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Option 2

Dr Chris Sarra is responsible for a paradigm shift in Aboriginal education. He is a proud Aboriginal man,

who has led change and inspired many students and teachers alike. He is a staunch advocate for

Aboriginal education and culture. Dr Sarra is a role model to many, and was awarded 2016 National

NAIDOC Person of the Year.

To provide some context Dr Chris Sarra holds a PhD in Psychology, he is the director of the Indigenous

Education Leadership Institute, later named the Stronger Smarter Institute (SSI) (Institute 2017a) and

the first Aboriginal principle of Cherbourg State School in south east Queensland (Leech 2007). When

Dr Sarra arrived at Cherbourg State School in 1998, student attendance levels were low, achievements

were below the state average, plus there were behavioural challenges (p.32). Dr Sarra however

managed to positively transform the culture of the school, improve attendance rates, and student

academic outcomes. He achieved this by challenging the attitudes of the teachers, to believe they

could make a difference to the outcomes for indigenous students. He challenged teachers to back

themselves, to forge links with the local indigenous community (p.34), to truly believe in students

through high expectations (p.38). The focus upon high expectations is core to the philosophy of the

Stronger Smarter Institute.

Dr Sarras statement There is no place in any educational jurisdiction for educators with stifled

perceptions of who Indigenous students are, or what they can achieve (Cabinet 2017, p.35)

exemplifies the basis for transformation achieved at Cherbourg. His statement is referring to the

suffocating effect that a deficit attitude can have upon indigenous students, not only educational

outcomes, but also the damage to sense of personal and cultural identity. He is also referring not only

to teachers but all school staff, and it could be inferred that this includes departmental employees. Dr

Sarra is alluding to two things, need for change at a systemic level and the importance of teacher

quality.

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Rhea (2013) identified shortcomings teacher professional development at federal, systemic and local

levels, regarding two key professional teaching standards which echo Dr Sarras jurisdictional

sentiment. Rhea (2013) points to gaps in policy supporting the social justice of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islanders at the federal level (p.6), lack of systemic planning and evaluation of professional

development (p.7), and dropping levels of professional development in Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander cultural competency programs (p.8). These findings are concerning in light of the requirement

that teachers need to professionally demonstrate competency (AITSL 2014) of standard Focus Areas

1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (p.9) and 2.4 Understand and

respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander and non- Indigenous Australians (p.11).

Dr Sarras emphasis upon teacher perceptions is key to institutional change, and relates to the work

of Schein (1992) in that ones underlying cultural assumptions which exist below the conscious level

of awareness, directly manifest in ones espoused values, in what is believed, and is tangibly visible as

artefacts and behaviours. This is a very important connection since teachers are in a position where

their espoused discourse is representative of their own socialisation, and the filters through which

they perceive the world (Gorringe & Spillman 2008). Such dominant discourse also constructs the

teacher as a figure with a binary level of power in the classroom (Ferfolja, Daz & Ullman 2015, p.7)

which would no doubt be problematic should the teachers perceptions be skewed. The Stronger

Smarter Position Paper (Institute 2014) also points to this as a problem in that the education system

is based on embedded Anglo-Australian patterns of thinking, perceiving and doing (p.7). This

chronological system of learning differs greatly to traditional Aboriginal education which is based on

the learners readiness to receive (Price and Garlett 2015, p.3).

The Cultural Competence continuum (Gorringe and Spillman 2008, p.3) refers to the level of

knowledge and empathy a person has for another culture, in this case cross-cultural knowledge of

indigenous Australians. Price and Garlett (2015) pose that cultural competency is foundational

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(p.178) in building quality learning relationships with indigenous students, and that the much needed

educational revolution (p.179) cannot happen without it. A lack of cultural competency therefore has

a detrimental effect of the perceptions teachers hold of their indigenous students. Such lacking leads

to misinformation and often negative perceptions being held by teachers, hence why Dr Sarra places

such importance on perception.

Negative teacher perceptions may manifest in different ways. For example Price and Garlett (2015)

refer to the silent apartheid (p.69) as a regenerative pandemic (p.71) which is perpetuated through

the teacher not having adequate education in Aboriginal culture, therefore inadvertently

marginalising indigenous students. This may present as poor lesson design which trivialises indigenous

culture (p.72). Ethnic profiling is also problematic (pp.76-77) and is the result of negative stereotyping,

and at the other extreme is racism by cotton wool (pp.72-73) whereby teachers are overly cautious

of being politically incorrect, resulting in inaction. Additionally, lowering expectations for indigenous

students (p.72) has negative implications. These examples reflect the importance Dr Sarra places upon

holding high expectations, from which there are tangible positive results at Cherbourg school.

Issues that present challenges to Aboriginal student achievement are well documented. The 2015

Aboriginal Students in NSW Public Schools Annual Report (Education 2015) and The Closing the Gap

Report (Cabinet 2017) are two such documents. Attendance is one issue. The Closing the Gap report

linked lower levels of attendance with lower levels of literacy (p.35), and while the report claims

NAPLAN results are on track (p.38), however Table 1 (p.41) indicates that only the ACT is on track for

literacy and numeracy. Further to this indigenous students are performing two and a third years

behind their non-indigenous counterparts (PISA cited in Cabinet 2017, p.41). Low attendance and

absenteeism levels can be somewhat attributed to remoteness from the school (Education 2015, p.9)

and indigenous boys having the lowest level of attendance (Cabinet 2017, p.37).

Retention through year 12 is also an issue for indigenous students in that completion rates are much

lower than non-indigenous students. This is important since it has been shown the completion of year

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12 is a pathway for employment and post school opportunity (p.35). Contrastingly incarceration rates

for indigenous people have been associated with attainment below year 10. Though the numbers of

students completing year 12 has been steadily increasing since 2010 which is positive (Education 2015,

p.15). Suspension rates are also an issue for indigenous students, and since 2010 both long and short

suspension rates have been declining, (p.16) but time away from school does not facilitate academic

progress. Low socio economic status (SES) is also an identified factor for indigenous students, with the

proportion of indigenous students of low SES is more than double that of non-indigenous students

(p.9).

Indigenous communities are wary of mainstream education partly due to the large gap that exists in

literacy and numeracy outcomes, even after 100 years of education (Price and Garlett 2015, p.176).

Lack of community and student engagement may also be attributable to poor cultural competency of

educators, and a lack of understanding of indigenous identity. Jaky Troy speaks of the importance of

language, the connection to culture and likens the damage caused through the systematic quashing

of language and culture to that of starvation. This left a legacy of fear, disrupting the natural passing

down of language (Troy cited in Price and Garlett 2015, pp.140-142). Sue Ellen Tighe described the

improvement in her son when he studied Gamilaraay, language of country. Her sons attitude

changed, he was engaged in learning and he did better at school (p.144). Hence the connection

between language, culture, trust and engagement is clear.

The Stronger Smarter Institute operates under five meta-strategies which are (Institute 2017b):

1. Positive student identity

2. Indigenous leadership

3. High-expectations

4. Innovative staffing models

5. Innovative school models

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The SSI strategies are effectively targeting the key educational challenges with a solutions based

model targeting systemic and institutional level change through innovative school and staffing models.

Also local level change is occuring due to improved perceptions, culturally competent teachers who

can genuinely engage with indigenous communities, form partnerships embracing indigenous

leadership in schools, all the while strengthening student identity, and improving outcome through

high expectation pedagogy. Hence the importance of quality relationships (TV 2010) and the function

of perception as foundation for change.

Numerous examples exist of the positive effect the SSI is having, for instance The Remote Principles

Project (Cabinet 2017, p.48) designed by Dr Sarra is one example addressing the need for culturally

competent school leaders. Manyalluluk School in the Northern Territory improved attendance

through genuine community partnership and a move to night school sessions involving parents

(Institute 2009a). Karen Jones, School Education Director for the Hunter region of NSW though

partnering with the SSI has improved indigenous community engagement in the region (Institute

2009b). Tangible expressions of cultural pride through school boys rap music are also evident (Institute

2012), and high expectations are embedded in a whole school approach in Glenroi Heights Public

School (Institute 2015a).

Alongside the SSI there are many complementary parallel initiatives such as the FAFT (Families as first

teachers) program (Training 2014), The Clontarf Foundation (Foundation, C 2017), The Kathy Freeman

Foundation (Foundation, CF 2017), The Youth Mobility Program (IYMP 2016), and the Edith Cowen

Kurongkurl Katitjin program (University 2017) which also support indigenous students academic and

personal growth.

Implementing the SSI philosophy as a teacher needs to start with addressing ones own perceptions,

ensuring a personal and professional view of high expectations for indigenous students is key.

Embedding Aboriginal culture and perspectives into lesson content and using a discourse which is

positive will foster a positive sense of identity in indigenous students. Modelling enthusiasm and

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respect for indigenous perspectives is important, and having non-indigenous students see this high

expectation from the teacher builds peer empathy and respect.

Culturally responsive pedagogy is important, for example the 8 Ways of Learning is one such model

(8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning Factsheet 2012). Theoretical content can be delivered as a story,

discussions can occur in a yarning circle we every voice is heard. New knowledge can be delivered in

a non-linear way, providing the whole first which can then be deconstructed and reconstructed.

Multiple means of representation can occur through hands on work, visuals, and storytelling.

Welcoming indigenous language into the classroom is also a positive move.

Creating learning experiences which are genuinely engaging can be developed through localising the

content, in that knowledge must be taught where it was produced (Harrison & Greenfield 2011). Such

knowledge can be gained through consultation with the local indigenous people and genuine

partnerships formed (NSW 2008) which can be facilitated through the AECG (p.9).

Examples of genuine partnerships include having Elders and parents into the classroom to teach, (The

Engoori model) (Gorringe and Spillman 2008, p.9). Also using artefacts which promote Aboriginal

perspectives is important, e.g. the Aboriginal flag and murals. Representation of Aboriginal role

models is also important to further build cultural pride (Spirits 2017). Also providing access to

indigenous cultural information as a cultural nest (Education 2015, p.22) is another positive

approach.

Challenges which may be encountered in the implementation of the SSI approach may include

negative perceptions from staff members regarding the effectiveness and importance of the SSI

model. These perceptions may be reflective of apathy and or racism. There may also be resistance

from students, questioning the importance of Aboriginal perspectives in the curriculum and there may

also be difficultly in convincing the school executive. It is important to remember that schools are

diverse, that many acculturations exist both in and out of view (Schein 1992).

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Addressing these concerns which are largely based on deficit thinking toward Aboriginal culture is of

paramount importance. Dialogue is the first step, talking to people about their views, asking them to

see what is in their Dilly Bag (Institute 2015b) so they can self-assess. One cannot force a person to

change deficit views, but through education they may do this themselves. A positive way to address

deficit thinking is to truthfully discuss the history of Aboriginal people, the events that occurred, asking

people to consider the humanity of the situation. Useful resources would include the Bringing Them

Home Report (National Inquiry into the Separation of & Torres Strait Islander Children from their 1997)

and the First Australian Series by SBS (SBS 2009). Furthermore there are many case studies available

on the Stronger Smarter website which are factual and demonstrate the success of the philosophy

once implemented.

In conclusion the Stronger Smarter philosophy is proving an effective strategy in the face of stifled

perceptions of indigenous students and Aboriginal culture. The SSI is developing culturally competent

teachers who are effective in their pedagogy, supporting of Aboriginal perspectives, capable of

genuine indigenous engagement and able to foster a strong sense of identity in indigenous students,

resulting in improved academic achievement.

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