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Demonstrate understanding of the conditions impacting on indigenous students’ education, by

discussing the intersections of race, racism, and whiteness, and by connecting these understandings
to the AITSL standards.

Although there have been many changes over the years to try and make the education system more
beneficial for, and inclusive of, Indigenous students, there remains a divide between Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal students. Many conditions, such as the lack of Indigenous histories and cultures in
the curricula and the lack of understanding amongst teachers, have an impact on the schooling of
Indigenous students. The concepts of race, racism and whiteness also contribute to the unequal
outcomes produced in schooling.

Throughout the years, numerous factors have impacted upon the education of Indigenous Australian
students, including the lack of culturally significant teaching material and teachers’ lack of
understanding of or interest in Aboriginal history and culture. Coppell (1974) found that the curricula
of schools across Australia did not cater for Indigenous students, including “very few or no
references to Indigenous culture” (cited in Beresford 2012, p. 103). Aboriginal children were
expected to learn from and respond to activities that played no part in their everyday life and
experiences they had not faced, making it extremely difficult to perform well in their schooling
(McMeekin 1969, cited in Beresford 2012). In schools today, Aboriginal history and culture forms a
small part of the curriculum, however Lowes and Yunkaporta (2013) have found that there is a “clear
lack of intention” to engage fully with the learning opportunities the studies of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander history and culture offers (1). Studies have also found that teachers have often been
prejudiced against Indigenous students, believing they lacked “motivation, self-control and
discipline” (Beresford 2012, p. 108). Kaurna Elder Uncle Lewis Yerloburka O’Brien wrote about his
schooling experience in his novel And the Clock Struck Thirteen, explaining that school was hard for
him as teachers were often worried he would not pass, with one particular teacher telling him
“You’ll give me a bad mark…and I haven’t got time to teach you” (O’Brien 2007, p. 113). Beresford
(YEAR) found that there was a lack of appropriate training in “cultural competency” among teachers
as well as a general disinterest towards the Aboriginal community. These failures in education “has
resulted in generations of uneducated, or partly educated, Aboriginal people” (Beresford 2012, 85).

The education of Indigenous students is also impacted upon by the concepts of race, racism and
whiteness. Race, according to Shulz (2016), is a “social construct with no biological basis” (slide 14),
used by people in the past to ostracize Aboriginal Australians. This construction of race as a point of
difference has led to racism, which is now so widespread across Australia that in today’s society, it is
normal (Shulz 2016). Throughout our society, there is a lack of understanding of racism, with many
people believing it only relates to “individual acts of meanness, not…invisible systems” (McIntosh
1990, 31). This has led to a lack of understanding of the concept of ‘whiteness’ or ‘white privilege,’
which is described by McIntosh (1990) as an “invisible package of unearned assets” (31). McIntosh
also remarks that often students are specifically taught not to see white privilege. Whilst many
teachers may believe that by purposely not educating students on the idea of white privilege, they
are preventing racism, this is often not the case. Tannoch-Bland (1998) argues that “it is through
exposing our white race privilege to one another that we can begin to unpack and unlearn racism.” It
is therefore important for students to be aware of racism and its interconnectedness with white
privilege, so that they can begin to break down the barriers that exist within our society. The current
AITSL standards relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture, whilst not
extensive, can provide opportunities for teachers to educate students on racism and white privilege.

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) provides two standards that
teachers must meet in relation to teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. One of the
major issues in previous years identified by Beresford (2012) was educators’ lack of understanding of
Aboriginal histories and cultures. Through the implementation of requirements such as the AITSL
standards, teachers are able to expand their knowledge of Indigenous peoples, which can help them
to understand and relate to Aboriginal students. Standard 1.4 and 2.4 dictate that graduate level
teachers must be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of and respect for “for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages” as well as “the impact of
culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander backgrounds” (AITSL 2014). However, a proficient teacher will not only
demonstrate this knowledge but apply it, providing students with opportunities to learn from
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. Encouraging students to develop an
interest in Indigenous studies will provide great benefits to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students, as Coppell (1974) found that Indigenous children are “eager to learn” when their school
“exhibited a feeling of a place of belonging” (cited in Beresford 2012, p. 103). These standards also
provide the opportunity to educate students on concepts such as racism and whiteness, and in doing
so, promote reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students.

The lack of Indigenous history and culture in Australian curricula as well as the lack of understanding
amongst teachers had led to an unequal education for Aboriginal students. Despite the advances
made in recent years, such as the inclusion of teaching standards related to Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students, Australia still has a long way to go before all students have an equal
education.
Reference List

AITSL Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership n.d, Australian Professional Standards
for Teachers, Standard 1.4 and Standard 2.4 <http://toolkit.aitsl.edu.au/category/the-
standards/resource/10>.

Beresford, Q 2012, 'Separate and unequal: an outline of Aboriginal education 1900-1996', in


Beresford, Q, Partington, G & Gower, G (eds.), Reform and resistance in Aboriginal education, UWA
Publishing, Crawley, WA., pp. 85-119

Lowes, K & Yunkaporta, T 2013, ‘The inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content in the
Australian National Curriculum: A cultural, cognitive and socio-political evaluation’, Curriculum
Perspectives, Australian Curriculum Studies Association, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 1-14

McIntosh, P 1990, 'White privilege: unpacking the invisible knapsack', Independent School, Winter,
pp. 31-36.

O'Brien, LY & Gale, M 2007, 'My difficult childhood', in O'Brien, LY & Gale, M, And the clock struck
thirteen: the life and thoughts of Kaurna Elder Uncle Lewis Yerloburka O'Brien, 1st edn, Wakefield
Press, Kent Town, SA., pp. 102-122

Schulz, S 2016, ‘Critical race theory and whiteness’, lecture slides distributed in the topics
EDUC2420/9400 Teaching Indigenous Australian Students/Critical Indigenous Pedagogies, Flinders
University, Bedford Park, 8 August.

Tannoch-Bland, J 1998, 'Identifying white race privilege [extract from chapter 1: The experience of
racism in Australia]', in Bringing Australia together: the structure and experience of racism in
Australia, Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action, Woollongabba, QLD., pp. 33-38.

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