DIY Noise Maker

We have been continuing to to explore ways to scaffold Shirleys emerging connection with Country and nature.

Today we borrowed fallen seeds from Country to utilise in a DIY noise maker.

Using a plastic drink bottle from our recycling tub we funneled the seeds inside before securing the lid.

We then offered the bottle to Shirley who at first just enjoyed sucking on the lid.

As play time progressed our DIY nature noise maker was used to encourage tummy time.

Shirley stretched out her arm reaching out with her fingers pushing the bottle as it laid along side her, watching the seeds fall and rattle around inside.

When embedding Aboriginal perspectives, educators can be overwhelmed and anxious as they're so worried about doing the wrong thing that it becomes debilitating. In this course, Jess wants to build your cultural confidence and capacity to find ways that you can meaningfully and respectfully include Aboriginal perspectives in your everyday programming curriculum.

When talking about embedding Aboriginal perspectives, it is a multifaceted approach. It is not just about creating a cultural corner but sprinkling Aboriginal artifacts and resources into the curriculum where the children can play and engage.

It's also about using children's interests as the vehicle for learning where you include an Aboriginal perspective in context to that genuine interest.

As uncomfortable as it is, we need to reckon with our history. On January 26, no Australian can really look away. There are the hard questions we ask of ourselves on Australia Day.

Since publishing his critically acclaimed, Walkley Award-winning, bestselling memoir Talking to My Country in early 2016, Stan Grant has been crossing the country, talking to huge crowds everywhere about how racism is at the heart of our history and the Australian dream. But Stan knows this is not where the story ends.

In this book, Australia Day, his long-awaited follow up to Talking to My Country, Stan talks about reconciliation and the indigenous struggle for belonging and identity in Australia, and about what it means to be Australian. A sad, wise, beautiful, reflective and troubled book, Australia Day asks the questions that have to be asked, that no else seems to be asking. Who are we? What is our country? How do we move forward from here?