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Option 1 ’Knowledge of the racism encountered by Indigenous children

and young people in schools is essential for understanding the changes
needed and how to bring them about. Students may experience racism in
schools in a number of ways and from a range of sources including harmful
assumptions, paternalism, prejudice, low expectations, stereotypes,
violence and biased curriculum materials’ (Hickling-Hudson & Ahlquist,
2003).

Can the uptake of an SSI high expectations relationships framework

improve educational outcomes outlined in the closing the gap report for
Aboriginal young people? Critically reflect on this statement from
Hickling-Hudson & Ahlquist (2003) and then think about ideas presented
in the Stronger Smarter Institute (SSI) modules. How effectively do you
think the SSI approach addresses the key issues concerning Aboriginal
students’ achievement? Explain how using examples from your own
curriculum area how you, as a future teacher, could apply the SSI
philosophy in your teaching to combat these statements. Consider possible
challenges and limitations associated with implementing the SSI approach
in schools and discuss how you might address them.

There are a number of issues that Indigenous students face, which teachers need to

be aware of to ensure they provide an inclusive and equitable learning environment.

Hickling – Hudson and Ahlquist (2003) identify a number of concerns that may impede

the learning experience of Indigenous students. This paper will demonstrate how I intend

to ameliorate some of these issues, utilising the Stronger Smarter framework. Firstly, it

will be argued that the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives within the curriculum is of

significant importance, both for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Following this,

it will be detailed how I plan to embed Indigenous perspectives within my classroom,

using the Stronger Smarter framework. Secondly, it will be postulated that Indigenous

communities need to be give a greater role within schools, which will in turn directly

benefit Indigenous learners. Subsequently, it will be shown how I plan to implement this

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strategy, employing the Stronger Smarter framework, as well as the limitations the

framework has in enacting this strategy through Australia’s schooling systems. Lastly, the

importance of having high expectations of Indigenous students will be explored, as well as

how as how I plan to set and maintain these high expectations, utilising the Stronger

Smarter model.

When developing the content that will be delivered in the classroom, teachers need

to make sure they include Indigenous perspectives within their curriculum. This is

important because keeping Indigenous perspectives invisible within the classroom

materials, creates a curriculum that negatively impacts the educational outcomes of

Indigenous learners (Hickling-Hudson & Ahlquist, 2003). Alternatively, research suggests

that including Indigenous perspectives has shown to increase the attendance rates of

Indigenous learners, along with their “engagement [and] participation” in learning

activities (Shipp, 2013, p. 24). This approach to teaching is also reflected within the

Stronger Smarter framework, which emphasises the important impact “incorporating

Indigenous perspectives and knowledge” has on promoting a positive the cultural self-

efficacy of Indigenous learners (Stronger Smarter Institute, 2018, Meta-strategy 1; the

curriculum). In fact, the visibility of Indigenous Australian perspectives within the

curriculum is so important that the NSW Government has made it policy to promote the

awareness and appreciation for the “histories, cultures and experiences of…the First

Peoples of Australia” (NSW Department of Education, 2018). This is also prioritised in

the Closing the Gap Report 2019, which aims to “empower” all teachers to embed the

perspectives of Indigenous Australians into their classroom curriculums (Department of

the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2019, p. 65). However, it must be noted that the

Australian Curriculum does not adequately provide “cultural inclusivity” for Indigenous

Australians (Lowe & Yunkaporta, 2018, p. 28). Rather, Indigenous perspectives within the

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national curriculum are not explored on a deep or meaningful level, which can result in the

content being watered down, leaving students with minimal understanding of Indigenous

Australian cultures (Lowe & Yunkaporta, 2018). All of this demonstrates the importance

of the teacher’s role in producing a classroom curriculum, which explores a deep

understanding and knowledge of Indigenous perspectives.

The representation of Indigenous perspectives within the curriculum, has an

important impact on all students, particularly Indigenous learners. Therefore, I will make it

a priority within my practice to embed Indigenous perspectives within every curriculum

that I develop, ensuring both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students gain a positive

understanding of Indigenous culture and identity. In order to effectively achieve this

Indigenous visibility within the curriculum, I plan to develop an education plan that is

reflective of the Stronger Smarter framework. This means that any curriculum I develop

will be created in consultation with local Indigenous communities, who will also be

encouraged to play an active and important role in delivering the content (Stronger

Smarter Institute, 2018). For example, within my English lessons I may require students to

read and analyse a poem written by an Indigenous author. Then, I may invite an

Indigenous person from the same community as the author, who can then impart specific

cultural knowledge about the poem, to myself and the class. This will then help to prevent

the issue of “Indigenous perspectives [being] taught from a non-Indigenous view”

(Stronger Smarter Institute, 2018, Meta-strategy 1; the curriculum). It is important to note,

this approach to engage Indigenous students within in the learning process also meets the

requirements of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, which demands

graduate teachers to exhibit knowledge of different issues that impact student learning

(Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2017). Therefore, I will

collaborate with Indigenous communities, ensuring that myself and people from these

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communities act as cocreators of curriculum, with each contributor being valued

throughout the process.

The involvement of the local Indigenous community, within the school and

classroom, plays an important role in helping Indigenous students increase their classroom

engagement and learning outcomes. This is important in overcoming the negative

stereotypes faced by Indigenous students, as identified by Hickling-Hudson & Ahlquist

(2003). The greater presence that Indigenous communities have in the school, increases

the exposure non-Indigenous students have with the Indigenous community, as well as

promotes the self-efficacy of Indigenous learners, which is a key component of the

Stronger Smarter framework (Stronger Smarter Institute, 2018). According to the Stronger

Smarter Institute (2018), encouraging the participation of the Indigenous community

within the school, presents all parties with the opportunity to give and receive knowledge.

This reciprocal production of knowledge occurs, as the school works with the Indigenous

community to collaboratively develop strategies, which increase the learning outcomes of

Indigenous learners. Furthermore, the New South Wales Government also recognises the

important “resources and assets” Indigenous communities can provide schools, stating that

Indigenous communities need to play a vital role in the “development of policies,

strategies and initiatives”, which will increase the educational outcome of Indigenous

students (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2010, p. 6). Although the

involvement of Indigenous communities within the school structure is an important

component of the Stronger Smarter framework, the limitations of this strategy need to be

noted. For example, in order for this pedagogical strategy to be effectively implemented,

the school leadership needs to be the driving force behind its strategic implementation.

This leaves little room for individual staff members to promote this component of the

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Stronger Smart framework. However, the significant benefits of involving the Indigenous

community within the school cannot be overlooked.

Indigenous community engagement in the school can play a pivotal role in

increasing the learning outcomes of Indigenous learners, as well as their overall education

experience. The strategies to involve local Indigenous communities, which are employed

by the Stronger Smarter framework, rely heavily on the involvement of the school

leadership (Stronger Smarter Institute, 2018). Although this does not completely remove

any agency on my behalf as a graduate teacher, it will be difficult for me to initially

implement the strategic approaches of the framework. However, in order to ensure that I

am providing the Indigenous students in my class with a superior education experience, I

plan to negotiate with school authorities and prompt the invitation of the local Indigenous

community within the school. This will see the school inviting the Indigenous community

to impart their “knowledge and skills” within the school context, help the community to

understand the school’s high expectations of Indigenous students, as well as provide an

environment where community members feel comfortable and safe to speak with the

school about their children (Stronger Smarter Institute, 2018). This last issue is

particularly important to note because of historical trauma that Indigenous communities,

which has generated significant mistrust in the education system’s ability to take care of

their children (Beresford, Partington, & Gower, 2012). It is also pertinent to note that the

involvement of the outside community within the school is so significant that it is reflected

in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, which states that graduate teachers

need to “understand strategies working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with

parents/carers” (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2017).

Therefore, I will actively invite members of the local Indigenous community into the

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education process, seeking to use their knowledge and expertise to more effectively teach

the Indigenous students within my classes.

Maintaining low expectations of the educational outcomes, attendance and

behaviour of Indigenous students, has a negative impact on their learning and overall

education experience. Importantly, teachers need to understand how low expectations

effect Indigenous students, if they have any hope of ameliorating its negative

consequences (Hickling-Hudson & Ahlquist, 2003). The insidious and subtle nature of low

expectations often means that teachers have no knowledge of when they are perpetuating

this harmful stereotype. Price (2015) highlights that often teachers will unintentionally

employ low expectations for their Indigenous students, through some kind of “misguided

benevolence”, without realising the harm they are doing to their learners (p. 77). The

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s (2019) Closing the Gap Report 2019

emphasises the importance of lifting the attendance rates and performances of Indigenous

students, which can be seen as an attempt to combat the perpetuation of low expectations.

Additionally, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers also requires that

educators demonstrate the capacity to understand “strategies for teaching Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander students”, which relates directly to the issue of expectations

(Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2017). This is due to the fact

that Indigenous people are saturated with negative perceptions about their identity, which

then has the potential to impact their cultural self-efficacy, often resulting in students who

have a low opinion of their own abilities (Mooney, Seaton, Kaur, Marsh, & Yeung, 2016).

Therefore, teachers need to first beware of this serious issue that effects Indigenous

students throughout their education, so they can then implement strategies to mitigate any

low expectations they may have of their students, or that their students may have of

themselves.

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Given the serious impact that low expectations can have on the engagement and

learning outcomes of Indigenous students, I plan to implement a number of the strategies

developed by the Stronger Smarter Institute. Firstly, I will scrutinise the expectations that I

have of my Indigenous students, ensuring that I don’t inadvertently maintain low

expectations of their attendance, behaviour or academic outcomes. This is due to the fact

that I don’t want to unwittingly disadvantage students by expecting less from them, due to

any subconscious biases (Stronger Smarter Institute, 2018). Additionally, I plan to follow

up Indigenous students and their families when high absenteeism occurs, ensuring that I

maintain the same high expectations and standards for both Indigenous and non-

Indigenous learners (Stronger Smarter Institute, 2018). These strategies will be

incorporated within a strengths-based approach, which will see me identify students’

strengths in their learning, encouraging them to build on their prior knowledge (Stronger

Smarter Institute, 2018). This is particularly important for Indigenous students, who tend

to have low cultural self-efficacy, due to the negative stereotypes projected onto them

daily (Stronger Smarter Institute, 2018). Importantly, throughout my teaching career I will

also have high expectations of my own performance, working to ensure that I am

delivering content that is relevant, challenging and culturally responsive (NSW

Department of Education and Training, 2010). These are some important strategies that I

plan to implement within my pedagogy, to ensure that the Indigenous learners within my

classroom are given every opportunity to engage with the material, as well as succeed

throughout their education.

Understanding the issues that face Indigenous students is an absolutely necessary

step that every teacher needs to undertake. This paper has demonstrated the ways in which

I plan to implement Stronger Smarter pedagogical strategies within my praxis, with the

aim of improving the learning outcomes of Indigenous students within my classes, as well

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as their overall experience in the education system. It has been argued that given the

importance of including Indigenous perspectives within the curriculum, I will use the

Stronger Smarter strategies of inviting Indigenous people into the classroom to deliver

their specific skills and knowledge. Additionally, it has also been shown that I plan to

acknowledge the crucial role the local Indigenous community can play in my school, by

encouraging schools that I work in to begin or continue collaborative developments of

strategies for education Indigenous students. However, as has been discussed, the

limitation of the Stronger Smarter model here is the overreliance on school leadership to

implement this strategy, which leaves individual teachers with little agency in the process.

Finally, it has also been demonstrated that I plan to set and maintain high expectations of

the Indigenous students in my classes, ensuring that I expect the same attendance rates,

behaviour and academic outcomes of all my students.

References
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2017). Australian Professional

Standards for Teachers. Retrieved from https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

Beresford, Q., Partington, G., & Gower, G. (Eds.). (2012). Reform and resistance in

aboriginal education : The australian experience (revised edition). Retrieved from

https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2019). Closing the Gap Report 2019.

Retrieved from https://ctgreport.niaa.gov.au/sites/default/files/ctg-report-

20193872.pdf?a=1

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Lowe, Kevin, & Yunkaporta, Tyson. (2018). The inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander content in the Australian national curriculum: A cultural, cognitive and

sociopolitical evaluation. Redress, 27(2), 18-30.

Mooney, Seaton, Kaur, Marsh, & Yeung. (2016). Cultural perspectives on Indigenous and

non-Indigenous Australian students' school motivation and

engagement. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 47, 11-23.

NSW Department of Education. (2018). Aboriginal Education Policy. Retrieved from

https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/aboriginal-education-and-

training-policy

NSW Department of Education and Training. (2010). Partnership Agreement 2010-2020.

Retrieved from https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-

learning/aec/media/documents/partnershipagreement.pdf

Price, K., & Garlett, Carol, writer of foreword. (2015). Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander education : An introduction for the teaching profession (Second

ed.).

Shipp, C. (2012). Why Indigenous perspectives in school?: A consideration of the

current Australian education landscape and the ambiguities to be addressed in

literacy teaching. English in Australia, 47(3), 20-24.

Stronger Smarter Institute. (2018). An Introduction to Stronger Smarter – Online

Module. Retrieved from http://www.strongersmarterplm.edu.au/content/index/an-

introduction-to-stronger-smarter

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