‘New localism’ in Australian schools: Country as Teacher as a critical pedagogy of place

Abstract This article reports on phase two of our school-based Country as Teacher research, focusing teacher’s learning and experiences through their efforts to enact curriculum pedagogy with students in ACT schools. Cultivating own practices reciprocal Relating (Phase 1, see Spillman, Wilson, Nixon & McKinnon, 2022) prepares teachers students. A yarning circle focus group semi-structured interviews were again used unpack reflections learnings regarding attempts pedagogies units work. Due major disruptions schooling caused by a long COVID lockdown, during Term Three 2021, participation data collection for Phase 2 the research was voluntary basis. Thirteen original twenty-six offered participate. Despite disruptions, many felt that high levels student engagement Teacher, expressions wellness these experiences, emergence inquiry approaches, conferred ‘permission’ continue enacting day-to-day teaching learning, even when perceived not be direct enactment Australian Curriculum. flagged clear theme qualitative data, growing desire ‘moral imperative’, ‘do it students’. Teacher’s also deemed essential motivation courage necessary pedagogies. formative suggests motivated reinterpret systemic accountabilities imperatives. We propose this way, among others discussed below, operated ‘critical place.’