I often get questions from parents who are keen for their kids to learn more about Aboriginal people, history and culture. Many are concerned about the lack of First Nations content in their child’s education or the quality of Aboriginal education that is taught without true inclusion of an Aboriginal perspective. 

I understand these concerns. I have spoken to many schools who dismiss Aboriginal perspectives as “not a priority”, usually because they don’t have many Aboriginal students. This approach is concerning given the inclusion of Aboriginal content in the curriculum for all students. But I believe it is important for parents not to assume this is the attitude of your school until you have had a conversation with them. Many schools are quite open about wanting to improve their approach to Aboriginal perspectives. There are often lots of factors at play and approaching your school with openness can help reach the outcome you are hoping for.
 
I like to remind people that Aboriginal perspectives hasn’t always enjoyed the priority is has now. For many teachers, we are asking them to teach something that they themselves did not learn about so they may be finding their feet. We want to support them as they do this, help them to find an approach they are comfortable with while ensuring high quality Aboriginal education for our kids.
 
Here are some suggestions I have about how you could support Aboriginal education at your school.
 

• Talk to your classroom teacher – ask them about their approach to Aboriginal perspectives and the resources they will be using. Most teachers are happy to have parents who are engaged and are very willing to discuss their plans to educate your children. A respectful conversation may alleviate your concerns and reassure you that your child’s teacher is incorporating Aboriginal perspectives appropriately but if it doesn’t, the conversation lets the teacher know that Aboriginal education is important to you and provides an opportunity to share any approaches or resources that you would recommend. That initial conversation can be the start of positive change and taking a supportive approach can make all the difference. 
• Talk to your principal – let them know that Aboriginal education is important to you and discuss any concerns you have. Share your expectation that the school include Aboriginal education across all key learning areas and provide real opportunities for all students to learn about Australia’s true history, our First Nations people and their culture in a genuine way.   
• Talk to your kids – what are they learning about at school? Have they considered the Aboriginal perspective? What do they know about Aboriginal people and has the knowledge evolved?  Checking out the work that is coming home and touching base to see the impact of classroom activities is a great way to get a feel. Your classroom teacher may have a very gentle approach that doesn’t seem like a lot but is having a big impact. 
• Attend and support school events such as NAIDOC assemblies and cultural incursions where you can. Teachers really are working overtime and attending these events shows you appreciate the effort. It is very discouraging for teachers to put their time, much of it their personal time, into planning an amazing event and then having only a few parents attend. Schools are communities and we need people to show up. 
• Attend your P&C meetings. While the P&C doesn’t control curriculum, they can work with the principal to address concerns and drive change throughout the school. 
• Offer to help. Schools need helpers and if you can offer support for Aboriginal education you will be making the job that little bit easier. You might be able to suggest a resource, introduce a local Aboriginal person, or be an extra pair of hands – all of these can make a huge difference. 

​I would love to hear about how your school approaches Aboriginal education. Are you happy with the approach? What do you love? What do you think they could do better? What are the changes you would like to see?

This year I chose not to engage in the Change the Date debate. It is too exhausting. I cannot face the racism that floods media and social media on this day.  It is too ignorant and too frustrating, too much. How in this day and age are there so many people who cannot see that 26 January is not the date to celebrate and that it is time to move the celebration to another, more inclusive date?
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Instead I am focusing on the increasing number of Australians who are working to support our First Nations communities – the allies who are taking the time and making the effort to get educated and support our communities by acknowledging our trauma, embracing truth about our history and fostering understanding by sharing this truth. Because this is how we move forward together. 

Teachers, who are one of our greatest influencer groups and play a significant role in leading change, often ask me how they can support First Nations communities and be a strong ally for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. There are lots of things educators can do to support our communities and I love that so many are seeking advice on how they can provide support in a culturally appropriate way. Small things, like some of the ideas below, may make an Aboriginal child feel supported and start to open up or support a non-Aboriginal child to start on their own journey of being a strong ally.

I have talked before about ways to be a good ally and taking an anti-racism approach so I won’t go into those again – we all know how important standing up and speaking up is. Here are some other ways teachers can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. 

• The greatest thing a teacher can do is educate. Including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives throughout your program by looking at each unit you teach through a First Nations lens is a great way to increase the frequency of Aboriginal content in your classroom. 

• Including Aboriginal posters, books, art and displays around your classroom can support student's knowledge growth and appreciation for Aboriginal culture. Check out the teacher resource section of the Wingaru Kids platform for posters and classroom items that you can print and display. Most good book stores will have a range of books by Aboriginal authors or you could support an Aboriginal business and buy online from an Aboriginal owned enterprise. I often buy books from https://www.rileycallieresources.com.au/. 

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• Include an acknowledgement of country in your classroom. You could include it as part of your morning greeting or display a written acknowledgement. Or why not do both? You will find our free acknowledgement poster https://www.wingaru.com.au/blogs/warami-2021.

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• Keep an eye out for stickers, stationary and other items that can bring an Aboriginal presence to your classroom. There are some gorgeous teacher tools available, like the stamps from Holly Sanders x The Teaching Tools, that are a great inclusion for the classroom. I received a set of these last week and they are gorgeous! Holly created these designs for use by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teachers: 

• Celebrate Aboriginal people. There are so many great First Nations role models out there so introduce their stories to your students. This helps bring our culture to the mainstream and counter the negative narrative that students often hear in the media. Challenging this negative perception is so important in addressing discrimination. 

• Don’t be afraid to wear Aboriginal designed clothing. I often get asked if it is ok for non-Aboriginal people to wear Aboriginal print clothing or accessories and my answer is always yes. Most designers are very happy for non-Aboriginal people to wear their designs. The ones that should be left for mob are usually clearly marked and include easily seen information that a design is not ally-friendly and point you to their ally-friendly items. If you do wear blak designers take part in Wear it Blak Wednesday by using the following hashtags #wearitblakwednesday #onwednesdayswearblak. This helps spread the word about our deadly designers and supports economic development for our mob. 

• Buy Blak. Buying from Aboriginal business supports communities by contributing to Aboriginal economic developing. Aboriginal businesses are more likely to employ Aboriginal people so strong businesses contribute to lowering unemployment rates as well as supporting Aboriginal families to break cycles of poverty that are far too common in our communities. Buying from Aboriginal business is particularly important if you are buying Aboriginal items – whether it be clothes, art or education resources. Buying from a Blak business means you can be confident you are buying authentic and culturally safe items. Trading Blak shares some great info on buying blak and how it help First Nations communities so check them out on facebook https://www.facebook.com/TradingBlak

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As always, pick actions that feel comfortable for you, don’t feel you have to do it all. Any support is appreciated! I woulod love to hear about the things you do to support our communities. 

​How is it half-way through January already? Time seems to pass faster and faster. My boys are growing too fast and I wish there was a way to slow down time, just a little. These last few weeks have been such a needed break from routine. We have loved the slower pace, the not needing to be anywhere, the extra time to read, swim, and play Nintendo – all three favourite pastimes here. School is approaching faster than most of us would like. The exception being Mr 5 who is very excited about heading off to big school this year so the start of school can’t come fast enough!
 
This time of year, for me, like all educators, isn’t just about the fun, it is also about getting ready for the year ahead. For us at Wingaru it means finalising our new lessons – “Seasons” will be available soon so keep an eye out for it – and getting ready to enrol our 2021 class groups. We are welcoming 35 new schools at the start of Term 1 which I am really excited about. Our set up team will certainly be busy! We can set up your 2021 classes as soon as you are ready. We will be in contact with your school’s primary contact shortly but you can send your class lists through anytime and we can get everything sorted so your accounts are ready to go. 
 
Most teachers are in full swing already – setting up classrooms and planning lessons for the year. The love that goes into setting up classrooms is amazing. If you are a parent, I hope you get the chance to take a minute to look around your child’s classroom and appreciate the time, effort and thought that has gone into the set up. Your teacher likely did that during their vacation time. 
 
If you are one of these teachers, we have some resources that you may find helpful. If you are setting up your classroom consider including some Aboriginal artwork. I have our 2021 Wingaru Calendar and Acknowledgement of Country poster for you here. If you are a subscriber you might like to check out our name labels and birthday calendar in the teacher resources section of the platform. I am a huge fan of Chloe Webb, a young Darug artist who has done this year’s artwork. 
 
Don’t forget to check out our planning templates https://www.wingaru.com.au/blog/planner-challenge to help you identify and plan where you can include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in your program this year. 
 
As always, sing out if I can help!
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2021 Wingaru Calendar and ​Acknowledgement of Country Poster - Download from the links below

​This week we announced the #PlanningWithWingaruandMrJ Challenge – an initiative to get teachers thinking and talking about including more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in their classrooms. The response has been amazing! I am so excited at the number of teachers who have said they are going to take part! I can’t wait to see what everyone does. 
 
If you missed the initial posts about the Challenge, check out the previous blog, which has more information and the planner template: www.wingaru.com.au/blog/planner-challenge. You should also head on over to Mr J’s Learning Space to follow his journey. 
 
In the words of Mr J “the #planningwithwingaruandmrj challenge is all about taking that first step and deciding to think more intentionally about what we do and how we can naturally incorporate First Nations content into our teaching and share the journey together to inspire and support other educators as they try to do the same”.
 
To give you some ideas on what you might do to bring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in each week for term 4, we have created 3 sample planners that I have attached here. These planners, one for each stage, illustrate just some of the different approaches you could take in including a weekly First Nations perspective. 
 
Local Focus - Use term 4 to explore your local community. You could explore:
 
Country – how did the local mob use a river? or get to know the clans of the language group; 
 
Language – what is the local language? Can you find examples of it? Is there a local speaker you could invite in?
 
Land management - what bush tucker grows in the area? What tools would likely have been made given the material available in the local environment? What sustainability practices were likely practised?
 
Perhaps you could look at how the local people are represented today. The possibilities are endless. 
 
Build lessons around a single resource – this example shows how you can build experiences around one topic or resource. Consider the elements of your focus topic and build additional experiences to explore the elements. In our example we look at turtles but the same approach could be taken with many other subjects. Think about the key learning areas and how they may be present in your chosen resource. 
 
Focus on a single topic/unit – this example shows the possibilities of choosing a topic you are learning about in your class and exploring it from many angles which supports students to develop a strong understanding of the related issues. This works well for topics where students should consider different opinions and perspectives on an issue as they develop their own thoughts on it. 
 
You could apply any of these approaches to any stage with some tweaking or apply the approach to any topic that suits what is in your plan for term 4. Don’t be afraid to mix it up! The possibilities are endless – don’t forget to share your ideas by tagging  @wingaru_education and @mr.j.learning.space
​Stage 1 Sample Planner - Download from link below

​One question that teachers regularly ask me is how often they should include Aboriginal content or perspectives in their classrooms. There is no one answer that is going to work for every classroom and I always suggest that teachers start with what they are comfortable with. The most important thing is that you give it a go and build from there. 
 
That said, I would love to see teachers including Aboriginal and Torres Strait content once a week. I think this is attainable and planning can support you to reach this target. One teacher who has taken up this challenge is Mr J of Mr J’s Learning Space who you can follow on insta here www.instagram.com/mr.j.learning.space/.
 
Mr J is one of those teachers we all want our kids to have. His energy is amazing and I love that he is so inclusive with both his classroom content and his approach to school leadership. So, when he responded to a post about including perspectives weekly (saying that he was aiming to do just that) I reached out to offer him a planner that would support him to include content each week for a term. 
 
The planner is designed to help identify and organise the inclusion of First Nations content in all key learning areas for a term. I have included the planner below and I encourage you to take up the challenge of including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content each week of term 4, 2020. 
 
Mr J will be including Aboriginal content in his classroom each week of term 4 and sharing it with you on his insta so make sure you follow along for inspiration and follow his tips to make this challenge achievable. Follow him here www.instagram.com/mr.j.learning.space/.
 
If you are reading this and thinking that I have lost touch with reality and there is no way you can include more in your already busy program, bear with me. I know including Aboriginal content or perspectives is daunting for many teachers. We will be sharing ideas and tips over the term to support you in the challenge, including examples of different approaches using the planner. Make sure you are following us on social media so you don’t miss these. 
 
There are so many ways you can bring Aboriginal content or perspectives into your classroom.  At Wingaru, we aim to support teachers by providing complete lessons that align with curriculum so that teachers can, if they choose, add an Aboriginal perspective to the content they are already teaching in the classroom. This approach means that even just 30 to 60 minutes can bring a new layer to student learning and increase the amount of Aboriginal content they are exposed to over the year. But if this approach isn’t for you that is ok. There are so many other ways you can approach bringing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in. You could:

• Pick a topic that resonates with you and/or your students to explore;
• Explore a topical event;
• Explore a resource you love, like a book or other classroom resource created by Aboriginal educators;
• Use a calendar event as the basis for a lesson;
• Get outside and make links between nature and culture;
• Set a homework challenge to bring a bush tucker item for lunch.

​Share your ideas with us online and borrow from other teachers’ ideas.
 
If one inclusion a week feels out of reach, don’t worry. Start where you are comfortable and increase at a pace that works for you. The Wingaru Planner is flexible and will work for you no matter how you approach the challenge or how many weeks you plan to include Aboriginal content. Just give it a go! 
 
Finally, share your experiences with us. We want to see how you are including Aboriginal perspectives and would love to hear your ideas for meeting the challenge. Use the hashtag #PlanningWithWingaruAndMrJ. 

Download the planner and social media templates and join us in term 4 for the #PlanningWithWingaruAndMrJ Challenge.
​A4 Aboriginal Perspectives Teacher Planner - Download from link below

​When I visit schools there is usually at least one teacher who asks why Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander perspectives are so important. This seems obvious but let’s not forget that Aboriginal education hasn’t always gotten the attention it deserves so we are asking teachers to teach something that they themselves may not have received a lot of education about.

There are so many reasons why this content is important and the motivation will vary from person to person. 

It is part of the job – inclusion of Aboriginal perspectives is required by curriculum and the Australian Professional Teaching Standards. 

It supports Reconciliation – shared knowledge and understanding is key to reconciliation. 

It supports better outcomes for Aboriginal students – Aboriginal kids do better when they can see themselves in the content they are learning. It supports them to feel connected and can build confidence to contribute in the classroom. The whole school participating in Aboriginal content supports a culturally inclusive school environment where Aboriginal kids can feel safe and happy. 

It counters misconceptions and stereotypes that feed unconscious bias and racism – correcting negative stereotypes plays a part in reducing discrimination.

It supports truth telling - the true history of Australia should be known by all Australians.

Indigenous knowledge is really interesting – and who doesn’t love learning interesting stuff?
 
I could go on and on about the benefits of including Aboriginal perspectives, but I want to talk about why finding and understanding your motivation is so important. 

Identifying your motivation is part of connecting to content and that connection is what, in my opinion, makes an amazing teacher. Think about the things you love to teach and what it is you love about them. Why did you connect with the content? How do you feel after you have shared your love of it with your students? Channel that energy and explore Aboriginal content until you find a spark. 
 
There are so many opportunities to bring First Nations content into your lessons that there is bound to be something that you connect with. Teachers who include Aboriginal content because they have to, may not feel comfortable or confident in delivering the content and this shows. 
 
How you connect with Aboriginal perspectives can drastically affect the impact Aboriginal content has. Finding your groove not only makes your job easier, it helps shape a better Australia. 
 
Teachers are one of the strongest influencer groups and we need you to share a genuine interest in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander content. In doing so you can support the next generation to have an appreciation and understanding of our people and the journey that we have travelled to be here today, facing the challenges that we do.

​Acknowledgement of Country
Encourages appreciation of diversity by exploring some Aboriginal names for country and why we acknowledge this.
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​Adam Goodes
Discusses the contribution of Adam Goodes as both a sportsman, a role model, and a campaigner against racism.
Lesson Category: Contact

​Anzacs - Indigenous Veterans
Studies Indigenous veterans and the discrimination and hardship they faced before and after fighting for their country in overseas conflicts.
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​Aussie Identity
Investigates stereotypes in the portrayal of the Australian identity
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​Cathy Freeman
Discusses the contribution of Cathy Freeman as both a sportsperson and a role model.
Lesson Category: Contact

​Constitutional Recognition
Looks at the arguments for and against reform of Australia’s Constitution so that it is fair to all Australians.
Lesson Category: Political Issues

​David Unaipon
Considers how David Unaipon’s public role challenged the negative stereotypes held about Indigenous People at that time.
Lesson Category: Contact

​Democracy & Truth Telling
Looks at what truths need to be told to foster positive race relations in our democracy.
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​​Discrimination
Discusses types of racism and explores techniques to help stop it.
Lesson Category: Political Issues

​Fair Skin Black Fella
Looks at the impact of stereotypes about skin colour.
Lesson Categories: Modern Life

​Maria Lock
Explores the incredible story of a Darug woman who, at a time when both women and Aboriginal people had few rights, triumphed through her resilience.
Lesson Category: Contact

​NSW Freedom Ride
Introduces to the concepts of racism, segregation and political action.
Lesson Category: Political Issues

​Oodgeroo Noonuccal
Explores Oodgeroo’s writing and campaigning against discriminatory government practices at that time.
Lesson Category: Contact

​Reconciling the Past
Explores the history of multiculturalism in Australia.
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​Racism. It Stops With Me
Helps students identify how racism is a form of discrimination and suggests ways they can counter it.
Lesson Category: Political Issues

​Stereotypes
Challenges stereotypes by encouraging students to consider who they might have a bias against and why that might be the case.
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​Stolen Girl
Provides an understanding of the Stolen Generation and the lasting impact of the government decision to forcibly remove children from their homes and communities.
Lesson Category: Political Issues

​The National Apology
The apology acknowledged the existence and the impacts of the Stolen Generation.
Lesson Category: Political Issues

​Treaty
Investigates the lack of a Treaty between colonisers and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australia.
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​Voice: Uluru Statement from the Heart
In 2017, the Uluru Statement from the Heart demanded constitutional reform on three points: voice, truth, and treaty.
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​What is NAIDOC Week?
Explains the origin and purpose of NAIDOC Week while exploring strategies to respect and value diversity.
Lesson Category: Modern Life

​Based on a Watch-Play-Learn format, each lesson includes a video, digital activities, comprehensive curriculum-aligned lesson plan & printable support material.

Log into your Teacher Centre account to assign these lessons to your class or to view our full catalogue.

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​I asked him what he thought, about being taught proper blackfella stuff. He’s nine, just recently turned, and while he has a turn of phrase to rival the greatest orator when excepting himself from homework or feeding the Kelpie, I was genuinely unsure what his response would be. 
 
His face – muscles appearing where hair will come, eyes growing wiser by the day – split into a joyous grin, and the words tumbled out un-thought, a stream of pure consciousness that is as authentic as it gets. 
 
“Mama, I love it! It’s all the stories about this land, stories about the creatures that live here and stories that sound like songs… and the games are great: they’re funny and clever and it’s not like school work at all but I’m still learning. Do you want to see too? I can show you?”
 
If you knew my child, you would know that this is solid endorsement indeed. His bright little mind whirs continually, a powerful engine of curious thought. But school? He’s not so keen. I have seen him adeptly tap out a the theme tune to M*A*S*H using four pencils and a Lego ninja while failing miserably to take in what is being said about multiplication algorithms beneath the beady eye of his teacher. Big blue eyes and a freckled smile get him a long way, and he skirts through much of the required syllabus with a wily shrug and insouciant attitude. 
 
And yet, when we roam – swags belted, truck torqued, tarps often unravelling in a dirt-road scene akin to Priscilla – he is fascinated by the world around him, the culture and story and the application of this on Country. He was taught to make animal tracks by Uncle Kev Buzzacott on the edge of Lake Eyre. He learned to pick and cook wild rosella fruit, sticky hands dipping in and out of the pot on the fire on the banks of a lazy green river. And he will happily eat roo tail with his hands, fur and all. 
 
This child has absorbed everything he has been taught about Indigenous Australia, because it is relates to the very heart of this land. Ask him and he will say, “it’s Australia’s story Mama, so that means it’s everybody’s story”. And while he is lucky enough to have experienced the broadest reaches of this country, this tenet remains at the core of why I celebrate the opportunity he has to receive an Aboriginal education. 
 
I have always taught him that knowledge is power: to understand and engage critical thought to situations is powerful. The understanding that he gains from an Aboriginal curriculum is equally and notably so, as it engenders shared understanding. It encourages recognition and respect, an embracing of diversity for its strengths as opposed to restricted, closed-minded colonial mythologies that breed discrimination, prejudice and inequality. 
 
As the oldest continuous living culture on earth, the knowledge and lore of the traditional owners of this land is of seminal importance to Australia and globally. It is something to be innately proud of, to celebrate and to embrace with every part of our national identity. That it isn’t remains a mystery to me, but I have to believe that will change. 
 
And I know that the chance to broaden his understanding of the world with an ancient knowledge will help him navigate his future and that of those he loves in an equitable, diverse and caring capacity, a capacity that engenders reconciliation and ongoing understanding between the many, many people of the land on which he grows.