Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education

Isabel Sarre
Student ID: 110201117

Assignment 2: Essay

What are some of the key issues teachers need to consider for working successfully with Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander students?

As a teacher, there are several key issues that need to be considered in order to work successfully with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Language needs to be addressed so that Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students feel accepted for their variation of Standard English and feel more able
to communicate their learning, opinions and feelings. Additionally, teachers must become aware, and
encourage awareness in their classrooms, of the cultural and historical background of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students through the Funds of Knowledge. If this is implemented successfully in
schools, students and teachers will have a more in depth understanding of the struggle that Aboriginal
and Torres Strait islander people have faced, and in doing so will create an atmosphere at school
where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people feel accepted and feel able to freely learn in a
welcoming environment. Furthermore, a conscious effort must be made to create strong, trusting
relationships between teachers and their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students so that families
feel included in the community and students are more likely to engage in learning. Finally, health
issues and disadvantage amongst the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community must be
understood and recognised by teachers. Ultimately, teachers need to ask themselves how they can
improve school for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Troy (2012, p.132) states that
‘school is not a place of comfort for Aboriginal people’. However, through implementing a sense of
acceptance in schools and educating themselves and non-Indigenous students, teachers have the
ability to change school from a negative to a positive, and create an environment where Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people are more likely to want to learn and immerse themselves in the
school community.

A common issue for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students is that their language is not valued
or understood in schools or by wider Australian society. Troy (2012, p. 132) explains that language is
fundamental to Aboriginal culture and the ‘key’ to preserving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
community. He compares language to food. Without it, they starve. Prior to the British Invasion of
1788, there were approximately two hundred and fifty Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages
around the country. With the vilification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, that number
has dramatically decreased with only one hundred and twenty languages still remaining around the
country, most of which are only spoken by very few of the population. The language struggles that
Aboriginal people have faced since invasion is evident in a school environment where Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students are faced with victimisation and struggle, simply for speaking the
Aboriginal variation of Standard English. For example, Troy (2012, p. 133) in her article explains that
 Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education
Isabel Sarre
Student ID: 110201117
her daughter at school sometimes called her friends parents ‘aunty’ or ‘uncle’ and her teacher ‘aunty
miss’, because these are the respected terms used in Aboriginal communities. However, because they
do not align with the traditional meanings of the words provided by Standard English, she was teased
by classmates and faced with cultural confusion. In this example, it is clear that not only have
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students been stripped of their native languages, but are also
being victimised for their variation of the main language that has been forced upon them within the
wider Australian community. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families often
feel overwhelmed by the formal use of Standard English in schools, making the learning environment
intimidating (Harrison 2011, p. 169). There have been misconceptions in the past about Indigenous
Englishes. Buckskin emphasises that this version of English must not be viewed as a ‘developmental
inadequacy’ (Buckskin 2012, p. 171). Teachers play a vital role in ensuring that all students in
schools, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, have access to learn Australian
language. ACARA describes that the Australian Curriculum must be relevant not only for the lives of
all students, but must also address the modern issues that they face (ACARA, 2015). By providing
students with the opportunity to learn about their own language, they are being given access to their
most basic rights (Troy 2012, p. 135). If young people around the country are taught traditional
Australian language in school, they are more likely to understand and embrace Indigenous culture and
history and become more accepting of their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander classmates. The
importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students learning their language is summarised by
an Aboriginal elder who states that if you teach them their language, ‘they will find themselves’ and
feel more accepted at school (Troy 2012, p. 139). Teachers hold the responsibility of being an
advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in schools, and can make a difference by
starting up Australian language programs in their schools, getting to know the school community and
their language, and implementing the traditional languages of their students in the classroom at any
given opportunity. Teaching Australian language in schools will help develop and assist resolution
and understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and make school a more
welcoming environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

One of the most prominent issues that Aboriginal and Torres Strait people face is that their culture,
background and the hardships that they have faced is not understood amongst other Australians
(Carter 2006, p. 86). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are met with misunderstandings
and a lack of education from their peers and teachers for what their culture and background means. In
relation to culture, teachers need to be aware of the inherent cultural traits and traditions of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people. In relation to background and history, teachers need to be aware of
the victimisation that these people have faced since the British Invasion in order to truly understand
the ramifications that run deep in the lives of their relatives and their families. Williams-Mozley lists
the heads of damage that were included in The Federal Inquiry of 1995: ‘racial discrimination,
 Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education
Isabel Sarre
Student ID: 110201117
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 and loss of opportunities’ (Williams-Mozley 2012, p. 23). Coming to
understand the pain and suffering that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been
subjected to in the past is part of creating an understanding in schools for what these students will
need to be supported. Teachers can use what is referred to as the ‘funds of knowledge’ or the
knowledge about student’s culture and background to make the classroom more accepting and
inclusive. Zembylas, in his article about trauma and the importance of empathy, describes that having
a thoughtful understanding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and background is a
necessary step in building a sense of compassion and encouraging reconciliation and friendship in the
classroom (Zembylas 2007, p. 214). This can be a way of assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students in forming friendships with other students, which might have previously been
difficult (Attwood 2003, p. 323). An example of understanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
background and culture is Reconciliation Week, in which schools and in a broader sense, the wider
community recognise the struggles that Indigenous Australians have faced for over 200 years. The
ACARA (2015) standards highlight teachers need to ‘promote reconciliation between Indigenous and
non-Indigenous Australians’, which can be achieved through learning about the knowledge and skills
that most students of Western culture do not have (ACARA, 2015). One direct example of what a
teacher can do to help bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students comes from a
teacher who worked in a remote school in Australia. He found that through his knowledge of how
Aboriginal students best learn, if he moved the class into an outdoor environment any possible
opportunity, the Aboriginal students felt more comfortable in voicing their opinions in their learning,
connecting with other students and engaging with tasks (Jorgenson 2014, p. 3).

Building strong relationships between teacher, students and their families is one of the most important
considerations for working successfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Buckskin
(2012, p. 176) states that many Indigenous students in Australia do not experience a sense of success
in a school environment, or the opportunities that follow. This is widely due to the fact that there is
minimal education and professional development for teachers regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students. As a result of this, as well as a historic knowledge and first-hand experience of
mistreatment, parents and caregivers of the Indigenous Australian community are cautious of
mainstream education and do not see it as an environment in which their children can, or are allowed
to, succeed (Buckskin 2012, p. 166). In order to change this view of mainstream education for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, teachers must make a conscious effort to build trustful
and strong relationships with learners. For Indigenous Australian students, this can be achieved by
teachers getting to know students and their cultures. Standard 1 in ACARA (2015) states that at a
graduate level, teachers should ‘demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of
 Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education
Isabel Sarre
Student ID: 110201117
culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander backgrounds’ (ACARA, 2015). An example of teacher-student connection is if
the teacher goes to support one of their Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students at their AFL
match on the weekend. This shows the student that their teacher cares, and helps the teacher to be
immersed in the community and see first hand perspectives of the students world, which may help
them to understand the student to a higher extent. Furthermore, teachers should aim to involve
themselves in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to connect with parents as well as
students. Harrison (2012, p.168) highlights that parents are less likely to connect with the school
community because of the memories of ‘bad laws and regulations’, which run deep in the lives of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Harrison also depicts that failure or success remains with
a person for their whole lives and that this has an impact on whether Aboriginal parents are prepared
to become involved in the school community and assist their children in tasks. Direct examples of
ways to connect and build relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents are to form
a school group for Aboriginal parents, create a ‘drop-in’ centre for parents (not necessarily at the
school and should be somewhere that parents feel welcome at all times), invite guest speakers from
the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to discuss their stories with students and
organise excursions for teachers, parents and students together (Harrison 2012, p. 173). If these
strategies are implemented, then there is a higher chance of mutual understanding and respect to occur
between teachers and families. If this is successful, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are
more likely to come to school, to feel like they are accepted, and to receive the support they need from
their parents to thrive.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face many issues in the community in terms of health and
well-being. Martin (2008, p. 34), highlights the sad reality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people today. On average, the lifespan of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is 20 years
shorter than a non-Indigenous Australian. As well as this, there are many teenage pregnancies and an
overrepresented amount of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custodial, corrective and
mental health institutions (Martin 2008, p. 35). Additionally, after a survey on the well-being of
Indigenous Australians, most parents stated that they didn’t have enough money to raise their family,
they were subjected to family violence, they felt embarrassed to admit they need help because they are
Indigenous and that they felt a great death of sadness, grief and a feeling of an unstable due to the
decline in the health of their older role models (Martin 2008, p.34). If teachers can provide support for
these students, then they are more likely to thrive in every-day life. This can be implemented by
teachers through simple acts such as providing lunch to students if they haven’t had a chance to eat
breakfast, or providing counselling services for students at school.

There are many issues that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face in a school environment.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language needs to be understood by teachers in order for
 Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education
Isabel Sarre
Student ID: 110201117
students to feel like they can freely communicate and learn in the classroom environment.
Additionally, teachers need to understand the cultural and historical background of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students and teach this to non-Indigenous Australians so that students feel
accepted in the school community and are met with friendship and understanding for their peers and
their teachers. Not only this, but teachers must aim to create a sense of trust and strong relationships
between themselves, their students and the families in the community. Only in this way will the
parents and students within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, feel like they can
reconcile with the standard Australian schooling society. Finally, teachers must become aware and
assist students who are potentially living in difficult circumstances. Ultimately, teachers can make a
significant difference in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. However, this is
only possible through respect, insight, knowledge and making a conscious effort to promote
reconciliation not only in the school, but in the community and beyond.

Word count: 2282

References:

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority 2017, Australian Curriculum, Australian
Government, viewed 14 September 2017,
<http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/>.

Attwood, B 2003, Rights for Aborigines, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW.

Buckskin, P 2012, 'Engaging indigenous students: the important relationship between Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander students and their teachers', Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education :
an introduction for the teaching profession, Cambridge Press, Cambridge, pp. 164-180.
 Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education
Isabel Sarre
Student ID: 110201117
Carter, DJ 2006, Dispossession, dreams and diversity: issues in Australian studies, Pearson
Education, Frenchs Forest, NSW.

Harrison, N 2011, ‘Building community trust and collaboration’, Teaching and learning in Aboriginal
Education, Cambridge Press, Cambridge, pp. 1-6.

Jorgensen, GP 2014, Pegagogies to Enhance Learning for Indigenous students, Springer books.

Martin, K 2008, Education and diversity in Australia, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest,
NSW.

Troy, J 2012, ‘Language and Literacy’, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education: an
introduction for the teaching profession, Cambridge Press, Cambridge, pp. 132-146.

Williams-Mozley, J 2012, ‘The Stolen generations: what does this mean for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander children and young people today?’, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education:
an introduction for the teaching profession, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 21-34.

Zembylas, M 2007, 'The politics of trauma: empathy, reconciliation and peace education', Journal of
peace education, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 207-224