Page 84 - Tropic Magazine Issue 13

TROPIC • OPINION

As a business owner, I can confidently say that the heart and
Nikki soul of business is alive and well. Our Queensland spirit and
Huddy resilience has seen us through the tough times and our optimism
Managing Director for the future is clear to see with cranes on our skyline, hotels
PLANZ Town Planning under construction and our new performing arts centre nearing
completion. Small business confidence is also up with this
increased investment generating a positive flow on effect for
other industries.
Stand up, break away? One of the most exciting shifts I am currently seeing is the next
generation of business owners. Baby Boomers are cashing out
It comes as a surprise to many southerners to learn that and transitioning their business to a new generation of leaders,
Brisbane is closer to Melbourne than it is to Cairns. The who are optimistic about their future and have a great vision
disconnect between where we live and the policy direction
being set in the capital cites is something that we in the for what they want to achieve. They are educated, progressive
and have the courage to modernise and innovate. Reflecting on
regions have an obligation to keep an eye on. Increasingly, my business journey and time in Far North Queensland, I can
regions are living separately from the rest of the country. We confidently say that life is good and our future is in great hands.
just aren’t on the political radar.
Two-thirds of the Australian population live in five capital
cities. That is, over 16 million of Australia’s total population, MORE: vbabusiness.com.au
which recently hit 25 million people. Everything about the
capital cities is different to where we live including the
migrant mix, the natural environment, the nature of crime, Paul
access to services, housing affordability and much more.
Almost all of Australia’s legislation is created from within Sjogren
these capital cities. The physical, social and cultural Principal

differences between the seat of power and the regions is Trinity Anglican School
becoming increasingly lost. The pace of policy is such that
governments don’t have the time to talk and map out future
directions with regional towns and communities. As a result, By the numbers
we find ourselves with a one-size-fits-all model. The current
system is simply inequitable and it not surprising that rural “The state of mathematics in Australian schools is a widely
communities are being ‘hollowed out’. shared concern. Parents, educators, industry groups and
We in the regions are best placed to know our own interests. governments all query why a prosperous country, placed
Regions that lead their own development do better than second on the United Nations’ Human Development Index,
those that rely on governments based far outside the region. is sliding down the global education rankings.”
While Bob Katter’s call to seceed from the south and create These are the first words you encounter when reading a
our own North Queensland state may seem extreme, there recent release by the Office of the Chief Scientist – “Improving
is some merit in taking control of our political destiny. the Mathematics Performance of Australia’s Students”.
Perhaps it is time to speak up - to politicians. The question How do we obtain a better understanding of mathematics
is, are we as a city and as a region clear on what we want? education in Australia? I have a special interest in this area
– I am a trained engineer and past Head of Mathematics at
MORE: planztp.com a previous school. I love watching students make meaning
and connections as they understand a particular process in
maths class. The response when a maths concept “clicks” for
a student is magic. But how do we increase the frequency of
these moments of concept mastery?
Adam The research in this position paper identifies five key factors
Volcov that schools, who are successfully improving NAPLAN
Director Numeracy scores, seem to focus on:
VBA 1. Senior leadership who understand and value
mathematics education
2. Professional learning communities that focus on
Heart and soul of business mathematics education
3. Teachers who like mathematics and enthusiastically teach it
It was February 2006 when I made the decision to escape 4. Use of data to monitor individual progress
the hustle and bustle of city living and move to Far North 5. Classroom focus on mastery rather than simply fluency
Queensland. No more long hours, traffic congestion or - problem solving, worded problems, and real-life
unaffordable mortgages. It would be warm winters, friendly applications
faces and the good life for me! That was 12 years ago, and a We continue to investigate the mastery approach to teaching
lot has certainly happened in between. Five cyclones, a global mathematics. Time constraints make it challenging to ensure all
financial crisis, a major decline in tourism and property as well students master a concept as we move through the courses, but
as the boom and bust cycle of mining. In recent years, we have the provision of extra help and learning support where required
seen a resurgence in tourism thanks to the rising wealth of Asia, helps us all work towards that goal.
rising property prices in Sydney and Melbourne and increased
investment in our tourism assets. MORE: tas.qld.edu.au

84 • Tropic • Issue 14