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Student ID 2158312

FAN maje0018

First name Lisa

Family name Majetic

Topic code EDUC 2420

Topic name Teaching Indigenous Students

Tutorial lecturer Nick Leidig

Assignment number and Final Essay

title

Word count 1509

Due date 24/10/2016

Date of submission 24/10/2016

Is this a resubmission?

LISA MAJETIC 1
Indigenous young people have been experiencing educational disadvantage since the 1960’s,
when the first generation of Indigenous people attended school since the segregation and
marginalisation inflicted since the arrival of Europeans (Gray & Beresford, 2008). Teachers
become agents that have the knowledge, understanding and skills to bridge the gap between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, in order to achieve a reconcilable future. Several
theoretical frameworks have been suggested as successful strategies for teaching social justice
in Australian schools, including The Resistance Model. Teaching for resistance is an effective
model that teachers can incorporate into pedagogy that can bridge the gap and allow the
upcoming generations to become more aware and educate, hopefully moving Australia toward
a more reconciled future. This assignment will discuss The Resistance Model as an effective
tool to teach for social justice in the effort to promote reconciliation, with reference to the
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) graduate attributes,
specifically 1.4 and 2.4.

The Resistance model is made up of three phases, raising consciousness, making contact and
taking action, placing students as well as teachers, in the context of becoming transformative
agents in the struggle for injustice (Rigney, Rigney & Tur, 2003 and Social Justice Group 1994
cited in Schulze, 2016). Raising consciousness provides students with the opportunity to
identify social and political injustice. They can become active in the process of self-evaluation
of their own personal morals and beliefs related to social justice. Making contact, phase two,
is about the student developing critical thinking in relation to injustice and explaining the issue
in their own context. Taking action is the third phase, which enables the student and teacher
to tackle or negotiate the issue. Through critical analysis and reflection, students can use this
phase to develop reconciliation tactics and form their own personal thoughts and feelings. In
other words, they can socially negotiate an individual perspective, in order to take action
against social injustice (Rigney, Rigney & Ulalka Tur, 2013).

LISA MAJETIC 2
The implementation of the Resistance model in the classroom will enable students to connect
with the both the struggles and aspirations of Indigenous history (Buckskin, 2012). For this to
be effective, I as a teacher, need to create a safe and supportive classroom environment that
promotes emotional safety. This will encourage students to explore their inner emotions and
take ‘risks’ in order to express such feelings. Students will be able to fully engage when
exploring social justice issues and confidently raise consciousness in relation to discourse and
inequality, developing knowledge and critical thinking skills (Capper, Theoharis & Sebastian,
2006). The purpose of phase 1 of the Resistance model is naming the issue, in order for
students to gain an active and personal perspective of the injustice, encouraging ‘ownership’
of their opinion (Brougham, 1994). This leads into phase 2, in which the students interpret and
explain the struggle for injustice by making contact with the community. Inviting a guest
speaker to share stories related to culture, can provide insight for students and assist them to
articulate explanations as to why and how the injustice has come about (Buckskin, 2012). The
students can also benefit from the opportunity to ask questions of the guest speaker, or other
community members and experience the feelings and emotions shared. According to
Brougham (1994, p.35), ‘students need to encounter more than one alternative explanation of
the injustice and the struggle against it’. Through contact with the local community, students
can compare traditional and available information with real life situation. Explaining the
injustice, phase 3, allows students to move into a ‘third space’ and develop their own resistance
strategies (Blanche & Worby, 2010). Students can do this individually or in groups with the
use of storytelling, as a way for them to explain the issues. Integrating social justice into
curriculum areas such as art, music, drama and English, students can express themselves with
the use of paintings, writing and song. Rap music has proven to be a useful method for students
to explain the injustice and communicate ideas, analyse and problem solve as well as exercise
moral and ethical judgement, expressing their thoughts and opinions (Blanche & Worby,
2010). The success of rap ontologies could be perpetuated, if mentored/encouraged by an
Indigenous representative from the community.

LISA MAJETIC 3
Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) is committed to maintaining
professional standards of teachers that improve learning opportunities and outcomes for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (ATSI) students (RAP, 2015). Graduate qualities 1.4
and 2.4 specifically focus on ATSI students, providing standards that preservice teachers use
as guidance and accountability for their professional skills and knowledge (Ma Rhea, 2013).
The Teaching for Resistance model has deepened my understanding of the impact of culture
and cultural identity on the education of ATSI students, therefore, satisfying graduate quality
1.4. Other theoretical frameworks such as Critical Race Theory, Critical Whiteness and
Reconciliation are useful strategies to use concurrently, when developing my own critical
pedagogy, to promote reconciliation for my students. Teaching for Resistance will raise
consciousness about cultural differences, take action and achieve reconciliation for students to
move forward toward their future, fulfilling graduate quality 2.4. According to Anderson and
Atkinson (2013), professional development for preservice teachers can provide them with the
necessary knowledge, understanding and skills required to teach young people of ATSI
descent. Their skills should embrace cultural awareness as well as knowing national and local
policies that influence their role as an educator. For example, the Reconciliation Action Plan
(2015) is aimed at ‘closing the gap’ of educational disadvantage for ATSI students by providing
valuable resources for teachers to utilise. Such as, module based courses that educate teachers
in strategy’s for enhancing their personal practice, as well as teaching resources to improve
learning outcomes for ATSI students. By striving to meet the AITSL qualities, I will become
aware of where and when to locate and utilise appropriate resources to compliment lesson
planning and curriculum content to deliver to my students. Resources need to contain accurate
historical information that can be presented to students in order for them to identify the social
justice issues that can then be processed by the Resistance Model (Ma Rhea, 2013). ‘Localised
Curriculum’ is another suggested way to meet graduate attribute 2.4, by making contact and
forming constructive relationships with local representative families, businesses and/or
organisations. Integrating Indigenous voices into curriculum is a way to acknowledge, respect
and include the expertise that traditional holders of cultural knowledge, providing invaluable
insight for all students, when learning about the struggle for justice (Anderson & Atkinson,
2013).

LISA MAJETIC 4
The teaching for Resistance model has provided the ‘safe third space’ for me to connect with
my own personal knowledge and understandings of the struggle for injustice. I have been able
to reflect critically on my own assumptions and actions as a non-Indigenous ‘white’ citizen,
enabling me to ‘deconstruct the whiteness’ that exists for myself (Aveling, 2002; McIntosh,
1990). This is a crucial element to my ability to successfully gain the skills and knowledge
required to effectively teach students of the struggle for justice, promoting reconciliation
(Nicoll, 2007; Sefa Dei, 2008). Also, this has supported my understanding of the reasons
behind educational and social disadvantages experienced by indigenous students, inspiring my
eagerness to successfully teach for social justice. For example, teachers and students have been
falsely identified as the cause of poor numeracy outcomes for Indigenous students (Warren &
deVries, 2009). As a future teacher of mathematics, I am aware of the four major areas that
impact the ability of Indigenous students learning math, these are language, assessment,
learning style and connecting to real life applications (the relevance of math) (Warren, Cooper
& Baturo, 2004). Language is a significant impact on all learning areas for Indigenous
students, with poor outcomes. It can affect the student’s ability to learn and interpret
information, translate and reproduce work for assessment, as well as cause significant self-
esteem and subsequently emotional issues (Warren & deVries, 2009).

The teaching for Resistance model, has provided me with necessary insight to develop
strategies that can be implemented in order to promote reconciliation for students. When used
as a pedagogical model, teaching for resistance can develop students critical thinking and
reflective ability, to connect with Indigenous history and the struggle for injustice, while
providing a safe and supportive space for them to ‘take risks’ and explore their personal
opinions. The use of critical reflection has enabled me to begin developing a pedagogy that
will promote reconciliation using theoretical frameworks such as teaching for resistance, and
gain a better understanding of the underpinnings of educational disadvantage. With a
community based approach to curriculum, awareness of national policies related to ATSI
students as well as professional development, I will be better able to meet AITSL standards 1.4
and 2.4. Finally, I have been able to ‘unpack’ my cultural baggage and gain a better
understanding of the educational disadvantage the still exists for Indigenous young people. I
believe that with this understanding, I will effectively support and teach students the historical
ideology of Aboriginality in the search for reconciliation. Word count:

1507

LISA MAJETIC 5
 Reference List

Anderson, P & Atkinson, B 2013. “Closing the gap: Using attributes to improve Indigenous
education’, The International Education journal: Comparative Perspectives, vol.12, no.1,
pp.135-145.

Aveling, N 2010. ‘Student Teacher’s Resistance to Exploring Racism: Reflection on ‘doing’

border pedagogy’, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, vol.30, no.2, pp.119-130.
DOI: 10.1080/13598660220135630

Blanch, F & Worby, G 2010, 'The silences waiting: young Nunga males, curriculum and rap',
Curriculum Perspectives, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 1-13.

Brougham, B 1994, 'Structure of the draft model', in Brougham, B (ed.), Teaching for
resistance: report of the Education for Social Justice Research Project, Texts in Humanities and
the Centre for Studies in Educational Leadership, Adelaide, S. Aust., pp. 34-43.

Buckskin, P 2012, 'Engaging Indigenous students: the important relationship between

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their teachers', in Price, Kaye (ed.),
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education: an introduction for the teaching profession,
Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne, Vic., pp. 164-180.

Capper, C, Theoharis, G & Sebastian, J 2006,’Toward a framework for preparing leaders

for social justice’, Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 44, no.3 pp. 209 - 224
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09578230610664814

Gray, J & Beresford, Q. 2008. ‘A ‘formidable challenge’: Australia’s quest for equity in
Indigenous education’, Australian Journal of Education, vol.52, no. 2, pp.197-223.

Ma Rhea, Z 2013. ‘Indigenous Education and Teacher professional development: The

Australia Professional standards for teachers in Australia’, Indigenous Education and teacher
development, pp.1-13.

McIntosh, P 1990, 'White privilege: unpacking the invisible knapsack', Independent School,
pp. 31-36.

Nicoll, F 2007, “Are you calling me racist?’ Teaching critical whiteness theory in indigenous
sovereignty', in Riggs, Damien W (ed.), Taking up the challenge: critical race and whiteness
studies in a postcolonising nation, 1st edn, Crawford House Publishing, Belair, SA, pp. 17-33.

Rigney, Daryle & Hemming, Steve 2014, 'Is 'closing the gap' enough? Ngarrindjeri ontologies,
reconciliation and caring for country', Educational Philosophy and Theory, vol. 46, no. 5, pp.
536-545.

Rigney, D., Rigney, L & Ulalka Tur, S 2013. ‘Training Teachers for Reconciliation: A work
in progress’ Australian Curriculum Studies Association, Adelaide, South Australia.

LISA MAJETIC 6
Schulze, S. (2016). ‘Teaching Indigenous Students’, lecture notes distributed in the topic
EDUC2420, Flinders University, Bedford Park, 25 July.

Sefa Dei, G (2008). Indigenous Knowledge Studies and the Next Generation: Pedagogical
Possibilities for Anti-Colonial Education, The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education,
vol. 7, pp.5-13.
Warren, E., Cooper, T & Baturi, A 2004, The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education,
vol.33, pp.37-46.

Warren, E and deVries, E (2009). Young Australian Indigenous students’ engagement with
numeracy: Actions that assist to bridge the gap, Australian Journal of Education, vol.53, no.
2, pp.159-175.

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2015, Reconciliation Action Plan
2014-2015: Reflect RAP, viewed 19 October 2016. http://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-
source/default-document-library/aitsl_reconciliation_action_plan .

LISA MAJETIC 7