On our Staff Professional Learning Day, Junior School staff (Early Learning, Primary and Out of School Hours Care) were privileged to engage with local First Nations community member Julie Welsh, a proud Gomeroi and Murawari woman.
Julie shared a provocation entitled From Truth to Power imparting her local knowledge around community protocols and Aboriginal authority. Julie implored educators to consider who fits where in the community and engaging in the correct protocols to consider the time, connections and networks among our First Nations families. Staff explored and positioned their own cultural bias and privilege while considering the very important journey of building relationships with the community through learning, respect, and practice.
Staff were encouraged to consider ‘Blak excellence’ and a strength-based approach as vital to Aboriginal education in all areas – Aboriginal education and nurturing our students is everyone’s business.
We ended with a candid session of You Can’t Ask That! and staff left the session feeling more comfortable to move forward in this space with valuable reflections, including that this session was “useful, informative, powerful and passionate.”
Embedding First Nations perspectives across the NSW curriculum involves integrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, and pedagogies into all Key Learning Areas (KLAs). It moves beyond isolated activities to sustained, authentic engagement, emphasising local Country/Place, Culture, and People. IGS teachers are deeply committed to professional learning and practice in this area.
