NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

How a quality teacher makes a difference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Louise Bye, Assistant Director, Aboriginal Education and Training DirectorateMelissa Kirby, Aboriginal Education Consultant, Bourke SEG

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Acknowledgement

NSW Department of Education & TrainingAboriginal Education and Training Policy www.det.nsw.edu.au

I’ll begin with Story…

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Deadly dancers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_opd7n_l_x4&feature=player_embedded

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Buluugu ngarru giyadhu yarru gaan may.

What does this say?

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Ways of KnowingWays of Doing

NSW Department of Education & TrainingAboriginal Education and Training Policy www.det.nsw.edu.au

A E I O U

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

In it’s simplest form…1. Tell a story2. Make a plan3. Think and do4. Draw it5. Take it outside6. Try a new way7. Watch first, then do8. Share it with others

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Linking to three Aboriginal ways of knowing as an entry point.

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Be aware that Aboriginal pedagogies may vary from place to place and in different cultural activities. For example, some

communities may place less emphasis on group yarns and more emphasis on deep

listening. Also, pedagogies associated with learning traditional Law/ Lore business will

always be far less participatory or democratic than ways of learning associated with

mundane knowledge.

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

DANCE & MUSIC IS LIKE SPORT

FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLE.

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

DANCE IS AN EXTENSION OF OUR BODY and MIND.

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Performing is like breathing fire into the process.

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Our Aboriginal Flag is Symbolic and means so much more…

PeopleCreation

Story

Land

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Cultural toleranceCultural Political Correctness

Cultural exchangeCultural awarenessCultural neutralityCultural sensitivity

Cultural appropriatenessCultural inclusivityCultural immersionCultural pluralism

Cultural responsiveness

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

1400

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

1400… lets break it down... (on average)Kinder 200 daysYear 1 200 daysYear 2 200 daysYear 3 200 daysYear 4 200 daysYear 5 200 daysYear 6 200 days

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Feedback - Prof Steve Dinham

If you focus on providing students with improved quality feedback in individual classrooms, departments and schools you’ll have an almost immediate positive effect.

Great teachers give great feedback and every teacher is capable of giving more effective feedback.

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

What sort of feedback? G. Nuthall (2007) The Hidden Lives of Learners

80 % of feedback students receive about their work in primary school comes from other students.

80 % of this student-student feedback is incorrect.

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Feedback - Prof Steve Dinham

The four questions of students:

•What can I do?•What can’t I do?•How does my work compare with others?•How can I do better?

NSW Department of Education & CommunitiesAboriginal Education and Training Directorate www.det.nsw.edu.au

Disadvantagedcommunities

Aboriginality is an advantage

Dysfunctionalfamilies

Aboriginal cultural and community knowledge

Schooling Learning

NAPLAN- Literacy and Numeracy- “The Gap”

Valuing the whole child/young person