bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dance Workshop: Lismore
Authors: Stone C. 
Published: November 2015

The Workshop took place from the 15th to 22nd September, as part of Lismore’s September Festival. Our main activity in the Festival was teaching young Aboriginal children on missions and in schools.There were three dancers, Michael Leslie, Malcolm Cole and myself, along with our teacher, Lucy Jumawan, who attended the Festival. Our director, Carole Johnson joined us towards the end.It was also handled as a student teaching project of the Aboriginal/Islander Dance Training Course, since advanced dance students taught the children the dances under teacher supervision. Lucy Jumawan assisted us, the student teachers. She would watch us and sometimes started the class off with a few simple steps/movements, just to warm up and encourage a feeling of security and relaxation. Each of us had been taught certain dances to teach. While one person was teaching his or her dance, it would mean the other two would help and correct the children.
Current Initiatives with Year 8 Students at Yarrabah School
Authors: Schuurmans R. 
Published: November 2015

In January 1976, a course was started in Manual Training and Technical Drawing for Grade 8 students at Yarrabah. Our aim was to introduce all the basic tools and instruct students in the skills of carpentry to a degree where products would be strong, functional, and have some quality in their finish.During the first six months we worked from simple to more involved projects, items being made alternately for the school and the student. These included squares, bench clamps, T-squares, tool carry-alls, student ports and drawing tables. Girls were also involved but to a lesser degree.
The Aboriginal Child and Literacy in English
Authors: Boyd R.M. 
Published: November 2015

While it is important that Australian teachers are made aware of their failures in teaching many Aboriginals to master literacy (Salmond, 1977; Duncan, 1974) there is a danger of developing a general expectancy that children of Aboriginal descent will be poor performers at school. Resnick and Robinson (1974) emphasize the influence of parent and teacher expectations on the expectations of the children themselves. Teachers’ expectations are particularly important for Aboriginals learning academic skills at school. It is the teacher who can grade learning tasks to ensure the child gains success through his own personal effort, a fundamental experience if low expectations are to be raised (Gurin and Gurin, 1972).The purpose of this paper is to examine data from the ACER Literacy and Numeracy study of Australian 10 and 14 year olds in 1975, as it relates to the Aboriginals in the sample. On the basis of this evidence it should be possible to draw some conclusions about the successes and failures of Aboriginal pupils in reading and numeracy.
Value Orientations: Australian Studies
Authors: Massey D.R. 
Published: November 2015

As early as 1938 Elkin, discussing traditional Aboriginal society, maintained that Aborigines are orientated collectively, or place high value on the extended kin group (Barwick, 1964; Becket, 1964; Fink, 1964), see themselves as existing in harmony with nature and have no conception of time in the European sense, but live only for the present and remember the past as an integral part of the present. Most anthropologists tend to agree with such propositions. (p.288)But, are these same values held by non-tribal Aboriginals in contemporary Australia? Certainly conventional wisdom suggests that they are (Eckermann, 1973, p.470). Similarly, there is widespread acceptance of non-Aboriginal Australians as individualistic, future oriented, preferring ‘doing’ to ‘being’, and placing emphasis on mastery over nature (Binnion, 1976, p.34). Is this so?
Good Vision and the Teacher
Authors: Jaunay G.R. 
Published: November 2015

Most teachers of Aboriginal children are aware that to teach reading to their students they have to jump significant hurdles, some of which are so high they appear as barriers to progress along the learning trail. We are often faced with substantial hearing losses, and/or poor health. Often Aboriginal children’s motivation to improve is poor, because of their poor health. More often than not, response is poor, due to the home environment and attitude towards learning. Employment prospects must dampen much enthusiasm for learning. All these social and health factors are reasonably well documented and teachers are aware of their implications and program their teaching accordingly. However, taking into account all these factors, we still have non-achievement, in the field of reading in particular. Several children appear healthy – and this status has been confirmed by medical personnel – appear to be positively motivated with all the teacher and parental encouragement needed to succeed, and yet, despite significant remedial efforts, reading development is extremely slow and tedious. Why?Almost without exception we have found that the non-attaining Aboriginal children who for all intents and purposes should have been progressing, especially in reading, exhibited visual problems, most of which appear to stem from poor eye muscular control. These children have good sight, which is the ability to see, but lack good vision, which is the ability to use one’s sight correctly.If these problems are not overcome, then the sight will deteriorate, or most likely, in the case of Aboriginal children who have little inducement to excell in reading, the child will ‘give up’.
Report: The Armidale Aboriginal Education, Health and Welfare Conference, 1978
Authors: Cook T.E. 
Published: November 2015

The Armidale Aboriginal Education, Health and Welfare Conference, 1978, was held at Mary White College, University of New England, from Thursday, 30th November to Saturday, 2nd December, 1978. The conference was convened by Margaret Wells and Jane Purkiss, with the assistance of Ross Bell from Duval High School, Armidale. The conference was granted in-service status by the New South Wales Department of Education, and teachers attended from schools within North West Region. Academics and teachers, health and welfare workers attended and a large representation came from the Aboriginal community of Armidale.The conference, which was funded jointly by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the Armidale College of Advanced Education, dealt with : Aboriginal Teaching Assistants’ courses; Aboriginal housing; participation in decision making by Aboriginal communities; use of Aboriginal personnel; support for Aboriginal Health Centres; and District Aboriginal Education Committees. Workshops were also held on various aspects of Aboriginal education, health and welfare.Key speakers at the conference included Professor Colin Tatz, Professor of Politics, University of New England, who discussed various aspects of race relations and their relevance to the classroom, and Stephen Albert, Chairman of the National Aboriginal Education Committee, who outlined guidelines which have been formulated by the Committee on Aboriginal education, and have been distributed for comment. They recommend that Aboriginal community members be included in decision making in areas concerning Aboriginal education. The Committee also recommends that local Aboriginal Education Committees, all Aboriginal in membership, be established for advisory and consultative purposes. Local District Aboriginal Education Committees would also have an advisory function for the National Aboriginal Education Committee.
Children’s Attitudes Towards Aborigines: An Interim Report
Authors: Chambers B. 
Published: November 2015

The proliferation of Aboriginal Studies, as a formal component of teacher education programs, has been variously met with praise and criticism by educators. The financial, educative and ethical aspects of this proliferation have caused such bodies as the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies (AIAS) to look closely at the outcomes of such courses. The variability of stated objectives, coupled with a reluctance by individual institutions to evaluate their own courses, has prevented any overall evaluation from a cognitive stance. Implicit in each course, however, are affective aims (sometimes wishes) that students will become more tolerant, sympathetic or positive in their attitudes towards Aborigines and, that those attitudes will be maintained and conveyed to the pupils they teach. Whether or not these are actual outcomes of Aboriginal Studies courses is a question that was chosen for exploration by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, in a three-year project located at Armidale College of Advanced Education.As the study is essentially a longitudinal one, the focus of this paper is on the attitudes towards Aborigines of 100 primary children aged from six to nine years. Where it is relevant, the relationship between the teachers’ and pupils’ attitudes is discussed but in general, only the methodology of testing teacher attitudes is reported, as it is too early to say whether or not there is a causal relationship and whether or not it can be demonstrated. However, it is already apparent that the use, misuse or neglect of affective strategies in an Aboriginal Studies course affects both teachers’ and pupils’ attitudes towards Aborigines. This factor similarly affects the teacher’s predisposition, and competency, to teach about Aborigines in the classroom.
Aboriginal Sunday
Authors: Albert S. 
Published: November 2015

This is the twenty-third year in which a special day for Aboriginal Australians has been organised. Pastor Doug Nichols (now Sir Douglas Nichols) held the first Aboriginal Sunday at his small chapel in Fitzroy, Melbourne in 1957. His original intention was to publicise and aim for recognition of the prior-ownership by Aborigines of Australia.Aboriginal Sunday has now become National Aborigines Week (July 9–15), with Friday, July 13, designated National Aborigines Day this year.A National Aborigines Day Observance Committee (NADOC) from Melbourne co-ordinates events, ranging from a Ball at the Lakeside International Hotel, Canberra, to displays by local schools around this year’s theme, What About Our Kids?This article looks at changes in the educational area, and asks the question, “Where to now?”
Darwin Trip: 22nd April – 8th May, 1979
Authors: Davison D. 
Published: November 2015

We departed from Sydney on Sunday, 22nd April, at 9.05 a.m. The trip was via Adelaide, where we arrived at 10.55 a.m. It was a fine day but very cold. We had to wait more than two hours for our connecting flight to Darwin, stopping over at Alice Springs.The children were all so excited; for some, it was their first trip by plane and it was one, I’m sure, they will all remember. We arrived, finally, in Darwin at 5.15 p.m. E.S. Time. We almost passed out from the heat; it was 36°C.Mr Silvey and John Killen met us at the airport. They brought some of the students from Kormilda College with them. We arrived at Kormilda College with enough time to be shown our quarters then we had to rush to dinner.The college occupies a large section of ground. They have two huge complexes which house the students, an administration block, school buildings, a theatrette, a large library, donated by Rolf Harris, a canteen, and a very large modern dining room which is situated in the centre. There is a modern clinic with a full-time nursing sister. The matron of the college has residence there also. There is a large stock-room, a laundry, and for recreation the college has a huge sporting complex. This consists of two football ovals, a swimming pool, two tennis courts, basketball courts and a couple of volley-ball courts. At the northern end of the grounds there is a large portion set aside for gardening implements. Kormilda College has a driving-school also, and the students can actually get their drivers’ licences from the college.
Aboriginal Home Visitor Program in Swan Hill
Authors: Pattenden J. 
Published: November 2015

Some Aboriginal children come to school with skills that are different from those obtained by most middle-class children. This means that they are disadvantaged for several years in the present education system. Many of these children have little experience of reading, writing, standard English, both written and spoken, and the use of books. Since the school is based on this form of learning, their ability to achieve is severely handicapped.Many Aboriginal families use different linguistic styles and approaches and this means the children must learn a new area of language before they can begin school learning. The Aboriginal Consultative Group to the Schools Commission, 1975, has said:
The child should nevertheless be educated in such a way that he is able to function successfully in both his own culture and the wider Australian Society if he so desires.To this end, there needs to be some work done in the area of school preparation even if it is mainly communication with the parents and an opportunity for the parents to gain a wider knowledge of the school system. Hopefully, this may lead to greater confidence in the parents’ own ability to cope with the system and an attempt by the parents to prepare their own children without destroying their Aboriginality.
Parent Counselling
Authors: Krista J.H. 
Published: November 2015

The main objectives of the parent counselling program are:
1.To come to know parents of learning problem children at our school on an informal basis.2.To show parents what is happening at the school, so that they become familiar and conversant with what is happening.3.To develop in the parents feelings that they are involved, in fact, by involving them.4.To get the parents involved in areas concerning the schooling of their children.5.To get students motivated and co-operating at school.6.To show parents how they can help their children both in direct and indirect terms, for example, by helping them complete a maths problem and by giving them encouragement.
Aboriginal Studies at an Aboriginal College?
Authors: Phillips A. , Lister R. 
Published: November 2015

One of the criticisms voiced against Aboriginal Residential Colleges such as Yirara is that we “take the students away from their culture”. I don’t necessarily agree with this comment for a number of reasons.Aspects of life at Yirara suggest to me that male and female students who attend could in fact be exposed to more traditional Aboriginal culture than they would normally experience at home. This, of course, applies to some communities more than to others.Yirara College is in its second year of conducting an Aboriginal Studies course for its students. During this course students have the opportunity ofa) Learning to read and write their own language.b) Learning traditional and contemporary Aboriginal skills.c) Learning about other non-Centralian Aboriginal groups and native peoples from other cultures.
Schools Do Make a Difference, But…!
Authors: Lingard R. 
Published: November 2015

Professor Watts’ (1980) review article ofFifteen Thousand Hours: Secondary Schools and Their Effects on Childrenwas a welcome, optimistic view of the positive effect schools can have on pupils. It was particularly welcome for the optimistic view that teachers and schools can achieve something in the area of Aboriginal education. Watts reviewed this book against the background reality that many teachers of Aboriginescome to feel that there is little the schools can do to help Aboriginal children learn; that the problems are so great that until there is a considerable improvement in the socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions of Aboriginal people, particularly in the urban and rural areas where the people do not follow a tradition-oriented life, there is little the schools can do.(Watts, 1980:3)While accepting Watts’ view, I will argue that an overly optimistic view of the possibilities of schooling for Aboriginal children can be just as debilitating as the pessimistic view that broader structural inequalities such as poverty, poor housing, poor health have to be redressed before teachers and schools can achieve anything. To this extent it will be argued that teachers need to be positive about what they and schools can achieve. Teachers need to be aware of the specific ways in which schools can make a difference.15,000 Hours…outlines some of these.
Working as Teacher Aides at Murgon State High
Authors: Mathieson M. , Landers A. , Costello B. 
Published: November 2015

Cherbourg is situated on the Barambah Creek, about 300 km north west of Brisbane. The area of the reserve is approximately 4,000 hectares, adjoining 11,000 hectares of state forest. Cherbourg is 5 km from the township of Murgon and is the third largest Aboriginal settlement in Queensland.Since 1973 Aboriginal teacher aides have been employed at Murgon High School in a variety of roles. Our jobs have included supervision in various classes and playground, helping small groups of students, resource work (cutting, stapling, cataloguing various materials for teachers), but our most important job is working on behalf of the Aboriginal students, with parents, council, principal and staff. This is part of our liaison work. This year there are about 100 Aboriginal students attending the high school in Murgon.During 1979, with the help of some staff teachers, we worked on producing two booklets for teachers new to Murgon High. The first booklet, Cherbourg, looks at early history, facilities, industries and employment, as well as entertainment, places to visit and some of the local foods. We gathered information from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, as well as from interviewing people at home and at work. We also discussed a lot of ideas at our meetings, held three times a week. Bevan learned to use the S.LR camera, as well as to develop the photos, so he could look after the photographic aspect of the booklets. Students contributed written ideas and sketches.
Petrol Sniffing II: What Some Communities Have Done About It
Authors: Brady M. 
Published: November 2015

One way of trying to understand why children sniff petrol is to look at the ‘good’ things (from their point of view) they experience. Ask the question, “What problems are solved by this sniffing?”Reading through the reports from different communities in Australia, and also in other countries, and talking to people in Aboriginal communities in South Australia, I noted some problems. There might be hunger. Some people think that sniffing petrol makes children forget about being hungry, and they notice that children who sniff a lot are very thin. There might be loneliness and feeling left out of things. When children sniff, they usually do it together in a group, and have fun together. They get ‘strong’ enough to take no notice of what their relatives and white people say. They get ‘strong’ enough to do things they would not normally do – like breaking into houses or the store, or ‘testing’ themselves against teachers or other people in authority. There might be boredom. When children sniff, they have exciting or frightening pictures in their minds, and they feel as if they can ‘travel around’in their head and visit other places. There might be worry. Children worry about family things (such as whether they have someone to care for them and make sure they have enough food and blankets), or about growing up and the future (what will happen to them if their relatives die; what will they do when they finish school?)By sniffing petrol and feeling ‘high’ some of these problems are alleviated; there is excitement and stimulation; hunger is forgotten; the fun of being ‘different’ and having a group of friends who do the same thing makes up for being left out and being hit by older people. They can travel around in their heads and see lots of new things.
Working as Teacher Aides at Mount Isa
Authors: Turner M. , Munns L. 
Published: November 2015

We would like to share with others our role as Aboriginal teacher aides at Healy State School, Mount Isa.The administrative staff of the school has encouraged us to keep our roles and timetables very flexible. Our timetable changes as the needs of the Aboriginal children change within the school.The Aboriginal population at school is 16%. Half of these children come under the heading of ‘assimilated Aboriginals’.The suburb of Healy was built by the Mount Isa mining company for sale to mine employees. The Aboriginal children from these homes have equal housing and their parents have no trouble ‘fitting in’. They are accepted on their own worth along with children from first and second generation migrant families. These children could be called success stories but we see them as the result of equal opportunities.Close to our school we have the ‘camping area’. These are the children we mainly work with in Reading and Maths. Within this area we have found two distinct groups. Families who say ‘I never had much schooling, so I always send the kids’, and families who see no benefit in schooling. From the first group children come on a regular basis and we are able to help individual members of the family to catch up and return to ordinary classroom activities, or keep them learning at a different level. The other group from this area do not see the benefits of school and have heavy social problems. Consequently we have a truancy problem with their children.
Evaluation Guidelines for Aboriginal Studies Courses
Authors: Catchpole M. 
Published: November 2015

A number of issues critical to Aboriginal Studies Courses are extrapolated from the literature. These issues are expressed as questions important for evaluators of Aboriginal Studies Courses to ask. They may also be seen as guidelines for the construction of Aboriginal Studies Courses. In conclusion, a summary of the developed guidelines is presented.The Commission of Inquiry into Poverty (1975:183) reported of Aborigines and Islanders:
…they stand in stark contrast to the general Australian society, and also to other ethnic groups whether defined on the basis of race, nationality, birthplace, language or religion. They probably have the highest death rate, the worst legal status of any identifiable section of the Australian population.The National Aboriginal Education Committee (1980:4) notes that the Australian Schools Commission Report (1975) adds that they also have the least schooling. With this in mind the NAEC, in its policy statement on Aboriginal Education (1980:3), says:
Since 1788 the Aborigines of Australia have been subjected in varying degrees to an authoritarian system which has rationalised their dispossession from the land, and deprecated their cultures. This dispossession forced indigenous people from their land and from the source of their own rich cultural background and uniqueness.