Cultural security
Cultural security is the recognition and incorporation of the ‘cultural rights, values and expectations of Aboriginal people’ (Western Australian Health Department, no date) into policies and practices of a health or educational organisation (Coffin, 2007).
The worldviews of Aboriginal children are strongly shaped by their family upbringing, just as with most other children you will teach. Aboriginal children also interact with their extended family and are socialised into a continuous family history in which the past is interwoven with the present through storing telling and conversations. Aboriginal children are encouraged to take their place in this cycle of family knowledge and experience to continue the process of learning, participating and teaching for the next generation.
Teachers are significant in students' lives. Therefore, you have a responsibility to be professional in everything you do, as your actions will greatly influence every student that you teach. You need to develop student trust and support; it does not come automatically. It takes time for you to get to know the children and for them (and their parents) to get to know you. Unfortunately, staff turnover is quite high in many communities (Coffin, 2007).
In 2008 the Solid Kids, Solid Schools project held Sharing Days in Geraldton, Meekatharra, Shark Bay and Carnarvon. These Sharing Days were attended by AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) and Aboriginal teachers to discuss ways to support Yamaji students involved in bullying.
- Yamaji wangi
- Recommendations from Sharing Days:
- Actions that school staff can take to reduce and manage bullying among Aboriginal students:
- meet all parents and carers so you know kids’ backgrounds (it is important for you to understand if a child has other roles, such as caring for younger siblings)
- work with and encourage AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) to contribute to class activities
- understand cultural differences and be aware of issues like ‘shaming’
- lead fun activities during lunch break (e.g. scrap booking, videos, library, lego, hip hop dancing etc)
- Points to consider
- Teachers have to work harder at relationships when they aren’t familiar with the backgrounds of the Aboriginal people in the community.
- Take the time to learn as much as you can about your community and the people in it.
- Have a good knowledge of each student’s background. Don’t assume they all come from the same background.
- Find out more about the Aboriginal families in the community; it is important that teachers know family information.
- With guidance from AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) ensure the curriculum you are planning includes cultural content.
- Work closely with AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) and other Aboriginal staff to establish positive learning environments.
- Engage informally with Aboriginal parents and carers, students and others so they get to know you.
- Understand that sometimes members of Aboriginal families can’t tell non-Aboriginal people about certain family or cultural business.
Students and cultural security
Teachers need to be aware of the whole child, physically, mentally, culturally to understand how they may perform or behave in the classroom.
- Yamaji wangi
- Recommendations from Sharing Days:
- ‘You can’t understand what it is to be Aboriginal; you can’t ever understand what goes on in our heads. You need to work with the Aboriginal people… the AIEO (ATA or AEW)… sit down and work together…that’s what you can do.’
Yamaji people interviewed felt that Aboriginal students are often made to feel unworthy and, as a consequence, they react negatively.
- Yamaji wangi
- ‘…kids can feel bullied by being told they are a problem at school…’
- Yamaji AIEO
- Yamaji wangi
- Recommendations from Sharing Days:
- Aboriginal staff who attended the Sharing Days recommended that Aboriginal students can be positive role models within their school by:
- being house captains, on school council
- leading lunchtime activities
- being involved in mentoring programs
There was also a feeling, on the part of the Aboriginal staff, that teachers found it difficult to define the bullying situation and sort out what was really going on because there was often a whole story behind the children’s behaviours that they did not see or understand.
Some parents and carers felt that Aboriginal children were often seen as the instigators in situations when they had been reacting to something that happened to them earlier.
- Points to consider
- Build on your knowledge of children in classroom and schoolyard interactions every day. Teachers have to demonstrate that they care about their students. Aboriginal students learn best from teachers they respect.
- Students like teachers who help them in their work and support them in their efforts.
- Work individually with students, particularly when they might feel that their lack of knowledge could be embarrassing in front of the class.
- Use humour: students appreciate teachers who can relate to them with a sense of humour and it can diffuse emotional situations.
- Students like to be helped when they can’t do the work.
- Show students that you want them to be competent and successful at whatever they do. Show them the relevance of what they are learning.
- Spend time interacting with students: while they are working, discuss work with them; find out what they can and can’t do, etc. Build a relationship throughout the day.
- Make lessons interesting and relevant to children’s own experiences.
What makes effective teachers of Aboriginal students?
The following were identified as being characteristics of effective teachers:
- an understanding of Aboriginal cultures and histories
- an understanding of their students’ home and family backgrounds and circumstances
- the ability to develop good relationships with Aboriginal students and their families (Harslett, 2003)
Good relationships are typically built on consistency and fairness with all students, plus an understanding and appreciation of student differences and needs. Relationships are also built between teachers and students and their families by:
- having a good sense of humour and being able to have a joke
- a deliberate investment of time by teachers to recognise and interact with Aboriginal students in the schoolyard and out of school (Harslett, date)
AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) and Aboriginal teachers who work in Yamaji country shared the following when they participated in Information Sharing Days as part of the Solid Kids, Solid Schools project.
- Points to consider from Sharing Days:
- Use motivational language.
- Recognise some students are not learning because of vision and hearing impairments.
- Encourage development of student self-esteem.
Working with the AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs)
AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) are essential to developing strong relationships between the school and the local Aboriginal community. AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) are the best resource the principal and teachers have to support their Aboriginal students academically, emotionally, mentally, and culturally.
- AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) can act as cultural brokers between the school, the Aboriginal students and their families. This can have a positive impact on strengthening relationships and understanding between the school and the wider community.
- AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) can also increase students’ sense of belonging to the school; having an Aboriginal presence gives students a staff member they can relate to.
- Positive role modelling by AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) is a critical factor in improving Aboriginal students’ behaviour and ability to deal with issues at school.
- Yamaji wangi
- Recommendations from Sharing Days:
- Community divisions caused by family feuding can make it difficult for Aboriginal staff and students to work together. Consideration should be given to ensure AIEO (ATAs or AEWs) and students are not placed in positions that compromise family obligations of loyalty.
- AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) need respect for their roles, as well as wages and conditions that acknowledge the valuable contribution they make to the school and community.
- AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) are not from the area (i.e. do not identify as Yamaji) they may also require assistance in getting to know the local Aboriginal community. It should not be assumed new Aboriginal staff are familiar with local protocol and customs.
AIEO (ATA or AEW) space
It is important for AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) to have an area or ‘space’ where Aboriginal students and their families feel comfortable discussing issues or concerns. These spaces should be cultural secure environments that are welcoming and celebrate their culture and heritage.
The positive role of the AIEO (ATA or AEW)
AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) are the critical link between the school and parents and carers; their role can vary from school to school. AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) provide a valuable service when they visit parents and carers who are reluctant to come to the school. Sometimes AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) provide mediation by being present when an Aboriginal student or the parents and carers meet with school staff.
- Yamaji wangi
- Observations from Sharing Days:
- If AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) were not included in these meetings they didn’t know what was happening and parents and carers often felt the AIEOs (ATA or AEWs) weren’t doing their job.
- The role of the AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) was seen as a critical link between the school and the parents and carers who were reluctant to come to the school.
- A lot of parents and carers didn’t want to come to school but they did want to discuss their children, so it was important for AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) to be involved and to have the opportunity to do home visits.
- Yamaji wangi
- Recommendations from Sharing Days:
- AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) play an important role in preventing and addressing bullying at school. Specific actions for making the most of your school’s AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) include:
- involve AIEOs in the development and planning of school guidelines
- support non-Aboriginal staff to initiate conversations with AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs)
- improve school attendance by encouraging kids to attend school, coming with kids to classroom and checking the park to collect kids
- initiate yarning circle with Aboriginal kids
- provide professional development to support AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) working with student social skills and issue solving
- liaise with teachers regularly
- work with parents and carers to address behaviour management issues (e.g. mediation and negotiation, explaining school guidelines and processes)
AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) are an invaluable resource in developing relationships of trust between the school and Aboriginal families. The value they bring community relationships can be diminished if their role is constrained to only monitoring Aboriginal students with behaviour problems. Some AIEOs (ATAs or AEWs) suggested that when this happens they feel like babysitters.
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