NT education: CDU’s Tracy Woodroffe sights set on First Nations educators

Warumungu Luritja woman Tracy Woodroffe never had an Indigenous teacher growing up. Now, the Darwin researcher has her sights on ensuring First Nations educators can conquer the classroom.

Dr Tracy Woodroffe will be undertaking research into how to increase the number of First Nations educators in the Northern Territory.

Growing up in Darwin, Indigenous woman Tracy Woodroffe never had a First Nations teacher to look up to.

At age 12, however, a certain educator left an impression that would change Dr Woodroffe’s life forever.

“I had this particular teacher and the way that she ran the classroom – it was like she was in charge,” she said.

“And that was it. I remember thinking to myself ‘Wow I am going to do that’ and I told my dad ‘I am going to be a teacher’.”

Dr Woodroffe, now 54, went on to teach for more than 20 years, and obtain a PhD, before settling into her new role as a senior lecturer at Charles Darwin University.

A proud Warumungu Luritja woman, Dr Woodroffe’s latest mission will examine the same observation she made as a young student herself – the critical shortfall in First Nations educators in the Northern Territory.

“Research has shown that having access to an Indigenous teacher will improve Indigenous student outcomes,” she said.

“Being an Aboriginal person myself and becoming a teacher and then going into research made me realise that we need to increase the number of Indigenous teachers.”

Dr Tracy Woodroffe in 2017 – the proud Warumungu Luritja woman has been involved in Indigenous-related research for much of her career.

Dr Woodroffe recently received a First Nations Fellowship from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success through Curtin University to continue the project.

Focusing on what First Nations secondary students think of a career in teaching, Dr Woodroffe will seek to develop a strategy in which to encourage a career in education.

“Part of this project will involve a survey of the students which will be online – that’s to get their perceptions, ideas, and understandings,” she said.

“Really the focus of this project is to understand how to get more Aboriginal people enrolling in teaching, enrolling in that higher education study, and develop a profession and a career.”