EDUC- 2420

‘Teaching Indigenous Australian Students’

Matilda Fletcher- 2158028

1. Discuss how educators can teach for social justice. Consider at least one of the
following
-teaching for resistance model, Reconciliation pedagogy and/or whiteness
theory.

It is crucial that we as educators teach in a way that promotes social justice within our
classrooms and provides an equitable environment for all students. The goal for social
justice is to get full and equitable participation from a person from all social groups
that is mutually shaped to meet their needs (Adams and Bell, 2016). Indigenous
students, however, have not ben on the receiving end of getting social justice and
equity from within classrooms. This has been proven by the rates of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders that have completed year 12, which is only 26% that are over
the age of 15 compared to non-Indigenous Australians who have a rate of 76%
(Abs.gov.au, 2016). Social inequalities are not the only things that Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders are faced with in society but also economic inequalities. An
example of this is the unemployment rate of Indigenous Australians verse un-
indigenous Australians. According to the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics census
the unemployment rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is 17.2% compared
to non-indigenous Australians having an employment rate of only 5.5%. Throughout
the past it has also been shown that the effect of diminishing Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders of their cultural identity when their cultural identity is inextricably
linked to their land or the ‘country’ they belong to was taken away from them and this
was due to society not recognising that they are the same as we are and their
differences weren’t accepted (MacGill and Wyeld, 2011). This shows that things need
to be changed within society and social justices needs to be promoted not just in the
school environment but beyond as a nation too. Teachers can help achieve these goals
of social justice by promoting it in their classroom and therefore, promoting equality
throughout the nation.

Teacher can teach towards social justice through reconciliation pedagogy.

Reconciliation is about Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians talking, walking
and working together to overcome their reasons that there is divisions and inequity
between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. It is about leading to
reconstruction as a process of socio-cultural change with political and economic
implications and proposes that a thwarted rights-based movement has, of necessity,
repositioned itself in resistance discourse (Worby, Rigney and Tur, 2011). For
Reconciliation Australia they believe that reconciliation is five dimensions: race
relations, equality and equity, unity, intuitional integrity and historical acceptance. For
reconciliation pedagogy to be achieved in class there are three things that need to be
taken into consideration and they are acknowledgment, unite and commit.

Acknowledgment is the first step towards getting reconciliation within schools and
classrooms. Recognising our shared history that we have with Indigenous Australians
and not the versions of history that privileges white voices but one that confronts the
shameful events of the past as painful as that might be (O’Donoghue, 2016). When we
are teachers confront our history and acknowledging Indigenous and non-Indigenous
perspectives can be begin the process of reconciliation within schools. It is necessary
to engage students in a deeper understanding of shared cultural heritage in Australia
that challenges the distorted elevation of an homogenous Anglo Australian identity
(Reconciliation Australia, 2011). This then furthers our students understanding of
their place within our Australian history, which opens new opportunities of social
justice.

Becoming united as and class or school is the second step towards reconciliation
within schools, however, this does not mean to forget our differences but celebrate
them in a way. Unity does not mean everyone needs to act and think the same and we
need to be realistic that some people have vested a lot of time into maintaining the gap
and differences between Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander with non-Indigenous
Australians, thus it is imperative that we try and close the gap as much as we can. For
reconciliation to happen within schools it is important that we as teachers work with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders students and communities. Making contact with
local Indigenous communities and engaging them within the school community is a
way that reconciliation can be achieved within schools. Learning about the local area
is another crucial part of reconciliation in the fact that learning about the history of the
community the surrounds the schools.
Lastly, committing is the final step of reconciliation within schools. It looks at
critically analysing and reflecting on the materials and content in the classroom.
Committing to the ongoing process of reconciliation within schools and making sure
that it continues further within the schools and after we as a teacher move on. Joining
active organisations such as Reconciliation Australia and the programs that they have.
Introducing reconciliation into our pedagogy is important, as we as teacher are
encouraged to look around at the effective ways of teaching and adopt, adapt and
make them our own. Commitment to action (CPT) was another way that people can
students and teachers can commit to the actions of reconciliation between Indigenous
and non-indigenous Australians.

There are three theories to reconciliation, which are socially critical, liberal
progressive and conservative reconciliation. The conservative approach tends to be
associated with white anxieties. Anxieties historically linked to sectors of nations
where vested mining interests prevail. This is opposed to substantive forms of
reconciliation that support land rights and tends to conceptualise reconciliation as
assimilation. However, there have been seen to be some criticism towards the
conservatives approach. These include focusing alone on material inequalities
suffered by Indigenous peoples does nothing to subvert unearned white race privilege.
This means that housing, health and education are basic human rights and everyone
should be entitled to these rights.The second theory is the liberal-progressive
approach, which involved symbolic gestures and acts of solidarity. This includes
things such as ceremonies, marches, vested in flags, gatherings and aspiration.
Criticism for this can include that this theory may not include concrete changes in the
status quo in favour of greater equity, however, can raise collective consciousness.
The last approach is socially critical approach which actively seeks to alter the status
quo by redressing past wrongs that have no been properly addressed. Criticism can
include things such as tend to frame such approaches as ‘political correctness’, which
in turn delegitimise and undermines claims to Indigenous sovereignty. Using
reconciliation within schools can reduce the impact of classifying the Indigenous
students as “the other” and have them include them within the classroom community.
The Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership has put in place an
Reconciliation Action Plan for schools and students. This plan was put in place to
identities actions for relationships, respect and opportunities which are specific to
their organisation an their sphere of influence. They commit to completing the actions
in this plan over the next 12 months (Reconciliation.org, 2014). They base their plan
around 2 key principles that are all young Australians deserve the opportunity to
become successful learner, confident and creative individuals, and active and
informed citizen. The second principle is the main in-school determinant of student
success is the quality of teaching and school leadership (Reconciliation.org, 2014).
There are many programs that help achieve reconciliation within schools and one of
these programs is the Narragunnawali action plan. This links within three factors,
which are relationships, respect and opportunities that the plan aims around.
Exploring current issues and affairs with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is
important as it will build relevance of historic concepts for the students and help them
get a greater understanding and achieving social justice.
Bib
O’Donoghue, L, 2016, ‘Reconciling the Nation in the 21st Century: Hopes,
fears, and dilemmas’ in G Worby, T Kennedy & S Tur (eds), The Long
Campaign: The Duguid Lectures, 1994-2014, Wakefield Press, Adelaide, pp.
62-74.