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Self-Governance for Indigenous Early Childhood Education in
Australia: the challenges ahead.
Self-Governance for Indigenous Early Childhood Education in
Australia: the challenges ahead.
About Me
Biripi WorimiIrish
Eora CountryAwabakal CountryBundjalung Country
Indigenous World-Views
Indigenous World-Views
Diverse, Holistic cultures
Dreamtime/DreamingRelationships and Balance.“core business of uniting hearts and establishing order” (Stanner, 1983).
“to be is to relate” (Lawlor, 1991: 172)
Diverse, Holistic cultures
Dreamtime/DreamingRelationships and Balance.“core business of uniting hearts and establishing order” (Stanner, 1983).
“to be is to relate” (Lawlor, 1991: 172)
Indigenous Education SystemsIndigenous Education Systems
Indigenous peoples have had their own successful education systems for hundreds of generations.
Indigenous peoples have had their own successful education systems for hundreds of generations.
Based on the values of Care, Share, Respect, Relationships & Balance;
Life-long learning involving family, community, society, environment.
Based on the values of Care, Share, Respect, Relationships & Balance;
Life-long learning involving family, community, society, environment.
Indigenous LiteratureIndigenous Literature
ORALITY - language, song lyrics, narrative, story telling, oral history.
ICONOGRAPHY - symbolism, visual symbols (referred to as ‘Aboriginal Art’).
DRAMA/RITUAL - ceremony; respect for tradition, process, participation; dramatic enactments and re-enactments.
ORALITY - language, song lyrics, narrative, story telling, oral history.
ICONOGRAPHY - symbolism, visual symbols (referred to as ‘Aboriginal Art’).
DRAMA/RITUAL - ceremony; respect for tradition, process, participation; dramatic enactments and re-enactments.
An Historical Overview of the Indigenous Experience with Colonial Education in NSW
‘Civilising’ and Education
‘Civilising the natives’ via education meant providing a servant class that could function passively in a colonial society.
A very constructed and controlled process of conditional assimilation.
Today? Huge disparities - little change Extreme difference in statistics between Indigenous
and non-Indigenous populations in Australia; Similar to the difference between a wealthy
European nation and a ‘poor’ country in Asia or Africa.
Indigenous populations make up such a tiny minority of the Australian population (less than 3%);
Why is it so hard to close the gap? How can the disparity be increasing in some
primary socio/economic measures such as education, health and employment?
Aboriginality as a disadvantage?Aboriginality as a disadvantage?
• Australia has tended to define difference as deviant or less than ideal.
• Australia has tended to define difference as deviant or less than ideal.
We want to be different!We want to be different!
Indigenous Australian peoples maintain and celebrate diversity as a healthy and positive social and environmental outcome.
Indigenous people generally do not want to assimilate into ‘mainstream society’. This does not mean they wish to remain marginalised.
Indigenous Australian peoples maintain and celebrate diversity as a healthy and positive social and environmental outcome.
Indigenous people generally do not want to assimilate into ‘mainstream society’. This does not mean they wish to remain marginalised.
Education as a rightEducation as a right
The right to determine what education means is just as important as the right to access such an education.
How we define ‘education’?How we define ‘education’?
Culturally healthy and responsive learning environments and
processes.
Culturally healthy and responsive learning environments and
processes.
EducareEducare
the teacher and the taught together create the teaching.
(Tolle, 2002: 85)
Educare - “to lead out from, to show the way under principles of teaching and learning reciprocity.” (Atkinson, 2003)
Educaring - a powerful tool for social change.
the teacher and the taught together create the teaching.
(Tolle, 2002: 85)
Educare - “to lead out from, to show the way under principles of teaching and learning reciprocity.” (Atkinson, 2003)
Educaring - a powerful tool for social change.
Learning:
Community Cultural Safety Story, art, music, theatre,
dance & ceremony Experiential Adventurous Self-directed
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
Every Child from every way
Have rights to be
Who they are, where they’re from
We gotta see
Value in what they give and bring
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
Every Child from everywhere
Have rights to learn
In their way, from their place
It’s their turn
Valuing what they give and bring
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
We connect through Relationships of love
A sea of humanity
Different places and cultures
Of care we come
Listen, to the Children
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
Recent times, sorry days
For many Children
Now respect many ways
Ancient duty
Valuing what we give and bring
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
We connect through Relationships of love
A sea of humanity
Different places and cultures
Of care we come
Listen, Learn from the Children
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
We are many
We are one
Toward the future,
We become
United by the side of the Child.
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
Little Peoples, a human phase
We’ve all travelled
Carers now, must relate
To Family, Elders
The future, we care, from everywhere
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
We respect through Relationships of love
A Sea humanity
Different places and cultures
Of care we come
Listen, Learn From the Children
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
We are many
We are one
Toward the future,
We become
United by the side of the Child.
EVERY CHILD By Chris Fisher and Marcelle Townsend-Cross © 2003.
We respect through Relationships of love
A Sea humanity
Different places and cultures
Of care we come
Listen, to the Children
