What are yarning circles? 

At Heathmont College, one of our most unique professional learning structure is our yarning circles. 

These yarning circles provide opportunity for all staff to regularly come together to discuss problems of practice, issues being experienced and to problem solve together to improve the school and the experiences of all who are part of it. 

It is through our yarning circles that implementation of the school's key strategies occurs. It is also through these circles that whole school strategy is developed. 

One key goal of these circles is to ensure that all staff have the access, time and ear of the principal or leadership team on a regular basis and are known and heard by leadership. 

All staff are allocated to a yarning circle once a fortnight. This comes up on their schedules on Compass.

In 2024 (the first year of yarning circles) the focus for our circles was mainly centred around the introduction of the Real Schools Partnership  and developing our school HEATHOS strategy. 

In 2025, we began our yarning circles with implementation of the Heathos strategy and then the key focus shifted to learning about and implementing the VTLM 2.0. In term 3, we focused on our new Agentic Learning Framework and in Term 4, we furthered our approach to cultural inclusion and consideration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, knowledge and ways of learning in the classroom. 

In 2026, we are focusing on 'Teacher Concern' in Term 1, VTLM implementation in Term 2, Inclusive teaching practices in Term 3 and whole school wellbeing strategies in Term 4. 

Agentic framework

Details about this framework can be found here. 

Specific resources used in activities can be accessed below:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, knowledges and ways of learning 

In Term 4, we focused as a college on cultural inclusion and on incorporating and imbedding content and pedagogy that is inclusive and respectful of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and students. 

The following resources were used and shared and a common bank of ideas and resources developed. 

Teaching in a culturally inclusive and respectful way

The following captures the discussions had at the staff level as part of our yarning circles in Term 4 0f 2025.

The ideas captured below were all shared and as were many resources (see below). Work on this will continue into 2026 and beyond as the college strives to be a more inclusive and culturally safe space for all students.

What is being done:

·         Songlines unit in Year 7 English. Team have developed a unit that draws on songlines as a concept. Use of the ABC site (storytelling section) to resource as well as a book [need references].

·         Humanities in Year 7 have developed a unit on Australian history that looks at the massacres of Aboriginal people that occurred during the period of European settlement

·         PE – aboriginal games and sports unit. Incorporating these into PE warm ups. Outdoor ed – acknowledging country in different spaces and being aware of whose country each activity is on. Focus on Country and kinship. Stolen generations, impact of colonisation

·         Health are looking at Indigenous Healthy Eating guidelines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and comparing these to the ‘regular’ guidelines identifying why and how these differ or are similar.

·         Languages consider ways to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait knowledge into their work around language. IN VCE also investigate the work of some German early settlers who recorded and documented Aboriginal language being spoken.

·         Indonesian – unit investigating the relationship between the Indonesian people and the Aboriginal / Torres Strait Islander people of the Northern parts of the country (Maccacans).

·         Library – displays and books

·         Food technology – lots happening in this space around bush tucker and spices. AHA has a wide range of resources and artefacts that she is happy to share / loan out. Recipes with an indigenous twist (fusion cooking)

·         Performing arts – students developing acknowledgement of country in their podcasts unit – emphasising belonging and connection as topic. Also a mapping task using song (similar to the idea of songlines). Use of indigenous instruments in year 8 radio dramas. In Year 9, they investigate indigenous music styles.

·         Science – lots in the VCE study designs across all subjects. Also, junior levels looking at medicinal plants and their chemistry. Looking to incorporate more indigenous examples into all concepts and units. Year 10 ecology – First friends of Dandenong creek – eels and seasons. How colonisation and industrialisation has impacted on the natural ecology and led to climate change, for example. Looking at the global impact of climate change on indigenous populations.

·         Maths – trade routes. Network models. Statistics unit and examples (as per curriculum elaborations), maps – comparison of First Nations land areas and state boundaries and borders, counting systems, trust and trade

·         English – specific texts to incorporate First Nations voices and perspectives at all year levels. Some short stories, some novels, Redfern Now, etc.

·         Humanities – Indigenous business, maps, crime and politics (referendum), native title (Legal studies). Thomas Mayo video. Australian pop culture – influence of indigenous people in this. Geography – comparing First nations land management strategies with modern strategies. WWI – investigating the Aboriginal ‘diggers’ and the impact of policies of the time on them and their families after the war.

·         Design and Technology – materials and resources. Look at how First Nations people used the natural resources to design and make. Use of patterns and Indigenous art principles in design.

Resources for cultural inclusion

the following resources have been shared and recommended by staff

• ABC deep time  lots of great resources - story telling, history and time, place and Country

• Narragunnawali - lots of support for content and for professional learning 

• Aust Museum - Trade between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the Makasar (Indonesia)

• Uni Melbourne resources including numerous activities aligned to different curriculum areas. 

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