TOOGOOLAWA SCHOOLS LIMITED

 
Aims and Objectives
 

The motto of the Toogoolawa Schools is:
'The ideal end of education is good character'.
It is each school's belief that character is the most precious gift of education.

A Toogoolawa School, therefore, not only seeks to provide a basic education but also to give the students a cogent and practical philosophy for living: that service, truthfulness and consideration for others lead to a happy, fulfilled and effective life.

To this end the students are taught not only to read, write and spell; to speak, listen and calculate; but also to know right from wrong and to follow that which is right.

The aim is that students grow into contented men and women who are courageous, capable and respectful to themselves and others.

In doing so they will have become self-reliant, with a spirit of service to society and to humanity at large.

The whole School is encouraged to strive towards living the five universal Human Values which defines their true nature. These Values are introduced below.

 
an introduction to the five Human Values
  
LOVE:
* To love everybody unconditionally.
* To develop compassion, kindness, generosity and greatness of spirit.
* To care for our environment, each other and ourselves
TRUTH:
* To speak and act truthfully and confidently, with a clean and
   clear conscience.
* To develop wisdom, the power of reason, intuition and a sense of inquiry.
* To understand the oneness of all creation and the Truth behind all faiths.
PEACE:
* To develop self respect, concentration, inner contentment and calmness.
* To cooperate with and value the contributions of others,
   including their constructive feed-back concerning our behaviour
* To develop forgiveness, patience, forbearance and self-control.		  
RIGHT CONDUCT:
* To practice acceptance of the good and rejection of the bad, according
    to the law and one's own conscience.
* To develop respect for parents, teachers and elders and to
    accept responsibility for one's own actions.
* To develop self-reliance, exercise initiative and do one's best at
    everything one attempts.
NON-VIOLENCE:
* To avoid harming others in thought, word or deed.
* To develop reverence and concern for all living beings, all of nature
   and to engage in acts of selfless service.
* To practice forbearance and tolerance towards others.
 
The Objectives
If we can imagine that each one of us is like a rough block of stone within which lies our perfect humanness, our ideal character, we can regard Toogoolawa teachers and volunteers as the sculptors who shape the student's personality towards their true beauty and greatness. This image underlies each one of the objectives set for Toogoolawa Schools. These objectives are:
1.
 To provide an educational alternative, which is relevant and attractive for 12 to 15 year-old boys, who refuse to attend or who have been suspended/expelled from a mainstream school.
2.
 To prepare students for possible re-entry into mainstream schooling so as to gain access to the wider academic opportunities available therein; or for enrolling in a TAFE College; or the workforce.
3.
 To provide a safe and secure environment in which students and staff can grow in appreciation of their own individual worth and value.
4.
 To nurture the growth of good character in both students and staff, as identified by the five Human Values of Love, Peace, Truth, Right Action and Non-violence.
5.
 To provide learning situations that can develop numeracy and literacy skills and life/social education up to a Year 7, 8, 9 or 10 standard, depending on the state Registration for that school.
6.
 To encourage an awareness of being responsible for how life is experienced, through using group decision-making processes.
7.
 To encourage an awareness of social responsibility through service to the needy and charity to the poor.
8.
 To provide opportunities for students to learn some basic, practical skills in areas such as plumbing, carpentry, gardening etc, so they can see a real possibility of being employable upon leaving school.
9.
 To assist students to be conscious of their obligations to parents, teachers and society and to help them make their lives meaningful and purposeful