NAIDOC Person of the Year leads education forum seeking change
Following his powerful speech at the 2016 NAIDOC Awards, Professor Chris Sarra will facilitate a day of workshops for teachers and other staff working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students on Tuesday 26 July.
Hosted by the University of Sydney, the will also develop strategies and action plans to effect change, that can then be shared with schools and communities.
The forum will focus on promoting high expectations, positive cultural identity and Indigenous leadership.
鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to be working with the University of Sydney again, at their third Making Tomorrow Forum,鈥� Professor Sarra, founder of the Stronger Smarter Institute, said.
Professor Chris Sarra, 2016 NAIDOC Person of the Year.
鈥淚t is a great forum for sharing best practice in Indigenous education, where we know the formula for success is actually very simple but accept that the work is very hard,鈥� he added.
Principals, teachers, career advisers, year advisers, school counsellors, senior executives and representatives from community organisations across the country will come together to share success stories and challenges, and learn from peers and experts in the field. They鈥檒l also receive the latest information on pathways, access programs and support services available to Indigenous students interested in attending university.
Accredited by the Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES), the day will feature a number of workshops including an inspirational session run by Professor Sarra on leadership, vision and change makers.
Ms Lynette Riley, Academic Leader with the University鈥檚 National Centre for Cultural Competence, will facilitate a discussion on recent research that investigates the conditions required for Indigenous students to achieve academic success.
Other sessions will examine leading change within a school environment, successful partnerships and the 鈥榤atrix of success鈥�, and the power of digital media and narrative.
The University鈥檚 Head of Widening Participation, Mary Teague, said: 鈥淭he Making Tomorrow Forum will bring together dedicated people from all over the country and connect them to exemplar programs, school partnership initiatives and current research that is effecting positive change in the educational outcomes for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their school communities.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not drawing from a deficit model, asking 鈥榳hat can we do to close the gap?鈥欌�� said Ms Teague.
鈥淚nstead, we鈥檒l be looking closely at contexts where there is educational success and asking 鈥榳hy is this working and what are the factors that make this a different educational experience?鈥欌��
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