Thanks letter to MECC

Functions Manager
Mackay Entertainment Convention Centre
 

Dear Sir/Madam,

It brings me great pleasure to finally find time to write in regard to a wonderful evening I spent at MECC late last year. I am a past teacher of Mackay Christian College, and I attended the College’s Year 12 Graduation function at MECC on Thursday 18 November 2010.

I have special dietary needs and I know many people have difficulty catering for me. However I am happy to say that your staff met my needs very well. The curry for the main course was fabulous, spicy but not too hot, and the white cake for dessert was delicious and presented in a way I could not possibly have done myself.

Please pass on my compliments and thanks to those involved in preparing and presenting my meal. I look forward to returning to MECC for other functions in the future.

Yours faithfully,

Ian Bailey-Mortimer

Thanks letter to Sirromet

Functions Manager
Sirromet Wines Pty Ltd

Dear Sir/Madam,

It brings me pleasure to finally find time to write in regard to a wonderful evening I spent at Sirromet late last year. I am a teacher at Calvary Christian College, and I attended the College’s Year 12 Formal function at Sirromet on Tuesday 16 November 2010.

I have special dietary needs and I know many people have difficulty catering for me. However I am happy to say that your staff met my needs very well. My main course of pasta and asparagus was delicious, and the sorbet for dessert was a lovely way to finish the meal.

Please pass on my compliments and thanks to those involved in preparing and presenting my meal. I look forward to returning to Sirromet for other functions in the future.

Yours faithfully,

Ian Bailey-Mortimer

Christmas Letter 2008

Our Christmas letter is (once again) written up as a blog. You can read it at your leisure at http://bailey-mortimer-2008.blogspot.com/.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Letter 2007 (another attempt)

Okay, by popular demand, a more serious attempt at a Christmas Letter for 2007, or at least a "Year in review" for us. You can read it online here.

Mathematics and science—different from other subjects?

Below is a copy of a letter I have written to the editor of The Independent Voice, a newspaper for QIEU members. I responded to an article written by Chris Seymour; you can read the full document on which his article was based (my letter is in response to section 3.4 starting on page 5).

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Dear IV Editor,

Chris Seymour writes in part (IV Nov 2007, p.6) that ‘demonstrationg “knowledge, [sic] and understanding of concepts, facts and procedures, and applications of processes” [is] a narrow skill set … valuable for mathematics and science but prejudicial to English’ (and presumably other humanities subjects). Without denying the value of these criteria for mathematics and science, I would argue that in both mathematics and science, as in English, ‘visual literacy, affective and attitudinal domains and values’ are equally important.

Indeed, as a high school mathematics and science teacher, I have seen many students fail to gain knowledge and understanding of ‘concepts, facts, procedures and processes’ directly because of affective and attitudinal factors. Some cannot learn these concepts because, for example, they lack confidence in their own ability. Others do not learn the concepts because they choose not to (attitude). Yet others fail entirely to engage with the subject (particularly in mathematics) because they simply do not value such knowledge.

Certainly mathematics and science involve ‘aspects of visual literacy’, in the form of symbols and technical terms which need to be recognised and used appropriately. “Positive dispositions towards mathematics learning and active engagement with mathematical tasks are integral to thinking, reasoning and working mathematically.” (Mathematics: Years 1 to 10 Syllabus, QSA, 2004, p.1)

Please do not single out mathematics and science as different from other subjects because they supposedly lack any affective, attitudinal or value-related factors. We need to remember that we are actually teaching students, not subjects.

Yours faithfully,
Ian Bailey-Mortimer
(Teacher, Mackay Christian College)