Stars of the sea
Chris O’Connor
‘I’d like to be under the sea in an octopuses’ garden in the shade.’ So said a Beatle, and with those thoughts in my mind, I travelled into the realm of the deep, and didn’t even get my toes wet.
The poetically named Star of the Sea, a Catholic primary school in the Adelaide beachside suburb of Henley Beach, has embraced the sea, which is only a matter of some 50 metres from the school. They have invited it in to be a part of the curriculum and life of the school. The students, teachers, parents, local community and supporters have created a Marine Discovery Centre in the school grounds.
The Marine Discovery Centre (MDC) is an old house full of aquariums, and sea and beach things. However, the first thing that strikes you about the MDC is the energy. There is much life here. It looks like a cross between a primary classroom, a modern hands on museum, and maybe a little like the old woman who lived in the shoe. There are extraordinary things in every nook and cranny. And there is an undeniable energy.
However, it is every inch a classroom. And I suspect one where many great lessons are learnt. In these cluttered rooms, and on the big classroom of the beach itself, subjects as varied as maths, biology, English, geography and environmental studies are taught. There is also a great array of teachers; from the Port Jackson sharks who provide visual lessons in biology (when I visited there was a tiny embryo safely cocooned in a student-made shell, still feeding from the egg sac through its umbilical cord), to the seahorses who are experts in gender studies (the male of the species carry the foetus). In front of everyone’s eyes is the wonder of the life cycle, with some older sharks swimming around, growing, until they become big enough to be put back into their natural environment, the sea. In another aquarium it is like a game of ‘Where’s Wally’ as you search for the dozens of interesting items among the rocks and reeds. There is much to be learnt from the beachcombing—the chemistry of how plastics do or do not break down, what lives in a particular shell, and how the sand dunes provide a buffer for us landlubbers from the powerful sea.
There are hands-on displays that illustrate how we use, or, more correctly, how we waste, water. A comparison of showerheads, a mock-up of a standard house and even a city, are in the MDC, with which students interact and learn. These teaching tools have had a big impact on the students. Many go home to their parents and demand changes to the way the family use water, with showerheads being changed and other water-friendly habits introduced.
The students of the Star of the Sea rotate through the centre during the week, as they do through art and physical education classes. In the MDC they spend a lot of time doing the important ‘L’ lessons—looking, listening, learning and, I would bet, a fair bit of laughing. The MDC is also in demand from other schools and it is booked with visitors until the end of 2003. There are teachers’ packs to continue the experience back at their own school, which is supported by an excellent website that offers a virtual tour.
Tim Hoyle, a grade three teacher, is the dreamer who with the support of his then principal, Sr Enid Wood, set this centre up. Tim is a man of great energy and passion. This old house is now a full-time occupation for him and a dozen or so dedicated volunteers. The dream is to build a purpose-built centre that would incorporate a crow’s nest to ensure great views of the beach and beyond. There are many supporters, both corporate and community, who realise the present and future value of this centre.
The MDC is a total education experience. The children who attend Star of the Sea and the many visitors to the MDC will take into their adulthood a respect for and extensive knowledge of the environment, a range of practical lessons for life and the reassurance that somewhere swimming out there is a Port Jackson shark that is a friend of theirs. The Marine Discovery Centre is a true star of the sea.
For more information, go to www.star.adl.catholic.edu.au/page14.html
CURRENT ISSUE | ABOUT | ADVERTISING | PREVIOUS ISSUES | LINKS
Reproduction of material from any Jesuit Publications pages
without written prior permission is strictly prohibited.
Copyright 2002 Jesuit Publications
PO Box 553 Richmond VIC 3121 Australia
Tel +61 3 9427 7311, Fax +61 3 9428 4450