Student ID #: 110168036

Ways of incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies into a classroom curriculum

It is important for educators to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies in the classroom
according to the national curriculum. By incorporating not only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies
but other culture studies we can create a sense of acceptance for all students (Van Hoorn et al. 2011, p. 184).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies can be incorporated into the classroom, school and community
in many different ways such as school-based activities and community involvement while also working
together to create a class were all students feel accepted.

By acknowledging the history of Australia the students can gain an understanding of how their upbringing
has/has not influenced Australia today. The importance of learning about how Australia was once a land
where people did not speak English and had very different ways of living is significant because then we can
begin to understand how people are different and have different views of growing up. Educators need to be
able to teach their students about the invasion in 1788, where explorers took possession of the land as first
discoverers and claimed it to be “Terra Nullius” (Simmons, M 2015). There are many ways in which this
content may be taught such as, worksheets, videos or having people who had family living in Australia at the
time speaking to the class about it. The students can also be taught about why Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people do not celebrate Australia Day (26th January) because it is considered Invasion Day (Creative
Spirits 2015). Invasion Day is when the British people took over Australia (Creative Spirits 2015). This topic is
also a great way to show another perspective. As Australians celebrate Australia not many people think
about why we are celebrating and the affect that this day had on Aboriginal people therefore, to share this
new perspective with the students it will provide them with different point of view and allow them to think
about why Australians have certain celebrations. Students will obviously find the stolen generation to be a
topic which is confronting so it is important to start with a topic which is easier for them to understand, such
as the history of Australia before the invasion and then explore more in-depth areas.

Another way of incorporating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies in the classroom is to teach the
students about reconciliation (Simmons, M 2015). This can be done all year round but especially during days
such as National Sorry Day (26th May) and National Reconciliation Week (27th May – 3rd June) (Reconciliation
Australia 2015). In these weeks we can participate and engage in a range of different activities to ensure the
children are aware of the significance of these days and why they are still relevant. Some of these activities
could include researching the importance of these days and what happened on these days to make them so
important, worksheets in which the students would have to talk about what they believe reconciliation is or
working in groups which explore and research different cultures. In these weeks it would also be beneficial to
involve the community with such events to ensure we are being inclusive of everyone and to showcase the
variety of cultures in one community. Using an activity which draws the community and school together is a
great way of teaching reconciliation because the students are able to observe reconciliation and how they
can then apply this to their own lives. An activity in which both the community and school can participate in
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together may include making an art mural which symbolises togetherness in which all students are a part of
and have an equal opportunity to showcase their strengths. It is important to show that the students all
deserve the same respect and can share their experiences without judgement. By including all cultures within
the classroom in a range of new activities such as creating artwork or music which showcase the similarities
and differences between them, the students will gain an understanding of how we can all work together to
create something, even though we have differences.

Reconciliation Australia (2015) use Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) to engage with different groups of
people to show them the use of reconciliation and why it is important. A plan such as a RAP can be used in
schools to show how important respect, relationships and opportunity is within the classroom, school and
community (Reconciliation Australia 2015). These RAPs are used in the classroom in the way of the Australian
Curriculum, around the school by the school’s ethos and within the community (Simmons, M 2015). This will
engage a specific group within the school to organise and be proactive about engaging the school and the
community in being active when it comes to reconciliation. This can be done by building strong relationships
between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous people and especially recognising
the rights of not only Indigenous people but people of all ages and backgrounds (Simmons, M 2015).

A way of understanding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and incorporating it into the
classroom could be to learn the language of the traditional owners of the land of which the school is on
(Australian Curriculum 2015). This would allow the students to see how different the English language is
compared to the traditional language of the land we live on and how hard it must be to learn a new language.
By learning the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language such as the Kaurna language, the
students will hopefully gain a better understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students who have had to learn English. The lesson could also incorporate facts about Australia before the
invasion such as “Australia is made up of two hundred and fifty tribes and each have their own language”.
The lesson could also give the students another perspective when thinking about different cultures because
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students from other non-English speaking backgrounds all
speak their own language and have to learn English when they attend school which can be very difficult.
These facts will provide the students with some background knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander history which they can then expand on while learning about the language while also allowing them
to see their world from another point of view.

Learning about the typical home life-style of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people would be
a great way to incorporate a sense of acceptance within the classroom. According to Van Hoorn, et al.,
students who are more exposed to different cultures and have the opportunity to share their own culture,
feel more accepted than those who are only confined to their own culture. By allowing the students to
express their culture they are able to give their own information about their life while also learning about
 Student ID #: 110168036

other cultures and opinions from other students in their class. This could be incorporated into the classroom
by allowing one student each morning to present something about themselves or their upbringing.

It is important to acknowledge that all students in the classroom can be affected by racism. Therefore,
students and teachers both need to be wary of the affects of racism and strategies to overcome these affects.
One of the most effective ways to beat racism is to make people aware of its affects. Therefore by
incorporating acceptance and understanding in the classroom, this will hopefully reduce the amount of
racism in and around the classroom. There are also programs in which schools can take part in to bring
awareness of racism into the classroom. Programs such as Racism. No way. (2015) can bring awareness to
schools and have a range of different activities in which students can participate to show that they will not
tolerate racism. By engaging with these programs students and teachers will gain a better understanding of
how they can effectively stop racism and how they can put these instructions into practise within the school
yard. These programs will also allow the students to work on and create new strategies to suit their school to
help apply these new ways of thinking to the school. These tasks also enlighten the students about the
affects of racism and why it needs to stop (Racism. No way. 2015).

By engaging with and learning about traditional ceremonies and celebrations in a respectful way can show all
children how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people celebrate and commemorate their elders and loved
ones (Australian Curriculum 2015). It is also important to understand the relationship between Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people with their country (Australian Curriculum 2015). This can be done by
acknowledging the land. By learning the acknowledgement to country it shows respect to those who have
lived in Australia before us and that we respect their relationship with the country (Network SA Resource,
Advisory and Management Services Inc. 2015).

Although it is important to engage with these activities it is important, however, to not be disrespectful when
conducting these activities. Though teachers may want involvement from Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander elders, we need to be respectful that these activities may not always be able to happen. Educators
need to take into the consideration the feelings of the people they are asking to participate and accept that
the activity may not be able to happen as they would have liked it to. We, as educators need to be able to
“sit, listen and wait” to those around us and take into consideration that we may not be able completely
understand the affects of our country’s past on the Aboriginal people (Reconciliation Australia 2015).

Overall it is important for teachers to have access to a range of different activities and programs which will
involve the students with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies which connect with the Australian
Curriculum (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 2014). It is also very important for
educators to be encouraging and motivating to all students for them to feel safe and willing to complete the
tasks. Reconciliation Australia (2015) says we need to have an understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander culture and then be able to teach the truth in an easy way for students of all ages to be able to
understand. In order to do this, teachers need to be aware and have this knowledge. Therefore it is
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important to research and gain an understanding of the materials and have a clear message which they want
to convey before trying to teach it. The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (2014) also
says that we need to design activities in which all students will actively engage in and also learn and gain a
better understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions. As educators we need to be able
to successfully connect and communicate with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and work with
them to reach a goal instead of trying to speak for them (Simmons, M 2015). Speaking for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people is considered very disrespectful especially if the information we (as non-
Indigenous people) are giving is incorrect (Simmons, M 2015). Therefore educators need to be able to work
together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to ensure we are respectful and all information is
correct. It is also important to create awareness between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and for all
students to be able to have an understanding of each other’s differences but to also understand and respect
that we are all different (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 2014). This can be done in
the classroom by providing the students opportunities to explore and providing information about the past
and how this is still important for our future as a country. By engaging in these types of activities the
students will feel more accepted and have a better understanding of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
culture. This is important because students need to know the background of their country and the people
who were here before settlement. By including all students in the class, school and community within
discussions and activities which involve culture as their focus the students will feel connected to one another
and understand how our country has changed and the steps they, as the next generation, can take to
recognise our past while reaching a successful future.
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References:

Australian Curriculum 2015, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, Australian Curriculum,
viewed 17 August 2015, <http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/CrossCurriculum
Priorities/Aboriginal-and-Torres-Strait-Islander-histories-and-cultures>.

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 2014, Australian Professional Standards for Teachers,
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, viewed 17 August 2015,
<http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers/standards/list>.

Creative Spirits 2015, Australia Day – Invasion Day, Creative Spirits, viewed 14 September 2015,
<http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/australia-day-invasion-day#axzz3m5TL8w
kZ>.

Network SA Resource, Advisory and Management Services Inc. 2015, ‘Welcome to Country or
Acknowledgement of Country?’, Network SA, viewed 14 September 2015,
<https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCIQFj
ABahUKEwiatZKRtIDIAhWEIqYKHWK2Di8&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.networksa.org.au%2F_literature_12193
2%2FWelcome_to_Country_and_Acknowledgment_of_Country&usg=AFQjCNFiSYVvvx9A-fJCGNsHpN9fA3e-
ug&sig2=BoZJ6ct9gJAZ55EspFABig&bvm=bv.102829193,d.dGY>.

NSW Government 2015, Teaching resources, Racism. No Way., viewed 14 September 2015,
<http://www.racismnoway.com.au/teaching-resources/anti-racism-activities/index.html>.

Reconciliation Australia 2015, Let’s Talk… Sorry Day, Reconciliation Australia, viewed 14 September 2015,
<https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/150520-Sorry-Day.pdf>.

Reconciliation SA 2015, Introduction, Reconciliation SA, viewed 14 September 2015,

<http://www.reconciliationsa.org.au/for-schools/education-packs>.

Simmons, M 2015, ‘Reconciliation Australia’, EDUC 2061, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 13
September 2015.

Simmons, M 2015, ‘Curriculum’, EDUC 2061, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 24 August 2015.

Simmons, M 2015, ‘Aboriginal History’, EDUC 2061, University of South Australia, Adelaide, 3 August 2015.

Van Hoorn, J, Monighan Nourot, P, Scales, B & Rodriguez Alward K 2011, Play at the Center of the Curriculum,
Pearson, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.