 12s, the class of 2010….
You have a wonderful new adventure ahead of you, just like Santiago. This journey may seem daunting to you now – wondering about your OP, or the university or a future career. You will have trials and tribulations along the way for sure but you only have one life. Follow your dreams to the nth degree. Don’t give up believing in yourself and what you can achieve. Dig deep when you need to and be courageous ; be bold. Reach for the stars – and as someone once quipped: if your boat doesn’t come into shore, swim out to meet it!
Seize the day. Carpe Diem.
For Parents
Continue to support your sons and daughters as they reach for the stars. We at the School will do all in our power to help these dreams come true.
For our school as a whole, we’re on a journey too. A journey to great achievements and great deeds. Thank you for your loyalty to the School. Thank you for your trust in us to help your sons and daughters grow and develop into young people of good character and it is our mission and our dream to allow every student to shine.
Paulo Coelho’s lyrical tale “The Alchemist” is a fable about following one's dreams, listening to one's heart. Coelho shows how easy it is to give up ever attaining one's dreams due to complacency - or not wanting to move out of one's comfort zone. "People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them, or that they'll be unable to achieve them." "There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure."
Yet Santiago does want to pursue his dream of finding his treasure and yes, at times we see and feel his fear, but along his journey, he has learned to listen to his heart and to trust what his heart teaches him.
Santiago learns about love along the way and helps others to face their fears as well. Coelho states, "And that's where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are." Yes we do.
I would like to share this beautiful passage from Marianne Williamson’s “Return to Love”:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?.... Your playing small does not serve the world well at all.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. … It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. "
If nothing else my dad was pragmatic…. Not unlike Indianna Jones, come to think of it. Remember Indianna’s great line to his newly arrived, starry eyed archaeology students:
“Archaeology is the search for fact. Not truth. If it's truth you're interested in, Doctor Tyree's Philosophy class is right down the hall. So forget any ideas you've got about lost cities, exotic travel, and digging up the world. We do not follow maps to buried treasure, and 'X' never, ever marks the spot. Seventy percent of all archaeology is done in the library. Research and Reading.” And he’s right you know.
Treasure is not always buried. Sometimes it’s right under our noses. Don’t believe me? Imagine the surprise of an English brother and sister cleaning out their late parent’s house and happened upon a beautiful vase. Inquisitive as to its value, they took the vase to an antique auctioneer in London, only to be told that it was in fact a rare 18th century Chinese porcelain vase marked with the Imperial seal and was valued at $800,000. At the auction held last week, a fast and furious bidding war commenced and in less than 30 minutes the vase had sold to the shocked pair for $83 million!
I can see it in your eyes now – you’re thinking - If only I could have been that person…..but in a sense we are that person. We do have treasure right under our noses and sometimes we just don’t even see it. There’s a saying that ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ and I think this is true to some extent. We don’t value what treasure we have around us, and unfortunately, we find out too late, the value of something that we’ve lost or something that is gone forever.
For students, the treasure of your home and family life are things that you can take for granted. The one true thing I have learned in this life is that it can change in the blink of an eye. Treasure your parents. Respect your teachers and make the most of every opportunity to learn. Don’t leave it too late, don’t have regrets later in life that you didn’t make the most of the opportunities that you have at Caloundra City Private School.
For our graduating Year 12s, the class of 2010….
You have a wonderful new adventure ahead of you, just like Santiago. This journey may seem daunting to you now – wondering about your OP, or the university or a future career. You will have trials and tribulations along the way for sure but you only have one life. Follow your dreams to the nth degree. Don’t give up believing in yourself and what you can achieve. Dig deep when you need to and be courageous ; be bold. Reach for the stars – and as someone once quipped: if your boat doesn’t come into shore, swim out to meet it!
Seize the day. Carpe Diem.
For Parents
Continue to support your sons and daughters as they reach for the stars. We at the School will do all in our power to help these dreams come true.
For our school as a whole, we’re on a journey too. A journey to great achievements and great deeds. Thank you for your loyalty to the School. Thank you for your trust in us to help your sons and daughters grow and develop into young people of good character and it is our mission and our dream to allow every student to shine.
Paulo Coelho’s lyrical tale “The Alchemist” is a fable about following one's dreams, listening to one's heart. Coelho shows how easy it is to give up ever attaining one's dreams due to complacency - or not wanting to move out of one's comfort zone. "People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them, or that they'll be unable to achieve them." "There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure."
Yet Santiago does want to pursue his dream of finding his treasure and yes, at times we see and feel his fear, but along his journey, he has learned to listen to his heart and to trust what his heart teaches him.
Santiago learns about love along the way and helps others to face their fears as well. Coelho states, "And that's where the power of love comes in. Because when we love, we always strive to become better than we are." Yes we do.
I would like to share this beautiful passage from Marianne Williamson’s “Return to Love”:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?.... Your playing small does not serve the world well at all.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. … It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. "
It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.
Never stop dreaming.
Reach for the stars every single day.
Never stop dreaming.
Reach for the stars every single day.
Karon Graham
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Life is Making the Most of Every Moment - Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
How many times do we lament what happens in a day - all the bad stuff - instead of focusing on the positives in our life?Life is here to be enjoyed, not endured. We only have one chance to live the life we do, so make the most of every moment. Celebrate every new dawn, like it was your last and 'don't sweat the small stuff'.
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.
(Mother Teresa)
Qualities of a Person of Good Character
“She’s such a character,” I hear people say and they’re usually referring to some larger than life, over the top person with quirky fashion sense or eccentric manner. Many famous characters of this kind come to mind. Think of comedian Phyllis Diller with her wild hair and ditzy laugh, or Jennifer Saunders and her outrageous fashion sense in Absolutely Fabulous, or Barry Humphries’ alter ego Dame Edna Everage and ‘her gladdies’, or English actor Rowan Atkinson’s, Mr Bean – what can I say about Mr Bean – he defies explanation. These characters all have this amazing ability to bring together both endearing and cringe worthy qualities that usually make us laugh and see the funny side of life.
What of a person’s character though? What are the qualities that mark a person of ‘good character’? History reveals many great men and women of character – people tested by difficult and dangerous circumstances beyond their control, but triumphing over extreme adverse conditions, by their very will and determination - India’s liberator, Mahatma Gandhi, England’s ‘mother of nursing’, Florence Nightingale, America’s Afro-American Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King, Calcutta’s carer of the children of the slum, Mother Teresa, American President Benjamin Franklin, and New Zealander and Australian restorer of sight amongst indigenous people, Fred Hollows. Were these people perfect? No they were not. Did they have good character though? Yes, they did. So how do we measure a person’s character?
The gian
t Californian redwoods are amongst the world’s tallest trees and while they are the world’s largest trees currently living, it may surprise many people to know that an Australian Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) was the world’s largest tree ever recorded. According to historical records, the Ferguson Tree was reported at over 154m (nearly 500 feet high). It was measured by Surveyor Ferguson in 1872 in the Watts River Catchment near Healesville, in Victoria. The point about these giant trees is that they are supported by massive root systems, which represent almost two thirds of the tree’s mass. These root systems are of course hidden underground and out of sight. A person’s character, similarly, is often hidden from the visible eye; these intangible qualities lie deep within a person’s psyche but they are there, none-the-less, like an inbuilt moral compass. On the other hand, someone’s outward personal appearance and personality, is on show and there for all to see.
What of a person’s character though? What are the qualities that mark a person of ‘good character’? History reveals many great men and women of character – people tested by difficult and dangerous circumstances beyond their control, but triumphing over extreme adverse conditions, by their very will and determination - India’s liberator, Mahatma Gandhi, England’s ‘mother of nursing’, Florence Nightingale, America’s Afro-American Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King, Calcutta’s carer of the children of the slum, Mother Teresa, American President Benjamin Franklin, and New Zealander and Australian restorer of sight amongst indigenous people, Fred Hollows. Were these people perfect? No they were not. Did they have good character though? Yes, they did. So how do we measure a person’s character?
The gian
t Californian redwoods are amongst the world’s tallest trees and while they are the world’s largest trees currently living, it may surprise many people to know that an Australian Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) was the world’s largest tree ever recorded. According to historical records, the Ferguson Tree was reported at over 154m (nearly 500 feet high). It was measured by Surveyor Ferguson in 1872 in the Watts River Catchment near Healesville, in Victoria. The point about these giant trees is that they are supported by massive root systems, which represent almost two thirds of the tree’s mass. These root systems are of course hidden underground and out of sight. A person’s character, similarly, is often hidden from the visible eye; these intangible qualities lie deep within a person’s psyche but they are there, none-the-less, like an inbuilt moral compass. On the other hand, someone’s outward personal appearance and personality, is on show and there for all to see. What is the difference between someone’s personality and his or her character? Personality is the natural or inborn traits of a person - the outward show of who they are, which could range from: extraverted, bright and bubbly, quiet and shy, confident and commanding, caring and compassionate to introverted and studious and all variations in between. This is very different though from someone’s character. Someone can be very charming (a personality trait) but a charlatan or a cheat (a character trait).
Character, is a learned behaviour and reflects someone’s attitudes and values. In a nutshell, character is a set of behaviour traits that define what sort of person you are. Your moral or ethical qualities if you like – qualities of honesty, courage, integrity, trustworthiness, respectfulness, responsibility, caring and compassion. People judge your personal character by their perception of how you respond to challenges. Someone who perseveres in the face of adversity and works persistently to complete a task or sees something through is generally thought to be someone of good personal character. By every measure Fred Hollows was such a man. He never wavered in his mission to bring sight to thousands of people suffering from trachoma, in aboriginal communities in Australia, Nepal, Eritrea and Vietnam. He organised manufacturing labs to provide low cost lenses (about $10 each) to the people of these countries and trained many ordinary citizens on how to complete the procedure in remote, often war-torn and inhospitable parts of the world. He was a humble person but a great visionary, a ‘giant’ among men – a man of great character.
It’s not easy though to be a person of good character all the time. Even Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s greatest Presidents who identified thirteen values to live by, and wrote to his son about these virtues, (including them in his autobiography), was often unable to live by these very virtues, succumbing to gout, excessive drinking and other less virtuous behaviours. As I say, no one is perfect but, the reality is that:
“You can’t discover light by analysing the darkness.”
All of us can learn how to be a person of good character, or to be a better person. It’s something we can all strive to achieve. I will be the first to admit that it’s not always easy, particularly when you’re a young person and facing enormous peer pressure to do something that you know is not right. Part of learning how to be person of character is being able to show integrity – doing the right thing in a difficult situation under pressure. Admitting when we’re wrong, owning up when we’ve done the wrong thing and being honest about it is one of life’s toughest challenges. Hiding the facts, deceiving others to ‘protect our own skin’ is no way to develop into a person of good character. Taking the consequences and learning from our mistakes is the only way that we can move forward as a person of character.
Our aim at Caloundra City Private School is to develop good character – traits of honesty, respect, trustworthiness, integrity, responsibility, self-discipline, compassion and care - in every single student. Together, the School and parents can achieve this goal. Our students, like the great Mountain Ash and Redwoods, can one day be ‘giants’ among men and women, if only they continue to learn from their mistakes and make good choices, that ultimately develop within them, a person of integrity – a person of great character. This timeless verse from Samuel Smiles captures the essence of ‘building’ character in young people.
“Sow a thought, reap and action;
Sow an action, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;
Sow a character, reap a destiny”
Karon Graham
All of us can learn how to be a person of good character, or to be a better person. It’s something we can all strive to achieve. I will be the first to admit that it’s not always easy, particularly when you’re a young person and facing enormous peer pressure to do something that you know is not right. Part of learning how to be person of character is being able to show integrity – doing the right thing in a difficult situation under pressure. Admitting when we’re wrong, owning up when we’ve done the wrong thing and being honest about it is one of life’s toughest challenges. Hiding the facts, deceiving others to ‘protect our own skin’ is no way to develop into a person of good character. Taking the consequences and learning from our mistakes is the only way that we can move forward as a person of character.
Our aim at Caloundra City Private School is to develop good character – traits of honesty, respect, trustworthiness, integrity, responsibility, self-discipline, compassion and care - in every single student. Together, the School and parents can achieve this goal. Our students, like the great Mountain Ash and Redwoods, can one day be ‘giants’ among men and women, if only they continue to learn from their mistakes and make good choices, that ultimately develop within them, a person of integrity – a person of great character. This timeless verse from Samuel Smiles captures the essence of ‘building’ character in young people.
“Sow a thought, reap and action;
Sow an action, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;
Sow a character, reap a destiny”
Karon Graham
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