Kylie Armstrong

Through my commitment to the '8 ways' pedagogical model for learning I have begun to implement strategies in my classroom for engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners. My strong belief in the value of connectedness and community for effective learning supports this group of learners well, as I welcome community members into our learning space and use community resources to build strong learning opportunities. I have a strong ability to build rapport with students through valuing their life experience, their values and seeking to understand them as individuals. While the '8 ways' model is described as an indigenous model for learning, I believe it is one of the strongest models for learner engagement, across the board, as it values the whole person and sees learning & teaching as a community right & responsibility. This is critical for all learners, not just Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners. The wisdom of non-linear learning, connected to the learner's physical and social environment is becoming more widely recognized as we seek to address learner disengagement in western education systems.

As a beginning teacher, my understanding of & implementation fo the '8ways' model is at a very rudimentary level when measured against the model's potential, but this will be an area of ongoing professional growth for me. 

Currently I use the model to challenge myself to provide learning opportunities using the strategies of 'yarning' (telling the story), non-verbal communication , connection to land (local environment), deconstruct-reconstruct (starting with the big idea, pulling it apart and rebuilding our understanding), using symbols and metaphors, and connecting learning to local values and needs. The non-linear aspect of the model is vital to effective learning for all members of my learning community as knowledge is most powerful when not limited to one sphere but gained and applied across all areas of life.