31st October Teachers' Day

Teachers' day in Australia is celebrated today, the last Friday in October. World Teachers' Day is celebrated internationally on 5th October and in India it is celebrated on the 5th September, the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, an eminent educationist, the first Vice-President of India, and the second President of the country.

Whenever you celebrate it, the day is a tribute to educators who shape the future by guiding students not only academically but also in values and life skills. They inspire, motivate, and strengthen the foundation of society, leaving a lasting impact on generations.

As teachers we know the profound difference that one brilliant educator can make in a child's life and we all aspire to do that.

There are some wonderful picture books that highlight exemplary teachers.

1st November World Numbat Day

World Numbat Day is a day to appreciate this amazing yet threatened mammal and encourage the action to conserve the species.

A numbat is a small termite-eating marsupial that lives in Australia. It has a black and white striped back along with a bushy tail. A few other names for the numbat include the banded anteater, noombat, and walpurti. Its long, sticky tongue helps it capture underground termites. While numbats are considered marsupials, they don’t really have a pouch to carry their young. Instead, they have skinfolds that cover their babies while they drink milk from their mother.

The Numbat is Western Australia’s mammal emblem. Numbats have a very specialised diet almost exclusively of termites. They are diurnal, which means they feed during the day. During the day the sun heats up the upper layers soil, increases the temperature. The termites move in to a network of shallow tunnels and chambers just below the ground surface, making it easier to get a meal.

Numbats are under threat from habitat loss and introduced predators including foxes and feral cats. Their population is estimated at fewer than 1000 individuals and help is needed to protect the future of this unique marsupial.

There are not a large number of picture books about numbats, but what there is will give you insight into the unique qualities of this animal.

We have two very old books that I still use with students:

• Potoroos and Numbats by Debbie Gallagher

• Numbat, Run  by Jill Morris

This book includes a story, a poem, an interview with a scientist, and an indigenous numbat story.

Other books that are still available:

• The Two-Hearted Numbat by Ambelin and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

• Rufus the Numbat  by David Miller

• Numby the Numbat  by Tim Faulkner

24th October United Nations Day

The concept of the United Nations is a beautiful one, setting high standards for human, animal and environmental wellbeing so that, one day, we might reach a fairer world. United Nations Day commemorates the anniversary of the UN Charter of 1945.

After World War II, 51 countries united to promote international peace and security, better living standards and human rights. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill are the ones who wrote the declaration, which was then signed by other countries. Antonio Guterres has been the Secretary-General of the United Nations since 2017.

On this UN Day, let’s stand together and fulfil the extraordinary promise of your United Nations. Let’s show the world what is possible when “we the peoples” choose to act as one.

António Guterres
The four main purposes of the United Nations are to:• Maintain International Peace and Security.• Protect Human Rights. • Deliver Humanitarian Aid.• Support Sustainable Development and Climate Action.

This video is a short summary of what this day is all about. School students need to understand how global mindedness and global initiatives can make our world a better place.


There are some general books that outline the role of the United Nations.

If you want to follow up on the 17 United Nation Sustainable Goals please see my book suggestions on Pinterest, one for each of the goals. 

22nd October International Wombat Day

 

I have written about this day before, but given the CSIRO's new book Wombat Poos Are Square  has just arrived at our library, I felt I had to celebrate the day. While this humorous book is not strictly speaking about wombats, but rather explains the important role poo plays in our environment, it has an eye-catching cover that would look great in a display of wombat books.

Some other more recent books are Abi Cushman's Wombats Are Pretty Weird, John Lesley's Wombat, the stories Wurrtoo  by Tylissa Elisara and Beth Ferry's Wombats Go Wild for Words.

Of course there are other books about wombats. See Pinterest. But if you want to combine wombats and halloween, look for:

18th October International Repair Day; World Op Shop Day

Today is International Repair Day, which falls every year on the third Saturday of October. This global event aims to motivate people to attempt to fix something themselves or drop by a local shop and get their broken devices fixed. In addition, it promotes a community mindset by encouraging individuals to share their repair skills, inspire others to get involved, and organise repair events all over the world.

There are many benefits to repairing something rather than replacing.  One is that you are doing your part to alleviate the global landfill crisis. Every year, people throughout the world produce billions of tons of landfill waste. This is projected to increase to 2.2 billion tons by 2025. All of this garbage in the landfills is not good for the environment. Overflowing landfills cause greenhouse gas pollution and groundwater pollution. When the waste is transferred from one location to another, it also causes carbon emissions.

The Repair Shop is a popular television show in the UK and it has a series of picture books that promote their ideals.

In Australia, it is also the inaugural World Op Shop Day. World Op Shop Day is more than just a celebration; it's a call to action. Op shops play a crucial role in reducing waste, supporting those in need, and funding essential community and welfare programs. Every month, Salvos Stores help divert millions of items from landfill, contributing back literal tonnes of textiles, electronics, and home goods into the circular economy.

The concept of op shops, or "opportunity shops," has been around for over a century in Australia and is increasing in popularity as a shopping destination. They are also a good place to look for good quality second hand books.

Look for some of these books in your library:

16th October International ShakeOut Day

It is International ShakeOut Day, which always falls on the third Thursday of October. The first event occurred in California in 2008 and intended to educate the earthquake-prone state on safety. Over the years, the cause grew, resulting in over 55 million participants in the world. The ShakeOut organisation promotes the most important technique called “Drop, Cover and Hold On” to reduce injury and death. It involves laying on the ground while covering your head and body, preferably under a table.

When I was a child I remember experiencing two earthquakes, but as an adult I feel that Australia seems to have had many more. At school we practise fire drills and lockdowns regularly, but I have never practised what to do in the event of an earthquake. ShakeOut Day is a day when children practise  what to do during an earthquake.

Earthquakes can be terrifying, and it is natural for children and adults to be afraid. According to the  Association of School Psychologists, earthquakes are especially difficult to cope with because they come without warning and are followed by aftershocks. With continued shaking, survivors do not experience a clear end to the crisis. I remember talking to a friend whose niece was a teacher in Christchurch, NZ when they felt as if they were having a run on earthquakes, and this teacher said the biggest problem was being able to ask the young children's questions eg when will the next one be? why are they happening here?

Australia does not typically experience large earthquakes and on average only experiences a single magnitude 5 (or greater) event each year. Understanding whether you are in an earthquake prone area is important so that you can take measures to reduce the potential impacts and know what to do during a disaster.

Queensland Health has published a pamphlet telling parents and caregivers what to do and it includes a picture book story called Birdie and the Earthquake. It is available online and in book format.

There is also an activity book Rocket's Earthquake Safety Activity Book which teaches children the tools they need to stay safe and prepared.  

Your library may have one of these books:

Lily and Niko's childcare class is practicing for the Great ShakeOut™. They learn that the Great ShakeOut™helps prepare them for an earthquake. They learn the basics of what causes an earthquake, how it causes things to fall and break, and how it can sound like a really loud tummy rumble. They also learn where they can go and what they should to (drop, cover, and hold on) to be safe inside buildings, outside, and in a car. At the end of the day they know what to do to be safe during an earthquake.

Many of the general nonfiction books about earthquakes may make your young audience scared so you will need to know your audience well and the books well in order to match them up.

Look for: