The document describes two initiatives aimed at connecting Aboriginal mathematics and culture. The Nerang Cluster held a multi-day camp in 2010 that integrated cultural activities like dance and gunyah building with math concepts. In 2012, with support from Dr. Chris Matthews, the Healesville Cluster ran a "Big Day Out" where students participated in cultural activities and saw their relationship to mathematics. Both projects aimed to engage Aboriginal students and build relationships between communities and schools.

1. 
Make
It
Count:
Connecting
Mathematics
ate
Nith
Aboriginal
Ma7hews
w augh/n
Culture
Brad
Jarro
K
Dr.
Chris

2. Rationale
 Effec/ve
teaching
of
mathema/cs
ensures
that
students
are
able
to
connect,
be
engaged
and
build
on
what
students
know
from
their
experiences
(Sullivan,
2011)
 Aboriginal
and
Torres
Strait
Islander
students
need
opportuni/es
to
see
where
their
Aboriginality
and
mathema/cs
come
together
(Ma7hews
&
Morris,
2011)
 The
mathema/cs
curriculum
should
build
on
aspects
of
tradi/onal
culture
and
u/lize
contexts
(Stanton,
1994)

3. Implementation
 In
2010,
the
Nerang
Cluster
held
a
culture
and
mathema/cs
camp
to
build
and
connect
both
maths
and
Cultural
Iden/ty
in
Indigenous
students.
Many
Aboriginal
and
Torres
Strait
Islander
Elders,
leaders
and
other
role
models
(Dr
Chris
Ma7hews)
played
a
significant
role
in
the
camp.
 In
2012,
with
the
support
of
Chris
Ma7hews
and
the
work
of
the
Nerang
cluster,
the
Healesville
Cluster
ran
a
Big
Day
Out
at
Worawa
Aboriginal
College
where
students
par/cipated
in
a
day
to
integrate
cultural
ac/vi/es
and
mathema/cs.

4. The
Context
–
Nerang
Cluster
• 4
schools
from
the
Gold
Coast
(Nerang)
and
1
from
Ipswich
(west
of
Brisbane)
• Schools
invovled
are;
• William
Duncan
State
School
• Nerang
State
Primary
School
• Gilston
State
Primary
School
• St
Peter
Claver
College
• Nerang
State
High
School
• Each
school
has
different
numbers
of
Indigenous
students
–
St
Peter
Claver
College
has
60
out
of
1000
who
iden/fy
as
either
Aboriginal
or
Torres
Strait
Islander
• Mixed
socio-­‐economic
areas

5. Nerang
Cluster
 Project
in
Review:
 Major
events
included;
 2009
–
Cultural
Awareness
Training
for
all
staff
in
each
school
and
some
staff
trained
in
First
Steps
Mathema/cs
 2010
–
Maths
and
Culture
Camp
at
Gold
Coast
 2011
–
Maths
day
at
the
Gold
Coast
Titans
Centre
of
Excellence
 2012
–
PD
Conference
for
all
Maths
Teachers
at
the
Gold
Coast
which
included
keynote
speakers,
workshops
and
social
ac/vi/es
for
staff

6. Nerang
Cluster
–
Maths
and
Culture
Camp

3
Day
Camp
which
involved
students
from
all
schools
within
the
Cluster
from
Years
3
to
9

Elders,
Role
Models,
Community
Members
and
School
Staff
all
involved
in
the
Camp

Mixture
of
Cultural,
Maths
and
Outdoor
Ac/vi/es

Cultural
and
Maths
ac/vi/es
included;

Dance
/
Algebra
Ac/vity
–

Gunyah
making
–
measurement
and
angles

Maths
trail
at
the
Currumbin
Wildlife
Sanctuary
–

Various
Cultural
Ac/vi/es
–
yarning
with
Elders,
Art,
Boomerang
throwing,
Didge
playing

7. Nerang
Camp
–
Maths
and
Culture
Camp
 Prepara/on
for
the
camp
was
quite
involved
 Our
Cluster
employed
the
services
of
a
Community
Liaison
worker
who
organised
most
of
the
camp.
 It
involved
numerous
mee/ngs
with
staff
from
each
school
 Consulta/on
with
Elders,
Chris
and
other
community
members

8. The
Context
-­‐
Healesville
 60km
North-­‐East
of
Melbourne
 Popula/on
7,000
 10%
Aboriginal
or
Torres
Strait
Islander
 Two
primary
schools:
Badger
Creek
and
Healesville
 Two
high
schools:
Healesville
High
School,
Worawa
Aboriginal
College
 Local
Employment
is
sourced
from:
Sawmilling,
tourism
and
vi/culture
 Mixed
socio-­‐economic
area

9. Make
It
Count
-­‐
Healesville
Cluster
 Project
in
review:
 Maths
PL
for
teachers
 Cultural
awareness
training
at
Monash
University
and
Worawa
Aboriginal
College
 Funding
for
maths
resources,
interven/on
programs
such
as
GRIN
and
QuickSmart
Numeracy
 Big
Day
Out
excursion
 Teacher
reflec/on
PL

10. Big
Day
Out
-­‐
Goals
 To
engage
students
in
a
day
of
cultural
ac/vi/es
and
maths
 To
give
students
an
opportunity
to
explore
mathema/cs
and
its
rela/onship
to
cultural
ac/vi/es
 Professional
Learning
for
teachers
to
see
in
ac/on
new
ways
in
context
 To
bring
local
elders,
members
of
the
community,
teachers
and
students
together,
building
on
those
rela/onships

11. The
Big
Day
Out
-­‐
Organisation
 60
students
rotated
in
groups
of
15
accompanied
by
3-­‐4
teachers
 Each
ac/vity
ran
for
40
minutes
 Students
completed
an
evalua/on
form
at
the
end
of
the
day,
will
have
a
day
of
reflec/on
late
October
 Two
local
elders
and
another
local
Aboriginal
community
member
were
involved
on
the
day
 All
instructors
were
supported
by
a
teacher

12. Big
Day
Out
-­‐
Preparation
 Cultural
awareness
training
 Maths
Professional
Development
on
Context-­‐based
learning
 Mee/ng
with
local
elders
 Devising
ac/vi/es
with
Chris
Ma7hews,
local
elders
and
staff
at
Worawa
college
 Next
steps:
Teacher’s
will
par/cipate
in
a
reflec/on
day
to
record
significant
episodes
from
the
day
out

13. Big
Day
Out
–
Activities
Maths
in
nature
using
iPADs
Maths
in
basket
weaving
and
building
a
humpy
Maths
in
art
Maths
in
sport

14. Big
Day
Out
-­‐
Reflection
One
teacher
commented
that
it
was
the
first
/me
all
year
that
one
of
her
students
had
completed
a
task:
“I
was
thrilled
to
see
(student)
comple/ng
all
the
day’s
ac/vi/es.
He
is
a
shy
student
who
lacks
confidence
in
class
discussions
but
at
the
Big
Day
Out
he
went
and
introduced
himself
to
other
Aboriginal
people
and
had
a
huge
smile
on
his
face
all
day.”