What are some of the key issues teachers need to consider for working successfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students? Introduction
Teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students requires a number of strategies and ideas which the teacher needs to keep in mind at all times. Teaching Aboriginal students requires sensitivity for their needs and knowledge about Aboriginal cultural conventions. An example of being wary of their needs is understanding the lack of eye contact an Aboriginal student makes with a non-Indigenous teacher. For example, Aboriginal students can avoid direct eye contact to an adult as it is considered rude in Aboriginal culture. However, the opposite (avoiding eye contact) is considered rude in Western society. That is just one minor example. The other key issues teachers must consider, which will be discussed in this paper, are: Understanding racial identity.
The important relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their teachers. The importance of family
Understanding and using the correct terminology
Understanding racial identity
‘We grow up immersed in our own culture, our own experiences and our own language. Through these we construct our understanding of the world’ (Gollan, 2012). Understanding racial identity is important for teachers working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. To gain a better understanding of people, we as humans must first gain an understanding of how people see themselves as this is important to working cooperatively and effectively. ‘Self-descriptions about culture contribute to an individual’s racial identity’ (Purdie, Milgate & Bell, 2011). Racial identity is a vital component of sense of self and is the most significant and positive contributor to one’s self-esteem. This racial identity, referred to as Aboriginal identity, consists of the ‘descriptions and judgments that an Aboriginal person has towards “all that is Aboriginal” (Kickett-Tucker, 2008). Racial identity develops over time. For example, Purdie, Milgate & Bell (2011) argue that, children as young as six months can recognize physical differences in others, even before they develop language. In early adolescence the relationship between teenage racial identity and social class ‘is made when the influence of external sources such as media, police and teachers, and their own cultural group experiences, have a major impact upon the individual teen’s concepts and judgments toward their racial identity’ (Purdie, Milgate & Bell, 2011). Self-concept is formed by trial and error and in this interaction; individuals learn and develop common values, behaviours, roles and identity. Purdie, Milgate & Bell (2011) propose that because Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ racial identity is not acknowledged in classrooms, Indigenous children and youth are at risk for misbehaving, taking poor risks and achieving low grades.
The connection between racial identity and academic outcomes for Indigenous students is clear. However, what needs to be further considered is ‘the relationship between racial identity and health, particularly in regards to the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (Purdie, Milgate & Bell, 2011). Unfortunately there is a huge negative aspect of racial identity in Indigenous students, and that is racism. Racism contributes to the racial identity of Indigenous people who experience it on a variety of levels. Purdie, Milgate & Bell (2011) state, that studies have shown the effects of racism on physical health of adult Aboriginal people, such that those who experience racism have high levels of smoking, marijuana and alcohol abuse, diabetes and substance abuse, and poor physical wellbeing. These dramatic examples of adult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders show just how important it is that racial identity is acknowledged and understood by educators when teaching Indigenous students at younger ages. To show that this is not only a problem in Indigenous Australia, North American studies have shown that children who experience racism have increased depression and a lack of positive affect and sense of wellbeing. This proves that understanding racial identity is a worldwide issue. ‘In Australia, however, we don’t know the impact of racism, especially of subtle and prolonged forms of racism, on the mental wellbeing of Aboriginal children and how this impacts on their academic self-concept and consequently academic achievement and outcomes (Purdie, Milgate & Bell, 2011).
The important relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their teachers The important relationship building teachers must conduct with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students is another key issue teachers must keep in mind for working successfully with Indigenous students. Price (2012) argues that teachers hold a special place in the Indigenous community, especially with parents and caregivers. She states that by “mastering the craft” of teaching, you will be rewarded both personally and professionally over the years of your career (Price, 2012). Over the last 30 years, a number of prepositions have been put forward that will assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to become emotionally healthy, so they can live out their entitlement to becoming a dignified citizen of Australia and the world (Price, 2012). That being said, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australian’s literacy and numeracy achievements is still so large. The Rudd government of 2008 anticipated that this gap would not be closed for 20 years (Price, 2012).
With such a gap in existence, teachers would have to assist their Indigenous students with great effort to do as much as they can to narrow the gap as much as possible. A way teachers could do so is to encourage Indigenous students to learn about who their people are and where they come from, so they then can develop the confidence to pursue literacy and numeracy activities successfully. However, Price (2012) states that there are too many schools where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students do not feel included and proud of their heritage. But with the promotion of self-esteem, self-confidence and pride by teachers who respect children’s cultures, students can become effective learners.
Teachers who engage in this will strengthen their relationships with their Indigenous students, in turn building a more positive learning environment. In 2000, the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DETYA) conducted a report titled, ‘What Works?: Explorations in Improving Outcomes for Indigenous Students’, which analysed performance data from 60 sites and touched upon key indicators that improve Indigenous educational outcomes. Three key practices were identified and the first and most significant one was ‘the recognition, acknowledgement and support of culture’. ‘As a teacher, it is imperative that this set of indicators is observed to ensure marked and significant improvements in outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ (Price, 2012). The importance of family
Family plays a massive part in shaping the culture of Indigenous Australia, and the education setting is no different. Teachers need to understand that when they begin working with Indigenous students, they are dealing with that student’s family too. Gollan (2012) talks about an Aboriginal mother’s expression toward a teacher who will begin teaching her son shortly. In the first paragraph, the mother writes, ‘my son has fundamental human rights, mandating that his well-being and cultural identity is not denied… Together we can work towards minimising this reality, to close the gap between the “them and us” mentality.’ This shows how important it is for teachers to acknowledge the beliefs and views of the Indigenous families; a positive relationship between the teacher and family of Indigenous students can determine the student’s success not only in school, but their success in life. The mother then writes, ‘the employment of Aboriginal [staff] is important to my family and me. We would like to drop him off one day and see Aboriginal [teachers] working alongside non-Aboriginal [teachers] as equals’ (Gollan, 2012). This is how teachers and Indigenous families must interact and work if they wish to work towards closing that “them and us” gap spoken about earlier.
Aboriginal families connected to their own values and beliefs ‘pass on Aboriginal ways of being through stories, taking children back to country and teaching cultural ways’ (Gollan, 2012). This means that Indigenous families who are unhappy with their own culture being taught by someone who is not a part of that culture, pull their children out of that school system and take them back to their roots so the children can learn their identity and who they are and how they should be. Gollan (2012) states that Aboriginal families have stories of teaching practices that have disrespected and harmed the wellbeing of their children and community. This will weaken, if not fully extinguish, the relationship between the teacher and the family of the Indigenous student. Literally thousands of Aboriginal adults live with the trauma caused by the removal policies such as the Stolen Generation and now their children are traumatised by the thought that they were unwanted. These Indigenous families now can’t send their children to schools due to this past trauma. Therefore, no relationships can be built between teachers and Indigenous families. Another problem is the fear of racism from Indigenous families. Gollan (2012) states that 93% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, interviewed by Gallaher, Ziersch, Baum, Bentley, Palmer, Edmondson and Winslow (2009), experienced racism at least sometimes and 66% experienced it often. These are shocking statistics. Due to experiencing racism, young Indigenous children may be ‘distrusting of non-Indigenous people and feel intimidated, on entering school for the first time, to be surrounded by a majority of non-Aboriginal people’ (Gollan, 2012). Lastly, speaking of relationships, teachers must acknowledge and understand that child-parent relationships amongst Aboriginal people can be very different from that of non-Aboriginal families. Understanding and using the correct terminology
‘To encourage students to respect their own cultural heritage and that of others, including the cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, is one of the fundamental goals of Australian education. Therefore, the use of appropriate terminology and content that promotes respect and understanding is vital.’ This quote comes from the National Principles and Guidelines for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies K-12 Curriculum Corporation, Victoria. Although it may seem fine, there are many words, phrases and terminology that are considered offensive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Some examples are in the following table:
Less appropriate terminology
More appropriate terminology
Myths/legends
Dreaming stories
Aborigines
Aboriginal people
Tribal
Traditional
Blacks
Aboriginal people
Whites
Non-Aboriginal people
Tribe
Aboriginal people
Clan
Family groups
Conclusion
From acknowledging and understanding these key ideas, non-Indigenous teachers can work towards closing that gap, spoken of earlier, between themselves and their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. If teachers took the time to understand racial identity and used the correct terminology while engaging with their students, positive relationships will form, in turn giving the students the confidence and willpower to learn both under direct teaching as well as independently. Understanding the significance of family in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is crucial due to the proud heritage of Indigenous Australians and teachers should work hard to embrace this culture and history which will strengthen relationships between non-Indigenous and Indigenous peoples.
References
http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/education/teaching-aboriginal-students#ixzz2dhB7fcHY Gollan, S 2012 ‘Teachers and families working together to build stronger futures for our children in schools’ UWA Publishing, Crawley, Western Australia, pp. 149-173. Kickett-Tucker, C 2008, ‘How Aboriginal peer interactions in upper primary school sport support Aboriginal identity’, Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, vol 37, pp. 138-151. Price, K 2012, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education: an introduction for the teaching profession, Cambridge University Press, Purdie, N, Milgate, G & Bell, R 2011, Two way teaching and learning: toward culturally reflective and relevant education, ACER Press, Camberwell, Victoria.
