Aim
This report proposes a conceptual framework called, Critical Indigenous Pedagogy of Place (CIPP), and represents the demonstration of critical understanding on the teaching practices with the help of Indigenous Pedagogy and values. It is believed that, CIPP is an effective process and method for learning and teaching the community. Today, the young indigenous leaders are stepping up and utilizing their opportunities. They take inspiration from their elders and role models. This research ensures to research on critical pedagogues (critical educators) in terms of their social contexts, and unavoidably shaped by the political fabric of society. The purpose of this research is to identify and outline the teaching practice’s critical theoretical framework informing your Critical Indigenous Pedagogical Practice (CIPP).
As a teacher, it is necessary to identify and resist any type of inequality in the classroom. management, it is required to contribute to create an equitable Australian society. As an empowered educators, their beliefs and opinions do matter, which reflect on the students to think and maintain equality among the students of different cultures and language.
To understand the Australian education and contribute change to the society.
The objective of this research is to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding on how one learns and implicates teaching; and to demonstrate the knowledge of, understanding and respect for the histories, cultures and languages of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Thus, investigation will be done on the capacity to learn and teach the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
In the early childhood, it is essential that the children are provided the support to develop and identity that is positive and cultural, build relationships that are positive, must work under programs that are flexible as well as holistic, incorporate the perspectives of Aboriginal, have positive role models and a learning environment for the community. This section helps to draw social, critical educational and cultural theories, then in the historical context it evaluates the schools with the present social and political aspects.
According to the research of Duncan-Andrade and Morrell, the critical pedagogues or the critical educators consider schools as part of children’s social contexts, which are shaped by the society’s politics.
Learning is created between the fragile and precious spaces, where there are active possibilities, which helps to hold on to peace, wonder and new methods. Such spaces not only occurs between people, but even among people and things, places, animals, spaces, ideas and knowledge. The requirement includes, eagerness to flourish and listen.
Objective
In CIPP, the encountered issues are interlinked, which work to establish the engaged pedagogy, where engagement is key point of learning. But, irrespective of any appropriate resources and curriculum, it is impossible to engage the students. Thus, the crucial point is to provide culturally suitable frames of reference which relate to the Indigenous families, children and community. Hence, keeping the concept of appropriate resources, the children must be considered as the beginning point, to make decisions of the right pedagogy. Additionally, for every student who is an Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander, the Individual Learning Plans (ILP’s) should be designed (“Critical Indigenous Pedagogical Practice”, 2013).
It is the classroom, which is the place that contains all the limitations and it is a place of possibility. In such a place, there is a possibility to get the opportunity of, labour for freedom, which allows the teachers, colleagues and the students, to have open mind and heart. As, it lets them to face the reality.
On the other hand, learning with the outcomes of CIPP, helps to develop effective identity inside theses students and the non-Indigenous students, finally promotes reconciliation.
To understand how students learn I have used the art work from the students, to know them and their approach better. Further, the CIPP framework is used which stress on
The teacher is an agency, which denotes the ability of responding or performing an appropriate action.
In teaching field, resistance is very important, which can de described in the following phases:
Phase 1: Naming the issue of social justice (raising consciousness)
Phase 2: Explanation of struggle to get justice (making contact)
Phase 3: Tack injustice (taking actions)
Phase 4: Evaluating the actions (critical reflection)
Actually, critical pedagogy won’t guarantee that, the resistance won’t take place. Accounting, it helps the teachers to build a foundation to understand resistance. Thus, whatever is developed by the pedagogy could be sensitive to the socio-cultural conditions, which builds resistance and decreases the chances of blaming the students (Duncan-Andrade & Morrell, 2018).
The teachers are required to apply the concept of, Freire’s Pedagogy of Praxis which comprises of the following:
- Identification of problem.
- Analyse the problem.
- To address the problem, create an action plan.
- Implementing the action plan.
- Analyzing and evaluating the action.
The critical pedagogy refers to raising the consciousness, connecting with the community, storytelling as a pedagogy of place, writing as a form of resistance, writing as a political tool and taking action. Whereas, reconciliation pedagogy refers to respect and unity among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the non-Indigenous Australians. Even, it talks related to respecting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s heritage, along with valuing the justice for each Australian.
Demonstrating knowledge and understanding on how one learns and implicates teaching
Teachers must have the skill of policy analysis, as it helps them to critically analyse the education policy, as follows:
It is required to discard racism based on colour, language, gender and class. The teachers must understand the existing systemic privilege that dominates the world, with being valued over others. The teachers are required to encourage the students to value each other and stay united, rather than getting divided with various traits. Additionally, the teachers must remember that the classroom is a site of opportunity and possibility, to change the perspective of each individual.
This framework is selected to help the children develop broader understanding on cultures and to contribute broad knowledge to the society. The tool for the teachers is their understanding and clarity on the education, cultures and equality, which results in respecting the histories, cultures and languages of the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islanders. Therefore, for meeting the needs of each student, the CIPP, which I have developed revolves around the following issues (“Critical Indigenous Pedagogical Practice”, 2013):
- Appropriateness curriculum, especially for Year 4 Geography and Art.
- In the primary classes, engagement of indigenous students.
Here, it is believed that the educators are traditionally linked with the critical pedagogy and all possible efforts are taken to contextualize the present education.
The teacher can have the following opportunities:
- Can continuously refine their understanding related to the history of race, colonisation in Australia, and its current impacts.
- Either in formal or informal ways, can connect with indigenous parents.
- Find out the available quality resources, if none exists, then change it.
- Educate students about the actual Aboriginal heroes, who were beneficial for dispelling the current myths.
- Know about reconciliation and support the indigenous students.
- In the curriculum incorporating rap can have strong message for the students.
- Challenge the media and curriculum resources, which undermine and delete the indigenous sovereignty, instead open up for national narratives like, counter stories.
- Search for various beneficial education package, classroom ideas, school ideas and so on.
- Improve and build a mentoring system and effective strategies.
- Work together with the colleagues and the Australian curriculum, for developing effective methods to embed Indigenous knowledges in the curriculum.
Gramscian (resistance) tradition proclaims that, in an unequal and oppressive society, each social institution and the important ideology will be a place of political contestation (Rigney, 2018).
With invasion, the Indigenous students always face challenges in schools and this is the reason that they attend school less and there are high chances that they will develop anti-schooling attitudes, which leads to stop their schooling, at an early age. In the government systems and schools, racialisation is clearly evident. This makes it clear that, the education system must be changed for these students, to see a change in the community.
From the outcome of Year 4 Geography, the following is concentrated, ‘The custodial responsibility, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have for the country or place, and how it influences their past and present views about the use of resources. This result is related to learning to care for the country and provide an opportunity to privilege Indigenous ways of knowing. The used resources help to learn about the connection of place. Learning with the outcomes of CIPP, contributes to learn and develop stronger sense of identity within the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students and non-Indigenous students, which promotes reconciliation.
- For engagement it is required to know their history, culture and language.
- It is argued that, behaviours are not changed just with the transformation of attitudes, but by rewarding appropriate and extinguishing inappropriate behaviours.
- The solution for the above argument includes, the development of racist harassment grievance procedures to extinguish racist behaviours.
- Development of behaviour modification programs in which non-racist or antiracist behaviours are rewarded.
- Multi-culturalism is seriously threatened by racism, but education helps to discard racism.
How Students Learn?
In my CIPP, I encourage students to take challenges, as it helps them to build flexibility. Various learning styles are supported. The students are provided a safe and creative space, for exploring, sharing their stories and to celebrate their diversity. The visual Arts take the advantage of the skills of students’ and supports in enhancing their learning with the learning modes used in the schools.
- Sharing Stories connected to place and language.
For developing trust, it is required to provide a trusting and safe environment, then I will share my story and place, so that they can connect with me and the place, when they are invited with their families. This will encourage them to say their stories.
- Maps
- By comparing the Aboriginal map of Australia with the Commonwealth of Australia’s map, the students explore the differences.
- Locating the land, which the Ngarrindjeri and Kaurna people occupied.
- Listen to/watch rap by Kylie Sambo.
- Developing a rap, which revolves the invasion’s impact on the Indigenous Australians.
For conveying the cultural knowledge, sharing the stories is the first option utilized. The students will explore the roles of the story inside the cultures of the Indigenous Australian, such as the following:
- For conveying the information of landscape.
- For explaining the natural phenomena.
- For teaching the lessons of ethics, morality and right behavior.
The students must be encouraged to be a part of workshop, where they could listen their stories and perspectives. Then, the students will be introduced to the contemporary problems that impact the Indigenous people. For the children, learning is connected with interaction, which develops the understanding of relationship with the place and identity. Thus, it will help the students to engage with the place.
- Language
It is the primary concept that, the students learn the language by exploring; and they develop their understandings related to the connection between the language and caring for the country. This will help the students to gain understanding of the impact of invasion on the Indigenous languages. Additionally, they even learn to the language Kaurna.
- Virtual art work
The virtual art work helps to connect these students, by their created artwork.
With the absence of true engagement with the Indigenous people, it is impossible to accomplish COAG’s (Council of Australian Governments) targets. Based on trust and integrity, it is possible to build relationship, for engagement with the indigenous group of people (Hunt, 2013).
Therefore, to successfully engage with the Indigenous communities, I will do the following:
- The cultural competency appreciation is required, for responding to the history, cultures and contemporary social dynamics of the indigenous people, where the cultural skills, community knowledge and the indigenous people are valued.
- Purpose with complete clarity and applicable scale for the engagement.
- Trusted long-term relationships, including respect, honesty, and accessible, current communication and information.
- Among the Indigenous community and the government, there must be effective governance.
- Effective discussion, exact time frame and funding is required.
- Awareness of cultural competency, indigenous history, values and culture.
- In the National Indigenous Reform Agreement, clarity on the practical implications of the service delivery principles, for the Indigenous Australians.
- Designing and service development for the community engagement, planning, development and for capacity building.
- Having the capability to connect the flexibility and adaptability of community sector organizations.
- Having the capability to work in the government method and program implementation skills.
Conclusion
For learning and teaching the community, Critical Indigenous Pedagogy of Place (CIPP), is an effective process and method. This report provides the conceptual framework, CIPP, and represents the demonstration of critical understanding on the teaching practices with the help of Indigenous Pedagogy and values. This report has researched on identifying and outlining the teaching practice with the help of CIPP. It is believed that a teacher must identify and resist any type of inequality in the classroom. Simultaneously, the teachers must contribute to create an equitable Australian society. Because, the empowered educator’s beliefs and opinions do matter, which can reflect on the students, to think and maintain equality among the students of different cultures and language.
It is understood that, critical pedagogy refers to raising the consciousness, connecting with the community, storytelling as a pedagogy of place, writing as a form of resistance, writing as a political tool and taking action. Whereas, reconciliation pedagogy refers to respect and unity among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the non-Indigenous Australians. Even, it talks related to respecting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander’s heritage, along with valuing the justice for each Australian.
It is concluded that, learning is created between the fragile and precious spaces, where there are active possibilities, which helps to hold on to peace, wonder and new methods. For learning, willingness to grow and listen, plays a vital role. Without any appropriate resources and curriculum, it is impossible to engage the students. Hence, a culturally suitable frames of reference which relates to the Indigenous families, children and community must be designed. Then, for every student who is an Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander, the Individual Learning Plans (ILP’s) must be developed. Finally, my CIPP is outlined.
References
Critical Indigenous Pedagogical Practice. (2013). Retrieved from https://heidikaro.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/critical-indigenous-pedagogical-practice1.pdf
Duncan-Andrade, J., & Morrell, E. (2018). Contemporary Developers of Critical psychology. THE ART OF CRITICAL PEDAGOGY: Possibilities For Moving From Theory To Practice In Urban Schools, 285.
Hunt, J. (2013). Engaging with Indigenous Australia— exploring the conditions for effective relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Closing The Gap Clearinghouse, (5). Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/7d54eac8-4c95-4de1-91bb-0d6b1cf348e2/ctgc-ip05.pdf.aspx?inline=true
Rigney, D. (2018). Critical Pedagogy Lecture Outline.