102085 Aboriginal and Culturally Responsive Pedagogies

Assessment 1

Essay

Name: Vanessa Niccol

Student Number: 15073105

Lecturer & Tutor: Shirley Gilbert

Class: 4:00pm - 5:30pm

with success measured through staged assessments; these results are have become

standards associated with Indigenous children without taking into consideration their

background, circumstances and influenced by inherited colonial racism (Price, 2015).

Hickling-Hudson and Ahlquist (2003) highlights the importance of educators

understanding these stigmas faced by Indigenous students, for there to be real change

on an institutional level, conversations need to be had in a holistic manner. With

national, state and territory government initiatives and policies implemented to

improve Indigenous peoples education at varying degrees of success, the 2019

Closing the Gap report by the Australian Government identifies three specific

educational outcomes that outline while some targets may show gains there is still

disparity of results between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. The Stronger

Smarter Institute’s High Expectation Relationship framework is effective in

establishing a solid foundation for which the relationship between student, teachers,

school, family and community can be nurtured and embraced. Through the

implementation of this framework teachers are given approaches in which to

encourage and support the achievements and outcomes of Indigenous students. These

high expectation strategies can be effectively applied to future teaching practices

within the curriculum area of Design and Technology, providing opportunity for

engagement and promoting Indigenous children’s sense of self, identity and culture.

Government policies commit to aspiring for education to be an enriching and

equitable platform for Indigenous students to reach their potential through asserting

the “inherent right of Aboriginal students to fair, equitable, culturally inclusive and

significant educational opportunities” (NSW Government, 2018, “Commitments,”

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para. 1.1.8). These commitments to learning are manifested through initiatives that are

often of somewhat short duration, run concurrent with several others or with

directives that hold indigenous learners accountable for achieving the expectations

(Price, 2015). Throughout these policies several key approaches can be repeatedly

identified: that is high expectations; communication with family and community;

connection to country and the importance of culture (Price, 2015; NSW Government,

2018; Australian Institution for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL], 2018).

While commitment to Indigenous students is communicated, the Closing the Gap

reports indicates small gains, signifying implementations of these policies are “not on

track” (Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

[AGDPMC], 2019, p.10). One of the three areas discussed within the report refers to

students attendance, on entrance to secondary education the difference between non-

Indigenous and Indigenous learners attending school widens (AGDPMC, 2019).

Going further to suggest “poor school attendance has been linked to lower

achievement in numeracy, writing and reading”(p. 73). Literacy and Numeracy is also

discussed revealing though gains in marginalising the gap “a disproportionate share of

Indigenous children remain below the national minimum standards in reading and

numeracy compared to non-Indigenous” (AGDPMC, 2019, p.76). Remote location

appears to be a significant contributor to attendance and year 12 attainments, with the

suggestion of “consistent school attendance lays a foundation for improved

outcomes” (AGDPMC, 2019, p.88). With the improvement observed in year 12

attainments, what the 2019 report identifies is the difference between Indigenous and

non-Indigenous girls with an emphasis on the difference in responsibilities and

challenges faced (AGDPMC, 2019).

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On the surface the objectives of the government policies are explicit and show further

outcomes for analysis and research, however they do not indicate ways to implement

this successfully. The High Expectations Relationship concept developed by the

Stronger Smarter Institute lays the framework for which educators can encompass all

the areas to cultivate and enrich learning opportunities for Indigenous students. To

fully understand what is required of the High Expectations Relationship framework is

to explore in depth how it functions within the educational field. Throughout

government literature is the notion of high achievement, the Stronger Smarter

Institute advocates this approach through the belief “High expectations means

genuinely expecting more of ourselves, our communities and our children. This

means high-expectations classrooms and high-expectations relationships with

students, staff and community” (Stronger Smarter Institute, 2019a) and

recommending implementation of a framework that effectively addresses this.

The High Expectations Relationship framework can be broken down into three key

areas: “understanding personal assumptions” “engaging in challenging conversations”

and “creating spaces for dialogue”, (Stronger Smarter Institute Limited, 2014, p.7).

Navigating through these areas allows for the organisation of a complex and

multifaceted situation that surrounds the Indigenous learner. Deficit thinking and

conversations can adversely affect how Indigenous students view themselves and as

such its imperative that teachers engage in self-reflection to negate assumptions held

and engage in a manner that is open and socially just to “begin to understand how

they [students] see the world and their place in it.” (Stronger Smarter Institute

Limited, 2014, p.5). In developing these spaces teachers need to address the personal

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assumptions that not only they themselves hold unconsciously but also those held by

the students, in doing so teachers are better suited to addressing Indigenous students

sense of identity “to improve students' self-esteem and enhance their learning

capacity, and educators assert a belief in the capacity and worth of Indigenous

children as capable learners”(Stronger Smarter Institute, 2019b). Through reflection

and professional learning teachers are able to acquire insight about the way in which

the current western educational system reinforces how Indigenous learners are set up

and make appropriate adjustments (Herbert, 2015).

For genuine meaningful learning to occur collaborative discourse between school

leaders and community must exist, through the development of these partnerships

there is “a unique opportunity for aboriginal people to challenge dominant culture and

its continuing assimilatory approach to the education of Aboriginal students” (Lowe,

2011, p.28). Engaging in discussions with family and community allows for learning

to be provided in an informed, inclusive manner, which enables teachers and parents

to model behaviour and high expectations, demonstrating the relevance and

importance of students education. The Stronger Smarter Institute support this idea

with the suggestion of “talking to parents and carers and provide a friendly school

culture that enables them to become more involved in the school” (Stronger Smarter

Institute, 2019c).

A whole school and classroom can benefit from a leader or teacher establishing a safe

inclusive space that enables trust in which respectful conversation and representation

are equitable, encourage a confident belief in their cultural identity and invite genuine

collaboration to effect positive change in Indigenous students (Anderson, 2011;

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Stronger Smarter Institute Limited, 2014; www.strongersmarter.com.au, 2019).

Teachers are governed by the Australian Teacher Standards with particular reference

to the focus areas: “1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Students” and “2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous

Australians” (AITSL, 2018). These focus areas require teachers to utilise pedagogies

and engage in culturally responsive practices to incorporate the knowledge and skills

into the learning experiences of Indigenous students (AITSL, 2018, p.2). To see

improvement in educational outcomes it is the responsibility of the school and

teachers to give learners “the time, space and interactive experiences that would

enable them to acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding they will need to

effectively engage in the learning process” (Herbert, 2015, “Teacher capacity to

engage,” para. 5).

Providing these opportunities require teachers and students to be supplied with

resources that adequately allow for a difference to be made in Indigenous students

education (Herbert, 2015). While these students are not only encountering issues with

lack of representation and cultural differences they may also be experiencing

“inappropriate teaching methods and curriculum” (Anderson, 2011, p.102) being

delivered. The various government education intentions seek to ensure inclusion;

participation and representation in all curriculums for Indigenous learners (AITSL,

2018). This reiterates the need for teachers to deliver culturally responsive directives,

pedagogies, practices and curriculum. With particular focus on curriculum, the

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority provides “three cross-

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curriculum priorities” of which “The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories

and Cultures” (2016, para.1) is one.

With particular association to creating spaces for dialogue, the Design and

Technology syllabus provides opportunities for students to investigate how through

technology “Whether centuries ago or today, people’s aspirations are the drivers of

change” (Córdoba Rubino, Hazenberg, & Huisman, 2011,p.15). When exploring

meaningful learning within the curriculum area of Design and Technology teachers

must look at history as a way to develop and communicate “a means for empathy with

the present” (Córdoba Rubino et.al., 2011, p.15). With technology syllabus

requirements, Indigenous students can engage in design process activities and

technology, which provide real world context exploring relationships and “their

interconnectedness with the environments which they live” (NSW Education

Standards Authority, 2019, p.24). NSW Education Standards Authority syllabus as

well as the Australian Curriculum discuss the importance of highlighting the

fundamental connections to “the unique belief systems that connect people physically,

relationally and spiritually to Country/Place” (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and

Reporting Authority. 2016) and its influence on “sustaining environments, histories,

cultures and identities through / by creating appropriate and sustainable solutions”

(Australian Curriculum, n.d, “Technologies,” para.1). Córdoba Rubino, et.al., (2011)

support this approach as they convey the belief that “The geographical context and the

available resources, the ideologies, the religious fundaments, basic human instincts,

serendipity and so on – all these ingredients combined in various ways lead to

building our world” (p.15).

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While the High Expectations Relationship framework provides a solid foundation,

successful implementation hinges on a balanced holistic approach. The Stronger

Smarter Institute states the need to “talk to your colleagues, students and community,

and link with other teachers or principals who have undertaken the Stronger Smarter

Leadership Program” (Stronger Smarter Institute, n.d). While this seeks to promote

high-expectation communication it also illustrates a potential problem, if one or more

element is excluded from the equation for example teachers who haven’t engaged in

professional learning of the Stronger Smarter Learning Program, then consistent

application as a whole school initiative may be less than successful. In addition to

school leaders and teachers who haven’t undertaken Stronger Smarter learning or

instigated high-expectation classrooms, the exclusion of Indigenous parents from the

decision process and “core business of the school, culture, language and history they

will continue to be marginalised by the dominant culture” (Lowe, 2011, p.28).

Another possible criticism is the access to culturally appropriate resources and

information, while there are three well-known sites available and recommended

anything else needs to be “appropriately acknowledged, developed and endorsed by

respected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders” (AITSL, 2018, p.4). The

potential difficulty with this is the reliability of the resource, can the source be trusted

to hold culturally suitable material or will it contribute to a perpetual cycle of deficit

thinking? This uncertainty may contribute to teachers deciding not to involve

Indigenous perspectives at the detriment to the class. The Close the Gap report

recommends improving “initial teacher education programs and professional

development of the existing educator workforce to build overall capacity”

(AGDPMC, 2019, p.88) with this educators may not only improve upon their

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pedagogy and practice but also create a whole school approach to a more enriched

and encouraging learning environment for all students.

As Indigenous students navigate their way through the educational system, they are

often exposed to racism in differing forms and through the development of educator’s

knowledge and understanding can change be implemented for the betterment of

Indigenous children learning experiences. National, state and territory policies have

been leading initiatives to enact institutional change, however the achievements of

these outcomes have had varying success. This can be see through the Australian

Governments 2019 Close the Gap report in which it can be seen that in the areas of

attendance, literacy and numeracy and year 12 attainment there has been small gains

though results indicate the path to closing the divide between Indigenous and non-

Indigenous is falling short of projected goals. The Stronger Smarter Institute’s High

Expectation framework enables educators to enact the objectives in a manner that

collaborates with Indigenous parents and community, engages in professional

learning while also supporting and cultivating learning opportunities for Indigenous

students. Through the implementation of these high expectation relationship strategies

within the Design and Technology curriculum, Indigenous learners can develop a

sense of togetherness, desire to participate in and understand the importance of their

education to discover how they can achieve to the best of their ability.

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References

Anderson, C. (2011). Impediments to educational success for indigenous students. In

Purdie, N., Milgate, G., & Bell, H.R. (Ed.s), Two way teaching and learning :

Toward culturally reflective and relevant education. (pp.93-104). Camberwell,

Vic.: ACER Press.

Australian Curriculum. (n.d). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and

Cultures. Retrieved from: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-

curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-

histories-and-cultures/

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2016). Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. Retrieved from:

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Australian Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2019).

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Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2018). Assessment criteria

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initial teacher education programs in Australia: Standards and Procedures.

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Córdoba Rubino, S., Hazenberg, W., & Huisman, M. (2011). Meta products:

Meaningful design for our connected world. Amsterdam: BIS.

Herbert, J. (2015). Delivering the promise: Empowering teachers to empower

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