Booderee Junior Ranger Program

1. Booderee Junior Ranger Program

2. Just a little about us

4. Why Develop Such A Program? • Concerns about the students’ academic and social development • Build links between the community and the school • Concerns about how Indigenous Perspectives and Cultural Heritage was taught.

5. Where do we want to go? • Become a school that promotes reconciliation • A school that is building stronger bonds between communities • Jervis Bay becomes community school focus on cultural learning & environmental teaching • A school were students develop a strong sense of community both as part of the school and as part of society • Develop students who are confident in their ability to make the world a better place • A school that delivers cultural activities – pride in identity

6. Developing the Program

9. Program Delivery

10. Signature practices to improve student success and outcomes is to emerge the students’ in the following practices; • A learner centred approach focusing of the individual needs, interests and concerns with opportunities for negotiating both self directed and cooperative or collaborative experiences. • A rigorous approach to intellectual development which provides intellectual challenges for all young people and encourages a culture of high expectations of student success. • A relevant and responsive curriculum which acknowledges and builds on the life experience and expertise of students and provides practical and meaningful learning activities directed to solving ‘real life’ problems. • A focus on developing skills for active citizenship through establishing democratic practice in the classroom and school. • An adaptive and flexible approach to learning and teaching through exploiting opportunities provided in the curriculum for teachers and students to experiment with new pedagogies and for students to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways. • A supportive learning environment which builds self-worth, self-confidence and self- esteem in all students across the full range of learning activities and generated enthusiasm and respect for learning. • A focus on developing positive relations where teachers and others adults act as resource persons, coaches, leaders, guides and mentors for students as well as experts and authorities. Wilson and Sproats (2009)

15. Learning Experiences

16. PDA Challenge

17. Impact of Bush Fires • The students studied the impact of fire on local flora and fauna. • The students worked in conjunction with visiting researchers to exam animal habitat and to conduct animal tracking research.

18. Bush Tucker • The students were involved in the planting of a bush tucker garden at the Botanic Gardens. Park Staff and community members worked with the students to develop an understanding of the importance of particular plants for food, medicine, and technology. • A followed up of this was a bush tucker/native garden being planted at school in co-operation with Parks Staff. The National Park supplied the plants and staff to assist the students at school.

19. Marine Studies • The students were involved in a two term program looking at the marine environment of Booderee National Park. The students developed booklets and podcast to inform visitors to the area about different species of marine animals in local environment and fishing regulations.

20. As a follow up to the classroom and field experiences the students undertook snorkelling training at the local swimming pool by trained snorkelling instructors and licensed community members.

21. Black Rock to Red Rock • Biannually, as part of the Junior Ranger program the school holds a cultural exchange to Uluru for students in years five and six. The aims of this exchange to the Northern Territory are; • For the students to experience the diversity of other Indigenous cultures • To create links between different Indigenous Communities who also conduct a Junior Ranger Programs • To enhance the Junior Ranger Program • For the students to participate in learning activities vastly removed from their own environment. • To engage in learning activities conducted by National Park staff in different locations, and, • To experience what other Custodians are working towards and how this will impact on our community now and in the future

22. Singing Up The Country As a celebration of the end of the year’s Junior Ranger Program the school and community held a Singing up the Country – Cooroboree. Local community members were employed to teach the students traditional dances, songs and stories to share on the night. Over 50 tonnes of sand was delivered by the National Park to create the performance space.

23. Publishing of Dreaming Story With permission from the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community the school was able to commercially publish a local dreaming story. The book tells the story of the spirit of reconciliation who comes to live at Jervis Bay School and brings the Navy, Wreck Bay and the wider community together and how the students have a role to play in the teaching of their customs and culture

24. Benefits of the Booderee Junior Rangers Program

25. This program should be celebrated and shared with other communities as a leading light about what can be done when communities come together for the betterment of the children. -Parliamentary Secretary Greg Hunt My children have had an experience that they never would have had anywhere else. They will take this learning from their Indigenous friends for the rest of their lives. – A parent of three children after the Singing up the Country Project I can’t believe the feeling in this room. The whole community is here for the kids. I had to wipe the tears from my eyes. • -Wreck Bay Community Member after the launch of our book and celebration of the Junior Ranger Program • This is an important part of the school, no of the community. It is great! I wish we could have this program in other schools. • -Wreck Bay Elder

26. Where to Next?

27. For More Information Alyson Whiteoak Jervis Bay School 02 4442 1002 alyson.whiteoak@ed.act.edu.au