This activity encourages children to appreciate the positive things that they can learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people every day.
Materials Needed:
- Short Play School videos featuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presenters such as Miranda Tapsell and Luke Carroll.
What to do:
Encourage children to reflect on their learning, and why learning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is interesting, not only on Play School but also at preschool. Some of the following kinds of prompt questions may support you to guide a relevant discussion:
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What are some of the good things that we learnt from [insert name of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Play School host(s)] in today’s episode?
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Why is it interesting to learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people like [insert name of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Play School host(s)]
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Why is it interesting to learn from [insert name of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff at your early learning service, if applicable]?
If you do not currently have any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff at your early learning service, you may instead wish to encourage children to imagine and express why it would be interesting to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators in the classroom. -
Why is it special/important for our early learning service to have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers/educators/carers/workers?
These kinds of questions will help to support children to develop an early awareness of, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and employment strategies in the educational context.
Hints and Tips
- Prior to carrying out this activity, it may be worthwhile developing students’ awareness and understanding of the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the classroom more generally.
Reference:
From Playschool to Preschool - Learning From Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educators, Narragunnawali Reconciliation In Education