Cultural background

The Narragunnawali Awards are held every 2 years and celebrate outstanding reconciliation initiatives. With applications open for 2025, we catch up with Kim Calabrese, Principal of Winterfold Primary School, Western Australia – winners of the 2023 Schools award.

We know the global teacher shortage is impacting many different school contexts, and that encouraging young people to consider a career in teaching is an important part of the long-term picture. Dr Tracy Woodroffe joins us to discuss her 12-month research project that gathered perspectives from Aboriginal students and teachers. These perspectives informed recommendations to encourage more Aboriginal young people in the Northern Territory to consider teaching.  

‘Do you want to be a teacher?’ Is this a question you’ve asked your own students? A new Australian study aimed at boosting the number of First Nations teachers has found that Aboriginal students would like someone to speak to them about teaching as a possible career.

From the uniform and building names to community consultation and learning, Aboriginal perspectives and culture is woven into the fabric of Googong Public School. Teacher speaks to principal Rebekah Lindsay, a 2024 NAIDOC Teacher of the Year Award winner, about their approach and the success it’s bringing.

Many of us clearly remember (fondly or not) our school sports days and the houses we were split into. But what do the names of those houses say about our ‘Australianness’ or the values we aspire to uphold? New research explores the names of school sports houses and how things have changed over time.

In celebration of NAIDOC week 2024, we’re sharing 5 pieces of content on the topic of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education – including a helpful guide to selecting appropriate resources for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, languages, and more, respectively and effectively.

The award-winning children’s TV series Little J & Big Cuz is returning with a brand-new season on 8 July. Now in its fourth season, the animated show is translated into 17 Australian First Nations languages and supports First Nations children and their families with the transition from home to school.

Teacher editor Jo Earp talks to Western Sydney University academic and researcher Dr Sharon Wagner about engaging parents from refugee backgrounds in their children’s education. The episode explores the differing perspectives of parents and teachers on topics such as parent-teacher interviews, system expectations and language barriers.

Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) seeks to improve the experiences and academic achievements of marginalised and minoritised learners. In this edition of Researching education: 5 further readings, you can read research on CRT, including building cultural competence among teachers, how to further develop culturally responsive pedagogies, and more.

In this episode of The Research Files, we speak with Suzanne Rice from the University of Melbourne about her new research paper which explores the current diversity of Australia’s teacher workforce, the positive impact a diverse teacher workforce can have on student outcomes, and practical strategies for school leaders on retaining a diverse staff.