🌱 Closing the gap for Indigenous students

Strategies for practice

As a primary school teacher, I create inclusive and positive learning environments for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education by upholding First Nations culture.  My aim is to close the educational gap between non-Indigenous and First Nations students by integrating First Nations peoples’ perspectives, identities and culture into all aspects of the curriculum taught in my classroom (ACARA, n.d.). 

This article looks at how this can be done with reference to a year 2 math class investigating number sequences, especially in twos/pairs (ACARA, 2016).  There is a lot of cross over in the space of developing relationships, curriculum principles and pedagogy.  However, for ease of reference I have set out my thoughts under each of those headings, which, if implemented, will develop cultural competency for teaching year 2 mathematics.

Developing relationships

Strategy

Get to know my students

Explanation

Given First Nations peoples experience reality through spiritual and social relationships, it is incredibly important that I spend time getting to know my First Nations students so that I can actively participate in their learning (Moreton-Robinson, 2014).  Rogers (2015) suggests that as a teacher, I hold a special place in the lives of First Nations students, their families and community which can contribute to positive learning outcomes through high expectations and a warm and inviting environment.  Although Harrison and Sellwood (2016), suggest that as a teacher I may not be the driving force of education, it is the relationship I build that will support identity and create a place of belonging.  As such, teaching math is informed by understanding what makes school meaningful for local First Nations families, what success looks like, and what outcomes First Nations families want for their children (Department of Education and Training, 2016).

Strategy

Open door policies to create relationships with parents, caregivers and the community

Explanation

As a non-Indigenous teacher, I am mindful that a disconnect with education may exist for those of the stolen generation (KidsMatterAustralia, n.d.).  As such, to build trust, it is important that I create solid and respectful relationships if I am to encourage parents, carers or community members to be a part of my class and share local perspectives for teaching math concepts like pairs (Rogers, 2015).  Given I come from a culturally different background, I will seek support and listen to the ‘Indigenous Education Officer’ or ‘Cultural Education Counsellor’ when thinking about how I am interacting and communicating – using appropriate and respectful terminology.  For First Nations students, learning doesn’t start and stop at the school fence.  Being open, warm and engaging if stopped in the community by students, parents, caregivers or community members is important.  Creating an atmosphere that allows for yarning dialog circles will assist in keeping culture strong in my classroom.

Strategy

Understand protocols to develop relationships with the community

Explanation

Another way I can develop relationships with local First communities is by learning and respecting the local First Nations people’s protocols.  Protocols are ways that community members, families and the school interact with each other and can exist around knowledge, kinship, country, totem, sacred sites, women business, and so on (Department of Education and Training, 2016).  I can demonstrate respect for First Nations peoples’ culture by learning appropriate ways of behaving and communicating within the community (Board of Studies NSW, 2008).  Given protocols vary between communities, it is important to learn local ways if I am to be trusted with local First Nations knowledge and principles.  This includes being mindful that not all First Nations people want to make eye contact, give an opinion, or share their culture or history (Board of Studies NSW, 2008).  Given that considerable harm can be caused to relationships by breaching First Nations protocols, it is important to follow protocols to build positive relationships and establish open communication and trust.

Curriculum Principles

Principle

Authentic use of First Nations people’s resources

Explanation

The Cross-Curriculum Priorities and Organising Ideas (ACARA, n.d.) provides me with freedom to choose which resources and learning activities best fit the needs of my Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.  This freedom can be a double edge sword unless I critically evaluate the authenticity, ownership and authority of the texts.  In determining which resources to use, I will take into consideration:

• the author’s perspectives, background and biases;
• who does the knowledge belong to (this is a fundamental question as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge is the intellectual property of particular communities);
• whether I have permission to share or include that knowledge in my curriculum (‘inside versus outside’ knowledge (QCAA, 2018b));
• does the knowledge demonstrate both perspectives; and
• does the text use appropriate terminology.

This is not an exhaustive list and further guidance is available in EATSIPS (Department of Education and Training, 2016).  I appreciate that I can teach about the math concept of pairs generally, I cannot teach local First Nations knowledge and perspectives of pairs without permission.

Principle

Curriculum development through consultation

Explanation

Guided by policy (Department of Education and Training, 2016), my goal is to build cultural competence so that I unconsciously and automatically embed First Nations people’s perspectives in my curriculum.  Building cultural competence comes from years of experience of both Open Door Policies (discussed above) and seeking local community consultation in the development of curriculum so that authentic local First Nations perspectives and knowledge can be embedded in the classroom. 

The Board of Studies NSW (2008) suggest that a consultation process includes identifying and getting to know the local First Nations community and protocols.  This will enable me to make connections to determine the appropriate principles and knowledge to be included to bring depth to my teaching.  By emphasising partnerships through consultation, I can ensure that First Nations students, parents/carers and communities feel that their culture is valued, respected and embedded in culturally sensitive ways. Developing curriculum through consultation will also assist in implementing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pedagogies, like 8 ways and YuMi Deadly (discussed below).

Indigenous Aligned Pedagogy

Pedagogical approach

8 Ways

Explanation

8 Ways is designed to be a culturally supportive framework for me to engage with local First Nations knowledge (Harrison & Sellwood, 2022) and creates a space for localised learning through culture not about culture (AITSL, 2017).  The 8 Ways are eight different pedagogies (land links, hands on, learning maps, and so on) that can be used individually or in combination to teach about First Nations perspectives through the local ways of doing things and thinking (Perso and Haywood, 2020).  It is a supportive framework that can be tailored to suit all diverse learners (AITSL, 2017). 

To successfully implement this approach, it is assumed that I have been successful in ‘Building Relationship’ and applying the ‘Curriculum Principle’ goals discussed above.  How I would go about teaching year 2 to investigate number sequences and pairs is dependent on my connection with the local First Nations community and may for example be through kinaesthetic skills (Non-verbal) or through narrative (Story Sharing) from a local First Nations community member.

Pedagogical approach

YuMi Deadly Maths (YDM)

Explanation

The Reality, Abstraction, Mathematics and Reflection (RAMR) cycle encourages students to use cultural perspective (Matthews, 2009) and social constructivist approaches to consolidate and extend mathematical ideas and concepts (Carter et al., 2016).  The YDM pedagogy has been proven effective with both First Nations students and in low socioeconomic schools in consolidating and extending mathematical ideas and concepts (Matthews, 2009).  For example, YuMi Deadly Centre (2014) suggests using body parts to explain pairs links kinaesthetic activities with Reality. At the Abstraction phase, students may use their mind to visual objects. Solidifying the Mathematical concept can be achieved by using beads (if authentically undertaken by a local First Nations community member) to make pairs before writing down the numeral or number name.  Upon Reflection, students critically reflect to validate if what they have been exposed to explains their reality.  This approach allows me to make mathematics enjoyable while encouraging engagement with parents, carers and the community in students’ activities and discussions (as supported by the second curriculum principle discussed above.).

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (n.d.). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-histories-and-cultures/

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority.  (2016). Australian Curriculum: Foundation to year 10 curriculum: Mathematics: Year 2: Number and Place Values: ACMNA026 (Version 8.3).  https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/mathematics/

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2017). Eight ways of learning.  https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/eight-ways-of-learning-illustration-of-practice

Board of Studies, NSW. (2008).  Working with Aboriginal communities: A guide to community consolation and protocols.  https://ab-ed.nesa.nsw.edu.au/files/working-with-aboriginal-communities.pdf

Carter, M., Cooper, T., & Anderson, R. (2016). Teachers’ use of a pedagogical framework for improvement in mathematics teaching: case studies from YuMi Deadly maths. In White, B., Chinnappan, M., & Trenholm, S. (Eds.). Opening up mathematics education research (Proceedings of the 39^th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia) (pp. 166-173). MERGA.

Department of Education and Training. (2016). Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in schools (EATSIPS). http://indigenous.education.qld.gov.au/eatsips/Pages/default.aspx

Harrison, N., & Sellwood, J. (2022). Learning and teaching in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. (4^th ed.). Oxford University Press.

KidsMatterAustralia. (n.d.). Schools, families and communities working together [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjUkyufiSw8

Matthews, C. (2009). Stories and symbols: Maths and storytelling, Professional voice 6(3), 45-50.

Morton-Robinson, A. (2014). Towards an Australian Indigenous women’s standpoint theory: A methodological tool.  Australian Feminist studies, 28(78), 331-47.

Perso, T., & Hayward, C. (2020). Teaching Indigenous students: Cultural awareness and classroom strategies for improving learning outcomes.  Routledge.  https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003117728

Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2018b). Protocols: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of working. https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/about/k-12-policies/aboriginal-torres-strait-islander-perspectives/protocols

Rogers, J. (2015). Education. In Price, K. (Ed), Knowledge of life: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia. (pp. 166-183). Cambridge University Press.

YuMi Deadly Centre. (2014). YuMi Deadly Maths: Year 2 teacher resource: NA – The animals went in two by two. https://research.qut.edu.au/ydc/wp-content/uploads/sites/181/2017/12/YDM-CCP14_Year2_NA_The_animals_went_in_two_by_two.pdf

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