Solomon Ibn Gabriol

The first step in the acquisition of wisdom is silence, the second listening, the third memory, the fourth practice, the fifth teaching others.

Community of Difference approach….

The community of difference approach was originally devised to enable schools to become more inclusive in terms of greater acceptance of minority racial groups (look up Sheilds, C 1999)

However, the fundamental principles can be used to build a community compact within your school. I have used this approach to recognize and utilize the diversity across differing values and beliefs of folks, and to create a place of acceptance – becoming relational as opposed to institutional. Not only has it been successful in achieving greater outcomes, it has help form a stronger educational philosophy and leadership framework.

I believe there is a fundamental set of guideposts in creating a community of difference. You need:
purpose,
context,
culture
philosophy, and
practices of schooling.

For mine, I believe there is:
the need to understand that education has a moral purpose -- providing an opportunity for all children to be successful and to increase their life chances,
the need to know the context of your school -- who is well represented and who is not; who is well served by existing programs and practices and who is not,
the need to understand and question the culture of your school, for we have recognized that schools are not neutral places, but tend to perpetuate the dominance and privilege of people who have power and to continue to exclude and silence those who do not,
the importance of developing a philosophy that encourages all members of the school community to take responsibility for learning, a philosophy that permits conflict to come to the surface where it may be explored and injustices challenged.
the need to examine school practices in an ongoing cycle of reflection and manageable change.

How many of us micro-manage?

Many business owners, executives and some school Principals micro-manage their staff. Without knowing it, they waste everyone's time and money. Worst of all they drain the lifeblood of the business by sapping its greatest strength: the energy of their employees.

Whether they know it or not, micro-managers inhibit employees from working. When they give an employee and assignment, and tell them how they want the assignment done, ask them about it every day, look over their shoulders and smother them with questions, they rob their employees of expertise.

By dictating every step of the process, the micro-manager stops people from doing their jobs. The micro-manager also adds the impossible burden of making the employee figure out how the boss wants the job done, rather than how to do it -- two totally different and often opposing propositions.

Micro-management also robs employees of job satisfaction. How can they enjoy their jobs if they're forced to spend their time second-guessing the boss and aren’t allowed to contribute any of their ability? They can't! Most employees resent this deeply. Most of us want to do our best at our jobs. For most people, doing your best is part of the enjoyment of working.

By stifling new ideas, this type of manager also creates a company that rapidly becomes stale. Instead the company growing and changing as it naturally would if everyone were bringing their own perspective to the mix, the company goes around and around in the same circles and stagnates. As everyone knows, the company, which stagnates, is usually going downhill.

Biiiiiiiig snake

This story came from the CASA Darwin office........

Hello all - thought you might be interested in these photos of a snakecaught on an electric wire on a sheep station near Alice Springs.... the storygoes that some Army boys, on manouvres, came accross this rock pythoncaught in an electric fence it's continually being shocked, andgetting rather cranky?!?

The Army boys wondering what to do with it , decidedto divert the current, snip the wire and let the snake go . They then reattached the wires and rejoined the current without any problems.When the station owner found out he went ballistic - apparently, thesnake has been eating all the young sheep in the area, and he's beentrying to shoot it for ages.

For the non-Aussies ... Alice Springs is a township in Central Australia.

Staple Diet

The doctor was annoyed with me,
I was not feeling fine,
He told me that my staple diet,
Was one not rich in iron.
So, I’ve been eating staples now,
Feeling light as a feather,
Of course when I wipe my butt,
I staple the sheets together.

Cheers

Spin

As I was growing up,
I played cricket with my Dad,
Those sun drenched afternoons,
Were amongst the best I’ve had.
He could spin the ball with vengeance,
Turning it either way,
It often made me look foolish,
I’m not ashamed to say.
He’s now eighty-two,
I’m at thirty nine,
Those halcyon days in the yard,
Have been left far behind.
But about a year ago,
I was bowling to some boys,
They are my twin nephews.
Cricket gear amongst their toys.
I spun the ball with vengeance,
Turning it either way,
I made them look quite foolish,
I’m quite proud to say.
Then my Dad came over smiling,
He picked up the cricket bat,
Now was my chance to get even,
I was looking forward to that.
But then I smiled at him ruefully,
And bowled the first ball,
I spun it very gently,
It turned not much at all.
I continued to bowl quite gently,
On this approach I stayed,
I did not want him to look foolish,
I am proud to say.
Because my memories of those summer days,
Playing cricket with my Dad,
Deserve to remain they way they are,
Amongst the best I’ve had.

Cheers

The Paradoxical Commandments (Kent M Keith)

· People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centred. Love them anyway.
· If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
· If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
· The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
· Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
· The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
· People favour underdogs but follow any top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
· What you spend years building may be destroyed over night. Build anyway.
· People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

Can

In the middle of the road this morning,
Was a discarded drink can,
Guided by external forces,
It could never understand.
Cars went in both directions,
At intervals randomly spaced,
The turbulence that they created,
Were like invisible hands placed,
Upon the can in the middle of the road,
Ushering it from side to side,
Flirting with destruction every moment,
Only to be pushed aside,
By the next car rushing past,
Drivers, of course didn’t care,
But of this helpless, inanimate object,
I was only too aware.
It needed to be saved from destruction,
I stopped my careless ride,
And rescued the can from its fate,
It was now safe inside.
For the day it lazed contentedly,
Warm in the winter sun,
Its fate was now more assured,
Not over before it had begun.
That afternoon we went home early,
The can I left in place,
I would find a special residence,
Where of danger there would be no trace.
My daughters are two helpful souls,
They are the best by far,
So they decided to surprise me,
And tidy up my car.
They vacuumed the interior,
Making an awful din,
Then, found the can and flattened it,
And threw it in the bin.
The moral is really quite simple,
When your life is gone to Hell,
Even those with best intentions,
Can get you there as well.

Cheers

A Story

When I was quite young, my father had one of the first telephones in our neighbourhood. I remember the polished, old case fastened to the wall. The shiny receiver hung on the side of the box. I was too little to reach the telephone, but used to listen with fascination when my mother talked to it. Then I discovered that somewhere inside the wonderful device lived an amazing person. Her name was "Information Please" and there was nothing she did not know.

Information Please could supply anyone's number and the correct time. My personal experience with the genie-in-a-bottle came one day while my mother was visiting a neighbour. Amusing myself at the tool bench in the basement, I whacked my finger with a hammer, the pain was terrible, but there seemed no point in crying because there was no one home to give sympathy. I walked around the house sucking my throbbing finger, finally arriving at the stairway. The telephone! Quickly, I ran for the footstool in the parlour and dragged it to the landing. Climbing up, I unhooked the receiver in the parlour and held it to my ear. "Information, please" I said into the mouthpiece just above my head. A click or two and a small clear voice spoke into my ear.
"Information."
"I hurt my finger..." I wailed into the phone, the tears came readily enough now that I had an audience.
"Isn't your mother home?" came the question. "Nobody's home but me," I blubbered.
"Are you bleeding?" the voice asked. "No," I replied. "I hit my finger with the hammer and it hurts." "Can you open the icebox?" she asked. I said I could.
"Then chip off a little bit of ice and hold it to your finger," said the voice.
After that, I called "Information Please" for everything. I asked
her for help with my geography, and she told me where Philadelphia was. She helped me with my math. She told me my pet guinea pig would eat fruit and nuts. Then, there was the time Petey, our pet canary, died. I called, Information Please," and told her the sad story. She listened, and then said things grown-ups say to soothe a child. But I was not consoled. I asked her, "Why is it that birds should sing so beautifully and bring joy to all families, only to end up as a heap of feathers on the bottom of a cage?"
She must have sensed my deep concern, for she said quietly, "Paul always remember that there are other worlds to sing in."
Somehow I felt better.

Another day I was on the telephone, "Information Please."

"Information," said in the now familiar voice. "How do I spell fix?" I asked.
I missed my friend very much. "Information Please" belonged in that old wooden box back home and I somehow never thought of trying the shiny new phone that sat on the table in the hall. As I grew into my teens, the memories of those childhood conversations never really left me.
Often, in moments of doubt and perplexity I would recall the serene sense of security I had then. I appreciated now how patient, understanding, and kind she was to have spent her time on a little boy.

A few years later, on my way west to college, my plane put down in Seattle. I had about a half-hour or so between planes. I spent 15 minutes or so on the phone with my sister, who lived there now. Then without thinking what I was doing, I dialled my hometown
operator and said, "Information Please."

Miraculously, I heard the small, clear voice I knew so well. "Information."
I hadn't planned this, but I heard myself saying, "Could you please tell me how to spell fix?"
There was a long pause. Then came the soft spoken answer, "I guess your finger must have healed by now."

I laughed, "So it's really you," I said. "I wonder if you have any idea how much you meant to me during that time?" I wonder," she said, "if you know how much your call meant to me. I never had any children and I used to look forward to your calls."

I told her how often I had thought of her over the years and I asked if I could call her again when I came back to visit my sister.
"Please do", she said. "Just ask for Sally."
Three months later I was back in Seattle. A different voice answered,
"Information." I asked for Sally.
"Are you a friend?" she said. "Yes, a very old friend," I answered.
"I'm sorry to have to tell you this," she said. "Sally had been working part-time the last few years because she was sick. She died five weeks ago."

Before I could hang up she said, "Wait a minute, did you say your name was Paul?" "Yes." I answered.

"Well, Sally left a message for you. She wrote it down in case you called.
Let me read it to you." The note said, "Tell him there are other worlds to sing in.
He'll know what I mean."

I thanked her and hung up. I knew what Sally meant.

A LETTER

A FATHER PASSING BY HIS SON'S BEDROOM WAS ASTONISHED TO SEE THE BED WAS NICELY MADE AND EVERYTHING WAS PICKED UP. THEN HE SAW AN ENVELOPE PROPPED UP PROMINENTLY ON THE CENTER OF THE BED. IT WAS ADDRESSED, "DAD".

WITH THE WORST PREMONITION, HE OPENED THE ENVELOPE AND READ THE LETTER WITH TREMBLING HANDS:

DEAR DAD,

IT IS WITH GREAT REGRET AND SORROW THAT I'M WRITING THIS. I HAD TO ELOPE WITH MY NEW GIRLFRIEND BECAUSE I WANTED TO AVOID A SCENE WITH MUM AND YOU.

I'VE BEEN FINDING REAL PASSION WITH BARBARA AND SHE IS SO NICE EVEN WITH ALL HER PIERCING, TATTOOS, AND HER TIGHT MOTORCYCLE CLOTHES. BUT IT'S NOT ONLY THE PASSION DAD, SHE'S PREGNANT AND BARBARA SAID THAT WE WILL BE VERY HAPPY.

EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T CARE FOR HER AS SHE IS MUCH OLDER THAN I, SHE ALREADY OWNS A TRAILER IN THE WOODS AND HAS A STACK OF FIREWOOD FOR THE WHOLE WINTER. SHE WANTS TO HAVE MANY MORE CHILDREN WITH ME AND THAT'S NOW ONE OF MY DREAMS TOO.

BARBARA TAUGHT ME THAT DRUGS DON'T REALLY HURT ANYONE AND WE'LL BE GROWING IT FOR OURSELVES AND TRADING IT WITH HER FRIENDS. IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL PRAY THAT SCIENCE WILL FIND A CURE FOR AIDS SO BARBARA CAN GET BETTER; SHE SURE DESERVES IT!!

DON'T WORRY DAD, I'M 15 YEARS OLD NOW AND I KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. SOME DAY I'M SURE WE'LL BE BACK TO VISIT SO YOU CAN GET TO KNOW YOUR GRANDCHILDREN.

YOUR SON,
MOZZY

P.S. DAD, NONE OF THIS IS TRUE. I'M OVER AT THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT THERE ARE WORSE THINGS IN LIFE THAN MY REPORT CARD THAT'S IN MY DESK CENTER DRAWER. I LOVE YOU. CALL WHEN IT'S SAFE FOR ME TO COME HOME.

LIFE BEFORE THE COMPUTER

Memory was something you lost with age.
An application was for employment.
A program was a TV show.
A cursor used profanity.
A keyboard was a piano.
A web was a spider's home.
A virus was the flu.
A CD was a bank account.
A hard drive was a long trip on the road.
A mouse pad was where a mouse lived.
Burning something was bad.

CRACK POTS

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

THE GOLDEN AGE

There was once a seventy year old man who lived in Athens Greece. In his retirement, he was more active than ever he was in his youth. His years of introspection and self-searching, he realized, must be shared if he were to succeed in any great accomplishment. The older inhabitants of Greece were caught up in their own lives and the cares of living. In time, he finally came to focus upon the young minds of Greece. He wanted to share his findings with the young men and children, so that they could make use of his studies earlier than ever he had been able, and so he sought out every child whom would come to him. His passion in his beliefs empowered him to attract all the children of the community to his sharing discussions. The children came to believe in him, and in time, it was they who sought him out. Their reverence of his passionate teachings revealed itself in their desire to sit at his feet and to reach out and touch him or hold his hand.

His teachings led him to travel the streets of many other cities, and eventually he was known far and wide. Children, everywhere, responded to his dedication to them and his passion toward his beliefs. He was accepted as The Authority, in their minds. It was not long until he became known as the teacher of the youth.

The parents and authorities distrusted this man with such ability to consume the minds of the youth. In a time of much ignorance found in the common man, this man shone forth as a beacon upon a hill. His stories inspired the children and fed their minds with confidence and knowledge. They learned of their self worth and this awareness fed the flames of jealousy in the self-centred minds of the adults. Eventually, the adults decided to bring charges against him hoping to free the grasp that he had upon the minds of the youth. Whenever they were unable to dislodge their confidence they decided to condemn him to death. Their counsels were formed and there was no argument that could persuade his self-appointed judges to believe any different. The children argued in his defence, repeating the honourable loving teachings that he had shared with him, without success. The children cried and their hearts were broken, but they could not dissuade the adults from their irrationality. It had already been determined that he must die. It was wrong for him to have such power over their minds.

Hemlock was administered to him, and its creeping poison slowly sought his heart. His last breaths were spent upon his children. He encouraged them to believe in themselves, to continue his teachings, and share his love.

There was one child there, who passionately determined that he would continue the teachings of his mentor. His love for the old man and the passion of his beliefs inspired him to pursue his own path toward awareness. He left there and travelled all the ancient world seeking to discover all the hidden mysteries of life. Many, many years passed before his return to his home, but upon his return, he recorded all of his knowledge and learnings. His own experiences and teachings were to become the definition of the age that he lived in. The age became known as the Golden Age and today, centuries later, his philosophies are still traditionally taught to the minds of our youth at all of the higher institutions for learning.

The seventy year old teacher was Socrates, and his student, who went on to follow in his footsteps... was Plato. They are now known as the greatest minds of philosophy.

St Christopher Will Protect Me

I’m not a confident driver,
An accident my likely fate,
It would cripple me financially,
And the loss of freedom I would hate.
So, I bought a St Christopher necklace,
For some divine protection,
It specializes in almighty safety,
And in spiritual trouble detection.
I hung it from the rear view mirror,
So trouble it could clearly see,
And thus, I was feeling safe,
With St Christopher protecting me.
I took the first corner on two wheels,
Man, I could really fly,
St Christopher swung on his chain,
And hit me in the eye.
I lost control and spun wildly,
Where was my heavenly luck?
I collided, still doing 60,
With a petrol truck.
The tanker then exploded,
Incinerating me and my car,
St Christopher wasn’t helping me,
As I became a human cigar.
I found myself at The Pearly Gates,
St Christopher in my hand,
I know that the angels here,
Would surely understand.
They said, “Son, we sympathise greatly,
And feel some sorrow as well,
But you can take that flaming necklace,
And go straight down to Hell.”

Many people embrace faith for all the wrong reasons.

Cheers

20 Greetings

I’m not coming in today,
I’m not coming in today,
She’s always such an emotional wreck,
Good morning,
I can’t find a pen that works,
Good morning,
It’s cold out here,
Why do they get here so early?
They gave me the call. I’m in.
I’m keeping him home today,
Did you get that email?
Do you know what happened?
Hello,
Good morning,
I’ve got my bag all ready,
Great,
Is that area out of bounds?
I’ve got new shoes. They’re sparkly,
I don’t like the cold.

I don’t know if it’s poetry, or art, but I just wrote down the first 20 things that people said to me at work this morning. It’s interesting what people say and when you take them out of context, then throw them together. It’s funny how they interact.
Cheers

Sharing

You guided me through pain and joy,
Kept my interest close at hand,
You challenged me with just a word,
You could always understand.
I looked up to your steadfast belief,
That people were inherently good,
You refused to let people just give up,
And they knew just where they stood.
You challenged me to be a better person,
That about others it was good to care,
But now when I need you most,
I reach and you’re not there.
I know why you’ve left us,
You’ve been shunned again,
I know that you’re better off,
But that doesn’t ease my pain.
I’ll go on believing your messages,
Keeping them in every thought,
I know that people can learn from me,
The things that me you taught.
And one day those many people,
Will have to do without me,
But they will go on as I am,
Sharing empathy.

A dear friend chose to leave his profession. Well, he was pushed. He challenged me, mentored me, listened, gave advice and was a voice of reason and perspective. He was my boss and I learnt so much from him.

Cheers

The mechanic and the surgeon

A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a motorcycle when he spotted a well-known cardiologist in his shop. The surgeon was there waiting for the service manager to take a look at his bike when the mechanic shouted from across the garage, "Hey Doc, can I ask you a question?"

The surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to where the mechanic was working on the motorcycle.

The mechanic straightened-up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked, "So Doc, look at this engine. I open its heart, take the valves out, repair any damage, and then put them back, and when I'm finished, it works just like new. So how come I get such a small salary and you get the really big bucks especially when you and I are doing basically the same type of work?"

The surgeon paused, smiled, leaned over, and whispered to the mechanic...."Try doing it with the engine running!"

Torture

Howls of protest,
Wails of pain,
My tortured senses,
Are not the same.
Strangled voices,
Startled cries,
Some are anguish,
Others surprise.
Save my senses,
Save my soul,
Rescue me,
Keep me whole.
This is Monday,
Pain in store,
Music lessons,
Held next door.

Cheers

Look what happens when you rearrange these letters:

DORMITORY becomes DIRTY ROOMPRESBYTERIAN becomes BEST IN PRAYER
ASTRONOMER becomes MOON STARER DESPERATION becomes A ROPE ENDS IT
THE EYES becomes THEY SEE
GEORGE BUSH becomes HE BUGS GORE
THE MORSE CODE becomes HERE COME DOTS SLOT MACHINES becomes CASH LOST IN ME
ANIMOSITY becomes IS NO AMITY
ELECTION RESULTS becomes LIES - LET'S RECOUNT
MOTHER-IN-LAW becomes WOMAN HITLER
SNOOZE ALARMS becomes ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S
A DECIMAL POINT becomes IM A DOT IN PLACE THE EARTHQUAKES becomes THAT QUEER SHAKE
ELEVEN PLUS TWO becomes TWELVE PLUS ONE