Education and Aboriginal Studies

            "Although you may not realize it now or even until next year when you have finished your HSC and you reflect on your school days, you have made a great choice in making Aboriginal Studies a part of your education. Although it seems like only yesterday that I was sitting in Mr. S's class taking Aboriginal Studies it was actually a year and a half ago. In this time however I have not forgotten how enjoyable and beneficial the class was nor have I forgotten the reason I took Aboriginal Studies and the surprise I got. I returned to K. High School at the end of year ten after living in America for 2 years. On my return I was immediately given a pink form to fill in. This form listed all the subjects available to year 11 and 12 students and I was to tick the boxes of the subjects I wanted to take and return it ASAP, as all other students had already returned theirs. I knew little about the subjects being offered and what I did know came from my reliable peers and many of my choices were based on facts of who else was taking which classes. I remember coming to the line in which Aboriginal Studies was offered and thinking how boring. I didn't really want to take any of the subjects on that line and ended up avoiding it. I ticked the Aboriginal Studies box right before I handed the form in based on my assumption that I would already know a lot of the content and I may find it to be easy. How wrong I was. Now 3 years later my sister and some of her friends and other up coming seniors are enjoying the course partly on my recommendation. I even choose to take Aboriginal Studies as an elective last year at university. .
             So Aboriginal Studies has obviously had an impact on me. HSC Aboriginal Studies turned out to be very different to what I expected and proved to be a truly great experience and very beneficial thanks to my fine teachers. As you are aware we covered many topics and issues in this subject including everything from traditional Aboriginal lifestyle and culture to colonisation and the many implications it caused and still causes today for Indigenous Australians, to other contemporary issues such as self-determination, cultural expression and Reconciliation.