Education In Australia Essay

With the world renown hallmark as the ‘lucky country’, it can be difficult to comprehend how the very people we have to thank for the prosperous land on which we live, are amongst the most disadvantaged in the world, rivalling many from developing countries. The dispossession of land, displacement of Australia’s first people and unremitting discrimination since European settlement, has given rise to intergenerational disadvantage in areas such as education, employment and health (***). Whilst the three areas are intertwined, education is unmistakably a quintessential vehicle for building resilience and improving socioeconomic outcomes for Indigenous Australians(***). Teachers and schools alike play a key role in acknowledging and addressing past and present injustices through:

My educational goals were to get a certificate in Health Information Technology as a certified coder. But I change my mind and decided to get my associates degree because it provides me with more opportunities in the field. I can choose many different careers such as health information analyst, insurance claims analyst, records technician specialist, etc. With this degree I can improve my family financial situation and be an example to my children that if you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything.

60% of aboriginal children are significantly behind non-indigenous Australians by the time they start years one. Only 40% of aboriginal children stay at school through to year twelve. Causes of this include language because English is their second language, inappropriate context; material being taught does not relate to the aboriginals lives. Over crowed house where aboriginal children cannot learn to do homework is a big factor in them being behind in education.

Australian government today recognises that educational policies regarding Aboriginal people cannot be made without considering social and economic policies aimed at improving outcomes for Aboriginal communities in general (TICHR, 2006). Main contemporary issues facing Aboriginal communities are proving land ownership, remoteness, health status, education and employment status and social attitude of Non-Aboriginal population towards the Aboriginal communities (Challenges facing the Indigenous communities today, n.d.). Tackling this issue is not a simple task: the document “National Indigenous Reform Agreement” (2010) which aims to improve outcomes for all Indigenous Australians recognizes that this process needs approach from different aspects, taking into account “seven key building blocks: Early Childhood, Schooling, Health, Economic Participation, Healthy Homes, Safe Communities, and Governance and Leadership” (as cited in DET Queensland,

The participation and full engagement of all students in education is a ‘key factor affecting the life chances of all Australians’ (Buckley & Armstrong, 2011, p. 62). It is clear from current statistical information, that participation and eventual success in educational studies is particularly vital for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who among us all have the lowest level of participation in education (Buckley & Armstrong, 2011). Ockenden (2014) notes that whilst more Indigenous students are completing Year 12 than ever before, there still exists a significant gap between educational achievement in literacy, numeracy

1. What strategies can be used in schools to meet the main goal of the NSW DET Aboriginal Education and Training Policy (2008)?

Closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students is a relevant and ongoing issue in early years care and education. The Council of Australian Governments developed this framework to improve the outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The three targets addressed in this essay focus on early childhood education, school attendance and literacy and numeracy achievement, however there are other targets for the nation. When analysing these three areas in regards to closing the gap, the importance of culture will be recognised. The closing the gap framework shows significant progress towards achieving the targets and teacher can assist in this process through engaging in particular strategies that develop their literacy

A person will need an education to achieve a job. The finding ‘closing the gap did’ was recorded scores from NAPLAN results and the findings were between 90 and 95% of non-Indigenous achieved average or above the nation minimum however over Indigenous only 30% achieving this. Our government is helping these targets be achieved with having attention drawn to infrastructure, workforce of teachers and school leaders supply quality, curriculum, allow for more parent involvement and greater opportunities. There are more opportunities for pathways into work place, or training to help those that school just isn’t for. In February there was $98.8 million over five year provided for an extra 200 teachers for remote school in Northern Territory. Making it compulsory for remote juveniles to attend school for achieving greater attendance. The fund will help for enabling them to expand the National Accelerated Literacy Program that helps literacy and numeracy skills that have successful helped Indigenous and will hopefully further improve standards. The aim is also to give an understanding to parents and teacher of these remote communities and become a further part of their child’s education. There is a plan by closing the gap to build in the northern Territory to fund a $28.9 million three Indigenous facilities which will accommodate years 8 to 12 and help give the Indigenous young people an

This unit aims to prepare the learner for working in a school. It covers key aspects of schools as organisations. This includes the structure of the education system, the roles and responsibilities of key members of the school team and the purpose of school ethos, mission statement and aims and values. Learners will also understand the reasons for the key legislation, policies and procedures which are followed in schools and how schools operate within a wider context.

Some of the children and young people aspire to work in education, teachers and teaching

These interventions could include additional educational supports for Aboriginal students, increased access to Aboriginal-developed educational programming, greater financial supports to Aboriginal students, and increased access to post-secondary education for Aboriginal persons in remote and Northern communities through distance learning opportunities and as well as providing local additional college and university

In fact, studies indicated that Indigenous Australians are significantly behind non-indigenous Australians in academic achievement (Bradley, Draca, Green & Leeves, 2006). Geographical remoteness, socioeconomic status and indigenous ethnicity and culture have a major influence on educational success for Indigenous students. An example of this can be seen in rural indigenous communities where indigenous economic systems are still used, forcing a gap in terms of both geographical location and socioeconomic status (Altman, 2008). As a result of this gap, Indigenous students from these areas are not able to obtain the same level of education as students living in urban settings where colonial economic systems are recognised (Altman, 2008). These socio-cultural factors construct a specific cultural capital for indigenous students that is not widely recognised in Australian schools as it is not the dominant capital presented in Western education environments. Ultimately, this leaves indigenous students, specifically those in geographically remote locations or of a socioeconomic status that doesn’t allow a broader range of options, at an educational disadvantage. Ethnicity, geographical location and socioeconomic status play an important role in the construction of one’s cultural capital and, as a consequence, one’s ability to obtain educational success in Australian schools.

The Australian Curriculum is not designed to stipulate the whole curriculum; rather it is a blueprint that defines what students across Australia should be taught throughout their schooling years (ACARA, n.d.-g). The Australian Curriculum will provide specific information for the content that is to be taught, the extent of understanding, level of knowledge and the achievement standards and skills that will be expected of students (Hill, n.d.). Individual schools, teachers and communities make decisions about which activities, events and community based traditions to include in the classroom which focus on personal development and character (Hill, n.d.).

The key issues teachers need to consider to work successfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are to know cultural behaviours, relatedness, identity, history, community spirit, and to be aware of a great sense of autonomy. They are referred to as

The role of a teacher in present context has remarkably changed because of the various factors such as social, cultural, economic and technology developments across the globe. “Teachers in today’s era must be innovative, imaginative, and resourceful and have thorough knowledge of the subject and adopt new techniques to teach innovatively.”