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Aboriginal and Culturally Responsive Pedagogies – Reflection

This unit has allowed me to explore my own cultural understanding and the effect this

has on my teachings and in creating a positive learning environment. Before this unit I knew

little about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and how to genuinely

incorporate these into the classroom. I felt scared to teach the cross-curriculum priority,

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, because I knew very little and

worried I would not do justice to these teachings. This unit has encouraged me and provided

me with the insight and knowledge needed to authentically include Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander perspectives into my classroom practice. Discussions with Nicole in tutorials

have been helpful in breaking down ideas and allowing fellow future teachers to expose their

thoughts in a safe and respected space. I found many who shared the same view as me

thinking that “we treat everyone the same”, when in fact this does not create an equitable

classroom. Exploring these themes has allowed me to be reflective on how my own cultural

perspective would influence my classroom and the way I teach. Being aware of this has

allowed me to grow as a teacher and has altered my teaching philosophy.

The very first standard in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers states

“know students and how they learn” (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership,

2011). We have been taught from the start of our Masters that not all students are the same

or learn the same way and yet this is the philosophy I had in my head when teaching

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Not wanting to draw attention to students’

differences and instead treating all students the same. This is an injustice in the classroom

and I know that many other teachers must have had the same ideals as I once had. I now

know that it is important to recognise students’ differences and embrace these in the

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classroom. Different cultures bring different perspectives and different ways of thinking

about concepts in the classroom. Students are different in the way they acquire and develop

knowledge and this is based on their beliefs and experiences (Colburn, 2000). In believing that

all students are the same you deny them the opportunity to develop knowledge and

understanding that builds upon their already formed foundational knowledge.

The Stronger Smarter modules allowed me to reflect on my understanding and log this

as I progressed. As a teacher it is important to reflect on your teaching as this is the only way

you will grow and develop into a better a teacher. As I worked through these modules I was

able to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

students face on a day to day basis within our education system. I was also provided with

ideas and skills which I will be able to take into my future classroom to assist the students in

the classroom and school. The inclusion of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

perspectives also further emphasises the importance of the culture to our own identities and

Australian history and is a benefit to all students. The readings from Price (2015) also gave

valuable insight into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and perspectives. Through

these readings I was exposed to different viewpoints and ideals which helped in strengthening

my own philosophy and future practice.

Through the site visit and group project I was able to put my new knowledge to the

test and work on ways of incorporating Aboriginal people’s perspectives into a culturally

rewarding excursion. From this I now have the experience in being able to adapt my

curriculum area content to meet the cross-curriculum priority in an authentic way engaging

and deepening students understanding of Aboriginal perspectives. This has also influenced

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my future teaching practice in that I am now more confident in addressing Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the classroom. I know that I am not alone in sharing

these perspectives and there are many resources and people I can use to help me in creating

an authentic learning environment.

I took the knowledge from this unit into my final practicum focusing on ways I can

incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learnings into my teaching practice. I often

chose to relate content to stories which made concepts easier to understand for the students

and gave them trigger in helping them to remember. I also regularly used images instead of

blocks of text to convey different ideas. This was well received by all the students in the class

and further reinforced the idea that the use of symbols and images are a powerful learning

method for all students (Perso & Hayward, 2015). Often what is beneficial for one or few

students will also aid in the understanding for other students, this is the case with the use of

images and symbols in science. Being able to support something complex and literacy heavy

like a practical method with the use of images of how equipment should be set up helps

deepen students understanding of the task. Both these strategies follow the 8 Ways

Pedagogy, which I will continue to use in the classroom and build upon to help enhance the

learning of all students (Yunkaporta & Kirby, 2011).

This unit has transformed my ideals and teaching philosophy. I use to believe that

treating all students the same was beneficial, but I now realise that this does not create an

equitable classroom. I have a deeper understanding of the social justice issues and loss of

cultural identity that some students in my future classes will feel and I understand that it is

my role as a teacher to give access to these students to different cultural perspectives. This

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not only allows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to further develop their cultural

identity but allows all students to develop an understanding of the history and culture of the

Country in which we live.

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References:

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

Standards for Teachers. Retrieved from

https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

Colburn, A. (2000). Constructivism: Science education’s “Grand unifying theory”. The Clearing

House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 74(1), 9-12. doi:

10.1080/000986552000.11478630

Perso, T., & Hayward, C. (2015). Teaching Indigenous Students: Cultural awareness and

classroom strategies for improving learning outcomes. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen &

Unwin.

Price, K. (2015). A brief history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education in Australia.

In K. Price (Ed.), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education: An introduction for

the teaching profession. Port Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.

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

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

teaching and learning: Toward culturally reflective and relevant education (pp. 205-

213). Victoria, Australia: ACER Press.