Resilience - I can. Relationships - I care. Reflection - Now I see.
Developing a
Reconciliation Action Plan By Joan Gill, Director of Student Wellbeing Grounded in Truth. Walk together with Courage. This is the theme for Reconciliation Week 2019. It is strikingly synchronous with our own creed, Be of Courage, which we have chosen to reiterate in our Vision for Reconciliation: Our school motto, Be of Courage: This is the way to the stars, reminds us that our reconciliation journey requires the courage to look at the past openly and honestly and by acknowledging the injustices perpetrated against our First Nation’s Peoples, our shared pathway into the future will be strengthened. The Geelong College also recognises that as a school, we are in a unique and privileged position to educate our young people toward a reconciled Australia that aims for unity, equity and equality. We are committed to providing equal opportunities to both our Indigenous and non-Indigenous students as we aspire for them to find their place in a future which values their unique contribution to a diverse, inclusive and cohesive society. The College journey towards reconciliation is predicated on this challenge to have the courage to question, to be prepared to learn, unlearn and relearn. A Reconciliation Action Plan is a formal statement of commitment to reconciliation. Its formulation at College is led by a working group of 28 volunteers, from both our Teaching and Business Operations staff, who share a deep commitment to advance the work we are doing in this area. For the working group, this commitment is both personal and professional.
We are also fortunate to draw upon the expertise of Indigenous parents who have been instrumental in guiding our vision. When we asked them what their expectations were of College in educating their children, here were some of the responses: •
Children need to have a good education as strong proud Aboriginals who hold their own; they will have exposure to good literacy and numeracy programs as well as the arts; I want the teachers to be able to connect with their strengths and use that to create leadership opportunities.
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I want the teachers to acknowledge the children’s emotional needs and the extent of trauma that is common in their lives.
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It should be natural that our children know the truth not as an add-on subject but to weave Indigenous perspectives throughout the curriculum.
As a road map for the future, Reconciliation Australia requires us to work within a framework. We are expected to meet at least 14 designated actions across the fields of Relationships, Respect and Opportunities – in the classroom, around the school and within the community. The RAP development process is arguably as important as the document itself. We open every meeting with a quiet contemplation based on the Aboriginal practice Dadirri (deep listening). We sit in a circle and take the time to listen to each other’s stories. In this, we aim to be respectful of Aboriginal practice. We have learnt that the process of developing the RAP will take as long as it takes. At this stage of development, we are very appreciative of the RAP developed by our Early Learning team, which was ratified in 2018 by Reconciliation Australia. Finally, I would like to pay tribute to the work of Jane Leyshon, our Indigenous Student Support Teacher, who has transformed the way we work in this space.
Staff members from across the College have volunteered to form a Reconciliation Action Plan working group.
10 Ad Astra Issue No 136
