A Connection of Stories

- Pam Hughes, Birmingham Primary School Art Teacher

The project ‘A Connection of Stories’ is a project that brings local oral and written history to life and embodies it in an artistic installation.

Researching and sharing stories that celebrate the overcoming of challenges and discovering common passions from both documented events and local historians enables intercultural understandings and respect. The project enables the community to come together as we learn about our history of resilience, gratitude and humour to strengthen bonds of interculturalisation enabling us to forge our new common path to the future.

Employing the techniques of Painting, Illustration, Graphic Design, Digital Arts, Community Art, Artist Robert Scholten will work with Grade 5 and 6 students, and learners throughout the community as they collect stories of their own and other’s cultures and analyse how these intercultural experiences have influenced beliefs and behaviours. Under Robert’s guidance, learners will develop, express and communicate these individual understandings collectively through art. These art pieces can take many forms using current and developing expertise within our learning hub including; Digital Technology, Visual and Performing Art and Oral Storytelling, stimulated and guided by the expertise of our Artist in Residence Robert Scholten.

Wall Art coordinated by Robert, but contributed to by all students, teachers, parents and the community, will be designed to be very visible on the front of the main school building facing the street. Wooden tiles designed and painted individually and collaboratively will become a collage of expression. Voices of the past can be recorded as testament to various art pieces accessed and enhanced through Digital Technology as part of the installation. Celebration of the installation will create a community atmosphere that embraces a culture of diversity for the future.

The inspiration behind the project

Birmingham Primary School is located in a semi-rural location, with 670 students from what until now has been considered a mainly ‘anglo-saxon’ community. Recently we have been inspired to learn that our cultural heritage is Aboriginal, Ethiopian, Greek, Polish, Italian, Iraq, and broader.

​In 2018 we will celebrate the school’s 40th Anniversary. We realise the need to ‘ask the narrative’ of our local community to enable us identify our own history. By reaching out to explore and connect with our diverse local community we can gain a greater understanding of who we are and determine our ‘next direction’ to ensure that we embed a culturally responsive pedagogy. Student ‘voice’ will be strengthened as our learners inquire into and broaden their own cross curriculum understandings, thereby engaging and invigorating students and their attitude to and passion for learning.

‘A Connection of Stories’ will provide an innovative platform to foster new and creative ways to use Digital Technologies, increasing the learning and teaching gained from our newly developed Digital Technologies Master Plan.

In 2018 we will be embedding the Berry Street Model of Education and the Respectful Relationships initiative to establish ongoing connections with our ‘at risk’ students and families, with high welfare needs.