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Aboriginal and Culturally Responsive Pedagogies

Reflection

By Michael Alex Murgolo

Western Sydney University

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 A major concern through my Masters Degree was the concept of Aboriginal Pedagogies and
how they would benefit not only my KLA, but my teaching philosophy after its completion. The
notion that Western pedagogies differ significantly from the Aboriginal was an adamant opinion and
meeting the teaching standards 1.4 and 2.4 did grab my attention. From a subjective view, I believed
the unit would provide strategies to help engage and teach students of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander descent rather than inform me of their ways of learning and teaching, as has been done for
over 40,000 years. As a mathematics student with a heavy interest of sports induced pedagogies, I
have stayed optimistic that logical subjects can be taught in a meaningful and engaging way to all
students, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The reflections from peers on the
education of these individuals has been somewhat tainted, where mentions to their academic
achievements and attitudes have been poor (DEEWR, 2011). I believe the challenge with us
educators is not to set them to a high standard and expect major improvements, rather support
these students through a special program that educates them through their cultural pedagogy to
achieve their goals.

Through practicum experience, and research in the readings, I find myself challenged to
teach the specified students in a pedagogical way that supports their values and cultural
applications. According to Di Angelo (2012) numerous western educators have never been given
direct information about racism in society, and often cannot understand it particularly in the context
of teaching philosophies. Perhaps the cultural implications lie in the fact that us educators are not
informed professionally in the diverse pedagogies of cultures, and this prohibits us from exclusively
reaching out to the strengths of individual students and making them flourish in their learning.
Kostogris (2011) mentions the need to shift the focus away from relating to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students to the importance of ethics in everyday classroom events, and start caring
for their futures and the communities of which they belong to. Reflecting on this, by knowing more
of my students and the communities of which they learn in, I can teach my subject by tying its
applications to the land and community which is both engaging and effective to Indigenous students.
Furthermore, there is significant emphasis on communicating with elders and leaders of local
communities, as this allows myself and others to translate knowledge through different mediums of
pedagogies, which diversifies learning and caters to more students in meeting the teaching
standards 1.4 and 2.4.

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 Analysing the readings I was able to become informed of the ways to embed Indigenous
perspectives into the NSW mathematics curriculum. The insights brought forward by the ‘Eight Ways
Pedagogy’ and ‘Reflective Teaching in Darug Classrooms’ have similar elements to the ‘Quality
Teaching Framework’ standard 3, which occupy the significance components of encapsulating
cultural knowledge, connectedness to the local community and learning through narrative (DET,
2003). By thinking prospectively of how to include various strategies to support my students, lesson
planning became significantly easier since it was included in the guideline for assessment 2. From
junior secondary through to senior there were recommendations from sites that allowed the
framework to support curriculum topics through “engagement that left more students focused and
enthused by indigenous pedagogy” (Lowe & Yunkaporta, n.d.). The informative processes involved in
the ‘Eight Ways of Learning’ taught me that cultural competency is better reflected through
educators who are trained to be open minded, and have experienced the cultural norms of those
targeted individuals. “Dadirri” as it is called – is a sign of respect to listen and acknowledge those of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage, therefore by “knowing oneself and an awareness of
how one relates to others is crucial to the work as a teacher in a community” (Harrison & Murray,
2012), this highlights my understanding and application of AITSL standard 2.4 and also presents the
opportunity to reconcile Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in schools (Harrison & Greenfield,
2011).

Being exposed to the subjective views of individuals past and present in literature covering
Indigenous Australian peoples and their role in society, I can recognise the relevant impacts on my
worldview and the complexities and challenges for early teachers. While I cannot honestly say that
my opinion has changed, or that I should conform wholly to the cultural ways of these individuals, I
have certainly developed differential methods to improve both gifted and struggling Aboriginal
students. Policies and practices that support Indigenous youth include ‘Beyond Blue’ and the
‘Stronger Smarter Initiative’, which research shows to decrease the risk of criminal behaviour and
improve self-identity. Garvis (2006) mentions in her article that New South Wales leads Australia in
providing excellent examples of accommodating Aboriginal students without vulnerability to
marginalisation and exclusion, and this reflects the social change that I need as an educator to cater
towards all cultural norms. Additionally, the social implications on non-indigenous students’ needs
to be highlighted and informed so that they too can respect and develop an understanding for
Indigenous peoples. This helps to meet the standard 1.4 where we expose the impact of culture,
identity and linguistics through my key learning area.

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 According to Bodkin-Andrews Et. Al (2010) some qualitative research suggests that
indigenous students are still widely discriminated which negatively impacts on their coping styles
and educational aspirations, as is evident in their low retention rates. This unit has prepared me to
implement pedagogies that are respectful of Indigenous peoples, including differentiating ways to
teach content that can cater to multiple kinaesthetic and cognitive students. From the beginning of
this unit my opinion was adamant that students of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent did
not value education, what I have found is that they do not value westernised education as it has
taken over 40,00 years of learning off the land and connection to the community. The attitudes that
some members of the community still hold indicate that teachers have a duty to instil educational
practices that reverse this opposing nature and fulfilling a multicultural nation (Bodkin-Andrews &
Carlson, 2016). From my growth in the unit and the convenience to apply its content in my
practicum, I now have the experience and confidence to adjust my philosophy to cater for cultural
competencies.

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 References:

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). (2011). Australian Professional
Standards for Teachers. [Online] Retrieved from
http://www.aitsl.edu.au/verve/_resources/AITSL_Australian_Professional_Standards_for_Te
achers.pdf
Bodkin-Andrews, G., & Carlson, B. (2016). The legacy of racism and Indigenous Australian identity
within education. Race Ethnicity and Education, 19(4), 784-807. DOI:
10.1080/13613324.2014.969224
Bodkin-Andrews, G. H., Seaton, M., Nelson, G. F., Craven, R. G., & Yeung, A. S. (2010). Questioning
the General Self-Esteem Vaccine: General Self-Esteem, Racial Discrimination, and
Standardised Achievement across Indigenous and Non-indigenous Students. Australian
Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 20(1), 1-21. Retrieved from https://search-informit-
com-au.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=346891007527930;res=IELHEA> ISSN:
1037-2911
Department of Education and Training [DET]. (2003). A Classroom Practice Guide. Retrieved from
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/australian-teacher-performance-and-
development-framework
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR]. (2011). Improving
outcomes for Indigenous students. Retrieved from
http://www.whatworks.edu.au/dbAction.do?cmd=homePage
Di Angelo, R. (2011). White Fragility. International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, 3(3), 54-70. Retrieved
from https://ap01.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/leganto/readinglist/lists/23057841340001571
Garvis, Susanne. (2006). Optimising the Learning of Gifted Aboriginal Students. International Journal
of Pedagogies and Learning, 2(3), 42-51. Retrieved from https://search-informit-com-
au.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=306476092868894;res=IELHSS>ISSN: 1833-
4105
Harrison, N., & Greenfield, M. (2011). Relationship to place: positioning Aboriginal knowledge and
perspectives in classroom pedagogies. Critical Studies in Education, 52(1), 65-76. DOI:
10.1080/17508487.2011.536513
Harrison, N., & Murray, B. (2012). Reflective teaching practice in a Darug classroom: How teachers
can build relationships with an aboriginal community outside the school. Australian Journal
of Indigenous Education, 41(2), 139-145. Retrieved from https://search-informit-com-
au.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=099912547901344;res=IELIND> ISSN: 1326-
0111.

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Kostogriz, A. (2011). Interrogating the ethics of literacy intervention in indigenous schools. English
Teaching, 10(2), 24-n/a. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-
com.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/docview/926187948?accountid=36155
Lowe, K., & Yunkaporta, T. (n.d.). The inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
content in the Australian National Curriculum: A cultural, cognitive and socio-political
evaluation. Curriculum Perspectives, 33(1), 1-14. Retrieved from
https://ap01.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/leganto/readinglist/lists/23057841340001571