Relationships with Community
What works:
Engaging successfully with Indigenous communities requires:
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My Experience
From my experience, maintaining positive relationships with students and the community was incredibly important. Through these relationships, many parents and grandparents became a part of the classroom environment and would translate the expectations in language reminding the students of the appropriate classroom behaviour. The parents and grandparents of students became a highly valuable resource assisting with lessons and one-on-one learning with specific students as needed.
The planning of Lesson 1 included the assumption that I would have two assistant teachers during the lesson and also parents. I knew I could rely on them to work with the individual needs of specific students. Had the other parents and assistant teachers not been there that day, the lesson would not have been successful and I would have altered the lesson to stay just within the classroom.
During my placement in Maningrida, I found it really helpful planning lessons with Caroline who was one of the Assistant Teachers. She not only had more knowledge about the students and their interest but she had different ways in which to deliver what I was trying to get across through the curriculum requirements.
The planning of Lesson 1 included the assumption that I would have two assistant teachers during the lesson and also parents. I knew I could rely on them to work with the individual needs of specific students. Had the other parents and assistant teachers not been there that day, the lesson would not have been successful and I would have altered the lesson to stay just within the classroom.
During my placement in Maningrida, I found it really helpful planning lessons with Caroline who was one of the Assistant Teachers. She not only had more knowledge about the students and their interest but she had different ways in which to deliver what I was trying to get across through the curriculum requirements.
References:
Purdie, N., and Buckly. S. (2010). Closing the Gap Clearinghouse. School attendance and retention of Indigenous Australian students (1). Retrieved 12 September, 2015 from http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2010/ctg-ip01.pdf
Scheermeijer, T. (2015). Lesson Plans
Purdie, N., and Buckly. S. (2010). Closing the Gap Clearinghouse. School attendance and retention of Indigenous Australian students (1). Retrieved 12 September, 2015 from http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2010/ctg-ip01.pdf
Scheermeijer, T. (2015). Lesson Plans