Meriden has this year formed an inspiring partnership with the Yadha Muru Foundation and two remote Northern Territory schools which aims to improve school attendance at partner schools, provide professional development for teachers and foster cultural understanding through immersive experiences.
Yadha Muru means “good path” in the Dharug language, reflecting the Foundation’s mission to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The partnership connects Meriden with Ti Tree School, located 200km north of Alice Springs, and Neutral Junction School in the Barkly region. Both schools have predominantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student populations.
“Our partnership is centred around meeting Elders from the local community and school leaders to listen and hear their educational outcomes for their schools,” says Mrs Jenny Greenhalgh, Meriden’s Coordinator of Learning Link – Cultural Connections.
The subsequent educational plan uses Meriden’s resources to enhance opportunities for children in remote communities in an exchange that promotes mutual respect, understanding, and appreciation of diverse cultures.
Meriden specialist teachers in literacy, music and STEM have visited both schools.
Ms Jodie Spooner-Ryan, Meriden’s Dean of Music, led the music program combining music and literacy learning, spending time with Community Elders, learning their language and using this knowledge to compose songs.
“The centre of the approach is through authentic relationships and connecting learning to culturally responsive pedagogies,” says Ms Spooner-Ryan.
She says the program used music education activities to promote focus, attention, deep engagement and concentration, linking music to literacy.
“These activities included repetition, memory retention, self-driven learning and self-efficacy in building skills in playing music, singing in language, and using symbols in music notation to connect with literacy in Anmatyerre, Walpiri, and English.”
As part of the partnership, Meriden students took part in cultural immersion trips to both schools, learning from Community Elders about traditional art and the importance of on-Country learning, and studying Dreamtime stories and Aboriginal art symbols while forming connections with their Northern Territory peers.
