Regardless of traditional or innovative classrooms, the outcomes are usually determined by the quality of the teacher, the available resources, supported by senior staff and parents (Letters, July 18). Put a well-trained, competent teacher in any room configuration with the critical, appropriate support and you will get the desired results. Denis Suttling, Newport Beach
Open plan classrooms have been shut downCredit: John Shakespeare
I have taught in NSW in both so-called “open classroom” with team teaching and traditional one-teacher classrooms for more than 40 years. There needs to be space for both approaches. The open-space philosophy places heavy emphasis on providing scope for students to follow their passions through a process based on communication, collaboration and creativity: all attributes which modern employers are clamouring for. The single classroom provides a quieter, more teacher-directed and student-compliant classroom where emphasis on individual auditing of student progress is easier to achieve. I have witnessed teaching practices first hand around the world for the past 15 years – some are open-classroom based and others are more traditional single classroom style. However, good teaching is good teaching. It’s not the structure of the classroom that makes the difference but the teacher-student relationships and the passion and quality of the teacher. Warren Marks, Hill Top
I wonder what the fans of the modern-day open classroom would have thought of my first classroom, more than 60 years ago, where the less academic boys and girls in the equivalent of Years 7, 8 and 9 were all in one room and I somehow taught them English after churning out all the study material on a duplicator. Joan Brown, Orange
Consider what Indigenous people have been saying for ages: “The layout of our schools was in the hands of architects, and not teachers, and the result of that for many was that it didn’t work.” Ronald Elliott, Sandringham
With teachers letting off steam again, we should learn from the past. There were 78 of us in 5th class at a Marist Brothers school in the 60s. So many desks crowded into the classroom that I was on the extreme right, front row, behind a cupboard. I couldn’t see the blackboard but equally the Marist brother couldn’t see me: out of sight, out of mind. Best year of my school life in my little corner of the world. Everyone was called “you boy” and every so often some random schmuck would be hauled out the front and given six cuts of the cane. Made the rest sit up and shut up. Easy. Peter Riley, Penrith
Another teaching gimmick bites the dust! Trying to spur creativity in one class of children is noisy enough without including three others. Like the clever idea of children learning to read by just looking at the words without sounding them out, this idea deserves to be put away in the back cupboard.
Judith Rostron, Killarney Heights
While the retired chalkies among us are having a go at open classrooms, can we add group work to the list of failed teaching fads? While there were always a few exemptions, most students in a group did little work while relying on one or two at most to complete the “group” task. John Bailey, Canterbury
Only landslide win for Yes campaign will unite nation
Now that the proposed Yes and No Voice pamphlets have been released, one aspect which needs to be acknowledged is that the vote for the impending referendum will be binary (“Yes and No cases draw battle lines on Indigenous Voice”, July 18). Thus, there really cannot be a victory lap for any result that is not an overwhelming affirmation. A 55/45 win or loss would mean that virtually every second person you pass in the street voted differently to you. There would have been no shame in Labor saying that it has listened and reconsidered and planned to take a likely successful referendum concerning only Indigenous constitutional recognition to the people later this year, and then commit to refining those initiatives that are working in regional and rural Australia and jettisoning those that are not. Otherwise, I do fear that if the current polls are any guide, there may well be something of a renewed social tribalism when the numbers are finally tallied and the heart of the nation is revealed. Peter Waterhouse, Craigieburn
Sydney Come Together For Yes rallyCredit: Steven Siewert
My wife and I were keen to show our support for the yes campaign so eagerly went onto the yes123 website to purchase a corflute for our fence. $12.95 shipping for a $10 sign was a little steep. No problem I thought, I will click on the pickup option. Collingwood, Victoria! Not exactly making it easy are they? I instead downloaded and printed a sign from the resources link, but why can’t I pick up such merchandise from my local MP’s office? Tim Douglas, Dulwich Hill
I was dismayed when I read the No campaign’s very slick piece of marketing: “Don’t know? Vote No”. We are better than this. It is time for us to act like Australians and instead of resorting to No, we need to “Give it a Go”. After all, for 97 per cent of the population the Voice will have no real impact, but for our Indigenous population it means acknowledgement of their need to be heard. Maureen Donlon, Wagga Wagga
Anyone who has any doubts about the Voice referendum should google Shelley Rey’s Dismantle the Myths video, which slays all the No arguments. I see Warren Mundine and the No campaign are targeting Western Sydney where the No vote was high in the marriage equality referendum. Labor is going to have its work cut out convincing the conservatives there and in Queensland as the “I don’t care what it is, I’m against it” attitude to change prevails strongly in this continent. William Perry, Mount Keira
What do the No-Voicers fear about activism on Australia Day and the flag? If the change-activists’ voices get louder post-successful referendum, the No-Voicers will have to sharpen up their reasons for opposing any change and present those reasons as loudly as necessary at the time. Where’s the risk in that? Penelope Layton-Caisley, Marrickville
No time for games
Thank god a premier has finally realised and admitted that the obscenity of hosting various Olympic and Commonwealth Games must be ceased (“Victoria’s 2026 Commonwealth Games cancelled”, smh.com.au, July 18). Well done Dan Andrews! Given the state of the nation’s economy, the appalling rise in homelessness and need, plus the ever-dwindling quality and availability of public health services, the expenditure of massive amounts of money on sport, benefitting only the competitors and administrators of these sports and forcing taxpayers to pay for this disgusting indulgence, should have ceased decades ago. Ian Usman Lewis, Kentucky
Commonwealth Games cancelled.Credit: Marija Ercegovac
If attendance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games was similar to the 5045 athletes competing in the 2022 games, the projected cost of $7 billion would work out to about $1.38 million per athlete, which does seem a bit dear in the current climate. Peter Fyfe, Enmore
Victims of hubris
Charlie Teo’s outrageous slur about Kate McClymont, one of our most accomplished investigative journalists, says more than enough about his self-serving mentality (“Charlie Teo shames himself with an offensive slur”, July 18). As Kate’s year 6 teacher I can attest to what a lovely and clever young lady she was. She was dux of a large school and came from a family which wholeheartedly supported the school’s efforts to do the best by its children. Kate’s subsequent success was no surprise to those who knew her capabilities. Ron Sinclair, Windradyne
Ben Roberts-Smith and the latest “victim”, Charlie Teo, remind us that the human species is a mixed bag in all its diversity. This is arguably fine and laudable, until their doings adversely affect other people. These two narcissistic beings, pumped full of cold arrogance and hubris, have both crossed that line. The fact that they are unable to acknowledge any wrongdoing and persist in their self-belief despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, could almost engender pity for their lack of self awareness – if it wasn’t for the carnage left behind them. Judy Finch, Taree
Teo is the architect of his own misfortune and apparently has not learnt that the consequence of hubris is nemesis. Teo’s arrogance has resulted in dire outcomes for some of his patients and the grief of their family members, for which he still refuses to accept responsibility. Should Teo wish to redeem himself, perhaps he could use his skills to give himself an ego-ectomy rather than blame shifting. Barrington Salter, Neutral Bay
Housing situation hopeless
Great analysis of the rental issues in your article (“One-sided rental model needs a broad overhaul”, July 18). I own a unit valued at $1.35 million in Sydney. If I were to rent it out at the going rate of $870 per week, I would gross about $45,000 annually in rent – $30,000 after costs. If I were to sell it and put the funds in a 4 per cent term deposit, I’d get $54,000 per annum. So owning this unit to rent it out would not be a sound way to produce an income stream.
Negative gearing and capital gains tax breaks underwrite the rental business in Australia because the way to make money as a landlord is to churn property and bank the capital gain. In the local rental market, the interests of the landlord and the renter do not align. If renters want long-term tenancies, then the typical landlord needs to be a long-term owner. Joan Masterton, Wapengo
Marni Newman, 36, has rented in Sydney and Melbourne for almost 20 years.Credit: Justin McManus
Your piece on the so-called battling landlords omits to mention that they outbid first home buyers every time. Paul Ryan, Emu Plains
Build in buffers
Adding complexity to the building industry masks the real issue of liability (Letters, July 18). Emphasis on standards and vetting the participants engaged in development, construction and all manner of certifications is admirable but may not stand the test of time. Experience shows that a five-star start does not preclude extensive defects or a major failure due to poor execution, poor product or poor business management. Self-governance has proven to be fraught. Application of caveat emptor could bring the industry to its knees. While prevention is the best approach it is also optimistic. A realistic course is development of a financial model that assures there are accessible, funded, minimal-cost remedies available. Government has it the wrong way around – it is a failure to pour money into development while legally protecting the industry but not the tax-paying, voting consumer.
Robert Caraian, Crows Nest
Pot luck
As a proud descendant of spray-can wielding activists BUGAUP (Billboard Utilising Graffitists Against Unhealthy Promotions), I find that it helps both our community and local road workers trying to use up a little extra warm bitumen, to highlight the odd pothole or two by outlining those holes with a white outline (“Road repairs leave nation over $4b in the pothole”, July 18). Works a treat – holes wholly filled within a few days. Margaret Hogge, North Curl Curl
Held accountable
Accountancy firms are a corporate as well as a government problem, with auditing and accounting/consulting separated only by very leaky “Chinese walls”, which resemble the cone of silence from Get Smart (“PwC partners were ‘almost bulletproof’ “, July 18) The government missed an opportunity to redress the imbalance when PwC offloaded its government consultancy for $1. The government could have taken those employees, fired the salesmen and the highly-paid dross and kept the core workers. Alan Carruthers, Artarmon
Better than cure
A good point was made by Jennifer McKay (Letters, July 18). Years ago, while working as a GP, a request for the contraceptive pill always included a blood pressure check, a breast examination and usually a pap smear and other swabs. It is an ideal time to perform these examinations and practice preventative medicine. It’s not going to happen in the pharmacy and it’s likely that these checks will be overlooked, since women will not be going to the doctor for their scripts. Keep the majority of prescriptions where they belong: in GP consultations. Fenella Killeen, Forestville
Ruff reception
Given the Herald’s fierce commitment to being “Independent. Always” it’s disappointing to find your new deputy letters editor openly coming out as “Team Cat” at the weekend (Postscript, July 15). This points to clear bias and you can be assured that us dog folk will be watching closely for evidence of excessive feline-friendliness in the Letters page. Tim Parker, Balmain
Cat in the Bag Credit: Cathy Wilcox
All the way with RBA
Huzzar (Letters, July 18). Until she announces the next interest rate rise.
Tim Schroder, Gordon
Coal in Coalition
Chris Bowen has called out Coalition senators Gerard Rennick and Alex Antic as revellers “in the climate denying, vaccine-decrying, WEF-fearing, Putin-loving dark nether regions of the kooky right” (“Bowen lashes out at Dutton’s cabal of denial”, July 18). For the sake of accuracy, Bowen really should have included ABC-bashing.
Phil Bradshaw, Naremburn
Not the NATO news
While Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are located side by side on the “other side of the planet”, these countries have a long history with Russia and I suspect are feeling very nervous watching Russia’s aggression in Ukraine (“NATO ties make sense: Albanese”, July 18). Meanwhile, in case you haven’t noticed, Paul Keating is no longer prime minister and nor does he hold any position in the Australian parliament.
Elizabeth Starr, Abbotsford
The digital view
Online comment from one of the stories that attracted most reader feedback yesterday on smh.com.au
Zombie offices a real risk as workers fight to work from home
From Bucklemyshoe: “We need housing and the city needs people. Simple, convert office space into well-designed apartments for families”.
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