Tag: learning
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On Being “On”
Do you need a break? From what? I live with tension. Some days I’m tired and I long for a break. There are always things happening for people: students facing mental health challenges, students in financial crisis, the organisational imperative of keeping things running smoothly, strategic decisions that can’t be put off. It can be…
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A Life Mission
What is your mission? I have dedicated my life to helping people grow. That has taken different forms in different seasons, but the thread has been remarkably consistent. I did it as a parish minister, walking alongside people as they grew in their knowledge and love of God. I did it as a husband, taking…
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The Shape of My Learning
What colleges have you attended? I am a perennial learner. Not because I am restless or obsessive, but because learning itself animates me. It is the process—attention, discovery, application—rather than the outcome, that draws me forward. I began with pure mathematics at University of Sydney. I was young, immature, and not ready for what I…
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Good vs. Great: The Difference a Teacher Makes
It’s a good question: What makes a teacher great? We’ve all known teachers who were good — even brilliant — at their subject. But that’s not the same as being great. At the school I attended, the smartest minds in the staff room were often the poorest teachers. They understood their material, but not their…
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What I Didn’t Plan
I’ve always been a learner—curious, studious, and passionate by temperament. At times, it has felt more like an obsession than a strength. The rhythm of learning, the unravelling of new ideas, the delight in fresh perspectives—it energises me. But looking back, I realise that one particular decision set in motion a pattern that has shaped…
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On Being John Keating
If I could step into the shoes of any character from a book or film, I’d be tempted to choose John Keating from Dead Poets Society. Robin Williams brings him to life with that inimitable, twinkling mischief in his eye—the kind of teacher who walks on desks, encourages rebellion with flair, and dares students to…
The Afterword 