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Option 1:

Improving schooling success and retention in Aboriginal students

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people have undoubtedly experienced a history
of oppression and resistance due to the impact of colonisation and ethnocentrism (Price,
2015; Perso, 2012). These influences have led to racial discourses and ‘cultural resistance’ to
Western education and Australian policies causing significant educational, employment and
health inequalities for Aboriginal Australians when compared with non-Aboriginal
Australians (Bodkin-Andrews & Carlson, 2016). Bodkin-Andrews and Carlson’s (2016)
findings show that while this is known, continued resistance to acknowledge the effect of
these inequalities on the Indigenous population still exists with ongoing ignorance to the
racism that perpetuates this discrimination and harms the identities of ATSI people. It is
therefore imperative that both the Indigenous nation and their culture be respected and
equitably included in Australia’s education system to gain their deserved quality teaching and
learning experiences for increased retention and better futures (Deer, 2013). Deer (2013)
informs that for such improvements to occur, the diverse needs of all Aboriginal students
must be met in mainstream schooling by respecting the cultural values and strengths of their
Indigenous communities. Price (2015) and Sarra (2014) emphasise that teachers are the key
to providing quality education to Indigenous students; teachers who value the diversity of
their students and build positive, respectful relationships with them providing the first-class
education they deserve. In order to achieve this successfully and improve the retention rates
of Indigenous students in schools, I as a future secondary teacher of Western Sydney, NSW
will abide by the NSW Aboriginal Educational Policy (AEP) (NSW Department of Education
(DE), 2010), satisfy the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) (Australian
Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), 2011) and implement the Western
NSW eight-way framework of Aboriginal Pedagogy (Yunkaporta, n.d.).

The nature of relationships between teachers and their Aboriginal students critically relies on
teachers’ abilities to develop and support students’ cultural identity (Dreamson, Thomas, Lee
Hong, Kim, 2016). Cultural identity is strongly linked to self-perception and the way an
individual identifies themselves, but goes beyond the knowledge or belief of self-concept;
Perso (2012) states that cultural identity indicates a sense of belonging or attachment to a
social group with its own distinct culture. For Aboriginal people, cultural identity refers to

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one’s belief that they are Aboriginal and their sense of attachment or significance to an
Aboriginal group or groups (Berry, 1994). Dennis (2007) recognised that cultural identity is
significantly valued by many Aboriginal communities as being first owners, their culture
involves a deep sense of identity and belonging and a strong emotional and spiritual
connection to the land. Still, several Aboriginal youth feel disconnected from their culture
and struggle to find their identities due to cultural dispossession (Graham, 1999).
Consequently, it is imperative that teachers and other schooling associates respect and help
nourish Aboriginal students’ cultural identities as denigrating or denying a child’s identity is
detrimental to their health, education, emotional development and attachment needs (Perso,
2012).

The valuable aspect of education is that it makes students stronger enabling them to acquire a
deep and positive sense of their individual cultural identity; and smarter so they can partake
in a modern society like every other Australian (Buckskin, 2015; Sarra, 2010). To prevent
assimilating Indigenous students into mainstream educational practices, Sarra (2010) stresses
that it is crucial that teachers work to effectively develop Aboriginal students’ sense of
cultural identity alongside the process of making them smarter beings. The question then
becomes, how can teachers enrich the cultural identity of ATSI people? The answer begins
with cultural competency (Gorringe & Spillman, 2009; Perso, 2012).
Cultural competence is defined by Perso (2012) as the ability to compassionately understand,
communicate and interact effectively with people across different cultures through a
congruent system of knowledge, awareness, attitudes, behaviours, skills and policies. It
means one must be deeply aware of and evaluate the influence of their own perceptions and
values on other peoples’ perceptions (Perso, 2012). This forms a product of cultural
responsiveness which involves valuing and respecting the unique identity of every student
(Buckskin, 2015). A cultural lens allows teachers to see and appreciate the modern realities
of ATSI lives enabling them to manage their teaching so it addresses students’ individual
needs and assures classroom tasks connect with students’ everyday lives resulting in them
discovering their cultural identities (Deer, 2013). Culturally competent teachers are able to
empathise without prejudice and bias and making assumptions or generalisations in order to
provide students with a service of practices that improves their results (Buckskin, 2015).
Accordingly, cultural competence enables teachers to achieve standards 3 and 4 of the APST
by planning for and applying effective teaching and learning strategies and developing and
maintaining safe and supportive learning environments (AITSL, 2011) while satisfying point

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1.2.1 of the AEP involving the supply of quality education to ATSI students (DE, 2010). This
in turn fulfils point 1.3.1 of increasing their participation and retention rates in schools (DE,
2010). This is evident as according to Buckskin (2015), failure to possess cultural
competence results in ineffective teaching and reduced school retention rates amongst
Indigenous students due to sustained ethnocentric attitudes and denigrated cultural
perceptions. Contrariwise, cultural competence positively impacts teachers’ relationships
with Aboriginal students and their performance in schools through the acceptance and respect
of the diversity of their cultures, setting high expectations for them and working with the
local Indigenous community to better their educational experiences (Perso, 2012; NSW
Department of Health, 2014).

As established by several scholars (Craven, 2011; Price, 2015; Mooney, Seaton, Kaur, Marsh
& Yeung, 2016; Sarra, 2014; NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Incorporated
(AECGI) & NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) 2004), there is the
generalised notion that cultural differences in learning exists between Indigenous and non-
Indigenous Australians. This is because many Aboriginal students learn better through
collaborative work, observation and imitation and trial and feedback as opposed to verbal
instruction, imagery and visual-spatial learning, holistic learning, contextual learning and
spontaneous learning (Green, 2011; Buxton, 2018; Stewart, 2002). While there are several
recurrent Aboriginal learning styles that endure change, the eight-way pedagogical
framework is explained by Yunkaporta (n.d.) to be a culturally responsive common ground
between mainstream and Aboriginal learning processes that enables Western NSW teachers
to include Aboriginal perspectives in their teaching strategies using ATSI learning
techniques. The eight-way pedagogies include story sharing, learning maps, non-verbal,
symbols and images, land links, non-linear, deconstruct/reconstruct and community links on
the respective basis that aboriginal students connect through sharing stories; picturing
pathways of knowledge; think, view, make, act and share without words; preserve and impart
knowledge using objects and art; learn with education from nature and land, combine diverse
ideas to form new knowledge; learn in whole down to parts and watch then do; and bring
home new knowledge to assist their mobs (Yunkaporta, n.d.). Price (2015) accentuates that
teachers must follow the APST in order to guide their professional practice, learning and
engagement for enhancement of their teaching quality and positive contribution to the
profession; specifically, standards 1 and 2 on knowing students and the best ways they learn
as well as the content and the best way to teach it (AITSL, 2011). By implementing the eight-

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way framework, teachers can successfully achieve standards 1.4 and 2.4 which target the
education of ATSI students and improvement of understandings relative to endorsing
reconciliation (Price, 2015; AITSL, 2011). Yunkaporta (n.d.) emphasises how its significance
to the Indigenous population involves its provision of connections to their heritage which
reaffirms students’ cultural identities while helping to encourage better classroom
engagement. As a result, teachers can improve the retention rates of Aboriginal students and
increase their chances of completing their secondary education (Yunkaporta, n.d.;
Yunkaporta & Kirby, 2011).

With the awareness of these foundations of Aboriginal learning success, I believe that
showing ATSI students that they and their cultures are accepted and respected is the primary
goal in striving to support their learning, success and retention. Craven (2011) proclaims that
accepting and respecting Aboriginal cultures begins with understanding them through
education. I therefore aim to implement learning about Aboriginal cultures and histories
within my Physical Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) classes through
the eight-way pedagogies in order to not only enhance my own cultural competence and
undergo APST 6 of professional learning (AITSL, 2011), but also develop my non-
Indigenous students’ cultural competence as well. For example, the teaching strategy of
yarning circles; a significant communication process within ATSI culture can be used to
discuss how to build positive and healthy relationships in theory-based lessons to implement
story sharing instruction (Yunkaporta & McGinty, 2009). I would begin the activity by either
explaining or having an Aboriginal student; if applicable, explain the purpose of a yarning
circle before allowing students to discuss aspects of positive relationships. This achieves AEP
1.1.3 of increasing people’s knowledge and understanding of ATSI history and culture (DE,
2010) while applying APST 4 by creating positive and supportive learning environments for
Aboriginal students (AITSL, 2011). The collaborative activity itself requires learning through
building respectful relationships and helps to promote the preservation and passing of cultural
knowledge (Yunkaporta & McGinty, 2009). Yunkaporta and McGinty (2009) explain how it
further expands students’ understanding of ATSI knowledge and customs of working
allowing non-Indigenous students to build respect towards their Aboriginal counterparts.
Effectively, such an activity enables Aboriginal students to connect to the traditions of their
culture which attends to their need of developing their cultural identities (Perso, 2012). By
feeling accepted and gaining their individual identities, Aboriginal students are then more

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likely to remain at school and increase their educational achievements for better futures
(Deer, 2013).

Additionally critical to their retention rates and educational success, high expectations for
ATSI students are unconsciously lost amongst teachers (Craven, 2011). Stronger Smarter
Institute (SSI) (2018) emphasises that preconceived discourses about Indigenous students’
behaviour, performance and attendance is the cause for teachers who claim they have high
expectations for Aboriginal students in these areas yet lower them in reality. Cultural
competence enables teachers to examine these beliefs in order to develop consistent and
explicit expectations across the school for all students (Buckskin, 2015). To ensure I maintain
the same high expectations for all students and truly believe that Aboriginal students can
succeed in educational settings and still be strong in their own identities, I will engage in
ongoing critical reflection of my own beliefs about Aboriginal students’ capacities to learn.
Alleviating my mind of cultural misconceptions develops my cultural competence to ensure I
provide Aboriginal students with effective teaching and learning experiences that enforce
high expectations and enhance their self-conceptions which empowers ATSI students’
identities and enhances their achievement of educational outcomes (Buckskin, 2015). I would
use the eight-way pedagogy of learning maps to accomplish this by creating diagrams or
visualisations with my Aboriginal students that represent superior learning processes I expect
of them (Yunkaporta, n.d). For example, planning accomplishment of assessment task
guidelines that achieve high distinction results. By implementing AEP 1.6.1 of creating and
displaying high expectations (DE, 2010) which creates a supportive learning environment as
mandated by standard 4 of the APST (AITSL, 2011), I am able to improve the education and
wellbeing of ATSI students so they can excel and achieve every educational aspect as stated
by AEP 1.3.1 (DE, 2010). Sarra (2010) asserts that doing this, nurtures students to become
stronger individuals and smarter learners, increasing their attendance which is crucial to their
success.

Connectedness to community is imperatively essential in building positive teacher-student

relationships with ATSI students and enhancing their cultural identity for educational
achievements and retention (Craven, 2011). Craven (2011) deduces how consulting with
Aboriginal communities is integral to developing proper curriculum resources for Aboriginal
education and their classroom participation is essential in the process of teaching Aboriginal
students and Aboriginal history. Forming cultural partnerships as such are steps I would take

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under instruction of community links of the eight-way framework (Yunkaporta, n.d.) as
effective learning experiences for Aboriginal students depends on the development of
culturally appropriate and engaging pedagogy (Price, 2015). For example, I would bring
parents, elders and community members as mentors into my classroom to discuss the history
of and teach how to play Aboriginal sporting games in my practical PDHPE lessons.
Collaboration with Aboriginal peoples in the decision making of students’ learning
experiences as such satisfies AEP 1.1.6 (DE, 2010) while enabling me to achieve APST
numbers 6 and 7 by professionally engaging with parents and community members and
professional learning (AITSL, 2011). The active engagement of Aboriginal communities in
schools is said by Perso (2012) to help enhance students’ cultural identities for prolonged
retention as ATSI students require role models of their own cultures involved in their
education to enable greater understanding of the importance of their culture, history and
communities. Involving authentic Indigenous audiences; that is, parents, elders and
community members of students’ own backgrounds bolsters their engagement through
cultural empowerment and the resources and knowledge they bring to the classroom which
support Aboriginal students’ learning needs (AECGI & DET, 2004). Integrating the
resources, skills and knowledge of Aboriginal communities in classrooms is found by AECGI
and DET (2004) to be a highly sustainable method of forming strong and meaningful
relationships between parents, teachers and students making community partnerships
significantly important to the educational success of Aboriginal students.

To conclude, Aboriginal students’ educational success relies on having positive, respectful

relationships with their teachers. By implementing the AEP, APST and eight-way
framework, teachers can form strong relationships with students by planning effective
learning experiences that consist of understanding their cultures’ histories, high expectations
and liaising with Aboriginal community members to enhance the cultural identity of
Aboriginal students. This increases their schooling engagement and retention. Consequently,
Aboriginal students have equitable opportunities to achieve the same educational outcomes as
their non-Aboriginal counterparts, gaining future success.

Word count (minus in-text references): 2, 073

Total word count: 2, 291

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