As a pre-service teacher, it is imperative that I develop the necessary connections with

Indigenous communities in order for sustainable and transformative change to take place. As

Mark Rose (2019) so eloquently relates, it is imperative for the teacher to constantly reflect

on their capacity to see future challenges, especially in relation to the curriculum, teaching

and leadership. Although, successive reforms, strategies and policies have benefitted

Indigenous students’ educational outcomes, they have not all come to fruition. Most recently,

the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Education Strategy (2015) identified seven

priorities which include: “Leadership, quality teaching and workforce development, Culture

and Identity, Partnerships, Attendance, Transition points, Schools and child readiness,

Literacy and Numeracy” (Price, 2019, p. 16). The main difference from previous reforms was

that this new strategy included workforce and the Australian curriculum, two areas that

specifically focused on teaching, and most importantly Initial Teacher Education (Price, p.

16). Consequently, AITSL was tasked with the development of assessment criteria for

Graduate Standards 1.4 and 2.4 as well as advice and assessment of competence against these

standards for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) panels (Price, p. 16-17). Although, the Strategy

was also meant to target the Australian Curriculum in regard to accessibility through

implementation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures Cross-

Curriculum Priority (CCP), it has nevertheless drawn criticisms from many who view it as

just another strategy that fails to “reach out to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families

and communities” (Price, 2019, p. 19). Indeed, Lowe and Yunkaporta (2018) successfully

argue and demonstrate in their summary and evaluation of the ACARA curriculum

documents engagement with key discourses surrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander peoples, that the Australian curriculum fails to support teachers’ efforts to construct

meaningful and culturally appropriate learning (p. 26-27). They contend that the support of a

high-quality curriculum is essential for teachers to provide all students with the information
pertaining to Indigenous Australians history and culture. Therefore, Initial Teacher Education

(ITE) and future secondary classroom teachers such as I, should continue to broaden abilities

and relationships in the classroom, school, and wider communities so that all students can

achieve learning outcomes.

Considering the amount of readily available resources for future teachers, the Stronger

Smarter Institute and Leader Program is a particularly effective and sustainable resource for

all teachers. The program espouses “the three pillars of the Stronger Smarter philosophy and

approach; high-expectations relationships, positive sense of cultural identity, and embracing

positive Indigenous leadership” (The Stronger Smarter Institute, 2014), through which real

change in the classroom is achievable. Although, as has been discussed, a high-quality

curriculum is an important factor in the development of culturally responsive pedagogy, it is

necessary for future secondary educators like myself to support through our pedagogical

practice, reforms which have not yet come to fruition. Indeed, many authors agree that such

worthy outcomes are attainable. For example, Jaky Troy (2019) states that ACARA

“recognises the social change that can occur in Australia if young people become culturally

competent and embrace the Indigenous history and cultures of the country” (Troy, p.135).

Specifically, in my curriculum area of History real transformational change can occur in my

future classroom through ongoing professional development, advocacy, and understanding of

the role of cultural competency in fostering engagement, participation, and positive learning

relationships (Buckskin, 2019, p.168). For instance, Lowe and Yunkaporta (2018) in their

important analysis of significant terms used in the Australian curriculum, noted far too many

instances of omissions of key concepts that describe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

peoples contemporary and historical experiences (p. 26-28). As a future secondary History

teacher, I can assure that the curriculum that I teach adheres to Graduate Standard 1.4 and 2.4

by introducing key social justice concepts and discourses as relevant historical and
contemporary content. Also, through the development of a culturally responsive pedagogy I

will be able to advance cultural inclusivity and a abiding knowledge of Indigenous

Australians histories and cultures. For example, part of the History curriculum is a Year 10

Depth Study that provides students with an option to study post-WWII human rights and

freedoms. However, as critics have shown, the contents level lacks scope and depth and does

little to explore the direct actions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Lowe &

Yunkaporta, p. 28). By incorporating colonial theory and notions of the ‘other’ into the

pedagogical process in the classroom, I can provide students with a deeper understanding of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples histories and cultures.

Summarily, the ideas on curriculum and culturally responsive pedagogy espoused by the

authors Castangno and Brayboy (2008), and Lowe and Yunkaporta (2018) over the last

decade still have a common thread in place. Essentially, that professional reforms, studies,

and policies do not always produce the desired outcomes and a high-quality curriculum is not

always forthcoming or bears fruit. Regardless, Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and ongoing

professional learning opportunities for teachers remain as key areas for the success of

Indigenous students’ development and education outcomes. Specifically, as a future teacher it

is necessary that I follow the advice given by many of the authors cited, as cultural change

does not happen overnight (Radoll, 2019, p.127), even as the authors themselves are working

towards and within a successful educational framework for the betterment of Indigenous

students and communities.