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Curriculum Matters - Volume 1 Number 1 2002

CurriculumMattersCurriculumMatters Volume 1 Number 1 2002


Welcome to the new look Curriculum Matters 2002. We�ve gone from black andwhite to colour � well to two colours anyway and a brand new layout. Historically,Curriculum Matters has been published by members of the curriculum section ofBrisbane Catholic Education for a period spanning over eleven years. Originallynamed Kurrikulum Kapers, Harry Newman, Senior Education Officer: Curriculum,changed the name, format and layout to Curriculum Matters in 1990. For most ofthe nineties Harry edited, co-ordinated and published the magazine. Last yearAdrian Jones and I co-edited 3 issues of Curriculum Matters. As Adrian will betaking leave this year, I will be editing the magazine with assistance from variousmembers of Curriculum team.

For this year, issues will be based around themes reflecting new developments orinitiatives in curriculum and the broader global issues that affect teachers andlearners in Catholic Education. The theme of this issue is Cultural Understandingsand Diversity. To begin this issue, there is a highly informative article by JaneConnolly, Education Officer: School Resources Centre, on Literature and its place indeveloping cultural understandings. For educators who are interested in usingliterature as a resource to explore cultural diversity, Jane provides many examples ofcontemporary books for use in the primary and secondary classroom.

Liam Garvey, Education Officer: Information Technology reports on an innovativeproject, Ngutana-Lui Connections, which supports teachers of Indigenous Studentson-line. This project has allowed educators from schools in the South Burnettregion to exchange ideas with one another and with the Ngutana-Lui staff at Inala.Cultural Literacy and Languages is revisited in the article, Cultural Literacy - AnEnigma inside a Riddle? In this article Sherryl Saunders, Education Officer andAmanda Kissell, Project Officer: Cultural Literacy and Languages examine therelationship between language learning and cultural literacy.

Also in this issue is an article by Adrian Jones, Senior Education Officer: Curriculumon Restorative Justice. Mark Currie, from St Edmund�s College reports on the St.Edmund�s College � Shanghai Exchange. Rossana McDade, Education Officer,English as a Second Language discusses some of the issues facing ESL students inthe classroom and school environment. Shelley Peers, Education Officer and KathyHarris, Project Officer: Science are keeping everyone informed with an update onwhat is happening with the Science Project, as well as outlining the major activitiesand events for 2002.

Articles from educators in schools are most welcome. Over the years, articles fromteachers demonstrating best practice have been popular inclusions in themagazine. The themes for the remaining 3 issues this year are SOSE and Science �Term 2, Literacy and Numeracy � Term 3 and Creating Supportive LearningEnvironments � Term 4.

Best wishes for the school year

Bernadette Barker

Editorial

Curriculum Matters is published

quarterly by Curriculum Team,

Brisbane Catholic Education.

Articles submitted for publication

may be emailed to

[email protected]

Guidelines for articles are available

from the Editor.

Views expressed by contributors do

not necessarily reflect the views of

Brisbane Catholic Education.

© Catholic Education

Archdiocese of Brisbane

Editor: Bernadette Barker

Layout: Rachel Rolfe

Cover Photographs: Joe Leggett

Contents3 Literature and its place

in developing culturalunderstandings

5 Ngutana-Lui ConnectionsSupporting teachers ofIndigenous Students viaan Online CommunityModel of PD

8 Cultural LiteracyAn enigma inside a riddle?

10 A Reflection on Justicein Education

12 An Integrated StudyThe St Edmund�s CollegeShanghai Exchange Program

13 Science KLA

15 Cultural Inclusivity

16 Photo Feature

CurriculumMattersVolume 1 Number 1 2002


Susan Cleary (1999:10) in the introduction to Back to Books comments that theexperience of literature is fundamental to the well being of all people. Literature shesays sustains and nourishes us while educating us for life and about life. Literaturein its many forms is a reflection of life and through interaction with literature,children have the opportunity of growing as reflective people. Children are, in MaxFatchen�s (1998:7) words, a wise, watchful and wide-awake audience.

Books are great springboards into learning. Victor Null, a South African educator andpsychologist has said that:

Like dreaming, reading performs the prodigious task of carrying us off to otherworlds. But reading is not dreaming because books, unlike dreams, are subject toour will: they envelop us in alternative realities only because we give them explicitpermission to do so. Books are the dreams we would most like to have, and, likedreams, they have the power to change consciousness, turning sadness tolaughter and anxious introspection to the relaxed contemplation of some othertime and place. (http://www.bartleby.com/66/36/42736.html)

Literature is an outward manifestation of culture. It is a way in which adults sharethe meaning of being human with children and a means of heighteningsensitivity to people, places and things. Literature speaks most powerfully of whata human being can be. It is an art form, that stimulates individual creativeresponses and presents human options for actions and beliefs. Literatureactivates a multi-levelled consciousness, gives order to human experience andassists us in exploring cultural values. Like a great journey, literature shows usthings we have never seen before and will never forget. Literature is a powerfultool. It is also a readily accessible tool and the experience of sharing stories withchildren is a wonderful means of developing cultural understandings.

Literatureand its placein developingculturalunderstandingsby Jane Connolly, Education Officer: School Resource Centres


No Name Bird by Josef Vondra occurs closer to home. Thisstory is set in East Timor, just prior to Indonesian annexation,and tells the story of ordinary village life before devastatingdisruption. Another powerful and topical novel set in EastTimor is Libby Gleeson�s Refuge.

Florence Parry Heide�s The Day of Ahmed�s Secret is a joyfulstory of a young boy in Cairo. The colour and life of thestreets is brought vividly to life. The same author has alsowritten Sami and the Time of Troubles, a book whichgraphically shows the experience of a family living in war-torn Beirut. Another on a similar theme is My Dog by JohnHeffernan & Andrew McLean. War-torn Bosnia is the settingfor this story.

Janine Fraser�s Abdullah�s Butterfly is a short novelintroducing children to the cultural/family environment of ayoung boy who lives in an Asian rainforest area. By the sameauthor is Sarindi and the Lucky Bird, which is set inIndonesia. Kierin Meehan�s first novel set in Japan isHannah�s Winter a blend of fantasy and fact which includesvivid descriptions of modern Japanese life. Two picture bookstold in the style of the traditional story and worthinvestigating are Ah Kee and the Glass Bottle by JoanSalanitri and Facing the Tiger by Kerri and Larry Pitts. Aperennial favourite is Let�s Eat by Ana Zamorano, a livelyillustrated story of family life in a Spanish village.

In developing cultural understandings, the concept ofuniversality needs to be understood. Literature can be ameans to this end. Books allow us an insight into other livesand other experiences. Such insights then lead to empathyand recognition. The importance of such insights for childrencannot be underestimated. The reflective person becomes aconstructive global contributor. Author Boori Pryor�s(1998:159) words speak volumes:

Children always seem to bridge the gap. Like music, if youlisten to them and follow their lead, your spirit will dance.

ReferencesCleary, Susan (1999) Back to Books, School Library Association of

Victoria, Richmond, Vic.

Fatchen, Max (1998) Time will Tell: Children�s Literature in the 21st

Century: Conference Proceedings Children�s Book Council of

Australia, Adelaide.

Null, Victor (1998) The Columbia World of Quotations [Online],

Available: http://www.bartleby.com/66/36/42736.html [2002, Feb. 24]

Pryor, Boori (1998) Maybe Tomorrow Penguin, Ringwood, Vic.

Here are a few suggestions of books to use with children. It isby no means a definitive list, but just a beginning. Teacherlibrarians are wonderful resources in schools and should be afirst point of contact in accessing appropriate titles.

Before venturing off shore, an exploration of Australia�s viewand understanding of itself is a worthwhile activity. Exploreissues such as Aboriginal and white history, Australianlandscape, the uniqueness of environment both natural andbuilt and the multicultural composition of modern Australia.These are recurring topics throughout the primary curriculumparticularly in the SOSE strands of Place and Space andCulture and Identity.

For older (and younger) children, The Rabbits by JohnMarsden is a thought provoking starting point whichstimulates much discussion about land degradation,genocide and colonisation. A is for Aunty by Elaine Russell (aCBCA Honour Book in 2001) is an alphabet book with adifference. It is a collection of the childhood memories of anAboriginal girl growing up on a settlement and is useful whenexploring communities, indigenous history and the traditionsof others. Narelle Oliver�s Sand Swimmers depicts not onlythe harsh landscape of interior Australia but tells in aninnovative and original way, the story of early exploration.The Burnt Stick by Anthony Hill, Idjhil by Helen Bell and Downthe Hole by Edna Williams and Eileen Wingfield are threepicture books or illustrated stories which focus on thepractice of removing children from Aboriginal families. NadiaWheatley�s Highway is a great book to use wheninvestigating Australian landscapes and communities. CathyApplegate and Dee Huxley�s Rain Dance presents a graphicimage of outback Australia in this Year of the Outback, asdoes Colin Thiele and Peter Gouldthorpe�s Pannikin andPinta. Scenes of urban Australia are well represented in twovery different picture books, Mr Nick�s Knitting by MargaretWild and Way Home by Libby Hathorn and Greg Rogers. Noexploration of an Australian way of life would be completewithout reading Gary Crew�s Memorial which isquintessentially Australian. So too is Ernie dances to thedidgeridoo by Alison Lester, a wonderful book which focuseson commonalities not differences.

The following books provide an insight into the lives andexperiences of children from other cultural backgrounds.Again, the list is just a beginning point.

Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah is anautobiographical account, often harrowing, of an unwanteddaughter�s childhood in China. Secrets in the Fire by HenningMankell, a story based on fact, tells the tale of twoMozambique refugees who, after fleeing their village, mustdeal with the danger of land mines left behind after civil war.

Page 4 Curriculum Matters - Volume 1 Number 1 2002


Project OverviewNgutana-Lui is an Aboriginal and Islander Cultural Studies Centre located at Inala, Brisbane. The Centreprovides Indigenous support services to Catholic schools in the Brisbane region. Educators ofIndigenous students within BCE had the opportunity to be involved in a project model of professionaldevelopment named �Ngutana-Lui Connections�. The aim of the project was to immerse educators in acommunities model of the Internet (Williams,1997:47) through an effective professional developmentactivity that was experiential, collaborative, sustained, supported, reflective, participant-driven andlinked to the classroom context (CERI, 1998). The project also explored the potential of the BrisbaneCatholic Education (BCE) Linked Catholic Schools (LinCS) wide area network and Information &Communications Technologies (ICTs) for the development of online communities (Wikman & Garvey,2001). At the time of writing, the project web presence was available on the Indigenous Education andTraining Alliance website at http://www.pa.ash.org.au/ieta/default.asp.

The key outcomes anticipated from the project were twofold: First, that BCE educators would engagein professional exchanges that would deepen their understandings of, and provide support for,their work with Indigenous students. Second, that BCE educators would develop new skills andunderstandings surrounding communications technologies in education.

Project OrganisationThe project was characterised by several key aspects including a defined timeline,target audience and structure. Project planning began in Term III, 2001 while theimplementation took place in the first half of Term IV. The target audience wasBCE educators involved with Indigenous students from: South BurnettCatholic College, Kingaroy; St Joseph�s Primary School, Murgon and the

Ngutana-LuiConnectionsSupporting teachersof Indigenous Students via anOnline Community Model of PDby Liam Garvey, Education Officer: Information Technology

Curriculum Matters - Volume 1 Number 1 2002 Page 5


Ngutana-Lui Cultural Centre, Inala. An overview of theproject, along with an invitation to be involved, waspresented at staff meetings at each site. The twelve voluntaryproject participants were required to check their email on aregular basis and contribute to professional discussions. Theywere also required to engage in short activities usingcommunications technologies as well as undertake limitedprofessional development and training opportunities basedupon individual needs.

Digital Event FrameworkThe Digital Event model was used as a frame of reference tostructure this communications system project (Williams,2000). This model has a focus on issues surroundingpedagogy, discourse and implementation. The pedagogicalfocus was effective approaches to literacy development andthe integration of Indigenous perspectives in education. Themodel of learning was professional development and supportfor teachers through professional exchanges using ICTs.Discourse considerations centred on the appropriateselection of communication technologies to supportdifferent types of conversations.

Communication System ComponentsAn integrated set of communication system technologies wasavailable via a web presence established through theIndigenous Education Training Alliance website (IETA). TheNgutana-Lui Connections web presence served as a centralpoint for information, resource development and access tocommunications tools. A Web Gallery tool enabled theuploading of digital images relevant to the community. AResource Store function allowed for document uploads tocreate a repository of resources developed by the communitythroughout the project. Responses were provided tofrequently asked questions through a Question/Answertemplate. There was also the capacity to easily add URLs andprint resource information to the website. Access to developand edit the website was through a password-protected userinterface that did not require any knowledge of HTML or webauthoring software. In addition, an email listserv wasestablished though Education Network Australia (EdNA) foradministrative and curriculum discussion purposes. Two chatrooms, IETA and another established through Janison

Solutions, were utilised for synchronous communicationsamongst the community as well as hosting online guestsfrom the IETA ESL Network. An online Forum was also createdfor the purpose of gathering additional feedback in relationto the project.

Educational PerspectivesThe communications system provided an opportunity foreducators to exchange ideas on issues surroundingIndigenous education, strengthen links with the support staffat Ngutana-Lui and establish contact with external experts.These interactions were explicitly linked to the currentteaching and learning practices with Indigenous students.

Facilitating Professional Exchange & DevelopmentParticipants were provided with the opportunity to: join anonline professional community through the email listserv;contribute to the development of a website; participate inchat sessions; establish and nurture professionalrelationships; enhance understandings through dialogue andreflect upon experiences. For most of these participants, theuses of these technologies were new experiences. In theemail listserv, ideas regarding the integration of Indigenousperspectives in the curriculum were generated and posted tothe website, including references to relevant resources.Individualised peer support was also offered amongstparticipants in the project. Participants arranged informalchat sessions outside the scheduled events. There wasevidence through these communications of the developmentand deepening of a professional collegiality. Ngutana-Luistaff were empowered with the opportunity to uploadresources, web links and references to teacher resources. TheOnline Guest Event proved to be valuable exchange ofinformation and strategies whilst generating ideas onpossible future professional development links between thecommunities. The depth and breadth of curriculum issuesrelating to Indigenous education is testament to the explicitlinks to classroom and student applications. Examples ofissues addressed included: curriculum integration strategies;literacy; assessment techniques; bidialectical education;professional development programs; Torres Strait Creolespeakers; contrasting ESL methodologies across state systemsand; Ngutana-Lui support services. Conversations and issuesraised online also instigated follow-up face-to-facediscussions amongst teachers and Ngutana-Lui staff as partof their routine scheduled visits to schools.

Community BuildingEach of the technologies selected served a specific purposein the Ngutana-Lui Connections project. The experiencemoved beyond a token trial of selected technologiestowards the use of technologies in concert that generated asense of community.

Ngutana-Lui Connections

Project Participants

(left to right) Jenny Cross,

Neil Hutton, Margaret

Hughes and Chris Cook


Developing People and Sharing WisdomThis project also endeavoured to develop mentors amongstthe community. Ngutana-Lui staff took on responsibilitiesduring the project in leading discussions and developingresources. The project began to represent the collectivewisdom and experience of the participants through resourcedevelopment, some of which represented knowledgeconstruction through social interaction. Evidence of this isprovided in the chat transcripts and the Curriculum Ideasresource document.

Teacher Engagement IssuesThere are significant issues associated with teacherengagement with the technology in relation to thiscommunications system design. For some teachers, theavailability of computers at home reduced time and accesspressures experienced at the school. It was the experiencewithin the Ngutana-Lui Connections project that mostteachers only had shared computer access. In addition,reading email was not part of their regular professionalpractice. This situation meant that participant involvementwas fragmented on occasions. These issues have significantimplications for schools and educational authorities seekingto promote online teaching and learning environments thatmay require new cultures of practice as well as newconceptions of schooling with regard time, place andlearning experiences.

ReflectionsReflections on the project reveal both opportunities andchallenges for the use of communications technologies inthe education sector. Consultation was an important andessential part of the project development. While the projectwas not designed to be overly demanding, the time factorand the range of teacher competencies in ICTs also impactedupon what could be realistically achieved during the project.Consequently, it was necessary to sustain a flexible approachin relation to participant involvement. It would appear thatthere is a continuing and significant challenge to embedtechnology use as part of the standard professional practiceof teachers if substantial outcomes are to be achieved. This isa complex task involving issues such as access, funding,resourcing, training, professional development andrethinking traditional schooling practices and structures.

This system design was intended to support teachers byproviding them with a professional development experiencethat highlighted the potential of the Internet as a communityof practice rather than simply a source of information. Byproviding this experience to teachers, such a system couldalso inform the development of student involvement inonline communities. Communications technologies have thepotential to transform the classroom experience from being

one of isolation to collaboration involving new learningexperiences for teachers and students, in particular withregard to cultural exchange. Teachers need to be supportedin this process so to arrive at an informed level ofunderstanding to make their own critical judgements onfuture directions. From a personal perspective, the experienceof �building a community� has brought a new dimension tomy role as a facilitator of professional developmentopportunities. It is significant that this project experiencemay be the stimulus for the development of an onlinecommunity coordinated by Ngutana-Lui staff on the BCELinCS network with the expected deployment of advancedweb technologies in 2002. The discussions surrounding thisnext project have already begun.

ReferencesCERI (1998). Staying Ahead: Inservice Training and

Teacher Professional Development, Centre for

Educational Research and Innovation, Organisation

for Economic Cooperation and Development.

CEO Forum on Education and Technology (1997)

The School Technology and Readiness Report: From

Pillars to Progress, The CEO Forum on Education and

Technology, Washington.

Education Network Australia (EdNA) Online (2002)

EdNA, URL: http://www.edna.edu.au/

(Accessed 25/02/02).

Indigenous Education and Training Alliance (IETA)

(2002) URL: http://www.pa.ash.org.au/ieta/default.asp

(Accessed 25/02/02).

Wikman, C & Garvey, L. (2001) �LinCS � Creating

Online Communities of Catholic Educators�, INSITE

Newsletter for the Queensland Society for

Information Technology in Education, August, 3-4.

Williams, M (1997) �Professional Associations:

Supporting teacher communities�, Computers in New

Zealand Schools, 9 (3), 42-47.

Williams, M (2000) �Digital Events: Many models and

some examples�, Journal of the Queensland Society

for Information Technology in Education (QUICK),

78, December, 15-21.

(top to bottom)

Rosemarie Koppe, Consultant for Primary Indigenous Education Projects

Rosemary Bell, Senior Education Officer,

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education

Di Peachey, Consultant for Secondary Indigenous Education Projects



For the last six years Brisbane CatholicEducation has worked within acurriculum framework that has CulturalLiteracy and Languages as one of thenine key learning areas. In the followingarticle, the authors revisit the keydocuments used to unravel thepotential enigma inside the riddle thatis Cultural Literacy and Languageseducation in Catholic schools.

As pointed out by Australian CatholicUniversity in their report to BrisbaneCatholic Education Know thy neighbourlove thy neighbour: An exploration oflanguage and cultures curriculum forBrisbane Catholic Education schools(1997: 25), coming to an understandingof Cultural Literacy and Languageseducation is not an easy task. However,in exploring the area it is important torecognize that the world in whichstudents live today is not like it was inthe past and will not remain as it is.Learning contexts need to acknowledgefutures where growing interdependenceand communication among people ofdifferent languages and cultures areeveryday occurrences. Consequently,the learning of languages within aculturally inclusive curriculum isnecessary if these trends are to bewholesome and beneficial.

The rationale for Cultural Literacy andLanguages is only too evident when

looking at what is happening in theworld today. On the one hand, there is atendency in some parts of the worldtowards increasing minorityethnocentrism and its corollary,intolerance. On the other hand, theworld and people�s lives are increasinglycharacterised by cross-culturalinterdependence and communication.Curriculum in a Catholic school needs toreflect this diversity and preparestudents for living as citizens in an everchanging Australia and its place in thewider world. Cultural Literacy andLanguages education contributes tosuch a holistic and transformativecurriculum for Catholic schools of thenew millennium.

What is cultural literacy?In its Position Paper on CulturalLiteracy and Languages (1998),Brisbane Catholic Education provides areasonably succinct overview ofcultural literacy. It states, �Culturalliteracy is a developmental processinvolving the acquisition of culturalknowledge, understanding and skillsthat leads to greater knowledge andunderstanding of one�s own cultureand other cultures. This allows forincreasingly complex levels ofinteraction with people of othercultures. As meaningful interactioninvolves the use of language, and aslanguage and culture are inextricably

Cultural LiteracyAn enigma inside a riddle?

by Sherryl Saunders, Education Officer and Amanda Kissell, Project Officer:Cultural Literacy and Languages

linked, learning another language isessential to the process of developingcultural literacy� (1998: 4).

It goes on, �Cultural literacy involvesmore than the knowledge andunderstanding of cultures, theirhistories, beliefs, arts and geography.These things are essential to culturalunderstanding, but cultural literacy ismore. It is the ability not only to know,understand, and appreciate one�s ownand other cultures, but also to negotiateand participate to some worthwhileextent in the life of a culture� (1998: 4).

Implications for school contextsGiven the above understanding ofcultural literacy, what are theimplications for schools? Becoming aculturally literate person is a processthat begins in the home environmentand continues throughout life. Asschool represents a major aspect oflife�s experiences for young people, aculturally literate curriculum providesoptimum opportunity for students tobecome culturally literate. The valuesand principles of cultural literacyshould inform the teaching in all KLAs.Thus all curriculum areas at all yearlevels provide the context for theformation of culturally literateindividuals. This process iscomplemented with non-schoolexperiences.



The development of cultural literacyinvolves much more than a superficialfamiliarity with cultural phenomena. Itinvolves the acquisition of knowledgeand the development of understandingabout people and their communities.Learning a language and thedevelopment of cultural understandingcannot be seen as separate in theformation of cultural literacy. Anunderstanding of the appropriate useof language in a variety of contextsenables people to interact with theusers of the language. To learn about aculture without endeavouring to learnthe language and vice versa impliesthat there is no real engagement withthe culture. By negotiating andparticipating to some worthwhileextent in the life of another cultureleads to an appreciation of one�s ownand other cultures.

To facilitate this process, it isacknowledged that two separatecomponents of Cultural Literacy andLanguages education can beidentified. These are: cultural literacyacross the curriculum and languagesother than English (LOTE). Cross-curricular studies provide a frameworkthat all learners on their journey alongthe continuum of cultural literacy.Additionally, the concomitant learningof another language may significantlyenhance cultural literacy. The LOTEcomponent adds to, but does notreplace, cross-curricular studies andthe cross-curricular componentcomplements, but does not replace,LOTE. Whilst acknowledging theartificiality of identifying two separatecomponents to this KLA, it is aconvenient means of designing aculturally inclusive curriculum.

Languages other than EnglishLearning a language is a cumulativeprocess. The awareness of languageand how one has learned one�s firstlanguage is a valuable resource for

learning other languages. In this way,learning another language can alsobe viewed as an apprenticeship forfuture language learning. The bestway to learn a language is throughusing it for real purposes in realcontexts. Opportunities for learners toactively use language in real or life-like situations need to be provided.In Brisbane Catholic Educationschools, the development ofappropriate programs in languagesother than English is guided by theQSCC LOTE Syllabuses.

Cultural Literacy across the CurriculumCultural literacy is developed in all keylearning areas as well as in wholeschool and cross-curricular activities.Cultural literacy is developed throughan understanding of five key concepts.These are: culture, diversity,interdependence, identity andreconciliation. In each key learningarea, students add to theirunderstanding of a number or all ofthese concepts. The key conceptsprovide a framework for implementingconnected programs. Teachers canaccess more information about theinfusion of cultural literacy concepts inschool programs by consulting theCultural Literacy across the CurriculumFramework document.

ReferencesAustralian Catholic University (1997) Know

thy neighbour love thy neighbour: An

exploration of languages and cultures

curriculum for Brisbane Catholic Education

schools, Brisbane.

Brisbane Catholic Education (1998)

A Position Paper in Cultural Literacy and

Languages, Brisbane.

Brisbane Catholic Education (1999) Cultural

Literacy across the Curriculum: A framework,

Brisbane.

Queensland School Curriculum Council

(2000) Japanese Years 4 to 10 Syllabus,

Brisbane.



Premier Bob Carr, referring to the likely form of penalty forminors found guilty of arson during the recent New SouthWales bushfires, made the point that retribution in the formof incarceration or detention would have less impact on theyoung offenders than what was intended, i.e. to �rub theirnoses in it� by making the guilty face their victims and be putto the task of making some restoration through communitywork. This approach has been given the label �restorativejustice� as an alternative to the more traditional �retributivejustice�, where the guilty are made to pay in time or fines.Not that these two forms of justice can�t be combined, butthe motive underlying the adoption of restorative justice isthat being confronted with the consequences of one�scriminal actions by facing the victims and hearing theirstories will be more likely to prevent a recurrence and willalso enable some level of closure to those who are grieving.

Restorative justice as a term or concept is one that occursmore frequently in discourse about the criminal justice andpenal systems. The Brisbane Catholic Prison Ministry andCatholic Justice and Peace Commission presented theprinciples of restorative justice in their publication BrokenLaws or Broken People (2000)1 as �a radically differentapproach to the current criminal justice system� (14).However, there is no reason to confine the concept ofrestorative justice to matters of crime and punishment in thejudicial realm. Where any wrong has been done by oneperson to another or by one group or class of people to

A Reflectionon Justice

in Educationby Adrian Jones: Senior Education Officer: Curriculum

another and where this has been found and acknowledgedto be so, then it is fair that those who have done wrong makesome reparation or restoration to those whom they havewronged. It is not enough to acknowledge one�s culpabilityand then do nothing or very little to make restoration. Sayingsorry is a start, if you mean it, but it needs to be followedthrough. At least the offer of restoration must be made forjustice to be served. This brings us to the question of how wedefine justice and how we envisage justice education orjustice in education.

In 1991, the Archdiocesan Policy Statement JusticeEducation in Catholic Schools2 was issued over thesignature of Archbishop Francis Rush. The Policy Statementdidn�t actually define Justice, but identified the standardsby which �entry into God�s kingdom will be judged� as love,care, liberation, the establishment of right relationships andthe application of �the command of love within thestructures and institutions and social systems of our societyand our world�. It was expected that Justice Educationwould �permeate all aspects of the life of the schoolcommunity� and that it would be included in each school�scurriculum within the broader context of the ReligiousEducation Guidelines.

In 2000, a working party of people representingArchdiocesan and Congregational schools was formed toreview the 1991 statement and prepare an updated one. The



proposed update is still before the Catholic EducationCouncil and, therefore, cannot be pre-empted. However,there was a view that the broad principle of restorative justiceshould be articulated in order that justice be seen to haveteeth, that injustice be seen as not only regrettable but ashaving consequences for its perpetrators. Justice is not onlyabout having a disposition toward right actions and rightrelationships. We are all just when it comes to goodintentions. We may even be disposed towards sharing ourgoods or time. However, justice also requires that weacknowledge our failure to live up to our ideals and to putright, as much as we can, what we have done wrong. Thisappears to be in keeping with the teachings of Jesus, asreported in Luke 19:8-9, where he commended the taxcollector Zacchaeus�s intention to repay his victims fourfoldthe monies of which he had cheated them. It also seems aptin the context of Catholic Education�s commitment toreconciliation with Indigenous people, which cannot beseparated from a commitment to restoration of practicalequality and the confidence and ability Indigenous peopleneed to negotiate successfully the various pathways open toAustralians in their pursuit of happiness.

In summary, there are various forms or methods of justice,each of which is valid within its contexts. Retributivejustice acknowledges that wilful wrong cannot gounpunished in some way. This serves to protect society�svalues and individuals� rights. The 18th centuryphilosopher of jurisprudence, Jeremy Bentham, arguedthat �a right in one person implies that his freedom ofaction is guaranteed by a penalty which prevents anotherperson from invading it�.3 Redistributive, or social justiceacknowledges that wealth and social goods aredistributed unfairly and not in keeping with the commongood. The importance of action on behalf ofredistributive, or social justice was emphasised in the1991 Policy Statement. However, right action on behalf ofthe dispossessed or disadvantaged � one�s sometimesdistant neighbour � does not always translate into rightaction on behalf of one�s immediate neighbour, such asthe new kid, the kid with broken English or the teacherwith the funny mannerism, but right action in these cases

is real justice being learnt and practised in reallymeaningful contexts for students in our schools. Andwhere wrong action has been taken, is discovered andacknowledged, restorative justice demands that somerestoration occur. This may be by apology, by beingrequired to listen to the other�s perspective, by reflectingorally or in writing on what has occurred and itsconsequences, or by whatever means restores somethingof what has been lost and diminishes the effects ofinsensitivity or malice on both the victim and theperpetrator.

As a nominalist, Bentham emphasised that talk about justicemust refer not to generalities, but to real, concrete instances.Without reference to actual instances in the experience of theparticipants, discussion about justice can become talk about�fictitious entities�.4 Hence, the real, daily experience ofstudents needs to be the experiential base from whichunderstanding of justice and commitment to right action andright relationships must be built. The exhortation to �thinkglobally; act locally� is likely to be effective only if the subjecthas been able to think about their rights and responsibilitiesin the here and now, the �little picture� as well as the big one.

Footnotes1 Broken Laws or Broken People. (2000) Catholic Prison Ministry

and Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, 20 Merivale Street,

South Brisbane.

2 Justice Education in Catholic Schools. (1991) Catholic Education

Council, Brisbane

3 Sabine, G. (1960) A History of Political Theory. Harrap. London,

p. 572.

4 Ibid, p. 570



As an initiative to give Year 10 and 11students a real taste of culture in anoverseas country, St Edmund�s CollegeIpswich recently took a group of boysto Shanghai, China to participate in thefirst stage of an exchange programwith the South West Weiyu MiddleSchool in Xuhui Education District. Theexchange was a culmination of a nineyear relationship with the district whichhas previously involved teacherexchanges and visits by small groups ofChinese language students fromSt Edmund�s. The group of 20 Year10�s and 4 Year 11�s was led by Mr. TedDobe, a teacher from the college whohas been integral in establishingcontacts with the district. He wassupported by Mrs. Trish Kinnane,Deputy Principal, Mr John Woods,Manager of Edmund Park, the College�soutdoor education centre and myselfas Head of Humanities in 2002.

The students left Australia on 9th Juneto spend five weeks in China includinga three week homestay with Chinesefamilies and two weeks touring areasaround Shanghai, then onto Xian,home of the Terracotta Soldiers,and Beijing.

The time spent in Shanghai providedthe opportunity to undertake a study ofeducation in China as well as variousaspects of the city. Shanghai providesan excellent study site as it containselements of the European influence ofthe 19th and 20th centuries as well astraditional Chinese cityscapes. This isblended with the modern commercialShanghai which is one of the fastestgrowing cities in Asia. The city and thesurrounding countryside offers a

landscape of great contrast inarchitecture, transport, housing andlifestyles. The students spent a numberof days visiting sights in the city andcountryside, traveling by public bus,subway , taxi , private bus and intercitytrain taking in the essential nature ofShanghai and its hinterland. Throughthis they learned to navigate cities, dealwith exchange rates and communicatein a different language.

Intertwined with this were classes atSouth West Weiyu Middle School.Some of these were presented byteachers from the school in the areas ofart, cooking, music, physical educationand English, while other classes were inthe computer room with theaccompanying teachers fromSt Edmund�s, preparing reports on theirschool experience in Shanghai andusing digital photographs to developpresentations using Swish, an HTML-based program similar to Powerpoint,for uploading to the exchange Website.These presentations, along with thereports, were able to be viewed byparents and friends of the studentsback in Australia on our website andincluded contrasting aspects ofShanghai including transport, buildingsand urban/rural landscapes landscapes.This part of the program was difficult attimes because of technological issuesbut these were largely overcomethrough the skills of James Stalker, oneof our Year 11 students.

The program allowed students tointegrate a variety of KLAs through theirstudy. These included English,Mathematics, Study of Society andEnvironment, Information and

Communication Technology, LOTE, TheArts and Health and Physical Education.As well as this the students learnt veryuseful life skills which will give themconfidence in the future. Many of theboys have commented on how theirmotivation has increased and they wishto achieve better results after livingwith Chinese students who have a greatstudy ethic.

For the teachers, the program achievedmany of the goals which we set as wellas allowing us to become a significantadult in the lives of many of the boys. Asa result, we are committed to continuingthe program in 2002 and beyond with agroup of students already preparing toleave in June, 2002. Our 2001 exchangewas followed by a reciprocal visit byteachers and students from Xi NanWeiyu Middle School in January andFebruary, 2002 for 3 weeks, allowing ourstudents to renew old acquaintancesand make new friendships. As well, twoof our current Year 11 students ( whowere part of the 2001 exchange) willundertake a further exchange fromFebruary to June to immerse themselvesin Chinese language.

An Integrated StudyThe St Edmund’s College Shanghai Exchange Programby Mark Currie, Head of Humanities: St Edmund�s College

The opening of St Edmund�s College Campus

at Xi Nan Weiju Middle School



Science is again a priority area for support for schools in theBrisbane Archdiocese in 2002. This will be the final year ofKLA specific support for the implementation of the QSCCYears 1 � 10 Science syllabus. This article outlines theScience Project to date, professional developmentopportunities planned for 2002 and a description of a casestudy which you might find helpful in planning Consistencyof Teacher Judgement strategies in Science for this year.

The Science Project to date:There have been several years of activities to support theimplementation of the QSCC Years 1-10 Science syllabus:

� 1999 � a focus on planning and review; Archdiocesan Scanof practices in Science; distribution of and familiarisation withnew QSCC materials; identification of Science co-ordinatorsand Science Liaison Persons [SLiPs] in schools; professionaldevelopment activities for syllabus familiarisation.

� 2000 � a focus on developing understanding of theunderpinning philosophies of the syllabus materials;promoting effective learning and teaching strategies inscience; support for the development of SchoolImplementation plans. Key audiences were SLiPs and Scienceco-ordinators, with some support for Administration teams,Teacher librarians, classroom teachers and others.

� 2001 � a focus on �Science in the Classroom�; support forthe development or review of Implementation plansincluding strategies for consistency of teacher judgement inscience; unit planning; assessment; working scientificallyincluding open investigations; effective teaching practices inscience; constructivism and its implications for classrooms;BCE/QUT Secondary Science Project 2001 which included thedevelopment of units of work by participating teachers whichcan be accessed from the BCE common drive; distribution ofQSCC CD ROM and the full suite of printed modules. Activitieswere extended to include more professional developmentopportunities for classroom teachers.

Support for 2002:The theme for 2002 for Science is �Developing scientificliteracy.� This theme will underpin the support andprofessional development opportunities offered. Scientificliteracy has been defined as:

�the capacity for persons to be interested in andunderstand the world around them, to engage in thediscourses of and about science, to be sceptical andquestioning of claims made by others about scientificmatters, to be able to identify questions and drawevidence-based conclusions, and to make informeddecisions about the environment and their own healthand well-being.� (DETYA Report �The Quality and Statusof Teaching and Learning of Science in AustralianSchools,� May 2001, page 15).

If this describes our purposes for Science education it maychallenge the types of learning activities we plan for studentsas we provide opportunities for them to demonstrate Sciencelearning outcomes.

Major activities/events for 2002 (PD eventsaccessible via the Professional Development Diary asfinalised):

� Review of School Implementation plans including furtherdevelopment of strategies for consistency of teacherjudgement

� Two Network days for primary SLiPs and secondaryCo-ordinators; school funded teachers also invited(see Flyers in bulk mailouts)

� Primary Investigations � Syllabus Links - Books 1 � 3(Term 2)

� Primary Investigations � Syllabus Links - Books 4 �7(later in the year)

� CHEM Kit in-service for Upper Primary classroom teachers(Term 2)

� RE & Science Day- 22 May

� Science Week Conference for all teachers of science Years1-12 - �Science in the Bush� - 20 August � an opportunityto share and celebrate work in all areas of the science KLA

� Teaching and learning in primary Science

� Unit planning in primary Science

� Primary Curriculum Support Teachers � �Supporting yourSLiP with science�

� Follow up activities to the BCE/QUT Secondary ScienceProject 2001

by Shelley Peers, Education Officer: ScienceKathy Harris, Project Officer: Science (Primary)



Consistency of Teacher Judgement Case StudyThe following case study is an example of how a cluster of schools has engaged in a meaningful way with Consistency ofTeacher Judgement in Science, which is an appropriate strategy for inclusion in a School Curriculum Implementation Plan.

According to the Consistency of Teacher Judgement Information Kit (2001): Consistency of Teacher Judgement is both aprocess and an element in the teaching and learning cycle. A cluster of Brisbane schools have planned a process that willenable them to enhance the climate of collegiality and professionalism within and between their schools and to developcommon understandings of learning outcomes in the science syllabus. The schools involved in the cluster are:

Why science?On the October pupil free day in 2001 the cluster of schoolshad a professional input session on the science outcomesand elaborations by Shane Hare (St. Elizabeth�s) and ElizabethPearson (Mary Immaculate). After some discussion, sciencebecame a focus for 2002.

Each of the schools is at a different stage of implementationof the QSCC Years 1 to 10 Science Syllabus. Most teachers arebecoming confident in using outcomes and planning fromthe Lifelong Learning Attributes. The SLiP (Science LiaisonPerson) at each school has attended Science Network Days,which began back in 1999 and of which there will be twomore in 2002. In some cases they have organised workshopsfor their colleagues during staff meetings, or they have beenavailable for advice and support when teachers requested it.

60 teachers committed to professional learningThe process that has been arranged in the cluster groupinvolves a number of network meetings between teachers ofthe same year level. The venue changes from school to schoolto allow the teachers to experience the different culture ofeach school and to become aware of their similarities.

Networking across schools has enabled teachers to decreasethe professional isolation they sometimes feel as the onlyteacher in their year level. Part time staff often go to thescheduled network meetings, even if it is not their day to be

at work. Some teachers even make contact across schools,outside of the network meetings.

Mary Immaculate principal, Rick Sheehan, says that networkinghas been a good support for teachers who have changed yearlevels. He also believes that teachers have worked to build up asupport network of professional sharing, of both ideas andresources. They work towards tasks as a group and attempt toidentify the particular needs of their year level together. Lastyear, the Year Seven teachers in the cluster of schools met todiscuss how they could help the children to understand whathad happened on September 11.

School Principal SLiP

Mary Immaculate, Annerley Mr. Rick Sheehan Fiona Winn

St. Elizabeth�s, Tarragindi Mr. Martin Wilkie Karin Stanbury

St. Ita�s, Dutton Park Mrs. Karen Bakon Maryanne Brown

St. Brendan�s, Moorooka Mr. Paul Drewniak Liz Jones

St. Pius X, Salisbury Ms. Larraine Walker June Romer

St. Sebastian�s, Yeronga Mr. Andrew Oberthur Kathy Peasey (2001)

Julie Davis (2002)

2001October

pupil free day

2002NetworkMeetingTerm 1

2002Aprilpupil

free day



!

!!

!

!

CTJProcess

2002October

pupil free day



Depending on the professional development focus for theyear different teachers take on a role that involves sharingprofessional knowledge with their colleagues.

First Network Meeting:Teachers prepare a focus for a collaborative unit of work.They decide on a context for the science concepts to betaught and a purpose for teaching the unit. They alsobegin to gather resources.

April Pupil Free Day:Professional input from BCE Science Team about theemphases of the science syllabus and the elements ofscience unit planning.

Second Network Meeting:Teachers create assessment tasks that will allow thestudents to demonstrate the chosen outcomes. They alsodevelop common criteria sheets.

Third Network meeting:Teachers monitor the progress of the unit to date.

Activities: Sequencing of core learning outcomes andworking scientifically.

October Pupil Free Day:Teachers evaluate their science units. They also discuss andcompare student demonstrations of outcomes.

A 2002 Consistency of Teacher Judgement Information Kit iscurrently being developed. However, the 2001 kit is stillavailable on the common drive in the �Consistency of TeacherJudgement� folder. We�d like to take this opportunity tothank Rick Sheehan, The Mary Immaculate school communityand all the schools involved in the cluster, for sharing theirstory with us.

We look forward to working with you in developing effectivelearning and teaching in Science again this year. Have agreat year.

Kathy and Shelley.

Cultural InclusivityBy Rossana McDade, Education Officer: English as a Second Language

As an ESL teacher travelling to many schools to assistmainstream class teachers with ESL students, many issues andconcerns brought to me are similar and often refer to theneed to make the classroom more inclusive for thesestudents. Students should not be marginalised because ofcultural differences and the ethnocentricity of the dominantculture within the classroom. Consequently, this article dealswith the issue of how to make classrooms more inclusive sothat ESL students may participate more equitably and fullywithin the classroom. This can be done through two equallyimportant and interrelated ways; curriculum changes, to meetthe needs of students through teaching cultural literacy andthe adaptations of class practices to ensure culturalinclusivity and the maintenance of the childrens� firstlanguage. Maintenance of first language is extremelyimportant for the development of second language. Howeverteachers often find maintenance of first language difficult ifthere are only a few children of varying languagebackgrounds in their class.

Many teachers when faced with ESL children in their classesfor the first time are generally ill equipped to meet theneeds of these children. They often feel frustrated with theinadequate assistance offered and the lack of resources

available to them through the library or outside agencies.They can feel they do not have the skills necessary toaddress the difficulties encountered by these children someof whom have experienced some or all of these: trauma,sense of loss, opposing expectations from family, schooland peers, high family expectations in regards to academicachievement, language barrier/need for an interpreter, littlesupport with homework, racial tension or failure due to lowteacher expectations.

When ESL students enter a classroom they bring with them aset of values, attitudes, beliefs and knowledge of the worldperceived through the language and culture of theirexperiences. Mainstream classrooms often reflect the cultureof the dominant group in society and often this may comeinto conflict with that of the ESL student. The curriculum inschools is developed on the assumption that all studentsbegin school with knowledge and experiences that areconsistent with the learning that occurs in schools. Even if anESL student speaks fluent English, it cannot be assumed thatthe students will be able to fully access the curriculum. Thismisconception leads to confusion as to why the student isnot achieving as well as expected. The student receives littleassistance and their language and curriculum needs are not



adequately met. For ESL students to partake in the dominantculture they need full access to the language, as successfulaccess to that culture is determined by the successful accessto the language of the group.

Education in cultures or cultural literacy is needed to mediatebetween the dominant Australian culture and non-dominantAustralian cultures. It is important that teachers are aware ofdiversity and are willing to cater for diversity. Thedevelopment of cultural literacy through the curriculumenables all students to gain knowledge, understanding andrespect of other cultures, understand that all culturescontribute to our existence and that there are many views ofthe world in which we live.

Banks (Partington and McCudden, 1992) propose a continuumof four approaches: Multicultural days, which give rise to anawareness of the diversity of cultures. Ethnic additive, which isthe inclusion of texts representing the views and experiences ofdiverse cultures. Transformation, which investigates contentfrom different perspectives eg alternative histories of Australia.Social action, encouraging the use of role-play, valuesclarification and moral analysis. The students are encouraged tostudy examples of prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination.

There are also other approaches that stress the importance ofgoing beyond knowledge of diverse cultures to that of theaffective domain dealing with human values and how theseinfluence attitude and behaviour.

Hence a whole curricular approach which is an infusion ofcultural literacy throughout all subjects will provide

opportunities for students to go beyond the content ofsimilarities and differences, use higher order thinking skills,develop personal value systems and use their learning acrosscultural boundaries.

How do we do this? One approach is to begin with a topic thatis relevant to your specific class, their needs and diversity.Immerse the students in experiences around the topic. Find outwhat is known and what the students want to know and needto know, formulate focus questions, form groups, usecooperative teaching and learning strategies (ESL strategies-jigsaw, dictogloss etc), include Blooms taxonomy, De Bono�ssix thinking hats and Bank�s cultural learning continuum. Inthis way students will work collaboratively, explore and reflectwhilst moving from a multicultural appreciation to a socialaction approach that will challenge values and attitudes.

ESL students have a need to participate happily within ourclassrooms. They need English to learn, complete tasks andassignments, participate in activities with peers and mostimportantly to reach their full potential as members of oursociety. In order for this to happen the cultural and linguisticbackgrounds of these students must be affirmed and valued.The positive effect of recognition of the value of diversecultures not only enhances the potential learning of thesestudents, but that of the whole class.

ReferencesPartington, G & McCudden, V (1992) Ethnicity and Education

NSW: Social Science Press.

Photo Feature

Natalia, Daniela and Monika Kolakowski celebrate their Polishheritage by wearing traditional Polish costume.


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