From distance teachers to distance runners

Silvia, Maree, Meredith
on a coastal walk 

Every year Navitas sponsors teams from its employees to enter a fitness challenge called the Global Corporate Challenge.  The aim is to motivate staff to get fitter.  Teaching in DL is a sedentary activity, which means it requires a lot of sitting down, so the challenge to be active was very welcome.  This year two teams from DL participated in the challenge. Each team had 7 enthusiastic teachers who took up the challenge to complete 10,000 steps a day for a 100 days.  They chose team names that represented what they do in DL:

The Skypettes - Silvia (Captain), Meredith, Karen, Carol, Erika, Maree, Nadia
Distance Runners - Linda (Captain), George, Julian, Johanna, Hena, Christine, Victoria

Karen, Maree, Nadia
finishing the 11 km
Sutherland to Surf race

Congratulations to both teams who tried very hard and completed the challenge finishing 3rd and 5th in their Navitas division in Australia.  The Skypettes completed 5,957 km and Distance Runners 5,695 km collectively while getting fitter in the process and having fun walking together. We asked the captains about their experience.

Silvia said "It was a very motivating experience specially doing it with a team. We bonded together as we organised a few walking events on weekends. As the captain of my team I started to become more competitive towards the end, regularly checking the leaderboard online and encouraging my team to stay in the top 10 which we succeeded in doing. Well done team!"  Silvia led by example.  Her PB reached a soaring 36,000 steps in one day!

According to Linda, participating in the challenge helped her change habits. She said "My job requires me to sit for most of the day so it's important I make an effort to move.  I now walk whenever I can instead of driving to places.  Walking is a great exercise, you can do it by yourself or with a group and it's free."  Linda is proud of her team who participated enthusiastically and enjoyed the benefits of the exercise.

Well done to both teams and to staff members who 'unofficially' joined in and increased their steps.

• How do you keep active? What was the greatest fitness challenge you've ever taken up?
• What stops people from being more active?
• How can you change habits and build healthy routines in your week?
• 22nd September is World Car Free Day which encourages people to give up cars for a day. Is that an easy challenge?  Why/why not?  Share your comments below ...

Meet Teacher Hena

Teacher Hena

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Hena.  I was born in Iraq but grew up in Turkey so I can speak Arabic and Turkish fluently. I've been in Australia for 18 years. I have two sons, 16 and 12 and they are both very much into soccer.  My oldest son enjoys cooking so we cook a lot together.

Tell us about what you do at Navitas?
I am a Distance Learning teacher, a classroom teacher and an assessor and have been working with Navitas for 5 years.

What do you think are the benefits for classroom students who also study by distance?
The classroom is a great place for students to communicate with each other and be face to face with the teacher.  DL is a great option for those who can't make it to class. But students who study both in the classroom and by distance make the most out of the two modes of learning.  They get extra assistance with their classroom work and they can also focus on their own areas of need at their own level with the DL teacher.  Usually their English improves faster.

How is this week special for you?
This week I celebrate the Eid which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.  We usually have a feast where families and friends get together and indulge in eating delicious traditional food to celebrate the end of a hard month of restricted eating.

What message would you like to give to your students about living in Australia?
Australia is a great country.  You can be part of the Australian community without losing your own identity.  You can participate in work and in mainstream community activities with freedom and respect regardless of your background, religion or gender.

• Compare learning in class with learning by distance.  What option suits you best and why? 
• Do you agree with the statement that you can participate in the mainstream Australian community without losing your identity? Discuss.
• What Australian values do you appreciate the most? 

Share your comments below.

Be Inspired on International Women's Day

Lisbeth, DL Teacher

International Women's Day is celebrated around the world on March 8th. It is a day to reflect on women's equality, to recognise women's rights and to encourage women to be strong and resilient in difficult times.There are many women in history who achieved great things in difficult times. They did this with strength and resilience. They achieved great things in literature, politics, sport science charity and much more.These women inspire us to be like them, to be smart, strong and work hard.

On the new EVENTS tab there is an International Women's Day slideshow and lesson activities. Write your own inspirational quote to contribute to our 'Words of Wisdom' slideshow.

This week's blog is an inspirational interview with one of our most experienced DL teachers, Lisbeth. 

Hi Lisbeth, tell us about your background.
I'm from Sweden.  I live with my husband in Sydney and I have 2 children and 4 grandchildren.
When did you decide to come to Australia?
When I was 19 I worked on a sailing ship that brought me to Australia where I first met my husband. After we got married we lived in Sweden and had 2 children.  I didn't come to live in Australia until I was 35.
How did you end up teaching in the AMEP?
In the late 70's there were thousands of people arriving from Vietnam so I got a job as an adult migrant English teacher.  This has been my career ever since.
What are the highlights of your career?
I was a Principal in the Adult Migrant English Service.  I have taught English in 5 countries: Sweden, England, Hong Kong, Belgium and Australia and I am still teaching in DL. Besides that, I'm currently the only Swedish Interpreter in Sydney.
What keeps you going?
I love my job because I feel I'm making a difference to my students' lives by helping them.
Do you have any interests other than work?
I love travelling.  I've been to 78 countries.  I also sing soprano in a choir. I'm part of the Swedish community in Sydney and join in many multicultural events.
What have been the main challenges in your life?
It wasn't easy to leave my homeland and it took a long time to feel settled in Australia.  My children spoke no English and I was disappointed that I couldn't do the same job as I did in Sweden as a Primary School Teacher. Of course, I missed my family. It took me 3 years to get the right qualifications.  Another big challenge was when I was diagnosed with breast cancer 9 years ago and had to go through years of treatment.
What would you say is your strength?
I always see the glass half full, which means I'm a positive person and try to look at the bright side.
What female figure inspired you and why?
My mother was a wonderful role model for me.  She loved me utterly and gave me confidence.
What advice would you give young women?
Follow your dream! Seize the day!  Never say I can't do it.... in Australia everyone can have a fair go!

Go to the 'Events' tab above for this week's activities.

Winners are grinners!

Julian, DL teacher
celebrating Melbourne Cup win

As is the tradition in Australia, last Tuesday we celebrated Melbourne Cup day in our DL office in Sydney.  They say it's the race that stops the nation.  Although we were not as lucky as people in Victoria who enjoyed the day off as a public holiday, we still managed during our work day to have an office sweep where staff were able to bet on one or two of the horses in the race.

We watched the race together in anticipation wondering which of us would win a prize. The very lucky winner was our DL teacher, Julian, who emerged after teaching his DL lessons just in time to be told he'd won not only one but two prizes: 1st and 2nd, for the two horses he placed a bet on.

When asked how he felt about the win Julian said, "I was thrilled because I'd never won anything in my life apart from a chocolate wheel raffle at Guildford Primary School fete when I was a young boy.  Since then I haven't been so lucky.  In the previous two years, the horses I selected for Melbourne Cup unfortunately died after the race, so this win is a highlight for me."

We asked Julian what would he do with the money and he said, "I could go on a trip to Majorca in Spain or buy a new Ford Mustang but given that it was only $30 I gave it to my wife instead to pay the bills."

• What is special about this year's Melbourne Cup results?
• Have you ever won anything?
• What would you do if you won a million dollars?
• They say "you've got to be in it to win it". What are your thoughts on gambling?

Don't forget to share your answers or comments below.