Jessica Provenzale

S00178945
EDAB411 - AT3 - Critical Essay

‘Aboriginal history is important for all Australian students to learn throughout the
curriculum’. Discuss.
Theme: Indigenous Knowledges

In the 21st century classroom of today, a crucial element of all students education is that of
learning about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures as they are the First Peoples of
this land. When looking into the importance of all students learning about Aboriginal history
through various subject areas of the curriculum such as English, Maths and History, it is crucial
to note that exposing students to a positive and realistic understandings of the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander histories, ensures that all students gain the knowledge needed to close
the gap between ‘us’ and ‘them’ (Altman, 2009). As education today is dominated by the
Western perspective and doesn’t take into consideration the upbringing of many students,
specially those who have been raised in an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, it is
no surprise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are less engaged in the primary
and secondary classroom (Purdie & Buckley, 2019). As Indigenous Knowledge can be defined
as the way Aboriginal peoples in Australia view the world, relate to the world and are a part of
the world (Armour, 2019), this essay is going to explore the many critical reasons that teachers
and educators of today need to ensure various elements of Indigenous Knowledges are
implemented throughout their classroom teaching in order to change difference of education
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students (Bodkin-Andrews & Carlson, 2014). The
inclusion of Indigenous Knowledges throughout different curriculum areas in the classroom will
allow all students to reach a deeper level of understanding and appreciation for the history of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures whilst also allowing students to understand the
significance of the First Peoples of the land and how their knowledges are still relevant in the
world today.
Mathematics/Numeracy
Looking into the curriculum area of Mathematics, it is said that all students, both Indigenous and
non-Indigenous, view mathematical concepts as just numbers and sums with no real meaning
(Matthews, 2012). As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can feel alienated when
learning mathematical concepts due to the Western perspective (Morris & Matthews, 2011),
teachers and educators need to ensure they are implementing many strategies and concepts to
create valuable learning experiences within their classroom. Matthews (2012) explains that in
order for students to become familiar with elements of Indigenous Knowledges in the
mathematics classroom, teachers need to ensure they are providing learning experiences which
include elements of meaning, creativity and symbol. A main element of mathematics in
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges is that of storytelling as it is a way to make
connections to their peoples, their cultures and their story. As storytelling allows elders to
communicate traditional knowledge to the younger generations of their community, by including
the element of storytelling in the mathematics classroom, teachers and educators are providing
meaningful opportunities for students to draw connections to the world that surrounds them.
Yunkaporta (2012) suggests that the incorporation of the CRMP (Culturally Responsive
Mathematics Pedagogy) is needed in the classroom to tailor the teaching methods to respond to
the diverse lived realities of all students in the classroom. By integrating this pedagogy in the
classroom, Indigenous students are being provided with experiences to tell their story through
mathematical concepts whilst being able to educate their non-Indigenous classmates on the
connections they have to their community. By integrating mathematical experiences, Indigenous
students have the opportunity to tell their story in a way which can shed some light on the
possible negative stereotypes that other non-Indigenous students may hold. As Indigenous
stories are enfolding lessons which transmit validated experiences to awaken and honor
spiritual forces, kinship and alliances ​(Battiste & Henderson, 2005)​, integrating elements of story
into the mathematics classroom will ensure all students, particular those who are
non-Indigenous, to grow a newfound respect and understanding of the cultural heritage for the
First Peoples of the land in which they are on, which in turn allows for positive thoughts and
feelings towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be formed.
English/Literacy
As language is an important element to every individual across the globe as it allows for
communication and expression to occur, ensures a sense of belonging and is part of your own
personal identity (Armour, 2019), the integration of Aboriginal languages into the modern day
classroom is crucial as it gives students access to their most basic human right (Troy, 2012). As
many Aboriginal languages are said to be ‘sleeping’ or ‘lost’ due to European Settlement on
Aboriginal land in 1901 (Troy, 2012), the inclusion of community appropriate language in the
classroom allows for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to bring their knowledge of
their mother tongue language into the classroom and give them a sense of belonging. Another
positive attribute to incorporating the use of Aboriginal language into the educational setting in
various ways is that it allows non-Indigenous students to be exposed to another element of the
First Peoples history which in turn will promote inclusion and a deeper appreciation for both
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural practices and knowledges. As Aboriginal language
can change the culture of thinking in schools and engage previously disengaged students (Troy,
2012), teachers and educators of today need to prioritise incorporating Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander languages across the various curriculum areas that they teach. As Elders are
essential knowledge-keepers and school teachers are the knowledge-givers (Anderson, 2011),
teachers need to ensure when incorporating Wiradjuri language in their classroom they are
asking for guidance of the members of their community in order to create literacy experiences
that are culturally competent in their classroom. The Australian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority (ACARA, 2011), recognise that social change can occur when young people become
culturally competent in various elements of Indigenous knowledge which allows them to
embrace the true histories and cultures of this country. By incorporating the use of story within
the modern day Australian English and/or Literacy classroom, not only do all students have the
opportunity to connect with the language and knowledges of the country in which their school is
located (Green, 2011), but the teachers are ensuring all their students, both Indigenous and
non-Indigenous appreciate and respect the value of Aboriginality in modern day Australia.

History
Teaching the true history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the classrooms of
today is something that all teachers and educators need to prioritise in order to ensure their
students have the correct understanding and respect for the land they live on. While many
elements of the History curriculum include the teaching of ‘Australia Day’, ‘The First Fleet’ and
‘European Settlement’, it is imperative that teachers ensure they are giving their students a full
rounded knowledge of both sides of the story, rather than focus on the Western Perspective. As
European Settlement destroyed many elements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life in
regard to their home, language, family and most importantly their self identity ​(Dudgeon, Milroy
& Walker, 2014), teachers of today need to ensure they include various angles of knowledge
throughout their teaching in order to break the stigma and stereotypes that surround the First
Peoples. As education overtly suppresses and devalues all aspects of Indigenous Knowledge
(Price, 2012), teachers who give their students the opportunity to engage with the various
histories and knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are promoting the
concepts that was hidden from the Western World for so long, that the First Peoples deserve
the recognition, the respect and the appreciation for all that was taken from them​. As there are
still many derogatory and negative stereotypes surrounding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people in today's world, by integrating and exploring both sides of the histories with the younger
generations of Australia, the Indigenous peoples have a better chance to recover, regain and
reconstruct their identities (Dudgeon, Milroy & Walker, 2014). As Indigenous peoples connection
to country gave them a sense of belonging and identity (Ganesharajah, 2009), by exploring the
impact of colonization in the classroom from the First Peoples perspective, the students of today
are able to gain the understanding of just how severe of an impact European Settlement had on
the Indigenous community and ensure they have the recognition of whose land they are on.

Reflection:
Throughout the duration of this unit, there have been many positive changes in my
understanding and knowledge about the First Peoples. When commencing this unit, although I
knew a brief history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, I did not fully comprehend
the severity and impact that European Settlement had on their communities. Now, with my
newfound knowledge and understanding of the detrimental impacts that colonisation had on
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in regard to their loss of identity, family, language
and even their homeland to name a few, I now understand just how crucial it is to ensure I am
including a variety of Indigenous Knowledges in my future classroom. As Indigenous peoples of
today wish to regain and reconstruct their identity which was taken from them, by including
elements of Indigenous perspectives in my classroom, I am allowing my future students to have
the opportunity to engage in knowledge that differs from the Western Perspective. This will allow
my students to become more comprehensive and understanding to the First Peoples and give
them a newfound respect for how much they had to endure for Australia to become the country
that it is today. Not only does the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives allow for those
non-Indigenous students to become more aware of the other side of Australia's history, it gives
my potential Indigenous students a sense of belonging and pride as their culture is finally being
recognised and made a priority when they have been devalued by the Western World for so
long.
In order for a range of Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives to be included in the various
areas of curriculum, I will ensure I use pedagogy from Matthews (2011) in my Mathematics
classroom. I will stray from the simple construct of numbers (eg: 1 + 1 = 2) and include elements
of story, symbols and creativity to teach concepts in a way that all students, Indigenous and
non-Indigenous, will be able to create meaning and gain a deeper understanding of the
curriculum.
Within the English classroom, I will be sure to enlist the element of storytelling as it allows
information to be passed on from generation to generation (Anderson, 2011). I will also ensure
to expose my future students to elements of traditional Aboriginal language from the guidance of
the Elders in my community as it not only is their basic human right (Troy, 2012), but with the
hope to awake the many languages that have been sleeping since colonisation in 1901 (Troy,
2012).
Throughout the History curriculum, I will make it imperative to ensure my students know there
are two sides to Australian history. I will explain colonisation from the Western Perspective and
from the Indigenous Perspective and ensure my students have the opportunity to gain the
understanding of how much was taken from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and
how detrimental it truly was. As a main factor of Indigenous identity was their connection to
country (​Ganesharajah, 2009), I will enlist a range of activities and lesson where my students
have the chance to explore aspects of the environmental world and ensure my Indigenous
students have the opportunity to be heard and explain to their fellow classmates the impact that
colonization still has on their communities today.
To conclude, by ensuring I enlist a range of Indigenous Knowledges throughout various areas of
the curriculum, I am ensuring that my students have the opportunity to engage in learning about
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories to promote inclusion and acceptance
of all Indigenous communities. The inclusion of Indigenous Knowledges ensures that all
Indigenous students in my classroom have the understanding that they are valued, accepted
and bring forward the idea of ‘the third space’ (Armour, 2019) in my classroom to bring
Aboriginal Torres Strait peoples that step closer to regaining their identity which was taken from
them.

References

Anderson G. 2011. ‘Introducing Wiradjuri language in Parkes’. In Re-Awakening Languages:

Australian Curriculum Assessment & Reporting Authority. (2011). The Shape of the Australian
Curriculum: Languages. Retrieved from:
http://docs.acara.edu.au/resources/Languages_-_Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum_new.pd
f

Armour, D. (2019). Week 2 Lecture. ​Look into APA referencing on lectures for this.

Armour, D. (2019). Week 3 Lecture. ​Look into APA referencing on lectures for this.

Altman, J. C. (2009). ​Beyond closing the gap: Valuing diversity in Indigenous Australia (Vol. 54).
Canberra: Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.

Battiste, M., & Henderson, J. (2005). ​Protecting Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage​.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Purich.
Bodkin-Andrews, G., & Carlson, B. (2014). The legacy of racism and Indigenous Australian
identity within education. ​Race Ethnicity And Education​, ​19(​ 4), 784-807. doi:
10.1080/13613324.2014.96922.

Dudgeon, P., Milroy, H., & Walker, R. (2014). ​Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Mental Health and Wellbeing Principles and Practice​.
 
Ganesharajah,  C.  (2009).  ​Indigenous  health  and  wellbeing​.  Acton,  A.C.T.:  Native  Title  Research  Unit, 
Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

Green R. 2011. ‘Reclamation process for Dharug in Sydney using song’. In Re-awakening
Languages: Theory and practice in the revitalisation of Australia’s Indigenous languages, edited
by J. Hobson, K. Lowe, S. Poetsch and M. Walsh, pp. 181–7. Sydney University Press.

Matthews, C. (2012). Maths as storytelling: Maths is beautiful. ​Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander education: An introduction for the teaching profession,​ 94-112.

Morris. C. & Matthews, C. (2011). Numeracy, mathematics and Indigenous Learners: Not the
same old thing. Indigenous Education: Pathway to Success.

Purdie, N., & Buckley, S. (2010). ​School attendance and retention of Indigenous Australian
students.​ [Canberra, A.C.T.]: [Closing the Gap Clearinghouse].

Troy, J. (2012) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education. Language and Literacy. (Ch 9).
Melbourne, Vic.: Cambridge University Press. (FIX THIS! ENSURE CORRECT USE OF APA
FOR CHAPTER REFRENCE AUTHOR)

Yunkaporta, T. (2011). Cultural competence or cultural responsiveness. Make it Count