Department of Education

Registration Form

Aboriginal Sharers of Knowledge Program

ABORIGINAL CULTURAL EDUCATOR

Name:

Home Address:

Postal Address:

Email:

Mobile Phone: Phone:

Do you have a current Good Character Check?

If Yes your Registration Number

No

NB All successful applicants are required to have a Working With Vunerable People (childern) Registration prior to being contracted as an Aboriginal Cultural Educator, and a copy supplied to us. Please contact Dept of Justice http://www.justice.tas.gov.au/working_with_children or phone 1300 135 513 for more information.

HPRM ID:

Do you have an ABN? Yes No

Yes

Availability:

The majority of Aboriginal Cultural Educators work will be during school hours 9.00 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. with

some out of school work with Aboriginal Education Services. Please indicate below the hours of the day that

you are available:

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

Describe your skills and knowledge as an Aboriginal Cultural Educator: (e.g. story teller, musician, artist, kelp and fibre work, shell work)

DOC ID - TASED-4-6594

Which age group(s) do you prefer to work with:

Primary Secondary College any grade

Have you worked in schools in the past?

Yes No

If you answered yes, please let us know where you have worked, and when?

What grades have you worked with?

Kinder/Prep Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10

Year 11/12

Do you have any other relevant qualifications?

DOC ID - TASED-4-6594

Subject to approval would you be willing to travel away from your home if required, and do you have your own vehicle?

Yes No

Are you willing to undergo training, where relevant, throughout the year?

Yes No

Comments:

Thank you for taking the time to complete this form.

Please send to:

ASK Program Coordinator Aboriginal Education Services GPO Box 169 HOBART TAS 7001

Or

Email: aboriginal.education@education.tas.gov.au

Ph: 6165 5477

DOC ID - TASED-4-6594

Aboriginal Sharers of Knowledge Program

(ASK)Overview

The Aboriginal Sharers of Knowledge (ASK) Program provides Tasmanian Government schools with opportunities to involve Aboriginal Cultural Educators to work alongside teachers to deliver learning programs that draw on the rich knowledge and experiences of the Aboriginal community.

ASK Aboriginal Cultural Educators work with teachers in class and off-campus settings to assist in providing culturally responsive programs and curriculum.

The ASK Program is offered to Department of Education Child and Family Centres, schools, and Colleges to support teachers and students to increase their awareness and understanding of Aboriginal people and their histories, cultures, identity and worldview.

Aboriginal Education Services will provide 2/3 of the cost of an Aboriginal Cultural Educator, with the school being expected to contribute the remaining 1/3 from their budgets.

The ASK Program is administered through Aboriginal Education Services, Department of Education and supports Tasmania’s Aboriginal Education Framework and Tasmania’s Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Educational Outcomes Strategy.

Description of the ASK Program

Aboriginal Cultural Educators have a wide range of knowledge and expertise relevant to Tasmanian and Australian Aboriginal cultures and histories. They are a diverse group of people ranging from Elders to younger Aboriginal community members who are committed to providing quality educational experiences in schools and are willing to share their unique cultural heritage, knowledge, and life experiences.

Department of Education

DOC ID - TASED-4-6594

Aboriginal Cultural Educators will have expertise in one or more of the following cultural practices and areas of knowledge and can: • Share life experiences and stories about Country and Place (including the importance of

land and water management practices/issues) • Share knowledge and understanding of reconciliation, Aboriginal history, repatriation, and

impact of past practices on today’s Aboriginal community • Share knowledge of mutton birding, bush tucker, cultural foods, bush medicines, bush

survival, and use and management of flora and fauna • Demonstrate and teach tie-dyeing with bush dyes, ceramics, painting, printing, and working

with shells • Teach about plant fibres, including string making, coiling, and working with kelp.• Demonstrate the use of natural materials to make waddies, spears, throwing sticks, clap

sticks, whistles, and models of Tasmanian Aboriginal shelters and water craft• Demonstrate and teach songs and dance, including Island music.• Lead cultural field trips and accompanying school camps

Schools may also wish to access the Palawa Aboriginal Corporation Cultural Tours and Education programs through the ASK program

The list is not exhaustive. For more information, contact Aboriginal Education Services

Aboriginal Cultural Educators can be booked for a minimum of three hours per session.

Benefits of the ASK Program

Students and teachers will have the opportunity to work with Aboriginal Cultural Educators to experience Aboriginal histories and cultures from their unique perspective.

The ASK Program enables schools to:

• Foster Aboriginal people’s cultural pride and sense of belonging, leading to improvededucational engagement and achievement for Aboriginal students

• Raise teacher, student and community awareness, understanding and respect for Aboriginalpeople’s histories, cultures and worldview

• Appreciate the importance of oral histories as a valuable teaching and learning resource• Recognise the importance of Aboriginal artistic expression as a valuable teaching and

learning experience, and• Value and promote cultural diversity and intercultural understandings for all people.

Roles and responsibilities

Responsibilities of the Aboriginal Cultural Educator:

They are responsible for:

• Ensuring that contracts and documentation is completed before work commences• Contacting the relevant teacher prior to the booking regarding session plans, group sizes and

other organisational matters• Preparing and providing all resource materials• Ensuring all information provided in sessions is accurate and that sources of information are

acknowledged• Reviewing the session and providing feedback on all session/s to the ASK program

coordinator

DOC ID - TASED-4-6594

Being culturally sensitive

Aboriginal Education Services recognises that many traditional practices are sacred and, for cultural sensitivity issues, does not endorse Aboriginal Cultural Educators conducting shell stringing, necklace making, basket weaving, or kelp water carrier making workshops. Rather, AES encourages Aboriginal Cultural Educators to conduct workshops that involve working with shells to create shell mobiles, using beads, shells and natural materials to create bracelets, and, coiling and string making, and working with kelp.

On completion of session, send contracts and documents to: Aboriginal Sharers of Knowledge Program Coordinator

Aboriginal Education Services GPO Box 169, Hobart Tas, 7001

Contact: Ph. 6165 5483 regarding any queries relating to payment

Aboriginal Cultural Educators are paid contractors and are not covered by the Department of Education insurance. If you wish to be covered by insurance you will need to take out your own.

Roles and Responsibilities of the school:

• Complete an application form that includes name/s of contact teacher/s, and an outline of thelearning sequence or activity

• Ensure that the contact teacher is responsible for :

o planning, documenting and evaluating the program and learning sequenceo liaising with the Aboriginal Cultural Educator to make sure group sizes are appropriate prior

to the session/s commencingo organising an appropriate working areao preparing students for the session/s by providing background information and any

necessary scaffolding that helps to embed the experience within a broader culturallyresponsive framework.

o welcoming the Aboriginal Cultural Educator by arranging for students and/or designated teachersto greet their Aboriginal Cultural Educator on arrival at the school/venue

o contacting the Program contact person if there are changes to the bookingo ensuring the name of the Aboriginal Cultural Educator is on any documentation, such as excursion

forms, and being aware of the correct form of address when introducing them tostudents

• Exercise diligent Duty of Care:o a teacher must be present at all times when the Aboriginal Cultural Educator is

working with studentso the teacher is responsible for the behaviour support of all students in the groupo each activity is to be conducted in a safe and responsible manner and be age appropriate

• Provide feedback on the cultural activity/session to Aboriginal Education Services through thefeedback form.

Applications should be sent to:

Aboriginal Sharers of Knowledge ProgramCoordinator Aboriginal Education Services GPO Box 169 Hobart Tas 7001 Phone: 6165 5477

Email: aboriginal.education@education.tas.gov.au

DOC ID - TASED-4-6594

Email: aboriginal.education@education.tas.gov.au

Cancellations/Rescheduling

Schools will be notified at least 24 hours in advance if the Aboriginal Cultural Educator is unable to keep a commitment and AES will make every effort to make alternative arrangements if possible. Evaluation of the Aboriginal Sharers of Knowledge Program

Teachers and the Aboriginal Cultural Educator will be provided with appropriate feedback forms. These are to be completed and returned within 7 days of the Aboriginal Cultural Educator’s visit. Feedback will be subsequently disseminated to both the Aboriginal Cultural Educator and teacher

DOC ID - TASED-4-6594