Teacher Training at Lord Howe Island
JNJG Territory Manager Ray Robbins travelled to Lord Howe Island to run a training day for the local school teachers in the hopes that golf will become part of the regular curriculum for the school students on the island. All the staff at Lord Howe Island Central School underwent the golf training at a recent staff development day. While the staff had little golfing experience they soon mastered the skills of Chipping, Pitching, Putting and the Full Swing.
The students on the island live a life in paradise, but unfortunately the isolation means they miss out on some activities common on the mainland such as golf. Both staff and students were keen to get started on the golf activities and swapped their usual Friday sports afternoon to the Thursday and all students were taught the basics on the adjoining oval. Members from the Island Golf Club were briefed on the golf program in readiness for when the students have a gala day at the picturesque course.
Students also took advantage of Ray’s science teaching experience and enjoyed some practical work in the “lab” curriculum. Probably the highlight for the older students was calculating the height and speed of the air bust rocket. The rocket was launched at speeds of up to 154 km/h and reached a height of just over 90 metres.
Staff are already providing golf as an after school sport and Luke Power (an ex JNJG Junior) completed the golf specific training to become an Active After-schools Community deliverer when the program is introduced.
With the enthusiasm shown by the students towards the program, it is hoped that a number of them will want to extend their golfing experience to becoming a cadet and maybe join the local club as a junior member.
