At the heart of culturally responsive early childhood education lies one essential truth: culture shapes everything, how we see, speak, learn, play, connect, and belong.
That’s why we’re opening the Koori Curriculum Coaching Camp with a powerful live Campfire Chat with Jess:
Day 1: Campfire Chat (Live with Jess)
What’s Culture Got to Do With It?
🕘 9:00 am – 9:45 am
A deep dive into what it actually means to embed Aboriginal perspectives in everyday practice.
This session is for educators who want to move beyond surface-level activities and step into confident, authentic, culturally grounded practice.
Tokenism vs. Meaningful Practice: Let’s Clear the Smoke
Too often, educators reduce “embedding Aboriginal perspectives” to what’s sitting on the tables or which resources are on display. But here’s the truth:
Tokenism has nothing to do with your set-ups.
It’s about whether you understand why you are doing what you are doing.
You could have the most beautiful Aboriginal-inspired table arrangement and still be engaging in token practice if there is no depth, purpose, context, or understanding behind it.
And on the flip side?
You could have the simplest, most basic experience, but if you deeply value Aboriginal culture, if you know why this matters, if your intention is grounded in respect and responsibility, that is meaningful practice.
This session shows educators how to anchor their practice in the why, not just the what.
Start With the Why: The Bigger Picture Behind Embedding Culture
Many educators were raised or trained in systems where Aboriginal perspectives were invisible or poorly taught. Our experiences shape our current confidence, comfort, and understanding.
Jess will guide educators to begin with frameworks such as:
- The Closing the Gap Strategy
- The Early Years Learning Framework
These documents provide the why:
- Why representation matters
- Why visibility matters
- Why children need truth-telling
- Why cultural safety is foundational, not optional
From there, meaningful practice comes into focus.
The Cultural Iceberg: Seeing What’s Above, and What’s Below
When educators think about Aboriginal culture, they often picture what sits above the surface:
- Dreaming stories
- Dot painting
- Bush tucker
- Didgeridoo
- Boomerangs
These are what Jess refers to as the “Top Five Things.”
They are familiar, accessible, and safe places to start. There is nothing inherently wrong with them.
But they are not the whole story.
Beneath the surface of the cultural iceberg lies a vast, powerful, and often unseen world:
- Social justice
- History
- Sovereignty
- Kinship systems
- Land connection
- Seasonal knowledge
- Identity and community structure
- Contemporary realities
- Urban, regional, and local perspectives
This deeper knowledge takes time, relationships, and persistence to learn—but it is what prevents culture from being treated like a topic, a theme, or a “week of activities.”
In this session, Jess will help educators understand how to honour the whole iceberg, not just the tip.
Consistency Builds Confidence: The Gym Metaphor
Embedding Aboriginal perspectives is not a one-off, one-term, or one-year task.
It’s a skill.
A muscle.
A practice.
Jess uses the analogy of joining a gym:
When you first walk in:
- You feel vulnerable.
- You don’t know how to use the equipment.
- You can’t lift much.
- You don’t feel confident.
But if you show up day after day… If you get guidance… If you keep trying… Everything changes.
Your technique improves.
Your capacity grows.
Your confidence skyrockets.
You lift more than you ever imagined.
Embedding Aboriginal culture is the same.
It becomes easier, more intuitive, and more meaningful the more you do it.
This session gives educators the tools, and the courage, to begin, continue, and deepen their practice.
Reflective Prompts for Day 1
As part of the Coaching Camp workbook, educators will reflect on:
- What does embedding mean to you?
- Which parts of your program already reflect Aboriginal perspectives?
- Where do you feel stuck, unsure, or uncomfortable?
These questions help educators identify their starting point and create a clear pathway for growth over the camp.
Why You Don’t Want to Miss This Session
If you’ve ever wondered:
- “What exactly counts as embedding?”
- “Am I doing this right?”
- “How do I avoid tokenism?”
- “How do I meaningfully include Aboriginal perspectives every day?”
- “What if I don’t know enough?”
Then this Campfire Chat is where you want to be.
This is your space to learn, reflect, grow, and most importantly, to feel supported.
Jess will be right there with you, live, guiding educators through real, practical examples and helping you build confidence no matter your starting point.
Join us at the Campfire
The Koori Curriculum Coaching Camp kicks off with Day 1: Embedding an Aboriginal Perspective, a foundational conversation that sets you up for success throughout the rest of the camp.
Bring your questions.
Bring your curiosity.
Bring your willingness to grow.
We’ll bring the guidance, the practical strategies, the cultural insights, and the warmth of community learning.
See you at the campfire.
