Old Dar
Old Dar
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Tasmanian Aboriginal artist and boatbuilder Rex Greeno reflects on his grandfather, fishing, island life and the teachings that shaped his culture, art and identity.
Creator: Rex Greeno
📘 For teachers: classroom and curriculum guide
Suggested level: Years 6-12 and staff professional learning
Learning areas: English; Humanities and Social Sciences; The Arts
Cross-curriculum priorities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures, with connections to Country/Place, Culture and People through palawa family history, island life, fishing, cultural knowledge and intergenerational teaching.
🧠Suggested Australian Curriculum V9 content descriptions:
AC9E10LE01: analyse representations of individuals, groups and places and evaluate how they reflect their context in literary texts
AC9HH9K06: different experiences and perspectives of colonisers, settlers and First Nations Australians, and their impact on Australian ideas, beliefs and values
These are suggested starting points. Teachers should confirm the selected year-level content descriptions against their local program and student needs.
Learning focus: Tasmanian Aboriginal history, memoir, maritime knowledge, art and intergenerational learning.
Practical lesson sequence
- Before: Introduce the learning focus and essential vocabulary. Invite prior knowledge without requiring students to disclose personal or family experiences.
- During and after: Use selected images and passages to identify how place, practice and memory work together, map the skills and values passed between generations, then create a biographical interpretation grounded in evidence.
- Evidence of learning: An illustrated biographical profile or analytical response citing text and images.
Curriculum reference: Use the suggested connections to select the most appropriate content descriptions for your year level and local program. See the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority.
Respectful teaching
Preview the text for your learners and local context. Present Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures and knowledges as living and diverse. Do not expect Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students to speak for others. Where local knowledge is involved, seek guidance from local rights holders and approved Community sources.
🎓 For staff professional learning
🎓 Suggested AITSL connections:
1.4: Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
2.4: Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
6.2: Engage in professional learning and improve practice
7.4: Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities
View the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Suggested use: Use to strengthen staff knowledge of living Tasmanian Aboriginal histories and disrupt mainland-only approaches. Identify where local rights holders and authoritative Tasmanian Aboriginal sources should shape curriculum planning.
45 to 60 minute staff activity: Read an agreed excerpt before the session. Use 15 minutes for individual reflection, 20 minutes for professional dialogue, and 15 minutes to identify one practical change. Record the intended impact, evidence to be collected and a review date.
This is a suggested standards connection, not AITSL endorsement or accredited professional development. Reading should be combined with reflection, professional dialogue, action and evaluation of impact.
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