A Muragan [white woman]’s journey: Learning from Elders on Country how to support cultural understandings of non-First Nations educators through thearts

A Muragan [white woman]’s journey: Learning from Elders on Country how to support cultural understandings of non-First Nations educators through thearts

Research has revealed that it can be problematic for non-First Nations educators to embed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures Cross-Curriculum Priority (CCP) as required in the nationally endorsed Australian Curriculum (AC) (Bishop & Vass, 2021; Stern & Burgess, 2021). This is related to a range of factors, including limited professional development resulting in low teacher self-efficacy (Gibson & Ewing, 2020; Lane, 2020). The Arts provide important opportunities for students to learn about and celebrate the diversity of human experience (Dissanayake, 2000, 2015). As an arts educator, I could see the potential of utilising the arts to support educators in engaging with and building their knowledge of the histories and cultures of Australia’s First Nations Peoples, with a particular focus on the local context of the school site. Through this research, a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project with the arts as a key central theme and a specific focus on the AC arts strands of dance, drama, media arts, music and visual arts was undertaken in collaboration with the Goenpul, Noonuccal and Ngugi Elders of the Minjerribah-Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council [MMEIC] on Minjerribah/Terrangee of the First Nations land and sea Country recognised as Quandamooka located in Queensland, Australia with a local primary school. Through this research, the experiences of non-First Nations educators in teaching the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures CCP were explored in an arts project in a primary school which investigated the arts strands of dance, drama, media arts, music, and visual art to provide opportunities for both teachers and students to learn about and strengthen their cultural understandings of the local First Nations land and sea Country, Quandamooka. Whilst the project did reveal that the arts can successfully support non-First Nations educators in embedding the CCP, it also revealed that there is a distinct lack of arts knowledge among generalist teachers due to the marginalisation of this learning area together with the challenges of standardised testing, benchmark standards and data collection requirements (Lowe & Galstaun, 2020). The findings also revealed that providing educators with an opportunity to learn ‘on Country’ with First Nations Elders results in significant insights and connections that enrich the teaching of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures CCP and enhance teacher self-efficacy. However, the findings also revealed the importance of leadership support for such initiatives and that greater alignment is required across documents such as the Australian Curriculum, the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and School Reconciliation Action Plans to support whole school approaches in working towards reconciliation with First Nations Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia.

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