Thanks to Family
PhOrMeS would not exist without the love and support of my family.
Zoe
Firstly, to my wife, Zoe. You have been my biggest supporter in all things, including professionally. You encouraged me to go to conferences, apply for jobs and pursue goals around trying to help as many children as possible with literacy difficulties. You endure constant discussions about word origins and word meanings. You have sacrificed time to allow me to work beyond work hours over many years to get this going. Your love and encouragement has enabled PhOrMeS to happen. You are as much responsible for PhOrMeS as I am.
Mum & Dad
To my parents, a constant source of support, love and guidance. Mum- your encyclopaedic vocabulary sure rubbed off on me. “What does this word mean?” was a common question when I was a young boy. There was always a definition backed by a real-life example! Hopefully, that same love of words you instilled in me is shared by the students who will be taught with this curriculum! Dad- your perfectionism is something I would like to think you shared with me. Although the English language did not come as easily to you as it did Mum, you made up for it in hard work! Stories of your perfectly handwritten blackboards were stuff of legend in country Victorian schools! Essentially, learning to read by yourself in Year 7 by reading for hours every night will remain a brilliant achievement! And impromptu grammar quizzes at home were certainly foundational in my later love of the structure of our language. Mum and Dad- your individual careers as teachers were inspirational to me. You were always keen to help everyone succeed with large hearts for those children for whom learning was particularly challenging.
My Siblings
To Brendan, Jacinta and Gerard, all of whom push, challenge and support me in many facets of life, and particularly professionally. Each of you have been role models to me. Like our parents, Jacinta and Gerard both landed in education as primary school teachers. You have both always had a desire to help those children who struggle with learning. Watching you both learn about the SoR in the past few years has been nothing short of incredible. To think you’ve listened a bit to your little brother 😜 but gone off to educate yourselves about this after years of classroom teaching is awesome. Brendan, a dietitian (yes, that is the correct spelling!) by trade, has ended up in Health Promotion (working with schools a lot to help educate staff and students about looking after your health…couldn’t stay away from education either!!). Your drive to go beyond helping more than one person at a time and to look for ways to improve the lives of the masses has constantly motivated me to think that way too.
My Children
Where to start with you two?!? You keep me grounded and exhausted! I am eternally blessed by both of your lives. Thank you for being the wonderful little human beings you are.