Last week the children made the short trek across the road to Railway House. Before leaving the children were asked to identify some of the services the Railway House provides the local community and that they have personally experienced. The children spoke about such things as having picnics and birthday parties there (Odessa & Olivia), walking their dog (Myki), attending Italian School (Eleonora) and weekly Homework Club (Abdi & Chase), the Prep Picnic as well as some of the adult language education services the house provides. When we arrived we were greeted by Railway House historian, Jeff, who showed the children old photos of the house when it was a train station. He talked about the community fight to save the station from developers wanting to demolish it due to the dwindling numbers of people travelling on the line . Children were then treated to a quick tour of the inside of the house where Jeff showed them a mural depicting the sequence of events from the communities fight to save the house right up to how it is used today. The children then came back to school and reflected on what they had learned. They were asked to consider the questions What had changed or stayed the same? and Why had it changed? The children were then asked to come up with a statement summarising what they had learnt about change from the experience. Edie said: When things change, we sometimes keep some parts of it. Thomas V said: Change happens for a reason. Jeff very kindly presented the children with a video on the Railway House which the children later watched to strengthen and deepen their knowledge of what has become a integral part of their lives.
