Toongabbie Christian College

PAMELA PARKER

In 1984, my first classroom was one end of the Catholic Hall in Aurelia Street, Toongabbie. I shared the hall with Mr Gordon Bromhead who taught his class at the opposite end of the hall. I had Year 4 and he had Year 5. We were in this location as there were no buildings yet built on the now School land. There were 12 students in Year 4 when the year began but it grew in size as the year progressed. The only equipment we had was an easel with a small blackboard on it. No such thing as whiteboards or computers. In 1985, the next classroom was a portable building situated where the library now stands. Again, I shared this building with Mr Bromhead. We now had bigger blackboards and a room to ourselves with our classes. However, because of some electrical difficulties, only one room at a time could have a heater on or an air conditioner. Windows were open during summer but no flyscreens meant we had the company of flies and an occasional bee. My next room was in the front office area of the first brick building on the block. Here I taught a Year 3 class. We were right near the Head Teacher’s office which meant the students had to work quietly most of the time. Again, the equipment consisted of a small blackboard resting on a cupboard. Desks were very close together and the students did not move from their seat very often. No group work or physical activities took place in this space. For the next few years I taught in normal classrooms where we could enjoy heaters and air conditioning when needed. Students were able to move around the classroom and group work could occur. A large blackboard was available and I would fill the board with spelling lists, sums and sentences for grammar lessons. As the school population grew there was a need for more land. A block on Metella Road was purchased. There was an old pink house situated on this block. It was decided that this house would be used for two classes that year. My next classroom was a tiny narrow room which had been a verandah enclosed at the back of the house. The other classroom was the lounge room of the house. There was another small room which we used where the students would sit on the wooden floor. This was where I taught another Year 4 class. With no heating available I would take the students out into the sunshine along with their desks. We all enjoyed this experience. When the next building was completed once again I enjoyed a new classroom with modern facilities. Class numbers grew until it was quite normal to be teaching 30 students. As I look back at my 20 years of teaching at Toongabbie I appreciate the wonderful people I taught with and the many children I was able to nurture. What a privilege it has been to be part of a growing Christian school.

Parent 1981-1996 Teacher 1984-2004 Grandparent 2005-Present

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