Essay 2016

There are so many reasons why educators should learn, teach, and endorse Indigenous histories and cultures in their
teaching profession, primarily because they live in this country. It is a country with a rich and extensive history that is often
overlooked, it is a country that belongs to all peoples Indigenous, and all people Australian. It is a country that all Australian citizens
and all Indigenous Australians should share pride in. A powerful quote by Paul Behrendt in 1996 stated (Price 2012, p. 152):

‘Australia will never matter as a nation unless we know what our roots are. Our roots lie firmly in Aboriginal culture. Australia didn’t
start in 1770 and unless we learn about Australia as a whole, we have no foundation to build a nation on’.

Throughout this essay the many reasons for teaching Indigenous histories and cultures will be explored, including the rich benefits
it can have for all students. Several ways to implement the topic of Indigenous cultures within various areas of the Australian
curriculum will be discussed, with a heavy focus on literacy and language. Towards the end of the essay issues such as racism,
community engagement, and self-determination will be briefly debated. The main purpose of this essay is to create a broader
understanding of Indigenous education, addressing the question; what is Aboriginal studies; why, and how, should educators be
embracing it?

So what is Aboriginal studies? Ronda Craven describes it as the study of Indigenous societies, past and present,
including histories, cultures, values, beliefs, languages, lifestyles, and roles (Craven 2011, p. 4). It goes way beyond simply
learning the history and geography of Australia. It can be integrated into every aspect of the Australian curriculum, which will be
discussed further in the following paragraph. Studies show that outcomes and participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students can drastically improve when Indigenous perspectives are embraced within the curriculum (Price 2012, p. 153). This is
important because in 2006 only 36% of Indigenous students completed high school, in comparison to 74% of non-Indigenous
students. However, Aboriginal studies is not just for Indigenous students, all Australian students have the right to be taught this
topic. It enables every student to examine issues of cultural identity, study positive role models, challenge stereotypes, and think
critically (Price 2012, p. 158). It promotes respect for all people, a deeper knowledge of their country’s history, and it is relevant to
students’ society and existing lifestyle. Above all, teaching Aboriginal studies is a positive step towards reconciliation, and it
empowers Australia’s children to be empathetic, considerate, and thoughtful human beings.

As mentioned above, Indigenous perspectives can be integrated into all areas of the Australian curriculum. Clearly it is
essential to teach an accurate and truthful account of Australian history, but additionally, educators can teach Indigenous
Australian cultures in other areas such as languages, music, art, sports, and many more. Indigenous perspectives can be included
in science by teaching about weather patterns, seasons, and building fires; in home economics by cooking traditional foods, and
basket weaving; in English by studying poems, dreaming stories, and books written by Indigenous authors; in design and
technology by making spears and boomerangs; in dramatic arts by recreating historical moments in play or dance; and in so many
more ways. For the purpose of this essay the main focus will be on Indigenous perspectives in literature and language, and how to
incorporate it into the English learning area, particularly in a year 4 to 5 class with an emphasis on the local area and peoples;

1 Tiarna Said – Student ID # 110186242

Teaching & learning in Aboriginal Education EDUC 2061 w/ Elisa Lawrie
 Essay 2016

Mount Gambier and the Booandik people. The English learning area of the Australian curriculum has three related strands,
language, literacy, and literature. In March, 2000, 70% of Indigenous students were below the national English literacy standard, in
comparison to just 30% of non-Indigenous (Price 2012, p. 11). Many educators have the misconception that Indigenous cultures do
not have a place in topics such as language and literacy, but by working to include it, they could begin to see improvements in their
Indigenous students’ literacy levels, as well as their interest and keen-ness for learning. Some examples of content descriptors that
are inclusive to Indigenous perspectives in the English learning area are as follows; Understand that Standard Australian English is
one of many social dialects used in Australia, ACELA1487 in year 4 Language, (ACARA education services, 2015) and; Identify
aspects of literary texts that convey details about particular social, cultural and historical contexts, ACELT1608 in year 5 Literacy
(ACARA education services, 2015). Kaye Price says that teaching traditional Australian languages is key to providing all students
with ways of understanding this country and its original people (Price 2012, p. 146). This should be narrowed down to the school’s
local area. According to Christina Smith, the peoples of South-East, South Australia were divided into five tribes, each occupying
its own territory, and using different dialects of the same language. Their names were Booandik, Pinejunga, Mootatunga,
Wichintunga, and Polinjunga. The largest clan, according to Smith, was the Booandik, they spoke the Bungandidj language (Smith
1880). Learning the foundations of the Bungandidj language and the cultural traditions of the Booandik people provides students
with a broader understanding of their community and how it began. In regards to literature, Price says that by selecting literature
pieces about young people from minority groups, students are provided with what she refers to as ‘mirrors and windows’. By this
she means that a student may see a reflection of him/herself in the writing, this gives students a sense of self-identity, and for non-
Indigenous students they might have the opportunity to see life from another perspective (Price 2012, p. 156). For these reasons it
is essential to be careful when choosing literature pieces to ensure that old-fashioned or derogatory terms are avoided. A good way
to select quality Indigenous literature is to choose pieces written by Indigenous authors. Some resources that could be used for
these areas include dreaming stories local to the area, such as Mar the cockatoo, or the Dust Echoes website (ABC 2007) which
contains a series of animated dreaming stories, literature resourced by Indigenous authors such as Bronwyn Bancroft who has
written and illustrated a number of books for children such as Malu kangaroo, Patterns of Australia, Possum and Wattle, and many
more, (Bancroft 2014), and a subscription to Deadly vibe which is a teen magazine dedicated to focusing on the achievements of
Indigenous Australians in areas such as music, sport, art, and education (Deadly Vibe 2016). Incorporating resources like these
into the English learning area is just one way of being inclusive towards Indigenous perspectives whilst achieving goals in the
strands of language and literacy.

Several important questions for educators to consider when teaching any topic are; is this topic meaningful? What is the
purpose? What learning is being achieved? Research shows that in the past, Indigenous students were given no access to a
formal education, or were provided with a very poor education. Up until the 1960’s Government policies stated that Indigenous
children should only receive ‘minimal’ schooling, to attain the level of a ten-year-old, and then sent off for child labour (Beresford
2012, p. 87). To this day the past still has damaging effects on Indigenous children. Educators often see resistance from these
children in attending school, reluctance in following rules, and as mentioned above, less than half are likely to finish high school.
The key to success in the education of Indigenous students is providing them with quality learning in the traditional ways, without

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compromising their cultural identity (Price 2012, p. 17). Thinking of each student as an individual and considering each students’
unique needs is a priority. Though there have been recent improvements in the efforts for inclusivity in primary schooling, it is
evident from the statistics of outcomes for Indigenous students, that inclusive education still has a long way to go. Incorporating
Indigenous perspectives into language and literacy areas of the curriculum, along with other areas, would be a step in the right
direction for these students. Sadly, many non-Indigenous children are living in households that may not be respectful towards
Indigenous peoples. A poll in the year 2000 revealed that only 48% of non-Indigenous adults were in favour of the reconciliation
movement, and 60% believed that Indigenous peoples received too much Government assistance (Short 2005, p. 39). This means
that the children in these households are exposed to these poor attitudes and are likely to adopt these thoughts as their own. By
attempting to close the gap in schooling as a beginning point, educators can ensure that children gain more accurate knowledge
than their parents might have had. Additionally, educators can be positive role models and show children how and why to maintain
a respectful relationship and to reach for equality. In relation to the resources mentioned above, the learning that can be achieved
is endless. Students can look at the stories and analyse the meaning behind them, discussing their own beliefs and values, or
analysing them in comparison to modern day stories by non-Indigenous authors; students can create their own dreaming stories or
write their own poems; students can look at the magazine subscription and compile a research study on the many great Indigenous
role models who are successfully fulfilling their dreams in areas such as music, art and sport (topics that are often of great interest
for this year level). This learning is meaningful, this learning is relevant, students will be meeting goals in the Australian curriculum
at the same time as learning an important underlying message, that they are equal, they are important. The purpose is simple, by
using equal amounts of Indigenous literature and non-Indigenous literature in the classroom, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous
students are learning an underlying lesson about cultural identity and equality.

A quote from the Australian curriculum says (ACARA education services, 2015):

‘The Australian curriculum acknowledges the gap in learning outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and
their non-Indigenous peers. It recognises the need for the Australian curriculum to provide every opportunity possible to close the
gap’.

In 2015, the Australian curriculum developed three cross-curriculum priorities, that is, priorities that can be addressed throughout
the learning areas, but do not constitute as learning areas on their own. One of these is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
histories and cultures. It is made up of three strands; country/place, culture, and people. Some of these key goals can be met in the
ideas provided for Indigenous perspectives in language and literacy in the following ways; OI.4 Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander societies have many language groups, and; OI.9 The significant contributions of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait
Islander peoples in the present and past are acknowledged locally (ACARA education services, 2015). It is important to connect
students’ learning to their local area, to meet these goals.

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Teaching & learning in Aboriginal Education EDUC 2061 w/ Elisa Lawrie
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Every family has their own ‘culture’, that is the beliefs and values that are important to them and make them who they are
as a person. For educators, to work in a classroom full of many differently cultured students there are going to be issues that arise
such as racism. Studies have found that racism is still a common occurrence in todays’ schooling. In a study of 900 schools in
2009, over 80% of students from minority groups had experienced racism from their peers or people in their school community
(Gollan 2012, p. 159). Gollan talks about the importance of educators dealing with these issues professionally and ethically.
According to Gollan all schools need to be held accountable for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students and their families, and
working in partnerships with families is key. With positive partnerships, all teachers can contribute to providing exemplary
education for every student (Gollan 2012, p. 172). Many educators avoid topics of controversy for fear of saying the wrong thing, or
being ill equipped to deal with the questions or comments that may arise. Educators need to be provided with better knowledge
and education, and should be effectively guided and supported by their co-workers, principal, and school community (Price 2012,
p. 177). Educators should be provided with, or have access to, current and reliable resources such as What Works (Australian
Government 2016), or Dare to Lead (Department of Education 2016), webpages. Schools should also assist educators by having a
Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in place. Another issue that educators are faced with is Indigenous students’ need for self-
determination. Jens Korff describes Indigenous self-determination as the need for freedom and to ‘take matters into their own
hands’. To cater to this need, not just for indigenous students but for all students, educators should allow them the chance to have
choice and freedom in their learning. They need to be aware of their rights and allowed different ways to express themselves (Korff
2016). Partnerships with the outer community and effectively listening and communicating with families’ wants and needs is the
best way to make a starting point for inclusivity in the classroom. Being connected to the community and building strong positive
relationships with all parents and family members is crucial.

The key ideas that were explored in this essay revolved around the purpose and meaning behind Aboriginal studies and
the ways in which it can be incorporated within multiple aspects of the Australian curriculum. The topic sentence; ‘there are so
many reasons why educators should learn, teach, and endorse Indigenous histories and cultures in their teaching profession…’
was addressed throughout the essay by exploring several suggestions for teaching Indigenous histories and cultures, focusing on
language and literacy and connecting it to the English learning area in the Australian curriculum. Ideas and resources for this topic
were suggested, and ways to ensure the learning is purposeful and meaningful for students. Issues such as racism, community
involvement and self-determination were discussed. The main idea or principle is that Indigenous perspectives can, and should be,
integrated into every aspect of students’ learning in an equal way to the perspectives of non-Indigenous. Some insights to be taken
from this essay include; the importance of gaining knowledge of the individual groups native to the local area, and the importance
of building a strong, positive relationship with parents, family members, and the community. Educators should gain an
understanding of why the future outlook for Indigenous students are still worse off than that of the non-Indigenous student, but
understand that it does not have to be this way, there is always more that can be done to be a respectful and inclusive educator.
It’s about time all educators strive to build inclusive classrooms and give every student a fair chance.

4 Tiarna Said – Student ID # 110186242

Teaching & learning in Aboriginal Education EDUC 2061 w/ Elisa Lawrie
 Essay 2016

Word count - 2441 words (Reference list not included).

Reference list:

 ABC, 2007, Dust Echoes, viewed 13th September 2016, <http://www.abc.net.au/dustechoes/>.

 ACARA Education Services Australia 2015, The Australian curriculum, v8.1, English learning area, viewed 10th
September 2016, <http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au>.
 ACARA Education Services Australia 2015, The Australian curriculum, v8.1, Cross curriculum priorities, viewed 11th
September 2016, <http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au>.
 Australian Government 2016, What Works, viewed 13th September 2016, <http://www.whatworks.edu.au/dbAction.do?
cmd=homePage>.
 Beresford, Q 2012, ‘Separate and unequal: An outline of Aboriginal Education 1900-1996’, in Beresford, Q, Partington, G
& Gower, G (eds), Reform and resistance in Aboriginal education, UWA Publishing, Perth, pp. 85-119.
 Bancroft, B 2014, Bronwyn Bancroft, viewed 13th September 2016, <http://bronwynbancroft.com/>.
 Craven, R 2011, 'Why teach Aboriginal studies?', Teaching Aboriginal studies: a practical resource for primary and
secondary teaching, Allen and Unwin publications, Australia.
 Department of Education 2016, Dare to Lead, viewed 13th September 2016,
<http://www.det.wa.edu.au/aboriginaleducation/apac/detcms/navigation/apac/dare-to-lead/>.
 Deadly Vibe group 2016, Deadly vibe media, viewed 13th September 2016, <http://www.deadlyvibe.com.au/>.
 Gollan, S 2012, ‘Teachers and families working together to build stronger futures for our children in schools’ in Beresford,
Q, Partington, G & Gower, G (eds), Reform and resistance in Aboriginal education, UWA Publishing, Perth, pp.149-173.
 Korff, J 2016, Creative spirits, Principles of self-determination, viewed 12th September 2016,
<https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/selfdetermination/principles-of-self-determination>.
 Price, K 2012, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education: an introduction for the teaching profession, Cambridge
University Press, Sydney.
 Short, D 2005, ‘Reconciliation as education: the council and the peoples’ movement’, Journal of Australian Indigenous
issues, vol. 8, no. 3-4, pp. 33-52.
 Smith, C 1880, The Booandik Tribe of South Australian Aborigines: A sketch of their habits, customs, legends, and
language, Libraries board of South Australia, Adelaide.

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Teaching & learning in Aboriginal Education EDUC 2061 w/ Elisa Lawrie