The Melbourne Declaration on Education Goals for Young Australians (Dec, 2008) placed a tremendous emphasis on the importance of equity and culturally relevant learning in the Australian Education System. Specific emphasis was placed on building and drawing on the experience, cultural knowledge and local communities of the Indigenous population and incorporating that into our education and learning pedagogies to generate quality, relatable and equitable classrooms and outcomes. The aims of this development is to promote high expectations for learning and educational achievement of Indigenous students and thus to bridge the gap.

 

 

“This is a pedagogy framework that allows teachers to include Aboriginal perspectives by using Aboriginal learning techniques. In this way, focus can remain on core curriculum content while embedding Aboriginal perspectives in every lesson.” (8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning, 2007-2009)

 

 

Implementing the 8 Ways of Learning Lesson Plan into all method areas is an incredible way to fulfil the Goals of the Melbourne Declaration as well as enhance learning. Working with another graduate teacher, Sainead Senaweera, we developed a Religious Education Unit Plan using the 8 Ways method and found that we were able to develop a far more holistic and well-rounded plan. Accommodating for multi-literacies, multiple-intelligences, multiple mediums for creating work (ICT, Visual, Kinaesthetic and peer work) and in a Non-Linear way, perpetuates Bloom's Taxonomy in creating a Higher-Order Thinking atmosphere.