Building cultural understanding and capabilities
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 127 No 8, 2 November 2022, page no. 13
The QTU was proud to sponsor the Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education category at this year's Showcase Awards. Here Dianne Aylward, principal at state winner Moreton Bay Environmental Education Centre, shares its experiences of building cultural understanding and capabilities on Quandamooka Country.
Moreton Bay EEC has been on an ongoing journey to implement authentic inclusion of First Nations perspectives across K-10 and ensuring staff are confident in embedding First Nations perspectives in the Australian Curriculum through continuous learning and immersion.
Our centre programs explore cultural perspectives, highlight diversity and celebrate contributions of different peoples to Australian history with curriculum based on local relevance of Quandamooka. While continuing to embed First Nations perspectives into the curriculum, our “next step” strategy was to engage in collaborative discussions with partners and cluster schools to examine future opportunities in supporting schools and community.
Curriculum and staff development
Authentic inclusion of First Nations perspectives across K-10, while staff continually engage in a range of professional development opportunities, has been paramount. Our journey has included embedding Quandamooka culture and history into the development of follow-up resources for teachers to use with their students when they continue their learnings back at school after program day.
During COVID, our program offerings were expanded to incorporate day camp programs on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), including Minjerribah Exploration (prep-year 2); Discoveries (years 3-4) and Hidden Histories (years 5-6), all with a different focus, but each one including a First Nations presentation. We have also worked alongside schools to assist with NAIDOC events and experiences.
Providing opportunities to support the development of staff cultural capacity by incorporating First Nations presenters and cultural officers has been part of our offerings since 2020. We have reached more than 200 visiting school staff through on-going continuous learning and immersion.
Quandamooka Culture in Community
Partnering with the Metropolitan Quandamooka Culture in Community initiative for early childhood education and care services (ECECs), with Director Ruth McFie and Manager Inclusive Connections, Kate Maccoll, has enabled Moreton Bay EEC to become a hub, with the purpose of building cultural safety in Metropolitan ECECs, schools and the broader community. A highlight has been seeing Aunty Merle Cashman and Sarah Frazer deliver cultural insights workshops, which have had an enormous impact on participants.
This initiative has brought together early childhood providers, schools and community organisations to foster an enriched appreciation of Australia’s cultural heritage for ALL children and families, and to facilitate a collaborative approach toward creating a culturally safe and secure community. Quandamooka Culture in Community term meetings have seen participants share and engage in deep thought-provoking conversations. Outdoor classroom days have been enormously successful, allowing young minds to explore, discover and engage in a range of experiences on Quandamooka Country.
As Aunty Merle said: “I believe it is important that we walk alongside one another to ensure cultural safety and a sense of belonging. This is fundamental in all we do to ensure a stronger future for all our children, their families and every community.”
Resourcing
Investment in resources to create a safe cultural space for First Nations and all students has included engaging a Quandamooka Cultural Officer in many of our programs, to share culture, a truer history and stories. A considered learnscape plan for the centre grounds has included a bush tucker trail combined with custom signage indicating common, scientific and First Nation plant names and their traditional uses. Jandai language and resources are evident in our centre and in the follow up information provided to our schools. Our Yarning Circle was developed in consultation with Elders in the community, and was proudly opened by Uncle Norm Enoch and Aunty Becky Thomson.
Outreach
Moreton Bay EEC facilitates professional development for visiting school staff at our centre on Quandamooka Country, offering support and assisting with building confidence around inclusion of First Nations perspectives.
The opportunity to share Quandamooka culture with students, teachers and the community provides a learning journey and opportunities to view different perspectives. Children and adults alike discover things they really did not know, understand or appreciate.
At Moreton Bay EEC, along with our partners and community, we believe that it is vital to empower the young generation, for they are the vehicle for sharing the knowledge and are the future going forward. We continue to learn and discover as we walk on Country alongside our First Nations Peoples.