Tiwi Downlands

This BLOG seeks to show people back home on the Tiwi Island what we are learning and where we live at Downlands, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Ending the term in style & with Good performances


Went with Jim Deveraux Kenmore StVdeP President to picked up the kids from Downlands then took them to the plane last night.

We had a chat with teachers Brian and Sharon who told told us how good the kids where and where they need work hard next term!

They said both girls have been outstanding and could not be faulted in the boarding house and classroom.

All the Tiwi kids have done well in the classroom, but they mentioned a few problems where the parents have to talk over with the kids for improvements:

1. There is still the problem of talking Tiwi in classtime - it has to stop because everyone else is excluded! Kids have to support one another to stop this!

2. There is a problem of clothes being lost so the StVdeP have pay extra money to buy new clothes. Other Downlands kids have to do a detention when they lose and leave clothes around. Maybe the Tiwi kids have to be given detentions as well. What do you think guys?

3. We have to work on obeying teachers. If a white bloke does not follow the rules, he is ordered off the Tiwi Islands. Tiwi guys have to follow the Downland's rules - or they get detendtions. I told the teachers to stop being soft on the Tiwi kids, that the parents want them to get the detentions they earn! What do you think guys - that is fair!!

4. I think we need to be careful with money. If other Downlands kids have $10-$20 a week, Tiwi kids should not have more. Spending up big at BP service station does not help good health. Talk to your parents about this guys, you need money for events, but you don't need heeps of money!

Overall the performance has been outstanding, Jim Deveraux told everyone how the StVdeP Society is so excited to have this Tiwi partnership, they are proud of the kids and want the good work to go on and on.

Did you hear that Sealy Beds (http://www.sealy.com.au/) have given the money for all the fares and clothes next year - that works out at $6,000 per Tiwi - the old father of the company was president at StVdeP Kenmore and the daughter prays with the Tiwi kids when they attend mass at OLR Kenmore!