Aboriginal and Culturally Responsive Pedagogies- Assessment 2- Reflection

Through completing this unit, my understanding of embedded racism and disadvantage has

deepened, enabling reflection on my own interactions with others, my own upbringing and

the stereotypes I saw as common place, as a young child, without even realising. Critical

thinking and reflection has enabled me to deeply contemplate and be able to assess and

explain deep-rooted racism and disadvantage; developing an understanding of how I can be

a change agent, using pedagogical tools to enlightened students about the dominant

discourses, that are present within society. While also providing a safe space for Indigenous

students to express their cultural identity and personally develop, in order to become more

than what common stereotypes expect of them. Therefore, this reflection will look at how

specific readings and hands-on tutorial activities have developed my perspectives not only

has a person but as a future teacher. Further, how this links to the Australian Professional

Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute for teaching and School Leadership AITSL,

2011), the Quality Teaching Framework (Department of Education, 2003), eight ways

learning pedagogy (Yankaporta & Kirby, 2011) and the cross-curriculum priority of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures (NSW Education Standards

Authority, NESA, 2017), in providing a framework for teachers to develop quality teaching

environments for all students. These policies and frameworks in conjunction with readings

and practical application of teaching and learning activities, have provided a platform in

which my teaching has evolved and how pedagogies for including Indigenous students are

also a platform of inclusion for all students.

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Criteria 1: Clearly and coherently discuss your main learning in this unit, incorporating reflection

on readings as well as specific learning experiences in the unit

Particular readings have shown me just how deep and embedded racism and white superiority is

within our society. DiAngelo’s ‘White Fragility’ (2011) highlights many factors that

demonstrate how ingrained white supremacy is and how unaware many are of the inherent

racism that permeates society. The most prominent factors that I felt I could relate to early

in my life, due to ignorance, are segregation and universalism. Throughout a lot of my

upbringing, I was segregated from others who were not considered white. I was told where

the best schools and suburbs were, but perhaps because they weren’t necessarily ‘good’,

they were white and that enabled my parents and ultimately myself to feel racially

comfortable. Through considering this I have been able to put myself in situations where I

have felt racially uncomfortable, especially through my practicum experiences in Western

Sydney Schools and I am grateful for this, as I have been able to build stamina around

discourses of racism and feel comfortable in situations that highlight race and racial

difference. While I can now articulate and explore inherent racism and disadvantage in

society, the next step of my education was exploring how I can instigate effective change

and effective teaching in my classroom for minority groups, especially Indigenous students.

Chris Sarra’s high expectations framework (2003) and many practical experiences in tutorials have

provided me with strategies to effectively support Indigenous students in my classroom.

Rouland and Adams (2015) explain Sarra’s high expectations relationship as an authentic

two-way relationship that is both supportive and challenging. These expectations should be

both collective and individually aligned to students in order to see progress. While this is a

concept that Sarra developed in order to engage Indigenous students, this is also an

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 effective strategy for all, in which I practiced during my second practicum experience. The

class had set expectations, and I had developed activities and a seating plan that

endeavoured to provide a quality teaching environment (DET, Quality Teaching Framework,

2003). While I now have methods for providing all students with a quality learning

environment, I had to consider how I would implement effective teaching and learning

strategies that could align with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

(NESA, 2017). During tutorials, we participated in many hands-on activities that highlighted

Indigenous cultures. One that is particularly prominent in my mind is the introduction to the

site of Berry Island and creating a topographic map, linking curriculum areas such as Art and

Geography, while skilfully highlighting Indigenous cultures and histories. This has been

beneficial in developing my metaphorical teacher tool kit.

Criteria 2: Analyses your contribution to your team initiative with reference to relevant principles

and concepts outlined by ACARA/BOSTES /cross-curriculum priority areas

This unit has enabled myself and my team to successfully meet the cross-curriculum priority of

addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander histories and cultures (NESA, 2017). I

specifically have been able to incorporate aspects of effective writing in English, with

aspects of Indigenous cultures, through utilising the eight ways pedagogy, using strategies

such as story-sharing, learning maps and deconstruct/reconstruct (Yankaporta & Kirby,

2011). Students use the dreamtime story of Dauma and Garom, using digital story boarding

and learnt aspects of the significance of dreamtime stories for Indigenous communities, to

recreate the story as their own interpretation. Through deconstructing and reconstructing

(Yankaporta & Kirby, 2011) the text, students deepen their knowledge and understanding of

the texts meaning and significance. Further, meeting the Australian Professional Standards

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 for teaching (AITSL, 2011) 1.4 and 2.4. Through the teaching the Indigenous value of

dreaming and dreamtime stories, the standard 1.4- ‘Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander students’ (AITSL, 2011) is met. As Indigenous students feel included

and have been provided with a platform to discuss their culture and cultural identity.

Further, aligning with standard 2.4- ‘Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous

Australians’ (AITSL, 2011). This is achieved through the activity of understanding and

appreciating Indigenous values of dreamtime stories but is also present through the unit of

work’s site visit to the Australian Museum, where the class would consult with an

Indigenous community member. The collaborative formation of the unit of work developed

by our group, has been extremely beneficial in practicing planning for teaching and learning

strategies that connect to Indigenous students and communities.

Criteria 3: Reflects on what you have learned for yourself, how you have changed and the

implications for your future practice as an educator

While my understanding of embedded racism, white supremacy and racial disadvantaged has

developed throughout the course of the unit, my teaching pedagogy has evolved to be more

inclusive and respectful towards minority groups histories and cultures, such as Indigenous

Australians. Key readings such as DiAngelo (2011), have made it clear inherent racism and

disadvantage in society, being a platform for reflection on my own upbringing, prejudices

and assumptions that I conformed to as a young adult. By being able to critically consider

ideas presented by DiAngelo (2011) I am more aware of dominant discourses and being able

to refute them or being more comfortable in being uncomfortable confronting racism and

stereotypes. If first I am able to work on myself, then I am to begin to consider how I can

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 effectively provide meaningful education for not only Indigenous students but all students. I

feel it is important first to build a positive learning environment and this can be achieved

through high expectations relationships (Sarra, 2003) with students. Setting expectations

and expecting progress and effort from all students, allows students to feel supported and

challenged to succeed. Developing teaching and learning strategies that include the

standards 1.4 and 2.4 (AITSL, 2011) and eight ways pedagogy (Yankaporta, Kirby, 2011),

allows me as an educator to involve students from Indigenous backgrounds and teach other

students about the cultures and histories of Indigenous communities; creating

acknowledgement, respect and understanding for Indigenous cultures and histories.

The value of this unit is immense in providing a platform for student teachers to critique their own

assumptions and prejudices about racism, white supremacy and disadvantage. While also

learning valuable, future focused teaching and learning strategies to enrich the educational

experience of Indigenous students. Providing myself and others with a platform to practice

and continue to enhance our ability to meet the needs of all students in our classrooms,

well into the future. Completing this unit while completing my second practicum experience

means I have had the opportunity to practise some key learnings in the unit and anticipate,

through reflection, how I can improve this as I enter the profession of teaching.

By Hannah Mahoney 17426552 5

References

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2011). Australian Professional Standards

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

Department of Education and Training. (2003). Quality teaching framework. Retrieved 15 October

2019 http://www.darcymoore.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/qt_EPSColor.pdf

DiAngelo, R. (2011). White fragility. International journey of critical pedagogy. 3(3), 54-70.

Retrieved http://libjournal.uncg.edu/ijcp/article/view/249/116

New South Wales Department of Education (2014). Australian professional standards for teachers.

Retrieved from https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/8658b2fa-62d3-

40ca-a8d9-02309a2c67a1/australian-professional-standards-

teachers.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID

New South Wales Education Standards Authority. (2017). Cross-curriculum priority; Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Retrieved October 30 2019

https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-

areas/science/science-7-10-2018/learning-across-the-curriculum

Rauland, C., & Adams, T. (2015). A stronger; smarter future: Multicultural education in

Australia. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 23(4), 30-35. Retrieved from

https://search.proquest.com/docview/1655359280?accountid=36155

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Sarra, C. (2003). Indigenous education leadership institute. In Australian College of

Educators. (Ed.). Young and black and deadly: Strategies for improving outcomes for

indigenous students. (pp. 74-89). Deakin West, A.C.T.

Yankaporta, T. & Kirby, M. (2011) Yarning up Aboriginal pedagogies: A dialogue about eight

Aboriginal ways of learning. In Purdie, N., Milgate, G. & Bell, H. (Eds.) Two way teaching and

learning (pp. 205-213). Victoria, Australia: ACER Press.

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