Educator Yarns Season 6 Episode 2: Double Denim, Death Metal and Being

Jess, Shan and Kelly took to Brisbane for the TIPIAC x Riley Callie Resources National First Nations Education Conference, and this episode is their yarn about it. The three of them went as a team, with Jess presenting and Shan hoping for a moment with Anita Heiss at her book signing. Kelly signed up the second Jess mentioned that Briggs was playing Crowbar that night.

What followed was matching double denim, a two-storey country bar full of Dolly Parton and Alan Jackson, a "Boot Scootin' Boogie" line dance (the only one Jess & Kel know), and a Briggs gig that sent two country disco balls straight into a heavy metal mosh pit. Then comes the after-party story from the ECA conference. It involves a Magic Men show, a fainting episode, a bloke who looks like Channing Tatum, and footage that now lives on Instagram forever

Once everyone stops crying with laughter, the conversation turns serious. The team talks about what being "all in" really looks like, why a Reconciliation Action Plan is far more than a tick-and-flick exercise, and how a CSIRO workshop on traditional sifting and winnowing can change your sensory tubs.

They also discuss why Torres Strait Islander peoples deserve to be recognised, and how to bring conference learning back to your service before it fades. This is a proper behind-the-scenes episode. Expect to giggle and expect to come away with plenty to think about.

Here's a taste of what Jess, Shan and Kelly unpack in this episode, from the giggles to the big ideas:

What being "all in" means to Shan. It shows up in the quiet moments when nobody is watching. Shan talks about catching her own biases when they bubble up, reading widely, and gently asking a relative, "Where did you get that idea?" at the family dinner table.
Sharing the cultural load. Jess explains that "all in" means the whole team, not one passionate educator carrying it all at the front of the room.
Reciprocal community relationships. Treat community connections the way you'd treat any relationship you're committed to. Think about what you're giving back, as well as what you're receiving.
Celebrations are a starting point, never the finish line. A Reconciliation Week party and some posters are lovely. Daily practice, anti-bias work and the harder conversations are where things actually change.
A RAP working group needs many voices. Kelly went to the Narragunnawali session with her mum hat on, because she's part of the working group at her son's early learning service. She shares why educators, families, community members and both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people all belong at that table.
Fourteen mandatory actions, and none of them are ever finished. Jess compares a RAP to a Quality Improvement Plan. Each action takes around 18 months to do well, and then you come back to it and go deeper.
Acknowledgement of Country is about what you do. If you're paying respects to the Traditional Owners, you need to know who they are. Jess is firm that an Acknowledgement is a commitment to action and should never be recited like a prayer.
The CSIRO workshop that won Shan over. Seeds, sand, a paper cup with a hole in it, and tens of thousands of years of Aboriginal science that still runs modern labs today. Jess and Kelly share how yandying with coolamons now adds a cultural layer to their sensory play. The lesson plans are free on the CSIRO website.
Torres Strait Islander cultures are their own. Shan was inspired by Michael's session on the distinct nations and cultural practices across the Torres Strait Islands, and on why lumping them in with Aboriginal cultures misses so much.
How to make professional learning stick. Debrief on the day, follow up within a week, and try an AI transcription app so ADHD brains (and everyone else) can stay present instead of scribbling notes and photographing every slide.

Conferences are where the learning happens, and they're also where the relationships happen. The chats at your table during the breaks stay with you for months.

The team is already counting down to next year's First Nations Education Conference in Sydney, and Shan's advice is simple: if you're on the fence about a conference or retreat, go and do the thing. The worst that can happen is that you learn something new and make a few friends.

Press play to hear the whole yarn, then head to the Koori Curriculum website to explore our Reconciliation Action Plan course and Acknowledgement of Country webinar. If you find a certain video on the Magic Men Instagram page, please don't tag Jess.

Resources discussed in this episode:

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Educator Yarns Season 6 Episode 2: Double Denim, Death Metal and Being All In for Reconciliation: The Conference Debrief You Didn't Know You Needed

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