Aboriginal Education

At Raymond Terrace Public School, we recognise the importance for all students to have authentic opportunities to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their histories. For this reason, we teach Indigenous perspectives across all our key learning areas, all year long. We also acknowledge, recognise, and commemorate many special days that are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Reconciliation Week: 27th May to 3rd June

During this week the entire school is reminded of both the meaning and the importance of reconciliation in Australia. Specifically, we recognise that reconciliation is an ongoing process that previous generations of Australians fought hard for, and we must continue to strive for if we want to foster the opportunity for respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, thus creating a strong, supportive country that everyone can be proud of.

For more information on Reconciliation Week please visit: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/ 

National Sorry Day: 26th May

National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’. On this day, we encourage students to reflect on the historical injustices faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and consider the intergenerational trauma on families and communities. We offer opportunities, both on this day and throughout the school year, for students to consider the impact of European settlement and the events that followed, on Indigenous culture.

For more information on Sorry Day please visit: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-sorry-day-2020/ 

At Raymond Terrace Public School, we have begun to implement the 8 Ways of Learning. In upcoming months, you will begin to see symbols around our school and in our classrooms, as we gradually introduce these processes into our teaching and learning opportunities, conversations, and experiences.

By including these practices, the entire school is creating a more inclusive environment that acknowledges indigenous ways of valuing, ways of being, ways of knowing, and ways of doing. These eight ways, as listed below, are not only culturally inclusive but also benefit every child in every classroom.

1.  Story Sharing: We connect through the stories we share.

2.  Learning Maps: We picture our pathways of knowledge.

3.  Non-Verbal: We see, think, act, make, and share without words.

4.  Symbols and Images: We keep and share knowledge with art and objects.

5.  Land Links: We work with lessons from land and nature.

6.  Non-Linear: We put different ideas together and create new knowledge.

7.  Deconstruct Reconstruct: We work from wholes to parts, watching, and then doing.

8.  Community Links: We bring new knowledge home to help our mob.

Raymond Terrace Public School already has and is working to improve their many cultural spaces. For example, upon entering our school gates you may have noticed our Acknowledgement of Worimi Country.

Then, just past our school office and near Candyland, we also have our cultural poles and handprint art.

Down closer to our cultural room, an outdoor cultural space is being developed! Watch this space.

Further down, towards our back oval, we also have some x-ray animal art on our toilet block. Students and teachers have worked collaboratively designing and painting this space.

 Many of our indigenous students in years four to six have participated in the Kreative Koalas project. Last year's design looks amazing as you can see. Luckily, this year we will have the opportunity to keep our Koala. It will be an addition to our new outdoor cultural space.