Please help me to write this essay, many thanks!
A key aspect of this study is reflection about your understandings and positionings as a pre-service teacher in relation to Indigenous Australian education.
This essay is a reflective and analytical piece that engages with course content and the theories and ideas presented to respond to the following guiding question:
Reflecting on the issues covered in the study, who are you personally, politically and pedagogically in relation to the Indigenous Australian education landscape?
Your essay will:
1. Focus on one important understanding you have gained about who you are as a teacher in relation to the Indigenous Australian education landscape
2. Make reference to lecture material, workshop activities and content, key theoretical concepts and critical literature covered in this course to explore your understanding
3. Demonstrate critical depth and engagement in terms of your learning across the semester through reflection and questions you have as a pre-service teacher in the context of Indigenous education.
Expert Answer
Before we start we need to be deeply aware of our thinking regarding unique Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures existed in Australia. They have the history of 75,000 years and thus demand respect and consideration, however, the matter of the fact is how many of us think like that? How many of us start to take initiative for indulging into such inclusion before governmental directives?
A national commitment
The National Quality Standard, Early Years Learning Framework, and other national guidelines had made clear guidelines and statement regarding their expectation for early childhood educators for their contribution to history, culture and ongoing contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people to Australian lift and culture.
They have ‘Respect for diversity’ as a key Principle and ‘Cultural competence’ as a key Practice. They haverecognised that ‘cultural competence in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are different from the broad idea of “respecting all cultures “however it pays particular attention to ‘growing educators’ competence in working with Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures’.
The Australian Curriculum, have given special consideration to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander histories and cultural which operates in school settings working with children from age five. This will ensure all young Australian will get equal opportunity in terms of understanding of histories, culture and their significance on Australia and in the world. This cross-curriculum perspective indicates government’s strong commitment to these issues as part of the bigger picture for every child’s education in Australia.
The why and how of cultural competence
The fear of causing offence, early childhood education & care, lack of time and resource to do work well are some of the biggest concern raised in service about teaching Aboriginal & Torres Strait islander cultures.
While concerns can be understood, however, it does not mean we should be sitting ideal and do nothing, in fact, some of the most important things we do in life are challenging and most difficult.
Australian Institute of Family Studies Current research tells us that:
· Services are more effective for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families especially when educators are aware of while addressing cultural competence in their service delivery.
· Non-Aboriginal staff should be aware of how to engage and support all cultures, and particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
· For building trust, honest engagement and working with community members is essential.
· Focus on empowerment and working from strengths makes a difference. When working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
Considering above points are not just adding about culture in our values and attitudes, but also adding new insights that will be received while accommodating all new world. We need to understand strength, identity, belongings that come from every individual irrespective of culture which will eventually give social competence, acceptance and learn success.
’Reconciliation’ is about promoting recognition and equality across cultures; this is a big concept for young children, but the things we do every day either contribute to the respectful meeting of cultures in Australia or they hinder that process.
