Setting kids up for success

When I was Education Minister, Bill wanted to have a similar go at helping kids in Redfern. A lot of hard work, a million dollars of Commonwealth money, generous donors, and the Exodus Tutorial Centre in Redfern was born (based at the South Sydney Uniting Church premises in Belmont Street).

Educationally impoverished families where there are no books, poor teaching techniques, unrecognised medical disorders, entrenched prejudices … You name it, there are lots of reasons why illiteracy still permeates much of young Australia.

All the propaganda (talk) from government about success in basic skills tests masks the reality of dumbed-down standards and too many kids who go from school to the adult world set up for failure.

A Victorian primary school principal once criticised me as Education Minister (nothing unusual) for demanding schools publish performance outcomes. She said: “You’ve seen this community. It’s very poor. If people had any idea how badly they’re going, we’d be shut down within a year. Our job is to offer hope.”

Having gathered myself, I replied: “If the school is underperforming and people knew, wouldn’t they demand governments fix it? Although hope is a fragile yet powerful emotion, shouldn’t kids go into high school also equipped to read?”

What kids bring to school with them determines where they start. What happens in the classroom determines how far they’re going to get.

There’s only so much a teacher can do. The Redfern Tutorial Centre is not only teaching children how to read. It is literally giving real hope to families and their children.

The 35 students in the current intake were on average three-and-a-half years behind the eight ball in literacy. Twenty weeks later they have gained two years.

If you’ve got time, and want to make a difference to a child’s life, give Bill a call. Phone 8752 4600.

Source: South Sydney Herald December 2008 www.southsydneyherald.com.au