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Reconciliation Pedagogy

Understanding and embracing culture within the classroom is an important aspect of

a teacher’s role within society; By embracing indigenous culture we can teach a

pedagogy of reconciliation that will help mend historical divides, and create a future

generation of aware individuals. Reconciliation is important within Australia, and is the

process of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians “talking, walking, and working

together to overcome the reasons that there is division and inequality between

Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians” (Reconciliation SA). It is important to begin

teaching about reconciliation within a classroom setting, as embracing Australia’s

varied histories, and gaining a greater understanding of the culture, history and

practices of Aboriginal Australians can we truly take greater steps to reconciliation

within Australia. This is why a pedagogical practice based around reconciliation is

important for future teachers, as it may be the first-time students encounter a non-

white version of historical events, the first time they learn about Aboriginal Australian

culture and the first time they encounter the concept of reconciliation.

Reconciliation pedagogy is focused around the importance of teaching

practices that incorporate Aboriginal Australian culture, ideas, histories and identity

into the way lessons are planned, taught and structured to help teach the process of

reconciliation and understanding to future generations. This process seeks to address

the issues and whitewashed aspects of history that have previously been prevalent in

the Australian curriculum (MacGill and Wyeld 2009). Indigenous scholars argue that

Indigenous studies throughout all levels of education is important, and necessary, as

reconciliation is not a political matter but one that must also be “in the hearts and minds

of the person in the street” (Woods 1997). The concept of reconciliation pedagogy is

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built around the concepts of Acknowledgement, uniting cultures and commitment to

the ideal. Acknowledgement is important as it acknowledges a shared history between

non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal Australians (O’Donoghue 2016). It looks at a non-

whitewashed version of the past, and incorporates not just white voices, but Aboriginal

ones as well. Approaching history in this way allows students to confront the past in

ways they may not have previously explored, and to learn about the impact of non-

Aboriginals on Aboriginal culture; This will give students a better perspective on the

past, and help move towards reconciliation (O’Donoghue 2016). Uniting cultures is an

important aspect, as it is not about glorifying white culture, or Aboriginal culture, but

about bringing both together, and learning about both the similarities and differences,

learning a greater respect for both (O’Donoghue 2016). Uniting is an important aspect

for teachers as uniting Aboriginal styles of teaching with traditionally white topics we

can help to engage Aboriginal students, whilst teaching non-Aboriginal students about

Aboriginal culture. Commitment to the ideal is important for a teacher, as only by fully

committing to uniting and incorporating a reconciliation pedagogy can we truly teach

it, by only teaching it around certain yearly events, or for one short topic or we risk

tokenising Aboriginal culture (Yunkaporta 2011).

With an understanding of Reconciliation pedagogy, it is important to look at how

it can be incorporated in a class room setting. Indigenous scholar Tyson Yunkaporta

notes that whilst looking at the anti-colonial perspectives, historical indigenous voices

and the impacts of white colonists on Aboriginal Australians, it is important to also look

past decolonisation when teaching a reconciliation pedagogy and embracing both

cultures in the teaching process is important (Yunkaporta 2009). Dr. Martin Nakata, a

Torres Strait Islander scholar and chair of Australian Indigenous Education proposes

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that cultural interface is an important aspect when it comes to a reconciliation based

pedagogy (Nakata 2011). Cultural interface is a dialogue based approach which

combines Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teaching traditions to create common ground

and understanding within the classroom (Yunkaporta 2009). By teaching reconciliation

pedagogy using cultural interface, we can adapt traditionally ‘white’ lessons to be

culturally inclusive for aboriginal students, whilst teaching non-Aboriginal students

more about Aboriginal culture, making all content more culturally inclusive. Yunkaporta

proposes a process known as ‘the eight ways’ to do this. The eight ways are based

upon traditional Aboriginal teaching methods. The first of these is story sharing, which

is important as a way to draw upon an individual’s knowledge and personal

perspectives (Yunkaporta 2011). Stories can be shared not just as a way to introduce

content, but as a way to engage with content. The second way is using learning maps

which show the journey of the upcoming content, or mapping the years content as a

way to allow for the learning journey to be seen (Yunkaporta 2011). These are

beneficial as they can map out a unit of work, or an entire year of content and show

how knowledge may not be a straight path, and that some concepts are linked that

may not appear to be, whilst creating a communal feeling as the learning process is a

journey travelled together. The third way is the use of non-verbal learning (Yunkaporta

2011). This is done by using gestures, expression and body language to convey

importance and emphasis to lessons; this is linked with observation skills, and

teaching students to critically think about what they are seeing, a skill that can be

adapted to text based information, teaching them to “read deeper than the language”

(Yunkaporta 2011). The fourth way is the use of symbols within the lesson content

(Yunkaporta 2011). These can be used to signify important passages, or key points

for a student to notice, or as a way to create new story content without using traditional

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methods, such as using symbols to create a dream time like story within an English

class. The fifth way is the use of land links to form a closer link to the land, a very

important aspect of Aboriginal culture (Yunkaporta 2011). Incorporating this in the

classroom can be done in many ways, such as sitting on a beach to learn about the

Normandy landings, or using a map whilst reading about historical content. The sixth

way is non-linear learning (Yunkaporta 2011). This way is one that is harder to directly

incorporate as it is the idea that things don’t flow in straight lines, even education. It

supports many of the other ways, such as learning maps and non-verbal learning. The

seventh way is deconstructing and reconstructing, an ideal that aligns closely with

scaffolding (Yunkaporta 2011). This way looks at taking the larger subject matter, then

de-constructing it into the separate pieces, before re-constructing it as knowledge

deepens. The eighth way is communal links, another important aspect of indigenous

culture (Yunkaporta 2011). By engaging with the community, bringing in Elders to

teach traditional knowledge, war veterans to discuss world war two, and other

community members, we help students to become a greater part of the whole.

As we can see the eight ways and cultural interface are important to

reconciliation pedagogy, as they are ways we can directly engage Aboriginal students

in traditional ‘white’ lessons, by teaching in a familiar way, whilst at the same time

teaching non-Aboriginal students more about Aboriginal culture. This allows students

to interface with another culture, and see how the two can work together, leading to

reconciliation. This method of teaching also reflects the Australian Institute for

Teaching and School Leaderships (AITSL) professional Standards for Teachers,

especially standard 2.4 that as it helps to show a respect for Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander histories, culture and language by incorporating these ideals not just

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into a single lesson block, but into the very way we teach. This style also supports

AITSL standard 1.4 by incorporating cultural identity and linguistic background into

lessons, whilst fostering an environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

students can feel more comfortable and culturally accepted within the classroom.

Reconciliation pedagogy is important socially, as teaching about the culture of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders we can help break down harsh stereotypes

portrayed by the media, by ‘white’ focused history, and by miss-information and

stereotypes they may have already learned, even within an education setting.

Incorporating traditional teaching methods also helps students to engage more with

other cultures, to think more critically about why things are done, as opposed to seeing

it as a purely different thing and writing it off. In this way reconciliation pedagogy can

act as a intervention to negative behaviours, helping prevent racism, promoting social

justice and raising awareness for equality (Worby, Rigny & Tur 2006).

By embracing reconciliation, acknowledging, uniting and committing to the

ideals as a more than once in a blue moon practice, we as teachers can begin to help

foster reconciliation mindsets, create better social justice and have a more welcoming

and inclusive learning environment that embraces the education of all students. This

practice has worked well in other countries, with South African reconciliation based

pedagogy serving as a catalyst, helping diverse cultures engage with one another and

with their past, promoting a decrease in racism and younger generations being more

pro-active in reconciliation practices after a school environment (Ferrira & Janks

2007). The most important aspect of all of this is teacher engagement, and how deeply

they engage with a reconciliation mindset (Nakata 2011). Ultimately, by embracing a

reconciliation mindset and teaching all of our students about our unbiased past, and

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by engaging with many cultures, we as teachers can help foster a more socially aware

future generation that breaks from past stereotypes and prejudices.

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Reference

Australian Institute for teaching and School Leadership, Australian Professional Standards for
Teachers, retrieved from https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

Ferreira. A, & Janks, H. (2007) Reconciliation pedagogy, identity and community funds of knowledge:
borderwork in South African classrooms, English Academy Review 24(2), p. 71-84

MacGill, B. & Wyeld, T. (2009) The Need for a Reconciliation Pedagogy: Educating for a More Holistic,
Shared Australian Cultural Heritage

Nakata, M. (2011) Pathways for indigenous education in the Australian curriculum framework,
Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 40(1), p. 1-8

O’Donoghue, L, (2016), ‘Reconciling the Nation in the 21st Century: Hopes, fears, and dilemmas’ in G
Worby, T Kennedy & S Tur (eds), The Long Campaign: The Duguid Lectures, 1994-2014, Wakefield
Press, Adelaide, pp. 62-74.

Reconciliation SA, What is Reconciliation?, retrieved from

http://www.reconciliationsa.org.au/reconciliation

Worby, G., Rigney, LI. & Ulalka Tur, S. (2010) Where salt and fresh waters meet: reconciliation and
change in education, Australian Cultural History, 28(1) p.2-3

Woods, D. (1997) Racism, Reconciliation, Rights—The 3 Rs of indigenous Education in Australia

Today, The Australian Educational Researcher, 25(1) p. 53-70

Yunkaporta, T. (2011). Yarning Up Indigenous Pedagogies: A Dialogue about Eight Aboriginal Ways of
Learning. In N. Purdie, G. Milgate, and A. R. Bell (ed.) Two Way Teaching and Learning: Toward
Culturally Reflective and Relevant Education, (p. 205–214). Melbourne, Australia: ACER Press

Yunkaporta, T. (2009) Aboriginal pedagogies at the cultural interface. Townsville: James Cook
University.