ALNF's Subtext: Art for Literacy Program - Gillen Primary School, Alice Springs

Summary

At Gillan Primary School, an immersive art project for literacy brought together students and their families to paint honey ants and share cultural experiences. The project, facilitated by the ALF, transformed the school's environment and the students' engagement, fostering a sense of belonging and achievement. It also served as a platform for personal growth, with participants learning to work collaboratively and express themselves through art. The mural's completion was a testament to the power of community and the potential for growth, leaving a lasting impact on the school and its members.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The activity involved painting honey ants with children and students at Gillan Primary School as part of a school group gathering.
• 🏞️ The speaker's personal connection to the activity stems from childhood experiences of hunting and watching family members dig for grubs and honey ants.
• 🌳 The peppercorn tree, a significant memory for the community, was cut down in 1999 due to white ants damaging it.
• 👩‍🎨 The ALF (Arts Learning Foundation) is running an intensive program at Gillan Primary School, combining art with literacy to foster immersive experiences.
• 💬 The project had a profound emotional impact on the speaker, who observed significant growth and engagement in students who were initially disinterested.
• 🔑 The project served as an opportunity for personal growth for the speaker, who learned to enjoy collaboration and communication with others.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parental and family involvement was high, with many expressing happiness and eagerness to be part of the project, especially regarding the peppercorn tree.
• 👀 The project helped students, including shy and disconnected ones, to find focus, a sense of belonging, and a sense of achievement.
• 👧👦 Younger siblings were also involved, creating a multi-generational connection to the artwork and a source of pride for the students.
• 🌟 The project's success and the resulting artwork serve as a testament to the students' growth and the power of collaborative art.
• 🌱 The message conveyed to the students is one of potential and empowerment, encouraging them to believe in themselves and work towards a better world.

Q & A

What activity did the speaker participate in with their children and students at Gillan Primary School?

The speaker painted honey ants with their children and students at Gillan Primary School as part of a school group gathering for hunting.

How did the speaker learn about hunting for honey ants?

The speaker learned about hunting for honey ants from their family, particularly their grandmothers, who used digging sticks to find the ants during their own hunting trips.

What significant event happened to the peppercorn tree at Gillan Primary School in 1999?

In 1999, the peppercorn tree at Gillan Primary School had to be cut down because white ants had eaten it from the inside.

What is the purpose of the ALF intensive program at Gillan Primary School?

The ALF intensive program at Gillan Primary School aims to improve literacy through immersive arts experiences, teaming up highly skilled artist mentors with schools and education sites.

How did the speaker feel about the mural project's completion?

The speaker felt quite emotional about the mural project's completion due to the powerful week they had, which included seeing young people grow and engage in the project.

What personal growth did the speaker experience during the project?

The speaker experienced personal growth in their ability to work with others, which they initially did not enjoy, but came to love during the project.

How did the parents and families of the students feel about the project?

The parents and families were very happy and keen about the project, especially regarding the peppercorn tree, which was a memorable part of Gillan Primary School.

What impact did the project have on the students' sense of belonging and achievement?

The project helped students, particularly shy and new ones, to work collectively, fostering a sense of belonging and achievement as they contributed to the mural.

How does the speaker believe the project will affect the students' future?

The speaker believes the project has paved another path of opportunity for the students, allowing them to see their potential for growth and future success.

What message did the project aim to leave with the students?

The project aimed to convey the message that from little things, big things grow, encouraging the students to believe in themselves and work towards a better world.

What suggestion does the speaker have for other schools regarding art projects?

The speaker suggests that every school should do an art project like this, involving all students and families, as it creates a lasting impact and fosters community.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Art and Connection at Gillan Primary School

The script describes a transformative art project at Gillan Primary School where children, including the narrator's own, engage in painting honey ants. The project, facilitated by the ALF (Arts Learning Foundation), is part of an intensive program called 'Art for Literacy,' which pairs artist mentors with educational institutions to foster immersive experiences. The week-long program had a profound impact on the students, with shy and disengaged children eventually finding their voice and sense of belonging through collaborative art. The project also involved the local community, with parents showing keen interest and participating in the mural painting, which was centered around the memory of a peppercorn tree that was a significant part of the school's identity. The experience was not only about creating art but also about personal growth, with the narrator reflecting on overcoming their initial reluctance to work with others and finding joy in collaboration. The project's message to the students was one of empowerment and self-belief, encouraging them to see their potential to grow and contribute to a better world.

Keywords

💡Honey Ants

Honey ants refer to a type of ant that is harvested by certain indigenous cultures for food. In the video's context, they symbolize a connection to traditional knowledge and practices. The script mentions the narrator's childhood experience of watching her grandmothers dig for honey ants, which highlights the cultural significance and the educational aspect of passing down such knowledge to the younger generation.

💡Bush Hunting

Bush hunting is a traditional practice of searching for food in natural environments. It is integral to the video's theme of reconnecting with one's heritage and the land. The script describes the narrator's personal history with bush hunting, indicating the deep roots of this practice in her community and its importance in shaping her identity and understanding of the natural world.

💡ALF (Arts Learning Foundation)

The Arts Learning Foundation appears to be an organization that facilitates art-based educational programs. In the script, it is mentioned as being present at Gillan Primary School to run an intensive program that combines art with literacy. This keyword is central to the video's narrative as it represents the bridge between traditional knowledge and modern educational methods, fostering a sense of community and identity among students.

💡Subtext Art for Literacy

Subtext Art for Literacy seems to be a specific program or approach that uses art to enhance literacy skills. The script discusses this program as a means of creating immersive arts experiences that help young people find their voice. This keyword is crucial as it encapsulates the video's message of empowerment through creative expression and the development of communication skills.

💡Mural

A mural is a large-scale piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling, or other large permanent surfaces. In the video, the completion of a mural is a significant event that evokes strong emotions in the narrator. The mural serves as a visual representation of the students' collective growth and the culmination of their collaborative efforts, symbolizing unity and shared cultural heritage.

💡Yarning Circle

A yarning circle is a gathering where stories are shared in a communal setting, often used in indigenous cultures as a way of passing on knowledge and maintaining community bonds. The script mentions young people sitting down in a yarning circle and sharing their growth, illustrating the video's theme of personal development and the importance of storytelling in cultural preservation.

💡Gillan Primary School

Gillan Primary School is the location where the events in the video take place. It is the school where the ALF's intensive program is being run, and it is also where the students, teachers, and community members come together for the art project. This keyword is central to the setting of the video and represents the community focus of the educational initiative.

💡Peppercorn Tree

The peppercorn tree is a specific tree that holds sentimental value for the community associated with Gillan Primary School. It is mentioned as a symbol of the school and the community's history. The script discusses the tree's past and its importance to the parents and families involved in the project, highlighting the tree's role in connecting the past with the present and the community's identity.

💡Focus

In the context of the video, focus refers to the students' ability to concentrate and engage with the project. The script notes an increase in focus among students, particularly those who were initially shy or disconnected. This keyword is important as it indicates the positive impact of the art project on the students' ability to connect with others and their work, fostering a sense of belonging and achievement.

💡Belonging

Belonging is the feeling of being an important part of a group or community. The script describes how the art project helped students, especially new ones, to feel a sense of belonging. This keyword is significant as it ties into the video's theme of community engagement and the importance of feeling connected and valued within a group.

💡Identity

Identity in the video refers to an individual's sense of self, including their cultural background, values, and beliefs. The script emphasizes the importance of staying true to one's identity while working together for a better world. This keyword is central to the video's message of personal and cultural empowerment and the significance of maintaining one's heritage in the face of change.

Highlights

Painting honey ants with children and students at Gillan Primary School as a group activity.

Personal childhood experience with hunting and observing the collection of honey ants and grubs.

The loss of the peppercorn tree in 1999 due to white ants, a significant memory for the community.

ALF's intensive program at Gillan Primary School focusing on art for literacy.

The emotional impact of the week's activities and the transformation of the students.

The project's role in providing a platform for students to find their voice and share their experiences.

Personal growth from not liking to work with others to embracing collaboration.

Parental and community involvement in the project, enhancing the sense of belonging.

Observation of increased focus and connection among students, including the shy ones.

The importance of the project for students to feel proud of their artwork and contributions.

The project's potential to pave the way for future opportunities for the students.

A student's personal journey from fear to enjoyment and pride in their artwork.

The project's message of growth and the potential for students to achieve anything.

The significance of working together and the impact on students' self-belief and identity.

The suggestion for every school to undertake a similar art project involving students and families.

The long-lasting impact of the project on the school community and its environment.

Transcripts

so today I

painted honey ants with my kids and

other students here at Gillan Primary

School group gathering for hunting so

when I was a little girl I was at Bush

hunting with family and I seen

grandmothers with digging

sticks and I watched them dig for wiget

grub and honey ants and that's how I

know about it little girl growing up and

watching my family do it I think the

pepper corn tree I think in

1999 I think they cut it down because

the um white ants ate it all in the

middle so they had to end up cutting it

down so this week the ALF is at Gillan

Primary School where we're running an in

intensive program subtext art for

literacy in subex art for literacy we

team highly skilled artist mentors up

with schools preschools education sites

to run immersive Arts experiences which

are all about helping young people find

a voice seeing the mural finished

today makes me quite emotional because

of the week we've had it's been a very

powerful week at the start of the week

seeing young people who didn't want to

talk didn't want to engage just walked

off when we talked to them about doing

the the project and at the end come and

sit down in the yarning circle and share

so proudly how and why they've grown

this week and I'm sure that this project

has like paved another path opportunity

for them in the future and that's why

it's so powerful my story of growth is I

didn't really like working with other

people but now when I got to do this

project I loved working with other

people I loved talking to them I loved

listening to their ideas I like

just this project in general we spoke to

a few of our parents about the project

and they were very happy to hear about

it uh especially for the peppercorn tree

cuz that's what everyone remembers about

Gillan primary school is a peppercorn

tree in the courtyard and they get very

involved uh when messaging them they

were very keen to come in our families

that did come in they were very happy to

I think one of our family members just

didn't want to leave and for she had

stuff to do but she would stayed here

and painted all day and it was just so

calming so soothing and to be able to

pass on and share that knowledge and

share it with our students was very

special I've seen students Focus that I

haven't seen Focus before uh

particularly a couple of new students

who were quite shy and hadn't connected

with other students yet being able to

work collectively and to get that sense

of belonging as well of that sense of

achievement has been really lovely to

see and then as they go away from the

project you can see they're more

connected I just think it's really

important for our students even seeing

their younger siblings here they can you

know come back and look at the artwork

they did on the wall on the stage and be

proud of it how do you think Mom's going

to feel when you point out the stuff

that you've done as a leader and show

show her the painting she knew that I

didn't like it but since I gave it a try

she'll be proud of me I was a bit scared

doing this and it's been really fun so I

tried it a lot and I did my best it

allows them to talk and

communicate not face to face but side by

side and work Along on a project that

ends up being this beautiful thing at

the end um so it's powerful in the sense

that a lot of people who don't have a

voice and they come to spaces like this

they find it working alongside mentors

and leaders who can help them and

friends even when we were thinking about

the message that we wanted to leave with

the kids was from Little Things big

things grow um we talked all about a

seed to a tree from a baby to a human we

talked about growth in our hearts and in

our minds as well as our bodies so I

think that the message to these young

people is they can do anything that they

want to do we believe in them so they

need to believe them in themselves and

keep being true to their own identity

but working together to fight for a

world that's a better place taught me

like how to do painting and where I came

from and where my mom came from like dot

painting makes me think of her suggest

every school do an art project like this

uh and have all their students involved

and their families be a part of this um

cuz it's going to be there for a very

long time