Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 10, 1993 TAG: 9306100234
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By LYNN A. COYLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
At their home in Australia, it's rare for a student to have a car or drive to school, Chris Holbert said.
Jim Holbert is teaching in Roanoke County for five months as part of an exchange program. He swapped jobs, homes and cars with Barry Tucker, band director at Cave Spring and his wife, Donna, band director at Hidden Valley Junior High.
Together, the Tuckers are filling Holbert's position at the oldest school in Australia - The King's School, in Parramatta, a suburb of Sydney. The private school was founded in 1832.
The teachers, however, are not trading salaries, mortgages or car insurance payments. Jim Holbert said they found it much less complicated that way. Each family is paying for utilities and consumables, he said.
"If you're prepared to consume locally produced items, things are a bit more expensive in Australia," he said, but "if you insist on imported goods and luxuries," you're in trouble. That's mainly because Australians have to be taxed higher for the country's relatively small population to support public services, Holbert said. For example, taxes to pay for roads bring gasoline prices to about $1.60 per gallon in American dollars.
Holbert said that the kids, parents and colleagues he's met here have made him feel very comfortable. He's even invited some of his new friends to visit the family in Australia, and encouraged some students to take a break from college and spend a year working and boarding at his school.
He was impressed that his family was invited to a School Board meeting where he was asked to talk about the exchange program. At most private schools in Australia such meetings are closed, and often, even the headmaster isn't allowed to attend, Holbert said.
Although The King's School is affiliated with the Anglican Church, and teaching religion is not illegal in Australian schools, religion is taught only as history.
Most of the differences between Roanoke and Australia come as no big surprise to Holbert. He was born in the United States and taught here for five years before he eventually landed in Australia. "I decided that a boy from West Virginia needed to get out and see what the world was like."
He met his wife while working and touring in Germany. From Germany, he made his way overland to Australia, taking a year to get there.
"That was 21 years ago . . . a wife, a mortgage and two kids later." He now finds things different from when he left.
Students have a lot more freedom, are more outspoken and are given a lot more things. And more are employed, which Holbert feels is detrimental to academics. "I am concerned. For example, I think driving to school should be an honor rather than a given," maybe for seniors or good grades, he said.
Chris Holbert, who is on leave from her job as a research scientist, said she's found plenty to do in Roanoke by scanning the newspaper - and it's easier to get around, so she has more time. She has taught yoga classes and been a volunteer tutor at the West End Center.
"When I grew up in Australia, we were very, very British," Chris Holbert said, "but I noticed that my boys are very steeped in American culture."
Her sons - Mark, 15, and Grant, 13 - found a trip to England boring, she said, but "they love everything here" - the food, the people and more freedom in school. She thinks they'll find it hard to return to their private school with its uniforms and strict discipline.
Holbert admitted to having pangs of envy when he realized that in Australia the Tuckers were enjoying a long holiday from school. During his five-month teaching stint here, Holbert will have only one official school holiday - not counting snow days for "the blizzard of the century," he said.
When the school year ends though, the Holberts plan to spend some vacation time in the United States before returning home in July.
by CNB