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Catholic Education – Diocese of Cairns promotes and supports the unique and diverse cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, their parents and communities. Through the development of quality relationships between child, teacher and parents, the uniqueness and giftedness of each student is appreciated and valued.
Our school programs recognise and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander calendar events such as NAIDOC week, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, Mabo Day, Reconciliation Week, Coming of the Light, and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday, National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Sunday, International Day of World’s Indigenous People and Harmony Day.
Our schools focus on the holistic growth and development of each student, by recognising and affirming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in a faith based, welcoming, caring, relaxed learning environment. Our Catholic school environments promote a sense of belonging and development spiritually, physically, socially, emotionally and academically. We recognise the great cultural diversity among families and communities and value information and insight in how to integrate cultural diversity into the curriculum.
As we welcome those who seek to share our life, the number of indigenous students in our schools has shown a steady increase over the last five years. School communities endeavour to communicate current educational trends in a culturally appropriate and effective manner, and provide ongoing assistance in developing understanding with families.
Our curriculum acknowledges and enhances Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture by allowing the students to develop a positive self-esteem and grow to their full potential. Our schools aim to maximise the student’s understanding of their own cultural tradition as well as a wider context, providing access to a range of life choices and career paths.
Indigenous student learning outcomes are maximised through IESIP – Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Programmes. This overarching program comprises a number of smaller programs which are designed to improve outcomes set out in the National Goals for Indigenous Education, set by the Australian Government and the Dept of Education Science and Training. Tutoring is available to facilitate the improvement in literacy and numeracy and improve the retention rate through to higher grades.
Indigenous Liaison Officers are employed at our schools where there is a larger population of indigenous students. These officers facilitate good communication between the school and the home community. Through sponsorship of Indigenous employees within our schools, we seek to provide positive role models for the students in our school communities.
Professional Learning is ongoing for staff in our schools, and workshops for parents and carers of indigenous children are offered in our schools.
Some of the programs currently being used in our schools:
Successful Learning in the Early Years is a set of three workshops on how young indigenous children learn, learn to read, and learn to write. It aims to increase and improve indigenous parents’ understanding of student learning in the first eight years of their children’s life, and increase indigenous parents’ and carers’ knowledge of how young children learn, learn to read and learn to write.
Walking Talking Texts is a teaching framework for organising, planning, teaching, learning and assessment of English as a second language.
Bandscales for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Learners are used to monitor reading, writing, speaking and listening developments of indigenous students.
Making the Jump is a resource for teaching English to indigenous students. It provides teachers an understanding of languages involved and strategies for the teaching of Standard Australian English (SAE).
Indigenous Youth Leadership Program is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Employment, Science and Training. It provides scholarships to indigenous secondary students, mainly from remote locations, with access to educational opportunities.
What Works
A program for teachers and administration used to improve outcomes for indigenous students.
Our Catholic schools provide supportive classrooms and school environments that encourage all students in diverse learning and support their individual needs. |
