Conference Papers
Session E1.2 Teaching environment: changing school culture
1. Scott Gorringe: Leadership in Education: changing school cultures to increase educational outcomes
Policy and approaches to address the Indigenous ‘education problem’ are characterised by an implicit underlying assumption of the ‘lack of’ mantra – Lack of leaders; Lack of engagement; Lack of knowlee; Lack of commitnt; Lack of attendae; Lack of strong healthy f amilies.Language in existing programs and the approaches to address the education of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continues to carry (and replicate) an assumption of deficit. Education systems default to a community engagement approach with the hope that more Indigenous involvement in education will some how magically change things for the better. This presentation recognises that an erosive mindset of deficit perceptions of Aboriginality is also being widely adopted by Aboriginal people and students, and that if left un-discussed will continue to impact on the Indigenous educational struggle. This presentation will unpack an Aboriginal framework (Engoori) that focuses on reconnecting people and reigniting authentic dynamic conversations of strength to create strong foundations from which to build positive school cultures.
Author bio: Scott Gorringe is a Mithaka man from Western Queensland. In 2003–04 he won a scholarship through The University of Queensland to undertake further studies for his masters degree at The University of British Columbia. He has worked for Education Queensland, and for the Centre for Rural and Regional Innovation at The University of Queensland as a Learning Facilitator in leadership and facilitation and as Senior Project Officer (Research). Scott now works with the Stronger Smarter Institute as a consultant on Indigenous educational leadership, and is Director of Murrimatters Consulting.
2. Joanne Buckskin: Enhanced Teacher Training- Aboriginal Education
This research investigates the significant experiences and perspectives of seven non-Aboriginal preservice teachers undertaking an intensive Aboriginal Education training scholarship, known as the Enhanced Teacher Training Program (ETTP) through the Faculty of Education at the University of Wollongong UOW in 2008. It was an expectation of this study that pre-service teachers inform teacher educators of the strengths and limitations in the design and delivery of the intensive Aboriginal education training program. Key aspects of the UOW ETTP included one on one mentoring by key Aboriginal community members, cross-cultural immersion across a variety of Aboriginal community settings and formal studies in Aboriginal Education. The phenomenological study revealed that partnerships between Universities, the NSW DET, NSW DET Primary Schools and highly-committed individuals were critical to ensuring policy translates successfully into practice and that effective cross-cultural learning requires formal and informal opportunities for non-Aboriginal preservice teachers to engage with diverse socio-cultural settings. Further It is anticipated that the findings and recommendations of this enquiry will add to the future development of ETTP at the University of Wollongong and contribute new knowledge to the wider debates of effective cross cultural teacher education with the longer term goal of closing the educational divide between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal student in NSW primary schools.
Author bio: Lecturer University of Wollongong -Woolyungah Indigenous Centre. Research Interests: Final Year PhD candidate; Empowering non-Aboriginal people’s cross cultural competence knowledge and understandings, and supporting Aboriginal student’s social cultural and academic learning within university settings.