Weaving Torres Strait Islander language and culture into education

This chapter describes how Torres Strait Islander educators are able to weave their ways of being, doing, and knowing into their own teaching pedagogy by drawing on traditional knowledge systems and bringing a culturally appropriate and inclusive perspective in their classroom practices. This is exemplified by two Torres Strait Islander both-ways practitioners who provide an overview of their family’s histories and their educational backgrounds – and in doing so show their unique social, cultural, and linguistic identity. They describe their own educational learning journey from humble beginnings on their island homelands to struggles as students and challenges as professional teachers in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island independent and public schools. They share practical tips for teachers wishing to work in Torres Strait Islander educational contexts. They describe the need to recognise, acknowledge, and celebrate student knowledges in the teaching and learning process. They highlight the need for teachers to support students in culturally safe, inclusive, and appropriate ways and how this can be drawn upon to develop new knowledges.