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When asked to try to make sense of 93 survey responses about alternative education choices (aka progressive and as it turned out, more specifically the Our Choice stream) I thought it would be an overwhelming task, a little like herding cats! But as I read through the answers to questions such as why the particular school was chosen and whether it met expectations, it was amazing how like-minded all the respondents seemed to be, regardless of age. In fact they seemed to be speaking in one voice, a voice that expressed a shared and unequivocal philosophy, set of values and the vision of what education could and should be.

Please believe me when I say I did not want to over simplify nor detract from the unique and personal answers I am trying to summarize here as that would, above all other concerns, be totally unacceptable to alternative ways of seeing and representing the education world. However, in the interests of flow and brevity, I have constructed a response one person speaking, liberally quoted from the actual responses received. I have made sure though that I have included all degrees of responses, from the exuberant to the not so.

In terms of structure, I have addressed the answers making the following assumption –
”OK, so you’re definitely interested in exploring alternative education, what if…”

An apology upfront, but to those who participated only. If I have quoted you but have not named you in particular, sorry! All quotes are in red. Not intentional, but then I’m no journalist either! Having said that, all contributors (who gave us permission to) are listed towards the last pages.

Where there is a reference to a particular choice trait, I have left it if it made sense to do so. For example, the Steiner stream has the teacher with the children from years 1 to 6. This may not apply to all streams.

All photos/pictures included are of a personal nature, and therefore Real!

Some schools have dual curriculum ie government-run schools that run both mainstream and alternative options, and others only the one. I’ve attempted to reflect a blended and balance viewpoint from both. I hope I’ve done them justice.

I trust that what follows is an engaging, informative and helpful guide to your “what if…” questions that you may consider if you head down the path of alternative education.

Download “Swimming Against The Current” Ebook

It’s 10am’ish and I’m sitting at a dining room table, looking out over the ocean, back towards Townsville. The sea is calm, the sun shines brightly. Both sea and sky are an exquisite blue and the sun is warming all.

What a delightful little spot this is…
Didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into when we booked it, but then that’s what makes up half the adventure when traveling, isn’t it?

We’ve not done much.
The beauty of a week like this is to STOP!
Actually taking the time out to do nothing is most important, and not done nearly often enough. Mind you, we have been writing and thinking and reading, but all in our own good time.

What we have done? Cuddled a koala, and a snake, and a red-tailed black cockatoo, and a blue-tongue lizard. Gorgeous photos to follow. We’ve walked, talked and bought. We’ve ate, drank and been merry!

We’ve spent time with friends, the Palmers. A delightful and most missed friendship, since we all live so far away from each other these days. Hopefully we will all get to rendezvous again in the not too distant future.

Heading back to Melbourne is not what we want to be doing right now, but alas, reality sets in way too soon. Back to the height of winter is not something we’re looking forward to, given we’ve been living in a balmy 25oC. Oh well…

Will we come back? you bet ya!
Until next time…

Ah yes, fun and games at Daughters school… hhmmmm

(Her) STEINER school operating out of the historic Abbotsford Convent faces closure after local residents successfully rallied against its expansion into an adjacent paddock.

The Sophia Mundi Steiner School sought to build five new classrooms on Abbotsford Convent land next to the Collingwood Children’s Farm.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/schools-hard-knock-over-field-of-dreams-20110611-1fymz.html

How’s this for a stroke of luck?

Last weekend was one of the few celebration days for my birthday (don’t ask!).  I decided that I would treat Daughter and I by having a sleepover at the 5-star Hotel Windsor in Melbourne. Onto to wotif.com I went, securing us a “Superior Room” with 2pm check out and 2 full buffet breakfasts. Excellent shopping.

Daughter and I then dawdled in around 4pm. The main man asked us to wait a moment, and then presented us with keys to a suite as our room wasn’t available! So we went in search…

Low and behold, we arrive at the stain-glass door of the Sir Winston Churchill suite. As the key did fit, and did work, we went in.

This was not your average Superior Room, oh no no no. It was an apartment, complete with lounge, dining, 2 bedrooms and bathroom with spa. We couldn’t believe our eyes.

As we had already planned to meet a few VBFs (very best friends) for drinks and dinner, we changed plans slightly and invited them for pre-going-out drinks in our room, without revealing the full extent of what they were also to experience. Suffice to say, they got as much of a surprise as we did.

I must say we all thoroughly enjoyed sitting around the dining room table sipping champagne and scoffing canapes!

What a way to be able to celebrate. What a way to be able to entertain good mates. What a way to lead into a delightful, albeit filling, teppenyaki dinner in Chinatown. What a way to do coffee and birthday cake upon return.  What a way to spoil yourself, because you can!

Given we were on a roll, we invited the family to come and join us Sunday morning for the full-buffet breakfast in the restaurant – 111 Spring St. They did and all was very pleasant. We of course invited them for coffee and cake upstairs, after breakfast was consumed and a little newspaper-reading was done. They too were chuffed once they settled in the leather chesterfield lounge suite! “We could all get used to this”.

Sadly, the time came to check out. As much as we resisted it, the clock ticked closer and closer towards 2pm. That was the time to turn back into mere mortals; ready to jump on the train at Parliament Station and head on home…

How ever that was arranged, I thank you!

Sunny Melbourne received us warmly.

The flight on Aerolineas Argentina was right on time, and they looked after us well (except the food is crap, and they need to get the TVs in the back of the seats…). We were most pleased to be sitting together in our own little twosome, which made sleeping, using the bathroom and general lounging somewhat easier and more comfortable.

After sleeping as much of the 13 hour leg to Auckland as possible,  it was then try-and-stay-awake time for the remainder. We arrived Sydney on time at 11:00am (in fact, it might have even been a little early).  We got through Customs without any drama, double bag checks or declarations of any kind so breezing through was just as we wanted it, and as it should be.

But then we had to sit in Virgin Domestic for 2 hours – bugger! and then there was a delay of another hour – double bugger! Hard to stay awake by this stage though, but then the airport chairs are not known for comfort! Plus, we did have the Australian Open tennis to keep us entertained. We eventually got to Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport around 5pm, just in time for Grammy to pick us up out the front.

All in all, an eventless 29 hour journey all up (thank goodness).
Now to the catch-up of domestic and business chores… they never go away do they!