Molesworth Street Kindergarten

From Audrey, Rachel, Amy and Sakoon, Early Childhood teachers

National Reconciliation Week at Molesworth Street Kindergarten

National Reconciliation Week was marked by each of the 4 groups in our Kindergarten.

The Grass Parrot Group (Thursday/Friday mixed 3 and 4 year old group) centered our learnings around Adam Goodes' book "Somebody's Land", the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags and the song "Bunjil the Eagle". 

While we read "Somebody's Land" we used dolls and other props to act out the story of colonisation.  The book, dolls and props were then set up as an activity so that the children could spend time on their own consolidating what we had learned together.  A few of the children were indignant that the land could be considered Terra Nullius or Nobody's land given what we had learned about Aboriginal life.

Our kindergarten classrooms and foyer display the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags, so we took this opportunity to discuss what the colours and symbols represent.  The children used collage, and paint to make their own indigenous flags; which now decorate our classrooms, foyer and the children's homes.

On Friday afternoon, the Grass Parrot children joined with the Rosella group to sing "Bunjil the Eagle" together under a blue North Melbourne sky; holding hands, clapping, stretching our arms into soaring Bunjil wings and tapping the country to end the song.  A positive and communal way to end our National Reconciliation Week.

To continue our learning beyond the week,  we are leading our children to think deeply about the part of our daily Acknowledgement of Country where we pledge to look after the plants, animals and people.  The children's words are being placed on paper hearts and then decorated by the children.  These now form a display that greet you as you step out of the lift onto Level 5.