Learning from Country: Education from Country

Have you ever thought about learning from Country — from the very land on which you walk? Can this sort of learning be done in the city? And can it be done by anyone, whatever their cultural background?

While working over a number of years as consultants at the school in the Aboriginal community of Papunya, writer Nadia Wheatley and artist Ken Searle were privileged to experience a model of education that placed Country at the centre of the curriculum. Later, running a Harmony Project with children from Muslim, Catholic and public schools in south-western Sydney, Nadia and Ken used the same model. This experience (showcased in the picture book Going Bush) proves that Learning from Country is just as enjoyable and effective when the Country is the city, and children’s families come from all over the world.

Nadia Wheatley and Ken Searle will discuss this inspirational way of learning in conversation with Professor Robyn Ewing from the Sydney School of Education and Social Work.

This will also be an opportunity to see the artwork from six award-winning books produced by Nadia Wheatley and Ken Searle, all of which embody the ideal of Learning from Country.