We live on the land of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures. Yet, across Australia, many teachers avoid including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in their classrooms for fear of being culturally inappropriate. Given the lack of education about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, it is unsurprising that teachers feel unsure about how and what to include in their programs.

However, the ongoing omission of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in our education system desperately needs to be redressed. Dr Montessori’s founding belief was that education is the key to social change. As Montessori educators living and working in Australia, we have a responsibility to help close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

These curriculum handbooks will equip teachers to feel more confident in embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in their classrooms by introducing a culturally inclusive, holistic, and authentic curriculum that aligns with key Montessori lessons across the 3 – 6 and 6-12 age groups. They will then learn how to integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives within some of the key Montessori lessons and everyday classroom practices.