Bush Kindergarten

History making day this weekend...

The beauty of this 😍😍

"In the 27 years of my woodworking business, I have never thrown away a knot. Many people see knots as a defect, but to me knots are the visual representation of a trees struggle to thrive. Not all little limbs become big branches, but their combined efforts on behalf of the tree as a whole should be celebrated. Just like human scars they tell a story of sacrifice and healing. Each of these "scars" has a unique personality and deserve the chance to be appreciated as art."
+ Keith Williams aka Oddball Gallery

Image Description:
Geometrical spherical wooden sculpture with triangular faces each featuring a knot in the wooden grain.

Awful news

Djab Wurrung woman's fight to protect 'culturally significant' trees dismissed Marjorie Thorpe's long-running legal battle for declarations to protect what she says are culturally significant trees has been dismissed after a state backdown in the Supreme Court.

We should be protecting our old growth forests and native animals. Please sign.

741 people are signing up now. Pledge your support to protect Australia

Ohh yes please. Perfect for Science Week. 😍

The Indigenous Science Experience is going online! The event will include the following FREE evening and weekday webinars open to the general public:

Harnessing Knowledge of the Land and the Sea – Yaegl Community (Aunty Glenda MacPhail and Uncle Ron Heron), Sarah and James Thomas (South Coast Seaweed), Dr Pia Winberg and Professor Peter Ralph. Monday, August 16, 2021, 7.00-8.00 pm. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/harnessing-the-knowledge-of-the-land-and-sea

Indigenous History and Artefacts – Paul Craft-Burragun, Burragun Aboriginal Cultural Services. Tuesday, August 17, 2021, 7.00-8.00 pm. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/indigenous-history-and-artefacts

Exploring the Fascinating Lives of White-bellied Sea-Eagles through EagleCAM – Judy Harrington, BirdLife Southern NSW. Wednesday, August 18, 2021, 12.00 pm – 1.00 pm. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/exploring-the-fascinating-lives-of-white-bellied-sea-eagles-through-eaglecam

Stories and Structures – from Micrographs to Art – Dr Jenny Whiting and Gamilaraay artist Arkeria Rose Armstrong. Wednesday, August 18, 2021, 7.00-8.00 pm. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/stories-and-structures-from-micrographs-to-art

Global Indigenous Engineering – David Harrington, Stone and Bones. Thursday, August 19, 2021, 7.00-8.00 pm. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/global-indigenous-engineering

Indigenous Astronomy in Australia – Uncle James Ingram, Robert Fuller and Trevor Leaman. Friday, August 20, 2021, 7.00-8.30 pm. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/indigenous-astronomy-in-australia

Releasing balloons is now illegal!

Admittedly there is nothing quite like a balloon but I have found it is more important to me that wildlife don't experience painful unnecessary deaths. I also think the children who we say the balloons are for would make this choice too.

Zoos Victoria’s campaign, when balloons fly, seabirds die, has more information about how you can take action.

Report helium balloon releases Type a minimum of three characters then press UP or DOWN on the keyboard to navigate the autocompleted search results. Alternatively, type a search term and press the Search button.

Brene always has a way with words. Check out her research if you haven't already. I am a better teacher when I accept my own vulnerabilities and accept each child's differences 💟

Attachment and Authenticity - The Child's Two Great Needs
Attachment is...
Attachment is the connection the child forms with her Mum – or whoever stands in for her if it can't be the the Mum – immediately after birth. From the emotional safety of this connection, the child begins to get to know others AND themselves over the next weeks, months and years.

Authenticity is...
Authenticity is the child's connection with their true self, with their inner self. If your child has to put your needs before hers to 'keep you happy' she automatically - but not consciously - makes the decision to suppress her own gut feelings, and then she loses authentic self.

Many of us want to Heal Country and participate in this year's Naidoc Week. These traditional Lores shared by Reconcilliation NSW help us to better understand how to put this idea into action. I will be discussing this with the children to develop our own planning based on our context/ community.

It might be watch me mummy, daddy, grandpa, grandma, teacher, aunty, uncle, friend. But whoever a child chooses, feel honoured and make the time. They have someone they trust to share their development and evolving identity with which is as important as the new skill itself.