One thing that I don’t think non-teachers truly understand is the amount of work teachers do outside of school hours – late into the night, on weekends and during school holidays. I always knew this was the reality of being a teacher. My childhood best friend’s mum was a teacher and I saw how much extra she did. Since then, I have always had an awareness of how hard teachers worked and then as a young adult when I looked back on some of my teachers, I knew their support was above and beyond and in no way happened only in school time. But what really cemented it for me was the year that Wingaru Kids launched when I was getting emails from teachers on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. I was working crazy hours because I was about to roll out the better part of a year’s work and wanted it to be perfect but I wasn’t expecting to have so many teachers reaching out during the festive season. I now know that this isn’t rare.
 
I get emails from teachers at all times of the day and night – all year round. Which is why I am not at all surprised that despite the fact term 4 of 2021 is not over, teachers are already reaching out to get ready for 2022.
 
We are ready to set up your 2022 classes and your primary contacts will receive an email shortly with the details. As soon as we receive your class lists, your accounts will be updated and you will be able to print your new class login details and assign lessons. Your access to the Platform and all of its resources is continuous, so please continue to log in to view any of the resources and complete your included PD. Your current students will be able to log in throughout the holiday period so consider adding some more lessons so they can continue their learning over the break. We know that most school’s classes for the coming year are not finalised until early in term 1. You will receive an email to advise we have updated your account with your 2022 class.
 
Aboriginal education has not always had the priority it has now and I love that so many teachers are genuinely embracing it as a priority and committing to embedding First Nations content in their programs.  Your Wingaru subscription can save you a lot of planning and admin time over the holidays. In the meantime, here are a few things you can do to get off to a great start with Aboriginal perspectives in 2022.

1. Organise some First Nations-led professional learning for 2022 to increase your confidence in Aboriginal education (you can check our courses out here)

2. Include First Nations artwork, posters and visuals in your classroom. Check out the teacher resources section of your Wingaru Kids Dashboard for posters, acknowledgements of Country, birthday calendars, desk labels etc – featuring the artwork of amazing Aboriginal artists Chloe Webb (Darug) and Aunty Cynthia O’Brien-Younie (Dunghutti).

3. Include First Nations content in your planning. If you know when and how you are going to bring Aboriginal perspectives into your program, it is less likely to get lost in the busy year ahead. If you need help, check out our planning tools in the Teacher Resource Section of your Wingaru Kids Dashboard. Our free First Nations Events Calendar 2022 is a great place to start if you are looking for ideas - download from below. 

4. Make sure you are following First Nations educators on social media – they share lots of tips, ideas and support. Check out Wingaru Education (Instagram, Facebook), Teaching with Tanna, Miss Gibbs, Learning to Ngangaanha, The Murri Teacher, The Palawa Teacher, Miss Collard Teaches, Teaching in Solidarity and Koori Teacher.

5. Get your hands on a copy of issue 10 of Wine with Teacher. It is full of amazing stories and tips from an amazing group of First Nations teachers. Wine with Teacher is a great ally and publishes a First Nations-focussed issue each year.

6. Add a book by a First Nations author to your summer reading list. We have always shared knowledge through our stories and hearing our stories is a great way to deepen your understanding of our communities and cultures. We are a strong and resilient people and our stories highlight this.

 
I am really excited for 2022. I have my fingers crossed for a less disruptive year and I am excited to roll out some of the new content we have coming. I am also looking forward to another great Challenge in 2022 and collaborating with some of the brilliant educators I have been fortunate enough to get to know.
 
I hope you have a safe and happy festive season that includes some activities that fill your cup and help you to recharge and rejuvenate for the year ahead.
 
As always, sing out if I can help with anything.