This document discusses strategies for improving education outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students both inside and outside of school. It outlines initiatives like the Australian curriculum, which includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures as a priority. It also discusses teaching standards and modules to train teachers on building relationships with Indigenous communities, understanding their own biases, and teaching Indigenous knowledge and experiences in culturally-appropriate ways. The goal is to dismantle barriers to Indigenous education through improved pedagogy, curriculum, and increasing the number of Indigenous teachers.

1. Policy to Praxis
Addressing the tension between what
happens inside versus what happens
outside the school gate.
2013 International Conference of the Australian Association for
Research in Education (AARE) 3 December 2013
Professor Peter Buckskin PSM, FACE

2. Using discipline knowledge to identify
and dismantle the barriers that
contribute to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander disadvantage…

3. Remove the politics
from the debate …
Focus on pedagogies and
epistemologies

4. ‘Whiteness … is an invisible regime
of power that secures hegemony
through discourse and has material
effects in everyday life’
(Moreton-Robinson 2004, p.75)

5. Outside the school gate versus
Inside the school gate

6. Dominant societal groups …
‘tend to construct reality in ways that
reinforce, protect and legitimise their
position of dominance’
(Howard 2006, p.54)

7. Inside the school gate
• National Australian Curriculum;
• National standards for teachers and
leaders; and
• More Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Teachers Initiative (MATSITI).

8. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority (ACARA)
•
•
Foundation to Year 12
17 Learning Areas with 5 completed
- English
- Maths
- Science
- History
- Geography
• Consulting on Languages, Civics and Citizenship, Work Studies
Years 9-10, Arts
• Three cross-curriculum priorities:
1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and
cultures;
2. Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia; and
3. Sustainability.

9. Cross Curriculum Priority:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and
Cultures
•
Content Descriptors versus Elaborations
•
Relegated to the Elaborations … high risk of not being
considered;
•
Illustrations of Practice;
•
No Assessment of the Priority; and
•
No legitimacy of our language, knowledge and culture.

10. Australian Institute for Teaching &
School Leadership (AITSL)
Three Domains:
1. Professional Knowledge;
2. Professional Practice; and
3. Professional Engagement.

11. Australian Institute for Teaching &
School Leadership (AITSL)
Professional Knowledge Standards;
1. Know students and how they learn
2. Know the content and how to teach it
Focus Area 1.4:
Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Focus Area 2.4:
Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
to promote Reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians

12. Teacher Education and Professional Development
Respect, Relationships, Reconciliation (RRR)
Module 1. Know Yourself, Know Your World
Module 2. Know Your Students
Module 3. Know What You Teach
www.rrr.edu.au

13. Teacher Education and Professional Development
Module 1: Know Yourself, Know Your World
1. Respect, relationships, reconciliation Understanding of respect, relationships and
reconciliation;
2. Values, culture and identity Clear understanding of personal own
culture, its influences upon self belief and
value systems, cultural identify and
potential impacts on pedagogical choices
and student learning; and
www.rrr.edu.au

14. Teacher Education and Professional Development
Module 1: Know Yourself, Know Your World
3. An anti-racism pedagogy
Examination stereotyping,
privilege and power, and
how ‘race’ is a social
construct
www.rrr.edu.au

15. Teacher Education and Professional Development
Module 2: Know Your Students
1. Quality Teacher High Expectations
Having high expectations is paramount to
successful learning outcomes.
2. Quality Teaching
Supportive School Environment – Student
examine their understanding , beliefs and
pedagogical practices to address the
learning needs of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students .
www.rrr.edu.au

16. Teacher Education and Professional Development
Module 2: Know Your Students
3. Inclusive Pedagogy Pedagogy that is inclusive, that is culturally
Appropriate and fosters a stimulating learning
environment will address the needs of all
students.
4. Building Positive Relationships Importance should be given to building and
maintaining positive and caring relationships
between Aboriginal and Strait Islander
students and their parents and care givers
www.rrr.edu.au

17. Teacher Education and Professional Development
Module 2: Know Your Students
5. Working with local Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander
peoples Working with local communities to
locate and identify suitable
resources will enrich your teaching
and make learning more
meaningful and relevant for your
students.
www.rrr.edu.au

18. Teacher Education and Professional Development
Module 3: Know What You Teach
1. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander identities –
An exploration of the concept of
representation with reference to Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander ‘identities’ within
Australia.
2. Land, colonisation, alienation and
cultural intrusion.
www.rrr.edu.au

19. Teacher Education and Professional Development
Module 3: Know What You Teach
3. Systems of relationships,
responsibility and reciprocity
4. Significant episodes and
events
5. Demographics as an
Indigenous imperative
www.rrr.edu.au

20. More Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
Teachers Initiative (MATSITI)
1. Leadership, quality teaching and
workforce development (NATSIAP
Domain);
2. Increase the numbers of and retention
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Teachers; and
3. Identify and develop strategies to
support the leadership aspirations of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Teachers.
www.matsiti.edu.au

21. Photos courtesy of Google Images