The Nerd Within

I spent today in prison.
The food wasn't crash hot, but I survived.

Fremantle Prison, WA
Highly recommend a visit - if you're round these parts.

I was 'doing time' in the name of the new History Curriculum (mandated by the Australian Curriculum) being phased into our schools right now.

Hey, hey WAIT!!!!
I was yawning at the very thought of it too.
'History'. 'Colonial Australia'. 'Swan River Settlement'. 'Convict era'. 'Historial inquiry'.
Blah, 'blah, blahdee blah'.

Except 'penal colony'.
That's funny for some reason. Nearly two hilariously naughty words - but not.

I was prepared to quietly slip into a boredom-induced coma at the back of the room and hope no-one noticed.
But, I didn't.

I loved it.
I was the little pregnant nerd lady asking questions and posing theories as I hung on every word of the prison guide.
Maybe there's a historian inside of this running Mama after all?

I promise you - the stories of convict life in the 1800s and prison life in the 1900s are fascinating with the right narrator and environment. Honest.

I was mesmerised by the prison buildings and the artefacts (yep, nerd alert) we were immersed in today.

My head is still spinning, trying to comprehend that WA prisoners were living in such appalling conditions up to only twenty one years ago.
Who needs an en suite when you have a perfectly good bucket, really?

My heart pangs for the little babies born to women in the system and for the juveniles punished brutally and essentially, given no chance of reform.

I'm appalled at the treatment of Aboriginal men, women and children and puzzled by how an ineffective system was status quo for so long.

I have so many questions.

I'm actually really excited about planning next term's History unit (and of course, integrating it right across the curriculum - in case you're reading AISWA consultant lady.)

Now, I just have to convince my students that this stuff is all kinds of awesome.
Without the use of a cat-o-nine-tails.

If you're still here - wow! And thank you.

Do you have a secret nerd lurking within too?
Or am I just feeling the effects of my incarceration?

Shar :-)