Aboriginal History and Education Structure - Assignment Example

Aboriginal history and education structure Name Institution Instructor Course Date of Submission Question 1 What is the connection between key events in the aboriginal history and official education policies? How have the aboriginal people responded to these policies? The aboriginal policies way through history prompted resistance, lobbying, guerilla warfare, persistence and collaborative programs with different levels of success. The educational policies have through ages shifted to white dominance from mere ignorance and more to more efforts of reconciliation. However the situation in the aboriginal land is characterized by elements that both hinder and help the creation of new policies (Harrison, 2011 p.7). The initial aboriginal education laid emphasis on socialism and communal sharing, stories, dances, family, songs and learning by doing. Written work was conspicuously absent in the aboriginal curriculum. This implies that there are no reading or any formal educational institutions in the regions. Due to this, aboriginal education lays more emphasis on social contexts and observations compared to the western education (Green & Oppliger, 2007 p.83). The cultural assimilation, murder, genocide slavery and the appropriation of land was started by colonization. There was a varied response from the aboriginal people which involved collaboration, co-habiting and guerilla warfare. In the midst of the conflict and the clash over human rights and land, the dominant settlers created policies that went on two centuries in tandem as the locals struggled for equality (Lippmann, 1994 p. 19). The colonial government and the entire white community considered the aboriginal community as subhuman. In this case, the initial policies intended to teach the aboriginal children the European style models of education (Hollingsworth, 2006). Even though the policies were mostly ignored, they faced a great risk as there were doubts whether educating the community was even possible. In addition, there were no enough funds to support these policies as only few hundred of pounds were channeled towards this program in the 1850’s. This education later became the foundation of cultural repression, evangelical means of conversion and preparing members of the aboriginal community for semi-skilled and underpaid jobs (Parbury, 2005 p. 19). For instance, the aboriginal students were excluded from the NSW minister of 1902 due to what was referred to as the ‘will of people’. This then presented another conflict as to which skin color could be considered white. In the late 19thand early 20th centuries, the missionaries were unable to establish Christianity in the aboriginal community. This was so despite the fact that they were the major source of education for members of that community who had been alienated from their family units. With the view that the aboriginal race was going extinct, there was a moment of nonchalance whereby whether the aboriginal education was equitable or available was no longer relevant (Green, & Oppliger, 2007 p.85-87). This ended later with greater attempts to assimilate the people into the European community yet the general progress was very glacial. Apart from education being viewed as an element of learning, it was also considered as a tool to shape the aboriginal community into the European cultural values. Despite all this, there was still a wider perception that most all members of the aboriginal community had lower IQ’S and cognitive abilities. A section of aboriginal children was still separated from their families in the name of assimilation (Parbury, 2005 p. 18). As the education system never understood their ways, the academic response in the entire community was poor. The people were less motivated as the system never acknowledged their value of the human race. This was later described by Keefe (1992 p. 51) as coming from a wider identity of resistance and persistence. Question 2- what are some important very recent initiatives designed to redress aboriginal disadvantage through schooling? The aborigines were faced by several disadvantages such as disengagement resulting from irrelevant curriculums, poor relationships, suspensions, inappropriate teaching styles, less representation in higher classes and less parental support. I addition, the people are less motivated by the long term effects of education. The students from this community also have various proffered learning styles (Mlcnerney, 2003 p.57) In the recent developments in the region, there are initiatives that have designed similar goals including the plausible mechanisms to achieve the goals. The objectives include equality in the provision, decision making, participation, and outcomes. This is being done by building on previous works already done in the region. The above all the desired goals is the requirement for community networking. In different statements from NSW DET AETP (2008, 95-100) there is a demand for community partnerships through the NSW ACG (2004, p 35-41). This is in attempt to acknowledge the needs of the aboriginal students to improve their standards of education. Question 3-What are some factors that may work for and some factors that may work against the realization of these objectives? To ensure that all these programs are successful, it is vital that the stakeholders design appropriate mechanisms to overcome the resistance as is always evident in the aboriginal community. This is justified by the consistent history in which other measures that were earlier designed to help the aboriginal people were strongly frustrated. Teachers also have to find ways to overcome such barriers in themselves. For instance, Sarra (2003 p.13) explains a culture in which teachers expected students from the aboriginal community to perform lowly and thereby did little to improve the situation; is pictured that such students can perform better if the belief is changed. Another issue hindering the success of the programs is the assumption that the current curriculums are equal. In any case, the curriculums favor more the white students, which de-motivate the aboriginal students to learn material. It is also clear that there is a broad difference between the current Australian systems of education and the indigenous structures. Most importantly is the knowledge of the traditional language which conspicuously absent in the Australian curriculums yet so important to the aboriginal people (Harrison, 2012 p.14). It will apparently help to increase the number of aboriginal people in the education system as research indicates that learn more from people they relate with. Identifying the barriers can also be a basis upon which new mechanisms can be designed to improve the standards of the initiatives. For instance, the existing rules on cheating and discipline are much alienated from the Australian preferences. The result would probably be improved outcomes if such policies are amended to include community preferences (Sarra, 2013 p.5-9). PART B. POWERPOINT PRESENTATION LESSON PLAN Objective: by the end of the lesson the learner should be able to discuss the aboriginal educational history, the new initiatives to improve the situation and the factors that promote or hinder the workability of initiatives. Content Learning activities References 10mins Introduction Historical review of the nature of the aboriginal communities Reading Explaining Asking questions Discussion Green, R & Oppliger, A. (2007). The interface between the indigenous and non-indigenous systems of knowing and learning 50mins Lesson development -The initial organization of the aboriginal communities -Effects of colonization on the educational structure -nature of the human rights in the aboriginal community -state education Response from the aboriginal learners -initiatives designed to redress aboriginal disadvantages. Listening Reading Discussion Answering questions Taking notes -Harrison, N. (2011). ‘Starting out as a teacher in aboriginal education’ in teaching and learning in aboriginal education - Keefe, K. (1992). Talking and learning about aboriginality-as-persistence: from the center to the city - Lippmann, L. (19940. The history of oppression begins in generations of resistance - Lippmann, L. (19940. The history of oppression begins in generations of resistance: - Parbury, N. (2006). Aboriginal education: a history in teaching aboriginal studies. 20mins Conclusion Summary of the lesson Farther reading-discussion questions Answering questions Discussion -Sarra, C (2003). Young and Black and Deadly: Strategies for improving outcomes for indigenous students References Green, R & Oppliger, A. (2007). The interface between the indigenous and non-indigenous systems of knowing and learning: A report on Dharug language program source. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education. 36, pp 81-89. Harrison, N. (2011). ‘Starting out as a teacher in aboriginal education’ in teaching and learning in aboriginal education. South Melbourne: Oxford university press. P 1-16 Keefe, K. (1992). Talking and learning about aboriginality-as-persistence: from the center to the city. Canberra: aboriginal studies press. Pp 48-59 Lippmann, L. (1994). The history of oppression begins in generations of resistance: Mabo and justice 3rd ed. Melbourne: Longman. P1-19 Lippmann, L. (19940. The history of oppression begins in generations of résistance: Paper presented at the joint conference, Auckland, New Zealand 2003. McInerney, D.M. (2003). What Indigenous students Think about School and is it any Different from the Anglos? Paper presented at NZARE AARE, Auckland, N.Z. Parbury, N. (2006). Aboriginal education: a history in teaching aboriginal studies. Craven, Allen and UNwin. Sarra, C (2003). Young and Black and Deadly: Strategies for improving outcomes for indigenous students: Deakin west. Australian college of educators. P 1-14 Read More