Walk the Mile

Episode 75 The Joys of a Journey with Lisa Perkovic

I always look forward to a holiday and I reckon I wouldn’t be alone in that pleasure. But what to do with the time off isn’t always straight forward. Do I stay home in my pyjamas or should I venture out to somewhere unseen? Old Girl Lisa Perkovic from the Class of 2005  is a travel writer that has seen a lot of the world and has to write about it for a career. For some people, this sounds like the dream job. In this podcast, Lisa talks about what she has learnt, some of the challenges she has faced and what keeps her passion for travelling alive. It might help if you are lucky enough to be considering your next destination. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Episode 74 Learning Resilience with Barry Du Bois

Resilience is one of those concepts that we all would like for ourselves or for our children. But it can be hard to teach, to attain or even define. In this podcast, Barry Du Bois speaks about what he has learnt from going through tough times and how it has helped him to work out what is important. Barry is a media personality as well as on the Board of the mental health organisation “R U OK?”. He has a lot of wisdom to share and there is plenty here to keep discussing.  
Please do note that some people might find some aspects of this podcast distressing as it discusses matters including infertility, mental wellbeing, illness and grief. If you are concerned by some of the content or would like to talk further, please do reach out to one of the counselling services below or contact me at garryl@sceggs.nsw.edu.au:
 
Kids helpline: 1800 55 1800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511
Parent Line: 1300 1300 52

Episode 73 A Head of the Rest with Holly Gyton

Walk The Mile has finally returned!! We have a whole new bunch of people having great conversations coming up throughout the rest of the year and I am so excited that our first podcast for this year is with our new and 6th Head of School, Holly Gyton. This podcast was recorded early in Term 1 this year. Find out what makes her tick, where she has come from, what she wants for SCEGGS and how she sees education. I found out a lot about Holly that I never knew (and I have been working with her for a long time) so I hope you do so as well.

Episode 72 The Extraordinary Lessons That Teachers Learn with Lousie Willems and Greg Bass

It makes sense to think that the teacher’s job is to teach. But what is it they learn along the way — about themselves, about community, about people, about the world? In this episode, I talk to two teachers, Louise Willems and Greg Bass, currently teaching in different environments but with similar backgrounds. They share what they have picked up through their experiences, particularly during the time they have spent in remote Indigenous communities. I found it a fascinating conversation that I could certainly relate to. I hope you enjoy it too.

Episode 71: The Long Run with Jessica Baird Walsh

In order to accomplish anything we have to start somewhere. And for many of us (myself included) getting started can be the biggest obstacle. In this episode, I am speaking with Jessica Baird Walsh, a woman who runs everyday but for more than just fitness. Her inspiration is the Indigenous Marathon Foundation, an organisation that not only encourages people to run, but endeavours to build confidence, leadership and resilience. This conversation is about more than just running. It is about what drives us to do the things we do and what might hold us back. I hope you enjoy our chat as much as I did. 

Episode 70: Speaking about Speaking with Elizabeth Walsh and Celia Watson

Public speaking is not everyone’s favourite thing. For some, it can induce terror and anxiety just from the thought of it. But it can be a useful tool for a variety of reasons. Speech lessons have been an integral part of our school’s practice for a long time and the benefits are obvious. In this episode, Speech and Public Speaking  Co-ordinator Elizabeth Walsh, and her student Celia Watson in Year 12 share their love for speech, how it has helped them, how they go about producing a speech and what makes it important. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Episode 69: Women in History Part 2 with Amy Satchell and Marie Salakas

This is the second part of my conversation with two of our History Staff, Amy and Marie. This time they are speaking about their own history and how that has helped form not only the teachers that they are today, but also the people they have become. I hope you enjoy our chat.

Episode 68: Women in History Part 1 with Amy Satchell and Marie Salakas

“Study the past if you would define the future.” — Confucius. The study of history is not only an important part of civilization’s progress but a necessary discipline for our students to understand who they are and where they have come from. We can receive it in all sorts of ways but it is what we do with it that is crucial. Two of our History staff members, Amy Satchell and Marie Salakas, both with a long history attached to SCEGGS (both Old Girls) speak about their love of history, its significance in culture and the impact of women in history. This is part 1 of a two part conversation. In part two, they share some of their own history. I hope you enjoy our chat.

Episode 67: A Young Doctor For Young People with Ellie Cook

I have great admiration for those people that work in the medical field. We hear a lot about the difficulties that some of these professionals have to face and wonder how such an important resource can continue to sustain itself. We also observe the tragic conditions that those in places around the world that are in the midst of war or natural disaster and acknowledge the incredible stress and pressure that these people work under. This conversation is with one of our ex-students, Ellie Cook, who works in the area of pediatric oncology. Ellie talks about what drives her, what had led her into this work and the challenges that she faces. It is an area that I had no idea about but found our conversation enlightening and encouraging. I hope you do too!

Episode 66: Leaders Creating Leaders with Ian Narev

One of our hopes as a school is that we would be helping to create the leaders of the future. How that is done and the best way to do that is a complex process which requires lessons in all forms. Ian Narev has been a leader in a number of large organisations and is currently the CEO of SEEK, the leading online employment agency in Australia. He is also a father of three daughters at SCEGGS and a long standing Director of the School Board. In this conversation, we discuss what it takes to be a leader, creating future leaders and how passion and commitment play a big part in leadership. We also talk a little bit about rugby!