Gladstone, Queensland

I was recently in Gladstone, Central Queensland, and it was a surreal experience. There was a bit of a disconnect: the people were very proud of their industrial town, whilst the many visitors from Sydney, Melbourne, etc. had difficulty viewing it through the same rose-coloured glasses. I applaud the great sense of pride the locals displayed, and Gladstone has certainly grown into a thriving town, but this is primarily due to the expansive industry in the area such as the gas processing plant, electricity power plant and the aluminium refinery. The environmental effects of this industry (e.g. dredging to expand it) made it difficult to see the place in the same positive light. I know that industry needs to exist and that it brings prosperity to a town like Gladstone and Queensland itself, but what will happen when the power plant shuts in 2028, or when many of the industry jobs become automated? I am interested in knowing how the town will become self-sustainable? A large percentage of the money is being taken by Rio Tinto, etc. (i.e. millions of dollars are going offshore daily), and at what price?

I am not meaning to come across as a rampant greenie or ignorant of the situation--I know that the industry creates a lot of employment in the Southern Great Barrier Reef area. As an outsider looking in, however, I have been influenced by the conservationist cause. I welcome comments from Gladstone locals and am happy to be set straight. I'm sure that I have many misunderstandings about the whole situation. Please leave a comment below.

Tutor Doctor, Sydney's North Shore

I have been an employee at Tutor Doctor for nearly three years now. My colleagues ask me why I do it since it offers a lot less pay than teaching or private tutoring, especially when compared to the casual rates available for teaching. Well, the simple answer is that it's actually very rewarding work for the following reasons:

1) The parents are serious about their child's academic progress. They purchase a number of hours in advance, understanding that progress is a long-term venture and that academic success is not achieved overnight. The tutor is able to invest time and effort into the student, knowing that the tuition will last longer than a mere five or so sessions. This ultimately benefits the student once momentum in learning starts to kick in.

2) The employer seeks feedback from the parents at regular intervals, thus building a systematic evaluation of the employee's performance over time. This becomes a valuable connection for an educator because it documents their teaching skills in a commercial setting outside of the school context.

3) Tutors are trusted to lead the sessions according to their expertise and experience. This is more enjoyable that having to adhere to saturated curriculum topics. Rather, the tutor is able to tailor the learning progression to suit the individual student's interests and needs. Tutors are also able to get to know their students well, ensuring that gaps in knowledge and skills can be continually revisited and reinforced.

4) The one-to-one tutoring environment allows for exponential growth as the tutor provides scaffolds then gradually removes them. Dedicated time spent interacting and engaging with an adult, a 'more knowledgeable other' (Vygotsky, 1930/78), is an invaluable experience for young children and adolescents.

5) Tutoring can be quite cathartic for a teacher. All of those school-based lessons that were never taught or fully resolved due to interruptions or student issues can be efficaciously used in the tutoring context, providing the tutor with feedback for improving their teaching in subsequent sessions.

These are the main positive outcomes of one-to-one tutoring. If you're truly a dedicated teacher, and money isn't your main motivation, consider working for Tutor Doctor. You'll gain a wealth of knowledge as you prepare for diverse tasks on a plethora of topics and texts. You will grow as an educator as you also learn from those you teach!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Tutor Doctor.

Text by Melanie Davies © 2018
 

T2 'Packs A Peach' Tea

http://vintage-frills.com/2017/06/12/refreshing-peach-iced-tea-recipe/

Although an avid coffee drinker, the notion of tea as a beverage has been creeping up on me for a long time (except Chai--I've been courting Chai for a while). I used to be dazzled by the wonderful fragrances that emanated from colourful packages at the supermarket and would buy the odd flavour or two. Unfortunately, I was never wholly enchanted and these teas would sit around in my cupboard until well past their use-by dates (i.e. for many, many years), only to be eventually discarded.

I have always liked herbal teas but would only drink them when offered. People have bought me T2 teas in the past and I have tried them but was never overly impressed. Recently, however, I walked by a T2 pop-up store in Hurstville Westfield. They were having a tea sale and I saw that they had peach tea. I have been drinking terrible alternatives for years such as pre-made, sickly-sweet iced tea from the supermarket or cordial-style peach tea mixers, also packed full of sugar.

'Packs A Peach' has a fantastic fruity fragrance and flavour. I added three heaped teaspoons to around 250mL of hot water to create a mixer for a 375mL bottle. I allowed it to steep until the water had cooled down. Although I have bought the 2L T2 ice tea jug for someone as a gift, I do not own one myself. The best alternative is a coffee plunger because the mesh does not allow even the smallest tea leaf particle to end up in the mix (I have found that cylindrical teapot strainers, even those with the tiniest holes, still can).

After I 'plunged' my tea to remove the excess liquid, I poured it into a glass drink bottle and popped it in the fridge. Once cold, I added sparkling mineral water to fill the bottle. This is the most refreshing drink I've ever had during the hot months of summer; I've definitely been missing out until now! It's also great to know that this beverage is not packed full of sugar or excessive artificial ingredients.

 Photo credit: T2 tea website

I've been so impressed that I have now bought two more flavours: 'Lemon Sorbet' and 'Strawberries & Cream'. These are also fantastic as iced tea but 'Packs A Peach' is still the clear favourite. T2 teas are so unique that I will definitely be back to try more, especially in the chai range.

Lifou is magical...

Santal Bay, Lifou

We've just come back from Lifou in New Caledonia and it was amazing. The colour of the water around the island, which ranged from bright aqua to deep turquoise, was absolutely stunning (my camera couldn't quite capture these vibrant hues). And there were butterflies everywhere... they were in the air all around you. It was like something out of a dream. 

 Butterfly at Easo, Lifou

The morning began with snorkelling in Jinek Bay. The coral was still in great condition despite the increase in tourism that Lifou has experienced in recent years. The local people have been very conscientious about looking after their marine environment, which is why we each needed to purchase a pass to enter the water. After that, we visited Our Lady of Lourdes chapel at the top of the hill. Butterflies filled the skies and I took some video footage of this entrancing phenomenon. Back in the village, we ate fresh papaya and mango before heading off to see the Saint Francois Xavier village church.

 Easo village church, Lifou

Next to the church, we happened upon a sign that described a visit to a fresh water pool in a cave for $10. We weren't sure what to expect as we descended a steep, rocky path bulging with buttress roots. At the bottom of the path, it was slippery and dark. I hadn't prepared and was wearing Havaiana thongs--it was a bit touch and go and I had to take it easy.

 Path to Cave at Easo, Lifou

There was a cave at the very bottom and other tourists were jumping into the deep, dark pool of water so we decided to give it a go. It was very invigorating and brought back childhood memories of jumping into freshwater pools in Australia. When it got a bit crowded down there, we walked back to Santal Bay and snorkelled near the wharf where we swam with a turtle for a while as it ate seaweed and intermittently came up for breaths of air. It was a fascinating sight to behold.

 Jinek Bay, Lifou

It was such a magical day. Time has not passed so slowly for me in years and it was all a bit surreal, like some kind of spiritual awakening. There is so much beauty in this world and we really need to nurture and protect it.

2016 is almost over

What a strange year 2016 has been! I'm not quite sure where all the time went and am left feeling a little perturbed. Does time really pass by more quickly the older you get? Sure seems like it. This pic, taken earlier in the year at Sydney Technology Park, represents the unknown future. It is also a reminder to self to stop banging on closed doors and walking past the open ones. 2017 brings the need for great change to certain aspects of my life and I feel positive about what can be achieved over the next 12 months. I'm actually going to attempt this thing called work-life balance. It will be a juggling act (and a completely new experience for me). It will require discipline and focus and consciousness. I just realised the other day that I have been attending the markets as a stallholder in Leura for 7 years. I told someone that it had been 5 years but when I reflected back, I realised that I started in 2010. Due to various reasons, it really is time for me to move on from this venture. I've gone from 100% attendance (5-6 times a month) to sporadic attendance due to working and living in Sydney. It is only right to let it go, thereby opening up my spot for someone else. I'm not going again until March 2017 so have a bit of time to explore other avenues. Change is in the air!

And love...

Although it's been circulating around Facebook for some time, I love this poster. It encompasses everything I believe (with gorgeous imagery to match):

• Be kind - I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and show compassion to people less fortunate than myself.
• Work hard - I always work hard, perhaps too hard, but I do it for the sake of doing my job to the best of my ability.
• Stay humble - It's important to be aware of where you stand in the the scheme of things. However, I have found the need to exude more self-confidence in order to be taken seriously.
• Smile often - I do this as often as possible despite my serious and studious personality type!
• Keep honest - Honesty underpins all aspects of life. I have come to realise, however, that many people have alternative views on the definition of the word. I have learned to be on my guard around those people.
• Stay loyal - I'm a consistent person who isn't easily swayed.
• Travel when possible - I'd love to travel more as it's always such an amazing and mind-altering experience.
• Never stop learning - Well, this is me to a T; I don't believe in stagnating and am always trying to better my knowledge and skills.
• Be thankful always - Every day, I try to be thankful for what I have rather than bemoaning what I don't have.
• And, "Above all, love each other deeply..." (Peter 4:8).