Education Views > Volume 17 - Number 6 >

Indigenous success every day

Page 8 Vol. 17, No. 6, July 2008 (by Carmel Carrick)

While schools across Queensland mark NAIDOC Week from July 6-13 with special events and activities, they also celebrate, respect and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and culture throughout the year.

Wynnum North State High School acting principal David Munn said Indigenous achievements were celebrated every day at his school. "We have taken the information from the department's Indigenous strategic plan and built it into our programs so that every student is learning and achieving through partnerships," Mr Munn said.

"It's our professional responsibility to deliver education that meets our students' needs so we are flexible with timetables, use every avenue in the community we can and have long-term projects.

"We use a range of programs to unlock the potential of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and prepare them for their future beyond their school years."

Programs include well-attended after-school tutoring sessions, developing parental involvement, before-school learning enhancement, breakfast mornings, individual action plans, Cooperation, Trust and Challenge (CTC), literacy and numeracy support teaching, youth counsellors and embedding Indigenous culture in the curriculum, especially in Years 8 and 12.

Community liaison officer Teena Magill, who runs the school's Indigenous programs, said students learning traditional Indigenous games from local community leaders Reinhard Gmeinder and John Thaiday had been boosted by their involvement.

"Fifteen Year 10-12 students are also participating in a course run by Passaustralia where they gain a coaching traineeship. "These senior students are teaching sporting skills to the students from Prep-Year 7 at Wynnum West State School as part of the program."

At Northern Beaches State High School, 15km north of Townsville, the focus is on individual care for individual students.

Principal David Morris said the school targeted specific groups, including Indigenous students, to make sure their needs were met and worked to develop an inclusive approach.

"We have done some significant work in the past couple of years that has led to greater success for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students," Mr Morris said."

"Since we have increased our community education counsellor's time from one to two-and-a-half days, we have had a bigger impact."

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students also feel they have a greater voice in school decisionmaking since we added two elected Indigenous representatives to the student leadership council."

"Teachers have built strong relationships with the students so they feel more confi dent and trusting at school."

Mr Morris said student surveys showed Indigenous students now had a higher opinion of the school and were attending in higher numbers.

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