My Place has always struck a cord with me since I first laid eyes on the text back in the 1980’s.
My Stage 2 (Yrs 3 and 4) students have been observing the historical concept of change over time. The students have been able to make connections with characters in the story observing the change in local community and identifying with the multicultural landscape evident in the text.
I find Nadia Wheatley’s style appealing. One that builds curiosity and provokes thought. My students, displaying a range of learning abilities, all engaged with this text and always found something new to discover which prompted discussions. My lower readers were captivated by the maps, flicking between pages identifying the changes over time. My more capable students discussed the family connections through generations, the familiar names that were the neighbours. The characters coming to life to the point where I had students ask, “Is this story true?”
If you haven’t read this book or had an opportunity to use it in teaching, please do so. It’s a fantastic reminder that we are all somehow connected and that the past has a remarkable impact on the way society is shaped.
