Indigenous Education: Learning Strategies And Practices In Australia

The importance of Indigenous culture and perspectives in education

The following discussion is based on the findings and studies made on the learning strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students.  The Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islander people are the owners and custodians of cultural knowledge and their rules and protocols have developed over many centuries.  The aim of this topic is to gain a clear understanding of their culture and how education would influence them.  The discussion further identifies how the indigenous education aligns with the role of professionals to act as advocates for children and recognizes the contribution of the Indigenous people in the Australian society. 

Prior to Age Schools

In early childhood, many children experience changes in both development and knowledge. This is no different in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. For their knowledge and early education, many preschools have become a social norm and from the age of 4, kindergartens are available. Preschool also have an outside school setting that allows private community, cultural based programs and even long day care programs (Bartleet et al., 2014). The value and the idea is supported by the national as well as the oversea studies that helps in identifying range of benefits for preschool attendees. Other than the basic language, literacy, numeracy, cognitive and problem solving skills, for the Aboriginal children, they take the best advantage possible for their educational benefits. As per studies show, many method have been applied that includes a comprehensive measure on the background of the family, and from that it has been found almost 80% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are sent to school by the time they reach the age of 4  (Dreise & Thomson, 2014). Studies show that early in early childhood programs have made significant differences in the outcome of a child. For the Aboriginal children, as education is an added advantage to them, they do get lessons starting from rhyming, syllabification and pre-literacy skills (Hunt & Smith, 2018). Even the teachers develop a sequence that would integrate the literacy and the numeric strategy. When the resources and the activities are carefully selected, they relate to the farming areas so that the children can familiar themselves with the environment. To the teachers, this is an effective method to interact with the students, as this approach is completely different from that of a normal school (Stewart & Lewthwaite, 2016). In pre-schools, there are also displays of Aboriginal resources that include musical instrument, artworks, maps, flags and books. The children from a young age are exposed to the history and culture so that by the time they reach primary school, they would have a good knowledge.  Prior to age schools do not focus too much on subject but rather to develop a sense of understanding. These schools submerge the children in an area where they can grow and understand what would be the best initiative for learning.   

Learning strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

When the children reach primary school, it is by then they are exposed to better and advantaged method of education. When teachers also challenged to adopt the practices that would facilitate the development of the skills required for strategy learning. This has brought forth many changes as the teachers plan, program and facilitate new and authentic methods of learning. First, what the educational system focuses is the interest of the students to learn. By the time the students reach primary school, the schools make the students realize the importance of their origin (Tomyn, Tyszkiewicz, & Norrish, 2014). It is also mentioned that the schools inspire the students to speak in their native language so that they can talk freely. As per studies show, Aboriginal students reflect better outcome in the result when their identity is valued. In primary school, what the institution mainly focuses on is the learning identification. When there is the option of cultural identification, it is easier for the students to learn and identify their subjects. The quality of teaching is a key theme in creating a proper educational based environment for the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders (Johnson & Oliver, 2014). The main factor identifies that the roles of teachers and the students in regards to cultural awareness, social management, parent teacher relation, prier-learning plans and staff training. The students also get the benefit of learning about the history of the Aboriginals through poems and songs that explain the history and the culture in a simplified manner. Schools make many initiatives for the students and through means of participation of the parents and elders. There are plans that express the worries with long stand convictions, with this the potential approach makes the understanding clear to the students (Hume et al., 2014). From the preferred standpoint, it can be said that planning made by these institution not only aims at improving the interaction of the student. The Indigenous students are taught to value oppression and rights as disregarded as a loss of identity and would include the inter-generational traumas that were faced by their ancestors. There is a huge diversity of ingenious people and the institution presents an understanding of the knowledge by considering the source of the people and the society (Kapellas et al., 2014). When the plan is to operate outside the knowledge system, the shift paradigm allows different options. Primary schools also offer extra-curriculum activities for the students like interaction and games that allows cognitive development. Activities and programs are culturally strong enough to map the different forms of education to create a strong mindset based on culture. The primary school students learn and interact from their teachers and the school environment. Once they have sense of understanding and by interacting with others, they can set a goal that they want to achieve. Action plan are set by the school to provide an overall framework for creating a high standard learning experience all the Indigenous children. Once they have a proper relation with the parents, it is easier for the school to become familiar with the students. 

Early childhood education for Indigenous children

As part of the Bachelor of Education program I was enrolled in, what I found out is that the Indigenous people presents their understanding of social minds sets in regard to changing perceptions over time. What I understood is that the people holds attitude to their background and their history and are essentially proud. The attitudes explained, highlights the wide range of methods that I can use to teach the Aboriginals. First, it should be understood that the power relations that is experience by indigenous families that is historically based in the country (Biddle, 2014). There is also difference between the Western Balanda and the North-Eastern Yolgnu, though both of them are indigenous in nature, there is a vast difference in culture between the two. Teachers should emphasize between the two as their behavior can be used to distinguish the two cultures. To educate Indigenous students professionally, as a teacher, the method of warm demanding should be used so that the student gets the idea that they are being cared for. Professional teacher are very close to the students that event outside the schools and the educational centers, they care for them (Vass, 2014).  By employing humor for self and not directing to the students, it would create an excellent educational environment. Jokes are applicable but not sarcasm. Once there is a healthy learning environment, the student himself or herself would be interested in learning more.  

To identify racism and prejudice, the behavior of the students should be observed closely. Racial elements can come from the parents or even from other children at the school. If there is a quarrel or a fight between an Indigenous and a non-Indigenous student over a simple reason, most of the time it is due to racial factors. To address this issues proper interaction should be done among the student so that there is the difference in race does not become a factor from an early age.  

With the rise of Indigenous communities, there have been many advantages that allows the option to reclaim, revalue the language and tradition (Bowes & Grace, 2014). As there is a shift toward the expansion of understanding the elements of indigenous models in regards to education. The education communities that are made for the Indigenous students tend to celebrate the diversity of learning and see global support that is directed towards teaching traditional forms. This way of learning and teaching has been beneficial for both students and teachers. However, in many of these communities another beneficial factor is the involvement of the parents. As a parents of the students invest a lot of time and dedication for their children (Schwab, 2018). It can be said that there are these ethical behaviors would be the approaching method for the school. The educational perspectives of the Indigenous students are more of an activity rather than teaching in the old traditional method. It is known that the supporting development for curriculums in schools is a contributing factor to identify that the parents’ involvement. The factors that help in understanding the factors that the students highlighted the curriculum content in specific areas. Management based factors help in identifying that and highlighting effective communication between the teacher, student and the parents (Malseed, Nelson & Ware, 2014). The most functional and common theme is the students identification of what they want to be. The role of the parents and the teachers is to inspire the student with examples and lessons and then it for the student to understand what would be the right path to choose. 

Primary school education for Indigenous students

There are also many programs based for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child that makes a public regarding the place places where children can grow up. One of the most important factor, that is looked into is socialization. When the objective of the educational centers is to highlight concerns as per every instructor, there is no issue to amid correspondence. The teachers are very much inclined to introduce new methods that would be beneficial than the last. An example being that a child who is taught a particular subject would gain knowledge as experience from it (Ladwig & Luke, 2014). A child who is good at counting would initially become good at mathematics or a child who has deep knowledge of geography can later get a good understanding of different sediments and the impact of the climate and the land. For the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, it should be looked the study presents the idea that when the students are given a chance to learn, they can use it to their advantage. When teachers spend time with their students, they can understand that what needs to be done to gain their interest.  The teachers can work according to the interest of the students to know what they like and what they are not comfortable with. If there is a chance that the teacher is Non-Indigenous then it is important they should spend time familiarizing with the Aboriginal culture so that they can understand and relate to the students (Hewitt & Walter, 2014). According to “Closing the Gap” which is a strategy to minimize the issues related to the childhood education, there has been many initiatives that has controlled the ongoing issues. As the Ingenious community of Australia face a lot more problems in regards to education than the non-Indigenous community. 

Conclusion

Therefore, from the above discussion it can be concluded that there is the strategies that are used to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the cultural traits affects the educational attributes of the Aboriginal students. The methods and strategies discussed above help in understanding the cultural difference between the non-Indigenous people and the Indigenous people. The study explains the understanding and the respect for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, languages in regards to how they maintain their status. The role of the teacher is to assert the students and know how to help them the best possible way and using these methods it can be said that the initiatives taken by the educational institutes have improved the current condition.

Professional growth and learning as a teacher

References

Bartleet, B. L., Bennett, D., Marsh, K., Power, A., & Sunderland, N. (2014). Reconciliation and transformation through mutual learning: Outlining a framework for arts-based service learning with Indigenous communities in Australia. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 15(8).

Biddle, N. (2014). Developing a behavioural model of school attendance: policy implications for Indigenous children and youth.

Bowes, J., & Grace, R. (2014). Review of early childhood parenting, education and health intervention programs for Indigenous children and families in Australia.

Hewitt, B., & Walter, M. (2014). Preschool participation among Indigenous children in Australia. Family Matters, (95), 41.

Hume, A., Wetten, A., Feeney, C., Taylor, S., O’Dea, K., & Brimblecombe, J. (2014). Remote school gardens: exploring a cost?effective and novel way to engage Australian Indigenous students in nutrition and health. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 38(3), 235-240.

Hunt, J., & Smith, D. E. (2018). Building Indigenous community governance in Australia: Preliminary research findings. Canberra, ACT: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Research School of Social Sciences, College of Arts & Social Sciences, The Australian National University.

Kapellas, K., Skilton, M. R., Maple?Brown, L. J., Do, L. G., Bartold, P. M., O’dea, K., … & Jamieson, L. M. (2014). Periodontal disease and dental caries among Indigenous Australians living in the Northern Territory, Australia. Australian dental journal, 59(1), 93-99.

Ladwig, J. G., & Luke, A. (2014). Does improving school level attendance lead to improved school level achievement? An empirical study of indigenous educational policy in Australia. The Australian Educational Researcher, 41(2), 171-194.

Malseed, C., Nelson, A., & Ware, R. (2014). Evaluation of a school-based health education program for urban Indigenous young people in Australia. Health, 6(07), 587.

Schwab, R. J. (2018). Why only one in three? The complex reasons for low Indigenous school retention. Canberra, ACT: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Research School of Social Sciences, College of Arts & Social Sciences, The Australian National University.

Stewart, R., & Lewthwaite, B. (2016). Transition from remote Indigenous community to boarding school: the Lockhart River experience. eTropic: electronic journal of studies in the tropics, 14(1).

Tomyn, A. J., Tyszkiewicz, M. D. F., & Norrish, J. M. (2014). The psychometric equivalence of the personal wellbeing index school-children for indigenous and non-indigenous Australian adolescents. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(1), 43-56.

Vass, G. (2014). The racialised educational landscape in Australia: Listening to the whispering elephant. Race ethnicity and education, 17(2), 176-201.

Dreise, T., & Thomson, S. (2014). Unfinished business: PISA shows Indigenous youth are being left behind.

Johnson, G. M., & Oliver, R. (2014). Small screen technology use among Indigenous boarding school adolescents from remote regions of Western Australia. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 43(2), 75-84.