Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Option 2:
Understanding the various factors that contribute to a student’s behaviour within and beyond
school grounds allows for educators to develop strategies and practices that will not only
promote a positive environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to learn but
decrease the use of punishments and suspensions. The knowledge of how to approach certain
students with behavioural problems begins by seeking the underlying issues of social inequity
and exclusion that result in their behaviour and approaching these issues in a certain manner.
The following articles: “Respect for Culture - Social and Emotional Learning with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth” by Brenda Dobia and Sue Roffey, “Promoting
the mental health and wellbeing of Indigenous children in Australian primary schools” by
Brenda Dobia and Virginia O’Rourke, “Aboriginal Girls Circle enhancing connectedness
and promoting resilience for Aboriginal girl” by Brenda Dobia, Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews,
Roberto Parada, Virginia O’Rourke, Shirley Gilbert, Annie Daley and Sue Roffey and the
Literature Review “The Benefits Associated with Caring for Country” by Dr Jessica K Weir,
Ms Claire Stacey and Dr Kara Youngetob are a handful of literature that discusses the effects
and benefits of certain disciplinary practices and raises awareness to the reasons that
There are various influences within a schooling environment that can either aid or hinder a
young person’s education. The lack of consideration for external factors such as family
circumstances, cultural and individual identity issues, events or life situations and the society
and/or community they’re a part of are evidently impacting young youth and their behaviour.
It is crucial for schools to investigate the competencies of their SEL approaches regarding
their practices and the improvements that are necessary to take place in order for
development amongst Aboriginal youth. In the article “Respect for Culture - Social and
Emotional Learning with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth”, Brenda Dobia and
Sue Roffey they draw upon their own experiences working in schools, highlighting the
“crucial role of culture and identity in mediating self-awareness and social development”
regarding Aboriginal youth. The implementation of support systems that raise awareness such
as ‘Closing the Gap’, ‘AGC – Aboriginal Girls Circle’ and ‘COAG – The Council of
Australian Governments’ provides educators and students with deeper knowledge of the
issues at hand.
through Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) promotes a management for their behavioural
issues ( Brenda Dobia and Sue Roffey, 2017). This approach creates “skills for emotional
regulation” ( Brenda Dobia and Sue Roffey, 2017) which goes beyond a theoretical method
of educating. Nonetheless these SEL approaches do not connect students to their broken
heritage or assist the underlying issues of their behaviour; a negative, complex complication
with their personal and cultural identity. It is important to note that these programs that raise
emotional awareness are not enough regardless of how well students may master these skills,
but it is the connection and relationships that they build and form with their history; example
Closing the Gap is a government strategy that has been developed to reduce the
disadvantages among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people regarding their health, life
Affairs, 2009). This strategy brings forward awareness that causes of behavioural issues.
These social, health and behavioural problems all contribute to a “cumulative effect of stress”
on Aboriginal people, increasing their “vulnerability to health and wellbeing risks” (Carson,
Dunbar, Chenhall & Bailie, 2007; Kelly, Dudgeon, Graham & Glaskin, 2010). The Australian
Governments, COAG, 2008) and educating students on the importance of health. The focus
on school attendance has been reinforced by the government’s emphasis on education as one
order to achieve social equity and improve the outcomes of Aboriginal people (COAG,
2012). These schooling outcomes proves to have shown enhancement not only in mental and
emotional health but academic success (Dix, Slee, Lawson & Keeves, 2012; Durlak,
Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor & Schellinger, 2011). Unfortunately, many schools, regardless
of their ‘assimilation’ approaches still expect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
to adopt the standards of white Australian society (Beresford, 2012), hence the high number
of Aboriginal students that are categorised as deviant and “in need of remediation” ( Brenda
Educational and disciplinary goals are still depicted through a ‘white lens’, impacting
Aboriginal students’ social and emotional wellbeing thus their education. Padbury (2011)
highlights the “the vicious cycle of attitudes and expectations, experiences and practices that
have affected and still affect the education of Aboriginal students in Australian schools” (p.
140). This mindset that lacks cultural respect and inclusivity has been proven to affect
Rickwood, Garvey & Gridley, 2014). The ignorance of Aboriginal issues in education from
“non-indigenous ways of thinking, feeling and behaving” (Hoffman, 2009; Humphrey, 2013)
Suspension is a process of exclusion used for two purposes, one when the safety and
wellbeing of the school community is threatened and secondly as a form of punishment for
consistent unacceptable behaviour in hopes for remediation (NSW Review of Aboriginal
Education, 2004). Focusing on years 7 to 10, the New South Wales Review of Aboriginal
Education illustrates a comparative statistic record over a year per 1000 students of
Aboriginal male and female to Non-Aboriginal male and female. Short suspensions,
scored 62 suspensions. Aboriginal males scored 629 short suspensions in comparison to Non-
Aboriginal males whom scored 188 suspensions. Regarding long suspensions Aboriginal
Aboriginal males scored 168 long suspensions whilst Non-Aboriginal males scored 43 long
suspensions.
Although suspension is used for the two purposes of when there is threat or a consistency of
inappropriate behaviour there are methods of disciplinary tools that can be used prior to this
approach. Unfortunately, in most cases it depends on the school’s discipline policy and the
teacher’s beliefs and perceptions alongside the school’s administrative structure, the chances
Education, 2004). Some schools tend to benefit from a zero-tolerance policy which may solve
short-term issues but cause long-term consequences. Students that continuously get
suspended lose a lot of face-to-face teaching and learning as well as opportunities of social
engagement. This then not only hinders the student’s education but their involvement with
their peers, teachers and the way they perceive themselves. Schools that have lower
suspension rates in relation to Aboriginal students tend to have strategies and procedures that
support both Aboriginal students and their families. They’re involved in the relevant
agencies like the Department of Community Services, they use Regional staff such as
Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers and Aboriginal Education Consultants to work with
families to help resolve issues, and are provided with relevant training by significant staff
members of Mind Matters (NSW Review of Aboriginal Education, 2004). Schools that tend
to have strong, flexible leaders guide students both academically and emotionally by
understanding the reasons for the students’ misbehaviour as well as being a great support
system to motivate students achieve their goals in a learning environment. Having strong and
effective relationships among students, teachers and staff creates a positive environment that
encourages students to learn and participate in class. These relationships provide an avenue
which motivates students through higher expectations to excel academically and socially.
There are various alternatives that provide opportunities for students to alter their behaviour
without removing them from school. Suspension can be seen by students as time away from
learning; a holiday or that they are being targeted due to their differences. These alternatives
such as problem solving/contracting, restitution (repairing what they have damaged, in a case
reflection and decision-making opportunities (programs tailored to focus on why they have
behaved in that manner and how they modify their actions), and community service work,
can all be used to teach controlled behavioural strategies, keeping students involved and
It is essential to employ practices within the classroom that promote positive and respectful
relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students as it creates a inclusive
Torres Strait Islander students constructs a norm for their cultural beliefs within the
classroom. This builds upon their social and emotional development constricting the gap they
may feel among their peers and towards what they are learning. As future secondary
classroom teacher, within my personal KLA, English, the kind of practices I would develop
would be culturally inclusive for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. An example
of this would be, when assigning students to complete a creative writing piece I would
implement topics such as ‘exploring one’s identity’, ‘respect and unity’ and ‘people of the
land’ allowing all students to explore and understand the Aboriginal culture. Allowing all
students, not just Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to explore Aboriginal culture
creates a unity and inclusivity within the classroom. This then develops a cultural
perspective, motivating students to relate and engage with the work. When students feel a
relation to their work they are encouraged to be involved. Bringing in texts to be dissected
and understood on a deeper level allow for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to
address their personal and social issues. Understanding texts as a class, allows for students
who are not Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to empathise and grasp a better perspective
possess the knowledge and training that is required when addressing Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students not only theoretically but also when it comes to discipline and
In summary, the investigation undertaken throughout the discourse of this task has permitted
an understanding that school disciplinary practices and their effects have direct correlations
with students’ behaviour. This is due to the relative lack of inclusion regarding Aboriginal
culture within schools. By analysing the ‘Close the Gap’ campaign, the Social and Emotional
Learning system, researching alternative methods for suspension, understanding reasons for
misbehaviour among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, one can begin to develop
their awareness regarding their culture and the needs of these students and the methods
Carson, B., Dunbar, T., Chenhall, R.D., & Bailie, R. (2007). Social determinants of
http://www.federalfinancialrelations.gov.au/content/npa/health_indigenous/indigenou
sreform/national-agreement_sept_12.pdf
Department of Families Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (2009) Closing
Commonwealth of Australia
Kelly, K., Dudgeon, P., Graham, G., & Glaskin, B. (2010). Living on the edge: social and
emotional wellbeing and risk and protective factors for serious psychological distress
among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. Discussion Paper No. 10.
wholeschool mental health promotion and students’ academic performance. Child and
Dudgeon, P., Walker, R., Scrine, C., Shepherd, C., Calma, T., & Ring, I. (2014). Effective
strategies to strengthen the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres
Australia: Closing the Gap Clearinghouse Issues Paper No. 12. Retrieved from
http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Our_publications/20
14/ctgc_ ip12.pdf
Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., & Schellinger, K.B. (2011).
trends in the United States. Review of Educational Research, 79(2), pp. 533–556
Humphrey, N. (2013). Social and emotional learning: a critical appraisal. London, UK: Sage.
NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc and NSW Department of Education and