Student: Andrew Vagg S00208130 Lecturer: Naomi

Wolfe
Assignment 3: Academic Essay Written reflections and Critical
Analysis

Critically analyse and reflect on one of the 6 chosen thematic areas of this
unit. Examine the significance and relevance of your chosen thematic to
your future role as a teacher, identify strategies to enhance your
effectiveness in the classroom, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres
Straight Islander students.
Chosen sematic: Indigenous Knowledge

How can incorporating traditional Indigenous Australian

Knowledge into the classroom promote teachers effectiveness
and what are some strategies?

The Indigenous people of Australia are the oldest human culture found on
earth and have lived in Australia for over 40 thousand years. This exceeds
the findings of any other human culture by a very long time. Respecting
and using traditional knowledge in the classroom can work as a strategy
to enhance Indigenous students potential. This essay will be looking at
traditional Indigenous knowledge and education and how it differs to
Western knowledge and education. It will also examine the problems and
disadvantages that Indigenous students are faced within the classroom,
the importance for teachers to understand Indigenous knowledge, and
ways of including Indigenous knowledge into teaching strategies and
practices.

A cultural belief system immensely impacts the behaviour, attitude, social

structure and values of the people in that culture. There are many
different and contrasting opinions in todays society on what knowledge is
(Akena, 2012). Indigenous knowledge has been accumulated over
thousands of years of direct experience and close observations of the
natural world (Watts, 2013). Knowledge and beliefs have been pasted
down from generation to generation, through the use of story-telling,
artistic drawings and painting, songs, dance and also by the teachings of
the Elders and the whole community. One important aspect of Aboriginal
knowledge comes from their spirituality, believing that all things are
interconnected and related. Like many other religions Aboriginal culture
believes that people along with their environment were created by a
god/gods in a period of creation. This period of creation which is referred
to as the dreaming is represented by stories, art, music, dance and
landscape feature. In contrast, Western culture along side the scientific
revolution tends to believe that the world was created arbitrarily and that
spirituality is false (Akena, 2012). A common conception in western
thought is that Knowledge is regarded as information that originates
outside of humanity and is based on scientific principles and procedures
(Akena, 2012, p. 609). For something to be deemed as true, there must be
physical evidence. This perception of the world is very different to the
Aboriginal peoples perspective and has caused an immense amount of
problems for the Aboriginal people. It is through understanding the
differences in cultural beliefs that can ultimately promote teachers
effectiveness in the classroom. It is also just as valuable to respect the
impact that European colonization had on the indigenous population.

Since the for-coming of the European settlers into Australia, the Aboriginal
and Torres Straight Islander people have been largely robbed of their land,
culture, spirituality and identity (Partington, 1998). The Aboriginal people
were first seen by the European people as a primitive and undeveloped
race and because of this the Aboriginal people were abused, killed,
separated, relocated and forced to fit into European culture. The
happenings of the past have had a devastating impact on the Aboriginal
people and they are still effected by it today. Studies have shown that the
Indigenous people of Australia are at a disadvantage compared to the
non-Indigenous people of Australia ("4727.0.55.003 - Australian Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey: Biomedical Results, 2012-13",
2016). When comparing Indigenous people to non-Indigenous people,
studies have shown that Indigenous people are more likely to have poorer
health, lower levels of education and employment, shorter life
expectancies, and have a higher risk of being abused. These
disadvantages can be caused by racism, discrimination, poor living
circumstances, addiction, abuse, poor social policies and can all have a
negative Impact on an Indigenous students learning. Through this
understanding of the Indigenous peoples background and history,
teachers can use this in an advantageous way to understand and
influence the younger generation within the classroom. It is also important
for teachers to understand the differences in both Indigenous and non-
Indigenous education methods.

When comparing the traditional Aboriginal Education system with our

current education system, we can see significant differences. In Aboriginal
culture, it was the role of the Elders to teach the young, alongside with
mother nature (Watts, 2013). Children would learn the knowledge of the
world through listening, exploring and observing their vast expanding
classroom, that is mother nature. Significant emphasis would be put on
teaching the children moral, social and cultural values so that the children
could flourish in the world; spiritually, socially and economically. Education
was tailored to meet the needs and gifts of the individual child, building on
their intellectual, emotional and physical needs as well as nurturing their
gifts. In comparison, our modern day Western education system has
tended to put an enormous emphasis on developing childrens intellectual
capabilities, but not so much emphasis on developing and nurturing the
diverse and distinct need of the students (Watts, 2013). Some of these
needs being self-worth, self-identity and cultural identity. These human
needs being met are fundamentally important for the success of students.
In the past Indigenous students have been deprived of these needs and
consequently have been left feeling insecure and confused about their
identity. Through identifying and understanding the different needs and
requirement of the students in the classroom, this can enhance the impact
that a teacher can have on their students. Along with this, teachers need
to understand the other complications that may effect a students
education.

Education plays an important role that attributes to the success and well-
being of a persons future. Studies have shown that having a low level of
education can impact a persons income, employment, social status and
can effect their self-esteem. In 2008 the productivity commission reported
that 63 per cent of year 5 indigenous students achieved the national
minimum standard for reading compared with 92 percent of their non-
indigenous counterparts (SCRGSP 2009, p.4.41). There are many
attributes that can effect Indigenous students schooling such as living
circumstances, poor social communities, limited funding and poor
teaching. The findings from above show that schools, communities and
governments are failing their Indigenous students and that there is a need
for change.

There are numerous proven ways to work with this disconnection between
the Indigenous and non Indigenous philosophies. Including Indigenous
history, perspectives and people into school programs is one such
method. It can help build communities, engage students and enhance
their learning. For Indigenous students to have a better chance at
succeeding in education, a new and modern curriculum needs to be
implemented into schools (Troy, 2012). One that includes Indigenous
perspectives and knowledge. Along with this schools need to collaborate
with the Indigenous people of their area to come up with multicultural
programs tailored to meet the needs of the students in the classroom.
This would support a culturally diverse learning program and benefit
students learning by meeting their distinct needs. A project was
conducted by the NSW board of study that aimed to teach students
mathematics in conjunction with Aboriginal history and knowledge (Perry
& Howard, 2008). Students were taken on a field trip to an old Aboriginal
community site where they were met by an Aboriginal man who talked to
them about the Aboriginal history, land and environment. After the talk
the students were given mathematic activities and were asked to
measure, map and calculate different aspects of the land that had been
talk about. The field trip gave both Indigenous and non-Indigenous
students a cultural understanding of the land whilst also building on their
mathematic knowledge in a practical way. Students also found it very
engaging to be out in nature and learning about the Aboriginal culture
from an Aboriginal man. The field trip was very successful and promoted
recognition of the Aboriginal culture thus supporting equality for both
Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

Another method to improve the overall well being of Indigenous students

is through teaching an Australian language. This can act as a catalyst to
promote student engagement and also build Indigenous students sense of
identity and self esteem. Australian Indigenous languages have been
largely excluded from the Australian education system in the past (Troy,
2012). This has had a negative impact on Indigenous students learning,
making it more difficult for them to understand and comprehend the
curriculum being taught, as English is not their first language. A good way
of implementing an Indigenous language into the classroom can be
accomplished through the guidance and support of the Indigenous
community. Working in collaboration with the members of the Indigenous
community can benefit the classroom by equipping teachers with the
appropriate knowledge that they need for teaching an Indigenous
language. It has been commonly recognized that a majority of teachers
have not possessed the sufficient knowledge that they needed when
teaching an Indigenous language (Troy, 2012). This has led to students
gaining a superficial understanding of the Indigenous culture and people.
One strategy that can be used is inviting and Indigenous person into the
classroom to tell the students a story. After the story is told, the teacher
can then work in collaboration with the Indigenous person to translate
significant words from the story into the Indigenous Language. This would
connect Indigenous and non-Indigenous students to the Indigenous
culture, embracing Aboriginality and fostering a deeper understanding of
the Aboriginal culture through the support of the community.

Another aspect of importance that can promote Indigenous students

learning is relating information to real world experience. Research has
found that student learning can highly benefit when the information being
taught is relevant to the students lives (Clarke, Roche, & Mitchell, 2008).
In the Aboriginal culture the world is viewed as an interconnected reality,
where in everything is related (Watts, 2013). Information is connected to
the whole to form a coherent picture of the world. By relating subjective
knowledge to real life experience and phenomena, this would support
Aboriginal students by learning in an alliance with their traditional
education system.

Another strategy that can enhance Indigenous students learning is holding

an appropriate level of expectations for students work. Studies have
shown that holding high but appropriate levels of expectations of
students work can work as a key motivator for students; engaging them
and improving their outcomes (Clarke, Roche, & Mitchell, 2008). In the
past, a majority of Indigenous students have regularly been seen as
incompetent learners by teachers and consequently teachers have
tended to lower their expectations of their students work (Partington,
1998). When a teacher does not hold an appropriate level of expectations
for their students, students can tend to lose interest in their work. Holding
the right expectations is a key attribute to motivate students to strive for
their best and achieve a sense of fulfillment in their work. By holding the
right level of expectations, this can work as a strategy to enhance and
improve students learning.
Another useful method to promote student engagement and community
development in schools is though sport. Sport is an integral part of the
Australian culture, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous combined. It is
clear from studies conducted that sports programs are immensely
beneficial to marginalized communities. According to Grieve & Sherry, 5
out of 6 sports programs deliver major benefits to the community at large
(2012). Based off this understanding, strategies can be implemented
connecting the local sporting community, the school and the classroom to
benefit Indigenous students and enhance the sense of community created
within the school and classroom.

As seen above there are many differences between the Indigenous

cultures and the Western culture of Australia and understanding these
differences is a crucial aspect for teaching Indigenous students. Teachers
must have a firm understanding of the history and the background of the
students in their classroom so that they can meet the needs of those
students. By involving the local Indigenous people into school program,
this helps build strong communities and promotes equality. Through
incorporate Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into the classroom,
teachers can form highly beneficial strategies and approaches for
teaching Indigenous students that engages and enhances their learning in
the classroom. In conclusion, all people of Australia have a right to be
educated. By teachers, schools, governments and communities
collaborating together, this will highly benefit the next generation of
students and promote a culturally diverse and equal society.
List of work Cited:

4727.0.55.003 - Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

Survey: Biomedical Results, 2012-13. (2016). Abs.gov.au. Retrieved 6 May
2016, from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4727.0.55.003

Akena, F. (2012). Critical Analysis of the Production of Western Knowledge

and Its Implications for Indigenous Knowledge and Decolonization. Journal
Of Black Studies, 43(6), 599-619.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0021934712440448

Battiste, M. & Henderson, J. (2000). Eurocentrism and the European

Ethnographic Tradition. In M. Battiste, Protecting Indigenous Knowledge
and heritage. (1st ed., pp. 21-34). Canada: Purich.
Clarke, D., Roche, A., & Mitchell, A. (2008). 10 Practical Tips for Making
Fractions Come Alive and Make Sense. Mathematical Teaching In The
Middle School, 13(7), 372-380.

Grieve, J. & Sherry, E. (2012). Community benefits of major sport facilities:

The Darebin International Sports Centre. Sport Management Review,
15(2), 218-229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2011.03.001
Partington, G. (1998). Perspectives On Aboriginal And Torres Straight
Islander Education (1st ed.). Sydney: Cengage.

Perry, B., & Howard, P. (2008). Mathematics in Indegenous Contexts: Bob

Perry and Peter Howard discuss the development of teaching and learning
strategies designed to enhance Aboriginal students' mathematics learning
outcomes. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 13(4), 4+.

SCRGSP (Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service

Provision) (2009). Overcoming Indigenous disadvantages: Key indicators
2009. Canberra: Productivity Commission.
Troy, J. (2012). Chapter 9 - Language and literacy. In K. Price, Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Education An Introduction for the Teaching
Profession (2nd ed., pp. 131 - 150). Melbourne: Cambridge University
Press.

Watts, M. (2013). Indigenous History & Tradition / Indigenous Studies

teacher guide 4. (2nd ed.). Queensland: Knowledge Books & Software.