Exhibition: Identity: Yours, Mine, Ours

Visit Date: 22nd September 2015

The Melbourne Immigration Museum has a range of learning opportunities in

humanities for children in the primary years, as they can see the artefacts and read
about the experiences in a first hand approach which create a though-provoking
experience for the children. The exhibition Identity: Yours, Mine, Ours allowed us to
explore the different identities and cultures that are in Victoria.

The artefact I have chosen for children to engage in critical thinking is the Essendon
Hijab, seen in 1a. Discussion about the hijab can lead to teaching and learning
amongst the humanities domains of civics and citizenship and history.

Civics and citizenship allows the children to have an understanding of the identities of
individuals who come together to form local, national and global communities.
AusVELS states that learning through civics and citizenship allows children to
develop an appreciation for the uniqueness and diversity of Australias multicultural
society (2015). The exhibition Yours, Mine, Ours would be best suited for children in
grade 3, working towards the level 4 standards. At this level, children show an
understanding of the values reflected in Australias national symbols, emblems,
celebrations and commemorations (VCAA, 2012). The celebration of football colours
is a typical Australian culture, which is encouraged and welcomed by all Australians,
as seen as the collaboration of the AFL with a hijab.
Maynard and Martini (2005) states that children learn about culture and gain social
knowledge through the teachers management of the classroom through socially
distributed cognition and situated learning. Discussions and activities involivng the
hijab is an example of situated learning, where the teacher is intentially teaching the
children about the cultural aspects that we see in Australia.

The exhibition Yours, Mine, Ours also extends beyond civics and citizenship, into the
domain of history. Teachers can lead children at a year 3 to 4 level to identity and
describe continutity and change over time in the local community, region or state
(VCAA, 2015). This would lead to discussion over how the traditions of the AFL has
changed over time, from uniforms, to fans and the teams involved.
Children in years 5 to 6 would be able to describe perspectives and idenitify ideas,
beliefs and values of people and groups in the past (VCAA, 2015). Teachers would
be able to explore further into people of the Muslim faith and other religions that exist
amongst the Australian culture. Stimulating conversation would allow for children to
predict where the faith may have come from and the backgrounds of these people.

Teachers can ask such questions to stimulate critical thinking:

What is a tradition or event that your family celebrates?
Why do we have different traditions and celebrations?
What is the benefits of having a multiculural Australia?
Why do people immigrate to Australia?

Appendix
1a)

Annotation:

A Muslim mother, whose daughter had footy colours day at school and wanted to join
in the fun and celebration with her classmates, originally created this hijab. It allows
the children to join in on the Australian culture of AFL, whilst still including their
background and culture. This a their way to embrace and engage in the culture that
other Australian children and families are celebrating.
This is a way to break down the barriers between cultures, and empowering Muslim
girls to be involved in the football code.

The AFL is a supportive institute and encourages people of all multicultural

communities to be involved, even having a Multicultural Community Ambassador
Program.
1b)

Text Reads:
Join the Club
A steel pan brings a community together. A coffee
pot gets friends chatting. A badge asserts
Aboriginal rights. A hijab that combines faith with
footy.

We wear our proof of membership proudly. It is an

expression of our belonging. Not having to
continually explain ourselves feels comfortable.
We are understood.

Other people who share our passion may want to

join us and we let them if they play by our
rules.

There are times when we want to experiment by

trying something different. We reinvent ourselves,
find new people with similar interests. Or we adapt
to fit in.

Whats your group? Or do you have several?

The hijab was in the window of Join the Club,
which contained other items, which gather
people together in community or group. The
hijab is representing the Muslim women
joining the club of the AFL as proud Muslim
women, as they are not putting themselves on
the outside. These women are actively
becoming involved in the Australian Culture of
AFL.

2a) Proof of Visit

b) Visit with Katie Roberts and Nicola Ristrom

Reference List

AusVELS. (2015). Civics and citizenship. Retrieved from

http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Civics-and-Citizenship/Overview/Introduction

Maynard, A. & Martini, M. (2005). Learning in Cultural Context. Springer, US:

Plenum Publishers

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). (2012). Standards and

progression point examples: civics and citizenship. Retrieved from
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Documents/auscurric/progressionpoints/CivicsandCitizen
shipsProgressionPoints.pdf

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). (2015). Scope and

sequence: history. Retrieved from http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/the-
humanities/history/introduction/scope-and-sequence