S.C.F. Kindergarten, Robinvale

Extract

The Aboriginal people in Robinvale do not want separate schools, classes and housing. Some of the more dependent ones need extra help, but the capable ones are proud of succeeding on their own merits as people.

However, the children do have problems at school. For this reason the Save the Children Fund has set up a kindergarten for three-year-old children. All the Aboriginal children attend four days a week; even itinerant families and visitors bring their three-year-olds along. They may stay with the children, leave them, come back early, join in the program, or just watch, any day and every day. Two Aboriginal aides take a major part in running the program, with a kindergartner.

Non-Aboriginal children are welcome. They attend one or two days a week, and their families are also welcome. Visiting parents are introduced to one another, and encouraged to act as guests to whom all the children play host.

As the Aboriginal children attend more often, they get to know the program routines, the songs, stories, puzzles, games and equipment better. They are the confident ones, the helpers, the messengers.