When teaching non-indigenous children about Indigenous people it is important to include Aboriginal perspectives across the curriculum to ensure that Aboriginal Australia becomes a constant reference point for students rather than a topic that is touched on here and there. How students will respond to the learning opportunities depend on the material presented to them and the presentation style.

When introducing Indigenous perspectives in your classroom, look for resources that recognise local Indigenous people and their languages, life and connection with the land. Make sure that students are exposed to current resources.

Historic photographs of Indigenous people can enhance stereotypes and position the students to regard Aboriginal and Torres Strait people as living in the past. The selection of a range of materials written, designed or reviewed by Indigenous people is important to enhance authentic perspectives. Asking students to write Dreamtime stories treats them as fictional tales, and not real stories told by Indigenous people in order to pass on their history and culture to their children.

In communicating ideas about Indigenous Australians it is important to model a way of talking about Indigenous people that is neither negative nor romantic. Spending time with Indigenous people and Indigenous Education Workers is important to help set your compass in relation to discussions regarding Aboriginal Australians.

Inviting Indigenous people into your classroom will enable the students to gain direct knowledge and contact. Teaching Indigenous perspectives requires the teacher to demonstrate that people can hold different views on contentious issues such as invasion and settlement. Some think that Australia was invaded because the English forced their society and system on Indigenous people. Others take the view that the English settled Australia.

The important teaching point is to show students that history can be interpreted in a number of ways and that everybody has the right to tell their story.