Covie NewsIssue 1

Mr Moody, what is your role here at Covie?
This year I have the pleasure of teaching in Secondary PDHPE.

Tell us about your ideal day off.
I can't choose between two versions. Version One would look like going for a walk and grabbing breakfast with friends, followed by maybe a swim at the beach, and then a relaxing afternoon reading a book around Christian living, or playing games with friends. Version 2 would be going on an adventure to somewhere just far enough to get there and back in a day and do some exploring and enjoying the creation around me.

What has God been teaching you lately?
Lately I've been challenged by the pace of God. Often he is a fair bit slower than I'd like him to be. When I vent my frustration for this here and there, I'm met with a gentle and gracious whisper that is calling me towards this slow life. I think it'll be a lifelong dedication to slow myself to see God in the little things of life, but I trust that the creator of all things knows what's best for me and his people.

If ability/skill wasn't an issue, what sport would you compete in the Olympics for?
Canoe Slalom. Loved watching Jess and Noemie Fox go about their work last year!

What do you value most about your family?
Our time around the dinner table together. Now that we are all in different stages of life, having all 6 of us around the table is quite special.

What was the last concert you went to, and how was it?
Last concert was Hollow Coves in December last year - I had a great time and would highly recommend their music.

Favourite beach?
Avoca Beach - although I heard that it's overrated and that you shouldn't go there ;)

What reminds you of the awesomeness of God?
Going for a bushwalk with a view. Seeing God's hand in his magnificent creation is so beautiful.

What’s one topic you could talk about for hours?
How do we translate the gospel in a way that brings the practices and teachings of Jesus to life in this current cultural climate and meets both my generation and future generations in a tangible way.

What is the most superior vegetable?
Avocado. Simply the best.

In my classroom, I used to have a picture showing two figures—one racing across the surface of the water in a speedboat, and one scuba diving slowly along the reef below. In this classroom, we chose to be scuba divers. We slowed down. We looked closely. We dove deeper. We noticed more.

When we take time to notice, we build a richer, deeper understanding of the world around us. The more we notice, the more we train our brains to pay attention, to think deeply, and to appreciate the complexity of the world around us.

At Covenant you’ll find teachers using thinking routines like See, Think, Wonder or Zoom In to help students slow down and notice. It’s a skill that helps to form the foundation of deep thinking across every subject - and it’s something you can encourage easily at home too.

Picture books are one of my favourite places to notice things. Next time you’re reading with your child, pause on each page and invite them (and yourself!) to notice just one new detail:

"I've noticed that the hat has blown away from the picnic rug..."

"I've noticed that the illustrator uses really drippy watercolours..."

You’ll be amazed at how much more there is to see - even in a story you have read dozens of times.

With older children, noticing might happen during a movie:

"Did you notice how the music changes the way we feel about the scene?"

Or when reading the Bible together:

"What do you notice about the reactions of different disciples to the messages that Jesus brings?”

You might even simply encourage them to be more alert to the small details around them - like the changing colours of leaves, a design on a t-shirt, or the way your dog reacts to different sounds.

We can help our children become great thinkers by first helping them to become great noticers.

- Extension and Enrichment Coordinator, Mrs Amanda Drain