Pallara State School Students Get Personal History Lesson from Former PM
By The Queenslander staff
It’s not every day that a former Prime Minister walks through the doors of your History Club, but that’s exactly what happened at Pallara State School. Students were thrilled to have the Hon. John Howard join their after-school meeting, which was part of an initiative led by Keegan Peace, a dedicated teacher nominated for the national Australian Education Awards this August.
Peace, founder of the school’s extra-curricular History Club, had the ambitious idea of inviting notable figures from the community to connect with the students. The club aims to give children an in-depth understanding of history, going beyond the HASS curriculum. This year’s topics of study included tectonic plates, the Vietnam War, Coronations, and Australia at the new Millennium.
Previous guests included Cr. Angela Owen, Vietnam War veteran Richard McLaren, and Commonwealth Games silver medalist Helen Seare. But, when the former Prime Minister agreed to visit, it was the highlight of the year.
Howard’s discussion spanned a range of topics from his views on the Vietnam War to his journey to becoming Prime Minister. School Captain Ben was particularly taken aback to learn that Howard had only attended public schools, dispelling the notion that leaders must hail from private education.
“It was really special to get to meet a Prime Minister, and for him to come all the way out to visit us is really cool,” said Poppy, another school captain.
Principal Mark Johnstone hailed the visit as a ‘great moment for the school.’ Howard’s presence served as an invaluable opportunity for the students to learn from a national leader first-hand, which has contributed greatly to their growing enthusiasm for history.
The students’ inquisitiveness and newfound interest in history have been largely attributed to the History Club, as expressed by many parents. The initiative has been recognized for its outstanding contribution to the community, culminating in Peace’s nomination for Primary Government Teacher of the Year.
In his concluding advice to the aspiring historians and future leaders, Howard emphasised the importance of learning from history, leaving a lasting impression on the students.
To Peace’s surprise, a staffer mentioned that this visit was rare as Howard hadn’t visited a primary school in ‘an incredibly long time.’ However, the former Prime Minister’s engagement with the eager students at Pallara State School demonstrated the magic that can happen ‘when you just ask.’
Peace and his students are eager to share more about their enriching experiences with the wider community. As the school year continues, the History Club is sure to remain a vibrant and important part of Pallara State School’s learning environment.
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