This is your chance to tell us what the DECV (or the Corro) was like in your day - what your involvement was then or is now (student, family of student, staff); how the school influenced your life; changes in technology or systems over the years; memorable events at the school…
Use the COMMENT link below to read what others have said, and to post your own comments. Share your stories and memories.
Remember that this is a public forum.
Use the COMMENT link below to read what others have said, and to post your own comments. Share your stories and memories.
Remember that this is a public forum.
I'm Jeannie Marsh, current VCE Music Styles teacher at DECV, and member of the Centenary Committee. I first walked into DECV in 2002, having never heard of it before (I had not taught in schools for 20 years), and having absolutley no idea that it was possible to teach VCE music via distance! I was then on an unbelievably steep learning curve for my first six months, as I was thrown into the full-on job of teaching, computers, course-writing, seminars, plus starting a small DECV Choir of teachers called "Distant Voices". Well, 7 years later the choir still makes the occasional appearance (we have sung Slovenian, Scottish and Irish songs in the last year), and I have taught many students, written many words.... I'm still continually amazed that we can teach practical subjects like dance and music so successfully. Our students seem to love learning music in this way, and it seems to promote a glorious spirit of originality in composition work that might get swamped in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI've also been amazed in the last year as we have been exploring the rich history of our school - wonderful and moving stories, people, memorabilia, events. What an extraordinary contribution our school has made to education in Victoria - definitely worth celebrating! Happy birthday DECV, and may you offer all these wonderful opportunities to students, teachers, families for another 100 years!
So many people have been influenced by and benefitted from correspondence tuition.
ReplyDeleteIn 1978 I returned to Melbourne from Mildura and began teaching at the Correspondence School, as it was then known. Like Jeannie, I had never heard of the school before but it was the beginning of 30 very happy and rewarding years as part of a remarkable school that has an extended family (staff and students) spanning the world and a history that spans a century.
ReplyDeleteMy research of this history over the last year has unearthed some fascinating details about the school and its unique contribution to Victorian education. In its early days, mail was often carried to remote students by locomotive, aeroplane, bicycle, horse and even occasionally – and memorably - by camel-train! As early as the 1930s, the school was receiving letters from Britain, Europe, Africa, the US and, in 1955, from Vietnam asking for information about its operation. Inspirational and ground-breaking work was performed among physically handicapped children bedridden by poliomyelitis, infantile paralysis, tuberculosis and other conditions that previously excluded them from an education; Miss Mona Tobias became internationally recognised for her work with these children from the 1930s till her retirement in the 1960s.
When I started at the school, computers were still several years away and comments on students’ assignments and reports were all hand-written; course-writing and advice sheets (then called ‘solutions’) were also written by hand and handed to typists who typed these on to stencils that would then be printed and collated by the school’s printing staff. The print machines took up a large room at the back of the school. There was one telephone per faculty and telephone calls in and out went through the school’s switchboard located in the front office.
In the years 1978-2008 I have seen amazing changes in distance education, notably in technology, that could never have been foreseen even two or so decades ago, let alone in earlier times at the Correspondence School. However, whatever the technology of the day, the many, many letters, photographs, theses, articles and other archival material that I have seen in researching the school’s history over this last year (and is continuing) has shown that our school has a wonderful history that deserves to be celebrated!
its so fun you get to talk to your teacher instead of waiting the rest of the class, you get to do great online lessons and no one is there to hold you back
ReplyDeletecongrats on the 100 years! im in year 8 and apart of the english online classroom. i enjoy distance because it is a challenge!
ReplyDeleteHi, i'm Tessa George and I have have recently started DECV and i'm in year 8. I'm currently doing an online lesson which is very fun and beneficial to my studies. DECV is a really fun learning experience and it teaches you how to be independent. I also enjoy it because I feel the work level is harder and you do more work. It's always good to be challenged. It's flexible and allows me to do other things without dropping my standards and continuing on with school work.
ReplyDeletemy name is jessica, i am in year 8 at the moment. DECV is a great school that has so many options and gives the students a lot of opportunities. i get more work done at decv than at other schools, and the work is more challenging and more interesting, too. i am learning more and more every day and i am sure there are many others that are as well. happy 100th DECV!
ReplyDeleteIm Demi Taylor and i am a year 8 at DECV. I am currently in an online lesson and we are discussing the 100 year anniversary of DECV. I have attended a distance education school in NSW, but i am totally enjoying Victorian schools more so we gave DECV a try. I absolutely love it. Being able to do my dancing and also have enough time to fit in all my favorite school subjects along with the compulsory ones works out so well for me. Distance Education definitely teaches its students how to cope with themselves as in have no one there to sit and hold there hand but actually do it themselves, give it a go and find out wether you can do it. To me distance education means Learning, Teaching and having a go. I really enjoy the online lessons and the work that has been submitted is also really great, it is more interesting.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on being 100 years old DECV!
yay on the 100 years. im in year 8 and part of the english classroom, i like distance because of the technology involved
ReplyDeleteYay congrats youre ancient oh i mean 100 years old !! im Retlaw, im in year 8 and im doing an online lesson with justine and margret (fun)!! i like distance ed because it fits around what i need to do daily instead of me trying to fit my stuff sround school. xD
ReplyDeleteHi i am Brenden Beurs I am in the decv great online lesson at the moment and it really benefits my studies, the DECV is really great and congrats on turning 100
ReplyDeleteJosephine Harte: i am currently studying D.E.C.V. and i really love it. i have the flexibility to do whatever i want. D.E.C.V is harder then normal school and has more work in it. decv allows me time to study dance. i am currently in the middle of an online lesson which is really fun. i love Decv.
ReplyDeleteDECV lets families stay together and it gives me freedom to do the best work I can. I can be my own manager and do things that I could not do at school. DECV is like a super-school, all the bad things like bullies, interruptions, lack of time to explore, and bad bus drivers have all been removed; only the good is left. I can work at my own speed, I don't have to wait for anyone, and if I want to do more investigating, I can. My class room can be anywhere in the world any time of the day. My classroom has been on every continent on earth except Antarctica; from as far north as Alaska right down past Australia, South America, South Africa and New Zealand, to all around the earth. Thank you DECV. DECV lets us be modern nomads.
ReplyDeleteHi im Jack and I like doing decv because theres less destractions and it gives me more time to practice my golf and i like the chat room
ReplyDeleteHi I am Natalie
ReplyDeleteI would just like to wish DECV happy 100th birthday you have helped kid for 100 years and I hope you will continue to in the future, I am I year 8 and do parttime schooling so I go to high school for science and then come home and do Maths,English and Sose, with DECV I can work around my school timetable and still have time to do the things that I love. When I started with DECV I thought that I would not have any friends but I have HEAPS I have met so many new people through DECV and we get to chat on the online classes.. it is just great.
My teachers are really nice and when ever I need help I an just call or e-mail them, you get 1 on 1 so you get your work do faster.
I would recomend DECV any day.
Natalie
Justine (one of the Year 8 English and Humanities Teachers) here- your comments about what it means to study via distance education are great guys! For us teachers it is wonderful to hear you talk of all the benefits and what you like about it. Really great stuff!!!
ReplyDeleteI really like being a teacher of distance ed students, I have met so many interesting and inspirational students in the time I have here, particularly through the online lessons.
Your comments have put a real big smile on my face and I’m really proud of you guys! :)
it's great to hear all the different reasons that you are all enjoying studying at Distance Ed. As teachers Justine, Sue and I are always inspired by your enthusiasm, knowledge and talents when we meet you in our online lessons and we are so pleased that you are enjoying the chance to experience the amazing energy and interest that is generated when you work with your classmates online.
ReplyDeleteHi DECV/Corro community,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Chris McLean. I did Year7,8 & 9 via the 'Corro' school in the mid-1980's (No! I never wore a mullet hair cut - and I was 'soo uncool' for not doing so! ;-)
My first year of correspondence was 1984, which was also the 75th anniversary of the Corro school. I still have bits of memorabilia from that occasion (key rings etc) stored somewhere around the house. It is nice to stumble across the memorabilia, and be reminded of what was possibly the most influential year of my education.
I remember the tears on many a Thursday night. Mum was tough. She made each of us kids responsible for getting our own work done. The only rule was that 'we had to have our school work finished and ready to catch the Friday mail - no exceptions'. Every Thursday night became a dreaded 'day of reckoning'. The night when I would have to stay up late, doing the whole weeks worth of English (or whatever other subject) that I had conveniently ignored that particular week.
It took many tears, and nearly the whole of Year 7 before I finally worked out to 'take responsibility for my own education' - as Mum used to word it.
Having grasped that discipline, Year 8 was much more enjoyable, and I finished Year 9 with several months to spare.
This philosophy went with me when I re-entered a more traditional class room to finish my high-schooling - and enabled me to achive far more than I otherwise might have. I believe it gave me a massive head-start on my peers when I entered University, as this was the first time many of them had taken any responsibility for obtaining an education. I believe that extra level of self-education responsibility was reflected in my academic achievements.
Nowadays when I am in Melbourne CBD, I occasionally pass by the inconspicuous building at 410 Elizabeth St. (which is where the corrospondence school was located in those days). I sometimes drop a comment to whoever is with me about how 'that is my old school', which is guarenteed to raise an eyebrow.
Looking back over the years, I would attribute the discipline of 'taking responsibility for my own education' as one of the greatest gifts I have been given. I am deeply grateful to my parents, and the Victorian Correspondence School system for providing the opportunity to learn this, which may never have been available had I sat in a 'normal' classroom.
Thankyou.
Hi, my name is James Paterson, i did all my schooling from Grade 2, till Year 10 via distance education. From 1986 onwards.
ReplyDeleteI now live in the melbourne suburbs and would just love to catch up with all the teachers whom i "know" but never actually met!
I've kept a lot of my old correspondence school book and work - and even a lot of the old "video magazine" tapes and teachers videos etc
Please let me know if i can help in any way with the celebrations or come on in one day to finally see the place in person
James
I love the chat room and the primary playground
ReplyDeleteooops I forgot to type my name
ReplyDeleteJonathan
I studied Australian History through the Correspondance school the first year VCE was introduced to Victoria. I was then known as Kerene Hancock. Back then it started off with three of us sitting in the principal's office at Irympal Technical School each week to study our papers and write our work. It was all typed paper work back then sent through snail mail.
ReplyDeleteDECV has come a long way since then. Now I have my own two children studying through DECV. They use computers, dicterphones, CD's, DVDs all of which weren't even around in my day!
I didn't have contact with my teacher. That was done between the school principal and the Correspondence school. My children get to chat online to other students and their teachers, they get to go on excursions. My daughter is part of the Centenary Art project. It's just amazing what they can and are doing now!
I'm thankful for my year of studying Australian History for VCE. I'm even more thankful for the support and help that DECV are providing my children as they study, and my husband and I as we supervise our children.
Happy Birthday DECV!!!
I'm Natasha, I did DECV for years 5, 6, 7 and 8 because of bad health. Actually I only dropped DECV at the beginning of this year, it's really weird not mailing all my work in anymore! I really loved DECV and found that the course was super flexible and let me further my education in area's I probably wouldn't have been able to do at an ordinary school (like my computer skills).
ReplyDeleteI loved the online lessons and meeting other students from all over the world! I still keep in touch with afew of them (I'm on msn with a friend who's in Africa at the moment!)
DECV was hard at times but it allowed me to continue my education even though I couldn't get into school regularly, and now my healths on the mend I was able to intergrate back into school really well.
The teachers were all so wonderful and supportive! They always encourage you to do your best and are eager to help when you need it! And the online lessons were awesome, way different to an ordinary class, super interesting and fun!
So thankyou to all who make DECV possible and HAPPY 100 DECV!!!!!
Hi all. My name is Michelle Dryburgh. I studied years 10, 11 and 12 with DECV from 2003 to 2005, and loved every minute of it.
ReplyDeleteI had been bullied at a mainstream public highschool and staying there was no longer an option, but I was also determined to finish my education. The DECV teachers were supportive and motivated me to meet deadlines and overcome challenges, which has undoubtedly helped me in my career as a journalist. Congratulations to the DECV on reaching 100 years. This school could be the answer for so many students, today and in the future, who have become victims of cruel and damaging bullying. May the word of DECV get out there to them all, so they can enjoy the education and bright future they deserve.
Hi! my name is Jarryd McGillivray. I am 8 years old and in grade one. I like the chatroom every Friday. I get to chat with other children in different countries. I enjoy doing Maths.
ReplyDeleteHello all,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Don Hauser and I am retired from business. My dad, Thomas Edward Hauser was a teacher at the Correspondence School then in Napier Street, Fitzroy. He was acutely deaf due to his serving as a soldier with the AIF in World War 1 - as a result he could not be a classroom teacher.
My memories of his work are as a small boy and I will put some thoughts together and post them here soon. Meanwhile, are there any of his students reading this? They are likely to be old buffers like me because my dad left the service in the late 1940s due to ill health.
dlhauser@bigpond.com
What can I possibly say that has not already been said? Others have mentioned that before being offered a position they had never heard of the 'Corro' or DECV. This was my experience too even though I had been teaching for some years in Victorian schools. Possibly I could discuss the great changes that occurred - the various relocations from Elizabeth Street to South Melbourne and then to Thornbury; or the change from The correspondence School to the Distance Education Centre Victoria which was so much more than a name change signalling a rapid move into the digital world and creation of sub schools to allow groups of teachers to focus on the needs of particular students. I could continue but whilst all of these were very significant I asked myself what I remember most about my time with the school.
ReplyDeleteAnd above all else my most treasured memories are of our very special students. Enrolling at the DECV is unlike enrolling at any other school in Victoria; our students, for a variety of reasons, must be unable to attend a regualr school and this makes every student unique. It was my great privilege to have shared the educational paths of many studrnys, from many backgrounds, who, without the opportunities offered by the DECV, would not have been able to achieve their goals. It is definitely not easy to learn 'at a distance'. It requires, amongst other qualities, self motivation, organisation and discipline. Of course you learn the subject matter but in so doing you also learn skills that stand you in good stead throughout life. Naturally not every student will 'pass' the subjects, but I think that everyone who 'has a go' at distance learning will learn valuable skills.
The existence of the DECV is not well known even within the education community. Once you explain how it all works people are amazed at the size of the school, the diversity of the students' backgrounds and the breadth of the curriculum offered. But above all else they find it difficult to comprehend that teachers could know their students so well when their communication is mostly by phone, email, letter and only sometimes do they meet them in person. You only have to read what students have said here in this blog to realise that studetns too feel that they know their teachers even though they do not always meet them in person.
So to all my students a thank you for making my teaching so rewarding. I hope that your time with the DECV is as rewarding as my time was.
Patricia Young
Teacher 1981-1984,1992-2006
Hello everybody!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Mehmedalija Đipa (Djipa). I live in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I'm a year six student. I like DECV because the learning material has great content and a great teaching program and more than anything I love being in the class of Beth Codling (I was in Beth's class for Grade 5 as well).
I attend a Bosnian school in the local language. My schools name is ''Safvet-beg Bašagić'' (Bashagich). My school was named after a famous Bosnian poet.
I like DECV more than my local school because it lets me express my own opinion, while in my Bosnian school I am confined to learning somebody else's and repeating it to my teachers (expressing my own opinion is sometimes the reason I get in trouble with the teachers, but we can keep the getting in trouble part between us, alright ;-)).
Best regards from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mehmedalija Mesha Djipa
Hi my name is Laura Brennan and I am currently attending DECV studying Year 6. My brother and I started Distance Education in 2008 when my family moved to Kiribati (tropical coral island in the Pacific Ocean – half way between Melbourne and Hawaii)) for a job my Dad took. Distance education has been easy to complete and it allows us to travel and participate in every day events on the island.
ReplyDeleteEvery second week we mail all our finished work to our teachers in Melbourne and we pick up any mail that has been sent to us. Going to the post office is fun because my teacher always sends stickers, books, magazines, certificates, etc to me. There isn’t much of that here so it’s exciting to receive things in the mail. I also participate in the classroom chat room. It’s great to talk to other students from all over the world. My teacher is always positive and encourages me to do my best at all times.
Distance education has made me more responsibility for my work and I believe that the standard of my work has really improved. When we return to Australia next year and I start high school, I will have the skills to manage my time really well. I have enjoyed doing school at home with Mum as my supervisor, and I will always remember this time and my teachers
Happy Birthday Distance Education.
Discovered your notice about the DECV Centenary Year celebrations in to-day's Herald Sun.
ReplyDeleteSpent several years at the Albert Park site, then still called ''The Correspondence School''!
Very fond memories of keen country students phoning for help with German grammar. Still amazed they were able to comprehend some of the difficult grammatical structures!
So proud when 12 of these students received an A in their end-of-year results!!
Hello. My name is Jade Davies. I am living in the small city of Ballarat at the moment and am attending Year 6 in the DECV. I like doing DECV for it allows me to work in my own way as well as having the advantage for working at home. I joined the DECV this year and I have already made some friends via online plus being able to talk to my teacher every now and then.
ReplyDeleteI used to go to Redan Primary School but I couldn't find myself comfortable there, so I found out more information about the DECV and decided to give it a shot. It has been going really good with the DECV. It's more fun actually; better then most schools I’ve been to.
I have kept some of the work that the teachers have gave us to maybe complete again if I need something to do. But I will keep these few months that I have gone through in mind and use some of those techniques, ways and others in check for future use.
Happy 100th DECV!
Hi Everyone!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations and Happy 100th Birthday to the DECV!
I am a home educated student in year 8 and have been studying with the DECV part time for approximately two and a half years now. My studies through the DECV have included Year 6 (full time for half a year), Philosophy (Yr. 7 and Yr. 8), Humanities (Year 9), and Science (Year 9) and currently I am studying Year 11 Psychology.
As I have never been to school, I cannot compare the DECV with mainstream forms of education, but I can definitely say that my experience studying via Distance has been extremely enjoyable, to say the least. The teachers at DECV are wonderful and so approachable, the course work is varied and interesting (we can be creating Power Points – I have become pretty good at these over the years! – in one activity, and be writing detailed responses to questions in the next).The Online Lessons and Seminars are always great fun to attend.
The teachers at the DECV as well as the Dispatch and Enrolment Staff are extremely friendly and are pleasant to communicate with. The teachers are always easily contactable by phone and e-mail, or by instant messaging through the secure online site. Karen Marsden, the Librarian, is amazingly helpful in suggesting books to read and is flexible as with regards to borrowing of books and magazines – so a huge thank you to Karen for that :-).
Studying through DECV also provides the opportunity to learn lifelong skills such as time management, self motivation and promotes and enhances independent learning.
I go through work independently and meet all my deadlines and get an immense feeling of satisfaction whenever my work is in the envelope and out the door. Better still it is such a delight to get my work back with teacher feedback and comments.
DECV has also kept me up-to-date with technology. I still remember how excited I was when I first went onto one of my teacher’s - Beth Codling’s - Online Chat for Year 6!! Students also get the opportunity to discuss their subject matter together through secure Forums and Online Lessons.
I also would like to thank DECV for sparking what I am sure will be a life-long interest in Philosophy. Doing the Online Philosophy Course through DECV has not only taught me so many Critical Thinking Skills (such as the Thought Experiment and Socratic Questioning) and Theories in Philosophy (such as the State of Nature and Rawl’s Theory of Justice), but also IT skills, such as Blogging (as the course that I did was online. We were required to post all our Philosophical ramblings ;-P – well, at least in my case - on the Philosophy Site!). There were lots of robust discussions in the forums which kept us all on our toes as it constantly challenged our ideas, thoughts and beliefs.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all the fantastic Philosophy Teachers - Darrell Reid, Janette Poulton, Margaret Ryan and Neill Colliver and all the people behind developing the course!
I also have very fond memories of telephone conferencing with my Geography Teacher, Geoffrey Paterson, and other students when preparing for the Australian National Geography Competition, discussing covalent and ionic bonding with my fellow classmates and Teacher, Terri Runciman during our Science Online Lesson and participating in the Science Day when we went up (or should that be down?) the Darrebin Creek and did many fun activities, such as planting some trees, taking some samples of water and examining micro-organisms back in the DECV lab to celebrate National Science Week.
I am truly appreciative of my experience with the DECV. I think that I have learnt so many valuable lessons which I will carry on far after I finish schooling, and in the case of Philosophy, for the rest of my life.
Thank you and Congratulations! :-)
A truly appreciative student,
Anoushka Lal
HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY DECV!
ReplyDeleteI am travelling around australia with my family in a bus. I am in year 6 and started DECV in July 2009 and we are currently in Western Australia. If it wasn't for DECV, I wouldn't be able to to do this trip and be educated at the same time. My teacher Beth Codling is a fantastic support and understands that I am learning heaps being on the road and modifies my program to suit. I really enjoy getting on the chat room and talking to my classmates.
Best wishes for celebrating the centenary and thanks, Sam Ellis
May it be universally known that the soon-to-be-famous Super Dynamo Hedgehog does DECV subjects Music Styles and French.
ReplyDeleteDON"T WORRY BE HAPPY IT IS A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think DECV is a good way to do your school work because you still have lots of time in the day to play and have fun.
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteI’d like to congratulate the DECV for achieving a significant milestone in its history - its 100th anniversary.
I started studying through the DECV in 2007 in Year 8 and did all of the subjects for half of the year before deciding to return to regular homeschooling (having never been to mainstream school) and only continued with Yr. 8 Science and Yr. 9 Humanities. In 2008, I studied Yr. 10 Science and Yr. 11 Psychology through the DECV. I completed Yr. 11 Biology and sat for my first VCE exam - Yr. 12 Psychology through the DECV this year whilst being home educated for the rest of my subjects for Year 10.
In the space of these three years I have experienced the many joys of studying through distance education and have come across some of the most delightful personalities, both teachers and other staff, who keep the great ship of the DECV afloat. The delightful personalities range from Nick Mallis and John Voglis, in the enrolment office, to the Captain of the vessel – Bronwyn Stubbs. They are always eager to find out about how students are finding the courses and also provide handy study tips. The dispatch staff are fantastic and so is the librarian - Karen Marsden - who is always a great help.
I would also like to take this opportunity to mention some of the very special teachers who I have encountered along my journey. Sue Box, Liz Portelli and Regina Aronov always provided helpful and constructive comments and still are very approachable. Luna Reichmann, my Politics teacher, was always eager to share her knowledge and question my political beliefs and as a result we engaged in some very lively conversations. Brooke Deane was always helpful and encouraging in Year 11 Psychology and I would also like to acknowledge Melek Tekin, for marking and commenting on my Year 12 Psychology work this year.
to be continued...
... continued from previous post.
ReplyDeleteI would like to say a huge thank you to Bruno Annetta for creating wonderful animations for Biology. Bruno never ceases to amaze me with his animations. I absolutely love the animations – especially Aunty Ethel for those of you who know what I am talking about. The animations make learning fun and memorable. He has introduced me to a new area of Biology - Biomimicry for which I am very grateful. I must say that his passion for Neuroscience and Biology is most certainly inspiring.
I would also like to say a special thank you to Devika Liyanage and Marianne Kotsimbos for fuelling my passion to continue my studies in Biology. I can't express enough the value of their online lessons. It was helpful to get instant feedback in the weekly online lessons which also enhanced my understanding. Most of all I appreciate the helpful comments and feedback from Devika on my weekly work and I admire her promptness in giving feedback in the distance education setting.
Along the journey I encountered other teachers who didn’t have the joy (or horror :-P) of teaching me but influenced me profoundly or opened me up to the avenues of discovery by simply engaging in conversations. I’d like to thank Bridget Lally, Dave and Terri Runciman for kindly responding to all queries regarding Science.
Darrel Reid’s Philosophy course instigated many philosophical discussions since my younger sister Anoushka (see earlier posting) was his student and at the dining table she would always inform us about what she had learnt through the course. It was always very interesting seeing the two of them at the DECV animatedly discussing Philosophical beliefs and ideas.
I would also like to thank Neale Woods who kindly and patiently explained about the various probes that could measure all sorts of the weird and wonderful scientific things (though I must confess I have completely forgotten everything he showed me) and who stood outside the GAT exam that cold June morning and asked everyone how they found the exam.
A special mention must go to Geoffrey Patterson. My understanding of Geography has been greatly enhanced through his presence. He hosted the Yr. 9 Geography online lessons in a spectacular fashion as well as provided some exceptional photos. Thank you very much Geoff for the knowledge that you have shared with me.
Most importantly, by spending their time talking with me and responding to my e-mail queries, wishing me all the best before I went into exams and afterwards finding out how the exams were or just stopping in the DECV corridors for a friendly chat, these teachers have made me feel very special, privileged, valued and appreciated. These and other gestures of kindness that they have exhibited have reinforced my values, the values that I have learnt at home, about how to treat others and for these experiences I am eternally grateful.
Finally, studying through DECV has allowed me to find my own strategies to complete work to deadlines and to avoid procrastination. It has given me the flexibility to work at my own pace and to progress to higher academic levels at a faster rate than otherwise possible in a conventional school.
I would like to wish the DECV every possible success so that it can continue providing an educational opportunity to many more students into the future.
Congratulations DECV and a very happy 100th birthday!
Rajat Lal
I am a former student of the DECV. I concluded my Year 11 Education through them. They are the most amazing people I have ever met. I have learnt so much for the last year and a half; even more than in a normal classroom. I was able to learn to understand my own self and abilities.
ReplyDeleteI had to do DECV because of poor health/emotional/social reasoning. I would still be needing to go back next year if it wasn't for a course I got into, which also is off campus. Without the help of everyone at DECV, I wouldn't be where I am now. I love you all at Enrolments, Dispatch, Wellbeing, Teachers/Staff in general!!
I think you can guess who I am :-) No need for me give any hints!
Happy 100th Birthday!
ReplyDeleteMy Uncles (John) Neill Prewett and Evan Prewett were the first two students of the Correspondence school while they were living in Beech Forest in the Otways. I believe samples of their work were kept at the school and that Uncle Allan was one of the next 5 or so students.
My grandmother (Mrs. Mabel Prewett) always believed that education was very important. She had contacted the Head of Melbourne Teachers College and thus the Corespondence School began with hand written lessons delivered and my uncles' work returned by mail to be corrected by student teachers.
I remember Grandma's pleasure and pride when she was invited to an anniversary of the Correspondence School when a plaque was placed on the wall there. (You've moved since, so I wonder if it still exists.)
Congratulations. The Correspondence School is an important part of our family history.
PS While they were living in Beech Forest, Rev. John Flynn was their minister. Dad remembers him visiting their farm in Bamawm after they left Beech Forest, and I wonder if your school had an influence on the beginnings of the School of the Air which was first based at the Royal Flying Doctor Service, founded by Rev. Flynn.