I saw a tweet recently that said, "you should be able to tell a school's priorities by looking at the school calendar". This idea keeps coming back to me and obviously we can extend it to the home calendar as well.
When we look at our calendar does it reflect the values that we wish to inculcate in our children?
As you replace your 2013 home calendar for a fresh 2014 calendar have a flick through it. What does it say about your family priorities? Birthdays? Work appointments? Sporting commitments? Music lessons? Dentist appointments?
Each family will be different. Now think about your family values- are these reflected in your calendar?
If not then maybe this is the time to pencil in some celebrations and events that do.
As I digitalise the events I like to celebrate in my family/school library calendar in my Celebrate the Australian Year website I am acutely aware that it shows my personal interests of environment, multiculturalism, science, maths, art, literature, religious diversity, social activism and aboriginal history. There is no sport or popular culture reflected in it. Other families will have different priorities and their calendar would reflect that.
Then if you are a school principal, school teacher or teacher librarian have a look at your 2013 school calendar. Does it reflect your school values and priorities? Could a stranger look at your school calendar and work out your school values?
I would suggest that all Australian schools would have priorities of Numeracy and Literacy as well as the Australian Curriculum three Cross Curricular Priorities and the General Capabilities. In addition schools might have traditions of sporting, music, language, drama and/or religious priorities that should be seen in their calendars.
All of us can adapt our calendar to reflect our priorities, we just need to be proactive and plan instead of letting events unfold. On a school wide basis why not bring this up at the Staff Development Day. Don't take on too much at once. Change should be gradual to be sustainable.Try to make sure you have a least one event for each Cross Curricular Priority and General Capability. Teachers and teacher librarians can implement these changes at the classroom or library level if school wide change is not possible.
Keep your 2013 home or school calendar and compare it to your end-of-the-year 2014. Then celebrate your progress.
When we look at our calendar does it reflect the values that we wish to inculcate in our children?
As you replace your 2013 home calendar for a fresh 2014 calendar have a flick through it. What does it say about your family priorities? Birthdays? Work appointments? Sporting commitments? Music lessons? Dentist appointments?
Each family will be different. Now think about your family values- are these reflected in your calendar?
If not then maybe this is the time to pencil in some celebrations and events that do.
As I digitalise the events I like to celebrate in my family/school library calendar in my Celebrate the Australian Year website I am acutely aware that it shows my personal interests of environment, multiculturalism, science, maths, art, literature, religious diversity, social activism and aboriginal history. There is no sport or popular culture reflected in it. Other families will have different priorities and their calendar would reflect that.
Then if you are a school principal, school teacher or teacher librarian have a look at your 2013 school calendar. Does it reflect your school values and priorities? Could a stranger look at your school calendar and work out your school values?
I would suggest that all Australian schools would have priorities of Numeracy and Literacy as well as the Australian Curriculum three Cross Curricular Priorities and the General Capabilities. In addition schools might have traditions of sporting, music, language, drama and/or religious priorities that should be seen in their calendars.
All of us can adapt our calendar to reflect our priorities, we just need to be proactive and plan instead of letting events unfold. On a school wide basis why not bring this up at the Staff Development Day. Don't take on too much at once. Change should be gradual to be sustainable.Try to make sure you have a least one event for each Cross Curricular Priority and General Capability. Teachers and teacher librarians can implement these changes at the classroom or library level if school wide change is not possible.
Keep your 2013 home or school calendar and compare it to your end-of-the-year 2014. Then celebrate your progress.