Being aboriginal is not simply a physical expression of Aboriginalidentity but includes a mixture of cultural inheritance,spirituality and an inherent connection with the earth.
Every child has the capacity to learn. How much and how effectivelythey learn is in the hands of the classroom teacher. In a schoolcommunity that has a population which includes Aboriginal students, itis essential to actively get to know every student as an individual, acultural being and a learner. Without this, there are limits to thelearning capacity of the child within the classroom environment.
Every child in the classroom has an identity as an individual. Thiscan be influenced by outside factors such as race and cultures, butessentially the child is still a human being. The creation of identityis rooted in the social roles in which the child fulfils. The socialrole that the child plays determines, in large part, the range ofactions expected of [them] and those with whom they interact theirsense of belonging depends on the way others see and respond to them.
Therefore as a teacher, it is imperative to learn about each child asan individual being within the context of their learning. As Hudspethand Williams point out, the self image of a child is constructedthrough the response they get from fulfilling their socialresponsibilities. If the child is successful then their self imagewill be positive, likewise, if they fail in their role then their selfimage becomes negative. The implications for this, in the classroom,are that the teacher must know where each student is at, on aninternal level, before attempting to start teaching. Knowing thestudents as individual learners is vital if the teacher desires thelearning process to be in any way effective.
If there are individuals with low self esteem coming into the class,the teacher must deal with this in order to fully welcome, understandand ultimately enhance the children?s sense of personal identity.There are a variety of strategies that Hudspeth and Williams use inorder to enhance the child?s self esteem, prior to the learningexperience.
Ensuring a safe and predictable environment is vital to encouragechildren to come to school. If the child feels in any way threatenedor negative about school, they will simply refuse to come. The issuewith this is that the parents do not force them to attend.Consequently the teacher must work hard to create an inviting andstimulating environment to entice the students to attend school.
Having the students create the rules in the class gives themresponsibility and autonomy that is embraced within Aboriginalculture. The students are more likely to participate if the teacher isnot the bossy ?sage on the stage?. It is also important to havepredictable consequences for misbehavior. If the students know whatto expect at all times they will be more comfortable in theirenvironment.
Building associates relationships with the student is importantfor improving their self esteem. If the student knows that you careabout him or her then they will take an interest in you. Reinforcinggood work with positive feedback and a hug can often result in higherperformance and reception from Aboriginal students.
Allowing moments of humor in class is a positive way of strengtheningthe relationship between teacher and student. As long as the humor ispositive and not derived by sarcasm or at the expense of a student,then it is likely to have a affirmative effect.
Sometimes the simplest things can be the most effective ways to get toknow each child as an individual. Casual conversation about theirlikes and dislikes, what they are good at and their family can givegreat insight into the child, their attitude, talents, problem areasand goals. In addition to learning about their interests, they want toknow about yours. Offering information about yourself allows them tosee you as human as well. Relationship building is a two way process.
It is essential that a beginning teacher allows time at the start ofthe year to really get to know each student as an individual. It is soimportant because if you put the work before relationships with thestudents then you will never extract the full potential out of theAboriginal students.
Discovery of each individual?s identity as a Cultural Being must startwith gaining an understanding of the students as Aborigines inrelation to family, land, community and spirituality.
The problem arises at the interpretation of the word ?natural?depending on the culture from which you approach the meaning. What is?natural?, expected behavior in Western culture is completelydifferent from what is considered ?natural? within the Aboriginalcontext. It is vital to have an understanding of the Aboriginalculture from the context of understanding the students as ?culturalbeings?.
At home, the Aboriginal students are not seen as subordinate to theirparents. They are afforded great autonomy from a small age and aretaught to be independent. While in a Western context, the child wouldsit up to the table at a set time for dinner, have a bed time and betold what they can and cant do by their parents, in Aboriginal cultureit is the exact opposite. The teacher can allow the students to callhim or her by their first name as a way of reinforcing their notionthat they are not subordinate to adults, within the school context.
Aboriginal students are usually brought up by their grandmother oraunties and uncles. Biological parents do not play the same role asparents to white children. The extended family is key in theupbringing of the child. They play a major role in their life and thismust be understood by teachers who wish to have parent/ teacherinterviews. It is vital to understand who are the significantparents for each individual child so that you are dealing with theright people and you don?t offend any of the extended family.
Having informal class visits from family is a great strategy for thestudent to show their family what they have been learning, but alsofor the teacher to learn who are the significant people in eachchild?s life.
Aboriginal students take care of their own needs. From a small age thechildren are taught to look after themselves. It is completely normal,within Aboriginal culture for children to get up in the morning, feedthemselves, shower and dress, go to school, come home, have dinnerwhen they are hungry and finally put themselves to bed when they aretired. The advantage of this is that they learn to be responsible fortheir own actions.
Being flexible with play and meal times can work in the teacher?sfavor, by allowing the students autonomy in their decision making,but also keeping the class climate relaxed and seemingly unstructured.
Aboriginal children are not expected to comply with directionsimmediately or sometimes not even at all. The implications for theteacher, in appreciating this cultural difference is that it isunreasonable to discipline an Aboriginal child for non-compliance.This can be challenging for the teacher to accept, but it is crucialbecause the teacher must embrace the culture of the children in theclassroom. However, this does not mean that the children can never doanything and expect to pass classes.
Introducing peer monitoring can be an effective strategy for keepingstudents in check. Rather than having the teacher scolding ordisciplining students, the students monitor the behavior ofthemselves and their peers. Giving class rewards motivates students tojump on the misbehavior or non-compliance of peers.
It is critical that teachers be open to learning from their students.As a beginning teacher there is much to be learned about Aboriginalculture and practices from the students themselves. Their level ofpractical intelligence in the outdoors is exceptional, and the teachercan learn a great deal from giving the students the opportunity toteach. This also reinforces that their cultural abilities are highlyvalued within the learning context, not just the classroom literacyand numeracy imposed on by government.
One thing that is important to remember about Aboriginal students isthat they do not come to school be become like the non-Aboriginalstudents. Family and cultural learning is still alive and very strongin the remote communities. Therefore the cultural learning takesprecedent over secular education.
Family or community obligations are much stronger in Aboriginalfamilies than in white families. Boys who have been initiated into menwithin their tribes have a greater family responsibility than theirschooling. They are expected to take care of the family and thereforeare less likely to regularly attend school. It is not an excuse, butteachers need to be aware of their responsibilities, be flexible andadaptable to their needs as well as the needs of the class.
All Aboriginal students have an inherent spirituality linked with theland and the Dreaming. It is not the place of the teacher to deny thisspirituality, but to embrace it, teach it (if possible) and allow thestudent to feel pride in their Aboriginality.
There are some aspects of Aboriginal studies that only Aboriginalpeople should teach. In which case, the teacher could invite parentsor member of the community into the class to teach the students abouttheir history, culture and spirituality. The elders are the custodiansof knowledge. By welcoming elders into the classroom, it is the mostrespectful way the teacher can embrace the traditional way ofteachings for the Aboriginal students.
The most significant act that a teacher can do for his or her studentsis to embrace and celebrate the Aboriginality of the students in theclass. In doing this, the students feel pride in their identity andappreciate that the teacher treats them as equals within their owncountry.
Finally, it is most important that the teacher allows time to get toknow the students as learners. The identity of indigenous students aslearners has 2 components, a) understanding the student's individualneeds and ability and b) the cultural influences on their process oflearning
Understanding the student?s individual needs and ability can beattained by assessing for prior knowledge using questioning. Howeverthe simple act of asking a direct question is consideredconfrontational and threatening, so the process of acquiring thisprior knowledge must take into consideration the cultural influences.The following are some strategies that are compliant with what isculturally acceptable.
Direct questioning is considered threatening and students do not feelcomfortable. By asking open questions to the class or assigning smallgroups to confer and report back, the students feel safer and are morelikely to participate and learn.
Aboriginal students are not, by nature, compulsive. They need time towork through questions and consider their answer before volunteeringit. When they are singled out, they experience feelings of shame orembarrassment, as they feel they are being tested or that the teacheris trying to catch them out.
The simple act of allowing students to work in pairs or small groupsencourages students and they will learn more from the experience.
Within Aboriginal culture it is deemed impolite to make direct eyecontact with another person. In the classroom therefore, teachers needto be aware that if the Aboriginal students are not looking at them,it does not mean that they are being ignorant or not listening.Teachers need to accept that using the common phrase, I only knowyou are listening when you are looking at me will not work within theclassroom with Aboriginal students.
Aboriginal students in their culture, learn through observation. Inhistory they never kept written records. History and culture wastaught and passed down orally. Consequently, their listening andobservation skills are strong. Teachers need to take these strengthson board and use them to advantage the student rather than insistingon all writing tasks.
Aboriginal students have exceptional practical intelligence. If astudent is struggling in the classroom, it is a great strategy to takethe topic and create a practical activity that the student candemonstrate their understanding. It is important to be flexible andcreate activities that benefit those students who are academic as wellas those who are more kinesthetic, practical learners.
Aboriginal students are highly interactive. Utilizing morestudent-centered learning activities than teacher directed activitieswill benefit the students as they work extremely well in small groups.Including activities in the natural environment will make theirlearning more authentic, cultural and practical.
Highly kinesthetic activities will benefit the students. Activitiessuch as arts, craft, singing, dancing and role play will increasetheir susceptibility to retain information.
Developing their Standard Australian English is a national priority inthe education of Aboriginal Students. While their language, AboriginalEnglish is to be embraced and valued, it is imperative that thestudents develop their Standard Australian English so they can fullyintegrate into modern society, gain full education and have the sameopportunities as any other Australian.
Through an analysis of the Aboriginal child it can be deduced thattheir identity as individuals, as cultural beings and as learners areall interconnected. In breaking down this interconnection, each levelcan be dissected and examined closely to educate teachers in how tomost effectively educate Aboriginal students and create the richfabric that is Aboriginal Education.
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