I am blessed with my dream job.  Working for a fantastic school with an inspirational group of people is a privilege.  With graciousness and a quest for excellence at the heart of all we do, the challenges and difficulties always lead to solutions and steps forwards.  I have learned over the past two years particularly, that everything in education starts and ends with relationship.  As a teacher we focus on building positive relationships with our students and colleagues.  As a leader we focus on developing a culture of mutual trust and collaboration. Now with a role in system leadership I am learning to appreciate the very great strength which can be found when we really work together with the good of our children at the heart.

This love of collaboration and desire to learn from every new experience has lead me to tonight.  The night before I fly to Singapore.  I’m going as part of a project to connect teachers and classrooms around the World, and I’m going all on my own, on my first ever long distance flight.

I want to find a way to document my experiences and record my learning, and I want to invite you to share in the journey.

I have been impressed tonight by the motto of my host school “The best is yet to be” adapted from Robert Browning’s poem ‘Rabbi ben Ezra’

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in His Hand
Who saith, “A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half, trust God:
See all, nor be afraid!”