Topic 1- Acknowledgment to Country and Indigenous Terms of Reference.
Acknowledgement to Country is a statement that can be performed in both a formal or informal manner that recognises and respects the traditional landowners of this country and in particular the local region. It can be performed by a non Indigenous person and is delivered before a meeting, speech or formal occasion like a school assembly for example. (QLD Department of Education Training, 2015). This is an important protocol to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples, as it shows respect for them as the original custodians of the land, their culture and customs. Reflecting on our history, which saw the European occupation of Australia, whereby the British Law declared …show more content…
(NSW Department of Health, 2004). Therefore following these protocols are important for all Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians in order to develop better community relationships by connecting through understanding and respecting their culture, customs and language and to acknowledge the hardships that Indigenous Australians still face. One way to incorporate Acknowledgement to Country in the classroom would be to involve the children in researching the custodians of the land in which the school stands. I researched my local area to find that the Cabrogal people inhabited the land who spoke the Darug language. As a future teacher I would encourage my students to create a personalised Acknowledgement to Country based on their learning and to use the correct name of the Custodians of the land (Oxfam Australia, n.d.), making it personalised and therefore more meaningful. (Reconciliation Australia, 2013). Furthermore, I would acknowledge important events such as NAIDOC week, Reconciliation week and National Sorry Day and incorporate them …show more content…
For example, if an Aboriginal student continually arrived late for school I would avoid an interrogation about why they were late, rather I would emphasise the importance of their contribution as a class member. Through the unit readings, I have come to understand that the Aboriginal culture raises their children to be independent at an early age, encouraging them to make their own decisions about bedtime and when to wake up for school. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2010). This is a stark contrast to the dominant Australian view, which sees parents being responsible for these tasks. Not understanding the difference in cultures can breed ignorance, intolerance and stereotypical views, which imposes a negative set of beliefs about “what you do and not so much about who you are” as a person. (Stuurman, 2004). According to Chris Sarra, “the quality of a teacher is absolutely crucial” (Hutcheon, 2014). As a future teacher, I plan to get to know my students by encouraging them to share information on their culture and family life so that I can cater learning experiences to their needs and interests. (Forrest, 2015). I would encourage my students to make up a “me box” and place items like pictures, words and drawings in them that best describes their identity. I would celebrate significant cultural
Acknowledgement to Country is a statement that can be performed in both a formal or informal manner that recognises and respects the traditional landowners of this country and in particular the local region. It can be performed by a non Indigenous person and is delivered before a meeting, speech or formal occasion like a school assembly for example. (QLD Department of Education Training, 2015). This is an important protocol to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples, as it shows respect for them as the original custodians of the land, their culture and customs. Reflecting on our history, which saw the European occupation of Australia, whereby the British Law declared …show more content…
(NSW Department of Health, 2004). Therefore following these protocols are important for all Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians in order to develop better community relationships by connecting through understanding and respecting their culture, customs and language and to acknowledge the hardships that Indigenous Australians still face. One way to incorporate Acknowledgement to Country in the classroom would be to involve the children in researching the custodians of the land in which the school stands. I researched my local area to find that the Cabrogal people inhabited the land who spoke the Darug language. As a future teacher I would encourage my students to create a personalised Acknowledgement to Country based on their learning and to use the correct name of the Custodians of the land (Oxfam Australia, n.d.), making it personalised and therefore more meaningful. (Reconciliation Australia, 2013). Furthermore, I would acknowledge important events such as NAIDOC week, Reconciliation week and National Sorry Day and incorporate them …show more content…
For example, if an Aboriginal student continually arrived late for school I would avoid an interrogation about why they were late, rather I would emphasise the importance of their contribution as a class member. Through the unit readings, I have come to understand that the Aboriginal culture raises their children to be independent at an early age, encouraging them to make their own decisions about bedtime and when to wake up for school. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2010). This is a stark contrast to the dominant Australian view, which sees parents being responsible for these tasks. Not understanding the difference in cultures can breed ignorance, intolerance and stereotypical views, which imposes a negative set of beliefs about “what you do and not so much about who you are” as a person. (Stuurman, 2004). According to Chris Sarra, “the quality of a teacher is absolutely crucial” (Hutcheon, 2014). As a future teacher, I plan to get to know my students by encouraging them to share information on their culture and family life so that I can cater learning experiences to their needs and interests. (Forrest, 2015). I would encourage my students to make up a “me box” and place items like pictures, words and drawings in them that best describes their identity. I would celebrate significant cultural