Partnerships in Indigenous Education – Conference 2004
Teachers involved at all levels of learning have gathered at the National Indigenous Education Conference this week in Ballarat. Around 300 educators are attending the three-day forum, dealing with the theme of Partnerships in Education. The conference speakers are stimulating thought, with many different takes on how Indigenous groups can make partnerships work. Conference speakers (among others) Mark Rose, Colin Burke and Paul Hughes discussed various aspects of partnership. One of the community schools under the spotlight at the forum is Woorabinda, near Rockhampton in Central Queensland. The former mission community has had a difficult recent history – health and social problems making schooling extremely problematic. But this year has seen the school turn a corner. Grade three teacher Neola Savage says culture is an important part of her success. Woorabinda Principal Angela Douglas says the changes hinge on higher expectations of the students.