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Every child has the capacity to learn. How much and how effectively they learn is in the hands of the classroom teacher. In a school community that has a population which includes Aboriginal students, it is essential to actively get to know every student as an individual, a cultural being and a learner. Without this, there are limits to the learning capacity of the child within the classroom environment.
Every child in the classroom has an identity as an individual. This can be influenced by outside factors such as race and cultures, but essentially the child is still a human being. The creation of identity is rooted in the social roles in which the child fulfils. The social role that the child plays determines, in large part, the range of actions expected of [them] and those with whom they interact their sense of belonging depends on the way others see and respond to them.
Therefore as a teacher, it is imperative to learn about each child as an individual being within the context of their learning. As Hudspeth and Williams point out, the self image of a child is constructed through the response they get from fulfilling their social responsibilities. If the child is successful then their self image will be positive, likewise, if they fail in their role then their self image becomes negative. The implications for this, in the classroom, are that the teacher must know where each student is at, on an internal level, before attempting to start teaching. Knowing the students as individual learners is vital if the teacher desires the learning 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, understand and ultimately enhance the children’s sense of personal identity. There are a variety of strategies that Hudspeth and Williams use in order to enhance the child’s self esteem, prior to the learning experience.
Ensuring a safe and predictable environment is vital to encourage children to come to school. If the child feels in any way threatened or negative about school, they will simply refuse to come. The issue with this is that the parents do not force them to attend. Consequently the teacher must work hard to create an inviting and stimulating environment to entice the students to attend school.
Having the students create the rules in the class gives them responsibility and autonomy that is embraced within Aboriginal culture. The students are more likely to participate if the teacher is not the bossy “sage on the stage”. It is also important to have predictable consequences for misbehavior. If the students know what to expect at all times they will be more comfortable in their environment.
Building associates relationships with the student is important for improving their self esteem. If the student knows that you care about him or her then they will take an interest in you. Reinforcing good work with positive feedback and a hug can often result in higher performance and reception from Aboriginal students.
Allowing moments of humor in class is a positive way of strengthening the relationship between teacher and student. As long as the humor is positive 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 to know each child as an individual. Casual conversation about their likes and dislikes, what they are good at and their family can give great insight into the child, their attitude, talents, problem areas and goals. In addition to learning about their interests, they want to know about yours. Offering information about yourself allows them to see you as human as well. Relationship building is a two way process.
It is essential that a beginning teacher allows time at the start of the year to really get to know each student as an individual. It is so important because if you put the work before relationships with the students then you will never extract the full potential out of the Aboriginal students.
Discovery of each individual’s identity as a Cultural Being must start with gaining an understanding of the students as Aborigines in relation 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 completely different from what is considered “natural” within the Aboriginal context. It is vital to have an understanding of the Aboriginal culture from the context of understanding the students as “cultural beings”.
At home, the Aboriginal students are not seen as subordinate to their parents. They are afforded great autonomy from a small age and are taught to be independent. While in a Western context, the child would sit up to the table at a set time for dinner, have a bed time and be told what they can and cant do by their parents, in Aboriginal culture it is the exact opposite. The teacher can allow the students to call him or her by their first name as a way of reinforcing their notion that they are not subordinate to adults, within the school context.
Aboriginal students are usually brought up by their grandmother or aunties and uncles. Biological parents do not play the same role as parents to white children. The extended family is key in the upbringing of the child. They play a major role in their life and this must be understood by teachers who wish to have parent/ teacher interviews. It is vital to understand who are the significant parents for each individual child so that you are dealing with the right people and you don’t offend any of the extended family.
Having informal class visits from family is a great strategy for the student to show their family what they have been learning, but also for the teacher to learn who are the significant people in each child’s life.
Aboriginal students take care of their own needs. From a small age the children are taught to look after themselves. It is completely normal, within Aboriginal culture for children to get up in the morning, feed themselves, shower and dress, go to school, come home, have dinner when they are hungry and finally put themselves to bed when they are tired. The advantage of this is that they learn to be responsible for their own actions.
Being flexible with play and meal times can work in the teacher’s favor, 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 directions immediately or sometimes not even at all. The implications for the teacher, in appreciating this cultural difference is that it is unreasonable to discipline an Aboriginal child for non-compliance. This can be challenging for the teacher to accept, but it is crucial because the teacher must embrace the culture of the children in the classroom. However, this does not mean that the children can never do anything and expect to pass classes.
Introducing peer monitoring can be an effective strategy for keeping students in check. Rather than having the teacher scolding or disciplining students, the students monitor the behavior of themselves and their peers. Giving class rewards motivates students to jump 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 Aboriginal culture and practices from the students themselves. Their level of practical intelligence in the outdoors is exceptional, and the teacher can learn a great deal from giving the students the opportunity to teach. This also reinforces that their cultural abilities are highly valued within the learning context, not just the classroom literacy and numeracy imposed on by government.
One thing that is important to remember about Aboriginal students is that they do not come to school be become like the non-Aboriginal students. Family and cultural learning is still alive and very strong in the remote communities. Therefore the cultural learning takes precedent over secular education.
Family or community obligations are much stronger in Aboriginal families than in white families. Boys who have been initiated into men within their tribes have a greater family responsibility than their schooling. They are expected to take care of the family and therefore are less likely to regularly attend school. It is not an excuse, but teachers need to be aware of their responsibilities, be flexible and adaptable to their needs as well as the needs of the class.
All Aboriginal students have an inherent spirituality linked with the land and the Dreaming. It is not the place of the teacher to deny this spirituality, but to embrace it, teach it (if possible) and allow the student to feel pride in their Aboriginality.
There are some aspects of Aboriginal studies that only Aboriginal people should teach. In which case, the teacher could invite parents or member of the community into the class to teach the students about their history, culture and spirituality. The elders are the custodians of knowledge. By welcoming elders into the classroom, it is the most respectful way the teacher can embrace the traditional way of teachings for the Aboriginal students.
The most significant act that a teacher can do for his or her students is to embrace and celebrate the Aboriginality of the students in the class. In doing this, the students feel pride in their identity and appreciate that the teacher treats them as equals within their own country.
Finally, it is most important that the teacher allows time to get to know the students as learners. The identity of indigenous students as learners has 2 components, a) understanding the student's individual needs and ability and b) the cultural influences on their process of learning
Understanding the student’s individual needs and ability can be attained by assessing for prior knowledge using questioning. However the simple act of asking a direct question is considered confrontational and threatening, so the process of acquiring this prior knowledge must take into consideration the cultural influences. The following are some strategies that are compliant with what is culturally acceptable.
Direct questioning is considered threatening and students do not feel comfortable. By asking open questions to the class or assigning small groups to confer and report back, the students feel safer and are more likely to participate and learn.
Aboriginal students are not, by nature, compulsive. They need time to work through questions and consider their answer before volunteering it. When they are singled out, they experience feelings of shame or embarrassment, as they feel they are being tested or that the teacher is trying to catch them out.
The simple act of allowing students to work in pairs or small groups encourages students and they will learn more from the experience.
Within Aboriginal culture it is deemed impolite to make direct eye contact with another person. In the classroom therefore, teachers need to 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 know you are listening when you are looking at me will not work within the classroom with Aboriginal students.
Aboriginal students in their culture, learn through observation. In history they never kept written records. History and culture was taught and passed down orally. Consequently, their listening and observation skills are strong. Teachers need to take these strengths on board and use them to advantage the student rather than insisting on all writing tasks.
Aboriginal students have exceptional practical intelligence. If a student is struggling in the classroom, it is a great strategy to take the topic and create a practical activity that the student can demonstrate their understanding. It is important to be flexible and create activities that benefit those students who are academic as well as those who are more kinesthetic, practical learners.
Aboriginal students are highly interactive. Utilizing more student-centered learning activities than teacher directed activities will benefit the students as they work extremely well in small groups. Including activities in the natural environment will make their learning more authentic, cultural and practical.
Highly kinesthetic activities will benefit the students. Activities such as arts, craft, singing, dancing and role play will increase their susceptibility to retain information.
Developing their Standard Australian English is a national priority in the education of Aboriginal Students. While their language, Aboriginal English is to be embraced and valued, it is imperative that the students develop their Standard Australian English so they can fully integrate into modern society, gain full education and have the same opportunities as any other Australian.
Through an analysis of the Aboriginal child it can be deduced that their identity as individuals, as cultural beings and as learners are all interconnected. In breaking down this interconnection, each level can be dissected and examined closely to educate teachers in how to most effectively educate Aboriginal students and create the rich fabric that is Aboriginal Education.
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