Teaching and Learning in Aboriginal Education

Before you can understand the historical and contemporary issues for Aboriginal and Torres

Strait islander peoples you must first have knowledge of the history, what they went

through and how it affected them, then and now. As a teacher you can’t incorporate

something you know nothing about that is why it’s important to learn. The three learning

areas of the Australian curriculum for Aboriginal and Torres strait islanders’ studies is

discussed as well as the difficulty teachers face with children having no knowledge or being

too young to hear some of the issues. This essay talks about the importance of self-determination,

community involvement and racism and how these issues have affected

Aboriginal peoples in the past and today. Also discussed is ways we can incorporate these

issues into the curriculum so that students are educated In Aboriginal and Torres Strait

islander history. So that they can create a relationship between the community and

schools and work as one in reconciliation.

Aboriginal History is an important part of Australia’s history, the history of Aboriginal

peoples affect many Aboriginal peoples today from the Invasion, Early policies, and

protection policies, missions/reserves, the stolen generations, assimilation, self determination

and the apology all play an important part in historical and contemporary

Aboriginal issues. It is of high importance to know and understand these aspects when

incorporating them into the classroom curriculum.

Aboriginal people have been here 50-60,000 years prior to the brutish colonisation in 1788

over this time, they have developed their own religions. Aboriginal peoples are very diverse

peoples from location, language, music, dance, song and ceremonies Aboriginal peoples are

people they have their own culture as do Australians and they should be recognised for

these celebrations (Cater, David J p.75).

The Australian curriculum has based the formwork for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander

people on their unique sense of identity, the framework focuses on three key aspects of

identity, people, cultures and Country/place. The purpose of this framework is to expand

the knowledge of both historical and contemporary Aboriginal issues and gain a better

understanding of Australian history, and acknowledge the true history and importance of

the Aboriginal peoples who are the ‘world oldest continuous living culture’(Australian

curriculum, 2015).

When teaching Aboriginal studies or other subjects that link to one of the learning areas
including Country/ place, this learning area In accordance with the curriculum is to provide

materials, resources or excursions that will low students to gain a better understanding of

the two indigenous groups in Australia, the special connection they have for country/place

throughout Australia and their spiritual beliefs of this land. Culture is the next learning area

in the Australian curriculum this learning area covers language and the different groups and

variation of language among indigenous peoples and their individual way of life and the

political and social issues Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people have faced as they

have been in Australia for tens of thousands of years. The third learning areas surrounding

Identity is People this learning area explores more about the diversity of Aboriginal people

and their families and acknowledgement and why it is important. As a future teacher it is

important to understand the curriculum and to gain as much knowledge of what you are

teaching so that the next generations are properly educated in the true history of Australia.

Aboriginal studies can be a very confronting subject to teach and learn about, but it is so

important for the next generation so developing new and innovative ideas of how to teach

children about the history is vital. As a pre-service early childhood educator, the content and

structure for teaching aboriginal studies will be done through many other subjects by

creating cross curriculum links.

For early childhood teachers there are some parts of aboriginal history that may be fa to

confronting for students to hear about or learn about until they get more into primary

school, however it’s important to touch base about these things without going into extreme

depth ensuring, they have a basic understanding so that in the following years they will have

some knowledge and it will not come as a shock.

80 years ago, what does this mean for Australians they were colonised they were recognised

and they had a government that represented them. This was not the case for Aboriginal

people it wasn’t until 50 years ago that Aboriginal people were first recognised as ‘people’.

This is something that the future generation need to be aware of to understand

Aboriginal history so how can this be taught and expended on in the early childhood

profession? Why not children’s book? Or a game. A simple game or group discussion such

as everyone saying their favourite thing they like to eat or do after school or what they want

to be when they get older followed by a discussion of the inability Aboriginal peoples had to

choose to do these things. This is self-determination this could be incorporated into the

curriculum in many ways

Parents are a great way to involve the community in Aboriginal studies but there are other

options to such as excursions to the local museum or sacred site that was Aboriginal peoples
land, even if something is built on it there is still possibilities to create and engaging

geography lesson as such where the discussion of the land and why its recognised as the

land of aboriginal people and how it is acknowledged however for younger children possibly

an elder that has a good relationship with the school/ early learning centre or the Teacher

specifically, might be able to come in and tell story this would be a more engaging and

effective way of discussing community engagement. But involving the community isn’t just

getting someone to come in and talk, involving the community is about making them feel a

part of what is going on involving them in other ways for example asking people from the

community to complete surveys when you’re looking for a way to celebrate reconciliation

week or change the school’s reconciliation Action plan, it is within reach to involve the

community. The wider community may have ideas that are new innovative and creative but

to know first we need to involve them.

“Aboriginality is not a matter of blood or genes it follows that whitefellas can achieve a

measure of Aboriginality…. if we think of Aboriginality as a nationality, it suddenly becomes

easier…acquiring Aboriginality is to a large extent the getting of knowledge” (Gunstone,

Andrew, 2007) what does this mean? Well It could mean something different to every

person who reads it by in relation to reconciliation and Involving the community this means

that we shouldn’t judge based on what is ‘believed to be’ we need to work as one in

reconciliation it will not happen alone therefore involving the community and making them

apart of the school will help to incorporate Aboriginal studies into the curriculum, by

involving everyone providing a better understanding to students, teachers and the wider

community.

We may all look and act different be we are all people. People have feelings, emotions and

rights everyone deserves to be treated right so why are Aboriginal and Torres Strait

islander’s victims of racism? In the 21st century why does racism still exist? As a teacher

these are questions that you may ask yourself and trying to find the answer may not be the

answer but educating the next generation so that over time the people who believe racism

is okay will no longer be here to say so that is why it’s so important that Aboriginal studies is

taught across the curriculum so that people are being educated. In early childhood this is a

topic from both historical and contemporary Aboriginal issues that can be taught well

with young children simply treating all children equally is initially the first part, children are

very impressionable in the early years so as an educator if you treat all students equally

then there shouldn’t be a second thought for most children but for those that ask why one

child is ‘black’ or ‘white’, ‘tall ‘or ‘short’ the answer should be because we are all different
we all come from different backgrounds and families, a simple book about differences could

be read to the children and possibly a YouTube clip on there are so many ways to discuss

how we are all different, but we all deserve to be treated the same. This crosses over into

sports, Maths, science, English and every other subject the same principal applies we will

not all be the same at everything each person is an individual and

therefore, we have different strengths weaknesses, likes and dislikes (Gollan, Sharon, 2012).

In Conclusion there are many ways of incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander

studies into the curriculum the key is to have knowledge and understanding of the historical

and contemporary issues Aboriginal peoples face. An understanding of the community is

also, a vital part of being able to incorporate this subject into the curriculum, fortunately we

all have different cultures and beliefs so making the curriculum links can be done. They key

to this is ensuring the generations of tomorrow are well educated In Aboriginal studies from

foundation to year 12 students need to be learning about the true history of Australia and

they need to be involved in the mending of what was broken so they can learn to appreciate

and accept Aboriginal people and become one we are Australian, and we are all entitled to

the same rights, education and opportunities.

Reference list.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and reporting Authority

>http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/cross_curriculum_priorities.html >viewed 15 September

2015<

Gunstone, Andrew, 2007, Community involvement and education in the 1991-2000 Australian

Reconciliation Process >viewed 15 September 2015 <.

Cater, David john, 2006 Aboriginal history and Australian history >viewed 15 September 2015 <.

Price, Kaye, (2012) Aboriginal and Torres strait islander Education, An Introduction for the teaching

profession, A brief history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education in Australia, >viewed

15 September 2015 <.

Gollan, Sharon, 2012, Teachers and families working together to build stronger futures for our

children in schools > viewed 15 September 2015<.