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.