1.2: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures - Discovering how Tom Tom lives.

 

Ø  What and why children are learning

As citizens of Australia, it is vital our students learn about our countries history and begin to build knowledge from an early age; one of the main reasons Grade one Tehan are participating

in this unit regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Histories and Cultures. The Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs in The Melbourne Declaration, state that the role of education in Australia involves building a society that is not only culturally diverse, but also “values Australia’s Indigenous cultures as a key part of the nation’s history, present and future”

One of the Cross-curriculum priorities (CCP) in The Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is ATSI Histories and Cultures. Through Humanities and Social Sciences we integrate this CCP as we explore and investigate the lives and cultures of the first Australians. The outcomes we hope to achieve through this unit, is that our students will experience “different ways of belonging with people, country and communities” as mentioned in the Early Years Learning Framework, thus teaching them to be respectful members of society in Australia. 

Ø  How they are learning

Beginning with a reading of Tom Tom by Rosemary Sullivan, the teacher will encourage students to use their inquiry skill of

questioning to discuss what is different in Tom Tom’s life from their own, for example, how does Tom Tom get to school? How do we make damper? Why does Tom Tom never have shoes on? 

Focussing on pages 17 and 18 of Tom Tom, the class will discuss one of the staple foods of Indigenous Australians, damper. 

The teacher will show the following video of young children making damper in Nullagine, Western Australia http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/155611715844/ngurra-yarrkarlpa-martu. Our students will then cook their own damper using the cooking room instead of a fire and coals. The red-tailed black cockatoo will be of interest to the students in our class, as we do not have them in Tasmania. Students will be able to paint the cockatoo, just as Tom Tom does in the book.

Dr Tyson Yunkoporta developed a theory to teach ATSI histories and cultures holistically, kinaesthetically, visually and socially. This theory; the 8 ways Aboriginal pedagogy, focuses on learning through culture, not about culture, just as we are doing through the painting and damper activities in our classroom. 

The following video further explains how teachers use this theory in their planning, implementation and assessment: 

Ø  How parents/carers can support their child’s learning

The teacher has several copies of Tom Tom, which will be lent out to students. Parents and carers are encouraged to discuss the different aspects of Tom Tom’s life and perhaps share stories with their children, of outback Australia or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples they may know. Parents and carers are also invited to the classroom as assistants when we have our damper making day. Recipes will be sent home with each child if they wish to try it again at home.