
One of the best resources that educators can access is their local community.
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If required, educators should seek professional training to ensure they have a solid understanding of culture and how to communicate this knowledge. With a history stretching back 65,000 years and over 500 different First Nations around the continent, incorporating Indigenous Australia within your learning program can be daunting.Įducators with a non-Indigenous background or limited experience with Indigenous culture should be supported to equip themselves with the knowledge and confidence to engage with content appropriate for young children.įor educators the key to authentically engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures is to ensure ‘ cultural competence’ – this encompasses an awareness, respect and understanding of the diversity around you. Understand Indigenous culture and engaging with local knowledge For Australia it also includes promoting greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing and being.” ( Belonging, Being & Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (P.14). “Educators recognise that diversity contributes to the richness of our society and provides a valid evidence base about ways of knowing. The inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives can be linked to each of the seven quality areas of the National Quality Framework. How is this learning supported and what resources do you provide to celebrate and connect with Indigenous culture? What do educators know or not know on the topic? How are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives included in your practice? Make a start by reflecting on where your service is right now. When the flower head was dried out it was also used as a hairbrush or as a fire torch. Highlighting the Banksia flower, a recognisable floral symbol of Australia, she described how generations of Aboriginal people used it to create ‘nature’s cordial’ – a sweet drink made by dipping the flower into water. In a recent interview for podcast Mamamia, Aunty Phyllis Marsh, a First Nations Cultural Educator at West Moreton Anglican College in Queensland, discussed how cultivating understanding should start from the earliest age and begins by taking children outside to explore the natural world around them.ĭescribing her approach, she said “Little kids love to learn, you need to fill their heads with wonder and play.”Īunty Phyllis described how she connects children with ancient wisdom through nature, encouraging them to be eco-explorers as she guides them in their discovery of native plants growing on country, and sharing knowledge of how they were used. This campaign provides impetus for early years educators to review and grow their current practices. Led by First Nations people and organisations, and convened by World Vision, the Know Your Country campaign aims to place First Nations Cultural Educators in every Australian primary school. This finding underscores that the next generation should learn more about our unique Indigenous cultures.

Recent research by Know Your Country revealed a gap in Australian’s basic knowledge of First Nations’ culture and heritage, with 70 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 24 saying they would have liked better First Nations education when they were at school.
