Comments for Honey Ant Readers http://honeyant.com.au Literacy Resources for Indigenous Australian Learners of All Ages Wed, 16 May 2012 02:39:08 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Aboriginal English in Education by Margaret http://honeyant.com.au/aboriginal-english-in-education/#comment-19 Margaret Wed, 16 May 2012 02:39:08 +0000 http://honeyant.com.au/?p=879#comment-19 Thank you and I am pleased we were able to help you. Thank you and I am pleased we were able to help you.

]]> Comment on Aboriginal English in Education by ecig http://honeyant.com.au/aboriginal-english-in-education/#comment-18 ecig Fri, 11 May 2012 09:54:20 +0000 http://honeyant.com.au/?p=879#comment-18 This excellent website certainly has all of the information I wanted concerning this subject and didn't know who to ask. This excellent website certainly has all of the information I wanted concerning this subject and didn’t know who to ask.

]]> Comment on NAPLAN results show we could do better with Indigenous students by HoneyAntAdmin http://honeyant.com.au/naplan-results-show-we-could-do-better-with-indigenous-students/#comment-17 HoneyAntAdmin Wed, 02 May 2012 08:19:12 +0000 http://honeyant.com.au/?p=990#comment-17 Thank you for your comment and sharing your experience in APY Lands. As you say, the issues are certainly extremely complex and stem from a plethora of wider historical, social, institutional factors. There is no question that these extend far beyond the education system itself, and certainly low attendance rates pose an enormous struggle for all teachers. The key question is, why is there a lack of belief in the benefits of education? How do we make schooling relevant and worthwhile for parents so that they ensure that their kids attend? At the HARs we believe that at school-level, strong relationships with family and the wider community are vital to making schools responsive, safe, relevant and engaging environments for Indigenous children. Investing in relationships with families, while time and labour-intensive, is central to ensuring open dialogue regarding learning and ongoing involvement. To quote Chris Sarra from the Stronger Smarter Institute, “We know for sure from examples right across the country, where school leaders go out of their way to engage with parents and children and build positive relationships, attendance improves”. You might be interested in this video by Chris Sarra, discussing attendance issues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36iGFDkW6-s We all share the frustrations and hopes, and wish you well in your remote community. It is such worthwhile work that you are doing so we hope you will be the one to find the illusive key to school attendance! Thank you for your comment and sharing your experience in APY Lands. As you say, the issues are certainly extremely complex and stem from a plethora of wider historical, social, institutional factors. There is no question that these extend far beyond the education system itself, and certainly low attendance rates pose an enormous struggle for all teachers.

The key question is, why is there a lack of belief in the benefits of education? How do we make schooling relevant and worthwhile for parents so that they ensure that their kids attend? At the HARs we believe that at school-level, strong relationships with family and the wider community are vital to making schools responsive, safe, relevant and engaging environments for Indigenous children. Investing in relationships with families, while time and labour-intensive, is central to ensuring open dialogue regarding learning and ongoing involvement. To quote Chris Sarra from the Stronger Smarter Institute, “We know for sure from examples right across the country, where school leaders go out of their way to engage with parents and children and build positive relationships, attendance improves”. You might be interested in this video by Chris Sarra, discussing attendance issues:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36iGFDkW6-s

We all share the frustrations and hopes, and wish you well in your remote community. It is such worthwhile work that you are doing so we hope you will be the one to find the illusive key to school attendance!

]]> Comment on NAPLAN results show we could do better with Indigenous students by Swee Oon http://honeyant.com.au/naplan-results-show-we-could-do-better-with-indigenous-students/#comment-16 Swee Oon Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:35:03 +0000 http://honeyant.com.au/?p=990#comment-16 I have been teaching for almost 4 years now in the APY Lands, and the problem of poor indigenous literacy is not just the education system (although it plays its part in the debacle). It's the attitude of the Anangu adults here. There is no sense of urgency or belief that education benefits or is necessary for their children. No matter how good the teaching, no matter how smart the children, if the attendance of these students is below 60% (for at least half my class) than their literacy will not improve. In fact it will get worse as they progress through the school years. Until someone tackles the attendance problem seriously (and the underlying social malaise contributing to it), indigenous children today will merely become another "lost generation". And that is what really saddens me because these children have so much potential. I have been teaching for almost 4 years now in the APY Lands, and the problem of poor indigenous literacy is not just the education system (although it plays its part in the debacle). It’s the attitude of the Anangu adults here. There is no sense of urgency or belief that education benefits or is necessary for their children. No matter how good the teaching, no matter how smart the children, if the attendance of these students is below 60% (for at least half my class) than their literacy will not improve. In fact it will get worse as they progress through the school years. Until someone tackles the attendance problem seriously (and the underlying social malaise contributing to it), indigenous children today will merely become another “lost generation”. And that is what really saddens me because these children have so much potential.

]]> Comment on Learning to read under water! Reading is COOL! by wendy http://honeyant.com.au/learning-to-read-under-water-reading-is-cool/#comment-14 wendy Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:40:37 +0000 http://honeyant.com.au/?p=978#comment-14 I wish I could learn to read again - at your school!! xo wendy I wish I could learn to read again – at your school!!
xo wendy

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