Day Thirty One

Day 31 - Driving from Brisbane to Armidale

Dr Brian Lewthwaite is battening down in Townsville. I will interview him early next week.

Day Thirty

Day 30 - Homeward Bound due to Cyclone Dylan bringing flooding, storm surge and wind to Townsville....

This is pretty disappointing as I was really really looking forward to speaking to Dr Brian Lewthwaite in person. All academics from Canada, New Zealand and Australia speak very highly of him... ah well can't help the weather. It was better to stay safe and also not be in the way!

Gales, rain hit north Qld as cyclone brews

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2014/01/29/07/44/potential-cyclone-closing-in-on-north-qld

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is warning people to batten down as the storm will likely bring heavy rain and winds up to 120km/h.

"Currently we're anticipating the cyclone crossing the coast somewhere in the Townsville region, granting that it is a fairly long way out at the moment," BOM Queensland regional director Rob Webb said.

Townsville flights cancelled

• ANTHONY TEMPLETON
• TOWNSVILLE BULLETIN
• JANUARY 30, 2014 1:49PM

Day Twenty Nine

Day 29 - Meeting with Dr Rachel Popelka-Filcoff and Dr Claire Lenehan at Flinders University

My meeting today focused on Ochre. I had asked Rachel and Claire how they thought I might be able to bring ochre into the Science classroom. They had some amazing ideas. Rachel warned that the discussion of ochre in terms of traditional stories, uses and ceremony is very sacred and advice must be sought very sensitively. They advised talking more generally in lessons about the traditional use of ochre on a national level, rather than locally. I think that students would be fascinated by the distances travelled to access and trade for red ochre, the most highly valued ochre. Red, shiny ochre was the most highly sought after. People would walk from far north Queensland (as we call it) all the way to South Australia to seek red ochre. Wild tobacco would often be exchanged for the ochre.

Some of the ideas that Rachel and Claire came up with for classroom inquiry into ochre were:

• mixing pigments
• firing yellow pigments to observe colour change
• photographing ochre in different lights and measuring the chroma perhaps by using an app.
• effect of different light filters on the perceived colour of the ochre
• effect on viscosity, cracking or stickiness of the ochre by changing binders (eg. egg, water or milk)
• observing colour before and after grinding the ochre with a mortar and pestle
• observing crystal size and shape before and after grinding the ochre
• comparing crystal size and shape of different pigments 

Claire also talked about Spinifex Resin Biopolymer, which is a natural adehesive. Studies have been carried out on the effect different plant processing methods has on the viscosity and adhesive properties of the resin. I think this would definitely be worth researching.

Day Twenty Eight

Day 28 - Day off

Day Twenty Seven

Day 27 - Meeting with Cathy Grieve Teacher Previously at Salisbury North Primary School

I made a point of catching up with Cathy because of her experience working within culturally responsive schools in Adelaide. She was able to tell me about the amazing relationship the school had with local Aboriginal Elders and their communities. These community members were almost always present in the school working alongside teachers in delivering local cultural history and knowledge throughout the curriculum. Teachers were able to provide the Elders with detail of their future lessons and they would make suggestions on lesson content and how the content best be delivered.

Day Twenty Six

Day 26 - Meeting with Julie Bishop Principal Clovelly Park Primary School

I met with Julie Bishop upon recommendation from Cathy Grieve, a friend and teaching peer who I met at the Summer Schools for Teachers Literacy and Numeracy School in Wollongong in 2008. We have remained friends ever since and when I completed my masters research in 2011 Cathy was happy to share with me the remarkable programs and projects running at Salisbury North Primary School as a result of Julie's amazing leadership.

Julie sees Australia's work in Indigenous perspective through the curriculum as having dropped off quite significantly. The things that are now happening in places such as Saskatoon were in place here in Australia 30 years ago, but have ceased. We are now picking up again at the same point as Saskatoon, but in fact we should be further ahead. The curriculum has put Aboriginal perspectives in as a priority and there are prescribed descriptors on Aboriginal perspectives, however there is nothing to help teachers ensure they are not reinforcing stereotype or to help them make the learning relevant.

Julie is inspiring and motivating, she shares her own development and experiences through narrative. Talking about what she witnessed and was involved in during her time as a principal in central South Australia and in the city schools. In every location Julie has put her students first and always ensured that they knew that she believed in them and that she would never give up on them. At times she was incredibly tough on students, there were clear boundaries, but she never gave up. When seeking the best external programs for her students Julie questions and challenges the providers of the programs, requesting that they state the predicted outcome and how the outcome is to be measured for every activity the external group intends to deliver. Within her school Julie will have students involved in a huge range of teaching and learning programs.

Julie told me about a camp that she took young female primary school teachers on, a women's only camp, where local community members taught them how to cook local foods and engaged them in traditional song and dance. Julie talked about how the women from the community became the leaders during this camp, telling Julie what she needed to do and being clear if she was doing something wrong. It was eye opening for the young teachers who worked with Julie and they asked her why she allowed herself to be "bossed around". She replied to the teachers that it was a privilege to be able to be taught such traditions and to be a part of the community. Everything that Julie does involved community, she is in constant contact with parents and caregivers.

Julie also talked about programs in South Australia that took Aboriginal teachers back into their own communities. She believes that such programs did not bother to ask these individuals or their communities what would work and thus they were set up for failure. Teaching in local families in one's own community is incredibly difficult and in some instances inappropriate, had these teachers had the opportunity to teach mainstream and learn their craft first they would have been better equipped for the challenges they would face teaching in their own remote communities. I had not considered this before, especially having regarded the aims of NORTEP in northern Saskatchewan where teachers are educated within their local northern areas with the hope of retaining them within that region. The only way to find out the most appropriate and successful outcome is to speak to the people the course is aimed at. Researchers and educational providers cannot assume that they always know what is best for the local community.

I told Julie about the scheduled Spaceward Bound Expedition to Arkaroola SA during July this year and she has suggested places of cultural significance to visit. Will be amazing! Just need funding!!!!

I am going to stay in touch with Julie, I see her as an amazing resource. The relationships that she is able to develop with parents, families and local community is to be admired.

Day Twenty Five

Day 25 - Dr Neil Harrison, Dr Joanne Jamie and Dr Subramanyam Vemulpad


Dr Neil Harrison
Senior Lecturer
School of Education
Macquarie Uni


I met with Dr Neil Harrison at Macquarie University to discuss Indigenous perspective through the Science curriculum and culturally responsive pedagogy. In teaching his preservice Science teachers Neil ensures that he does not reinforce stereotypes when bringing Aboriginal perspectives to his lessons. He does this by becoming familiar with local communities wherever he is placed and becoming familiar with peoples areas of expertise. He then enables these people to share their expertise with his students. In this way these individuals are able to have informal conversations with his students whilst also sharing their expertise and in this way stereotypes are broken down as students become familiar with an individual rather than the idea of a group of people. Neil studies place-based pedagogy.

One such example was when he had a local artist work with his students on a mural at the university. Whilst working and painting the students were able to speak with the artist and get to know her as a person, understanding and appreciating her background, history and culture.

I found this explanation from Neil hugely valuable. Again the crucial need for links and positive relationships and input from the community was emphasised.

Neil also talked about breaking down the barriers within the school environment. It can be difficult and confronting for many parents to access the school, passing through the office can be overwhelming. So meeting off school grounds for informal activities, such as BBQ's to get to know everyone, can be best completed in a local park for example. One school found it necessary to create an access point directly to the Aboriginal Education Assistants office, such that parents did not need to pass through the school front office. When this was done far more parents accessed the AEA as it was not as intimidating.

Dr Joanne Jamie and Dr Subramanyam Vemulpad
Directors of Indigenous Bioresources Research Group and the Indigenous Science Education Program
Faculty of Science
Macquarie University

http://biolinfo.org/cmkb

Joanne and Subra shared with me the development of the Indigenous plants database and the Indigenous Science Education Program. Through previous connections at the university the Indigenous Bioresources Research Group (IBRG) sought the traditional knowledge of the Yaegl people. They wanted to use this knowledge to be directed to plants that had healing qualities and to then conduct research on these plants to interpret what biochemical properties of the plant gave it the qualities necessary for it's traditional use. The Yaegl group were assured that if there was success and a pharmaceutical was developed as a result of the research that they would be provided with compensation. The IBRG warned the community that the likelihood of the development of a new medicine as a result of the development of the database and biochemical research was very unlikely and asked the community how they might be able to assist in another way. The community Elders voiced considerable concern of the education of their children and IBRG completed some simple, but engaging Science experiments, like a Science show, with the children. It was these activities that helped with the development of the Indigenous Science Education Program. The program involves training Aboriginal students in years 9 and/or 10 to be leaders who then have the responsibility of teaching the simple Science activities to year 7 students. Macquarie University has worked on bringing other universities into the program such that other universities are able to involve their pre-service Science teachers in working with students in training the leading students.

I see a great deal of value in these programs and I am aware of similar programs that operate within schools and universities across Australia. In some schools Year 8 students teach primary school children simple experiments or involve younger students in their open-ended investigation projects. There is a lot of value in having all students take on a leadership and/or teaching role.
Members of the Yaegl group have travelled with the IBRG to different communities and schools to share with these communities the success of the Indigenous Science Education Program and the benefits of involvement in the Indigenous Plants Database. Not all of the plant information is available to everyone, if information that was shared is sensitive and should only be seen by specific community members then these plants cannot be viewed openly in the database (link above).

Would there be a place for introducing these plants, their healing qualities and talking about their molecular properties?

I am in 2 minds about involvement in the programs. I like giving students at a variety of levels the opportunity to be the experts and to be leaders and teachers. This is culturally responsive teaching. I am unsure about how hard IBRG would need to push their own agenda. Funding is available for this program only this year and I would encourage universities and schools who do not have outreach programs to become involved. At UNE we have Science in the Bush for years 5-9 which would include many similar simple experiments. I know that a few local schools already do lots of leadership-based fun Science days between secondary and local primary schools. I guess I am thinking in my mind that there could be a better way to engage Aboriginal students in leadership positions? UNE also has Science Booster Days, HSC Science Meet the Markers through STANSW and Science Investigation Awards for students in Years 7-10. A program to bring the university pre-service teachers into the classroom and practice simple experiments would be very valuable provided they have the time.... something to think about I guess?

Day Twenty Four

Day 24 - Meeting with Dr Duane Hamacher

Today I met with Dr Duane Hamacher who is one of a handful of expert academics on Aboriginal Astronomy in Australia. Duane was able to provide me with a wonderful selection of resources that I can use as a starting point in my own Science lessons. Many of the resources that Duane has are from the area around Narrabri and Coonabarabran, traditional knowledge of Kamilaroi. While this is not local to my students I see it as a good starting point to promote discussion and hopefully set them on a path to discover local knowledge and stories.

http://aboriginalastronomy.blogspot.com.au/

 He also informed me that students studying his Aboriginal Astronomy unit this semester would be required to develop educational resources as their major assessment work. I asked Duane if he thought his students would be willing to showcase their work once they completed it, perhaps holding a workshop to share these resources with Science teachers. He has noted the dates of CONASTA 63 and said that he would look into this as a possibility.

A researcher has also created an add on for Stellarium that shows students the constellations known to Boorong people. "To see and use the Boorong Night Sky on your computer you need to download Stellarium for Windows version 0.10.6.1 or later from the Stellarium website: http://www.stellarium.org and then download and install the Boorong sky culture from this web address: http://www.terrastro.com/boorong. Look for the story of the image below." Activity 32 - Indigenous Astronomy

I talk to Dr Duane Hamacher about the implementation of the Australian Curriculum and the need for resources in this area, particularly for Year 6 teachers. He said this will provide himself and his students with drive to develop quality resources to assist teachers. I intend to tell Duane about Teacher Earth Sciences Education Programme (TESEP) with ASTA and the workshop I helped to develop called "Our Place In Space" and perhaps the opportunity to disseminate resources through this program. I also told Duane about "Primary Connections" and perhaps the opportunity to assist in development of teaching resources for these high quality publications.

Day Twenty Three

Day 23 - Flight to Sydney from Auckland

Day Twenty Two

Day 22 - Meeting with Associate Professor Mere Berryman

Associate Professor Mere Berryman is the Project Director of Te Kotahitanga, a project aimed at making schools and their staff culturally responsive. Te Kotahitanga has been implemented in schools with a high Maori population with the aim of improving learning outcomes for these students. The project works on holistic educational reform in the schools who apply through professional development of school leaders and all teaching staff. The whole school must be committed to the project.

http://tekotahitanga.tki.org.nz/

Culturally responsive teaching requires teachers to deliver content from a perspective that students are able to find more accessible. I like to think that many teachers I know in Australia are doing this already, but I can see the value in ensuring that the movement is holistic, across the curriculum and school-wide.

The videos are hugely informative and demonstrate Culturally Responsive Teaching

http://tekotahitanga.tki.org.nz/Videos


To be continued...

Day Twenty One

Day 21 - Meeting with Dr Beverley Bell Waikato University

Dr Beverley Bell works with preservice teachers in Science education courses at Waikato University. Her background is predominantly in Aboriginal Education in Science, she worked for the School Boards Office looking at improving outcomes for Maori students in the Science Curriculum. The message I took with me following discussions with Beverley is that the work I do should be done with the intention of it being picked up by Indigenous educators in the future. She has seen this as her role, as a non-Indigenous educator, in Aboriginal education. Beverley has had the position of mentor and supervisor to Aboriginal students who are leaders in this field of education and research.

She also explained to me that when peoples key values rub up against each other it can be very difficult to move forward in making educational or conceptual changes. She gave a recent example from one of her classes, she was discussing with students opportunities to teach Science from different perspectives. During this time she told students that they were free to anonymously write down any questions or discussion points that they might have. One student stated very specifically that there was only one way of viewing the world and made reference to Creation. In promoting to students that they can bring culturally responsive teaching strategies and Aboriginal ways of knowing and culture to the Science classroom Beverley does occasionally encounter friction and/or problems, she noted that 2 Maori students had requested the opportunity to speak to her and she suspected that this may have been in response to a lesson she had delivered on the teaching of traditional knowledge, though she wasn't entirely certain.

Beverley's knowledge of Aboriginal traditional knowledge and protocols was exceptional. She explained the relevance and importance of the waterways to local Aboriginal people, including the building of a bridge such that it did not touch the water following consultation of local Elders and the carved tuata on the Waikato expressway where it crosses the river.

Day Twenty

Day 20 - Dr Bronwen Cowie University of Waikato


I met with Dr Bronwen Cowie to discuss the research she has completed in Aboriginal perspective through the Science curriculum. She referred to a project that she completed in the past where students were provided with a "homework" style book that they wrote questions down in to take home and talk about with their parents. Many of these questions had a cultural connection.

A task such as this was completed to engage family and community in the development of cultural knowledge. Students were providing the information throughout varying topics.

Bronwen also talked about a unit of work that students in early primary school completed on Tuatara, a lizard endemic to New Zealand and of cultural significance.
Students learnt about the ecosystem the lizard is found in, made clay models of the lizards, saw the lizards at a reptile park and brainstormed everything they found out about the lizards. Fathers were invited into the school to assist with the clay modelling, this was a non-threatening activity for family members. A father of one student was able to share the significance of the Tuatara with the class, as it appeared on a carved tuata or pou whakairo belonging to his family.
This was a simple unit, but it embedded cultural and scientific knowledge in a local context. Each student was provided with a booklet that contained photos and samples of work from the unit at the unit conclusion.

Bronwen said that she made a point of inviting parents and caregivers to an afternoon tea, so that they were aware of the projects taking place and had the opportunity to have input into what they thought would be best for their children.

Another project conducted by a teacher working with Bronwen was a unit of work on heat conduction. The unit of work was predominantly practical and collaborative learning was a main focus, as this is regarded as a Culturally Responsive Teaching strategy. This was also a great opportunity for these late primary school aged students to develop skills in measuring and recording data. The conclusion of the unit was building an oven, this was a wonderful opportunity for students to use inquiry, as they were required to develop the best oven through observation, data collection in the cooking of their food and by making gradual changes.

One of the key points I took from meeting with Dr Bronwen Cowie is that ensuring best learning and social outcomes for Indigenous students requires Culturally Responsive Teaching. Culturally Responsive Teaching is determined by the pedagogy used in the classroom, not just the cultural knowledge shared. She talked about the way in which cultural knowledge and tradition is passed on from person to person through voice and performance. It is for this reason that her projects have involved students sharing knowledge with students and children accessing cultural knowledge at home and through community, by asking questions. Bronwen suggested that I encourage students to share knowledge with students in our Primary School, having them pass on knowledge in a culturally traditional way.

Bronwen also told me about the New Zealand Science Learning Hub.  http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/ This website contains superb information, activities, pracs and wonderful short videos of scientists working in each of the scientific areas on the website. A great deal of the information is embedded in a New Zealand context, but I think that there are definitely parts of this website that Australian teachers can utilise.

Day Nineteen

Day 19 - Cultural Visit to Rotorua
Whakarewarewa Thermal Village
Te Puia

Today, under Dr Bronwen Cowie's instruction, I drove to Rotorua to seek out and experience cultural knowledge and history. Whakarewarewa Thermal Village is a living village developed among the thermal hot springs and geysers in Rotorua. The Maori residents live in and run their village as a tourist destination, explaining the importance of the hot springs to their way of life. Children in the village are able to attend a daycare centre in the village where they are able to learn their culture and maintain local language.

The village also has a building that links the geology of the region to Maori knowledge and beliefs. Our tour guide described how the hot springs can be used to steam, grill and boil food. Fumaroles are used to slow cook meats and puddings.

Hot water springs cook food faster the deeper the food is placed into the water. These springs can cook food as quickly as a microwave. The hot water springs also provide a means of cleansing the skin through steaming and by washing in the communal baths.









The mud produced has healing ad cleansing qualities due to the presence of minerals. Rotorua mud contains silica, magnesium, calcium, titanium, iron, sulfur, phosphorous, sodium and potassium. As well as trace elements such copper, zinc, selenium, cobalt and manganese.

Some further properties of Thermal Mud
Antiseptic: destroys pathogenic agents (a bacteria or virus that is capable of causing disease) without attacking adjacent healthy tissue.
Healing: Silica, Aluminium and Zinc are all essential to tissue regeneration, scar prevention and repairing.
Absorbing: drains off infections and absorbs excess fluids.
Sedative: has a sedative action on localised pain.
Remineralising: transmits necessary mineral salts to organism for biological equilibrium.
Rebalancing: provides sufficient mineral salts to enhance the body's natural immune system.

Day Eighteen

Day 18 - Arrived in New Zealand and Auckland Museum

I watched a presentation of traditional cultural performances at the museum today. Following this I was able to speak to one of the performers about her schooling experience. She was able to share with me that she had gone to a Maori School growing up, but had not experienced cultural knowledge being delivered through the curriculum.

The museum boasts cultural education programs that teachers can bring students to at the university. I was very interested in the exhibition on Maori Natural Sciences, which explained classification of plants and animals and this relationship with Maori knowledge systems. The exhibition also included Maori Astronomy and how this was used for navigation.

The traditional use of different rocks and minerals was also a large part of the cultural history exhibition and I believe that teaching students about the rock cycle and Moh's hardness scale in this context would make the information more accessible to most students.

Day Seventeen

Day 17 - A day lost due to crossing the International Date Line!

Day Sixteen

Day 16 - Airport - Flying out Day

It was difficult to do anything today except type up some extra information into my posts and wait for the flight. Vancouver Airport is a considerable distance from the city and having so many bags made it a little difficult to do too much.

Day Fifteen

Day 15 - Earlier Flight to Vancouver Due to Incoming Weather


I chose to fly to Vancouver a day early given weather reports of approaching blizzards and storms. I immersed myself in culture at the Museum of Anthropology at UBC in Vancouver.

http://moa.ubc.ca/home.php

The museum offers Outreach kits that teachers can borrow from the university. The My Ancestors are Still Dancing kits are for students from K - 12 teaches students about Tsimshian history and traditions, including Chilkat weaving. This kit contains varying stages of weaving for students to touch, large photographs and DVD's for teachers to show their students. The Nunavut kit is aimed at introducing students to Inuit people of the Nunavut. It contains maps, to help students understand different territories, touchable objects including snow goggles, oil lamp and a harpoon and teaching resources, such as worksheets, are provided with the kit. The Residential School kit teaches students about the legacy of Aboriginal Residential Schools in Canada.

Day Fourteen

Day 14 - Brightwater Science and Environmental Education Centre, Westmount Community School and the Gabriel Dumont Institute with Auntie Faye, Metis Knowledge Keeper Saskatoon Public Schools Office

Wow, this was an incredible day. In fact I have so much information to share from this day that it might take me a few days of typing to get it all typed up.

I was invited to participate in a Smudge Ceremony at the beginning of the day at the Public Schools Office with other Metis and First Nation members of the Saskatoon Public Schools Office. During a Smudge individuals use smoke, from burning sage, sweetgrass or tobacco to cleanse their body and mind. Women must wear long skirts or have their lower body covered with a long shawl to show respect. Women are regarded as very powerful because of "moon time", menstruation and for this reason must cover up. Henry lit the sage so that it produced smoke and then showed me that we use our hands to direct the smoke to ears, mouth, eyes, heart and body. The process is designed to cleanse. Everyone is sat in a circle and in a clockwise direction everyone is able to offer a prayer to the creator following the Smudge. I did note that there was always a general prayer for individuals who were missing from the circle.

I was then taken to Brightwater Science and Environmental Education Centre which has been designed to educate students in the area of Science and the Environment and Aboriginal Perspective. The building itself has been designed to be a rich learning space with a medicine circle in the middle of the open space. There are computer labs and a kitchen. The whole building is made from local materials and built in a direction that will absorb optimum warmth. The building is designed to be environmentally sustainable, there are pipes under the floor with the intention of being able to use this as a means of heating the building eventually.

Away from the education building itself is the cultural learning area where there is a traditional Tipi that students are taught correct protocol and cultural traditions. Henry lit a fire in the Tipi and we sat on Wolf fur blanket for warmth while he shared songs that would have been sing in the morning. He explained that women enter the Tipi first, walking around the fire in a clockwise direction and would sit opposite the men in the Tipi. These are large structures able to fit families, or in these instances a class group of 20. Henry showed how with a small gap created at the base of the Tipi air circulation carries the smoke from the fire out the top of the Tipi. Snow would have been used up the sides of the Tipi for insulation. Henry is a traditional musician who has one many awards drumming in Powwow across Canada and the USA. He uses his skills to engage many Metis, First Nations and non-Indigenous students. This was a unique experience that I am truly thankful of Henry and Auntie Faye for. Something I will never forget.

Henry also very quickly (as it was freezing and we had walked through shin-deep snow) the sweat ceremonies and buildings that are also present at the site.

Following this visit Auntie Faye and I went to Westmount Community School to look at a unique Metis cultural classroom. I would compare the program at the school to music programs that I have seen in NSW schools where a specialist teacher takes all year groups and classes one at a time and develops their understanding of Metis culture. Auntie Faye is a part of this program and is teaching the students Michif, which is a Metis language that involves both Cree and French, as part of the students cultural lessons. The classroom is filled with posters of Michif words, Metis ways of learning and showing respect.

I was able to spend a little bit of time with a year 6/7 class who were looking at the making of Manitobah Mukluks, a type of traditional footwear made from fur and hide. Manitobah Mukluks are still made traditionally, all designed and produced by local First Nations and Metis people. The difference, it is felt, is that people who contribute to the making of this footwear are paid appropriately for their hardwork and skill and thus are able to pass these skills onto their children and grandchildren. This means that the traditional skills required to make beautiful traditional Mukluks can be maintained. The students discussed the importance of maintaining and preserving culture.

The second group of students I was fortunate enough to observe was a group of pre-kinder students, in Australia these would be transition aged children, 4 and 5 year olds! These students with help from the Metis teacher and their usual classroom teacher completed some basic beading work, learnt how to play "spoons" and dance to traditional Metis fiddle music. They also learnt their first Metis sentences to actions.

Auntie Faye is very happy with the program, the Metis classroom and teacher is the only one of it's kind in western Canada. However, Auntie Faye did say that she hopes that Metis and First Nations culture can be taught through more than just the Arts. She hopes that First Nations and Metis culture and traditions begin to be taught through Science, Geography and History in ALL classrooms.

Henry joined as Westmount Community School and discussed integrating a drumming program for boys and the implementation of cultural protocols into the cultural program to improve self-confidence and self-esteem of male and female students. For example having wraps for the girls to wear as they enter the classroom as a means of teaching them respect in another culture. Henry also hoped to introduce Smudge Ceremony, but wasn't sure whether he would be allowed to given that it is a public school. To introduce the music program and protocols it was decided that inviting parents along to be involved would be the best way to begin. I really like that any change or anything new in these traditional programs is shown to parents and discussed with parents to begin with. I think it is really important to seek what parents want for their children.

Auntie Faye took me to the Saskatoon Gabriel Dumont Institute to finish with. This is a cultural centre with local traditional and contemporary artworks and crafts. The silk and beadwork displayed is breathtaking. There is an area set up to look like a traditional Metis shack, both Faye and Karen expressed that this is what they would have grown up in. Karen showed me pieces in the house that would have been made by the occupants using the materials they had access to in order to stay warm. For example rugs. Auntie Faye explained to me that Metis people prefer to be neat and organised in their space.

 I was given a book and cards that list plants used for traditional medicine. Each card includes a photo, as well as the artists depiction of the plant, the Metis, European and Latin name. When the cards are all places together the back of them forms a beautiful pointillism artwork. This artist completes her pieces as pointillism to imitate the beadwork that is so important and prominent in her culture. I am over the moon with the book and cards. They are a stunning learning and teaching tool and exactly what I hoped to discuss with traditional knowledge keepers, Elders and educational providers in Australia.

Day Thirteen

Day 13 - University of Saskatchewan with Jim Taylor, meetings with Irene Oakes and Jeff Baker

I was able to observe Jim's SUNTEP Mathematics methods class today. Similar to the Science methods class content is delivered with an Aboriginal perspective and/or with best teaching and learning methods for Aboriginal students in mind. The lesson began with division of fractions, a concept that many teachers can find difficult delivering... especially providing reason behind the methods used to solve equations. Following this Jim led students into open-ended inquiry using "Smarties". He asked students to brainstorm as many concepts and activities that they could teach using the Smarties (and the Smarties box) as possible. What resulted was great discussion among groups and students recalling terms, concepts, definitions, methods and algorithms that may have forgotten or not used for a considerable time. Hands-on concrete learning has also been shown to be more engaging for Aboriginal students and thus more successful in delivering new concepts.

I thought this was a great learning activity for pre-service teachers and the tasks they came up with would be fantastic for engaging students. Some examples.... volume, surface area, area, nets (box), bar graphs, statistics including calculating mean, median, mode, range, fractions, percentage, drawing pie charts, ratio, simple addition and multiplication and patterns for young children. I really enjoyed observing these lessons. Jim also reminded his students about the need to have high expectation in students recorded work, whether this be book work or a binder of work. It did make me think about my own teaching and how I will approach collection of work in my classroom this year.

I spoke to Irene Oakes following this lesson, she oversees the internship program in ITEP. Her philosophy is that students who are becoming teachers must be role models and of the highest standard. Irene has very high expectations of her students and explained to me that she explains to them that Metis people there will be members of the community who will be waiting for them to fail or not be good enough and that they must rise above this prejudice. She expects them to always be well dressed, on time for school and classes and ensures that they understand school etiquette. Irene is an amazing role model for her students, as all teachers and educators should be.

She told be about a program that runs out of the University Saskatchewan, a Masters program, that immerses teachers in cultural knowledge. The program is run out of the Educational Foundations Office called the Land-based Indigenous Cohort. An amazing opportunity and rich and authentic way to study culture. Masters students/teachers are immersed in cultural knowledge in Canada and in Hawaii for periods of 2 weeks at a time http://www.usask.ca/education/efdt/m-ed-program/land-based-indigenous-cohort/

Irene became principal of an elementary school that had started after parents removed their children from the local elementary school, following poor inclusion and education of First Nations and Metis students. The first thing she did in that school was to communicate with the community and parents to find out what they wanted her to do. She always made sure that she was in contact with parents and made her school into a community. She believes this is what makes schools successful.

Later in the day I had the opportunity to speak to Jeff Baker, a graduate of SUNTEP and now a lecturer himself who has been trying to find ways to bring Aboriginal ways of knowing into the curriculum. His advice to teachers trying to increase the cultural knowledge they deliver in their classrooms and make a difference is to begin at a point where they are comfortable. Whether this be in elementary school, secondary school, adult education, providing professional development, beginning communication with local Aboriginal communities and Elders and/or small changes in the curriculum in their own classrooms. Making a start is the beginning of making a difference.

I am beginning to feel like there will be ways that I can make a difference through gradual small changes and that I might be able to encourage others to do the same.

Day Twelve

Day 12 - Rest Day

Day Eleven

Day 11 - Saskatoon Zoo Education Program with Greg Fenty

 I was curious to see how Aboriginal perspective and content is delivered through the education program at the Saskatoon Zoo after reading about the programs links to the curriculum here.  Greg, the education officer at the zoo, took time out of his own weekend to give me the powerpoint presentation given to students and to accompany me around the zoo and introduce me to local species. The Aboriginal perspective in the presentation was profound. It was actually where Greg began the presentation. He starts by telling students about the biological history of the Great Plains of Saskatchewan, such that a context is developed and students come to appreciate the importance of biodiversity in their province and ultimately across Canada. Aboriginal perspective forms a is a major part of this.

He talked about the importance of the Bison to First Nations and how every part of the Bison was used, no part of the animal was wasted. He also talked about the relationship between First Nations people and Wolves in hunting for the Bison, as these ungulates are so enormous that it would have been impossible for them to be brought down with the weapons people had access to at that time. Bison jumps were used, where the Bison are directed off a high cliff, but this was very dangerous as one member of the tribe would need to dress in the Bison robe and pretend to be a calf and begin a stampede. Ultimately it would be very easy for this individual to be killed as it would be very difficult to out-run a Bison herd. It is believed that men and Wolves would have worked together to capture Bison in small yards.

Plains Grizzly Bears were vitally important to First Nations people as they showed them what were the safest berries to eat. By watching bears graze people could determine what was safe and not poisonous to eat. Other local animals can consume berries that people cannot and thus watching them was not beneficial, the bears were needed for this.

In some regions beaver would have been utilised by First Nations and with the start of the fur trade the beaver numbers would have become limited. Individuals relying on this species for food and fur would have been effected. The introduction of the fur trade was the beginning of Metis people, who have family members who are both First Nation and European. Later the Metis people would attempt to go to war with the government over land, but be driven back to only small specific regions with the promise of quality education and services. Much of which people on Reserves are still awaiting.

Later with colonisation Bison were hunted to extinction. Where there were Bison there could not be crops and thus the Bison had to go. The photos that Greg was able to show me of Bison bones piled up throughout Saskatchewan were extraordinary. There were piles around Saskatchewan that were 15 metres high. The photo on the left was taken very near to where I am right now.

With the removal of Bison and the removal of native grasses across the plains erosion became a major issue and line after line of trees had to be planted by farmers to stop the top layer of soil and crop simply blowing away.

The introduction of fencing for crops and keeping domesticated cattle proved fatal for many small hooved animals, as most can travel at speed, but not get over the fences. They were easy prey for Wolves, until the Wolves were hunted to near extinction in many areas for consuming livestock.

There was vast amounts of information in the presentation that was actually cut-down slightly for me. I was really impressed that it did involve so much relevant, local Aboriginal perspective.

Day Ten

Day 10 - Steak Night with SUNTEP students from Saskatchewan University


The students invited me to their Steak Night during my visit to the university yesterday. This was a relaxed opportunity for me to gain some insight into their own school experiences. I asked why they had selected the SUNTEP course and many stated that they had actually met interns (teachers on internships as part of their final university practicum of 3 months) and those interns has inspired them to apply to do the course. Many of the students I met were from Saskatoon or only a short distance from the city. Many went to school where little to know Aboriginal cultural knowledge was shared in the classroom, but education was valued by their parents and they wanted to be at school.

They explained to me that in areas of high poverty in the city many Aboriginal students receive before and after school care at their schools and are fed at school. For them school is a safe place and they want to be there.

One student, later in the night and having been asked about this conference, was discussing the fact that she had been at a recruitment conference earlier in the day, where different school divisions were attempting to attract recent graduates. When they became aware that there were SUNTEP and ITEP graduates present they began stating that they had "150 First Nation Students"etc, but were not able to identify whether they had First Nation, Cree or Metis students and this was very offensive to SUNTEP graduates. They were then stating that they had recently taking on a Metis consultant, but were not able to identify her cultural background or her name. This was also viewed as offensive. I found this perspective very interesting, it does demonstrate what appears to be a lack of cultural knowledge and understanding within the education boards, which could perhaps stem from the dated educational backgrounds of the people running the boards? I think without the education I have received this week from being immersed in this culture I would not have understood what was offensive because of my own ignorance.

I was given a Metis Sash, these are specific to different family groups. Different families will have different colours and different weaves. They can be worn or used. A student explained to me yesterday that men took them when they went hunting and would place a knot everyday that they were away to help them to keep track of how long they had been out for. I will treasure it, it is a beautiful gift.

The students were also telling me tonight about traditional beading and weaving classes and groups that they have as social groups at the university. 

Day Nine

Day 9 - University of Saskatchewan with Jim Taylor

An amazing day! I had the opportunity to observe Jim's Science teaching methods class which is part of the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program (SUNTEP) and speak to his students about their backgrounds. ITEP and SUNTEP were developed following the release of the paper Indian Control of Indian Education which identified that Aboriginal educators were needed to improve the education of Aboriginal students.  Currently ALL students are required to gain an average of 70% in their school units to access courses at the University of Saskatchewan. There are approximately 100 students apply for positions in the SUNTEP and 25 are accepted each year. Students are to complete a written application form and are interviewed as part of the application process. Northern Teacher Education Program (NORTEP) is also offered to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. If students are a certain distance north than they can actually complete their studies away from the university and be provided with lectures in the northern part of Saskatchewan. I would describe these intensive schools as being like the residential schools that they have in Australia, except that the university goes to the students to encourage students to remain as teachers in their area, a fantastic idea. Students must have lived within their region for a minimum of 15 years to apply to complete the NORTEP.

I had the opportunity to observe Jim's Science methods class. In these sessions he shows students possible ways of delivering scientific content by modelling various teaching and learning activities. Each activity that he introduces also has an Aboriginal perspective. As part of the teaching process he also asks his students to suggest how they might bring an Aboriginal perspective to the task. For example he had students play a name the animal version of "Celebrity Heads" where students had the name of an animal typed onto cardboard and hooked to the back of their shirt using pipecleaner. Students can only ask each member of the class one question at a time to try and work out what the name of the native Canadian mammal or bird is. At the conclusion of the activity Jim asked students what else could they add to this activity and how could they bring an Aboriginal perspective to the task. Some suggested having students research Cree names of the animals, others suggested having students research what the animals were traditionally used for by Metis and others suggested having students look at spiritual connections and traditional stories connected to the animals. It was a wonderful way to encourage students to think outside of the square and consider how they might sequence and scaffold their own lessons to include an Aboriginal perspective.

Another example of an activity that I able to observe was "Bone and Toggle" a game introduced to the class by a student from Blackwater Lake in the Far North of Saskatchewan.

This student is Dene and speaks almost fluent Dene due to her background. Her grandfather made the Bone and Toggle so that she could show the class how the traditional game looks. Her husband killed the Caribou used to make it and her Grandfather constructed it by shaping each of the Caribou bones to size and using the Caribou hide to make the leather section at the base of the Bone and Toggle. The game works in a similar fashion to the ball and cup game, where children toss the ball that is attached to string and try to land it in the cup. In this game children or adults must toss the Caribou toe bones, metal disc and Caribou hide which is all threaded onto a piece of twine and catch it with a metal skewer. Each Caribou bone they skewer is worth 5 points, the disc is worth 50 points and the hide is worth 15 points. Simone' explained to us that you are required to gain 150 points within 10 tosses to win. It is very difficult!

This game is a traditional game and brings with it authentic, rich Aboriginal culture and history and would be valuable as a game in Mathematics lessons with addition and multiplication. Jim also asked the class how they might use this activity in a Science lesson, many stated that they would talk about Caribou, talk about the classification of the animal (both traditional and western), it's habitat and how it was used traditionally.

Students also looked at Hammer Stones, used in battle. This part of the lesson began with students standing in a circle, a rock (igneous) was passed around and each student had to begin by saying "No, thats my rock...." and giving a 20 second story of how, when and/or where they found the rock. It did not necessarily have to be scientific or traditional, it was just to get students to relax and be a little bit creative. Following this task Jim suggested that students could use the task to introduce cultural knowledge on geology. I think that it would be a great task to summarise what students have learnt about an object, where they provide a one sentence fact.

The Hammer Stones were shaped using other rocks and Jim suggested that he would link this traditional use to the rock cycle. I think that this would be very valuable task in Australia also where rocks and their traditional uses could then be mapped to the rock cycle based on the properties of the rock given their use. This would help students to better understand the rock cycle as it provides a context and relevance. They would be relating the way the rock looks and how it is made TO it's properties and what it was used for.

I had the opportunity to speak to Orest Murawsky the director of ITEP (Indian Teacher Education Program). He provided me with a model that the ITEP Team developed to explain the differences in the learning structure for traditional knowledge. The model explains that at university lecturers begin with knowledge, this is the base level. Students are able to provide instant recall of terms and concepts. When traditional knowledge is taught it begins with the Community Elders and through stories, ceremony, practice and application the traditional and cultural knowledge is developed.

I also spoke to Murray Hamilton Director of SUNTEP, he talked to me about the paper released in 1969 called Indian Control of Indian Education. The paper talked about the education of Aboriginal people in Canada and one of the outcomes of this paper was the development of teacher education courses for Aboriginal students, such that there would be Aboriginal teachers to provide education to Aboriginal students. Another significant topic brought out by this paper and still very relevant today is the need for Aboriginal students to have who they are affirmed in their education, with identity issues being a significant problem.

SUNTEP and ITEP courses have educated over 2000 Aboriginal teachers, many of these individuals are classroom teachers, consultants in schools or working in government education sectors.

There are Aboriginal schools, called community schools, but Murray explained that these schools have a stigma attached to them and many parents don't want to send their children and children do not want to go. However he stated that he does see a need for Aboriginal children to have the opportunity to be with other Aboriginal children and to learn their culture from Aboriginal teachers. He does not condone segregation and does support integration to an extent. I do not support segregation either and I do think that Aboriginal culture must be taught to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students in Australia (and other countries) as a means of changing the culture in schools and ultimately in our communities. Education can be used as a means to reduce racism and prejudice, but it must be done appropriately.

I think all students need be empowered and that all should have their self-confidence and self-esteem lifted at school. I think that perhaps Aboriginal students could have spiritual learning and leadership with traditional Elders, beyond the classroom. Maybe this is what Murray was suggesting. I found it a challenging conversation, I do think that we need to have more Aboriginal teachers in Australian schools and that our students would definitely benefit from more courses like ITEP and SUNTEP, but where will these students be coming from? I think that currently communities and schools are not working well enough together to get their young people through to Year 12. Not everyone wants to be a teacher, but I think that more Aboriginal people in our country need to have greater opportunities. Courses like NORTEP would be very valuable in Australia in helping to keep these people within their isolated communities, this way their understanding of the region is better and they are more likely to remain in the area and provide consistency for their students.

Day Eight

Day 8 - Setting up Further Meetings (and laundry.... had to be done!)

Today I spent the day making further contacts, especially following the information I was provided with on Saturday regarding the courses in education at the university in Saskatoon (University of Saskatchewan) that are offered only to Aboriginal students. I now have contact with Jim Taylor and Jeff Baker regarding these courses and I have contact with the education unit at Saskatoon Zoo who also deliver Indigenous perspectives to cover curriculum for teachers when they bring students to the park.

Day Seven

Day 7 - Meeting at Saskatoon Public Schools Office with First Nations, Inuit & Metis Educational Consultants Amy Basaraba and Darryl Isbister

Amy and Darryl have an immense work load in their roles as they are responsible for assisting 56 schools within the Saskatoon region.

We discussed the program that has been running now for 3 years. Teachers opt into the program and there have been between 20 and 30 teachers involved each year. I have been given a document called Culturally Responsive Schools Continuing the Learning Journey that introduces the aims, components  and describes the process to becoming culturally responsive. Right at the beginning of the year, prior to beginning the course teachers complete a questionnaire such that they can gauge where they are on a "Cross Cultural Competence Continuum". This continuum gives teachers a starting point such that they can set accurate goals for themselves in their learning throughout the course. It was found that if teachers chose to place themselves, prior to the development of the questionnaire, they were placing themselves higher up on the continuum and limiting their ability to adjust and grow.

Each year teachers are encouraged to begin their journey by engaging in 2 days of professional development, this is called Ignite and immerses the teachers in cultural understanding. Throughout the year teachers are provided with professional development to assist them in delivering local Indigenous knowledge through the curriculum. This professional development is delivered as interactive workshops, such that teachers are engaged in the tasks and are having the opportunity to be the learners as well as actually observing and learning how to deliver the content appropriately. Sometimes content is delivered on a shorter time-scale than it would be delivered in the classroom due to the time constraints of professional development days, but this is often the case and teachers would be able to easily adjust this time-scale difference once in the classroom environment.

Teachers also have the opportunity to complete Treaty Catalyst training, as in many circumstances the information teachers were given during their own education is inaccurate and extremely outdated. Amy and Darryl told me about an inquiry-based activity that they gave teachers during one professional development experience that involved teachers observing traditional artifacts and listing any questions they came up with regarding those artifacts, anything they felt that they would like to know. This inquiry-based approach was very successful with teachers very engaged in the task.

Darryl and Amy do have an immense region that they are responsible for, but they do make themselves available to schools to provide assistance in the delivery of traditional and cultural knowledge and understanding. They are available and have been into classrooms to assist with delivery of cultural knowledge. Amy stated that Elders and Knowledge Keepers are incredible resources and have amazing cultural knowledge and understanding and should be both respected and recognised through payment in the same way that teachers are, but because they do not hold a qualification that is identified in western culture they are not provided with any income for their guidance. I agree with her stance, it does seem wrong.