The following issue of The Bulletin was prepared by Deb Lewis (Co-ordinator, Statewide Vision Resource Centre).
The SVRC PD program for term 2 appears below. For the complete list of activities for 2004 go to: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/PD2004.html
All activities are open to subject teachers, integration teachers and aides, careers teachers, therapists, parents, VTs, students etc. Please remember to register: tel (03) 9841 0242, fax (03) 9841 0878 or email svrc@svrc.vic.edu.au
Professional Development Event – Term
2 |
Date |
| O&M Morning – at Guide Dogs Victoria | Thursday 29 April |
| ZoomText Workshop 10am-12 noon | Tuesday 4 May |
| Educational Support for Vision Impaired Students with Additional Impairments – for class and subject teachers, integration teachers and aides, therapists, parents and VTs | Monday 10 May |
| BrailleNote and ScannaR Demonstration 10am-12 noon | Thursday 20 May |
| Mountbatten Workshop (for Beginners) 10am-12.30pm | Wednesday 26 May |
| Visiting Teacher Day | Friday 4 June |
When: Monday 10th May 2004
Where: SVRC, 370-380 Springvale Rd Donvale
Topics: paediatric ophthalomolgy, classroom strategies, behaviour
managements, tactual books and activities, and transition to secondary settings.
Registration essential.
The Concord Education Support Centre (CESC) is a new dedicated technology and learning centre, built on site at Concord School in Bundoora, and offering support to educators in mainstream and special settings. The Centre caters to educators and support personnel working with students of all abilities, across all education sectors including those with additional and special needs.
Software and assistive device training is provided either at the CESC or off site at your school or centre. Training can be tailored to meet specific needs and is available to schools on a fee-for-service basis.
Workshops include:
When: Contact CESC for workshop/presentation times or book
a session at your school
Where: Concord Education Support Centre, 411 Grimshaw St Bundoora
(Melway: 20 C1)
Cost: per half day session per participant: $44.00
For information/registration contact: Emily Hayes: tel (03)
9467 3972
Source: Australian Blindness Forum (March 2004), Link Magazine (April 2004), etc
RVIB College conduct half day workshops for those wishing to improve their services to adults who are blind or vision impaired. The workshop covers the basics of interacting with people who are blind or vision impaired and will include:
When: 21 April or 8 September from 9.00am-12.30pm
Where: 557 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Cost: $75 (GST inclusive)
Presenter: Mike Durinck RVIB Orientation & Mobility Consultant,
and a speaker who has a vision impairment
For further details and registration form, email: college@rvib.org.au
or phone Natasha Brake on (03) 9520 5555
Source: http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/eys/lit/newresources.htm
A number of resources are available to support students' handwriting development:
The Teaching of Handwriting, first published in 1985, served as a guide to a ‘new style of handwriting’ for Victorian schools - Victorian Modern Cursive. This revised edition contains much of the information from the earlier book along with new advice which places the teaching of handwriting within current literacy teaching and learning contexts. Included is advice on:
The Teaching of Handwriting Revised Edition was distributed to all Victorian government schools at the beginning of Term 3, 2002. Additional copies can be ordered using an online order form.
This booklet suggests ways in which parents can support their child’s handwriting development. It also includes examples of Victorian Modern Cursive and available in translations
The following information was prepared by Phill McKenna, SVRC
The Ultimate Talking Dictionary is a comprehensive unabridged dictionary that you can load onto your computer. The system requirements are as follows:
Price - Single user license US$29.95 purchased on line
Go to: http://www.readingmadeeasy.com and click Products then Talking Dictionary. For an overview of the software, click Watch Talking Dictionary Video.
Source: Australian Blindness Forum, March 2004
The Minister for Education, Science and Training has announced a $2 billion funding boost as part of the Commonwealth Government’s $31.3 billion package of funding for Australian schools for 2005-08, targeted towards disadvantaged students including those with disabilities. The new overarching Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Programme, to be introduced from 2005, will have three elements:
To read the Minister’s media release, go to: http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Nelson/2004/03/n6391110304.asp
Neither of the research projects described below have DE&T approval.
Scott Hollier is conducting a survey in relation to his PhD study regarding the use of computing and internet-related technologies by people who are blind or vision impaired in Australia.
Eligible participants: Australians who are aged 18 or over
who are blind or vision impaired
Responses: completion of a survey – either online or
via a telephone interview
Scott states, “whether you are a frequent user of the Internet or have no computing experience at all, your participation in this survey will not only help other people with disabilities, but could potentially assist in the decision-making process of government and Information Technology corporations.”
The online survey can be found at: http://www.vipsurvey.org
The telephone interview is available on (08) 9266 2583 – leave a message
and they will call you back.
For further information, please call (08) 9266 2583 or e-mail info@vipsurvey.org
The Australian Universities Teaching Committee funded project Teaching and Supporting Students with Vision Impairments is designed to identify and disseminate strategies for supporting students with vision impairments. A central part of the project is the development and distribution of cases exemplifying good practice in relation to supporting these students.
We are seeking cases that cover the range of university activities, not only those directly related to teaching and learning. Further information about the project and preliminary findings can be found on the project website at: http://www.utas.edu.au/services/visproj
Any queries about the project or the case development may be directed to Tony Payne (Tony.Payne@utas.edu.au) or Denise Kirkpatrick (dkirkpat@une.edu.au).
Source: News Release – ‘Green Light for Unified English Braille’, Toronto, April 2004
The International Council on English Braille (bringing together representatives of braille authorities and other experts from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States) has given the go-ahead to the unification of English-language braille codes after thirteen years of analysis, research and debate.
Meeting in Toronto on 2 April, the General Assembly agreed that Unified English Braille is sufficiently complete for recognition as an international standard for English-language braille that may now be considered by member countries for possible adoption as their national braille code.
“This is a historic day for equitable access to literacy by blind people in both developed and developing countries,” said Dr Frederick Schroeder, President of the International Council on English Braille. “We want to make braille more accessible for students, leisure readers and professionals: easier to learn, cheaper to produce, convenient to teach and more plentiful.”
Dr Schroeder said that braille is the tactual representation of visual script used worldwide, and that as language changes, and as textbooks become more visually-enriched, braille must adapt to reflect complex visual information being conveyed tactually. He said “braille literacy is clearly the best indicator of employability for blind school and college graduates. As users of braille we can readily testify to the positive difference it has made to our lives.”
Unified English Braille allows the transcription into braille of literary and mathematics texts using a single code, and facilitates the international exchange of braille books.
For more information contact:
William Jolley, ICEB Public Relations Officer - wjolley@bigpond.com
Darleen Bogart, CNIB National Braille Convenor - darleen.bogart@cnib.ca
International Council on English Braille - http://www.iceb.org
Article by: Joanne Webber, Tertiary Education Consultant, RVIB
Young Blind Citizens Victoria (YBCV) is one of two current youth branches of Blind Citizens Australia. Our purpose is to support blind and vision impaired youth who want to lead full and independent lives. YBCV has a vital role in representing the needs and ideas of young blind and Vision Impaired youth to Blind Citizens Australia and to the broader community.
YBCV offers its members an exciting and varied mix of social, policy and discussion activities. We want to provide an opportunity for discussion, action and peer support in a relaxed atmosphere that combines formal and social activities.
For more information please go to: http://www.bca.org.au/ybc or email: ybcv@bca.org.au
We value involvement from all of our members and also encourage rural and regional young Victorians to participate. Young Blind Citizens Victoria welcomes anyone who is interested from the young or the young at heart. It is by working together against issues affecting us that young people who are blind or vision impaired can achieve equity and independence within the community.
YBCV
Stay up to date with all that is happening in Young Blind Citizens Victoria – information about upcoming events, fundraisers and social activities etc.
To join: send a blank email to: bca-youth-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
VIP-ED – Issues related to the access of education
Young Blind Citizens Victoria (YBCV), the youth branch of Blind Citizens Australia (BCA), has recently created a new mailing list: VIP-ED. This list provides a place for those interested in the access of education for people with vision impairments in tertiary education to discuss issues related to the access of education. This is a list that is open to anyone who has an interest in the topic. Apart from current tertiary students we also have a number of parents (of students in high school as well as tertiary), Disability Liaison Officers and other support staff from a variety of backgrounds subscribed.
To subscribe send a blank email to: vip-ed-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or for more information go to: http://www.bca.org.au/ybc/index.html or send an email to YBCV at: ybcv@bca.org.au
Members of VAPVI again met at RVIB Burwood on 18th March 2004. Letters have been sent to the government on parents’ behalf concerning the changes to the Multi-Purpose Taxi Program and the Futures for Young Adults funding program. Many changes to the MPTP have been revoked so blind patrons can access taxis without a limit on their funding.
A new email address has been established to allow easier access. Parents can
contact us at: VAPVI@hotmail.com
The report also notes that the WA parent group Vizhelp also have an email contact
list. To join, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vizhelpfriends/
Gayle Skinner is a member of the program committee for the SPEVI conference to be held in January 2005. One conference theme is the strong links between parents and educators. Contact us at VAPVI@hotmail.com with suggestions about what parents would like to see presented at the conference.
VAPVI meetings are generally held on the third Thursday of the month, currently at RVIB in Burwood. All interested are welcome.
Members of the Western Australian family support group recently organised a visit to the Perth Observatory. Eighteen people and two dogs attended and apparently learned “a lot about astronomy.” The observatory web site – which looks fascinating for those with an interest in space things – is at: http://www.wa.gov.au/perthobs
When: 27 November - 5 December 2004
Where: The Great Ocean Road, Victoria
What: The VicRoads Great Victorian Bike Ride is a nine day camping and cycling adventure – include this whole new life experience as part of the 2004 curriculum. The ride is a perfect way to challenge students, teach them to focus and set goals and among other things, develop a sense of responsibility – a vital part of their education. There is plenty of time to have fun along the way and the ride proves to be a great social activity with people from all walks of life. Almost everything is provided, bring your camping gear and your bike and you will be set to go.
Visiting Teacher Service (Vision Impairment) will again be taking students on this terrific event. This year it is along the spectacular Great Ocean Rd, a fabulous ride of breath taking scenery. It is a 570 km, nine day expedition and we are planning early for those who would like to take benefit of Bicycle Victoria’s special offer of a FREE bike when you become a member and participate on the ride. If you need a new bike we strongly recommend you consider this offer.
What to do if you want to go on the GVBR 2004: If you want to avail yourself of the free bike then you will need to join Bicycle Victoria as amember (students - $75; family memberships etc also available). See the website www.bv.com.au for on-line membership or phone (03) 9328 3000.
Pay $250 of the $440 GVBR fee by 16 July 2004 – cheques made payable to ‘Seaford Primary School’ as details need to be included with a school’s application. The balance is due by 8 October.
If you want to join the Visiting Teacher Service group please register your interest with Jeni Blake on 0428 134660 or fax 9782 3012 or c/- Seaford PS McRae St Seaford 3197. For further information: contact Jeni Blake.
When: Sunday 25 July to Saturday 14 August 2004
Who: one or two Victorian participants who will be fully funded
to attend
Eagerly awaiting news of the application process for SCORE 2004 – you shouldn’t have to wait much longer. Tight timeframe? Yes! But hey! People who are ready to travel half way around the world by themselves should be able to manage a short timeframe, eh?!!!
To apply you will need:
What to send:
Applications close: 7 May 2004
Interviews: the week of 10-14 May
For all the application details call Garry Stinchcombe on (03) 9808 6422 or email Garry at: garry.stinchcombe@rbvib.org.au
The CNIB Gretzky SCORE Teen Camp is a computer, career and leadership experience for teens who are blind, visually impaired or deafblind. Each summer (in the northern hemisphere), The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) hosts 20 blind, visually impaired and deafblind teenagers from across Canada and around the world. Working in teams, participants attend classes and engage in practical, fun sessions designed to develop skills and increase understanding of the opportunities available to blind, visually impaired and deafblind individuals in the future world of work.
SCORE (Summer Computer Opportunities in Recreation and Education) participants stay at the Lake Joseph Centre in Muskoka and the Seneca College residence. There is no cost to participants for transportation, program expenses, accommodation or meals. And for the (usually) two Australian participants, RVIB funds the airfares to and from SCORE Camp.
SCORE participants are exposed to the latest information technology, as well as a variety of access devices for people who are blind, visually impaired and deafblind. In order to participate effectively in the curriculum, prospective SCORE candidates must be willing to work in a team environment and have a desire to learn about themselves and their peers through specially designed workshops and sessions.
Participants will work with screenreaders, screen magnification software, CCTVs and other low/high tech products, to gain a better understanding of access technology and how it can help them throughout life.
Professional career staff help participants explore the impact of technology on their future career choice. Sessions focus on work personality, career exploration tools and career information resources.
Participants will also be matched with a blind, visually impaired or deafblind professional in their chosen career. One morning will be spent on this job shadow experience. Participants need to bring a resume.
Participants learn to conduct research on the Internet, write HTML and use HTML editors by developing an accessible Web site youth portal called the E3A. Topics covered include staying safe on the net and chat/messaging programs.
Through public speaking, recreation and computer lab projects, SCORE participants develop leadership skills. Participants practice and perfect their cooking and everyday living skills through sessions with a CNIB rehabilitation teacher.
With the help of a CNIB orientation and mobility instructor, students learn to travel in a number of challenging urban environments such as subways and streetcars.
Ad-Aware was described in issue 5 of The Bulletin. Briefly, Ad-Aware is a downloadable program that cleans pop-up, advertising material, datamining and tracking programs off your hard drive. This has the effect of making all those recurring advertising pop-ups disappear! Your computer may also run a little faster!
Kate Stephens contacted me with the following information:
Whilst Ad-Aware is a useful program, it is not accessible for people using adaptive technology. She mentioned a similar product Spybot, which has been designed to be compatible with adaptive technology. Apparently, the only glitch with Spybot is that you have to get past the first ‘next’ button in the installation before you can use JAWS to install it. This will be rectified with the next version of JAWS.
To learn more about Spybot, go to: http://www.hwy.com.au/help/spybot.htm
Source: Link Magazine, April 2004
The Disability Culture in Children’s Literature edition of Disability Studies Quarterly is now online. This collection of studies by authors from UK, Australia, Canada, Spain and the United States examines disability in children’s picture books and novels.
The collection aims to promote further study and discussion within and between those interested in both children’s literature and disability studies.
Some of the papers include:
Go to: http://www.afb.org/dsq/current_issue.html
Article by: a NSW reader of The Bulletin, Gillian Cole
Finding a seat on public transport can put me, a person with low vision, into some very awkward situations! I have tripped over protruding feet, sat on bags and groceries, and even the odd lap in the past! People look at me askance, as I hastily mutter apologies and try to cover my confusion! We with low vision have no ‘obvious’ disability, so we have to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best! Trying not to trip or to wobble, while looking ‘cool’, is not easy!
Thoughtless actions can create an obstacle course. On rubbish collection days for example, bins are often scattered higgledy-piggledy along footpaths. Abandoned shopping trolleys can give a nasty fright if unexpected. Another hurdle crops up as one attempts to cross a busy road at a pedestrian crossing. Sometimes it can be difficult to see ‘stop and go’ signs. A hair-raising process for me and the drivers!
Take the case of the ‘disappearing’ handrails when using strange
stairs, simply for reasons of aesthetics known only to architects! Judging or
misjudging steps can be heart-stopping, likewise tripping over paving stones
pushed up by tree roots.
The list of hazards are unending (and at times upending)! The inevitable cupboard
doors left ajar to be crashed into, newspapers on the carpet, or children’s
toys left lying around creating a skating rink for the unwary.
Then there is the table that’s always ‘moving’ when you go to set your coffee mug down, or a nice glass of red wine that goes ‘splat’ over pristine napery in a posh restaurant - just because you have misjudged the distance? Oh, mortification!
For a person with low vision, simple tasks like identifying the small print on items in shops, or reading what is written on a blackboard menu at a café are chores. Managing in the dark at night-time, or upon leaving or entering the movies can be an ordeal and a half, especially when alone!
A ‘thick skin’ or an elephant hide comes in handy, not only to avoid the bruises and scrapes collected when you wrongly estimate a doorway, but to combat inappropriate remarks or even downright rudeness from a few thoughtless folk. Strangers can be very kind and understanding, but of course there is always an exception to the rule!
Many people are ignorant when it comes to low vision and some of the hurdles we have to overcome on a daily basis. We might have poor sight but we can hopefully see the funny side and have a good laugh at our own escapades!
The March 2004 edition of BCA’s Parent News contains a comprehensive list of tips for increasing your personal safety. The sub-headings include:
For a copy of the entire article, please see the BCA website: http://www.bca.org.au/bcpnews.htm
Excerpt from: Future Reflections, Volume 22 Number 4 Convention Report by Peggy Elliot
The essence of education is repetition. Not just repetition in telling someone, but also repetition in doing the skill. Obviously, what I am talking about is the set of skills that I call life-coping skills. These are skills that are universal to all people. I’m not talking just about blind people. All of us as adults or potential adults in society need a set of life-coping skills in order to function in society. As with education, the essence of learning life-coping skills is repetition. You can’t convey the skill by telling somebody once and you can’t just read a book about it. You have to do it, and do it, and do it.
Let’s take the example of elevator buttons. You can tell a blind kid about elevator buttons and figure that you’ve done the job. Now they know about it and so that task is over. But it’s not—not even if you go into a full, detailed presentation about all the different possible locations of elevator buttons, how to find the button, or how to distinguish the up button from the down button while also explaining in detail the function of elevator buttons in the first place. If the kid has never touched the button, never actually handled the job of calling the elevator—and not just once, but repeatedly over and over and over on many trips through many different elevator lobbies—he or she may have the concept but he or she does not have the skill. And this goes for all kids, whether sighted or blind.
The essence of education is repetition. This means every time you go into an elevator lobby, your blind kid needs to help to find the elevator button. Someday, your child will be the only person in an elevator lobby. Will he or she think nothing of it because of years of practice finding the button every time he or she went out with you? Or will your child be nervous and anxious because, although he or she knows the button is there—somewhere—the kid can’t remember exactly what you said about how to operate an elevator, and the memory of the three or four times he or she actually did it is a little fuzzy, too.
If you would like to read the whole article, go to: http://www.nfb.org/futref.htm
4Sight Photography Exhibition was conceived by Monash University graphic design honours student, Chris Yuen, and established in collaboration with RVIB. 4Sight is a unique exhibition of photographic works taken by Victorians who have vision impairments and are displayed without any additional image manipulation.
All photographs shown are available for sale with proceeds going to the RVIB and the photographer – and there may even be some names you’ll recognise...
Go to: http://www.rvib.org.au/eventscal/4sightLayout_files/4sightLayout.html
Source: Arts Access Victoria
The inaugural ‘The Other Film Festival’ will be held in Melbourne from 3 to 5 December 2004, coinciding with the International Day of People with a Disability on 3 December. The Festival, ‘a program of curated sessions, gritty and raw new work by emerging filmmakers, and vigorously debated forums will seek to engage, enthuse, enlighten and entertain a diverse audience’. The patron of Australia’s first disability film festival is Adam Elliot, 2004 Academy Award winner for his animated short film ‘Harvie Krumpet’.
The deadline for film entries is 31 July 2004. For more information email Nerida Weller at nweller@artsaccess.com.au or phone (03) 9699 8299.
Article by: Kay McQualter, Visiting Teacher and former resident of a Victorian country town…
So what actually does happen when our Deb goes on a country trip?
As I asked to tag along with her when I found out she was going to my hometown, I can now let you all know.
Hire car – talk about travelling in style!!! It took us from Melbourne to Geelong to finish playing with all the buttons, the drivers’ seat can be set to adjust everything, including mirrors, automatically for different drivers, the pedals can come forward for shortlegged drivers, the outside mirror adjusts automatically when reversing to assist with seeing where you’re going, and even the temperature can be set differently for the passenger and the driver!!
Arrived in my hometown and had 10 minutes to down a quick lunch before Deb went to work and I went to play. Sooo patient and even still smiling when I picked her up about half an hour late from the school!
Prior to going down I’d told her about my childhood dream of going up the clocktower – my dad had said he’d take me ‘one fine day’ – p’raps we never had one, and then the tower was closed!
WELL, - Deb wove a little of her magic and had found the man with the key!!!!
I had the time of my life, ooing and aahing, and grinning like a Cheshire cat the whole time – as were Deb and the man with the key, (I think laughing at the sight of this 55 year old acting like a 10 year old!)
(Is this really all part of a work day?)
THEN we started the hunt for a copy of a book about the history of the town. We went from the shire offices, to the library, to the op shop, to the newsagent, and finally to the museum (which did have a ruler with my family name on it!). Everyone was very keen to help. A copy, which had belonged to the lady from the shire arrived in the mail 2 days later!
On the way back we had to beg and grovel over the phone to the hire car people to stay open ‘just a little bit longer, we’re nearly there, we’re crossing the bridge now etc’, and once again, Deb’s magic worked and they did.
WHAT A FUN DAY ’TWAS! Is this what goes on with every country trip I wonder???
By the way, the clocktower is 103 feet high, in the middle of the main road, and a visual VT (who shall remain nameless) who drives regularly through the town had never seen it!!!!!
Below: Deb working hard!
Article written in December 2004 by: Marion Blazé, Advisory Teacher for Vision, Darwin (formerly Education Officer for Vision Impaired, Victoria - marion.blaze@nt.gov.au
In Term IV, we received a request from a school on Melville Island for some advice about children experiencing vision problems. According to the principal, there were a few children who ‘hold their work very close’. So the school requested that I come for a day to assess some students, and to provide some support to the staff.
My discussions with the principal prior to the visit, made it very clear that I could not do any ‘medical’ checks of the children’s vision. I offered only to do functional testing in order to give them some idea of whether their concerns should be followed up. Apparently, an optometrist visits the island only once per year and his/her time is taken up almost completely in dealing with adults with diabetes. Sometimes even this ‘annual’ visit is cancelled! The school believed that if they had some evidence of concerns, that they might be able to ensure that a visit went ahead in the next year and that they could squeeze some children in to be seen by the optometrist.
Melville Island is one of the two ‘Tiwi’ Islands north of Darwin, the other smaller island being Bathurst. The request came from Pularumpi School at Pularumpi or Pirlangimpi, a small community with a population of about 360 Tiwi people.
At the last count, there were 72 children at the school, only three of whom are not Tiwi. On my count there were multitudes of geckos, and frogs and also about a dozen dogs.
The school consists of four classes: preschool, Transition or Prep/1, 2/3/4 and 5/6/7, with four teachers and four teachers’ assistants who are also Tiwi.
On December 3, I was picked up by taxi at 6am for the drive to the airport - not the main airport, but ‘Air Ngukurr’. At the airport my baggage was weighed in and so was I! Then seven passengers and pilot boarded the Piper Navaho Chieftain plane. Luckily, they didn’t ask us to line up in order of our body weights, which I’m told is often done before boarding.
It was an ‘ear-popping’ flight. For 35 minutes we were either ascending or descending.
The principal and teacher of the 2/3/4 class picked me and the mail up at Pularumpi airport and we arrived at the community school just as classes were starting.
My first stop was the preschool class. The preschool teacher did not have any particular concerns, so she asked me to just ‘check all the kids’. Several children were fascinated by my spectacles, which indicates how little experience they have of people wearing glasses. (Indigenous Australians seem to be very resistant to wearing glasses.)
I screened these children with the ‘Kay Picture Test’. One of the Kay Pictures is an outline drawing of an apple. Only on a tropical island would many of the preschool children identify this as a ‘mango’!
During the day I managed to see all but some of the older students, and spent more time with those about whom teachers had concerns.
At lunchtime most (if not all) of the children went home. I was amused by the list of items in the canteen, which included mango smoothies and buffalo stew!
After school, the staff and I met to discuss my findings and talk generally about the role of vision in learning, cues to vision problems and general classroom strategies. I was pleased to report no real concerns about the Pularumpi children’s vision. They all tested at 6/6 and read N5. There was only one case of conjunctivitis (and, yes, I did use a new tissue for every eye I patched) and one child with a possibly weaker left eye (6/9).
At the staff meeting after school, the teachers teased me about staying on to assess those students I’d missed, saying that my flight home would probably be postponed due to the weather. At this stage, it was really rumbling and pelting down.
Melville Island is famous for a weather phenomenon called ‘Hector’. Every afternoon in the ‘build up’ and wet season, a huge storm cloud forms over the island. This causes at least one thunderstorm per day accompanied by monsoonal rain. The name is evidently rhyming slang – ‘Hector’ the ‘convector’. Wouldn’t our Professor Maclean love to know there is a storm cloud which shares his name?
The weather did clear for our take-off at 4.55pm but the trip home was rougher. For those of you who’ve been to Space Camp, you may remember learning about ‘roll, pitch and yaw’. I’ve now experienced all three. ‘Hector’ is such a tall storm cloud that the little plane couldn’t fly above it. I’d never been ‘yawed’ before!
The day at Pularumpi was a delightful and memorable experience. The children and staff were keenly interested and friendly and I shall never look at the Kay Pictures apple the same way again!
Below left – student performing a distance vision test
Below right – some of the students a Pularumpi School
Thanks to Pam Barras and the other above-named folks for contributing to this edition of The Bulletin. Thanks also to fabulous proof-readers Dianne Skillern and Lea Nagel.
Deb Lewis (who can be emailed at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au).