Crossing Cultures

1
Crossing Cultures

• Its Still Everyones Business
• An introduction to embedding Aboriginal and
  Torres Strait Islander perspectives in schools

2
Its still everyones business

• This presentation provides
• Statistics relevant to the education of
  Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander
  peoples of Queensland
• An overview of government strategies and policies
  aimed at improving educational outcomes for
  Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander
  peoples
• Suggested strategies and actions for schools to
  achieve this
• Information about cross-cultural awareness
  activities in Education Queensland workplaces
• As the title of the presentation suggests, it is
  incumbent on everyone involved in education to
  support greater educational outcomes for
  Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  students.
• Note
• Where the term Indigenous is used it refers to
  Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander
  peoples of Australia. Where possible schools
  should refer to Indigenous Australians as
  individual groups, i.e. Aboriginal peoples and
  Torres Strait Islander peoples.

3
Some basic facts

• Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander
  peoples live and work in diverse situations

Major cities 32
Inner regional 21
Outer regional 22
Remote 10
Very remote 16
4
Traditional and contemporary

• Urbanisation does not mean loss of culture.
  Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander
  peoples, like other people, are evolving
  contemporary cultural forms and practices
• Many Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait
  Islander peoples maintain links to traditional
  culture, including ongoing contact with country
  (traditional lands)
• The traditional knowledge of Aboriginal peoples
  and Torres Strait Islander peoples, such as land
  management, is valuable to contemporary Australia

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Why is it our business?

• Retention in 2008 (Aust)

Students Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
to Yr 10 89.2 (3156) 99.8 (37122)
to Yr 11 67.0 (2577) 89.7 (35849)
to Yr 12 46.5 (1892) 75.6 (31006)
ABS, Schools Australia, 2008 (cat. no. 4221.0)
Low retention has long-term consequences for
employment and training opportunities, and can
lead to welfare dependency for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander youth.
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Why is it our business?

• Of the 168,803 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
  Islander students attending school in Australia
  in 2011, 143,839 (85.2)were enrolled in
  government schools.
• Queensland has more Aboriginal and/or Torres
  Strait Islander full-time students than any other
  state or territory

State or Territory Full-time Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Students in 2008
QUEENSLAND 44659
NEW SOUTH WALES 44605
WESTERN AUSTRLIA 22843
NORTHERN TERRITORY 15893
VICTORIA 8841
SOUTH AUSTRALIA 8634
TASMANIA 5017
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY 1177
ABS, Schools Australia, 2011 (4221.0)
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Why is it our business?

• Education does impact on life expectancy.
• The gap between Aboriginal peoples and Torres
  Strait Islander peoples and Non-Aboriginal and
  Torres Strait Islander peoples life expectancy
• - 11.5 years for males
• - 9.7 years for females
• Life expectancy is a broad indicator of a
  populations long-term health and wellbeing. It
  can be affected by outcomes across the framework
  including levels of income and education
• Productivity Commission, Overcoming Aboriginal
  and Torres Strait Islander Disadvantage, Key
  Indicators, 2009

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Why is it our business?

• The Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander
  peoples population has a different profile from
  the overall population

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Children aged 0-14 years 39 20
Year 12 completion (20-24 year olds) 31 76
Non-school qualifications (20-24 year olds) 29.5 46.4
Household access to Internet 47.4 66.5
ABS, Schools Australia, 2008 (4221.0), Australian
Social Trends, 2008 (4102.0) 
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Demographics
Source ABS (2008a) Experimental Estimates of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Australians, June 2006, Cat. no. 3238.0.55.001,
Canberra table A.1 of appendix 3.
10
Closing the Gap
COAG targets (Council of Australian Governments)

• halve the gap in reading, writing and numeracy
  achievements for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
  Islander children within a decade
• halve the gap for Aboriginal and/or Torres
  Strait Islander students in year 12 attainment or
  equivalent attainment rates by 2020

Q2 targets(Tomorrow's Queensland)

• 3 out of 4 Queenslanders will hold trade,
  training or tertiary qualifications

Progress measures

• Year 3, 5 and 7 reading, writing and numeracy
• Year 12 or equivalent certification

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Closing the Gap Queensland

• The Queensland Government's actions and projects
  will support the following strategies
• develop responses for improved reading, writing
  and numeracy outcomes for all ages
• increase young people's engagement with school
  or other learning pathways
• ensure curriculum is relevant and flexible
• improve teacher and school leader quality and
  support, particularly for remote Queensland
  schools

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Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait
IslanderPerspectives in Schools

• Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait
  Islander Perspectives in Schools (EATSIPS)
  supports teachers to include Aboriginal and
  Torres Strait Islander perspectives in units of
  work and is a key component to ensuring improved
  outcomes for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
  Islander students.
• Priority action areas include professional
  development of all Education Queensland employees
  in cultural awareness, using Crossing Cultures
  resources.

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Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait
IslanderPerspectives in Schools

• The EATSIPS Guidelines is a practical guide for
  administrators and educators to ensure inclusive
  school practices
• Inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
  Islander perspectives within the whole school
  environment requires processes and practices to
  be embedded within four distinct areas of the
  school
• Personal and professional accountabilities
• Organisational environment
• Community partnerships
• Curriculum and pedagogy

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A cycle of learning

• Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
  perspectives is a cycle of learning involving
• Understanding of students, community,
  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols
  and knowledge frameworks
• Understanding languages and appropriate
  language usage
• Curriculum, assessment and reporting
• School culture and environment
• Strong community partnerships

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Suggested school strategies

• Unpack and implement the EATSIPS guideline
• Support cultural specific professional
  development for teachers and other staff
  including Crossing Cultures, Hidden History - the
  Big Picture.
• Engage with the community through school
  activities, orientation programs and cultural
  excursions
• Collaborative curriculum, pedagogy and
  assessment planning
• Employment, career development and succession
  planning of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
  Islander staff

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Factors to consider in developing school
responses

• Scale of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
  Islander enrolment
• School location and size
• Community context and socio-economic profile
• Students - health status, language background,
  age and gender
• Teaching workforce - experience, expertise and
  expectations

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Five levels of schools by Aboriginal and/or
Torres Strait Islander student enrolment (3)
Level Percent (Total Number) identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students Percent of all Queensland schools
1 0 (113) 9.1
2 lt 5 (391) 31.6
3 5 19 (568) 45.9
4 20 60 (132) 10.7
5 60 (33) 1237 2.7
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Similar responses for all levels

• Instil high expectations for Aboriginal and/or
  Torres Strait Islander students
• Cater for language and cultural inclusions in
  curriculum, pedagogy and assessment
• Develop local learning experiences to engage
  students and staff with local communities
• Acknowledge, respect and engage with local
  cultures and protocols
• Embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
  perspectives in key learning areas
• Participate in and initiate community cultural
  events
• Invite Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  role models or mentors into the classroom

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Resources

• The Crossing Cultures package includes
• Its Still Everyones Business an introduction
  to embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait
  Islander perspectives in schools
• The Big Picture Hidden History workshop a set
  of workshop posters that provide a medium for
  interactive discussion, analysis and reflection
  as you journey from the past to the present
• A Reference Guide which provides an historical
  timeline and case studies
• Other Resources include
• Holistic Planning and Teaching Framework - an
  engagement tool for teachers, students,
  parents/caregivers and communities
• What Works material

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Workshop posters

• The Big Picture Hidden History provides a
  medium for interactive discussion and analysis

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The Big Picture Hidden History workshop

• The Big Picture Hidden History is an
  interactive workshop delivered by trained
  facilitators. The workshop is designed to
• Expand your knowledge and understanding of
  Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander
  peoples diverse cultures
• Explore attitudes, beliefs and values
• Myth busting
• Connect to the principles of effective learning
  and teaching
• Contact your local regional office to engage a
  facilitator.

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Holistic Framework

• The Holistic Planning and Teaching Framework is a
  tool to support
• Teacher planning units of work / lessons,
  including C2C
• Examination of sensitive issues in a
  non-confrontational manner
• Introduction of new topics to students
• Student engagement, focus and direction
• Development of resources
• Community engagement
• Teacher induction

23
What Works program

• What Works is an Australian Government initiative
  to support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
  Islander students in schools through workshop
  delivery.
• More information is available on
  www.whatworks.edu.au

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Other resources

• Other resources include
• Online courses to support teachers and students
• Websites Recommended North Coast Region Hidden
  Histories Project
• www.hiddenhistoriesproject.com.au
• (NB. This resource has been developed
  utilising local knowledge of the Fraser Coast and
  Bundaberg communities. Schools in these districts
  should check with community Elders before using
  this resource for teaching purposes.)
• Publications
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
  1998. As a Matter of Fact answering the myths
  and misconceptions about Indigenous Australians.
  Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. 1999.
  Walking Together.
• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
  Bringing Them Home. www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justic
  e/stolen_children/
• Contacts
• Indigenous Schooling Support Unit, Central
  Southern Queensland by email issucsq.dete.qld.gov
  .au ph 33816400
• Indigenous Schooling Support Unit, Far North
  Queensland at www.issu.com.au ph 40445600