Undertaking teachers training through schemes such as AREP, ANTEP, or this commendable scheme through the Catholic College system has required dedication and commitment to get you through the workload as well as overcoming the frustrations that seem to increase as your studies have progressed. Frustrations due to time (or rather lack of), difficulties with assignments (first, trying to make sense of them and then trying to write something that does make sense, while you are wondering how this is actually going to help you to become a teacher) and absences from the family (when you are required in Sydney or doing a practice teaching session away from home) are very hard to overcome. Therefore, the support network that has been put in place must be regarded as effective, otherwise you would probably be watching the footy instead of satisfying course requirements.

During a four-week period in March and April, 1990, I had the opportunity to visit several Aboriginal and mainstream public schools in South Australia as part of a Fellowship sponsored by the New South Wales Department of School Education.

The selection of South Australia as a location to visit was recommended to the author by various colleagues in Aboriginal education who considered that “many fine things were happening” in South Australia in the area of Aboriginal education. My impressions confirmed what I had been told by others.

The author was fortunate to be awarded a New South Wales Teaching Service Fellowship for 1990 to undertake an investigation of the professional development of teachers, including executive, in schools with significant Aboriginal enrolments. This fellowship was undertaken in South Australia over a four-week period in March and April this year.

Perhaps the highlight of this investigation was the emphasis placed on appropriate and adequate induction programs within the human resource management portfolio of the South Australian Department of Education.

1988, the year of the Bicentenary, was considered by some as the start of a new era for Aborigines. However, despite excellent media exposure on Aboriginal issues, the bicentennial year concluded with just memories of various celebrations.

We enter the 1990s at a time of increasing change throughout the world. I believe that it is necessary for everyone involved in Aboriginal education to focus on some important issues that encompass this delicate area.