’ Curriculum Approaches to ‘Connecting to

Country’

Cathie Burgess President

Aboriginal Studies Association

What learning occurs in the ‘Connecting to Country’ Program?

in the ‘Connecting to occurs in the

‘Connecting to Country’ program? Knowledge

Understandings

Skills

Knowledge‘g to

Country’ program? Importance / centrality relationship to land / Country, culture,

family – significance of local sites

power of the Dreaming – spirituality / ceremony / environmental

connection / signposts for living - deep knowledge

local history – Aboriginal perspective – impact of colonisation /

shared history

local cultural practices, expressions & pride

issues that are important to local Aboriginal communities

Example from the CTC Research

the ‘Connecting to occurs in the

‘Connecting to Country’ program? “ It was the most significant professional development I have

experienced in 10 years of teaching in the far west …. it was

highly significant in the depth of its content and in building

inter-cultural respect, confidence and understanding. Those 5

days were the best I have ever done in professional

development since I've been out here. At no time did I feel I

was being spoken down to.” (teacher)

Understandings occurs in the ‘Connect

? cultural knowledge as intellectual rigour, deep/problematic

understanding

cultural practices alive and essential to well being

diversity of cultural expressions, misunderstandings often based

on misconceptions

importance of cultural knowledge for all students

community ownership and expertise in cultural knowledge

major cultural shift of expertise from school / teacher to

community / Aboriginal people (parent)

Example from the CTC Research e

“ The local community days that we had were excellent, they

certainly opened our eyes to the different organisations in our

town and also to stories about the Stolen Generation ... telling

[those] stories was definitely quite profound for a lot of us,

helping us realise just how raw that emotion still is for those

people and how it has affected their life, so it made it very

real ” (teacher)

Skills

listening to people’s stories

how to be inclusive and collaborative

how to access & acknowledge local knowledge,

expertise appropriately

how to engage and work with Aboriginal people /

communities

communication with Aboriginal people / communities

Example from the CTC Research

“ I often feel “fear” when approaching Aboriginal

parents and community, as I hear the stories of

“them” not being interested or not valuing the

“white” teacher. This program has encouraged me

to try and get out into the community again.”

(teacher)

Developing relationships with Aboriginal students .....

Empathy (understanding – not condescension)

Caring (genuine interest)

Mutual Respect (fair with discipline)

Going the extra mile

Passion to enthuse and motivate (sense of humour)

Patience and perseverance

Belief in student ability (high teacher expectations – not

stereotypes) AECG Research Project “Is teacher quality the ‘make’ or ‘break’ element for Aboriginal students” 2009

Hawk.K, Tumama Cowley.E, Hill.J. & Sutherland.S. (2002).The importance of the teacher/student for Maori and Pasifika students.

Example from the CTC Research

Country’ program? “ One of the boys who had previously been difficult to

engage now smiles at me and talks with me. He

previously said very little. I think he now sees that

I’m interested and he knows my class is a safe

supportive place to be. That’s definitely come from

the course for me --- it was life changing, we all of

us who went, thought that.” (teacher)

What role curriculum and pedagogy?

Pearson

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2009/s27025

44.htm#

Sara

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP_JoO7lc0o

&feature=related

Consider ....

The CTC program doesn’t necessarily mean that the community wants teachers to teach ‘traditional’ culture but rather provide concepts/frameworks and opportunities for local community to apply their knowledge

Syllabi mostly historical, socio-political approaches - multiple perspectives, critical thinking – students reach their own conclusions

Not everything has to have Aboriginal perspectives – can do more damage by overdoing it (quality rather than quantity)

Multiple perspectives’ program?

The Landing of Captain Cook…

(1901)

The colonised's perspective Daniel Boyd (2007)

Application to the QTF

Intellectual quality: 1.3 Problematic Knowledge – accepting

multiple knowledges, perspectives and debating these openly and

respectfully

Quality Learning Environment: 2.4 Social Support

creating culturally safe learning environments and using

culturally responsive teaching

Significance: 3.4 Inclusivity

all students from all cultural or social backgrounds participate

and their contributions are valued

8 Ways Learning

From: Draft Report for DET on Indigenous Research Project conducted by Tyson Yunkaporta, Aboriginal Education

Planning Considerations?

Invite parents/community from the beginning – have some ideas, be flexible, blank document, resource ideas

Upskill parents & community – awareness of curriculum accountability

Better as whole school or at least whole faculty approach

Planning Guides

Planning with local Aboriginal expertise

8 Ways Learning

Bloom’s Taxonomy Matrix

Mapping Assessment with Planning

Unit of Work

Embedding CTC across the curriculum

A Brief Taste of Resources

Copyright, seeking permission, acknowledging local input

Critical evaluation

Critical literacy skills for students

A Question of Resources

Critical literacy

Culturally appropriate

resources

Using inappropriate

resources, appropriately

Why? None of us escaped the effects of false representation and

invisibility … in the sanitised version of (history) (Mick

Dodson)

I read about my ancestors as pagan, heathen, uncivilised … I

had to interrogate my own oppression (Lillian Holt)

… take an honest look at these issues .... and our children will

be empowered (Chris Sarra)

Why?

Non-Indigenous

understandings and views of

Indigenous people;

Indigenous students

interpretations of themselves;

and

The development of

relationships.

What is Critical Literacy?

“Critical literacy involves the analysis and critique of the

relationships among texts, language, power, social groups and

social practices. It shows us ways of looking at written, visual,

spoken, multimedia and performance texts to question and

challenge the attitudes, values and beliefs that lie beneath the

surface”.

Department of Education, Tasmania, School Education Division (11 September 2007) Critical Literacy, Retrieved from

http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/English/critlit.htm

Culturally Appropriate Resources?

“ Collectively, the resources in schools

often reflect and reconfirm the attitudes

of teachers, acquired in their schooldays,

unless a conscious effort is made to

examine and re-evaluate them.

Education is, after all, a process of

continuity and change; resources are one

area where changes are likely to be

necessary.” Gillian Klein (1985)

What to look for ...

Presentation of Material

Consultation Engagement &

Protocols

Images & Captions

Omission & Neglect

Gratuitous Reference

Value Laden Terms & Imagery

Ethnocentrism

occurs in the Connecting to

occurs in the ‘Connecting to

Country’ program?

What to look for ...

Negative Stress

Developmental Bias

Stereotyping

Racism

Paternalism

Superficial or

Oversimplification

Romanticism

Using inappropriate resources,

appropriately?

Perpetuating the Grand Narrative: A. Boardman and R. Harvey: The Crossing of the Blue Mountains (1997)