Identity:

Learning Aims:
The Aim of this lesson is for students to begin to understand Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander
people and how Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people are identified. Through the bureau of
statistics definition. Whilst also beginning to understand that some do not identify themselves as
Indigenous and Torres Strait Islanders people as freely and the need to respect the rights of how
Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander identify themselves. Therefore by the end of this class students
will have a better understanding of how Indigenous and Torress Strait Islander people are identified.
Theme: Rights
Discipline: Interpersonal Development
Resource: Scootle/ movie on a young girl whose Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander identity is
unknown to her school friends.
Year level: year 5

Outline of task connected to Aim:

As a Teacher I will begin this lesson by getting year five students to watch a video showcasing a
young girl in primary school whose identity of being Aboriginal is unknown to her friends. It also
explores racism through comments expressed by her friends and wider community about Indigenous
and Torress Strait Islander people. Whilst also draws upon this girls fear of identifying as an
Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander. This movie will help students to have a deeper understanding
of how Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people have the right to be identified via the Australian
Bureau Statistics definition. This being an Indigenous person of Aboriginal or Torress Strait Islander
descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torress Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the
community in which he or she lives. This including the three components descent, self-identification,
and community acceptance (Ma Rea, 2015). Rather than the identification being seen as skin colour.
Students therefore can brainstorm in small groups why its important to not bully others over the
identification, whilst drawing on this young Indigenous girls experiences at school of struggling to
identify as an Aboriginal and or Torress Strait Islander. Therefore building on need to respect the
rights of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples identification.
Critical aspect:
This lesson begins to address Indigenous and Torress Strait Islander peoples identification, however
as a teacher this is a personal and challenging issue for many Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander
people. Also as a teacher I must be mindful to the fact that there may be Indigenous and Torres Strait
Islander students in my class who also find identifying themselves as an Indigenous and Torress
Strait Islander as personal and confronting.

References

Australian Screen (1996). From sand to Celluloid Two Bob Mermaid. Retrieved from:
https://www.scootle.edu.au

Ma Rea, Z. (2015). Indigenous perspectives on teaching and learning: Week 3 Identity [Lecture
Notes]. Retrieved from: http://moddle.vle.edu