School communities are being introduced to Indigenous people and culture through a new Landcare program.
A yarning circle is not a traditional classroom environment, with four walls and a teacher standing at the front.
It instead provides students with a safe outdoor space where they can come together and have a yarn on equal terms.
First Nations educator Adam Shipp has developed eight activities for Junior Landcare Australia, together with environmental educator Sam Harrison.
Mr Shipp, a Wiradjuri man from central west NSW, helped develop learning resources around bush food gardens and traditional seasons, as well as yarning circles for schools.
"The main focus with these resources was helping students connect to First Nations providers and mob to give that opportunity for schools to bring local people in to teach and share knowledge with the students," Mr Shipp said.
Wahroonga Adventist School principal Julia Heise said the yarning circle was a way to utilise the principle of equality while learning.
"For us community is really important, the word 'Wahroonga' in the local First Nations language actually means 'our home'," she said.
The Sydney school has one Indigenous student enrolled and wants to ensure all its pupils have a broad understanding of Indigenous culture.
"For us as a community this a way that we can yarn and using that perspective and philosophy of being equal in that space to listen to story and learn," Ms Heise said.
Richie Reid, a Darambal man from central Queensland, has a child at the school.
"For my daughter, it means a whole lot in a sense that she very strongly identifies with her culture and a sense of pride that it brings to her and her identity," he said.
"It reinforces what we are trying to provide for her at home because she is able to come to her learning situation with confidence and a sense of pride.
"She can speak into these spaces herself and be acknowledged by her classmates and peers."
Mr Reid hopes other schools bring yarning circles into their communities.
"What the yarning circle is all about is equality," he said.
"This is great avenue for teaching that and showing that Australia's Indigenous identity does have something to offer in modern education in the form of a place of equality, being heard and healing and wellness."
