Stories in the Stars- CREATING LIFE LONG CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY THROUGH BUSH KINDER Acknowledgment of Country

 I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we are today, and their Elders past and present, and to acknowledge the Boorong people of the language group on whose country I live and work, and the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjal, Jupagalk and Wergaia people for their generous sharing of knowledge both in the past, the present and the future, for which without I would not be able to do this presentation today. Our Children, Our Community The socio-cultural context of Sea

Sea Lake Socio- Cultural Context of

 Economy is based around agriculture, education and health care

 Population of approximately 600 people

 People from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds but on the whole not a wealthy area

 Average weekly income in 2011 was $710, average mortgage was $650/month and average weekly rent is $75.

 86% of people living in Sea Lake were born in , with the majority of those born overseas being born in England (this reflects the age demographic too, with a lot of older residents being 10 pound Poms)

 0.7 percent of the population identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. Socio Cultural Context of Sea Lake

 We LOVE sport! Football, netball, hockey, tennis, cricket, off road buggy racing, water skiing, motor bike racing, swimming- our children love to move!

 We have a high rate of volunteerism- one of the highest in the state. Its what people do in their spare time! Our - Lake Tyrrell Our Lakes- Lake Tyrrell Our Lakes- Green Lake Sea Lake Kindergarten

 18 four year old enrolments

 4 three year old enrolments

 Operate 15 hours over 3 days with an extra 1.5 hours of wrap around care being offered in conjunction with 3 year old kinder on two days.

 My position is job shared with and we have a wonderful co-educator as well as a KIS support worker this year. The Start of our Bush Kinder Journey The Stories of the Boorong Why Boorong Stories?

 Local

 Reference local animals, flora and seasonal changes

 Have an identifiable “moral” or purpose to them

 Simple to retell

Importance of oral story telling in Indigenous cultures

 Oral storytelling allowed Aboriginal people to record vast amounts of knowledge

 It was passed down generationally

 Shared knowledge of animals- species, physical features, behaviour, links to food and plants

 Encoded in song, dance, story and place- METHOD OF LOCI

 Star maps and songlines Oral Story telling

 Oral story telling forces you to reflect on how you convey a message.

 How is the language you use different to when you read a book?

 How do you use your body when you don’t have a book to hold?

 How do you engage with the other person?

 What strategies do you use to remember important parts of the story? Our First Family Star Night- 2012 Family Star Gazing Night- Lake Tyrrell, 2012

Family Star Gazing Night- Lake Tyrrell 2012

Family Star Gazing Night 2012 Star Gazing @ Green Lake 2013 Our First Bush Kinder- 2014

Our First Bush Kinder- 2014 Bush Kinder 2015 Bush Kinder 2015 Bush Kinder 2015- working with Barenji Gadjin Land Council Bush Kinder 2015- our first published work Bush Kinder 2016- creating stronger links with Barenji Gadjin. Bush Kinder 2016 Bush Kinder 2016 Bush Kinder 2016 Bush Kinder 2016- our second published book Bush Kinder 2016- our second published book Bush Kinder- going forward Life long connections to the land and area Take Home Messages

 Know your local area, local Indigenous stories, local flora and fauna and local landmarks and areas of important native vegetation.

 Embed local stories and language into the curriculum- not just for NAIDOC week or Reconciliation week

 Get to know your local Aboriginal groups- it may take time but look at ways to break down barriers: time, distance, cost

 Don’t be afraid to develop your programs over time- add things and change things over the year,

 There is no “right” was to do Bush Kinder (or any Kinder*)- it works best when it reflects your local community, their needs and their story

 *so long as you meet regulatory and statutory requirements! Take home messages

 Don’t be afraid to incorporate authentic Aboriginal perspectives into your curriculum, but constantly reflect and improve on what you do. Be open to others perspectives on how things can be done with respect and consideration.

 Remember Aboriginal Culture is diverse and highly regional- what is appropriate for one group may not be always be appropriate. It’s okay to get it wrong, but when you know better, do better.

 Don’t underestimate the power of oral storytelling in developing memory and encoding knowledge… in all areas of the curriculum. Resources/ References

 EMAIL: [email protected]

 Instagram @sea_lake_early_years

 Boorong night skies

 www.museumvictoria.com.au/media/1860/stories-in-the-stars.pdf

 www.ivelystories.com/2017/06/boorong-skies

 www.trove.nla.gov.au/version/9694262

 www.mmnet.com.au/Australian_landscape_photos/write/Stanbridge.pdf

 Embedding ATSI Cultures in EC Education and Care

 www.sjiec.org/blog/acknowledging-and-embedding-aboriginal-and-and-torres-strait-islander-cultures-into-ece

 www.hawaiiipublicradio.org/post/hawai-i-creates-worlds-first-elthnomathematics-program

 www.mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-04/bush-tucker-bible-cataloguing--unique-food -products/8676294

 Songlines: The indigenous memory code- All In the Mind Podcast. www.abc.net.au

 Song