“I felt really lucky to have undertaken my placement at djimbaya and to have observed what a culturally safe learning environment looks like.”
Charli Johnson has become the first Bachelor of Education student at La Trobe University to complete a dedicated Indigenous placement at djimbaya Kindergarten in Bendigo.
Dr Scott Alterator, Director of Indigenous Education Futures, said it was exciting to be able to offer a focused pathway for School of Education students.
“The program at djimbaya Kindergarten is based on First Nations principles and methodologies, so it is a great opportunity for our students to get experience in this setting,” he explains.
“djimbaya provides students with the opportunity to embed their practice in a relationally focused setting, with emphasis on community connections, place and culture. This placement model is an important part of our strategy to offer culturally safe pathways for First Nations students in the School of Education.”
Currently in its second year of operation, djimbaya Kindergarten is owned and operated by the Bendigo and District Aboriginal Co-Operative.
djimbaya Director and La Trobe alumna, Emily Gerber, says the kindergarten was created for families who want an early learning curriculum that focuses on Indigenous culture and perspectives.
“We work hard to be co-learners and collaborators with children, role modelling respect and equity in everything we do. The most important thing for us is that our children leave feeling loved, capable and so proud of who they are and where they are from,” she says.
Charli Johnson says she enjoyed the opportunity to meet the children and build relationships with them.
“The relationships the educators had with the families were great to see. I saw how comfortable and familiar people were when speaking with educators, which is so important.”
“I also saw how First Nations people were represented in the physical space, in learning materials like books and play materials. The Acknowledgment to Country is presented so nicely when you first walk into the space and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags were displayed throughout the room,” she says.
“Indigenous culture was seamlessly embedded into everyday activities, allowing children to identify with their own culture as part of their learning.”
Emily Gerber said djimbaya is looking forward to welcoming more future educators from La Trobe.
“We’re big believers in everyone being capable of learning and teaching. Having Charli with us was a great experience for both the children and teaching team – anything that gives us a new or different perspective is an absolute value-add.”
“We loved having Charli and we hope she got as much out of it as we did.”
Image supplied by BDAC.
