Meet Newington’s next Headmaster Newington College will have a new Headmaster from 1 January 2019. Mr MichaelParker will be the 19th Headmaster of Newington College, following Dr David Mulford’s retirement at the end of this year. Mr Parker has been the Headmaster of Oxley College in Bowral since 2014 and was previously Deputy Headmaster at Cranbrook. He is the author of several books, including the Talk with Your Kids ...series. Here, he explains why education is important. What is your background? I remember the quality and the My parents were both migrants to collegiality of the staff. There were so Australia—my mother from Malta and many committed educators in the ranks my father from England. They both left who loved Newington. I remember how school at 14 and pulled themselves up interested, diverse and engaging manyof from there. I was the first person on either the boys were as well. I remember side of my family to get a degree, although people warning me about the planes, but many other members have doneso I had already been living in Petersham since. It helps remind me how important so I had learnt to tune them out. education is—for its own sake and to What has changed since you were at help get you where you want to go. Newington? You first studied law at the University The building where my mother-in-law of Sydney. Why did you decide to leave worked as the Head Librarian in the law and go into education? 1980s has gone and been replaced with On one hand I didn’t want to be centrally a giant, gleaming structure. Dr Mulford involved in the adversarial framework has done an extraordinary job of that underpins law. I didn’t disagree with bringing the school firmly into the 21st it in principle—it’s just that I didn’t want century. I am looking forward to getting to be arguing with other people all day under the skin of Newington and seeing for my whole professional life. what else has changed. I plan to do a lot of listening in 2019. ‘I love education. What’s so special about Newington? There is nowhere more Mr Michael Parker It is the vibrancyand the energy you feel important to be.’ What do you love about education? emanating from the school that makes That our civilisations have so much to Newington special. This is partly due to More importantly, though, I loved be proud of. We have pulled ourselves the diverse student body with all its education. I thought—and still think— up from hunters on the African savannah different ethnicities and faiths, there is nowhere more important to be. to flying to the moon in the blink of an combined under the ecumenical When I was young and naive, I dreamt eye. To be a part of handing the baton umbrella of the Uniting Church. It is all up what education might look like to of all we have achieved to the next the things a boy can throw himself into , avoid so many of the problems: it was generation, then encouraging them to be whether it’s his music, his rugby, his based on everyone thinking rationally brilliant, run further, jump higher, do debating or his swimming—or all of and learning more about how to be more is a great privilege. them. It’s the academic energy and “good” people. Of course, it was the excitement that come from so many of result of too much youthful idealism, but How do you encourage students to love a more nuanced version of this is still learning? the classes. what drives me Using food as an incentive. Also, by How has education changed in the past . Where did you go to school? making lessons relevant to them, by giving 30 years? them the opportunity to talk, discuss and There is a much greater sense that we James Ruse Agricultural High School have their own opinions. By making it don’t know what sort of world we are Were you a good student? practical, creating a classroom community sending our students into. This has I was a very interested student. I loved and being excited by themeiayoatr l urself. huge implications for what skills and school and used to get blown away by the Also, by knowing and being interested in ideas we try to impart to them whilst excitement of many things in Science, the student. They are usually much they are at school. Another is a real History and English. I used to sneak into more willing to learn with you if they movement towards knowing individually Chemistry lessons after I dropped the know you genuinely care about them. how each different student in your class subject in Year 11. I did talk too much, What do you remember about learns, acts, improves etc, and tailoring though, and found myself standing Newington from your first stint here as each lesson so each student gets the outside the classroom more than once. Head of English from 2002–2007? most out of it. OPPORTUNITY| NEWS AUTUMN 2018| 5