Teachers must follow protocols for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. Thank you so much. The McGowan Government will provide a $77 million funding boost over the next four years to manage and protect Aboriginal cultural heritage in Western Australia. With increasing political, economic and social tensions world-wide Tobin (2020, p.11) despairs that challenges encountered by immigrant/refugee/asylum seeker families have become more acute. This could be a starting point for students to investigate the Indigenous history of their local river. But, young children are open, understanding, and compassionate in ways we can barely imagine. President Nelson Mandelas statement says it all: There can be no keener revelation of a societys soul than the way in which it treats its children.. Despite recent efforts to bridge the gap, men remain underrepresented in the education sector due to cultural, social, and political attitudes. Explore our Celebrating Culture category on the ECA Shop that features childrens books, ECA publications, Learning Hub modules and research-based resources. The food my son has taken to school has been judged by his teacher, which has impacted his perceptions of whats normal and acceptable. sE!A@Al[L`uAuL5@Fer TNJB1qc[M@.}aL_xXfm*sHH`]iI0* /!krx8f8<>@[ 3H`kwHX]f>["(Bt,w Required fields are marked *. This provides rich opportunities to build a culture of understanding and respect for the environment for all children. Sprinkling culture across multiple play spaces instead of creating cultural corners. encourage best provision and maintenance of culturally safe and responsive . xw+i3+:cu?Le}!B-X7ot_4Y9]vhX.:r\|\[3'/ Children need to hear First Nations knowledge through their voices. This study captures the perspectives of parents and practitioners from 5 countries: England, France, Germany, Italy and USA. Movement experiences could involvelearning of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal dance movements, or kids could create new movements by mimicking Australian animals. Focusing on the relational nature of encounters enable us to focus on the links or connectivity's of our experiences. Elders teach that relationships, environment, living conditions, and history affect emotional health. The Victorian Government acknowledges Aboriginal Traditional Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pays respect to their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging. You are urged to read Lambs papers on practical strategies for addressing childrens trauma induced challenging behaviours and learning difficulties. Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP) is Australia's leading publisher of Australian Indigenous studies. Aborigines were the first people to inhabit Australia. A lack of understanding of cultural difference is not just theoretical for me. The series is an initiative of the Australian Council for Educational Research and was developed in partnership with Ned Lander Media, NITV, Screen Australia, Film Victoria, Screen Tasmania and the Australian Childrens Television Foundation. Ensuring culture is play based and not themed based teaching this means Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are not the topic, theme or interest. So, the critical years from birth to the age of eight are ideal for introducing the concepts of cultural diversity. Information about working in or operating early childhood education services including outside school hours care. Similarly, Greenwood et al. This article seeks to raise awareness, promote a better understanding and take responsive action in honouring cultural diversity through ECEC services in two ways. She calls for urgent reforms including the use of well-qualified interpreters, provision of free ECEC services, development of bilingual/bicultural programs and continuous cultural competence training to guide parent-staff communication and pedagogy. Shandell also works as an educator at the Learning Pathways Kindergarten in Toowoomba. To break the cycle of trauma and violence and create hope and optimism, Lamb says we need to establish culturally credible services which are safe, secure and caring spaces for children and families. The Koori Curriculum has recently created an online Facebook group for families who are wanting . In this context, my why is centred around creating an anti-bias, anti-racist and inclusive curriculum. Others reported lunchbox bullying when being instructed to replace traditional nutritional food with cheese sandwiches for instance, whilst simultaneously being invited to prepare the same food for celebratory purposes (p.9) on multiculturalism at the service. Thank you so much for the mind opening article. In Year 2, his teacher asked him not to speak his home language when he was explaining to his friends, in his language, what we speak at home. Educators are often so worried about doing the wrong thing that they tend to do nothing at all and suffer from a form of analysis paralysis. To be ethical means being compassionate and caring, being respectful and reflexive, and being willing to listen and learn from others. endstream endobj startxref These experiences will enrich your childrens lives in meaningful ways and teach them about a beautiful and special culture. Specifically, as teachers of young children you can make a difference in promoting peace and harmony in our communities, so that Australia becomes a truly awesome place to live, for all of us! Whilst working in early childhood, Jessica naturally found herself supporting educators to become more culturally aware and confident in embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in their program. All Australian children, from the earliest age, deserve to learn about our ancient country and the rich and diverse cultures of First Nations people that continue to this day. 2023 Tribal Trade Though there are still 13 Indigenous languages spoken by children around Australia, they are slowly fading as older generations pass on. How is this learning supported and what resources do you provide to celebrate and connect with Indigenous culture? For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to receive quality early learning programs, educators need to understand the trauma experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people historically in mainstream institutions and the important steps they need to take to create culturally inclusive environments and build trust. From this worldview, "pattern thinking" and "systems thinking" are essential skills and have obvious connections to mathematics and mathematics education. Research focusing on young children from specific cultures or circumstances of being refugees or asylum seekers, is somewhat scarce. The article is very interesting and I agree that sometimes educators are not so confident to implement/teach cultural diversity. Teachers can also benefit from having time to reflect critically on problems, such as cultural marginalisation, caused by lack of diversity. We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learner in NSW achieves their potential through education. Last updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2021. There is a growing body of research on childrens awareness and understandings about race, culture and discrimination and their sense of identity and justice for others. This area is my huge interest to incorporate my teaching strategies and bring cultural competence. Australia is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world today. %PDF-1.5 % Information for parents and carers including learning and wellbeing resources, advice, study skills, a quick guide glossary, homework help, tools for learning remotely, support for additional needs and more. Whilst the Koori Curriculum principles are useful as a guide the obstacle that most educators face is developing their own cultural confidence and capacity. Educators need to start where they feel comfortable and confident and often these experiences can be seen as a tourist approach; for example, listening to didgeridoo music, painting with red, black and yellow colours and cooking bush tucker etc. Little J & Big Cuz has been used at Morphett Vale East Kindergarten as a transition activity between a meal break and the scheduled program of learning. This study on family storytelling was conducted amongst refugee families from Nepal, South Sudan and Somalia, living in New York. This provides rich opportunities to build a culture of understanding and respect for the environment for all children. ^$OJ-,g7GG+UG]Q|jsR&ttKzxf?Nd;XuUe?[.V;E;O{p4 dM%qOpm9t!bg6E^d'X*MFt|Q?DP K!?|r]S?9u ; ,Iu7;@]2& c] He emphasises contextualising solutions to supporting children and families in their adopted countries. The effects of these losses of land, culture, Likewise, a Mexican parent in the USA asked would it kill them to teach my child to write her name before she starts kindergarten? (p.15). The online games were played after some episodes. Lets uphold our commitment to children by being intentional in acting ethically to honouring the richness of our pluralities. I tend to feel that the work of embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in early childhood curriculums begins with educators first developing their own capacity. You are simply framing them for your children in a way that also includes indigenous culture. CULTURAL COMPETENCY: WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT Learning and development happens rapidly during early childhood, as the brain has higher plasticity. However NAIDOC week can serve as an additional optimal opportunity for educators to make contact, connect and engage with their local Indigenous community. Your email address will not be published. This represents almost 35 per [] And, one day, theyll teach their children about it, too! Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in early childhood curriculums is a multifaceted approach that includes using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pedagogies, using childrens interests as a vehicle for learning and creating culturally inclusive play spaces. We have an opportunity to show them what is right, what culture is, and to be proud of that. Whilst these experiences may be touristy, everyone needs to begin somewhere. By sharing the knowledge, I hope that teachers can feel confident in sharing the culture in their own early learning centres, through the ideas, activities and dreaming stories found here. The PhD study by Cherie Lamb (2019) illustrates how badly refugee children and their families were misunderstood, impacting 3-5 year old childrens access and participation in EC services in Queensland. 241 0 obj <>stream At an ECEC symposium held at Macquarie University in 2019, Dr Stefania Giamminuti set out a provocation to participants by asking how might we contribute to systemic transformations and cultural re-imaginings of ECEC settings? Thank you for being bold and addressing this topic, bringing to the fore an awareness where there has been a lack of. There is growing awareness and effort in Australian classrooms to understand, respect and support cultural differences, but are we starting early enough? Sorry, the content of this store can't be seen by a younger audience. Aborigines loved making art. It is easy to see how these family storytelling sessions contributed to refugee childrens language learning and the passage of values, traditions and beliefs from one generation to the next. As part of my PhD study1, I set out to explore cross-cultural differences between Australian and Iranian early childhood settings. Perspectives of children from refugee backgrounds on their family storytelling as a culturally sustaining practice. With deep critical thinking, community conversations and correct protocol, your language music project can engage children in new ways and help connect everyone to culture. How preschool experiences can improve the early learning and long term outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Just like crafts, activities, and videos -- there are tons of resources online geared toward teaching children about indigenous culture. Cherie Lambs research mirrored findings in my PhD based on immigrant children from Scottish, Indian and Finnish heritages completed nearly thirty years ago. Australian educators understanding of cultural expression also seemed one-dimensional. (2007) points out that early childhood education should socialize children into their . The episodes were played on a smart board as a transition activity leading into the childrens afternoon learning program, or as an end-of-the-day activity. . The NSW Department of Education is committed to employing the best and brightest teachers who can teach and make a difference in NSW public schools. This study is of interest because of its focus on childrens agency in relation to promoting culturally sustaining learning and teaching in contemporary society. The educators found that Little J & Big Cuz has the potential to support children through stories that specifically incorporate Indigenous perspectives as well as contribute to the EYLF, given the series emphasis on language and socio-emotional development. Research shows that they experience trauma throughout their lives connected with challenges encountered in their lives on the run. Teaching them how these values relate to indigenous culture is simply about explaining their origins, their history, and their significance so that they can have an even greater understanding of these concepts. Sign up for our email list for updates, promotions, and more. Alonzo Cruz, an MSUM early education major . Everyone even takes one small step, then it would be a huge improvement in promoting cultural diversity. Children love making art, so make the connection and teach them about aboriginal culture by making an art project. Led by First Nations people and organisations, and convened by World Vision, the Know Your Country campaign aims to place First Nations Cultural Educators in every Australian primary school. Culture in early childhood Shandell Washington is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mentor in Toowoomba. Aboriginal Storytelling in Early Childhood (Pre-Recorded Webinar). Aunty Phyllis described how she connects children with ancient wisdom through nature, encouraging them to be eco-explorers as she guides them in their discovery of native plants growing on country, and sharing knowledge of how they were used. She feels this stems from fear of doing the wrong thing or uncertainty about how to genuinely incorporate cultural experiences in ways that avoid stereotypes or the perception of tokenism. Teachers should be promoting this learning by planning experiences and providing resources that broaden childrens perspectives and encourage appreciation of other cultures. Here are some suggestions for engaging with local Aboriginal communities: Embed Indigenous culture in your practice. National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee is what NAIDOC stands for and celebrations occur each July to celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The episode Hopalong was played in the Arrernte language while the educator read out the English subtitles until the children asked the educator to be quiet as they found this episode self-explanatory even in a language other than English.