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EDUC9400 Minor Assignment

Part A – Self Reflection

Prior to beginning this topic, I believed I had rather sound knowledge about

race, racism and whiteness through prior education. Therefore, I somewhat

detached myself from considering my own contribution to such issues, and felt that

although I still have much to learn, surely I was not contributing to the problem

(Tannoch-Bland, 1998). However, the concepts and ideas that have been explored so

far have deeply challenged my sense of self and have caused me to grapple with my

own discomfort over such ideas. This particularly speaks to how I have been

positioned within society as a white Australian, and how I maintain this dominant

discourse of whiteness within Australia and my community (Ladson-Billings, 1998;

Schulz, 2018).

In considering my own personal background, I have Aboriginal descendants

from the Wiradjuri tribe in New South Wales. However, this was only confirmed later

in life and therefore I have a lack of connection to this part of my heritage. Due to

this, my family and I have been positioned as white Australians since birth, through

the social construction of Australian society, and have experienced white race

privileges that are not available to Indigenous Australians (Tannoch-Bland, 1998). As

Tannoch-Bland stated, “White race privilege is invisible, unearned, denied,

systematic, undesirable and confers dominance” (1998, p. 33). When I think of

racism, I immediately think of the overt forms (e.g. racial slurs and physical violence)

that are manifested from race hatred, and therefore I do not identify with being

racist (Tannoch-Bland, 1998). However, I now see white privilege as a form of covert

and concealed racism that many people, including myself do not acknowledge in
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their day-to-day lives, yet it is ingrained into the “fabric” of Australian society

(Ladson-Billings, 1998; Schulz, 2018, slide 19). Viewing Ah Kee’s If I was white (2002)

was particularly confronting, especially in highlighting white privilege in parts of

every day life that I had never previously thought of. This particular verse caused me

to pause and think about the normalcy of white privilege and covert racism

(McLaren, Leonardo & Allen, 2000; Schulz, 2018), “If I was White I could buy

bandaids [sic] the same colour as my skin. What if all bandaids [sic] were black?” (Ah

Kee, 2002). This verse astounded me, as this is something that I have never

questioned before. However, we should be questioning such things. For example,

why are Band-Aids the same shade of beige? Why are there no other shades? When

we do not acknowledge such normalcies, we continue to maintain the dominant

discourses within our societies, therefore encouraging social inequality (Dei, 2008).

Acknowledging just how embedded white privilege is in our society has been

overwhelming, and has provided me with greater insight into just how much

privilege I have, and that this is not universal for all others (Tannoch-Bland, 1998).

In reflecting upon my prior education, I learnt about Australia’s ‘peaceful’

colonisation and later explored the invasion of Australia. However, Indigenous voices

were often ignored and silenced preventing myself from fully grasping just how

much oppression truly existed and continues to occur today (Tur as cited in Tur,

2018). In considering how much Indigenous Australian voices are still silenced I can

recognise that the dominant discourse that has been ever present in our society and

schooling has been that of a peaceful colonisation as opposed to the invasion that

occurred. Therefore, the majority of what has been presented to me in my

education, through a white lens and has continued to perpetuate this dominant
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discourse, denying power to the voices of Indigenous Australians and their stories

(Heiss, 2015; Schulz, 2018). In taking the time to explore Uncle Lewis Yerloburka

O’Brien’s story (2007), and poems such as The Bastards by Barbara Nicholson (2000),

the struggles and raw emotions are ever present, and I have been able to form a

greater understanding of what Indigenous Australians experienced. Nicholson’s work

particularly struck a chord with myself as I reflected on the following passage,

““Come back here with my babies, don’t take my babies, my babies, my babies.” /

But they didn’t listen, / Listen to the heartache / Didn’t listen as she ran, arms

stretched out in longing, embracing nothing,...” (2000, p. 26). This poem provided a

real, unfiltered Indigenous Australian voice, as opposed to facts handed down by a

teacher. Additionally, this made me pause to think just how much the dominant

discourses sustained in schools have not only shaped my own thinking but that of

many others whom refuse to acknowledge the realities of Australia’s history

(Beresford, 2012; Heiss, 2015).

Furthermore, in exploring colonisation and the experiences of Indigenous

Australians within schools, such as low outcome expectations, the effects of

Australian colonial history in creating racialised educative practices have become

apparent (Vass, 2014). Through previous topics I had discovered inequalities in

education for those of different cultural backgrounds. However, I never quite

realised the scope of such issues and how prevalent white dominant discourses are

within schools (Dei, 2008). It is hard to imagine that our schools are still grounded in

inequalities in race and such racial rankings and therefore still primarily operating in

the best interest of white students (Ladson-Billings as cited in Vass, 2014). In

considering the ways that Australian schooling protects white supremacy and
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dominance, think NAPLAN, awarding white cultural capital, I became concerned with

how my own teaching may continue to perpetuate such ideas (Ladson-Billings as

cited in Vass, 2014). Although I am aware of my own white privilege, this was

disheartening, as I had not considered how my whiteness in itself might oppress

Indigenous Australian students through my teaching (Howard, 2003). These ideas

have made me more aware of how I can be critical of my own practice, and help

discontinue the current trajectory that many students from different cultural

backgrounds face (Ladson-Billings as cited in Vass, 2014), leading me to create my

own critical reflective practice philosophy statement.

Part B – Critical Reflective Practice Philosophy Statement

In creating my philosophy of critical practice statement I have used the

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s (AITSL) (2014) professional

standards for teachers, specifically at the graduate level, to guide me in this

endeavor. Standard 1.4, focuses on “implementing strategies for teaching Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) students” and requires me to “demonstrate broad

knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity, and

linguistic background” on their education (AITSL, 2014). Additionally, Standard 2.4,

centred upon “reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians”,

involves demonstrating “understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander histories, cultures and languages” (AITSL, 2014).

In order to work in accordance with these standards my practice will be

underpinned by critical race theory (CRT) and critical whiteness studies (CWS). In
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drawing upon CRT I am acknowledging that race is a social construction and can

therefore be challenged, racism has been normalised and covert racism can be

uncovered through the acknowledgement of marginalised voices (Schulz, 2018). In

regards to CWS, I will continue to use this to analyse the dominant discourse of

whiteness that I exist in, and how I can limit the perpetuation of such discourses in

the classroom (Schulz, 2018).

Both CRT and CWS require the use of critical self-reflection, which requires

looking into how oneself is positioned within society, and with relevance to teaching,

within the classroom (Schulz, 2018). Through self-reflection, using CRT and CWS

lenses I am acknowledging the power and white privilege that I have not earned but

have been born with, and am able to assess any assumptions that may inform my

educative practices (Howard, 2003; Tannoch-Bland, 1998). Furthermore, in doing so,

I am able to make more sense of how my own positioning can hinder the education

of ATSI students within the highly racialised landscape of Australian schooling

(Tannoch-Bland, 1998; Vass, 2014). In order to improve my own culturally relevant

practice I will continue to keep asking, how does my own “race, culture and social

class shape students’ thinking, learning, and various understandings of the world”

(Howard, 2003, p. 197)? Without such reflection, my educative practices would likely

continue to perpetuate social inequalities and oppositional cultures between

Indigenous and non-Indigenous students within schools and the broader community,

therefore continue critical reflection is essential (Dei, 2008; Howard, 2003).

In addressing the lack of acknowledgement and responsibility, stemming

from Australia’s colonial history, covert racism continues to remain in our schools
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affecting how ATSI students receive education (Beresford, 2012). Therefore, I will

additionally strive to advocate on the behalf of ATSI students and other student

minorities focusing on strengths rather than deficits, and the cultural capital that

students bring with them into the classroom (Dei, 2008). In recognising students’

cultural capital, there are opportunities to create “Communities of Colour” that

embrace students’ strengths and differences, striving to work towards social and

racial justice (Yosso as cited in Dei, 2008). These concepts further support key ideas

of CRT in taking the standpoint of the least advantaged and incorporating

storytelling within my pedagogy (Schulz, 2018).

Listening to the voices of those that have been oppressed in the form of

counter-stories is crucial in acknowledging ATSI peoples’ experiences, as Indigenous

Australian voices are often silenced (Schulz, 2018; Tur as cited in Tur, 2018). Through

drawing upon storytelling pedagogy, including Indigenous stories and voices within

the classroom meaningfully, I aim to ensure that students know the complete history

of Australia, and henceforth build a sense of empathy and understanding between

Indigenous and non-Indigenous students (Heiss, 2015). In acknowledging both

colonisation and invasion, and the events that followed, such as the Stolen

Generations through counter-stories, the dominant discourse is challenged, and is

even just momentarily, given less power (McDonald, 2003; Tur as cited in Tur, 2018).

Additionally, the utilisation of counter-stories shows ATSI students that Indigenous

Australian stories matter and that their voices are acknowledged in the classroom

(Tur as cited in Tur, 2018). This is crucial as Australian schools, shaped by British

educational practices, continue to perpetuate social inequalities through displaying

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white discourses as the dominant voice throughout Australia’s history, and

education in the broader sense (MacGill & Blanch, 2013; Schulz, 2018).

In utilising CRT and CWS to underpin my teaching practice I hope to create a

culturally relevant pedagogy that challenges the normalisation of whiteness in our

society (Schulz, 2018). It is my intention that this will occur through continual critical

self-reflection and storytelling utilising counter-stories as a means to break the

intergenerational educational disadvantage that many ATSI students have faced

(Beresford, 2012).
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Reference List

Ah Kee, V. (2002). If I was white. Melbourne: National Gallery of Victoria.

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2014). Australian

professional standards for teachers. Retrieved from

http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professionalstandards-for-teachers.

Beresford, Q. (2012). Separate and unequal: An outline of Aboriginal Education

1900-1996. In Q. Beresford, G. Partington & G. Gower (Eds.), Reform and

Resistance in Aboriginal Education (pp. 85-119), UWA Publishing.

Dei, G.J.S. (2008). Race, schooling and education raising new questions. In G.J.S. Dei

(Ed.), Racists Beware Uncovering Racial Politics in the Post Modern Society

(pp. 93-102). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Heiss, A. (2015). Our truths – Aboriginal writers and the Stolen Generations. In K

Kilner & G Worby (Eds.), BlackWords: Aboriginal and Torres Islander writers

and story tellers (pp. 1-11), St Lucia: The Australian Literature Resource.

Howard, T.C. (2003). Culturally relevant pedagogy: Ingredients for critical teacher

reflection. Theory Into Practice, 42(3), 195-202.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1998). Just what is critical race theory and what’s it doing in a

nice field like education. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in

Education, 11(1), 7-24.

MacGill, B., & Blanch, F. (2013). Indigenous students’ wellbeing and the mobilisation

of ethics of care in the contact zone. Australian Journal of Teacher Education,

38(2), 142-152.
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McDonald, H. (2003, November). Exploring possibilities through critical race theory:

Exemplary pedagogical practices for Indigenous students. Retreived from

https://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2003/mcd03504.pdf

McLaren, P., Leonardo, Z., & Allen, R. (2000). Epistemologies of whiteness:

Transforming and transgressing pedagogic knowledge. In R. Mahalingham &

C. McCarthy (Eds.), Multicultural curriculum: New directions for social theory,

practice and policy (pp. 108-213). New York: Routledge.

Nicholson, B. (2000). The Bastards. In K. Reed-Gilbert (Ed.), The Strength of Us as

Women: Black Women Speak (pp. 25-27). Canberra: Ginninderra Press.

O'Brien, L.Y., & Gale, M.A. (2007). My difficult childhood. In M.A. Gale & L.Y. O'Brien

(Eds.), And the clock struck thirteen: the life and thoughts of Kaurna Elder

Uncle Lewis Yerloburka O'Brien (pp. 102-122). Kent Town: Wakefield Press.

Schulz, S. (2018). Critical race theory (CRT) and critical whiteness studies (CWS)

[Lecture PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from

https://flo.flinders.edu.au/course/view.php?id=44010.

Tannoch-Bland, J. (1998). 'Identifying white race privilege ' in Bringing Australia

together: the structure and experience of racism in Australia, Foundation for

Aboriginal and Islander Research Action, Woollongabba, Qld., 33-38.

Tur, S.U. (2018). Storytelling pedagogy [Lecture PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from

https://flo.flinders.edu.au/pluginfile.php/3151498/mod_resource/content/1

/EDUC%20Storytelling%20Pedagogy.pdf

Vass, G. (2014). The racialised educational landscape in Australia: listening to the

whispering elephant. Race Ethnicity and Education, 17(2), 176-201.