Visit to Tranby College 6/9/11

We ventured out to find Tranby College in Glebe, NSW.  After getting on the city bus THE WRONG WAY we finally got our bearings straight and found the small Aboriginal college.  We met with the Director of Student Services, Blanche Lake.  Very knowledgeable and gracious with her time with us.  She shared the history and plight of the Aboriginal people and how the college was founded to enhance and empower the indigenous people.  Very impressive school.  Then we met Rowena, the college librarian who was a plethora of information as well.  Both ladies are truly committed to the indigneous people's needs and concerns.  Blanche is an indigenous person and attended Tranby as a student before becoming a fulltime employee.  We saw many parallels between this program and the issues found in our own classrooms in Tulsa.  There were several connections between the Civil Rights Movement in the US and the Reconciliation efforts in Australia.  There was even a picture and quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Tranby Library, very befitting for the mission of their work.  It was a thought-provoking day for us and we can't wait to assimilate our experiences here with our teaching practices.  Australia has a very rich history and we are truly enjoying the opportunity to learn more about it.