Siobhan:

I'd like to acknowledge that this episode of TeachCast was recorded on the homelands of the Darug people. I'd like to pay respect to Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples listening to TeachCast today.

Opening Credits:

Welcome to TeachCast, a podcast by teachers for teachers. I'm Shannon, and I'm Siobhan.

Shannon:

Hi everyone. Welcome back to TeachCast. We're so excited today because we have Halle joining us on the couch. Halle is a proud Dharawal woman and she teaches as a primary school teacher in a NSW public school on the traditional lands of the Dharawal people. So, thank you so much for joining us today, Halle.

Halle:

Thank you for having me. Very excited to be here.

Shannon:

Halle is going to tell us a little bit about what it means to create a culturally safe classroom. So, Halle, we might, I'll throw to Siobhan because we've got a little activity.

Siobhan:

Yes, before we kick off, we like to do a bit of teacher, This or That. So, I'll give you two options. You pick your favourite. No pressure if you like both equally, but we do like to share our own as well and give a bit of a justification behind it. So, first question is, do you prefer teaching literacy or numeracy in your classroom?

Halle:

Oh, literacy. Easy. Yes, literacy.

Siobhan:

I'm an English teacher, so like the only possible answer for me is literacy.

Shannon:

Yeah, okay, that’s, obviously you have a bias there.

Siobhan:

I chime in for Shannon and I already know what hers is.

Shannon:

Go on.

Siobhan:

Three, two, one, numeracy.

Shannon:

She's right. She's right. And I often like to share my story, is that, no, I found maths challenging as a child, as a student myself, so, I think part of being a teacher, I was quite determined to make mathematics fun and bring it to life. I think that was something that was really important to me, so numeracy is very close to my heart.

Halle:

That's nice.

Siobhan:

Okay, Kindy or Year 6?

Halle:

Oh, I'd say Year 6.

Siobhan:

Okay.

Halle:

Yes. Yeah no, it's interesting. A long time ago, I would've said Kindy. I did teach, I had Year 5 for a prac last year and I actually loved them, and that's close to Year 6, so I've never had Year 6, but I'd probably say Year 6, yeah.

Shannon:

Yeah. Once you do have Year 6,

Halle:

Yeah.

Shannon:

people, it's really funny because you get to do all of the end of year experiences, like you're doing all of their lasts. It's their last year of primary school. So, there's a lot of like first but last moments in Year 6 that are really special for you to share with your students, so I would align to Year 6 as well. And for you, 7 or 12?

Siobhan:

I like them both equally.

Shannon:

Oh.

Siobhan:

Each have their strengths, yeah.

Shannon:

Okay.

Siobhan:

Yeah, I really like the early onset connection that you can get with the year sevens, but then I also really appreciate the strong bond that you have seeing a Year 12 class through and seeing them out the door and then later on, like four years later, they're up the street they’re like, 'Miss, how are you?' They're full grown human with a job and

Shannon:

Fully-fledged adult.

Siobhan:

That's right, that's right. Okay, PSSA or school sport?

Halle:

Oh, probably PSSA, I would say. I did grow up as a netballer,

Shannon:

Okay.

Halle:

So, yeah. And I like a bit of competition, so

Shannon:

Yeah, nice.

Halle:

Yeah. Yeah, I like PSSA. Yeah.

Siobhan:

My like little cousin used to think that there was a person in the school called Peter Blasse. Like Peter, first name Peter, last name Blasse.

Halle:

Okay.

Shannon:

Aww.

Siobhan:

So when she, everyone's like, 'We're going to PSSA', she used to think like, 'Who's Peter Blasse and where are we going?'

Halle:

Oh.

Shannon:

It's so funny also how we've rolled it into, like, P-double S-A. Why not P-S-S-A? And for those playing at home, what does PSSA stand for?

Siobhan:

You're the primary school teacher. You can take that one.

Halle:

Oh. Yeah.

Shannon:

Primary School Sports Association.

Siobhan:

Yeah.

Shannon:

And how it works is, not all schools participate in PSSA, but typically you verse schools in your area. You know, it gives an opportunity for students who try out for those sports. Like maybe they wanna do netball or cricket or something like that, and they can go and verse other schools, typically on a Friday, depending on like grounds, et cetera, what's available, but it's a really cool opportunity for those students who thrive in that sporting environment.

Halle:

Yeah, yeah. For sure, yes.

Siobhan:

Another subject-related one.

Halle:

Okay.

Siobhan:

History or geography?

Halle:

Probably history for me. Is this like teaching these subjects?

Siobhan:

Yeah.

Halle:

Yes, yeah, yeah. Yes, I find history very interesting. I think the kids find it really interesting, and yeah, I don't know, I just, yeah, history is, yeah. I've always liked history as a student as well though, so, yeah.

Shannon:

It helps.

Siobhan:

Mine's geography because one year, I got to teach a full semester of Year 9 geography.

Shannon:

Best semester of your life.

Siobhan:

So, bringing my skillset out and diversifying it, and teaching latitude and longitude, and all the fun things.

Shannon:

Oh, yeah.

Siobhan:

Yeah, sustainable biomes.

Shannon:

Okay.

Siobhan:

Shout out nine geography red for putting up with me that year.

Shannon:

I'd have to say history. I did modern and ancient at high school and I also loved teaching history. And I didn't originally grow up in Australia, so I think for me, I didn't get that primary school history, like in my schooling as a student, so now that I get to teach it. It was really funny in my first year of teaching, I was like, 'Wow, this is so cool.' Like I felt I was learning alongside the students. 'I didn't know that.'

Siobhan:

Sometimes that's the best part.

Halle:

Oh, yeah.

Siobhan:

Relearning things from a different perspective, now knowing it for yourself in a teacher lens, I think is really important. Last one. Tea or coffee?

Halle:

Oh, tea.

Siobhan:

Tea?

Halle:

Yeah, I'm just not a coffee person, so that's easy. Yeah

Siobhan:

Oh, there you go.

Halle:

Yep.

Shannon:

May change a few years in.

Halle:

That’s, yeah, I have heard that.

Shannon:

Yeah.

Halle:

Yeah. A lot of teachers look at me when I say I don't drink coffee. They're like, 'How?' I'm like, 'Just never drunk coffee.'

Siobhan:

Thriving off my natural energy.

Halle:

Yeah. Yeah, for now. We'll see how long it lasts.

Shannon:

Wakes up has an apple, you know?

Halle:

Yeah.

Siobhan:

Well, I think let's dive into it. Now you're a first year out teacher.

Halle:

Yes.

Siobhan:

Really fresh to the profession and having your own class. Talk us through, what's that been like for you in your first year? You've got a term under your belt now, enjoying a bit of downtime.

Halle:

It's definitely been, it's been really good for me. I think I approached it being very, I was very nervous, the holiday break before coming into this year, but I think also just saying to yourself, 'You've learnt this, you've done it for four years. You can now take the reins and be the leader in the classroom’, I think was a big thing for me. But I've had such great support at the school that I'm at and have just been able to really flourish with everything with it, and I've been blessed with some really great students as well, so yeah. It's been really good for me. Yeah.

Shannon:

The first couple weeks, like I'll never forget.

Halle:

Yeah.

Shannon:

Once like what you just said, once you are finished and it's just you and those little people.

Halle:

Yes. Yeah.

Shannon:

The future of Australia in front of you.

Halle:

Yeah.

Siobhan:

Do you know what? Sometimes you realise, oh my gosh, it's outside of that. Like, 'Where's the printer? Can I help myself to this tea bag here?' It's a lot of little things, you know? Although it's,

Shannon:

Is this milk communal?

Siobhan:

Is this communal milk? (Siobhan)

Siobhan:

Although it's your first year teaching, it's probably your first full-time job, right? And you are, you look around and you go, 'Who's in charge around here?' You remember it's yourself, and, you know?

Shannon:

I'm it.

Siobhan:

Yeah. You're weaving into a new environment you know, so I can understand the nerves. Did you do anything before your first year out to sort of prepare, or do you have any advice for those who are going into the classroom on how to best prepare? There's a few things you can do, but nothing will really.

Halle:

No I don't think, I think, going, it's also hard if you don't know the students, because that changes everything. Luckily I did know the students before getting them, because I've worked at the school. I did a whole casual year at this school previously, but I think understanding what your classroom routine, your behaviour management strategies, and how you want to run the class, is the biggest thing, and like you do fall into it when you do it every day and you're like, 'Oh yeah, that didn't work. Let's try this tomorrow.' But I think having like routine is the biggest thing, I think. So, having a set, like, 'This is how I want to start my day. We're going to do this every day.' And knowing that you just keep up with like the expectation of, ‘No, this is how we start our day.’ Having that and also letting the students know, ‘This is the expectation when you come in the classroom, this is what you need to do.’ Going through those classroom routines is the most important thing, especially at the beginning when you're like just trying to get them to settle in.

Shannon:

Yeah.

Siobhan:

And get to know each other as well.

Halle:

Yeah.

Shannon:

And I like how you just mentioned, you know like, 'Oh, maybe that didn't work today. I'm going to do this tomorrow.' It's

Siobhan:

Pivot.

Shannon:

Pivot. It's so important to be like so flexible, I suppose, because you could have all these ideals in your head, for example, ‘I'm going to do this, this, and this.’ I don't know, no matter what year it is, I'll never get through what I think I'm going to get through on the first day of school

Halle:

Oh no. Yeah. Never.

Shannon:

And that's the beauty of it. You can overprepare so much and it's like you have to just be okay with only getting through a third of it. That's all right. We were all happy getting to know each other today.

Halle:

Yes, that's it.

Shannon:

Did you have any insight to what it was like to work in a school before you got your permanent teaching position?

Halle:

Oh, yes. Yes. So when I finished high school, I was able to apply for SLSO work, and just to do teacher assistant work, and luckily enough, the school that I got that at is the school that I teach at now.

Shannon:

Wow!

Halle:

Which is, yeah.

Shannon:

Really strong position to be in.

Halle:

Oh yes.

Siobhan:

Wow.

Halle:

Yeah, so I started with them and I'm going to end with them, so yeah. I will have been there forever, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I learnt so much that very first year, even, because the first year I did SLSO work I didn't start uni yet. I started uni a year after. So I just did like a full year of SLSO work. I was in an identified Aboriginal position as well, so I got to work with Aboriginal students, and it was a big learning curve for me and just everything that I saw that year, being, I was just new to it all, like everything. And dealing with specific behaviours and stuff was really interesting, but I think being as a support person in the classroom, it's given me so much confidence now being a teacher.

Shannon:

So cool, for people who may not know what an SLSO is, it's a Student Learning Support Officer. Something that I also did while I was at university, and I often tell pre-service teachers that I come into contact with in my role, it's one of the best things I ever did. So I worked at a school for specific purposes, so just working with students with additional needs. It was just like, you don't think that your heart can be bigger for the students that you meet along the way. Incredible experience. Yeah, really I think, formed my early years of who I am as a teacher and my pedagogy and just, I was so fortunate to be in classrooms, supporting with the teacher in the classroom and being able to observe so many wonderful teachers and their practice, and I think that on top of my professional experiences, because I did a masters, so I only had, I think total eleven or twelve weeks professional placement experience, so having the SLSO work to fall back on, I kind of got, it's like having additional placements.

Halle:

It is, it is.

Shannon:

You get to observe so many teachers. Meet so many students along the way,

Halle:

Yes.

Shannon:

So it's a really cool foundation, and, yeah, if you're thinking about doing it as an initial teacher education student, I would highly recommend contacting your local public school. If you're looking for permanent employment as an SLSO, I work for NSW is where you can find some roles as well.

Siobhan:

Every single SLSO that comes into my classroom, I welcome them with open arms.

Halle:

That was so great. Yeah.

Siobhan:

Really special. I even ended up being the mentor for one of my SLSOs who went on to study his teaching degree, so I was his practicum mentor as well, so typically you find your SLSOs often do go on to become teachers as well, and that you definitely get that full-circle moment with them too, which is great. But I think, yeah, it's a really unique way to see the classroom and how a classroom operates in lots of different contexts right, because you don't just go, like, especially in a high school as an SLSO, you don't just go to the English class. You see those students within all of the different subject areas. You can find strategies that work, and, like you're doing Halle, taking them back into your practice and saying, 'Here is something that I would like to implement within my own classroom', with your routines and things like that. So, going back to the advice that you were giving to your, first year out teachers, you're talking about routine and knowing what you want to do in your first few weeks, days, but I think it's important to flag that, well, how do they get that experience other than on your practicum placements. So, I definitely think jumping into some sort of support work is really beneficial to your career.

Shannon:

Because sometimes you don't see the beginning of the year on your placement.

Siobhan:

Yeah.

Halle:

Yeah, that's right.

Shannon:

Often, the classroom is set up, and you're coming into this environment where

Halle:

That's already working.

Shannon:

Exactly. And often, university, you know, part of your experience is to sort of talk to your supervising mentor teacher as well, and work out whether you use the whole-school approach for behaviour management or whether you can implement your own one at a class level while you're there, but it's cool to have that experience as an SLSO and see you know beginning of the year to end of the year, it's a unique experience.

Halle:

Yes, yes.

Siobhan:

I think I'd be really interested as well to hear about what your school looks like and how you've embedded yourself into the school outside of the classroom. Are you, you know?

Halle:

Well, I'm a part of my school's Aboriginal Education Committee, and I think that’s, I’ve been there, I was there last year as well, and I think I like this committee and I like everything that they work towards. I think being an Aboriginal person myself, there is stuff that I've learnt through my family and through other Aboriginal mentors that I've been fortunate enough to meet, that I can bring into the classroom when it comes to Aboriginal education like specifically. And something that I was able to embed during Term 1, and it's going to go into Term 2, is that I've been able to teach, well I've taught the teachers last year a song translated into Dharawal language, because our school's on Dharawal land.

Shannon:

Wow.

Halle:

And the aim is for them to teach the kids for this term and next term so we can be able to perform it for NAIDOC week, which will be at the end of Term 2, and I just thought that'd be really, really cool because it's funny, they sang the song that we translated, was 'I Am Australian', and they sang it last year, but they did it in English, and I was like, 'Wait, I know that in language. Like I should probably tell them that', and be like, 'No, we could do it like this.' Because, you know, language is such an important part of our culture, and it's also something that's kind of been forgotten and pushed aside in certain places. So I think just even exposing, like, a lot of students to like, the language that was the first language of the land that they're staying on, I think is really important, but also it gives also our Aboriginal students at our school like a chance to be able to, a lot of those kids are Dharawal, and gives them a chance to be able to like sing words that is actually from where they're from.

Shannon:

And have that pride.

Halle:

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Siobhan:

Can you share with us? Can I know how to say ‘I am Australian’ in Dharawal language?

Halle:

You could. 'Ngayagang, njindigang njulgangAustralia-gal.' So yeah, ‘I am, you are, we are Australian.’ That would be that. Yes.

Siobhan:

Thank you for sharing.

Halle:

Yes, no worries.

Siobhan:

I'll listen to it back in the podcast like 50 times and teach myself that line and then share it with everybody that I know.

Shannon:

I can just imagine the students just like having you there and being able to share that with them.

Halle:

Yes. Yeah.

Shannon:

Such a powerful moment as well.

Halle:

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Shannon:

For them to learn alongside you.

Halle:

Yeah, no, it's been very special. I think, I didn't have many opportunities like that when I was a student, and obviously like, there's so many more resources now during our age, in terms of like Aboriginal education and how you can teach kids about that now. So, yeah, and I was also like, 'Well this is something that I learnt.' I learnt this a few years ago and I was like, 'Well, why can't I just teach them that?' Because it aligns with, you know, NAIDOC week as well, and all that stands for, and also just exposes them to something that, you know, has been there for many years, they just haven't heard it before, so, yeah.

Shannon:

Cool.

Siobhan:

And it's embedded within your school. It's not just, you know, ‘We focus on Aboriginal education during one week of the year.’ Like it seems like it's embedded throughout your school, which is really important.

Halle:

Yes.

Siobhan:

Where do you turn or where do you advise others to turn to get resources to successfully teach Aboriginal education?

Halle:

Yeah, there's a lot of places you could go.

Shannon:

What are your top three faves?

Halle:

What are my top three faves? I think you have to start with your school. Who's in your school. Like, I'm really fortunate that there's a lot of Aboriginal staff at my school and like we have an Aboriginal Education Officer at my school, so like we're in a fortunate, but we also are a school that has like a high population of Aboriginal students, so that's why we all need that, but if you don't have people at your school that, you know, are Aboriginal, you can always go to your local AECG. I mean, they hold the knowledge of everything from your area, so they're very, very helpful.

Shannon:

Yeah.

Siobhan:

No, it's great.

Shannon:

They also provide programs and professional learning as well for teachers if they are interested, or pre-service teachers might want to have a look there. It's a good source of knowledge. So, we brought you here today to talk about how you ensure your classroom is culturally inclusive and culturally safe. Do you want to tell us a little bit about some tools and strategies you use in your classroom?

Halle:

Yeah. The very first thing I did with my class when I got them was we all sat down in a yarning circle and I got them just to tell me like, ‘Where do you come from?’ Because, I think it's so important and they are young, I've got seven and six year olds.

Shannon:

You're on Year 2 aren't you?

Halle:

Yeah. Yes, Year 2. But it is important to, I guess just know where you come from at any age, but even at a younger age, if you have more of a sense of like, 'Yeah, I know who I am. This is where my roots, like, lay.' It just, it allows you to feel more confident as like wherever you go, no matter like, if you're in my classroom or someone else's classroom, if you know who you are, you're never going to feel like uncomfortable, I guess. So that's the very first thing I do, and not all my students know where they're from, and they're still learning, you know? They're young, but I can tell those that do know where they're from, they're very proud to say it, and whenever they can find a connection in whatever we're learning about that has to do with their culture or where they're from, they let me know, and I like that, because I'm like, 'Yes. Let me know, educate me. Educate everyone else.' Because obviously I'm not from every place, so, I think for students to like learn where they come from, or even just to go home and ask their parents if they're unsure, is important, because it just builds that sense of belonging. Like, I feel like, when I was younger, like I knew where I was from, but I wasn't exactly like strong or felt proud sometimes of it, and it's definitely changed as I've evolved. Like, I'm very proud of who I am now, but I think when you're young, you can feel a little bit, 'Well why don't I look like them?' Or, 'Why don't I have the same like things like them?' But I think, Australia's a very diverse country, and I think we've come to celebrate people's differences more now, and it's very important that all students know that, that you can be celebrated no matter what you look like, or what you sound like, or even like the different languages that my students can speak is really interesting, and when they, a lot of my students will ask, ‘Can I teach like the class some words in my home language?’ And I'm like, 'Yes, of course. Yeah, like, teach us. I'd love to hear that.’ But it's, yeah, it's important I think, that all students have that sense of belonging and knowing who they are because it just helps confidence-wise in everywhere.

Shannon:

Yeah. I really like what you're saying, and as someone who hasn't always lived in Australia my whole life, so my parents are from Ireland. I spent a good chunk of my life, over 10 years, living and growing up in Ireland, and there was one year with my Year 5/6 class that I had at the time, I wanted to study this book. It was called Benny and Omar, and it was by an Irish author, Eoin Colfer. It's a fantastic book. The themes are unbelievable about friendship, and basically this Irish family, they move to Africa and he meets this boy Omar, who doesn't speak the same, neither of them speak the same language. Like Omar doesn't speak English, and Benny, he has this very Irish, it's like a whole different language even though he is speaking English, like all the slang, and I would put on the accent, I would Irish myself up.

Siobhan:

Oh, I love that.

Shannon:

Channel my mother's beautiful accent, and I brought in like a hurley from the sport, hurling, that we used to play that they talk about in the book, and I used to say, 'Oh yeah like, my brother used, this is his Hurley, he used to play.' And my students were just like so interested and like really lapped up everything to do, so then like we would talk about, ‘Oh, well, what book do we want to look at next?’ And they were like, 'We want to learn more about this culture, Miss', and it really created that curiosity as well, for celebrating culture and understanding, like, there's a whole big wide world outside of the community that we are in, this four walls of this classroom, and there's so many people with such a diverse background in our classroom to be celebrated, so it's yeah, I really, yeah, it's really nice to hear that.

Siobhan:

I love the Harmony Day celebrations that we have at schools. They're just beautiful because you get to see, often students in traditional dress as well, and then the better part, when they bring traditional food and you've got all the market stalls of all the diverse offerings that their backgrounds bring. I think that's really special as well, and just a way for schools to foster that sense of respect, diversity, and community within the playground, and I think that extends to the broader community as well.

Shannon:

Absolutely. Yeah.

Siobhan:

I think that's really important too. I would be interested to hear, how do you share things about yourself with your class? Do you have a certain activity that you like to do other than the yarning circle?

Halle:

Yeah, I think it kind of comes naturally with me. If I see it, if like, even if we're doing something, even when we started with an Acknowledgement of Country, because that's one of the very first things we start at the beginning of the year. Even like saying like you're acknowledging the Dharawal people, and I'll say, 'Well, do you know Miss is a Dharawal person?' And then they're like, 'Wait, what does that mean?' And I'm like, 'Okay, well let me take you back like thousands of years ago. My ancestors used to

Shannon:

Everyone, sit down.

Halle:

Yeah. 'You know, my ancestors used to live on this land that we learn on now, and you're acknowledging them, so you're actually acknowledging like a part of me, kind of, in a way.' And then I extend that out to all my other Aboriginals, because I've got some other Dharawal students in my class, 'And you're acknowledging this person's ancestors and stuff.' So I think it comes naturally with whatever we're learning about, but I think that's just because I've grown up with a lot of like strong Aboriginal role models around me, so it's something I've always been aware of, so for me, it's really easy just to put my,

Shannon:

It’s natural.

Halle:

Yeah, it comes natural just to put my like, ‘Oh this can connect to my culture and how I can embed it in like whatever we're learning.’ Yeah.

Shannon:

A natural teacher as well.

Halle:

Yeah.

Shannon:

A natural teacher trait to be like, 'This is a teaching moment.'

Halle:

Yes. Yeah. Yes.

Siobhan:

And I know what's important is providing the same platform back to your students, to do the same thing. So I think, when we're talking about a culturally safe and culturally diverse classroom and what that looks like, equal opportunity for everybody to share who they are, where they come from, and a part of them and their culture, I think is really important, so that's really nice to hear.

Halle:

Yes.

Siobhan:

I actually, I would like to know a little bit more about your mum, because you said that she's, you know, was a really powerful leader for you in helping you find your identity, but also, I understand she's in the education space as well. How has she sort of influenced your journey?

Halle:

Yeah, I think growing up with her, she started teaching, and she did teaching I think for about 10 years, and then she went into an Aboriginal identified position within Aboriginal education and she kind of stuck with that ever since, so she's worked with all different types of like Aboriginal educators around

Siobhan:

New South Wales probably.

Halle:

Yeah, around New South Wales and how to implement, like, strategies to help Aboriginal students, but also how to implement like Aboriginal education in all of your other subjects, so that's kind of where, she's always worked in that space. So I think having her always around and just having conversations with her, even when I would get home or when I would do something at uni or even at school, and talk to her and just, it's nice because she's just like a vault of knowledge, so she would just tell me, 'This is how it is, and this is why we do this, and this is why we do that.’ So, I think having her was, is, well is, really lucky for me because it allows me, like I get my knowledge from her and then I put it onto other people, so.

Siobhan:

What's something that sticks out to you? Like a strategy or a tool from your toolkit that you feel like your mum's taught you and then you've then gone on to use that in the classroom?

Halle:

I think, I think something specifically for Aboriginal students was always have high expectations of them. I think it's, she's always told me ‘No matter what level they're at, you need to have high expectations of them.’

Shannon:

Yeah, of course.

Siobhan:

That's a good mindset to bring in across your practice, right?

Halle:

Yes, yeah.

Siobhan:

And it can be easy to get bogged down in the everyday like this is what you're experiencing in your real life, but going back to, yeah, having that high expectation of all of your students and they'll meet them.

Halle:

Yes, yes.

Shannon:

Lift the ceiling.

Halle:

Yes. Yeah.

Shannon:

Because you just don't know what they're going to be capable of. You've got to give them that opportunity.

Halle:

Yes. Yeah.

Shannon:

Yeah. For sure. And speaking of opportunities, what sort of lasting effect do you hope to leave on your students?

Halle:

Yeah, I just hope that my students feel like they have a place in my classroom, and even though it's only going to be for a whole year, I just want everyone to feel comfortable enough to be fully themselves. I think as a student myself, and we do this a lot as teachers, you go back to your experience and you want to change it. There was some classrooms and some situations I was not comfortable being in that room. Was not comfortable putting my hand up or not speaking, so like that's my biggest thing is that I want every student in my classroom to feel like, you know, they have a voice, they have a say, and that they can be whoever they want to be in that space and no one's going to judge you for it, and just that they have a sense of belonging and that they belong there, so yeah. Yes.

Siobhan:

That's beautiful. I want to jump back to your singing, because we started talking about your KARI singing group, but could you tell us a little bit more about what the KARI singing group is and how it's sort of impacted your life?

Halle:

Yeah, I joined that group once I got out of high school, but I've known the people that run this group and everyone else that I sing with. It kind of came off a program I did in high school, which was called the Vocal Identification Program, which is a program for high school students that are Aboriginal in singing, so I started with that. We are just a group that perform at different events and gigs that want, I guess, an Aboriginal performance or something to open your event, so most of the time they have, sometimes you'll have a Welcome to Country at events, or an Acknowledgement of Country, and we're able to do that. We do an Acknowledgement of Country, but we do it with our own twist on it, so we bring kind of a contemporary Aboriginal performance to life while acknowledging Country, but it's also just something that we're able to share language, because we do songs in different languages, language, dance, and culture, to some people that maybe have never seen it before, so I've been doing that for a few years now and yeah, absolutely love it. It's great.

Shannon:

That's wonderful. So cool. I can see the passion when you talk about it.

Halle:

Yeah.

Shannon:

I can see how important it is to you. So with your involvement in the KARI group, and you obviously engage through that with the wider community, how do you bring that engagement back to your whole school and share sort of with your community at your school as well?

Halle:

Yeah, I think I've had lots of opportunities with KARI to learn a lot of things within the creative arts. So that's kind of where I bring that back into my school in terms like I've had opportunities to work with Bangarra for example, in terms of traditional movement and stuff. And we have lots of Aboriginal dance groups at our school where I can bring in some tips or some tricks in terms of choreography that they already know and stuff, but being able to kind of also give them a meaning behind why you do that movement or that type of thing, so bringing it in that way, and then also even just with, yeah, my experience with all different languages. Being able to expose, I think students, to be able to show them clips of me singing, or even just play them some of the songs of our group singing in the different languages, I think is important. And you can always connect that back to, well we're singing in this language, let me show you where that is on a map, and actually turn it into kind of a little mini lesson.

Shannon:

Yeah, absolutely.

Halle:

Which yeah, I do a lot when I can, and it's that whole thing of, I kind of, when I see the connection, we were doing a lesson. What were we? Yeah, we were doing a lesson in English and they had a little video of the song, 'I Am Australian', but they had it in a different language. I don't think it was from New South Wales. It was a different language in Australia, and I was like, 'Oh, this is cool. I'm going to show them this. I'm just going to show the one I have', because I was like, 'Well, I've got the one in Dharawal', so I showed them the video of us singing it in Dharawal and they just thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Shannon:

Aww.

Halle:

Which was really, really cute.

Shannon:

But they'd be like, 'There's my teacher.'

Halle:

Yeah. Yeah.

Shannon:

'My Idol.'

Halle:

Yeah. And they were like, 'Who’s that? What’s their names?' And I was like, 'Oh, my goodness'. Yeah, so, I think, yeah, also just like I've had a lot of experience working in different situations within music as well, so I think, my students are pretty young. Like they’re not, they're still young and learning things, but even if I was to work with older kids, I think having that experience in that type of world, I could always, yeah, give advice to them if they were ever interested in doing stuff like that.

Siobhan:

Well, Halle, in my opinion, and I feel like in everybody else's opinion, you're an incredible role model and teacher. What would you say to other First Nations people who can see a bit of you in themselves, what would you say to them in terms of choosing teaching as a career path?

Halle:

Yeah. I think more power in numbers, and I think more than ever, Aboriginal students need to see themselves represented and it is getting so much better with, even at my school, there's so many Aboriginal staff there, which is really, really nice. It's just important that, yeah, we have those role models and those people representing so that our students can see something to aspire towards.

Siobhan:

Yeah. It's the best job you'll ever have, guys.

Halle:

Yes.

Siobhan:

Sign up today. Sign on the dotted line. Make a difference.

Shannon:

Ah, I love it. Well thank you so much for joining us, Halle.

Halle:

No worries.

Shannon:

You've been just an absolute fountain of knowledge. I know I've learned a lot from listening to your story, so thank you for sharing with us. Thank you for joining us on the couch and

Halle:

Thank you for having me.

Shannon:

Everyone else, we'll see you soon.

Siobhan:

Until next time.

Shannon:

Bye!

Siobhan:

Bye!

Shannon:

Thank you for tuning into TeachCast where we explore the dynamic world of education. Don't forget to follow, like, and subscribe to be notified when new episodes become available. You can find us on social media via our handle @TeachNSW. Until next time, keep learning, keep teaching, and keep making a difference.

TeachCast is a podcast by the Teach NSW team from the NSW Department of Education.