Walk the Mile

Episode 45: When a kid needs a home

It is estimated that in 2021, over 46 000 children were living in out of home care in Australia. And more and more kids get added to that number every day. The struggle to find adequate accommodation and care is also increasing. In this conversation, I speak to a parent within our community who has been a foster carer for a number of years, to a variety of children. She shares her own experience, the highs and lows, and the lessons that she has learnt through her experience. I found it a very enlightening and encouraging conversation and I hope you find it helpful.
This podcast contains material that some might find confronting or disturbing. Sometimes words or images can cause sadness or distress or trigger traumatic memories for people. For some people, these responses can be overwhelming. If you need to talk to someone, support is available.
Kids helpline: 1800 55 1800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511
Parent Line: 1300 1300 52
Alcohol and Drug Support Line 1800 198 024
Domestic Violence Hotline 1800 737 732 (1800RESPECT)

Episode 44: Teaching about Learning with Cristi Wilsmore

Everyone in our society goes to school and you go to school to learn. But how do you do that? For many people, the act or process of learning is not so simple and can often have a huge impact one’s own identity and wellbeing. In this conversation, I speak to Cristi Wilsmore, the Deputy Head of Primary School (Teaching and Learning). Cristi explains what she has discovered about her own learning and the learning of others. We discuss the mechanics of learning and the need for listening and patience in discovering how different individuals learn. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Episode 43: Seeing the Full Story with Vivienne Smith

In this episode I speak to one of our Alumni, Vivienne Smith (Class of 2008), about her career as an adventure documentary film maker and world traveller. We discuss her experience of different cultures and landscapes and how that has impacted who she is today. Viv also explains the new app that she is involved with that takes the viewer to the locations of a whole range of famous movies and television shows. Her story about documenting other people’s stories is exciting and eye opening. I hope you enjoy it.  

Episode 42: It takes a village …. with Julie McCrossin

Julie McCrossin is a well-known broadcaster, interviewer and alumni of SCEGGS. She spends much of her time asking people questions and facilitating conversations at conferences and other gatherings. In this episode, I get to ask her about her life and how her experiences and history have formed her passions and her beliefs. We discuss a whole range of topics, all bracketed by the ideas of purpose and meaning. I found this a very interesting discussion and I hope you do too.

Episode 41: My Happiness with Professor Caroline West

There is plenty of stuff out there telling us how we can find happiness. But what is it that we are looking for? Dr Caroline West is a SCEGGS parent and Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Sydney, where she teaches and researches on topics ranging from ethics to happiness. She is a popular public speaker and writer and is currently working on a book on the philosophy of happiness. In our discussion we talk about the value of philosophy, a historical view of happiness and what it might look like for the individual. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Episode 40: The Wisdom of Science with Dr Joseph Guss

Everyone that’s ever been to school would have had to study Science at some stage. While it provides many answers to some of our questions, it is also a subject that offers a whole lot more. Dr Joseph Guss is part of our Science Department and in this episode we discuss the practice of science, how it connects with philosophy and belief, and what it means to teach scientifically. A very interesting conversation which might sound a bit lofty but is really quite reflective and personal.

Episode 39: You are what you wear or you wear what you are? with Madeleine Park

Fashion has been fashionable since the dawn of time. The clothes we wear say a lot about us, the things that are important to us, how we see our place in the world. And fashion extends to all sorts of creative practices that we participate in. Madeleine Park has her own podcast which deals with this area of fashion and identity. We discuss her passion for fashion, her quest to gather a deeper understanding of societal trends and individual leanings, and the need for more thought and effort in the area of sustainable fashion. I found this to be an enlightening conversation and hope you do too.

Episode 38: Art For Art’s Sake! with Heidi Jackson

SCEGGS has had a long tradition of producing accomplished female artists and encouraging all students to create and explore through their own artistic ability. Some would argue that it is not only important to education but to life itself. Heidi Jackson is the Head of Visual Arts at SCEGGS and has a deep passion for her subject that goes well beyond her role as a teacher. She even has an exhibition coming up in the next couple of weeks with some other members of her department. Our conversation considers the value of art, what it tells us about ourselves and why it is important to society. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Episode 37: Serving at the Frontline with Abby-Rose Schmidt

When you can make a career out of something you are passionate about it has the opportunity to provide countless rewards, many of them unexpected. Abby-Rose Schmidt, an Old Girl from the class of 2012, talks about why she loves nursing, her philosophy of the profession and what it was like to be an ICU nurse during a pandemic. It’s a great story of compassion and serving others in their time of struggle.

Episode 36: Minding your own peace of mind with Amy Marrero

The practice of mindfulness has become more popular over the last few years as our society deals with the chaos and busyness of life. The application of this practice can sometimes be difficult and approached with cynicism or caution. Amy Marrero is the Mindfulness Co-ordinator at SCEGGS and in this podcast she breaks down some of the misconceptions that we might have. Amy explains how she became interested in mindfulness, its benefits to all people in all situations, some helpful techniques and its place in education. I hope you find it interesting.