Lucy Carroll captures the difficulties confronted by beginning teachers and highlights some of the limitations of the preparation provided by their university degree (“‘I was thrown in the deep end’“, July 30). In another life I was Dean of a School of Education and in a staff meeting suggested that our main focus should be on learning (of our students and in turn their students). I don’t know if I ever recovered from the loud cries from a section of staff who argued that our main focus should be social justice. This tension about the main role of teacher education and even teaching still exists. In the end we tried to do both, probably not doing full justice to either. Alan Russell, Unley (SA)
Perhaps universities should look back at past practices in NSW teachers’ colleges. At Bathurst Teachers College in the 1960s we attended demonstration lessons at the local demonstration school regularly. We had two practice opportunities per year at schools in the district, ranging from one teacher right through to large primary and secondary schools, and were supervised by classroom teachers and college lecturers. Mary Lawson, Marrickville
Woollahra Liberal councillor Mary-Lou Jarvis said new greening rules were prompted by a spate of knockdown rebuilds in Sydney’s eastern suburbs that had resulted in the destruction of mature trees.Credit: Nearmap
Green utopia
There are quite obviously some very sensible people on Woollahra Municipal Council (“Council puts tree quota on developments.” July 30). Trees, preferably Australian native, are an essential part of any urban landscape for a multitude of reasons, not the least being beneficial for mental health of residents and their essential carbon sequestration. An important consequence of the Council regulation is that new residences or renovations will on average be smaller, with less embodied energy and lower heating, cooling and lighting requirements. We would all like to live in a green utopia and this is a step in the right direction. Geoff Harding, Chatswood
Buyers pay
Your correspondent (Letters, July 30) suggests a levy on building in greenfield areas to fund infrastructure or to encourage higher density in already-developed areas. Sounds desirable in theory, but to suggest that “the electorate may not mind so much if wealthy developers are the only ones paying it” is completely unrealistic in practice. Any developer would simply pass such costs onto the buyers, further jeopardising the necessary goals of housing affordability and limiting urban sprawl. Such levies are only likely to work and be cost-effective for buyers if there’s an element of “carrot” as well as “stick” for the developers: much harder to achieve, but certainly worth pursuing. Jenifer Nicholls, Armadale (Vic)
Scooter strife
Whilst Lime and Beam may hire out their electric scooters and electric bikes, that are non-compliant with existing laws, the rest of us are left in no man’s land (“Pedal pushers hail fresh start for share bikes”, July 30). Last time I looked, the use of the latest, more powerful electric bikes that do not have to be pedalled, electric scooters and electric skateboards is illegal in public places. Now, it seems, following a proliferation of these vehicles, they are here to stay. If this is the case, then new road rules for them should be promulgated and enforced, the vehicles should be CTP insured and registered and their riders licensed. Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Culpable folly
The name says it all: building on floodplains is inviting disaster, both financial and human (“DAs approved for properties on floodplain”, July 30). Floodplains are formed of fluvial sediment layers and may be many metres thick, are formed by long-repeated “abnormal” flooding events. To persist with building on floodplains in the face of what UN secretary general calls “the era of boiling”; and the US organisations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency and NASA warning of record-high seawater temperatures – which will cause increased rainfall and likelihood of flooding, is culpable folly. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin (ACT)
One-way relationship
We could have guessed, of course, that any request for leniency for Julian Assange would be rejected by the US government, even though the current administration is Democratic (“WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange ’endangered lives”, July 30). It would simply not be acceptable to Republicans or the religious right and in the end it’s American self-interest that drives every decision. If any Australian thinks we have a special relationship with the US I’d suggest it’s very special to them because they get everything they want and give precious little in return. They seem to think that showing a face from the current administration every so often is all that’s required. Stephen Rayner, Westleigh
New rules
The game happens in the spaces in between (“Life goals? From synagogue to soccer mum”, July 30). Words of wisdom that provide a healthy perspective on the whole of life. It’s not all about scoring winning goals. Even if it plays out to a final draw, we should try for a thrilling game. Margaret Johnston, Paddington
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