Drama educators experienced a wonderful hands-on workshop leading educators through a variety of activities utilising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander methodologies, demonstrating that through the use of Drama as a pedagogy.
Teachers worked in small groups participating in a supportive and fun learning atmosphere that saw the sharing of ideas and working towards some tangible concepts that could fit into a variety of classroom environments.
Drama educators also participated in warm-up activities that promoted creativity, originality and active teamwork. This also created a scope to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music, language and cultural perspectives for delegates to work with and take back to their sites. With a variety of teachers from early childhood, primary and secondary sectors it created a great sharing experience that made the workshop informative, entertaining and productive. The presenters also discussed strategies to enable children to gain a deeper understanding of First Nations everyday practices and broaden their cultural understandings.
Kelly Roe-Hunter, a Tiwi, Iwadja Kaytetye from the Northern Territory discussed her experiences in Tiwi, Iwadja Katetye traditional ideas that she and Valerie incorporated into a process Drama session that can be adapted as a one-off lesson, or a series of lessons for Early Childhood to High School students.
Some of the information that educators wanted to get out of the workshop was insightful. Some examples are below:
‘How we incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture into my future drama teaching and to provide my future indigenous with opportunities to express their culture through performing.’
‘Greater understanding of how to incorporate inclusion and connection to country into my teaching.’
