Coordinating a wearable art exhibition put on by students at Charters Towers State High School, Charlie Duke delights in the freedom of expression and connection to culture her students are sharing with each other and their community.
A proud Kamilaroi woman, the physical education and science teacher has made her home in the rural and remote township, far from her family and roots on the Gold Coast, and is doing a deadly job.
Charlie obtained her teaching degree with honours from University of Queensland and had her sights set on spreading her wings from the outset.
'I knew in school I didn’t want to work in an office job,' she said.
'I also knew as soon as I finished uni, I wanted to move somewhere different, and with my Aboriginal heritage, I wanted to go to a rural area and experience new things, [get to] know different communities.'
Charlie became connected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander unit at uni, where an intense passion to expand her own cultural understanding was ignited by what she dubbed an ‘amazing mob’.
'Being at uni, surrounded by so many smart, strong Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people, ignited my purpose to create change and play my part/role in closing the gap of education. I got a better understanding of who I am, my family, their struggles and so forth, and I am continuing that journey now as I am out in the workforce,' she said.
Charters Towers State High School has a 29% student population who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and an equally strong representation in the local community, which for Charlie amplifies the importance of being a strong role model for all people to look up to.
'Being a Kamilaroi woman has definitely helped quite a bit to create a connection with the Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students and non-indigenous students,' she said.
'It’s nice for [students] to see that there is an Aboriginal teacher who can understand how they communicate and what they’re going through,' she said.
'I try my best to understand and help them with whatever life struggles they might be going through in a professional manner and work hard to build good rapport with the students.
It’s these interactions that are the building blocks of relationships and trust that allows for a deeper sense of understanding how my students operate.'
Charlie’s powerful influence is most evident when she integrates her cultural knowledge with the traditional curriculum in her classroom.
'I teach science and HPE and am able to bring some cultural [aspects] into the conversation by including Indigenous knowledge into science,' she said.
'When we’re talking about energy, I can incorporate traditional ‘energy’ like fire starting methods and include an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective.
When we are in the HPE environment, I can also incorporate traditional Indigenous sporting games such as Buroinjin.
The kids may not know the background to traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practices and I feel grateful I can share [that] with them, while I too can continue to learn and grow from their individual wisdom as well.'
Furthermore, a diverse workforce that has the knowledge and expertise to ensure the success of every child is critical alongside the ability for students to see themselves represented in the teaching workforce. Charlie is an inspiration for the future of Australia.
If you identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and are studying or intend to study an undergraduate or postgraduate teacher qualification, our
Pearl Duncan Teaching Scholarship might be right for you.