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TRANSCRIPT
Study Guide
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This aspirational teen drama series highlights the challenges and adventures of six elite teens brought together in pursuit of their dreams.
Most relevant to the Australian Curriculum areas of English (Year 10), Health and Physical Education (Years 8-10), Media (Year 10), Civics and Citizenship
and VCE Units Psychology and Sociology.
Strangers, a long way from home, the last thing they expect to find is family.
Ready for This was produced by Blackfella Films and Werner Film Productions in association with Screen Australia, Screen NSW and the
Australian Children’s Television Foundation for ABC TV.
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IntroductionReady for This is a 13 episode television series which tells the stories of six elite teenagers, all with different agendas and different dreams.
Ready for This focuses on issues of identity, belonging, mental health and wellbeing and the power of peer relationships. Other personal and social issues include making friends, ethical behaviour, dealing with past baggage, getting in with the wrong crowd, sexuality, bullying, racism, avoiding alcohol and other risk-taking behaviours, youth homelessness, breaking the law.
Ready for This illustrates the impact of the struggle to find a path through the new challenges and adventures while dealing with all of the issues of growing up. It shows us that winning, getting to the top, is not everything, that positive relationships and belonging to a group are more important.
Included in this study guide:• Introduction• Synopsis • Links to the Australian Curriculum• Background Points of Discussion• Cultural Background Activities• Episode Synopsis and Key Questions for English and Humanities
(Years 9-10)• Content Descriptions and Key Questions for Health and Physical Education (Years 7-8)• Content Descriptions and Key Questions for Health and Physical Education (Years 9-10)• Extension Activities• Additional Resources for Teachers and Students • References
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The following synopsis is taken from the Media Kit for Ready for This:
Six teenagers move into a hostel, Arcadia House, each with a different agenda and different dreams. A long way from home, they must find a path through the new challenges and adventures that the big city offers while dealing with all the trials of growing up.
Zoe (Madeleine Madden) moves to Sydney to attend a sports high school in the hope of fulfilling her long-held Olympic dreams. Zoe learns that to succeed, she needs to strengthen her mind as well as her body.
A rising talent in the AFL world, Levi (Aaron McGrath) reunites with his estranged father and deals with his tumultuous relationship with Zoe.
Away from parental pressures, Arcadia House is an avenue for Dylan (Liam Talty) to pursue his passion for electronic music and graffiti art.
Coming from a religious and conservative family, Ava (Majeda Beatty) must gain the confidence to accept who she truly is, as well as overcome her fear of performing in public.
After her mother passed away, Lily (Leonie Whyman) got caught up in the wrong crowd. Her father moves her to Arcadia House in the hope that new friendships and passions will allow her to finally overcome her grief.
Lily’s one friend at school, Reece (Christian Byers), has a secret. An invitation to come and stay at Arcadia House is the solution he desperately needs. There, his ability to connect with each of the different personalities allows him to become the heart of the group.
In the mix are Vee (Christine Anu) and Mick (Lasarus Ratuere), the “caretakers” of this motley crew. Vee, who only took the job to get by, gradually realises that the teenagers could be the connection back to the world that she’s been looking for. Sports all-rounder Mick, is the man of the house and is fatherly, funny and supportive.
In order to survive the year, the teenagers will need to come together. They start off as strangers, and end up as a family.
Synopsis
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This study guide has been written to support the learning and teaching in a number of areas. Selected content descriptions from the Australian Curriculum are provided for Health and Physical Education (Years 7-10), English (Year 10) and Media (Year 10). Civics and Citizenship is relevant throughout. Teachers may choose to select curriculum links, other than those suggested.
Ready for This is an excellent vehicle for supporting the majority of Australian adolescents who have experienced issues concerning mental health.
Note: Australian teachers are advised to check the curriculum outlines for their State or Territory.
English - Year 10Ready for This can be used as part of thematic units exploring the ideas and issues raised by the series. The activities in this study guide provide opportunities for Year 10 English students to:
• analyse, explain and evaluate the structure of a text and how the features of the text influence audience response;
• develop and justify their own and other interpretations of a text;• create a wide range of texts, make presentations and contribute actively to class and group
discussions.
Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#level10
Media - Year 10Students critically discuss contemporary works such as Ready for This. They analyse, interpret and evaluate the stylistic, technical, expressive and aesthetic features of these works and the ways that the works communicate and challenge ideas and meaning. The activities within this study guide provide opportunities for Year 10 Media students to:
• understand the aesthetic, style and format of an observational documentary;• use critical approaches to analyse and interpret an observational documentary;• understand how audiences participate in the construction of the meaning of an observational
documentary and explain ways in which an observational documentary reinforces or challenges social, cultural and artistic values;
• use appropriate media terminology and personal interpretations to describe the structure, content and aesthetic qualities of an observational documentary.
Links to the Australian Curriculum
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Health and Physical Education - Years 7 to 10 Content Descriptions and Key Questions (See pages 33-36)
Ready for This assists teachers and students to meet the aims of the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians by encouraging our students to “understand and acknowledge the value of Indigenous culture and possess the knowledge, skills and understanding to contribute to, and benefit from, reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and become active and informed citizens”. (MCEETYA, 2008, p. 8).
General capabilities In the Australian Curriculum, the key general capabilities underlying Ready for This are:
o Personal and social capability o Intercultural understanding o Ethical understanding o Creative and critical thinking
Literacy
Numeracy
ICT capability
Intercultural understanding
Personal and social capability
Critical and creative
thinking
Successful learner, confident and creative individual, and active and informed citizenEthical
understanding
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Personal and social capability Ready for This illustrates “opportunities to refine and consolidate personal and social skills”. (ACARA)
‘…. students develop personal and social capability as they learn to understand themselves and others, and manage their relationships, lives, work and learning more effectively. The capability involves students in a range of practices including recognising and regulating emotions, developing empathy for others and understanding relationships, establishing and building positive relationships, making responsible decisions, working effectively in teams, handling challenging situations constructively and developing leadership skills. Students with well-developed social and emotional skills find it easier to manage themselves, relate to others, develop resilience and a sense of self-worth, resolve conflict, engage in teamwork and feel positive about themselves and the world around them. The development of personal and social capability is a foundation for learning and for citizenship.’
Intercultural understanding‘….students develop intercultural understanding as they learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others. They come to understand how personal, group and national identities are shaped, and the variable and changing nature of culture. The capability involves students in learning about and engaging with diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect. Intercultural understanding is an essential part of living with others in the diverse world of the twenty-first century. It assists young people to become responsible local and global citizens, equipped through their education for living and working together in an interconnected world.’
Critical and creative thinking‘…. students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve problems. Critical and creative thinking are integral to activities that require students to think broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school.’
Ethical understanding (Civics and Citizenship)Across the Australian Curriculum, students develop ethical understanding as they identify and investigate ethical concepts, values, character traits and principles, and understand how reasoning can assist ethical judgment. Ethical understanding involves students in building a strong personal and socially oriented ethical outlook that helps them to manage context, conflict and uncertainty, and to develop an awareness of the influence that their values and behaviour have on others.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2015b). General Capabilities, Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from:
http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/general_capabilities.html
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-social-sciences/civics-and-citizenship/general-capabilities
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The Australian Curriculum Cross-Curriculum Priority for this study guide is ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures’.The key concepts in this priority are illustrated on the diagram below. They are:
1. The special connection to Country/Place by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples celebrates the unique belief systems that connect people physically and spiritually to Country/Place.
2. The diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ culture through language, ways of life and experiences as expressed through historical, social and political lenses. It provides opportunities for students to gain a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ ways of being, knowing, thinking and doing.
3. The diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies. It examines kinship structures and the significant contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on a local, national and global scale.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2015a). General Capabilities, Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/crosscurriculumpriorities/Aboriginal-and-Torres-Strait-Islander-histories-and-cultures
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2015c). Cross-Curriculum Priorities, Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/crosscurriculumpriorities
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Background Points of Discussion Cultural Safety o Always use capital letters for ‘Aboriginal’ and ‘Indigenous’ and when referring to a
particular language group, such as Yorta Yorta. o Specify the group you are referring to and be wary of using generalisations about all
Aboriginal People. o Refer to the different groups as language groups, communities, not ‘tribes’. Many
communities do not like the use of ‘Nation’. o Never use the terms ‘half caste’ or ‘full blood’. You are either Aboriginal or not. o Don’t use abbreviations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands.
Cultural Background Activities 1. Discuss the cultural meaning and importance of: language group, community, living on
country, elder, kinship, aunty, uncle.
2. Conduct a class discussion using the ‘Intercultural understanding’ General capability to consider these topics:
a. The impact of Aboriginal people leaving Country to live in towns (Ava and Dylan Torres Strait Islands, Zoe & Levi Darwin, LILY Kempsey.
b. Both flags: the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islands flag. c. The 274 islands in the Torres Strait. d. The effects of their Aboriginal heritage on teenagers living in towns after living on
Traditional Lands. (AVA) e. the relationship between their Aboriginality and the social and personal problems they
face (Zoe,Levi,Dylan, Lily)
3. Brainstorm and record a list of the issues that most teenage students face and the ways they try to resolve them. After watching Ready for This construct a Venn diagram to illustrate problems affecting all young people and problems particular to Indigenous adolescents. Discuss and give examples.
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English and Humanities
Years 9-10
Elite teens from around Australia find placement in Arcadia House, a hostel in Sydney. Shy island girl Ava must cope with a new, cool music school, a haunted bedroom and her desire to make friends despite her crippling shyness. A chance encounter sees her join a singing group and she finally finds the courage to confront the ‘ghost’.
Levi and Zoe meet and form an instant attraction but an old family feud keeps them apart. Zoe struggles to find a connection with the other girls in her elite athletics squad, and must also face the fact that down here in Sydney, she is not the fastest runner.
Lily, a tough girl from Kempsey, spends the whole of her first week scheming to find a way back home. An offer from a stranger to drive her home worries the others and Zoe finally sacrifices her chance to make friends when she rushes back to stop Lily from making a potentially dangerous mistake.
Rich boy Dylan defies his parents, who think he’s come to Sydney to study classical violin, when he secretly changes his course to electronic music production. His elaborate bedroom studio is eventually outed as the house ‘ghost’.
Key Questions 1. We are introduced to a number of characters in the first episode. a. List their names and where they come from. b. Give some information about each of their backgrounds. c. Describe their special talent and why they wanted to come to Arcadia House. d. Identify their place of origin on a map of Australia. Pay particular attention to the map of
the Torres Strait Islands.
2. Why do you think the first episode is titled “Brand New Me”?
3. What does ‘Arcadia’ mean? Is that name appropriate for the house?
4. When Ava first arrives at Arcadia House the door closes and leaves her outside the house. What do you think this symbolises?
5. What do you learn about the character and personality of : a. Zoe and Levi when they decide to try the back door and climb over the fence? b. the new residents as they rush in to claim bedrooms?
6. What is your opinion of Vee’s introduction to the group as “I’m not your mother, aunty or slave”?
7. How does the ‘Country’ of each character help or hinder in making friends? What happens between Zoe and Levi, Ava and Dylan?
Episode 1: Brand New Me
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8. Each of the characters find it hard to adjust to their new surroundings. List the challenges which each character faces in the house, at school and in terms of their cultural background.
a. Ava says to Dylan, “You can’t even see the stars here.” What were “the voices from home”? (‘Home’ is the Tiwi Islands 80kms from Darwin).
b. Ava says, “It’s easy to sing when you are surrounded by your cousins”. What strategies does Ava use to overcome her stage fright?
c. Why does Lily keep saying, “I’m not staying”.?
d. Why did Ava need to top and tail with Zoe? Why did Zoe call her ‘sister girl’?
e. Why did Levi’s support/comfort end with Zoe saying ‘typical’?
9. When Levi ‘Skypes’ his mother, the image above his bed depicts a famous footballer: Nicky Winmar. Research this player and outline the role he has played in working for Aboriginal rights. What was the warning Levi’s mother gave him about kin? Research ‘Skin names and kinship’. (CLC website)
10. Zoe finds it hard to be accepted by the other girls in her running group ‘lycra city.’ Zoe tried to conform to the group dress but they changed it the next day. Alice says, “As if I would dress differently to play mind games with some country blow in”. How would you characterise this response?
11. Zoe decides the way to make friends is to “make them respect you… show them what you can do… no-one likes a loser… No guts, no glory”. What advice would you give someone who is trying hard to make friends and ‘fit in’ at a new school?
12. On the other hand, Reece Scott tells Lily that the ‘trick to survival is to know your place in the hierarchy… resistance is futile.’ Is he right? What do you think?
13. Zoe decides to challenge Alice to a race to prove who is the faster runner. In the end, she chooses to forfeit the race when Levi asks for her help to stop Lily from entering into a dangerous situation. What does this tell you about Zoe’s character and sense of inner strength? Why did Zoe say to Lily, “Don’t take a risk like this to prove that no one cares?”
14. Some of the housemates are troubled by the ‘ghost’ in Ava’s bedroom. Their attempts to get rid of the ‘ghost’ end in disaster. The smoking ceremony performed by Zoe and later by Vee, is a traditional Aboriginal ceremony. Research its significance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
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15. After the smoking ceremony Vee tells all the housemates to turn away, close the door and not look back or they will be inviting the spirits to return. Lily opens the door as if to invite the spirits back into her life. Earlier she sits on Ava’s bed and says to the spirit, “If you are here I will stay. I miss you.” Why does Lily decide to stay?
16. Comment on the choice of music, song lyrics and camera angles which add to viewers’ understanding of the characters and their new-found situation.
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Mick and Vee resort to a team-building scavenger hunt to get the kids to harmonise but Lily escapes the event and heads out to find the Sydney she remembers from her early years with her mother.
Disappointed that things have changed and her quest was hopeless, Reece shows her a part of Sydney that is still the same.
As Dylan, Levi, Ava and Zoe find a new connection through the competition, Reece and Lily return to the house with the winning item in the scavenger hunt at the last minute. Lily finally starts to accept that maybe Arcadia House is the right place for her after all.
Key Questions 1. Conflict is developing in the house about showers, food, room allocation, losing your culture.
What strategy do Vee and Mick decide to use to resolve the conflict?
2. The ‘Golden Sneaker’ scavenger hunt gives the residents of Arcadia House an opportunity to explore Sydney. What else does the scavenger hunt allow the students to do?
3. Vocabulary: find the meaning of the following words: ‘gubba’, ‘sophistry’, and ‘parapet’.
4. Ava is from the Tiwi Islands in the Torres Strait. How does she respond to the concept of an underground railway and overhead bridges?
Episode 2: The Golden Sneaker
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5. Hold a class debate about refugees: how does Lily equate the issues surrounding recent ‘boat people’ with those of the ‘boat people’ of 1788?
6. Lily asks the questions: “Who makes the rules?” and “When did this ‘Australia’ start?” Read the following extract from Paul Keating’s famous Redfern Speech delivered in Redfern Park, December 1992.
“We non-Aboriginal Australians should perhaps remind ourselves that Australia once reached out for us.
Didn’t Australia provide opportunity and care for the dispossessed Irish? The poor of Britain? The refugees from war and famine and persecution in the countries of Europe and Asia?
Isn’t it reasonable to say that if we can build a prosperous and remarkably harmonious multicultural society in Australia, surely we can find just solutions to the problems which beset the first Australians - the people to whom the most injustice has been done.
And, as I say, the starting point might be to recognise that the problem starts with us non-Aboriginal Australians.
It begins, I think, with that act of recognition.
Recognition that it was we who did the dispossessing.
We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life. We brought the diseases. The alcohol.
We committed the murders.
We took the children from their mothers.
We practised discrimination and exclusion.
It was our ignorance and our prejudice.
And our failure to imagine these things being done to us…
With some noble exceptions, we failed to make the most basic human response and enter into their hearts and minds.”
7. During his argument with Lily, Garrett maintains that the Aboriginal people are “Never grateful when we help your lot out.” Why did the debate end in racist taunts? How does this interplay contrast with the speech by Paul Keating?
8. Lily chooses not to go to detention but instead takes Reece to visit her ‘mum’s story’. She finds that her mum’s stories are no longer part of the landscape, that other spaces have taken their place. How do her mum’s stories help shape her understanding of what it means to be Aboriginal in a big city such as Sydney?
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9. What do Reece and Lily do to find the ‘heart of the city?’
10. Have you ever been back to a place and find it has changed? How did you feel about this? Does it mean the place has diminished or do the memories take on even greater significance?
11. Research ‘The Block’ in Redfern and explain its significance to Aboriginal people.
12. Dylan finds the answer to one of the scavenger hunt clues at the Opera House: “Opera House. Sails. Bennelong never saw these.” Who was (Woollarawarre) Bennelong and what was his role in Australian history?
13. The brick that Vee gives to Lily is a symbol of ‘The Block’ and she suggests to Lily, “Maybe it’s your turn to carry it around.” What does the brick symbolise for Lily?
17. Why does Lily decide to stay?
18. Comment on the choice of music, song lyrics and camera angles which add to viewers’ understanding of the characters and their new-found situation.
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When an opportunity to further develop her budding friendship with Jasmine leads to an opportunity to sing with a famous DJ, Ava must face the question of how far she is prepared to go to succeed in this new city.
But coming face to face with her overpowering fear of performing in public and the realisation that she has let herself be pressured into this whole situation because she is too shy to speak up for herself, makes Ava face some tough lessons.
When all the housemates sneak out to watch Ava sing, and are inevitably caught, Vee is furious. Her punishment fits their crime but the night out helps to bond them as a group.
Key Questions“Racism takes many forms. In general, it is a belief that a particular race or ethnicity is inferior or superior to others. Racial discrimination involves any act where a person is treated unfairly or vilified because of their race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, religion or belief. Racism impacts directly on the full enjoyment of individuals’ human rights, and in particular the right to equality.
Racism may take the form of prejudice and stereotyping of different groups in our community.
It can be shown through writing or drawings in the media, speeches at public events and abuse on the internet – including in e-forums, blogs and on social networking sites.”
(Dr Helen Szoke Race Discrimination Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission, Queensland University of Technology Brisbane, Qld, 16 February 2012)
1. Throughout the first three episodes we have observed overt (obvious) and subtle (not so obvious) racism directed at Lily and Zoe, in particular. When Alice suggests that Zoe is “used to living in a big group” she is taking aim at a stereotype of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Alice responds to Zoe’s objection to this by saying, ‘Don’t be so touchy’ even though it clearly hurts Zoe. How could she make it clear to Alice that racism hurts, is unfair and promotes inequality?
2. Ava experiences acceptance and starts to feel a sense of connection with the rest of the singing group. What happens to the friendship when Jasmine finds out at the nightclub that Ava is the preferred singer? What is she accused of? Why is this unfair? What could have happened if Ava had been able to assert herself to explain what happened to Jasmine?
3. Ava’s stage fright gets the better of her and Zoe repeats to Ava the advice given by Levi, “To succeed… it’s all in your head… that’s the thing that’s stopping you.” Have you ever talked yourself out of doing something because of your fears? What advice would you give to someone who you know is capable of success but is too frightened to try?
4. It is clear that the residents of Arcadia House are bonding. What helps them to bond? What role does Reece play in helping the others to bond?
5. How were the group ethics challenged by the desire to support their friend Ava? How did their behaviour change and how did they rationalise some of their actions that night?
Episode 3: The Solo
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6. Vee is at her wit’s end trying to instil some discipline into the residents’ routine in the House. What could she do to get them to take more responsibility for their daily living? Are they ‘Ready for this’ responsibility yet? What evidence is there of this readiness?
7. Dylan is still deceiving his parents about his course change. How does he rationalize this deception?
8. Comment on the choice of music, song lyrics and camera angles which add to viewers’ understanding of the characters and their new-found situation.
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Levi discovers Reece has a troubled home life, and not only that, is also homeless and sleeping rough in the school gym. After spending the day with Reece and seeing the grim reality of his home life, Levi invites Reece to come back and stay at Arcadia House.
Dylan receives a visit from his high profile Dad and Lily challenges Zoe to a boxing match to settle things between them.
When Dylan’s dad organises what he thinks will be a treat, having Dylan play his violin for a famous concert violinist, both are embarrassed when Dylan’s lack of practice becomes clear. Dylan has a chance to come clean about changing his course but doesn’t find the courage.
Ava and Zoe discover the truth about Lily’s mum and the girls start to get a little closer.
Key Questions1. What does the title of this episode mean?
2. “There are some people who always seem angry and continuously looking for conflict. Walk away; the battle they are fighting isn’t with you, it is with themselves?” Rashida Rowe (www.inc.com/john-brandon)
Does the above quote accurately reflect Lily’s behaviour or is there more to her anger than this?
3. Mick finds a novel way of settling the conflict between Zoe and Lily. Is this a good idea? Why not sit them down and get them to talk it through?
4. We find out that Lily’s mum has recently passed away. This may explain some of Lily’s anger. Research the stages of grief that Lily may be going through OR write about a time when you were angry and needed an outlet for your anger. What happened? What helped?
5. The coach of Levi’s football team reprimands him for wasting his time chasing girls. His next action demonstrates his hypocrisy when he nods cheekily to the girls’ coach. Some adults in this episode demonstrate limited self-awareness and little respect in their treatment of others. Who are these adults and how does their behaviour impact on others?
6. Reece is challenged and humiliated by his mother’s boyfriend. Levi says his father is the same. Why does Reece say to Levi, “You and me have absolutely nothing in common. Let’s leave it that way.”?
7. Levi reaches out to his friend Reece and offers him a place to stay. What makes Levi do this?
Episode 4: Shadow Boxing
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8. Dylan is faced with his own conflict. How does he react to his father’s presence? What choices does Dylan have? What would you do in his situation?
9. “When people respond (to conflict) too quickly, they often respond to the wrong issue. Listening helps us focus on the heart of the conflict. When we listen, understand, and respect each other’s ideas, we can then find a solution in which both of us are winners.” Dr Gary Chapman (www.inc.com/john-brandon)
“Every conflict we face in life is rich with positive and negative potential. It can be a source of inspiration, enlightenment, learning, transformation, and growth - or rage, fear, shame, entrapment, and resistance. The choice is not up to our opponents, but to us, and our willingness to face and work through them.” Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith
(www.inc.com/john-brandon)
Thinking about the above quotes, what could be an alternative title for this episode?
10. Comment on the choice of music, song lyrics and camera angles which add to viewers’ understanding of the characters and their new-found situation.
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Out one night doing his stencil work, Dylan is confronted by the local graffiti crew. He gets away but the next day realises that one of the crew is a student at SIM, Ryan. He finds the courage to come clean to Ryan and before he knows it, is finally part of a ‘graff’ crew.
A brush with the law sees Mick furious. Dylan agrees to tell his parents he has switched courses and in return Mick promises to vouch for him.
Zoe and Levi grow close and a chance encounter leads to the inevitable kiss.
Reece is handed a form that he thinks requests him to identify as Aboriginal. Torn by his desire to stay in the house, and emboldened by Levi, he asks Lily if he should just lie. Lily is hurt that Reece didn’t confide in her and their friendship is sorely tested. Thinking he’ll have to leave the house forever, Reece apologises and tells Lily that her friendship means everything to him. Only a last minute reprieve from Mick and Vee, as well as support from all the other housemates - including Lily - saves the day and names Reece as belonging to the ‘Arcadia House Mob’.
Key Questions 1. Reece is allowed to stay at Arcadia House but he is neither Aboriginal nor Torres Strait
Islander. As he is filling out the form Levi says, off-handedly, “Just tick a box”. Lily responds, “Do they know how hard people fought to get that box on a form?” What is she talking about? What does this tell us about Lily’s sense of history and justice?
2. Dylan turns to spray painting. Why do you think he does this?
Episode 5: Blank Canvas
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3. Dylan appears to be caught between two cultures. He ‘proves’ himself to the group, wanting their respect in an effort to belong, but what does he sacrifice for this respect?
4. What is Nat Brockman’s argument regarding the Torres Strait Island traditional dance?
5. Traditional TSI dances are a powerful symbol in Dylan’s culture. His dad says, “I’m proud of you boy, this is our culture – it runs deep in you.” Research one of the TSI dances and explain its symbolism.
6. Zoe and Levi finally become more than just friends. Do you think their families will come between them or will they find a way through?
7. Reece tries to cover up his sad ‘home life’ and his homelessness and in the process hurts Lily. Why is she so hurt?
8. Dylan finally asks for Mick’s help in approaching his dad about his violin playing. What is the outcome?
9. ‘Option C.’ The kids at Arcadia House work out a way to allow the ‘authorities’ to accept Reece as a resident. Vee and Mick accept him anyway. What does this tell us about the nature of all the residents in this house?
10. As Dylan paints over the graffiti he says it is a “blank canvas”. What other ‘blank canvas’ can Dylan look forward to? Comment on the choice of music, song lyrics and camera angles which add to viewers’ understanding of the characters and their new-found situation.
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A major athletics meet brings Zoe’s family down from Darwin to visit, compelling Levi and Zoe to suppress their growing romance.
But discovery is inevitable and when the two families meet, they discover that Zoe and Levi have been secretly seeing one another – tensions explode.
Zoe is forced by her father to admit that she was feeling ashamed by the arrival of her large and enthusiastic family and he tells her that she should never forget where she came from – and never stop being proud of that.
Faced with a choice between family obligation and teen romance, Zoe chooses her family and breaks up with Levi.
Key Questions1. This episode begins with a dream sequence. Explain the significance of this dream to Zoe.
2. Zoe’s mum makes her favourite pre-race dish: ’roo (kangaroo) tail soup. Search the internet for some of the popular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander food recipes. Write down three or four of the dishes that you would like to try. What are the traditional Indigenous Australian methods of cooking native animals and other foods?
3. In some parts of Australia there are cultural concerns about providing Indigenous Australian commercial recipes of bush foods and medicines. What do you think these concerns might be?
*Note: Refer to the internet site listed below for further research and understanding of cultural sensitivities surrounding this issue in some communities.
4. Read the following extract and discuss how you now feel about bush tucker. Should we make more use of native foods? Research and make a list of the native foods which could replace commonly used imported ingredients. What rights and conditions are Aboriginal people asking for if bush tucker is marketed?
‘The Australian bush foods industry is growing very quickly. We are concerned that many of the people involved know very little about custodial Aboriginal cultural rights, responsibilities and attachments to bush food plant species. Little is known of the complex knowledge systems Aboriginal people hold in relation to these bush foods, their harvest, preparation and trade. There has been little effective participation of the owners and custodians of the plants and knowledge which underpin the industry.
We have come together to develop a set of guidelines to help those people with a commercial interest in bush foods – in both the research and industry sectors. These guidelines have been developed within the social and cultural context of central Australia. They may be able to be used to assist other Aboriginal groups around Australia in the development of their own best practice guidelines. They may also be applicable to bush medicines and other products from Aboriginal people and their lands. Like other desert Aboriginal people, we have Laws derived from our ancestors and culture that guide our life. We want to see these respected equally alongside Australian Law.
Episode 6: Back on Track
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For bush foods, medicines and other produce and products we want to see:
1. RECOGNITION of Aboriginal knowledge, skills and practice 2. RESPECT for Aboriginal elders, workers and youth 3. ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES chosen by Aboriginal people 4. RETURNS and BENEFITS to Aboriginal custodians and knowledge holders 5. RESTORATION and CARE for Aboriginal lands, ecosystems and plants 6. REPATRIATION of knowledge and support to intergenerational knowledge transfer’
*Merne Altyerre-ipenhe (Food from the Creation time) Reference Group, Douglas J and Walsh F. 2011. Aboriginal people, bush foods knowledge and products from central Australia: Ethical guidelines for commercial bush food research, industry and enterprises. DKCRC Report 71. Ninti One Limited, Alice Springs. (www.nintione.com.au - Bush Food Guidelines)
5. Zoe finds it hard to deal with her family’s expectations, her new coach’s instructions and having to hide her relationship with Levi. How does she cope? What advice does Levi give her? What advice would you give her?
6. Zoe says, “I’m sorry Dad.” Why does she apologise?
7. ‘Code red.’ How do the housemates rally to support Levi?
8. Did you expect Zoe to win the inter-school race? What do we learn about Zoe’s ability to challenge herself? How does she win the race? What strengths does she draw on?
9. Zoe wins her main race but her parents don’t watch the event as they become involved in a fight with Levi’s mum. What does this say about her family at this point? How does Zoe react at that point and later at the meeting? How does Levi react? Are their reactions justified?
10. Family support and loyalty are clearly important to Zoe. She does not give in to Levi’s persistent attempts later to resume their relationship. ‘I made a promise.’ Levi is clearly hurt and confused by this but he offered no ideas on how to deal with the issues surrounding their relationship at the family meeting. What alternatives to Zoe’s suggestions could he have offered at that meeting?
11. Levi underestimates Zoe’s commitment and the promise she made to her family. Why do you think this is so?
12. Zoe’s dad Neville tells Zoe, “Don’t you ever be ashamed of where you come from.” Who else in the house could benefit from this advice?
13. Comment on the choice of music, song lyrics and camera angles which add to viewers’ understanding of the characters and their new-found situation.
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Ava meets cool roller-derby-chick Macy who encourages her, Zoe and Lily to get wheels under their feet and join her roller derby “fresh meat” trials.
Dylan gets into deeper waters with Ryan and the lads and his allegiance to the crew is finally tested when he says no to their request to steal some spray cans.
Meanwhile Levi’s charm offensive to woo back Zoe implodes when he makes a brave confession of his affection. Knowing that her obligation to family trumps all, Zoe rejects him even though her own heart is breaking.
Key Questions1. What is meant by the title ‘Fresh Meat’? Who is fresh meat in this episode?
2. Levi is still trying to win over Zoe and complains she is… “doing what her family told her to do, not following her heart.” Why do you think he has a hard time accepting her decision?
3. What is the ‘denial phase’ that Reece is talking about?
4. The term ‘charm offensive’ is labelled an oxymoron. What is an oxymoron? Can you think of some examples? What is obfuscation? What is a paradox?
5. Lily gives some advice to Dylan. What is that advice? Is it sound?
6. Ryan makes it clear he does not respect the rules of Arcadia House. He demands loyalty from Dylan. “Where’s your loyalty? You’re in the crew now.” What are the pressures facing Dylan?
7. Zoe says to her coach, “My dad always said I don’t do teams.” Lily says, “No bonding… I’m doing this to avoid joining a group.” Why then, do they go to the roller derby and sign up for the trial?
8. Reece tries to empower Levi to win back Zoe, “When the coach doesn’t pick you for the team, what do you do?” Levi responds, “That’s never happened.” Is that Levi’s problem? Have some things come too easily to him? What advice would you give him?
Episode 7: Fresh Meat
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9. Dylan betrays the friendly shop-owners at the hardware store. Who and what else, does he betray?
10. Lily advises Dylan again. “Don’t let that try-hard change who you are.” What do we learn about Lily during this time?
11. Dylan finally stands up to Ryan, returns the stolen goods and says to him, “Who says you have to be some sort of a gangster to prove you are a man?” In this episode how does Dylan prove he is a man?
12. Comment on the choice of music, song lyrics and camera angles which add to viewers’ understanding of the characters and their new-found situation.
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Levi’s Dad, Jimmy, is released from jail and Levi is forced to face a lot of unresolved questions about their relationship.
When Jimmy fails to show up to an important football game, it is Zoe who secretly brings father and son together.
Dylan and Ava struggle when they are forced to work together on a song.
Meanwhile Lily meets Bridie (Macy’s girlfriend), who tells her that she’s really needed on the debating team. After some initial resistance, Lily accepts that debating is something that she loves and agrees to join the team.
Key Questions1. Levi’s dad Jimmy turns up and gives him a metal home-made crocodile. He has just got out
of Long Bay jail. Levi is understandably angry with his father. Reece tries to give an alternative perspective about Jimmy, “I’m just sayin’ you can tell when someone’s actually trying.” What pressures is Levi facing in re-connecting with his dad?
2. Why don’t Dylan and Ava want to work together?
3. When the girls try out for the roller derby it is Lily who physically challenges the others in ‘crocodile, crocodile’ and is a natural at the game. She is adamant that she does not want to join any groups. To which groups does she already belong, whilst carefully avoiding any admission of belonging? What makes you say this?
4. Macy and Bridie are upfront about their sexuality and Ava is clearly intrigued. What does Macy mean when she says, “No labels yet”?
5. Levi demonstrates loyalty to his mum yet does not accept Zoe’s loyalty to her family. His dad tells him, “You can only know your side of the story – best thing you can do is make peace with that.” What does he mean by that? Can you ever know the other side of the story?
6. What do the songs which Ava and Dylan write reflect about their state of mind?
7. When Jimmy doesn’t turn up for Levi’s final match it is up to Levi to dig deep, get over his disappointment and stand on his own two feet. What gets him over the line? What else has he won apart from the game?
8. Ava reneges again on the school performance even though she has been inspired by her time with Macy, and her song with Dylan is sung with passion and conviction. What is stopping her from singing? How would you advise her?
9. Dylan has to perform his song even though he is unprepared. Why doesn’t he just make up an excuse and walk away?
10. Lily finally decides to go along to the debating club. Why?
11. Comment on the choice of music, song lyrics and camera angles which add to viewers’ understanding of the characters and their new-found situation.
Episode 8: The Crocodile
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Lily overcompensates when she organises a 16th birthday party for Reece.
He’s never had a party before and Lily pulls out all stops, but when Mick is called away to a family emergency, the inevitable happens - gatecrashers swamp the house. Just as the party is in full swing, Lily takes herself away and she realises that the whole thing has been a tactic to avoid facing the anniversary of her mother’s death. A chance encounter with some rowdy gatecrashers will have dire effects in the weeks to come.
Ava and Macy kiss for the first time and Zoe’s jealousy over Levi and Alice being together results in her tipping an entire bowl of punch on Alice’s head.
Key Questions 1. The episode opens with Lily back at The Block with
children’s and adult voices in the background. Whose voices are they? What does this tell us about Lily’s state of mind?
2. Levi: “It’s hard for you to diss, hey?” Zoe: ‘Diss what?’ Levi: ‘Rules’ Zoe: ‘Yep and owning it. I’m calling Mick.’ Why does Levi take this approach? What are the outcomes of breaking the rules? Who wins?
Who loses?
3. Zoe is disempowered as she struggles to gain control of events. What or who else, apart from Levi, undermines her attempts to gain control of events?
4. Levi’s flirting with Alice causes Zoe great distress. Her reaction is ‘over the top’. What would you have advised Zoe to do in this situation?
5. The party becomes a ‘train wreck’. Was this inevitable? What went wrong? Who was responsible? What precautions could have been taken?
6. Were any of the housemates looking out for each other? Why or why not?
7. What is Ava’s response to Macy’s expression of affection?
8. What is the context and content of Mick’s speech to the housemates and why does this make Ava smile?
9. What did the housemates learn about themselves and each other?
10. Lily finally rings her dad. What has changed and what is the catalyst for this change?
11. Comment on the background music, incidental music, camera angles and visual imagery that add to your understanding of any of the characters’ motivations.
12. Choose a scene which left an impression on you. Comment on the ‘mise-en-scène’, e.g. lighting, set design, costumes, acting, and composition of the scene and how these elements help to create an impression of the characters’ state of mind and help to propel the narrative.
Episode 9: The Birthday Party
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The dream draws closer for Zoe when she learns about an Australian Athletics Federation (AAF) high altitude training camp in Colorado, and for Levi when he learns that his grand final game will be watched by an AFL Scout.
Lily discovers that a photo of her has become a meme and suddenly her face (in an embarrassing way), is all over the internet. She tries to shake it off but in the end confesses to Vee that all she wants is her mother.
Zoe risks everything when she participates in the roller derby out of anger at Alice and Levi – and is injured. She is dropped from her coveted spot on the relay team. Not only that, Alice forces her to ask Levi about his true feelings and his hesitation sees him lose Alice and Zoe.
In the face of strong competition, Levi loses his confidence and the grand final, but Jimmy is there to put things in perspective.
Key Questions 1. The cyber shaming of Lily is an unexpected and disgusting outcome of the birthday party,
deliberately designed to degrade and humiliate her. Her initial response is, “It only hurts if you let it right?” Research the effects of cyber bullying and cyber shaming on people. What would you say to a person who is cyber bullying or cyber shaming?
(Surviving a Culture of Shaming, http://nobullying.com/shaming/)
2. When Levi is out training his head is full of voices giving him advice. He feels pressured. Research an example of a sportsperson who has succumbed to the pressure to perform to the point where it has affected their wellbeing. What are the consequences of this extreme pressure? How can it be avoided? What advice would you give to Levi to help him get through this challenging time?
3. From where does Dylan take his musical inspiration? Why aren’t his teacher and the visiting speaker convinced that his experiences are authentic? Where might he find his “voice”?
4. Compare the dilemmas exposed within the three ‘romantic’ relationships (Zoe and Levi, Ava and Macy, Lily and Reece) which are highlighted in this episode. How does each couple approach their dilemma? How do they communicate their feelings? How do their communication missteps (or otherwise) relate to the title of the episode, ‘It’s Not You’?
5. Levi is disappointed at his performance in the football game. His doubts, “What if I’m not good enough?” lead to some wise words from his dad. How has their relationship changed since they re-connected?
6. Lily is devastated by the cyber shaming and feels disempowered, miserable and lonely. What advice can you give to someone who is going through this experience?
7. Choose a scene from the episode and explain how the music, visual imagery and camera angles add to the understanding of one of the characters and their situation.
Episode 10: It’s Not You
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A ‘boys’ day’ at the beach leads Dylan and Levi to get into trouble with the Police and Ava is introduced to a day of fame with Ngaiire.
Lily is still upset and has spent the last three weeks doing nothing but going to school and then spending the weekends in her room. Despite everyone’s efforts to get her out, she needs this time to recover.
Key Questions 1. The opening scene is unexpected and provocative. When you first watched this scene what
did you think was the backstory? Were you right?
2. Levi says he has a story for “this country”. What does he mean? Why is story telling so important in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture?
3. The lady who asks to use the boys’ sunscreen takes off with their stuff. Were the boys naive to have trusted her?
4. Lily’s room is unusually messy and reflects the way she is feeling. What other behaviours does she exhibit which reflect her feelings?
5. Ngaiire (Nyree) advises Ava, “You just toughen up. If you don’t have an answer to a question somebody else will answer it for you”. Ava responds by telling Ngaiire she does not know why she freezes when she is about to sing, “‘I don’t know… just shame.” What is she ashamed of? If you could advise Ava now what would you say?
6. Dylan and Levi teach Reece Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander vocabulary and culture and try to set him right about some of the misconceptions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is part of a bigger, complex message. What is that message?
7. Dylan talks rap culture and Levi responds, “Where are you now, the Bronx?” What is Levi trying to tell Dylan? What is ironic about Dylan’s attempts to teach Reece about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and language?
8. When the girls are at Triple J Ngaiire encourages Ava to sing by asking her to join in a traditional Torres Strait Island song called Inanay Gupu Wana. Find out more about the role of traditional music in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island culture. Eddie Mabo, a Torres Strait Islander, won a famous 1992 legal land rights victory against the Australian government. Part of his evidence consisted of the relationship of people and land contained in the Islanders’ mythic songs and the customs they enjoined upon people living there. Find out more about this land rights victory and how it changed the political, social and legal landscape of Australia.
9. The boys end up in trouble with the police. How could Dylan have handled his concerns differently? What is racial profiling? What consequences can occur when people are racially profiled? Were the boys subject to racial profiling?
10. What are your rights and obligations when stopped by the police?
11. Why is being in the dock a wake-up call for Dylan and Levi?
12. Lily tells Vee, “I don’t care about being brave, I just want my Mum.” How would you help Lily?
Episode 11: A Wonderful Day
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It’s the lead up to Ava’s final showcase and her stage fright is causing her serious issues. Macy tries to help but it’s Vee who has the best solution – Koorioke. When Ava takes Vee’s advice and sings only to Macy – she finally has the courage to be a star. An unexpected arrival makes the night complete when Ava’s Mother arrives from the Torres Strait.
Zoe’s best friend Kodie arrives from Darwin for time trials but instead of a happy reunion, simmering resentments overflow and Zoe finds herself unexpectedly in competition with Kodie and Alice. Determined not to let Alice beat her again, Zoe underestimates Kodie and finds herself knocked out of contention for the summer training camp in Colorado.
The only consolation is a late breaking admission of her feelings for Levi - which he gladly reciprocates.
That night Ava and Macy finally kiss – unfortunately their kiss is witnessed by Ava’s Mum who demands that Ava leave with her immediately!
Key Questions 1. In this episode some of the residents of Arcadia House start to face reality and accept that
their dreams may not be realised. For each of these residents, explain what has happened that causes them to reassess their future prospects.
2. What do we learn about Lily during the team bonding exercise?
3. The music that accompanies Reece and Dylan’s painting is from In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg. The music was written to accompany the story of Peer Gynt by Henrich Ibsen, in which Peer Gynt is accused, at one point, of “beating around the bush instead of facing himself or the truth.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_Gynt) Does this reflect Dylan’s time at the music school? Has he simply wasted his time and not faced up to the challenges that have confronted him?
4. The friendship between Zoe and Kodie is challenged on a number of levels. What are these challenges? How does Zoe respond? Is Kodie too hard on her?
5. Failure and fear of failure are recurrent themes in this episode:
“Why would the AAF take me? I’m a reject.” “It’s my dreams turned rancid.” “The most humiliating year of my life.” “We focused on each other, they focused on the race.” “I’m a loser.” “I’ve wasted a year.”
What actions do some of the residents do to try and confront the challenges they now face? What do others do and say to support them?
Episode 12: Stage Fright
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As the year closes, each housemate attempts to cling onto the dream they began with.
Zoe must swallow her pride, make up with Alice and claim her last chance to get to Colorado by winning the relay for Kellett St.
Levi has to stop trying to please everyone, including Zoe, and finally make a choice about where he’s going to spend the summer. Risking his new romance, he decides to spend it with his Dad.
Lily faces her fear when she confronts the ‘meme’ boys at debating and Reece questions his place in the house.
Dylan races off to get Ava back to SIM in time to do her showcase, but Ava isn’t allowed to sing. She encourages Dylan to go onstage where he performs a spoken word piece that blows his teachers away. In spite of everything – Dylan is starting to find his voice.
Key Questions1. As Ava is preparing to leave,. Vee gives her some advice on how to deal with her family’s
expectations and how to accept herself. How does Ava respond? Do you think she will find a way to believe in herself?
2. When Dylan listens to the song Ava wrote and recorded he is inspired to find her and urge her to perform in the Showcase. She ends up accompanying Dylan to the performance venue only to find she won’t be allowed to sing. Why does she defy her mother?
3. Family expectations are a big part of the lives of many of the housemates and leads to some genuine heartache and stress. Choose one of the housemates and explain how you would advise him or her in dealing with the pressures of family expectations.
4. Zoe and Alice confront their troubled relationship head on. What does Zoe learn about herself? Making friends can be difficult at times. What do you think are some of the most important attributes of being a good friend? What are some of the skills needed to maintain a friendship?
5. Levi decides to return to The Kimberley rather than go to Colorado. Why does he decide to do this? What does this say about his growing maturity and the importance he places on discovering more about his cultural identity?
6. What is the symbolism of Reece’s painting?
7. How is Lily’s sense of purpose, courage and resilience reflected in her speech at the debating competition?
8. Dylan’s performance at the Showcase is a success. What does his song represent?
9. Ava’s Mum tells her that she doesn’t know who she is anymore. “This place has changed you.” Has it? Has it changed any of the housemates?
Episode 13: My Life
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10. Lily finds Reece on the station platform as the train to Newcastle leaves without him. He looks forlorn and states that he “can’t say sorry anymore”. What does he mean by this? How does Lily respond and what does her response signify about her?
11. The final scenes show most of the housemates running to meet a deadline, trying to secure the next step towards their goals. How achievable do you think these goals are for each of the housemates? What makes you say this?
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Health and Physical Education
Years 7-8The following Health and Physical Education questions have been mapped to the Australian Curriculum Year 7-8 Content Descriptions.
1. Investigate the impact of transition and change on identities (ACPPS070)- identifying feelings and emotions associated with transitions, and practising self-talk and help-seeking strategies to manage these transitions
What are the key issues that worried each of the young people in Arcadia House? Consider flashbacks, did this help them? Why was there so much anxiety in the house?
2. Practise and apply strategies to seek help for themselves or others (ACPPS072)- examining scenarios to highlight how emotions, dispositions and decision making can affect outcomes
How do you use past experiences to solve present problems?
- practising different communication techniques to persuade someone to seek help
How do we best choose a range of key people to seek advice? Who did each of the Arcadia House members choose to confide in? (Confidential – who do you choose and why?)
- exploring help-seeking scenarios young people encounter and sharing strategies for dealing with each situation
If you were one of the Arcadia House residents, who would you go to for locally available, accessible support? Consider community Elders, Aboriginal Community Service agencies, medical, especially mental health professionals, police, sexual assault and domestic violence services, grief counsellors, the coach of your team, a friend, a teacher, the carers in the house.
3. Investigate and select strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS073)- investigating reasons why young people choose to use or not use drugs, and proposing strategies to make informed choices
Consider and describe the choices made by the characters in Ready for This, for example, sneaking out, avoiding the truth, committing a crime, sexuality, relationships, peer group over passion.
- proposing and practising strategies for celebrating safely, including assertiveness, refusal skills
List and discuss some effective strategies which you could use to assert yourself and to refuse inappropriate offers.
4. Investigate the benefits of relationships and examine their impact on their own and others’ health and wellbeing (ACPPS074)- examining how individuals, family and peer groups influence people’s behaviours, decisions and actions
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How and why did Dylan resist the group’s pressure to commit a crime? What made Zoe strong enough to resist a relationship with Levi? How did Reece reconcile his need to live in the house with the lies he would have to tell?
- analysing how behaviours, actions, and responses to situations can change depending on whether they are by themselves, with friends or with family
Describe how this applies to you in your family and peer groups. Evaluate the impact of this dichotomy on your behaviour, actions and responses.
- recognising the impact bullying and harassment can have on relationships, including online relationships
Think of situations of bullying and harassment in Ready for This, for example, the football field, in the schoolyard, on the running track.
5. Analyse factors that influence emotions, and develop strategies to demonstrate empathy and sensitivity (ACPPS075)- investigating personal, social and cultural factors that influence the way individuals respond emotionally to different situations
How would you react in the circumstances of bullying and harassment shown in Ready for This? Which strategies do you think are most appropriate, workable, successful and why do you think that?
- exploring different viewpoints, practising being empathetic and considering alternative ways to respond
In pairs, role play situations which show how you would listen to, show you understand and respond to the needs of those who have lost parents, loved ones, their home, have been injured or ill, rejected and isolated, bullied, vilified, assaulted, have mental issues, have addictions, relationship problems?
- recognising and interpreting emotional responses to stressful situations and proposing strategies for managing these responses
List incidents of this from Ready for This and discuss different ways of responding.
6. Examine the benefits to individuals and communities of valuing diversity and promoting inclusivity (ACPPS079)- investigating how respecting diversity and challenging racism, sexism, disability discrimination and homophobia influence individual and community health and wellbeing
Have a class discussion after defining these issues and give examples from your own experience. Apply your understanding to discuss recent incidents of racism in sport.
- examining values and beliefs about cultural and social issues such as gender, race, violence, sexuality and disability
Examine and discuss the effect of racial taunts in terms of belonging, identity, mental health and wellbeing.
- applying the principles of ethical behaviour consistently…
Describe how ethical or unethical behaviour is shown in Ready for This.
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Health and Physical Education
Years 9-10The following Health and Physical Education questions have been mapped to the Australian Curriculum Years 9-10 Content Descriptions.
1. Evaluate factors that shape identities, and analyse how individuals impact the identities of others (ACPPS089)- analysing the role of family, friends and community in supporting an individual’s identity, and proposing strategies to enhance their own and others’ wellbeing
Use Ready for This and synopses in this study guide to write the story about your life in comparison to the life of one of the main characters.
2. Examine the impact of changes and transitions on relationships (ACPPS090)- asserting their stance on a situation, dilemma or decision by expressing thoughts, opinions and beliefs that acknowledge the feelings of others
What were the issues which Zoe and Ava were dealing with prior to the race and the performance? How did they resolve these issues?
- assessing behavioural expectations in different relationships and social situations, and examining how these expectations can influence decisions and actions
Why did Dylan have difficulty relating to his father? Why did he back away when he had the chance to tell his father the truth?
3. Propose, practise and evaluate responses in situations where external influences may impact on their ability to make healthy and safe choices (ACPPS092)- critiquing images and messages in the media that portray what it means to have a good time and be fun to be around, and evaluating how these images can be interpreted
Give examples and discuss how risky behaviour is mirrored in media advertising and films. What impact does this have on you and your peer group?
4. Investigate how empathy and ethical decision making contribute to respectful relationships (ACPPS093)- investigating the characteristics of positive, respectful relationships and the rights and responsibilities of individuals in relationships, investigating how the balance of power influences the nature of comparing own decisions with those of others and acknowledging others’ right to act differently and to change their mind
Select examples from Ready for This and discuss as a class. Choose one character and identify their dilemma. Follow the way they deal with this dilemma and their decision-making process throughout. Examples include The Preston and McKay feud affecting Zoe and Levi, the conflict between Zoe and Alice, the racism affecting Lily, the cyber bullying and shaming of Lily.
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5. Evaluate situations and propose appropriate emotional responses and then reflect on possible outcomes of different responses (ACPPS094)- evaluating situations where an individual may react with extreme emotion and reflecting on the impact that this response may have on the situation and/or their relationships
Select examples from Ready for This and discuss as a class.
- analysing interactions where emotional responses may not be immediately apparent and reflecting on the possible consequences of not recognising the emotions involved
Make a list of examples of this such as, when Zoe’s father/coach came to see her run, she seemed embarrassed and kept him away from her new coach and team.
6. Critique behaviours and contextual factors that influence the health and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS098)- analysing the implications of attitudes and behaviours such as prejudice, marginalisation, homophobia, discrimination, violence and harassment on individuals and communities, and proposing counter-measures to prevent these behaviours
Describe the incidents of racism in Ready for This and discuss as a class. How did the characters deal with this? How did Ava deal with her same-sex attraction and the animosity of her mother’s reaction? How did Levi rationalise his father’s prison time? How did Dylan deal with the demands of his father to be more committed to his Aboriginality? How did Zoe and Alice resolve their relationship issues?
- investigating the role that extended family and broader community play in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Write your own story about Ava’s loneliness, living away from family and community, Reece’s homelessness, Levi coping with the reunion with his father, Dylan feeling alienated from his father and Lily trying to cope with the death of her mother.
References:Australian Curriculum Health and Physical Education (ACARA) http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/copyright
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Extension Activities
Have a class discussion and do some individual research working through these key questions:
1. Many young Aboriginal people live their lives in two worlds, labelled by white kids as ‘Aboriginal’ and by Aboriginal people as not ‘Aboriginal enough’. How can a person in this position cope with the hurt inflicted by those reactions from other people?
2. Critically evaluate the statement or hold a class debate on the topic: ‘Australia is a racist country.’
3. What did Aboriginal academic Professor Marcia Langton mean when she said that “Australians are approaching the point where they have to decide whether or not they want Aboriginal cultures to survive.”
For Teachers: One of the major initiatives in the Australian Curriculum, reflecting in wider society, is to build the profile of mental health and well-being and encourage more people to seek advice. Ready for This is an excellent vehicle for conveying these messages to students. It is based on a positive attitude to problem-solving, in place of a deficit model. It exposes the issues which face all teenagers, but highlights the effects on Aboriginal teenagers. (See ‘Additional Resources’)
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Additional Resources for
Teachers and Students
Mental As, ABC TV – Mental Health Week http://www.abc.net.au/mentalas/ A wide range of programs; television, radio and online; exploring mental illness, health and wellbeing.
Teenage Health, Better Health Channel http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/Bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Teenage_health?open Useful to teachers for course writing, and for both teachers and students for sources of information, support and advice
Ray Of Light, Documentary Australia Foundation https://www.documentaryaustralia.com.au/films/608/ray-of-light As part of the larger Digital Platform, Ray Of Light reveals the world of today’s teenagers by openly exploring the issues of schoolyard and social media bullying, depression, anxiety, self-harm and cutting, rejection, social isolation, sexual identity, drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness and family trauma to getting appropriate help, counselling and treatment that leads to a positive and lasting recovery.
Drug and Alcohol Use, Australian Government http://www.australia.gov.au/information-and-services/health/drug-and-alcohol-use Follow the links to mental health, sports, using sport to address disadvantage and social inclusion challenges.
Australian Psychological Society https://www.psychology.org.au/Content.aspx?ID=5800 Follow the links to Australian Psychological Society home page to helplines, mental illness, anxiety and depression, drugs and substance abuse, suicide, trauma and grief.
Grown Ups, Kids Helpline http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/grownups/ Kids’ Helpline hot topic alcohol and other drugs. There are links to useful resources provided within this section as well.
The Road Back, YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRjSVNYlwBE Video that explores Teen Anxiety/Depression
Our Voices - Stories of carers from refugee and migrant backgrounds, Victorian Transcultural Mental Health www.vtmh.org.au/community-partnerships/our-voices These films explore the lives of five carers from Afghani, Egyptian, Somali, Turkish and Vietnamese communities. The carers speak independently, yet collectively, of common difficulties encountered in advocating for culturally sensitive and culturally responsive mental health care and the benefits of seeking support. On request, these stories can be accessed in most languages.
Education Resources, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australian Government www.aihw.gov.au/education-resources/ To make it easier to access information, we have developed a selection of reports and worksheets for teachers and students. You can also download the OzHealth iPad App which provides key facts and figures from the Australia’s health 2014 report.
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References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2015c) Cross-Curriculum Priorities, Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/crosscurriculumpriorities
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2015a). General Capabilities, Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/crosscurriculumpriorities/Aboriginal-and-Torres-Strait-Islander-histories-and-cultures
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2015b). General Capabilities, Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from: http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/general_capabilities.html
ACARA | The Australian Curriculum Health and Physical Education http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/copyright
Dr Helen Szoke Race Discrimination Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission, Queensland University of Technology Brisbane, Qld 16 February 2012
Merne Altyerre-ipenhe (Food from the Creation time) Reference Group, Douglas J and Walsh F. 2011. Aboriginal people, bush foods knowledge and products from central Australia: Ethical guidelines for commercial bush food research, industry and enterprises. DKCRC Report 71. Ninti One Limited, Alice Springs. (www.nintione.com.au)
educate, inspire, engage
Student Focused Learning
Building Online Communities
Curriculum Aligned
Resources
Quality Australian Children’s Programs
www.actf.com.au/education
Educational Writers: Angela Dawson, Valerie Foster
ACTF Acknowledgements: Anna Kamasz, Digital Education Producer | Peter Maggs, Head of Education | Glenda Wilson, Editorial | Sarah Jones, Editorial | Allira Tee, Graphic Design In association with the Australian Teachers of Media.
Australian Children’s Television Foundation www.actf.com.au/education