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Rapport and respect: how I as a teacher can development skills, values and

relationships with future school communities to build positive and

respectful relationships with Indigenous students.

In order for students to reach their educational potential they need to be engaged in the

classroom through cultures of high expectations and respect (Lewthwaite, et al., 2015). Such

engagement manifests in students through behaviour (Dobia & Roffey, 2017), emotion and

cognition (Areepattamannil, Freeman, & Klinger, 2011). Collectively, Australian Indigenous

peoples attain lower educational outcomes then their non-Indigenous counterparts, contributing

to cycles of poverty and stigmatization. Indigenous students experience higher rates of

suspension and exclusion from schooling systems and exist in cultures of low expectations

(Lewthwaite, et al., 2015). Whilst educational success for Indigenous students is a target of the

government, current schooling systems have been set up in a colonial context to reflect

Eurocentric ways of knowing ways that alienate students whose cultural background differs

from the dominant perspective (Keddie, 2014). Such alienation of Indigenous cultures within

school impacts negatively upon Indigenous students and their academic achievement (Bodkin-

Andrews & Carlson, 2016). To compound this, a mistrust of institutions such as schools persists

amongst Indigenous communities in the wake of the Stolen Generations (Lewthwaite, et al.,

2015; Bodkin-Andrews & Carlson, 2016). In the move towards closing the educational

attainment gap, teachers and school communities must work in consultation with local

Indigenous communities and incorporate Indigenous voices within pedagogy. Through this,

teachers and schools can work to create environments where Indigenous students are

empowered to engage with education in a way that is meaningful to them.

Teachers can play a direct role in empowering students through pedagogical choices, syllabus

adaptation and community consultation. In meeting and addressing AITSL standards 1.4 and 2.4,

a graduate teacher can work to foster positive self-belief in Indigenous students, recognizing the

impact and importance of culture, history and language when developing and implementing

effective pedagogy (AITSL, 2014). Such measures can reduce suspension rates and work to

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develop positive community relationships. In doing this it can also enrich the learning of all

students as they are exposed to ways of knowing alternate to dominant Western viewpoints. This

essay will show the importance of such cultural competency within the classroom and

demonstrate how it can be related to a science curriculum.

Closing the gap should be a shared venture and occur with not to Indigenous communities

(Buckskin, 2015). Despite this, few investigations explicitly ask Indigenous communities their

perspectives when seeking to understand what effective teaching practices are (Lewthwaite, et

al., 2015). When engaging in Indigenous education, there is very little known about what

Indigenous students see as the qualities of effective teachers (Lewthwaite, et al., 2015). When

reviewing policy such Closing the Gap, the National Indigenous Reform Agreement focuses on

Indigenous communities meeting our standards as opposed to focusing on their needs. If we are

to improve indigenous educational outcomes, promoting, nurturing and protecting Indigenous

cultures needs to occur within the culture of the schooling system (Keddie, 2014).

Within New South Wales, a suspension means that a school principal can temporarily remove a

child from school (Department of Education and Communities, 2014). This suspension may be

short (up to four days) or long (between five and twenty days) (Beauchamp, 2012). The reasons

for short and long suspension are behavioural, arising from continued disobedience, violence or

criminal behaviours. It is up to the discretion of the school principal to determine the severity of

the behaviour and thus the length of suspension required (Department of Education and

Communities, 2015). According to the Suspension and Expulsion of School Students Procedures

(2011) a suspension is not considered a punishment. Instead, it is viewed as a strategy for

managing student behaviour whilst giving the staff time to plan support (Department of

Education and Communities, 2015).

Whilst suspension is not considered a punishment on paper, a child who has been suspended

from school has been excluded from community. This exclusion causes the child to suffer a

number of detriments including loss of self-esteem and a disruption to education (Australian

Institute of Family Studies, 1996). Such a blow to self-esteem can perpetuate feelings of

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inadequacy, creating a narrative where students feel as if they belong to the negative cycles in

which they currently exist (Whitley, Rawana, & Brownlee, 2014). Seeing the exclusion as a hostile

act (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 1996), this creates a self-fulfilling prophecy and

manifests through early school leaving (Beauchamp, 2012).

Indigenous Australian students experience higher rates of suspension from school then their

non-Indigenous counterparts. In 2014, despite making up 6.8% of the student population,

Indigenous students made up 26% of students suspended in NSW (Dobia & Roffey, 2017). The

overrepresentation of Indigenous students suspended from school adds to inequities arising in

the educational achievement gap, as students suspended are often those who cant afford to miss

class. This happens in particular when a student is suspended multiple times and misses a

significant amount of classroom content (Beauchamp, 2012). In science, this can be particularly

damaging as science is a discipline in which knowledge is accumulated and concepts are built

from the ground up.

The question therefore is why do Indigenous students experience higher rates of suspension and

what can be done to reduce this. The behavioural issues behind suspension arise due to personal

life experiences that develop from systematic racism and personal trauma. In 2005, amongst a

group of Aboriginal children aged 4 to 17 surveyed, 24% demonstrated serious emotional and

behavioural difficulties (Dobia & Roffey, 2017). This can be understood in a context where

Indigenous students are at greater risk of exposure to violence, trauma and abuse on a number of

indicators, experiencing higher rates of psychological distress when compared to non-Indigenous

youth (Dobia & Roffey, 2017). Existing within a historical backdrop of colonial oppression,

narratives of deficiency have created cycles of poverty and trauma. These narratives have

repercussions on the social and emotional wellbeing and growth of Indigenous youth and in this

context, Indigenous students may not have the skills to manage the behaviour that arises from

the issues present in their personal lives.

The weight of social and emotional difficulties affecting Indigenous students demonstrates the

importance of preventing and alleviating distress in order to promote educational success (Dobia

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& Roffey, 2017). As suspension does not address the issues underlying challenging behaviour,

suspension is not an effective means to change behaviour (Beauchamp, 2012). Instead, it only

works to exclude. In order to improve student outcomes, social and emotional wellbeing must be

nurtured (Dobia & Roffey, 2017). Respectful integration of Indigenous and non-Indigenous

knowledge into education can facilitate social and emotional wellbeing by demonstrating a

respect for culture. Through decolonising education, pride in identity can be facilitated and

therefore student social and emotional wellbeing. Through this approach, behavioural issues may

be reduced (Dobia & Roffey, 2017) and simultaneously the perceived need for suspension.

When applying this knowledge to pedagogy, research shows that intrinsic motivation to learn

science occurs when students are emotionally attached to what they are learning, perceiving it to

be meaningful (Areepattamannil, Freeman, & Klinger, 2011). Student self-belief and self-

perception is critical to motivation and emotional attachment, influencing self-regulated learning

and academic attainment. When students are emotionally attached to their work it increases

cognitive engagement with the task at hand (Areepattamannil, Freeman, & Klinger, 2011). To

foster scientific self-beliefs and cognitive engagement, acknowledgement and validation of

cultural identity and ways of knowing must occur. Respectfully integrating Indigenous ways of

knowing demonstrates symbolism within the school and builds self-belief, allowing Indigenous

students to see their heritage as important and meaningful. To achieve this, teachers can create

scientific pedagogy that locates the student in place, incorporates knowledge from Indigenous

science and facilitates activities that engage cultural ways of knowing.

Continuity between culture and classroom can be done when engaging the students in studies of

sustainability and ecology. When teaching food webs, communities, biotic and abiotic factors and

sustainability in Stage 5 (BOSTES, 2016), science teachers can get students to map their own

local environment. This provides students with a relevant and meaningful context and can be tied

into sustainability and local Indigenous sustainability practices. Indigenous people live(d)

symbiotically in their environments and have a deep understanding of the relationships present

in their surroundings (Office of Environment and Heritage, 2016). When engaging students in

conversations about ecology, incorporating local Indigenous knowledge about the area can link

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the richness of local knowledge with science and present the relevance and validity of this way of

knowing. In order to gain deeper knowledge of this information, the teacher could contact and

work with members of the local Indigenous community. This could include a field trip in which

students are taught about local resources, land management and sustainable behaviours. If a

member of community wishes to do so, a further way to include knowledge of land could be

through the incorporation stories. Within stories and oral histories exists much knowledge of the

land as has been passed down through generations (Office of Environment and Heritage, 2016).

When viewing Indigenous ways of knowing, Dadirri or deep listening can be incorporated into

such lessons. Asking a local Indigenous person to conduct Dadirri with the class could show

students the importance of reflection, relating and waiting (Leaver, 2006). Alternatively, a non-

Indigenous teacher could engage the students in deep listening. The lesson could start off by

getting students to reflect on concepts such as sustainability, industry and the environment, and

then provide them with art materials to draw images or designs that depict their sense of the

concept. This can give students the opportunity to think about their land and what occurs on it.

This concept of reflection ties into the non-verbal component of the eight ways framework

(Yunkaporta, 2009) and is an important tool that can be used in every lesson at the end of the

class.

When teaching content, the teacher should acknowledge that for large numbers of Indigenous

students, Standard Australian English is not the primary language. Supporting Indigenous

students as Languages Other Than English learners is necessary when creating curriculum

materials and pedagogy. Creating opportunities to increase literacy will facilitate a students

ability to engage and succeed in the classroom. Likewise, acknowledgement and respect for the

first language spoken by Indigenous children will preserve student confidence and self-belief

(Buckskin, 2015). The importance of language in the formation of identity, culture and

community needs to be acknowledged within the classroom to facilitate positive and respectful

relationships (Buckskin, 2015).

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The classroom culture is essential for students to feel safe and engaged (Sarra, 2005). Replacing

low with high expectation cultures for Indigenous students requires a transformation in school

culture. When working to create this culture it is important for the teacher to work both

individually and communally. The whole school community must all be present and work

towards the goal of relationality. In this way, the teacher should work as an advocate for a

reciprocal relationship between school and community (Tracey, et. al., 2016). Practical

demonstrations of this occur when participation is encouraged and Indigenous voices are

included in decision-making and teaching. By deferring some education to local experts such as

elders, the school can validate and legitimize cultural aspirations and identity within institutions

(Tracey, et. al., 2016).

In order for all of this to occur, teachers must be aware of their own prior beliefs and judgments

(Herbert, 2015). As a future teacher I must work to constantly engage with and be aware of my

own biases and seek to prevent and address attitudes of embodied racism. By demonstrating

active listening, care and respect for Indigenous peoples and their cultures, I can seek to ensure I

develop and nurture positive, reciprocal and respectful relationships. I can develop my deep

knowledge and understanding by engaging in professional development opportunities and

engaging with local communities. By using reflection continuously I can engage and question

where I fit into school culture. As a teacher, I should seek to maintain integrity and accountability

for my actions by recognizing my power as a teacher within the classroom. In doing so, I will

develop the skills, values and relationships required to foster inclusive school communities and

improve the educational attainment of Australian Indigenous students.

As can be seen, the culturally static vision of education currently present in Australian schools

contributes to the sustained educational attainment gap. Students must be able to see themselves

within the class and school community and the incorporation of Indigenous ways of knowing can

bridge the gap between Indigenous culture and school. Increased suspension rates amongst

Indigenous students may be alleviated through this relational work as acknowledging culture,

history and language increases student social and emotional wellbeing alongside self-belief.

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Reference list:

AITSL. (2014). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Retrieved Dec 21, 2016, from

AITSL: http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-

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Areepattamannil, S., Freeman, J. G., & Klinger, D. A. (2011). Influence of motivation, self-beliefs,

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Psychology of Education: An International Journal, 14(2), 233-259.

Australian Institute of Family Studies. (1996). Citizen child: Australian law and children's rights.

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http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/media/downloads/languagesupport/suspension/pare

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Dobia, B. & Roffey, S. (2017). Respect for Culture - Social and Emotional Learning with Aboriginal

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Whitley, J., Rawana, E., & Brownlee, K. (2014). A Comparison of Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal

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