History of Education & Policies:
Prior to 1788: Indigenous people identified the skills of their children and worked together as a community to develop these skills through mentors and nurturing. As a result "young people grew with a sense of purpose about how they would contribute to the group" (Price, 2012).
1788 - British colonisation.
1814 - First Aboriginal school opened in Parramatta. The reason for its opening was to distance the Aboriginal children from their families and communities.
1880 - The Public Instruction Act made education compulsory for all Aboriginal children up to the age of 12.
1883 - NSW Minister decreed that Aboriginal children could be excluded from the schooling system if their presences was detrimental to the entire school.
1901 - Federation of all the states occurred however, Indigenous people were not considered part of the Commonwealth constitution. As a result the states retained all power over the Indigenous peoples. In terms of education, the 'clean, clad and courteous' model was put in place, this followed closely by the 'exclusion on demand' phase.
1904 - First Indigenous community is established by the Queensland Government.
1905 - Western Australian Aboriginal Act passed and reserves developed to accommodate Indigenous Australians. Local protector employed to ensure rules and regulations were being adhered to.
1909-10 - NSW Aboriginal Act passed after controversy in several public schools. Exclusion of Indigenous children from the public school system occurred, resulting in the establishment of multiple Indigenous schools across the state. The act made it illegal for mixed descent children to live on reserves and as a result they were forcibly removed from their parents and trained as domestic servants.The Aborigine Protection Board was given the power to take full custody and control of all aboriginal children in order to prepare them to assimilation into lowest social order of White society.
1910-11 - South Australian and Victorian states followed with their Acts.
1916 - First church mission for Indigenous Australians opened in the North by the United Church.
1918 - The Northern Territory government established the “Aboriginal Ordinance Act” prohibiting Indigenous people from alcohol consumption, bearing firearms, and marrying non-Aboriginal citizens.
1920 - Indigenous population believed to be roughly about 60 000, now widely considered a dying race.
1925 - Church of England establishes an Aboriginal mission.
1935 - Catholic and Methodist churches establish Aboriginal missions.
1938 - For the celebration of 150 years since European settlement, Indigenous people were trucked into NSW to take part in the landing re-enactment. If they refused to participate they were threatened with starvation.
1940 - Amendments to the NSW protection legislation act resulted in the replacement of the Aborigines Protection Board with the NSW Aborigine Welfare Board. Federal benefits began to be distributed to Indigenous Australians.
1944 - Children of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent were allowed to attend normal schools.
The Teacher's Federation began to question the educational policies in regards to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
1946-60 - Indigenous children in the Northern Territory are given the opportunity to attend normal schooling; however, the communities claimed that Indigenous children beyond the age of 10 would not be able to keep up with European children anyway. This resulted in the assimilation of Indigenous children into local schools in NSW provided the parents agreed.
Although most indigenous children were being educated in school by this time only 6 students in NSW completed the Higher School Certificate.
1967 - The referendum held gave the Commonwealth government the power to legislate on behalf of all Aboriginal people.
1969 - NSW Aboriginal Welfare Board is abolished.
1970s - The emergence of education programs based on the concept that Aboriginal Australians suffered from a cultural deficit. It was widely accepted that it was done this way to teach Aboriginal children the Non-Indigenous way of life.
1972 - The 'exclusion on demand' clause was removed from the Teacher's Guide.
1977 - The National Aboriginal Education Committee (NAEC), which is now known as the AEP, was formed to advise the Commonwealth on Aboriginal views, in terms of education.
1978 - NSW Anti-Discrimination Board decided that Aboriginal studies should be taught across the whole curriculum.
1997 - The Bringing them Home Report was tabled in the Federal Parliament. Reconiliation policy developed.
1998 - The first National Sorry Day was held, on the anniversary of the Bringing them Home Report.
2000s - The National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy was launched.
2005-2008 - Australian Directions in Indigenous Education was implemented.
2008 - Finally after 220 years of mistreatment Federal Parliament officially apologised to the Australian Indigenous People.
2010 - Present - Focuse is on closing the gap between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous students by addressing readiness for school, engagement, attendance, literacy and numeracy, leadership and post-school options.
For a more detailed timeline of events please visit:http://australianmuseum.net.au/Indigenous-Australia-Timeline-1901-to-1969 or to the Aboriginal history timeline (1900-1969) webpage: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/aboriginal-history-timeline-1900-1969
1788 - British colonisation.
1814 - First Aboriginal school opened in Parramatta. The reason for its opening was to distance the Aboriginal children from their families and communities.
1880 - The Public Instruction Act made education compulsory for all Aboriginal children up to the age of 12.
1883 - NSW Minister decreed that Aboriginal children could be excluded from the schooling system if their presences was detrimental to the entire school.
1901 - Federation of all the states occurred however, Indigenous people were not considered part of the Commonwealth constitution. As a result the states retained all power over the Indigenous peoples. In terms of education, the 'clean, clad and courteous' model was put in place, this followed closely by the 'exclusion on demand' phase.
1904 - First Indigenous community is established by the Queensland Government.
1905 - Western Australian Aboriginal Act passed and reserves developed to accommodate Indigenous Australians. Local protector employed to ensure rules and regulations were being adhered to.
1909-10 - NSW Aboriginal Act passed after controversy in several public schools. Exclusion of Indigenous children from the public school system occurred, resulting in the establishment of multiple Indigenous schools across the state. The act made it illegal for mixed descent children to live on reserves and as a result they were forcibly removed from their parents and trained as domestic servants.The Aborigine Protection Board was given the power to take full custody and control of all aboriginal children in order to prepare them to assimilation into lowest social order of White society.
1910-11 - South Australian and Victorian states followed with their Acts.
1916 - First church mission for Indigenous Australians opened in the North by the United Church.
1918 - The Northern Territory government established the “Aboriginal Ordinance Act” prohibiting Indigenous people from alcohol consumption, bearing firearms, and marrying non-Aboriginal citizens.
1920 - Indigenous population believed to be roughly about 60 000, now widely considered a dying race.
1925 - Church of England establishes an Aboriginal mission.
1935 - Catholic and Methodist churches establish Aboriginal missions.
1938 - For the celebration of 150 years since European settlement, Indigenous people were trucked into NSW to take part in the landing re-enactment. If they refused to participate they were threatened with starvation.
1940 - Amendments to the NSW protection legislation act resulted in the replacement of the Aborigines Protection Board with the NSW Aborigine Welfare Board. Federal benefits began to be distributed to Indigenous Australians.
1944 - Children of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent were allowed to attend normal schools.
The Teacher's Federation began to question the educational policies in regards to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
1946-60 - Indigenous children in the Northern Territory are given the opportunity to attend normal schooling; however, the communities claimed that Indigenous children beyond the age of 10 would not be able to keep up with European children anyway. This resulted in the assimilation of Indigenous children into local schools in NSW provided the parents agreed.
Although most indigenous children were being educated in school by this time only 6 students in NSW completed the Higher School Certificate.
1967 - The referendum held gave the Commonwealth government the power to legislate on behalf of all Aboriginal people.
1969 - NSW Aboriginal Welfare Board is abolished.
1970s - The emergence of education programs based on the concept that Aboriginal Australians suffered from a cultural deficit. It was widely accepted that it was done this way to teach Aboriginal children the Non-Indigenous way of life.
1972 - The 'exclusion on demand' clause was removed from the Teacher's Guide.
1977 - The National Aboriginal Education Committee (NAEC), which is now known as the AEP, was formed to advise the Commonwealth on Aboriginal views, in terms of education.
1978 - NSW Anti-Discrimination Board decided that Aboriginal studies should be taught across the whole curriculum.
1997 - The Bringing them Home Report was tabled in the Federal Parliament. Reconiliation policy developed.
1998 - The first National Sorry Day was held, on the anniversary of the Bringing them Home Report.
2000s - The National Indigenous English Literacy and Numeracy Strategy was launched.
2005-2008 - Australian Directions in Indigenous Education was implemented.
2008 - Finally after 220 years of mistreatment Federal Parliament officially apologised to the Australian Indigenous People.
2010 - Present - Focuse is on closing the gap between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous students by addressing readiness for school, engagement, attendance, literacy and numeracy, leadership and post-school options.
For a more detailed timeline of events please visit:http://australianmuseum.net.au/Indigenous-Australia-Timeline-1901-to-1969 or to the Aboriginal history timeline (1900-1969) webpage: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/aboriginal-history-timeline-1900-1969
Bringing them Home Report:
The National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families was established on 11 May 1995 by the Federal Attorney-General, Michael Lavarch.
A year later he is quoted as saying that "...true reconciliation between the Australian nation and its indigenous peoples is not achievable in the absence of acknowledgement by the nation of the wrongfulness of the past dispossession, oppression and degradation of the Aboriginal peoples" (1996).
Sir Ronald Wilson and Mick Dodson were appointed to lead the conduct of the Inquiry which was required to:
* Trace past laws, practices and policies which resulted in the separation of Indigenous children from their families and the effects of those laws, practices and policies.
* Examine the adequacy of and need for any changes to current laws, practices and policies relating to services and procedures currently available to those Indigenous Australians who were separated, including current laws, practices and policies relating to access to family records and the relocating and unifying of parents.
* Examine the principles relevant to determining the justification for compensation for persons or communities affected by separations; and
* Examine current laws, practices and policies with the respect to the placement and care of Indigenous children and advise on any changes required (Williams-Mozley, 2012, p. 26).
On 26 May 1997, the 680 page Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Federal Parliament. 777 submissions were made by dispossessed Indigenous Australians.
The Inquiry concluded that from 1900 onwards all Australian states and territories enacted legislation by which Indigenous children could be removed from their families. It also concluded that between 1910 and 1970 between 1 in 3 and 1 in 10 Indigenous children were forcibly removed. Although most legislation regarding child removal had been repealed by the 1960s, child removal practices were still in operation in the 1970s.
The Inquiry recommended monetary compensation under the following 'heads of damage':
* racial discrimination
* arbitrary deprivation of liberty
* pain and suffering
* abuse, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse
* disruption of family life
* loss of cultural rights and fulfilment
* loss of native title rights
* labour exploitation
* economic loss
* loss of opportunities (Williams-Mozley, 2012, p. 27-28).
"Bringing Them Home found that the policy of forcibly removing Indigenous children fell within the international legal definition of genocide" (Williams-Mozley, 2012, p. 29).
It is evident that in light of the truth that when teaching about the Stolen Generations that issues need to be treated sensitively. Guides such as "The Longest Journey" have been written by Indigenous educators. It is through conversations and consultation with Indigenous communities that teachers can best value Australia's history, educating future generations.
A year later he is quoted as saying that "...true reconciliation between the Australian nation and its indigenous peoples is not achievable in the absence of acknowledgement by the nation of the wrongfulness of the past dispossession, oppression and degradation of the Aboriginal peoples" (1996).
Sir Ronald Wilson and Mick Dodson were appointed to lead the conduct of the Inquiry which was required to:
* Trace past laws, practices and policies which resulted in the separation of Indigenous children from their families and the effects of those laws, practices and policies.
* Examine the adequacy of and need for any changes to current laws, practices and policies relating to services and procedures currently available to those Indigenous Australians who were separated, including current laws, practices and policies relating to access to family records and the relocating and unifying of parents.
* Examine the principles relevant to determining the justification for compensation for persons or communities affected by separations; and
* Examine current laws, practices and policies with the respect to the placement and care of Indigenous children and advise on any changes required (Williams-Mozley, 2012, p. 26).
On 26 May 1997, the 680 page Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Federal Parliament. 777 submissions were made by dispossessed Indigenous Australians.
The Inquiry concluded that from 1900 onwards all Australian states and territories enacted legislation by which Indigenous children could be removed from their families. It also concluded that between 1910 and 1970 between 1 in 3 and 1 in 10 Indigenous children were forcibly removed. Although most legislation regarding child removal had been repealed by the 1960s, child removal practices were still in operation in the 1970s.
The Inquiry recommended monetary compensation under the following 'heads of damage':
* racial discrimination
* arbitrary deprivation of liberty
* pain and suffering
* abuse, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse
* disruption of family life
* loss of cultural rights and fulfilment
* loss of native title rights
* labour exploitation
* economic loss
* loss of opportunities (Williams-Mozley, 2012, p. 27-28).
"Bringing Them Home found that the policy of forcibly removing Indigenous children fell within the international legal definition of genocide" (Williams-Mozley, 2012, p. 29).
It is evident that in light of the truth that when teaching about the Stolen Generations that issues need to be treated sensitively. Guides such as "The Longest Journey" have been written by Indigenous educators. It is through conversations and consultation with Indigenous communities that teachers can best value Australia's history, educating future generations.
Summary of Research:
Below is a summary of each of the articles for this week:
Harrison, N. & Greenfield, M. (2011). Relationship to place: positioning Aboriginal knowledge and perspectives in classroom pedagogies. Critical Studies in Education, (52)1, 65-76.
This article expressed the need for all students to understand the importance of Indigenous cultures and history, however sadly teachers are simply confused as to what they are meant to be teaching and how they are meant to be teaching it. One of the significant concerns mentioned by Harrison and Greenfield (2011) was that non-Aboriginal teachers should not be teaching about Aboriginal culture, knowledge and identity because the students are really only receiving the stereotypes of Aboriginality. (p.66) As teachers it is our job to break through these stereotypes and teach students authentic and original Aboriginal education.
For authentic education teachers need to avoid the process of "dehumanisation" of Indigenous people. In order for this to be avoided, teachers must do more than calling an Aboriginal dance company once a year. We must make the effort to contact and remain in contact with the Indigenous people of the local community and approach them regard curriculum development and different pedagogies.
Harrison and Greenfield's (2011) article aligns with the critical theory which sees current education as reproducing social class inequalities and attempts to discuss viable ways in which to rectify the situation. What they try to put forward is the point that it is not all about transmitting the syllabus information when dealing with Aboriginal concepts. Instead teachers need to analyse the Aboriginal knowledge roots and perspectives, apply a suitable pedagogy and talk about it with Aboriginal people to ensure that what is being covered is essentially correct knowledge.
Rahman, K. (2012). Belonging and learning to belong in school: the implications of the hidden curriculum for indigenous students. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, (34)5, 660-672.
This article discusses the implications of the hidden curriculum for Indigenous students. According to Rahman (2012), mainstream schooling is not only "assimilatory", but they also threaten the cultural identities of Indigenous students resulting in them losing contact with the land. In mainstream schools, students are expected to conform to the correct language and cultural environment of the school resulting in Aboriginal students abandoning their style of speech (p. 661). This style of schooling aligns with the neo-conservatism approaches as dominant members of society are fearful of the cultural identity within the Indigenous community. As a result they require all students, both non-Indigenous and Indigenous, to conform to what they consider 'normal' for society.
The article defines the hidden curriculum as everything which is not consider academic however is important for the academic outcomes to be achieved (p. 662) Rahman uses the research of Jackson to explain the hidden curriculum as it was Jackson who argued that school is a social process as much as an academic one (p. 662). Rahman (2012) has also pointed out that there are two dimensions to the hidden curriculum, firstly, the structural functionalist perspective which Jackson aligns with, which maintains than students while at school learn the norms, customs, and traditions of their society. Secondly, the Neo-Marxist perspective which is that schooling reproduces social, racial and gender inequalities while also taking into account the relationship between schooling and the economy, as mentioned by Sari & Doganay (2009) (p. 662). The structural functionalism explains the subliminal ideas taught by the hidden curriculum and Neo-Marxism dictates what these subliminal ideas are; these notions predominately come from people or group of power.
Rahman (2012) continues her research by discussing ways in which to negotiate the hidden curriculum through means of alternative pedagogies. Learning can be enhanced when teachers explicitly teach the norms and codes of the particular culture in power. This way students, who are not from that culture, understand and are able to learn the necessary skills required to negotiate the culture if they need to (p. 665). Teachers need to take small steps; talk through and explain work repeatedly if required and use a range of different teaching methods to help the students understand the world around them
(p. 665).
Lea, T., Wegner, A., McRae-Williams, E., Chenhall, R. & Holmes, C. (2011). Problematising school space for Indigenous education: teachers' and parents' perspectives. Ethnography and Education, (6)3, p. 265-280.
Lea et al. (2011) discuss in their article the importance of engaging the school community with the rest of society, in particular the Indigenous communities, while discussing the many barriers which prevent engagement from occurring. They mention that by bringing 'invisible' Indigenous parents in to engage with the school, not only will students benefit from the positive interaction, but it will also create a friendlier atmosphere for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of the community, creating an equal balance of power, rather than resorting to the historical relations of power (p. 265). The study explores the relationship between school and parent engagement in three schools in northern Australia to effectively display the concerns and barriers which schools are facing when it comes to cultural aspects of education (p. 265).
Using the research this article argues that despite significant socio-economical concerns and massive social disadvantages within the surrounding communities of the three schools that all the feeder districts valued and respected their schools in terms of what they are trying to achieve for the community and the openness they had created within the school to make them less intimidating (p. 272). In the research the schools were very open to Indigenous Australians and they were quite often seen around the grounds talking to teachers either in the classrooms or in the office. Lea et al. (2011) point out that although these three schools are engaging and working together with the Indigenous community, most western institutions are still placing barriers up preventing the smooth engagement between both cultures.
This article aligns with neo-Marxism and neo-conservative theories in which schools are symbolic of dominance and power; non-Indigenous people hold the power and the Indigenous people are simply marginalised. The authors argue that because of the way western institutions are designed, in terms of the buildings themselves, Indigenous adults may decline from contacting the school as they feel threatened (p. 273). The example used comes from a case study school which believed having a fence around their school as part of a 'safe school policy' inhibits Indigenous parents from casually dropping in as they need to go to the office first and formally sign in. This policy is locked both ways, keeping children in and keeping others out, making the structure of school feel dominant over everyone in the community (p. 273). Although we know that it is a school's responsibility to ensure students are safe at all times, this makes the structure and function of the school feel deliberately isolated from the community. On the other hand, this article also portrays the other side of the argument with many Indigenous Australians explaining that they really had no negative issues with the school environment and were more concerned with other community issues (p. 275).
This article expressed the need for all students to understand the importance of Indigenous cultures and history, however sadly teachers are simply confused as to what they are meant to be teaching and how they are meant to be teaching it. One of the significant concerns mentioned by Harrison and Greenfield (2011) was that non-Aboriginal teachers should not be teaching about Aboriginal culture, knowledge and identity because the students are really only receiving the stereotypes of Aboriginality. (p.66) As teachers it is our job to break through these stereotypes and teach students authentic and original Aboriginal education.
For authentic education teachers need to avoid the process of "dehumanisation" of Indigenous people. In order for this to be avoided, teachers must do more than calling an Aboriginal dance company once a year. We must make the effort to contact and remain in contact with the Indigenous people of the local community and approach them regard curriculum development and different pedagogies.
Harrison and Greenfield's (2011) article aligns with the critical theory which sees current education as reproducing social class inequalities and attempts to discuss viable ways in which to rectify the situation. What they try to put forward is the point that it is not all about transmitting the syllabus information when dealing with Aboriginal concepts. Instead teachers need to analyse the Aboriginal knowledge roots and perspectives, apply a suitable pedagogy and talk about it with Aboriginal people to ensure that what is being covered is essentially correct knowledge.
Rahman, K. (2012). Belonging and learning to belong in school: the implications of the hidden curriculum for indigenous students. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, (34)5, 660-672.
This article discusses the implications of the hidden curriculum for Indigenous students. According to Rahman (2012), mainstream schooling is not only "assimilatory", but they also threaten the cultural identities of Indigenous students resulting in them losing contact with the land. In mainstream schools, students are expected to conform to the correct language and cultural environment of the school resulting in Aboriginal students abandoning their style of speech (p. 661). This style of schooling aligns with the neo-conservatism approaches as dominant members of society are fearful of the cultural identity within the Indigenous community. As a result they require all students, both non-Indigenous and Indigenous, to conform to what they consider 'normal' for society.
The article defines the hidden curriculum as everything which is not consider academic however is important for the academic outcomes to be achieved (p. 662) Rahman uses the research of Jackson to explain the hidden curriculum as it was Jackson who argued that school is a social process as much as an academic one (p. 662). Rahman (2012) has also pointed out that there are two dimensions to the hidden curriculum, firstly, the structural functionalist perspective which Jackson aligns with, which maintains than students while at school learn the norms, customs, and traditions of their society. Secondly, the Neo-Marxist perspective which is that schooling reproduces social, racial and gender inequalities while also taking into account the relationship between schooling and the economy, as mentioned by Sari & Doganay (2009) (p. 662). The structural functionalism explains the subliminal ideas taught by the hidden curriculum and Neo-Marxism dictates what these subliminal ideas are; these notions predominately come from people or group of power.
Rahman (2012) continues her research by discussing ways in which to negotiate the hidden curriculum through means of alternative pedagogies. Learning can be enhanced when teachers explicitly teach the norms and codes of the particular culture in power. This way students, who are not from that culture, understand and are able to learn the necessary skills required to negotiate the culture if they need to (p. 665). Teachers need to take small steps; talk through and explain work repeatedly if required and use a range of different teaching methods to help the students understand the world around them
(p. 665).
Lea, T., Wegner, A., McRae-Williams, E., Chenhall, R. & Holmes, C. (2011). Problematising school space for Indigenous education: teachers' and parents' perspectives. Ethnography and Education, (6)3, p. 265-280.
Lea et al. (2011) discuss in their article the importance of engaging the school community with the rest of society, in particular the Indigenous communities, while discussing the many barriers which prevent engagement from occurring. They mention that by bringing 'invisible' Indigenous parents in to engage with the school, not only will students benefit from the positive interaction, but it will also create a friendlier atmosphere for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of the community, creating an equal balance of power, rather than resorting to the historical relations of power (p. 265). The study explores the relationship between school and parent engagement in three schools in northern Australia to effectively display the concerns and barriers which schools are facing when it comes to cultural aspects of education (p. 265).
Using the research this article argues that despite significant socio-economical concerns and massive social disadvantages within the surrounding communities of the three schools that all the feeder districts valued and respected their schools in terms of what they are trying to achieve for the community and the openness they had created within the school to make them less intimidating (p. 272). In the research the schools were very open to Indigenous Australians and they were quite often seen around the grounds talking to teachers either in the classrooms or in the office. Lea et al. (2011) point out that although these three schools are engaging and working together with the Indigenous community, most western institutions are still placing barriers up preventing the smooth engagement between both cultures.
This article aligns with neo-Marxism and neo-conservative theories in which schools are symbolic of dominance and power; non-Indigenous people hold the power and the Indigenous people are simply marginalised. The authors argue that because of the way western institutions are designed, in terms of the buildings themselves, Indigenous adults may decline from contacting the school as they feel threatened (p. 273). The example used comes from a case study school which believed having a fence around their school as part of a 'safe school policy' inhibits Indigenous parents from casually dropping in as they need to go to the office first and formally sign in. This policy is locked both ways, keeping children in and keeping others out, making the structure of school feel dominant over everyone in the community (p. 273). Although we know that it is a school's responsibility to ensure students are safe at all times, this makes the structure and function of the school feel deliberately isolated from the community. On the other hand, this article also portrays the other side of the argument with many Indigenous Australians explaining that they really had no negative issues with the school environment and were more concerned with other community issues (p. 275).
The Vicious Cycle:
The above diagram depicts the vicious cycle of decisions which dominant members of society, such as politicians, enforce and then as the cycle flows through, these clearly do not work, which is then blamed on the Indigenous communities. This cycle relates to everything from the era of Protection policy in early settlement through to today, with different education reforms. Carol Garlett (2012) states that there has been 21 years of national Aboriginal Educational Policy and rhetoric about the importance of Indigenous education and there is still "a significant gap" between the educational outcomes of Indigenous and other Australian students (p. vi).
We can relate this cycle to the classroom too, as it is exactly the same. Teachers set the tasks that the students are to complete, without consulting members of the local Indigenous community. Students complete the tasks without gaining any understanding. The Indigenous students clearly fails the outcomes the teacher wanted to achieve. The students are then blamed for their lack of understanding or ability to learn rather than the pedagogy itself.
We can relate this cycle to the classroom too, as it is exactly the same. Teachers set the tasks that the students are to complete, without consulting members of the local Indigenous community. Students complete the tasks without gaining any understanding. The Indigenous students clearly fails the outcomes the teacher wanted to achieve. The students are then blamed for their lack of understanding or ability to learn rather than the pedagogy itself.
Pedagogies and Teaching Strategies:
By teaching Indigenous students the same way as we teach non-Indigenous students statistics prove that many Indigenous students drop out of schooling, however when we make learning relevant to their context their results increase dramatically.
The below video discuss this in more detail:
The below video discuss this in more detail:
Appropriate & Inappropriate Terms:
This document outlines appropriate and inappropriate terminology when speaking/writing about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (Price, 2011, pp. 193-195).
Indigenous_Terminology.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |
8 Ways of learning:
The following document explains a pedagogical framework, called 8 ways of learning, which allows teachers to include
Indigenous perspectives by using Indigenous learning techniques. These have also been found effective for non-Indigenous students which makes them quite an effective teaching tool:
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/510073/8-Aboriginal-ways-of-learning-factsheet.pdf
http://intranet.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/510073/8-Aboriginal-ways-of-learning-factsheet.pdf
Chris Sarra - Stronger Smarter Institute
"You dont have to accept that you are at the bottom of the pile - you dont have to accept the rubbish"
Dr Chris Sarra is the founder of the Stronger Smarter Institute near Gympie Queensland where he has placed a huge challenge to his staff for them to hold high expectations of their Indigenous pupils. The whole school community fosters the philosophy of 'smarter & stronger' which embraces a strong and positive sense of what it means to be Aboriginal in today's society.
The school itself comprises of 257 students ranging from Kindergarten to Year 7 who have come from a community with high levels of domestic violence, alcoholism and various socio-economic problems. When Dr Sarra arrived at the school student's academic performance was very poor, with many of the pupils and the general community resorting to the stereotypical idea from the 1800's that Indigenous students are simply ineducable. Through engagement with the Elders and significant members of the community and the introduction of uniforms with the above statement written on them, Dr Sarra has created a school environment which successfully educates all of the students resulting in extremely high achievements and high individual self-esteem. This in turn has created a positive atmosphere within the community.
Although this school is based in Queensland, Dr Chris Sarra's teachings and philosophies are rapidly heading into New South Wales schools through his teacher leadership and training programs which are conducted regularly through his school.
For more information head to: http://www.daretolead.edu.au/RA_NSW_CHERBOURG or http://strongersmarter.com.au/
A video about the institute can be located in the resource link at the top of the page
The school itself comprises of 257 students ranging from Kindergarten to Year 7 who have come from a community with high levels of domestic violence, alcoholism and various socio-economic problems. When Dr Sarra arrived at the school student's academic performance was very poor, with many of the pupils and the general community resorting to the stereotypical idea from the 1800's that Indigenous students are simply ineducable. Through engagement with the Elders and significant members of the community and the introduction of uniforms with the above statement written on them, Dr Sarra has created a school environment which successfully educates all of the students resulting in extremely high achievements and high individual self-esteem. This in turn has created a positive atmosphere within the community.
Although this school is based in Queensland, Dr Chris Sarra's teachings and philosophies are rapidly heading into New South Wales schools through his teacher leadership and training programs which are conducted regularly through his school.
For more information head to: http://www.daretolead.edu.au/RA_NSW_CHERBOURG or http://strongersmarter.com.au/
A video about the institute can be located in the resource link at the top of the page
All references for the information placed on this webpage can be located in the Links and Resources page located here. The information has also been discussed with members of the Yalbalinga Indigenous Unit at ACU Strathfield.