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Option 1.

This essay will critically discuss factors that contribute towards the disengagement of

Aboriginal students learning, engagement and success. Closing the education gap amongst

Aboriginal students has played a critical issue, identified by the COAG Reform Council

(2013) where Aboriginal Students now complete year 12 at a higher rate though, diminutive

improvements identify Aboriginal students still measured below the minimum national

literacy and numeracy standards (COAG Reform Council, 2013). While it is difficult to

document each specific educational disadvantage, this essay will focus on two key issues of

attendance and suspension examined through Closing the Gap reports, and key policy

documents associated. While encouraging signs are generally the conjecture identified within

the Closing the Gap report, (2016) and Annual report, (2015) genuinely, these reports project

an outlook on school improvements and do not identify the broader spectrum for why the gap

in education success amongst Aboriginal students still remains an overarching issue. As a

future Music teacher, the inclusion of Aboriginal students culture, history, and experiences

play an essential role towards constructing positive classroom contents. Not only to meet

professional practice standards 1.4 and 2.4 within the Australian Institute for Teaching and

School Leadership (AITSL) but to develop appropriate pedagogy exhibiting cross curriculum

priorities for positive engagement across all students. Additionally, this essay will employ

strategies to help counter attendance and suspension rates, exploring cultural learning and

assessment for preferred learning style essential for class engagement, while delivering a

standpoint discussion for steps that I could take supporting Aboriginal students success.

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Attendance

Education has long been an essential element for closing the gap among Aboriginal

students, though, western education systems project a reflection of assimilation, constructing

frameworks that direct instruction around reading writing and arithmetic, dating pre-1960s

(Davis, 2007). In contrast, early education policies during the 1960s supported the

segregation of permitting Aboriginal students to attend school unless they were adequately

dressed, clean, clad and courteous, known as Social Darwinism (Bradford, 2001).

Complexities surrounding school attendance have long been challenging to accurately

measure due to various intricacies associated. Closing the Gap Report (CGR) (2017)

measured Aboriginal students attendance rates were lower in 2016 in comparison to 2014

than non- Aboriginal students (Closing the Gap, 2017). From this outlook, research shown

from the CGR (2017) is admirable in principle, but the everyday realities are much more

challenging and do not highlight the specific cause for low attendance. A complex set of

circumstances needs to be addressed, including the major barriers that put Aboriginal

students at a disadvantage, such as geographical isolation, socio economic status and or other

physical issues, alongside cultural factors that are also are not accounted for in any CGR

report. The Strong correlation between attendance and academic achievement can further

connect to absenteeism beginning as early from kindergarten, as suggested from Mellor and

Corrigan (2004) who argues this problem needs to be tackled early to fix.

Other contributing factors for low attendance can further be attributed towards

Aboriginal students life experiences, associated with poor or unsafe home and community

environments. Limiting access to mainstream services or health and nutrition, understood

from (Santoro, Reid, Crawford, & Simpson, 2011). Adversely, this affects Aboriginal

students abilities to successfully engage and perform in education environments, further un

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mentioned, measured or identified within any CGR report statistics for why there is low

attendance. As a pre-service teacher, under standard 1- know your students and how they

learn, is important for the awareness of the backgrounds of all students, and how the

conditions they are exposed inhibit their capacity to learn or attend school. Being responsive

towards Aboriginal students strengths and needs is crucial for supporting the logistics of

their individual background.

Furthermore, key policies such as 1.5.1 from the Aboriginal Education Policy [AEP]

(2004), acknowledge and value Aboriginal students identifies, therefore, schools with a

higher attendance of Aboriginal students need to follow these objectives to support their

learning needs. For example, forcing Aboriginal students to attend school may have larger

negative consequences thus, schools need to address such inadequacies to be more responsive

towards Aboriginal students needs, providing supportive learning environments which they

want to attend, learn and succeed (Biddle, 2014). A holistic approach to attendance is also

essential where factors leading to the absence of Aboriginal students interrelate producing a

disadvantage. Western schools and CGR reports need to address all these aspects of

educational experiences, including both social context, and roles of staff and school

environment in order to accurately measure attendance (Mellor & Corrigan, 2004).

Cultural Learning

Western cultural schools can further result in a deficit discourse towards Aboriginal

students, creating a fail based cycle on the cultural values and social norms as being

undervalued and or unappreciated. From a graduate teacher perspective, it is very important

to be aware of Aboriginal students cultural beliefs and values understood, in particular,

strategies related to my key learning area (KLA) of Music demonstrate this connection and

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cultural value among Aboriginal students. At the graduate career step, the 2003 music

syllabus uses improper language only delegating a small section on pg. 21 for the inclusion of

Aboriginal and Indigenous culture to be acknowledged. Furthermore, the syllabus is worded

incorrectly, using the broad context of the word Indigenous, which can relate to upwards of

500 different tribes which also makes up 2.4 per cent of Australias Population (Santoro et

al., 2011).

Professional Standard 2.4, know the content and how to teach it calls for all teachers

pre-and post, to be understanding and respectful among promoting reconciliation between

Aboriginal and Non- Aboriginal students (AITSL, 2012). Music has been regarded to be a

powerful tool for creativity and communication, one example can be understood from The

Song Room a school based program focused on three aspects of children, parents, and

community to develop a comprehensive range of arts and activities for inclusion and

relevance (The Song Room, 2013). Embracing this approach as a graduate teacher, and

incorporating aural traditions of Aboriginal music teachings help to connect nature and land,

producing positive engagement further contributing to recognition, familiarity and immersion

of deep pedagogies that are inclusive and responsive to Aboriginal teachings instead of the

one size fit all approach.

Furthermore, outcome 4.8 within the Music syllabus can be supported through

drawings to illustrate musical concepts of high or low pitch, depicting features within music

concept examples (Board of Studies, 2003, pg.25). From this aural activity, students can

explore, compare and describe drawings in immersive learning. Additionally, implementing

circle solution principles in practice provide good active listening groups for story telling

traditions towards positive engagement, and respect leaving out judgment (Roffey, 2014).

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Moreover, adopting these appropriate pedagogies provides a sense of identity to be

acknowledged, crucial for learning and avoiding disengagement.

Assessment

Teacher education programs are increasingly determined by the narrow demands of

the profession, reflecting the ever-expanding accountability framework imposed by modern

governments. Many pre-and post-service teachers question the value of administering

standardised testing like NAPLAN to both Aboriginal and non - Aboriginal students,

designed to assess students literacy and numeracy competence, NAPLAN testing can be

culturally biased and limiting among all students (Gray & Beresford, 2008). Not to imply I do

not need a national curriculum or student assessment, or that testing is not important nor

should exist. Teaching to the curriculum and assigning assessment is an integral part of my

role as a music teacher, this is simply to point out too much time may be required to teach to

the test.

Western cultural education settings have set this disengagement for non-inclusive

language, social, cultural and economic values that disempower Aboriginal students. As

mentioned by Johnson (2016) It does not have any sort of relevance to what they know and

experience on a day to day level. In fact, according to CGR (2017), NAPLAN scores between

Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal students are still significantly dissimilar, though as

mentioned prior, multiple factors including socioeconomic well-being and traditions of

teaching are obscured by these barriers NAPLAN and other westernised teachings introduce

towards the one size fits all approach. Under the AEP (2004) focus on 1.1.2, the goal of the

department is that Aboriginal students will match or better the outcomes of the broader

student population, falsely recognised in the CGR (2017) statistics. Therefore, the dominant

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discourse of standardised testing illustrates, a deficit discourse where social, cultural values

are being unrecognised and further unacknowledged in western cultural schools, ultimately

setting up Aboriginal students to fail (Craven, 2011).

Suspension

In addition, suspension, often leading to the removal of a student from school and

education well-being for a period of time, can be based on the severity of the suspension

pertained. From this knowledge, I question, does suspension improve Aboriginal students

behavior? Communities argue, some Aboriginal students have considered suspension as a

reward, as oppose to punishment, due to the need not to participate in any school work

(Mander,1995). It is recognised that suspension cannot always be an effective means for

reducing the prevalence or even changing behavioral problems intended, though to instead

take away education for a period of time. According to the (2015) Annual report, long

suspension rates have increased from 5.8% in 2010 to 6.1% in 2015, in fact, long suspensions

can often leave Aboriginal students excluded from a safe environment for up to 20 days,

positioning them in some cases within harms way.

As understood, frequently suspended Aboriginal students were the ones most in need

of help as mentioned from (Mandler,1995). This reinforcement of suspension can therefore

ultimately give Aboriginal students a sense of outcast, viewing their school as not wanting

them there or caring for them (AEP, 2004). Though according to the (2015) Annual report,

the suspension has been outlined not simply excluding a student as a disciplinary measure but

as a strategy' allowing the school to work with that student (Annual Report, 2015). I am not

proposing that the Annual reports are lying though, factors contributing to suspension are

disproportionate with Aboriginal students who are male, and come from low socioeconomic

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status, minority ethnic, racial background or low academic competence. Reiterating my

previous research from Mandler (1995), elucidating, frequently suspended students are most

in need of help. Having high expectations for all students, connected with strong leadership

skills can be embraced under the AEP (2004) policy 1.5.2, providing supportive and

culturally inclusive learning environments (AEP, 2004). Producing high expectations can,

therefore, develop greater academic and social outcomes, resulting in safer and more

productive school environments as opposed towards short and long-term suspension that

create extended behavioral issues down the road.

Conclusion

Largely, future graduates in the profession of teaching need to be culturally aware of

the demographic of students they teach. Knowing students and how they learn' and knowing

the content and how to teach it' are two strong focal points that consider all factors associated

with being mindful of all student ethnicities. As a future music teacher, it comes under my

professional responsibility to provide strong leadership, positive encouragement, high

expectations and positive student teacher relationships to partake in supporting student

success (Christian Marson, SSI, 2017). Importantly, for Aboriginal students at risk of

disengagement, research indicates that positive teacher relationships and positive role model

behaviors have the most significant outcome for at risk Aboriginal and non- Aboriginal

students (Ride, 2007). Lastly, teachers entering the profession have the opportunity to re-

design relevant supportive, engaging and interactive pedagogies. Valuing the professional

development among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students, contributing steps towards

closing the educational gap and developing positive future outcomes encouraging Aboriginal

student success.

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References

Annual Report (2015). Aboriginal Students: In NSW Public Schools. Retrieved from

https://education.nsw.gov.au/aec/media/documents/Annual-Report-2015.pdf

Australian Institute for Teacher and School Leadership. (2012). Australian Professional

Standards for Teachers. August 3rd, 2017, Retrieved from

https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

Bradford, Clare (2001). Reading race: Aboriginality in Australian children's literature.

Carlton, Vic. Melbourne University Press. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-36760-1_9

Carson, D. B., Wenghofer, E., Timony, P., Schoo, A., Berggren, P., Charters, B., ... &

Garrett, J. (2016). 14. Recruitment and retention of professional labor: the health

workforce at settlement level. Settlements at the Edge: Remote Human Settlements in

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Closing the Gap (2017). Prime Ministers Report. (Chapter 3) Retrieved from:

http://closingthegap.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/ctg-report-2017.pdf

Craven, R. (2011). Teaching Aboriginal Studies: A practical resource for primary and

secondary teaching. Allen & Unwin.

Davis, M. (2007). Writing heritage: The depiction of Indigenous heritage in European-

Australian writings. Writing Heritage: The Depiction of Indigenous Heritage in

European-Australian Writings, xxi.

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Mander-Ross, R., (1995). Attendance: Cause or Effect". The Aboriginal Child at School,

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Mellor, S. & Corrigan, M. (2004). The Case for Change: A Review of Contemporary

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Price, K. (Ed.). (2015). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education: An introduction for

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Ride, A. (2007). The Grand Experiment: Two boys two cultures. Sydney: Hachette Australia.

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The NSW Aboriginal Education Policy. (2008). Retrieved from

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policy

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The Song Room. (2013). Retrieved August 25, 2017, from

http://www.songroom.org.au/about/

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