the critical classroom

A quarterly zine for teachers implementing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and knowledges in their

classrooms.

Edition 1 - 2011 ISSN 1838-7462 www.criticalclassroom.com By Blacklines Publications

It’s the little things, that make a difference

It’s the little things, that make a change

Bit by bit

Mile by mile

One by one

Name by name....

These words by the Tiddas, reflect the ethos of The Critical Classroom. We

believe that it’s one step at a time that we make change for the better.

The Critical Classroom is created by independent Indigenous educators who

seek to support classroom teachers wishing to implement, explore and embed

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and knowledges into their

classroom. An initiative of Blacklines Publications, we have developed a

range of resources - some for free and some for sale; some on paper and some

electronic.

We hope you enjoy our first printed zine and hope you come and visit us online

where you will find more resources covering a range of key learning areas. Our

next edition will provide a range of ideas for NAIDOC week and Blak History

Month.

If you have a question you would like answered, let us know and we’ll try to

help out. There’s a good chance your question will resonate with other teachers.

Cheers,

Leesa

Inside this

edition

Page 2...

Resource

Review

Page 3...

Free Teacher

Resource...

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Our

publications...

The Critical Classroom Edition 1. 2011

Exploring the world of the Torres Strait Islands: Resource Review

Can your students locate where the Torres Strait Islands are on a map of Australia? Could your students name the islands

of the Torres Strait? Do you know about the contribution of the people of the Torres Strait during World War 2? Can you

discuss the history of the Torres Strait Islands with your students?

The answer for most readers would be no. The sad fact is that most Australian teachers (and their students) would have little

knowledge of the people, culture, and history of the Torres Strait Islands. Thankfully there is slowly a growing number of works by

Torres Strait Islander people that are relevant and useful in the classroom.

One resource of great value to teachers is Life B’long Ali Drummond by Samantha Faulkner and published by Aboriginal Studies

Press (90 pages $24.95) (Affiliate Link). A biography, Life B’long Ali Drummond captures what are clearly classic family stories

from her grandfather. I can imagine her and her siblings sitting around the dinner table listening to these wonderful tales from their

Grandad. Stories like the time the air hose got stuck on a rudder and he nearly died; how he worked on different islands during World

War 2; how he had to go fishing each morning before he went to school; and his achievements in his later years in the sport of lawn

bowls. Divided into six chapters covering different parts of Ali’s life, the book successfully paints an image of island life in the last

century. Ali and his family’s life was a life of hardship and oppression thanks to the Queensland Government and the Second World

War, but it was also one of camaraderie, hope and optimism as they lived and worked with peoples from many different cultures -

Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, China, Papua New Guinea, the Torres Strait Islands and Aboriginal nations.

There are passages in this book that provide wonderful descriptions of different parts of the Torres Strait Islands that will be very

useful within the classroom. The book contains two ‘swear’ words (one of page 40 and one on page 46)*, so I can’t recommend it as

a student text. However I’m sure that clever and thoughtful teachers will be able to successfully identify passages that are relevant,

meaningful and useful for their classrooms. For example, in Chapter 2 Life on the Water (on page 21) there is a discussion about

trading with different islands when Ali worked as a pearl diver. How he and his crew would swap needed items such as rice and

flour for bananas, sweet potato and dried wongai fruit. For students, there is an opportunity to explore different foods of the region;

and to develop an understanding of the concept of trade and trading. Students can relate this way of life to their own, looking for

similarities and differences. The eleven page prologue also provides accessible and useful background information for all teachers

with plenty of facts, including a map, and a section about the Torres Strait Islands. The Critical Classroom thoroughly recommends

this publication to teachers as a professional resource.

Other resources featuring Torres Strait Islander culture include:

Lagaw Gub by BlakDance Australia is an innovative workshop that teaches YOU, the teacher,

how to give the dances of Dennis Newie of Mua Island to your own students. There are one

and two day workshops where you can learn the dances, the lyrics (in Mua Island language),

how to create costumes and props, and the meanings of the dance. Even if you have ‘two left

feet’, you can still learn the dances as you also get a DVD and worksheets (including lyrics and

teachers notes) to take home and practice. Contact BlakDance Australia for more information:

www.blakdance.com

Re-Told by The State Library of Queensland in partnership with the Torres Strait Island language

speakers has created an invaluable resource for all Australians. Watch, listen and read these

re-tellings of stories and songs from Myths and legends of the Torres Strait, the classic stories

recorded by Margaret Lawrie between 1964 and 1973. www.slq.qld.gov.au/whats-on/exhibit/

online/retold

Kin Island by Terri Janke will be published this year by Laguna Bay Publishing with Oxford

University Press. This new novel for young people is a narrative that embarks on a journey of

discovery for a young man and his sister. This publication will be due for release around February

and should cost around $12 - $13. We’ll let you know more when it is released.

* it should be noted that the swear words used are included as a recount of conversation. They are completely contextualised and are relevant to the discussion taking

place.


Many classrooms in the first weeks of the Australian school year will celebrate, commemorate or remember the 26th of

January as Australia Day. However, not all of your students will be in a celebratory mood as they may see the 26th of

January as Invasion Day and/or Survival Day. These student’s experiences should not be alienated from their peers. The

question then is: How can we explore the 26th of January in a way that is inclusive and recognises many belief systems?

Here are some suggestions:

● Lesson Preparation: Explore stimulus texts that focus on the activities of your own community on the 26th of

January. You might focus on: People who are celebrating, protesting, and/or working.

We have compiled some stimulus texts in a Google Doc at www.criticalclassroom.com.

● Lesson 1: TUNING IN: Have students recount how their family remembered Australia Day. Lead a discussion

about the history of Australia Day and how it has been celebrated and/or remembered over time. Draw out a

discussion about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People might feel about Australia Day, using the

analogy of our homes being taken over by someone else. Ask students to consider that different people think

about the 26th of January in different ways. (Skills: Thinking, Researching, Discussing)

● Lesson 2: FINDING OUT. Have students research 1) what the 26th of January was/is about; and 2) what

happens in the school community on the 26th of January. Have students create a collaborative class survey by

interviewing other classes, teachers and their families. (Skills: Thinking, Researching, Mathematical, Literacy,

ICT)

● Lesson 3: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER. Your students have used primary sources in their exploration

of the 26th of January. Now they can use their internet research skills to complete the cloze and comprehension

activities. (Go to www.criticalclassroom.com to download your free activity sheets). (Skills: ICT, Thinking,

Literacy, Writing)

● Lesson 4: PRESENTING AND SHARING FINDINGS. Students are now ready to present their learning by

creating a poster presentation. Students can create their own header, invitation and illustration. (Skills: Thinking,

Drawing, Creating)

● Lesson 5: REFLECTION AND THINKING FOR THE FUTURE. Before moving onto another unit, give

students an opportunity to reflect on their learning. Explore how we as members of society sometimes do

not necessarily know how other people feel about things. Encourage students to explore personal events and

examples where other people’s points of view align (agree) and conflict (disagree). Have students draw out

conclusions about how these individual (micro) situations can be reflection in community and societal (macro)

situations. (Skills: Thinking, Reflecting, Discussing, Applying)

Go to www.criticalclassroom.com for activity sheets for these activities. Please note: all our free activities are created

using Google Docs (a free, online collaboration tool). To make the most of these activities, you may need to sign up for a

Google account.


Our publications for sale

Easter is Deadly: Teaching and Learning Strategies for

the Easter Celebration. Early Years (2010)

Easter is Deadly explores the origins of Easter and how we

can incorporate new symbols into our celebration that reflect

our culture. Easter is deadly is suitable for the early years (0-

8) and for middle years. ISBN: 0-9581073-2-7 pp20 pages |

Price: $22.50 + postage

Christmas is Deadly

Christmas is Deadly:Teaching and Learning Strategies

for the Christmas Celebration. Early Years (2004)

Was the first in our new QuickLines range. providing

teachers with a step-by-step teaching and learning strategies

that reflects the diversity of expressions of Christmas.

Christmas is deadly is suitable for the early years (0-8) and

for middle years. ISBN: 0-9581073-2-7 pp16 pages | Price:

$22.50 + postage

Keeping the Connection Keeping the Connection -

water, country, spirit. Celebrating the United Nations

International Year of Freshwater. Stages Early One -

Five (2003)

Was developed to assist teachers in designing activities to

celebrate the UN's International Year of Freshwater. Written

from an Indigenous perspective, the activities are suitable for

primary (Stages Early One to Three) and Secondary (Stages

Four to Five) schools. ISBN 0-9581073-1-9 pp52 pages |

Price: $37.50 + postage

We also sell a limited number of other publications by Aboriginal artists collective ProppaNOW.

Affiliate Links:

The Critical Classroom (online and magazine) is a free publication. In order to enable us to grow this publication and

support teachers all over Australia, we have decided to sign up as affiliates with www.fishpond.com.au (an online

bookseller) and Amazon. We will receive a small commission from sales of publications we recommend. However,

we will NOT be recommending publications that we do not feel will add to your teaching experience. Go to the Critical

Classroom online to find the links.

Blacklines Publications

Brisbane, Australia

Website: www.blacklines.com.au

Director: Leesa Watego [email protected]

Sales: Kym Smith [email protected]


the critical classroom

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