Central Queensland University

Rachael-Lyn Anderson

12143136

Indigenous Studies-EDED11458

Assessment Task 3: School Design Task

Claire Laundy

9th October 2020

Desired Word count: 1500 words (+/- 10%).

1350: 1650

Word count:2601
Introduction

Glenmore State High School [GSHS] Rockhampton's third State High School is a modern
progressive secondary school providing quality education for students from years 7 to 12.
Glenmore SHS is a proudly diverse community consisting of students with disabilities,
ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Glenmore SHS has a total of 570 students
enrolled at the school 464 students identified as non-indigenous and 101 students identifying
as Indigenous(Glenmore State High School, 2019,). Previously there were whole school
indigenous programs such as “Dragon spirit” and “Learning to Learn” currently these
programs are not in use, this is a strategy the school should implement. Currently there is an
Indigenous Community Education Counsellor, with no indigenous programs for all grades in
place. Thereby, Schools and teachers have responsibilities to plan and enact these strategies (
Marsh, 2010), that meets the cultural, linguistic, identity, and families and community needs
of Indigenous students. Below are strategies with an explanation of why they would work, as
there seems to be no indication of reconciliation or cultural appreciation.

School-based strategies

1. Teaching Indigenous languages as Language Other Than English subjects.

 GSHS Language Other Than English subject is Japanese (Queensland
Department of Education, 2019).
 Connects to Country/place > strengthens identity, self, and self-esteem >
Culture > Kinship and community of Indigenous learners .
 Provides development for cultural understanding and reconciliation.
 Interactions with parents and Elders provide the opportunity to experience and
understand language and culture (Harrison, 20162, p.87).
 GSHS sport houses are in Darumbal language. These include Gunyanni,
Lucrapana, Errabunga and Narrawa.

When student's first languages are not acknowledged and disparaged within the classroom,
their sense of identity and self-worth are hugely detrimental (Harrison, 2016 2, p.173).
Learning a language gives students the chance to communicate across cultures, experience
the world in new ways, and open doors to further opportunities in life (Department of
Education and Training, 2016). This strategy can be integrated into the school by following
the Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages and the First Language
Learner Pathways in schools provided by The Australian Curriculum. This strategy justifies
the importance of languages, identity, shared history, and the promotion of reconciliation
between non-Indigenous and Indigenous leaners. The limitation with this strategy is the low
numbers of experienced teachers in the language/s (Korff, 2016), and lack of support from
within outside the schooling community.

2. Murals of Indigenous art on walls

 Provides a welcoming environment for all members of the Indigenous communities.
 Cater to a variety of learning approaches, including listening, sound, smell,
observation, and emotion (Harrison, 20162, p.212).
 Acknowledges the knowledge and embraces Indigenous cultures, historyies, engage
to empower.
 Learning from country on country (Harrison, 20162, p.212)
 Connects to Country/place > strengthens identity, self, and self-esteem > Culture >
Kinship and community of Indigenous learners Neil Harrison, Susan Page & Leanne
Tobin (2016) .

The arts have an integral role in the maintenance and transmission of Indigenous culture and
in maintaining links to Country which includes the knowledge, cultural norms, values, stories
and resources within that homeland (Fredericks, 2013, p. 6) . This strategy can be achieved
through community art project involving, Elders, Indigenous Artist and students and the
community in deciding what to include (Giles-Brown, 2012, p.7). Thereby the indigenous
community will feel empowered and respected for their contribution to the school (Harrison,
20162, p.200). Indigenous students and the community will feel a sense of belonging when
more of their culture is displayed. Limitations with this strategy, are schools have limited
budgets, the location of the school, and lack of Indigenous artists and Elders.

3. Yarning circle
 Helps to create a space for Indigenous students to be proud of their heritage and
culture.
  Encourages the engagement and sharing of Indigenous stories, languages, and
cultures.
 Represent thousands of years of Aboriginal culture.

A weekly meeting (Yarn Circles) with Indigenous Elders would help these learners to gain a
stronger sense of their Aboriginal identity, an understanding of the importance of education
being the gateway to opportunities, and a sense of pride to share their knowledge and
represent Aboriginal culture (Harrison, 20162, p.73). This strategy is very adaptable as to how
and where the yarning circle is created, though some schools may not have the support to
make a humanmade yarn circle. Instead, students can sit in a circle, or can draw a circle in the
dirt or on cement. The selection of this strategy shows the importance of the school's role in
promoting reconciliation and the value of acknowledging and accepting Indigenous culture.

4. The "Learning to Learn" and 'Dragon Spirit' programs

 This learning conducts the development of "a deeper relationship between

students and their roll class teachers, providing familiar and trusted adults that the
students could speak to when issues arise (GSHS, 2018).
 Encourages reconciliation in classrooms and schools
Relationships between teachers and Indigenous students are vital as Harrison (20162, p.82)
states 'an Aboriginal student's identity and sense of self-worth will often be governed by how
relationships develop in the classroom and school.' Many Indigenous students look to parents,
peers, and relatives for positive and supportive feedback as their sense of personal coherence
and stability comes from those whom they know and trust (Harrison, 20162, p.82). Teachers
can help build positive relationships with Indigenous students by maintaining high
expectations, sharing personal experiences, providing feedback, viewing mistakes as steps on
the process of learning, as well as valuing, accepting, acknowledging, and respecting a
student's potential (Welch et al., 2018, p.219). This strategy emphasises the difference
teachers can make toward Indigenous students enhancing their identity.

5. School committee for Indigenous parents and carers.

 GSHS Parents and Carers Committee meets on the second Tuesday of every month
and aligns with the Queensland Department of Education Parent and Community
Engagement framework.
  Parents can implement inclusive school practices and provide input into school
improvement planning.

By encouraging Indigenous parents and carers to engage in the school's non-Indigenous

Parents and Carers Committee (P and C) every second Friday of the month, it will allow them
to have authentic conversations about common ground and respective priorities, and address
any problems that can be solved (Sarra, 2013, p.160). This strategy helps Indigenous and
non-Indigenous parents, carers, and the community to work together to maximise student
learning and wellbeing (GSHS, 2019, p.5). Indigenous parents and carers' involvement are
integral in supporting schools to increase achievement, extend learners' potential, nurture
culture, celebrate success, and create positive learning communities (Harrison, 2016 2, p.200).

6. Working sensitively with families and communities:

 Tell students parents/carers/guardians that the school cares about their child.

Aboriginal parents/carers/guardians are very aware of the importance of education for

their children and want their children to succeed. By sharing the same values
embodied in schooling with families and communities, parents/carers/guardians gain
trust, a sense of value and worth, and feel as though teachers are sensitive. This
strategy can be implemented in rural, remote, and urban schooling. A limitation of
this strategy is that Indigenous parents may not share the same values as the schools
and are less inclined to encourage educational success in their students (Hyde et al.,
2017, p.79).

Individual teaching strategies:

1. Storytelling
 The central part of Indigenous culture.
 The dynamic framework for memory and cognition.
 Relatedness is a crucial feature of Indigenous world views and foundation for
tradition, culture and spirituality.
 Supported by the 'Eight Aboriginal Ways of Learning' Framework (Yunkaporta 2009,
as cited in Churchill et al., 2019, p.275).
Storytelling is an effective and alternative teaching strategy that responds to the local
community and cultural setting, linguistic background, histories, and learning styles of
Indigenous students (Churchill et al., 2019, p.275). Narrative-based learning is a privileged
instrument that can help develop students' cognitive skills, organise knowledge and provides
support during the construction of the meaning (Giuseppina Rita Mangione et al., 2013.
P.132). By employing narrative-based learning, students develop emotional schemata that
helps them to recall and use the information they had learnt (Marunda-Piki, 2018, p.109).
When lessons are relevant to students and applicable to everyday activities, there is a sense of
relatedness that strengthens their identity (Korff, 2020).

2. Posters with Indigenous and English words.

 Non-Indigenous students gain an understanding of the importance of learning to speak
local Indigenous languages.
 Indigenous students can refer to the posters for assistance with English. Non-
Indigenous students can refer to for assistance with Indigenous languages.

Showcasing of posters with everyday words in Indigenous language and English with
symbols, promote the importance of Indigenous identity and the reconciliation between non-
Indigenous and Indigenous students. This strategy will help Indigenous students learn and
understand the Standard Australian English, and vice versa. The limitation of this strategy is
that Indigenous learners are not homogenous groups, as they are individually and variously
located along socio-economic, geographical, language, historical, gender and other
intersections' (Nakata 2001, p.5 as cited in Harrison, 20162). This means understanding that
different communities have different languages, hence the importance of localising classroom
content.

3. Indigenous students as EAL/D

 Aboriginal English taught alongside Standard Australian English [SAE] with displays
in the classroom.
 Teach alongside the Teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander EAL/D Learners
Capability Framework and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
(Department of Education, Training and Employment, 2013)

For many Aboriginal students, English is their second, third or fourth language (Korff,
20162), and are going to school today speaking a variety of Aboriginal English and SAE.
As Aboriginal English is different from SAE, most Aboriginal students are to survive in
 the classroom by 'swinging' between their home language and the school languages with
two different functions and mindsets. By incorporating Aboriginal English in the
classroom, this has positive effects on the attainment of the second language and
enhancing the grasp of SAE (Harrison, 20162, p.184). A limitation with this is that many
varieties resemble SAE and can result in students who speak these languages do not have
their EAL/D learning needs addressed and recognised (Department of Education,
Training and Employment, 2013). Other limitations with this strategy are the amount of
time spent teaching Aboriginal English separately and the amount of Indigenous EAL/D
learners compared to the rest of the class.

4. Teaching Shared History-Culture

 Colonial frontiers from 1788 to present, their role in Australia's history and
their contribution to Australian society (Welch et al., 2018, p.218).

 Early Contact, Settlement, Invasion, Resistance, Assimilation, Integration,

Self-determination, Stolen Generation, 1967 Referendum, Mabo, Sorry
Day (Harrison, 20162, p.20).

 James Marsden's and Shaun Tan's 'The Rabbits'

The sharing of this history in the classroom is vital for all students to acknowledge, respect
and understand the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people and to
achieve reconciliation(Harrison., 2016, p.20) to close the gap between these groups further.

5. Home Visits to parents/carers/guardians

 Teachers communicate with parents/carers/guardians communicate in a comfortable
and safe environment.
 Teachers communicate with parents/carers/guardians about the students learning,
progress, and what there is to support their children's further learning (Department of
Education, n.d, p.5).

Community participation of Indigenous communities in education has been limited (Gray and
Beresford, 2008, p.213 and p.214). Many Indigenous parents had negative experiences at
school and a great mistrust of the school system, resulting in limited visits to the school.
Home visits are an effective and sensitive strategy for parents to learn about their child's
progress in education. The limitations this strategy holds are that the families of the students
might live half an hour to an hour away from the school and that the students might not have
a permanent place to live due to being in the foster system.

6. Inviting parents into the classroom.

 Indigenous parents sit with students and help them with their classwork.

When Indigenous parents are involved in the classroom and their child's education, there is a
developed sense of efficacy that communicates itself to children, with positive consequences
for school attendance, engagement and academic outcomes (Cummins., 1986, as cited in
Harrison, 20162, p.202). This strategy could also assist in developing inclusive and culturally
appropriate resources and programs with teachers. The limitation this strategy holds is that
parents may not have access to transport and may feel uncomfortable about coming to school.

7. Traditional Indigenous games with partnership from Rockhampton's Darumbal

Community Youth Service [DCYS]
 Brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners together.
 Help reconnect urban Indigenous youth to their culture.
 Promote reconciliation and boost education retention.
 GSHS is partners with Rockhampton's DCYS.

Many Aboriginal people see traditional Indigenous games as a strong indicator that their
culture can survive (Korff, 2019). Traditional Indigenous games teach non-Indigenous
students the importance of respecting Indigenous cultures, traditional knowledge and history
while encouraging reconciliation. By partnering with Rockhampton's DYCS and their Yimba
Bira Program, Indigenous students learn about teamwork skills and collaborative
relationships, physical activity and awareness of healthy lifestyles. In contrast, non-
Indigenous students learn and understand the knowledge of Indigenous culture(Darumbal
Community Youth Service, n.d). This strategy is a way for teachers to teach Indigenous
students about their identity better.

Conclusion
In summary, schools and teachers are to incorporate, understand, develop and teach effective
strategies that meet the cultural, linguistic and identity needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander students, families and communities.
REFERENCES

Darumbal Community Youth Service. (n.d). Yimba-Bira: Traditional Indigenous games

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