Learn your 3Rs

Respect, Relationships, Reconciliation

A new online resource has been launched to help teachers convey understandings of appropriate cultural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protocols.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies can be a topic that produces some anxiety for teachers who are not Indigenous. To help build teaching confidence, Monash University’s Dr Peter Anderson has developed the resource 3Rs – Respect, Relationships, Reconciliation directly aimed for use by teachers. As chair of the Australian Indigenous Lecturers in Initial Teacher Education Association, Dr Anderson said the resource will help teachers identify and respond to racism, better understand their own prejudices and help boost expectations of Indigenous students.

“The hope is this will pave the way for teachers to teach students a broader understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures and languages,” he said.

“It also aims to promote reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non Indigenous Australians by reviewing existing units of study to help graduates who have studied education to become better and more respectful Indigenous teachers.”

What are the 3Rs?The 3Rs features various units and modules for teachers to use, including: promoting reconciliation and building positive relationships; exploring cultures, identity and values; teaching diversity, inclusion and countering racism; and understanding cultural protocols and significant events. Launched at the Australian Council of Deans of Education (ACDE) forum in June this year, Dr Anderson said a strong commitment had already been seen from the ACDE in terms of Indigenous education from early childhood through to a tertiary level.

Confident teachersDr Anderson said the resource will provide support and allow teachers to be more confident in teaching these issues and having these conversations with students.

“A perfect example of this is the recent debate around what should be taught about the invasion or colonial settlement of Australia, but it is important to offer both perspectives. Stereotypes can be problematic and it is about educating the teacher first around the issues.”

He said he had seen many in service teachers who were not equipped with the skills or confidence to engage in teaching Indigenous studies in the classroom.

“People still say ‘them, they and those’ rather than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples or Indigenous people. Even governments tend to shorten us to acronyms like ‘ATSI’ – ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ – which in itself is dehumanising. These are simple things to be learnt in the classroom and once students realise we are not just acronyms, they start to understand we are actually talking about a living and breathing race of people.”

He said if teachers do not have Indigenous students in their classroom, they can disengage from the entire learning space. “When we talk about Indigenous education a lot of people think that’s only to do with Indigenous kids in their class, which isn’t true.”

“I predominantly teach non Indigenous learners in my preservice classes and a lot of them are disappointed in what they have learnt at school. It is not just about cutting out and colouring in boomerangs during NAIDOC Week.”

Dr Anderson said the 3Rs tool is based around the craft of teaching and pedagogy.

“It is useful and will resonate with teachers because it is practice based and translates directly into how to do things in the classroom, which teachers can work through at their own pace. It’s important to remember not to focus on the negative stereotypes when developing lessons. “Focus instead on the contributions Aboriginal people have made to our society – shaping our identity as a nation.

“It is about challenging students and their teachers to see different and positive perspectives as well as changing the narrative around Indigenous people in this country.”

Indigenous teachers in the classroom

Dr Anderson believes more Indigenous people will come into the profession and stay in the profession once we delve more into learning Indigenous studies.

He said this can be achieved through the More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teachers Initiative (MATSITI). MATSITI is a national four year initiative to increase the number and professional capacity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers in Australian schools.

“We only have around 3000 Indigenous teachers across all sectors in Australia compared to 450,000 non Indigenous teachers, and we hope to encourage more through this initiative.”

To access the 3Rs learning resource, visit www.rrr.edu.au

For more information on MATSITI, go to www.matsiti.edu.au

Other useful digital resources for teaching Indigenous culture

Welcome to Country This app provides the user with simple information on traditional owners’ culture and heritage protocols right across Australia. It also provides information on the cultures and languages groups that exist as well as relevant information about customs of the tribe within that tribal geo boundary www.welcometocountry.mobi/about/

FirstVoices Chat FirstVoices Chat is a multilingual texting app with keypads in more than 100 Indigenous languages from around the world. It was first developed in response to First Nations youth who wanted to communicate via social media in their own languages. Many Indigenous writing systems use unique characters previously unavailable in mobile technologies and FirstVoices helps combat language extinction and support language and culture teaching around the world.www.firstvoices.com/en/home

NTLanguages – Anindilyakwa

A flash card language app developed by the Northern Territory Library comprising everyday words and phrases in Anindilyakwa and English. This app is designed as a bilingual literacy tool for people of all ages in Anindilyakwa communities, as well as English-speaking workers and visitors to the Groote Eylandt region in Northern Australia. http://library.health.nt.gov.au/mobileresources/ntlanguages

For further information on many other Indigenous language apps see www.rnld.org/languageapps