Literacy 

Indigenous Literacy Day

On Wednesday, September 2nd Australia acknowledged Indigenous Literacy Day. A special event was held at 2pm on this day that involved Jessica Maulboy and Andy Griffiths.  While we were unable to attend this event live, your child might like to view the event here:

It goes for 35 minutes and includes two songs performed by Jessica Maulboy.

Indigenous Literacy Day holds a special place in my heart because I used to spend 2 weeks of every year in a little place called Milikapiti in the Tiwi Islands. I would take a group of Year 6 students with me and we would help out in the local primary school and experience life in the community. In turn, a few of the students at Milikapiti primary school would then come to Melbourne to visit us and experience Melbourne life. Who was chosen to visit Melbourne was based on who attended school regularly (truancy was a big problem) and who tried hard at school. 

During this time, I saw the gap in literacy and numeracy learning between the students in the Tiwi islands and Victorian students. I also, however, saw enthusiastic learners who wanted to share their knowledge and culture with me and my students. 

With the current remote learning situation, we were unable to hold a book swap or support the cause in another manner. I would say, however, that one of the most powerful ways to inspire change is to raise awareness. For our students, developing empathy and an awareness of the issues surrounding Indigenous literacy is important. It also gives them (and us) the opportunity to experience gratitude for the opportunities and resources we have.

Crane Nation Magazine

 A new free online magazine for students in Victoria has just been launched. This magazine (designed specifically for students experiencing lockdown) is most suitable for students from Year 3-6 and includes interviews, games, activity ideas and more. See the links below for access to the magazine.