Skip to main content

Posts

Adapting The Elves and the Shoemaker into a 21st Century fairy tale (In German)

T o celebrate another year of 'slowly' learning German here is my Christmas Post, as usual, in German. My research focuses on how the fairy tales Ernst wrote were shaped by the Australian landscape and her environment. I decided to adapt the plot and structure of a well-known Grimm fairytale '805_Wichtelmaenner' into a fairy tale that resonated with my life. So, if I had two little elves who would do my work while I slept I would hope they would finish the School Timetable with 20 classes, 4 specialist programs and numerous other events that change weekly. Frohe Weihnachten to all the readers of this blog. Die Elfen und die stellvertretende Schulleiterin   Es war einmal eine stellvertretende Schulleiterin von einer mittelgroßen Schule, die hart arbeitete und eine gute Lehrerin war: aber sie war nicht so gut in die Zeitpläne machen, so dass alle Schüler lernen, was sie wissen müssen. Am Abend bevor das Term begann, mussten die Zeitpläne fertig sein. Sie

100 Years of the Brighton Red Cross

 Alleyn Best and myself. I was delighted to attend the Launch of the book "Red Cross in Brighton: A History of the Brighton Unit of Red Cross (Victorian Division, Australia) 1914-2014 " by Alleyn Best. This is a  fascinating history of the contribution of Brighton's Red Cross members in their past century. With such a rich history it must have been a difficult task to decide what to include in the book, but Alleyn has managed to produce a succinct, readable volume illustrated with a wealth of photographs chosen from the archives. I enjoyed reading this riveting history, and am pleased to have been able contribute information about Olga Waller's (Ernst) role in the Brighton Unit. In the chapter devoted to the Junior Red Cross Olga is mentioned as an 'inspiring leader' (pp. 87-94) and there is a beautifully reproduced photo of Olga and the Brighton Junior Red Cross in 1949 (p. 88).  The book can be purchased from the Brighton Red Cross Unit's address 

Is a PhD like a HT bus?

Three weeks of being ill with some vague virus that has seen me hover between work and home trying to shake a rather persistent bug has seen some good. I have finally translated Til Kildrene! by Sebastian  Olden-Jørgensen  into English from Danish with the help of translating software, and when that doesn't seem to make sense a Danish dictionary.  I wanted to read what  Olden-Jørgensen  was presenting to his audience about source criticism and the use of artefacts. All I could find was wikipedia references from what looked like the same original source. In the Epilogue (page 84) I found this gem that I think relates not just to scientific research also to my PhD. I have taken a few stop-offs on the journey to explore other interesting research, and have at times been gripped by the feeling 'I may be on wrong bus' or worse, 'I shouldn't have got on!' Sometimes you just have to sit back and enjoy the journey. A scientifi

Pseudonyms and Apologia

While reviewers differentiated between the worth of the books based on gender expectations, women writers also approached their audiences differently to men modifying their approach to meet critical reception. These women suggest that they write to amuse and entertain, and as a genteel leisure time pursuit. Apologia in the Preface or Note to the Reader written, perhaps to pre-empt some of the criticism they believed may be levelled at them. Gumsucker (Sarah Roland) begins Rosalie’s Reward or The Fairy Treasure by saying demurely: Should this story be favourable (sic) received by the little folks for whom it is written, it is the Author’s intention to publish a series of Tales, so that the merry children of the fair South may revel in dreams of their own Fairy Lore. Wilcken (1891) also revealed that it was only that under pressure from friends that she printed her stories and that ‘it seemed ungracious to refuse such a request’. (Preface) Another way of avoiding criticism w

An ethereal and wispy contribution?

Thanks to Amazing Transformations for making me this awesome fairy costume for a presentation!       To some teaching colleagues my contribution to academic  scholarship might seem as ethereal and wispy thin as the fairy tale focus of my topic. However my contribution to discourse on Australian children’s literature is valuable in consideration of my  methodical approach to research into, and investigation of, the contribution of German immigrants to the colony of Victoria, specifically members of the Melbourne German-Lutheran church and the Melbourne German scientific community. Much of their history was destroyed or lost during the World Wars. I have aimed to  present this scholarship in a variety of ways other than my Dissertation to reach a range of audiences: peer reviewed papers, conferences, websites, education-based magazines. I've learned that  a PhD is the ultimate inquiry, and  requires flexible thinking, persistence and ...when working full time – exemplary tim

Inaugural Australian Fairy Tale Conference

I am sitting in my office (nice and warm) trying to remember where I am up to in my thesis. Winter is such a nice time to be in a study! I'm sure if I sit here long enough it will all become clear! The truth is I am up to 'painful' editing and critiquing. It was a delight to escape from the joys of persuasive writing about rules and laws to the enchantment of fairy tales. Refining my presentation of Olga's work in a monologue that touches on her life and her contribution to Australian children's literature was an opportunity to present to a different audience, one that could be labelled 'my community' and work with professional storyteller Teena. Teena told for the first time the story of the 'Fire Elves' and though we had emailed and talked on the phone we didn't rehearse together.  When I met Teena for the first time two hours before our presentation I instinctively knew she would be fantastic. Teena drew us into the story softly