Winter’s Night Lanterns
June 19, 2026
There is almost nothing I don’t love about my job. Being part of the Literacy support program is certainly extra special – it’s seeing students striving and overcoming difficulties and applying themselves so diligently. It’s seeing the unfolding joy of mastering reading and delving into the guts of how our language is put together but also, and perhaps more importantly, watching the development of the will – growing the strength of courage and perseverance in our young people. And also working with a lovely bunch of people who are passionate, strong, capable and deeply caring. In case you haven’t met them yet, here they are:
“Being alive in these times is quite an experience and these days, life seems about as crazy as it can get. Actually, I shouldn’t say that because it’s possible things could get crazier. Then there’s Kindlehill. At Kindlehill, I’m privileged to work with incredible young people who mitigate the heaviness of the wider world. They work their patoozis off, they make sense of the present and the immediate, they place their attention on the educational journey and things change…we often laugh, we always ask questions, and in it all, chances are something new is learned. Give me learning any day, because in learning there is freedom and the crazy world loses its edge…with learning comes freedom, comes clarity.”
Libby Gahl
Literacy Support Teacher
“Working on the learning support team is intellectually stimulating, heartwarming, and fun in equal measures! I love the challenge of trying to work out how a student’s brain is ticking, and constantly considering what strategy or skill could help them boost their understanding. The heartwarming bits are aplenty: witnessing as students are brave enough to have a go, to explain their thinking, to ask questions, and to share their vulnerability when they just don’t “get it”. And then there’s the fun stuff: we STRETCHHH out the sounds in words and SNAP them back together, we challenge ourselves to see how quickly we can read a list of words, we read stories, we play games and we always have a laugh”.
Collette Patton
Literacy Support Teacher
“Hi, my name is Lesley, and I work on the Literacy Support Team. Coming to Kindlehill is like stepping into another world. Each day starts new and fresh, and provides new opportunities for learning and teaching. Every day, the children come out of their shell a little more, and their individual personalities shine through. We spend our sessions working through the complexities of the English language, but in such an enjoyable and playful way that it helps us all to absorb it. I am really enjoying this experience, not just as a teacher, but a learner too.”
Lesley Foxwell
Literacy Support Teacher
After extensive experience with Barnardos Australia, Erica joined the teaching profession in 2004, focusing for many years on high school teaching for young people with behavioural issues not able to be in mainstream classes. Erica joined Kindlehill School in 2009. She has a B. Arts ( Hons) (USYD) and a Master of Teaching (UWS).
