Ms Webber was a speaker at the event last year and while she was only there to listen this year she still had an interesting tale of her own which I heard later that day in her office at St Kieran’s School.

Ms Webber is one of the main drivers behind an indigenous teaching philosophy known on its website as “A pedagogy of difference”. The idea is to identify what works in effective teaching and what makes effective teachers.

The way to identify these things was through the voices of Aboriginal students and community members across Townsville Catholic education schools with Mount Isa playing a prominent part.

The study was funded through an Australian Research Grant and began by listening to Aboriginal students and adults about the teaching practices that influence Aboriginal student engagement and learning.

When they started listening to Aboriginal voices they found that their history of school experience was not positive and school was not a welcoming place.

Even making people feel welcome was important but it takes a long time to build trust because of past experiences.

Teachers also need to understand the switch Aboriginal children make between home culture and school culture and need to explain what the rules are of school to indigenous students.

Simply by giving Aboriginal people a voice and by seeing them as just as important as others in the class is empowering, the study found.

Cultural bridges are used to promote learning and cultural identity is valued in the classroom with students feeling free to add their voice to the way they are educated.

The program has led to an outcomes-focused set of values and actions for teachers which is now seen as world best practice.

Ms Webber is now taking the results of the research to a world indigenous education conference in Canada this month. It’s great to see Mount Isa is on the forefront of educational practices – Derek Barry