Rima Ali Aboriginal & Culturally Responsive Pedagogies

17789022

Question: Option 2

Australian educational policy demands for equal education; however, it is evident

through an analysis of academic outcomes that the majority of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander students are not adequately academically achieving in comparison to

non-indigenous students. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are not

behaviorally, cognitively or emotionally engaged. This is inherently due to a lack of

cultural understanding and integration in school policy and educational pedagogy.

Previously educational policies have permitted racial resistance and differing

academic standards amongst both indigenous and non-indigenous students,

allowing for exclusion and isolation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The empirical research of Quentin Beresford noted that “Generations of racist-

inspired policies produced intergenerational underachievement and alienation”

(Beresford, 2012).

The Australian government as of recent have made efforts to identify the causes of

academic underachievement and “Close the gap in areas of attendance, numeracy

and literacy for indigenous students by 2018” (Australian government, 2017).

However, there is still evidence of racial discrimination embedded within school

policy resulting in declined academic achievements and mental health issues of

Indigenous students. Education is an integral component to rectifying the social and

economic disadvantages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Individuals. Burney

stated that “Education is the corner stone of social justice, because it is the basis of
opportunity … It is education that can bring about equity – equity of outcomes”

(Burney, 2003, p. 1). As educators, there are measures that can be assumed within

our own pedagogical application in order to aid academic achievements and

retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. These measures aim to

foster environments whereby there is effective cultural inclusion, understanding and

appraisal embedded within the school policy coupled with a holistic approach to

teaching. Research conducted by Mellor and Corrigan (2004) recognize several

fundamental factors to consider with respect to all students, these were: “health and

nutrition, transitions, effective teaching, relationships between school and

community, attendance, the influence of school on students' social and emotional

and moral development” (Mellor and Corrigan, 2004). Consideration of these primary

factors is imperative to educators in providing a holistic approach to education and

fostering positive and respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander students.

Attendance is inarguably a component that effects academic achievements of

students. Thus it is important to note that the recorded attendance rate across

Indigenous and non-Indigenous students significantly differ. The attendance rate

recorded for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in 2016 was 83.4 percent,

this is a 9.7 percent decline in comparison to non-indigenous students whereby the

attendance rate was 93.1 per cent (Australian government, 2017). Low levels of

attendance can be associated with indigenous students lack of engagement to

school curriculum, school policies that foster cultural exclusion, low self-esteem due

to low educational expectations, embedded racial prejudice and non-existent or

negative student teacher relationships. Low attendance rate of Indigenous students

is a leading factor contributing to the declined educational outcomes. Engagement is

an essential factor directly effecting the retention of indigenous students. The NSW

review of Aboriginal Education, Yanigurra Muya, stipulated that the level of

engagement in schooling is the main contributor to retention. The factors noted to

contribute to the disengagement of Indigenous students was the lack of student

“teacher relationships, curriculum content being irrelevant or unstimulating,

inappropriate teaching styles, low basic literacy and numeracy skills of some

Aboriginal students, high suspension rates and lack of parental support or

encouragement (NSW AECG & DET, 2004, p. 96). Educators should be

knowledgeable of the various catalysts to lowered academic achievement of

Indigenous students and must be reflective in their teaching approach. Research

conducted by McRae concluded that “If outcomes for Indigenous students are to be

improved: they must be given respect, their culture and its relevant implications must

be respected; they must be taught well and they must attend consistently” (McRae et

al., 2000, p178). Educators must maintain a pedagogy that is culturally respective

and engaging to Indigenous students. All pedagogy must promote inclusivity and

cultural integration. Furthermore, teachers should build and maintain positive student

teacher relationships to encourage positive environments whereby students are not

reluctant to come to school. Therefore, a classroom environment must foster

inclusivity, encouragement, and playfulness. As a future educator I will ensure to

continuously reflect on my teaching pedagogy to ensure my students are

comfortable in their classroom environment, are engaged with the curriculum and my

pedagogical approach to teaching the curriculum and are culturally celebrated. My

KLA of English is advantageous as it allows for flexible and effortless cultural

differentiation. The English syllabus requires students to “respond to and compose a

wide range of texts, through the close study and analysis of literature” (NSW Education
Standards Authority, 2018). Text chosen for interpretation and analysis must be

culturally relevant in order to engage and benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander students.

Schools and educators play a vital role in the academic achievements of Indigenous

students. Schools are in an ideal position to rectify the disadvantage of Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander. “Schools have the ability to promote and foster social and

emotional wellbeing through policy making”. (SHRG, 2004; Zubrick et al., 2006a).

Research undertaken by The NSW AECG & DET Review of Aboriginal Education

(2011) acknowledged the influence that schools have to independently alter and

resolve academic inequality of Indigenous Students. The research concluded that in

order to rectify and to provide subsidy of academic outcomes of the Indigenous

students, schools must play a vital role and “partnership with communities, learn to

value Indigenous cultures, allow for inclusion of Indigenous perspectives across

curriculum, enforce an anti-racism policy, allow for indigenous community

involvement and permit cultural celebratory events” (NSW AECG, 2011). Further

studies suggest that school policy can be “potentially harmful to indigenous students

in cases whereby policy promotes assimilation or is the source of racism and

discrimination” (Lloyd, Lewthwaite, Osborne & Boon, 2015). Schools have a

responsibility to be culturally sensitive and provide for equity education. This element

of cultural sensitivity should be embedded in school policy, curriculum, in a teacher’s

pedagogical practices and in teacher student relationships. Indigenous cultural

sensitivity can only occur when teachers seek an active role in attaining knowledge

and understanding of Aboriginal culture. Educators are encouraged to partnership

and work collaboratively with individuals and members from the Aboriginal

community. Examples in which schools can promote cultural appraisal include

cultural celebratory days such as harmony day. These occasions provide opportunity

for schools to foster positive culturally inclusive environments for indigenous

students.

Educational disadvantage and low academic achievements are factors contributing

to the mental health risks of Indigenous Australians. Therefore, there is an intrinsic

link between the education system and the overall life opportunities of Aboriginal or

Torres Strait Islander individuals. Mental health of Indigenous students is also a

contributor to lowered attendance rates and disengagement. Research conducted by

Harrison identified discrepancies of the mental health and emotional wellbeing

amongst indigenous and non-indigenous students, whereby Indigenous students

were recorded to have higher rates of mental health issue and are reported to feel a

lowered sense of self-esteem, self-identity, minimal aspirations and have feelings of

shame and humiliation within an educational setting. Student mental health decline

in Indigenous students can be linked to a feeling of shyness or shame. “Students

were reported to demonstrate shame-related behavior and isolation” (Harrison,

2008). The research undertaken by Munns identifies a link between the “feeling of

shame and the sense a low sense of self-efficacy and attributes these feelings to

issues of embedded public approval. These feelings of public disapproval are

supposedly endorsed due to the historical issues of dispossession and the sense of

cultural threat that the institution of school itself represents to many Indigenous

people” (Munns, 2000).These feelings of shame often lead to reluctance of

classroom participation and contribute declined attendance rates. Empirical research

revealed preventative measures, which could be undertaken to allow for Indigenous

student engagement in classroom activities and prevent negative mental health

issues of Aboriginal students. These measures involved favoring collaborative work

over independent work.

Furthermore, Mullin and Oliver noted that the environment in which student’s best

learn in is a setting that fosters comfort and inclusion, inherently reducing stress

levels. This can be achieved through ornamenting the classroom with artefacts that

represent Indigenous Aboriginal culture. “It makes a difference to Aboriginal students

when they see themselves, their cultures, their histories and communities reflected

on the walls and in the hallways of their school”. (Mullin & Oliver, 2010, p. 159).

Artwork can be hung on the walls of classrooms as an effective strategy to promote

Aboriginal Cultural appraisal and reduce feelings of cultural shame. Furthermore,

studies conducted by Dobia & O’Rourke revealed that academic incline for aboriginal

students can only occur when “the more deep-seated problems of social and

emotional wellbeing and the ongoing consequences of past policies of exclusion

from school-based education are addressed” (Dobia & O’Rourke, 2011). A holistic

approach to teaching is necessary as educators must understand that there is an

intrinsic link between the spiritual, physical and socio-emotional which influence the

welfare of a student. Correlating research conducted by Caine further identified that

“in order for optimal learning to take place social and emotional wellbeing must be

promoted within education settings”. (Caine, 1994) Thus, it is imperative as

educators to place focus on improving the mental health and well-being of students

rather than limit their application and attention solely to the academic achievement of

students.

Positive teacher student interaction is fundamental to the well-being and mental

health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Teachers must actively
attend to the social and emotional needs of their students in order to allow for

respectful relationships that inherently promote student engagement. Teachers can

only build affirmative student teacher relationships through actively seeking the

cultural knowledge necessary to subsequently embed into the curriculum and

promote culturally relevant material within curriculum. By identifying the necessity of

cultural relevance and celebrating indigenous culture within a classroom

environment, teachers foster positive leaning environments whereby the mental

health of indigenous students is accommodated. Kearins (2000) outlines the various

elements that may hinder the education of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

students. “These include social behavior differences, language, specific learning

differences and preferred learning styles” (Kearins, 2000). Kearins advocates for

educators to familiarize themselves with these factors in order to amend their

pedagogy and aid academic achievement of indigenous students.

Differing academic standards and expectations embedded within the education

system has been indicated to contribute to the mental health and confidence of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Research by Beresford stipulates that

there is a lowered quality of education and expected standard of achievement with

relation to indigenous students. The “embedded connotation of these differing

standards can be attributed to the negative attitudes of the non-Indigenous providers

of ‘education’, and also the early political, social, and scientific attitudes directed at

Indigenous cultures as a whole” (Beresford, Q. 2012) Educators play a vital role in

the expectations of their students. Teachers must not obscure the need for

differentiation with academic expectations. Teacher’s expectations of their students

should be equivalent irrespective of the student’s cultural, racial or social economic

context. By lowering the expectation of academic achievement, educators are

embedding a cycle of continuous decline in Indigenous students’ academic

achievement whereby negative educator attitude becomes reflective of the student’s

outcomes. Educators should disregard the historically negative attitudes of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and instead assign high expectations to

their students in order to encourage and provide ambition and aspiration of

indigenous students.

Incline of the academic achievement of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students

can only be achieved once stakeholders such as educators, schools and educational

policy become reflective of cultural inclusion and amend policies, curriculum and

their pedagogy. Educators must ensure they provide culturally relevant material, aid

in the mental health of Aboriginal or indigenous students, promote safe and inclusive

classroom socialisation and environments, and build positive relationships with

students in order to allow for retention and engagement of indigenous students

which will inherently increase the academic outcomes of indigenous students. This

can only occur through undertaking a Holistic approach to teaching.

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