Last Friday’s opening of ‘Warami’ – the new outdoor learning space at Del Monte, was a moving and memorable event. The old undercroft has undergone quite a transformation through the generous support of our parents. But it is more than a physical make-over. Warami represents how our Dominican story is enhanced by our deepening understanding of Australian Indigenous stories. From the choice of an indigenous word, Warami, meaning ‘meeting place’, to the adoption of indigenous names for the colour Houses, our Dominican and Indigenous stories meet. Uncle Greg, a Dharug elder, welcomed us to country, and stressed to the children that our future as Australians is as brothers and sisters, regardless of cultural origins. It was a hope-filled message, a joyous and respectful ceremony, and showed us how much we still have to learn.
As Mrs Sue Lidell expressed last week, ‘we walk on Dharug land each day and yet we do not know its stories, its people or its history. How do we walk the talk of our Mission if we do not seek this truth? We are charged with a responsibility as part of being a member of the Dominican family to stop and listen, build relationships of authenticity and trust, and learn so that the students in our care have opportunities to make informed choices and draw their own conclusions through respectful listening and engagement’.
I was delighted to announce the appointment last week of Mrs Karen Carey as Artistic Director of the College, and Ms Jacqui Cowell as Drama Coordinator, K-12. Mrs Carey met with the Music staff on Friday and there was a great deal of mutual respect and engagement evident. We look forward to new and rich dramatic and musical performances in 2014. Mrs Carey will be attending the Del Monte Musical Extravaganza this week.
Both Mrs Carey and Ms Cowell are educators who understand that persistence is always more important than talent. If we could ‘bottle’ one message for our students about their learning, I think patient persistence would be it. As adults we also need to ensure that we model ‘slow thinking’ as well if we want to be discerning rather than just reactive. The rush to get the answer that is often exhibited by students appears in our adult world as well, particularly through the immediacy of online experiences.
We need to support our students through teaching methods that stress patience, critical thinking, and a delayed response based on deep and meaningful contemplation. We need to model that for our students in our interactions.
I close with a prayer for those experiencing disaster in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. This is an extract from the prayer in the latest edition of OPFAM – a Newsletter for the Dominican family in Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
‘Loving God, in the communion of Christ, we are joined with the trials and sufferings of all, and in a special way to our Dominican Family. Be with those who endure the effects of the typhoon in the Philippines. Bring hope in the midst of despair. Help the people to endure this time of uncertainty and give them strength to face the challenges ahead. Protect those in the path of danger. Open the pathway of evacuation. Help loved ones to find one another in the chaos. Bring comfort to those who grieve the loss of loved ones and property’.
Dr Maree Herrett
