HELEN'S BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Helen Bielenberg AOM
Helen was educated in Bundaberg, Queensland, and at the Brisbane Kindergarten Teachers'
College, graduating in 1965 with a Diploma in Kindergarten and Nursery Education.
She was director of a single unit kindergarten at Norman Park for the next two years. Intending to travel overseas in 1968, she resigned at the end of 1967, but Russell
proposed to her, so she decided to stay in Brisbane. Unable to obtain another teaching
job, she became an administrative assistant at a car sale yard.
After marrying Russell in 1968 she moved with him at the start of 1969 to Sydney,
and undertook a year's theological study at Deaconess House.
Their elder son Thomas was born in 1970, and their second son Adrian in 1972, so she
spent until May 1984 mainly as a wife and mother. She was, however, a great support
to Russell in his role as Secretary of the Officers' Christian Fellowship from July
1972 to 1981, and in his later involvement with the OCF and the MCF.
Helen shared in the ministry to military people and to Spanish-speakers, in Perth,
Canberra, South America and Spain, particularly in the fields of music, organisation,
prayer, family and women's ministry.
1977: Relief teaching in the Belconnen area.
In 1984 Helen returned to teaching full time, obtaining a bilingual position integrating
the teaching of Spanish in all parts of the kindergarten curriculum.
She then taught at four primary schools from kindergarten to grade two.
Particular aspects of her teaching to be noted are:
Bilingual Spanish-English. Use of music skills (piano, piano accordion, guitar, Movement
to Music) across the school.
Teaching French to grade 2. In 1989 integrating into her kindergarten class a blind
girl working with the itinerant teacher for the blind and paving the way for her
education in the regular school.
Over the four years 1988 to 1991 she completed the degree of Bachelor of Education
from
Deakin University Geelong.
In 1995
she successfully completed Reading Recovery Training with the ACT Department of Education
at the University of Canberra, and over that year and the next two years she helped
children with the skills learnt.
Professional Development
During her career, Helen participated fully in all professional development courses
held at her schools as well as other in-service days. Some particularly worthy of
note are: Occupational Health and Safety Course, Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Glasser method of discipline, Building a Quality School, PART, Encouraging a Supportive
Environment For LOTE in ACT Schools, Brain Gym.
Schools and Systems Involvement
1996 School Board for a two year period.
1993-1995 Curriculum Committee for LOTE at Charnwood.
1994-95 Literacy Committee Junior School.
1994 Science Curriculum committee.
1993 Social Club Committee.
Helen's Current Activities
Since retiring from full time teaching in 1998, Helen has undertaken some relief teaching, was the Prayer Secretary for the Military Christian Fellowship
of Australia, and served for 4 years as a Warden in their local church. She and Russell make joint decisions about their ACCTS' ministry. Since 2003 they have attended the World Conference in Korea in Sept 2004
supporting the Delegation from Spain and many Pacific countries. In 2005 they visited Spain and Norway MCF's. In June 2006 they went to Tonga and Fiji. In 2007 they have been arranging the AMCF conference in Brisbane in September, plus undertaking a journey to Spain and Europe more generally, returning via the USA.
2007 is their 12th year of sponsoring a student from the Australian Defence College in Canberra.
In 2006, Helen was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (AOM) for services to the community and the Military Christian Fellowship of Australia in particular.