In 2014-2015, a team of Elders, Aboriginal and non- Indigenous academic staff have worked together to conduct a professional development program that would challenge supervising teachers’ views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners.
Presentation by Deborah Heck and Daniel Neil, University of Southern Queensland
1 October 2015, Adelaide
www.matsiti.edu.au/events/ourmobteach
Two way learning: preservice teachers and supervising teachers
1. / ourmobteach
Two way learning: preservice
teachers and supervising teachers
Deborah Heck and Daniel Neill
#OurMobTeach 2015
2. What the project did
Develop sustainable partnerships between the
University of the Sunshine Coast and Schools to
facilitate student professional experience placements.
Achieved through mentor teacher participation in a
Professional development program.
3. Professional Development
• Welcome by Elders
• Language and how we use it
• Identity
• Culture and community
• Stereotypes
• Embedding perspectives
• Resources
• Reflections on supporting role as
a mentor
Developing a
culture of
learning
through
Aboriginal
and Torres
Strait Islander
knowledges
4. Placement form option
All students are invited to
apply when they complete
their placement form for the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Program.
Student are matched with
mentor teachers and have
access to an online
community
5. Teacher contributions
Contribution of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander
Teachers to school
communities:
• History of our land
• Cultural knowledge and
resources
• Leaders, role models
and carers
6. Contributions of PST
Contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PST to school
communities:
Sharing of oral history
Pedagogical style
Leaders and role models
PST contribution seemed more valued that teachers
8. PST support sources
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait
Islander PST
Education academic
staff
Elders and
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait
Islander Community
members
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait
Islander Teacher
mentors
9. Learning about this has been helpful because
“Helping to teach children Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
education with respect and correctly. Having a mentor helps
teachers to ask questions and be guided. I did not take part in
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education when I studied for my
degree and I know of other universities have this subject in their
education degree. Elders are so important to the community and
their place and knowledge of the community helps teachers and
community members to learn more and receive a first hand account
of how history has changed and what we as teachers and the next
generation can help to educate others.”
10. Implications for mentor teaching practice
Validates current practice
Maintaining high expectations
Code switching and providing time
Exploring diversity
Need for professional development
Need to share practice with colleagues
11. Implications as a mentor
Value PST and what they bring as a resource but
don’t wear students out
Incorporate Indigenous pedagogy
Provide time for code switching
School based register of teachers to support
Indigenous PST
Engage all PST in professional development of
practicum
12. Implications as a mentor
Take time to develop a relationship with the preservice
teacher make them feel welcome to the school
Ask students where they are going so you can facilitate their
journey don’t assume what they want to do
Talk with students about what teaching is like
Be inclusive of a sense of family, responsibilities and
obligations
Talk about the expectations students have of their mentor
teacher and develop a shared understanding
13. Challenges for mentor teachers
Getting teachers to attend and engage in professional
development such as time
Time required to develop knowledge
Lack of awareness of the importance
Funding for ongoing professional development that also
highlights the importance of working with Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander teachers and preservice teachers
14. Challenges for Students
Identifying on professional experience can create some
challenges
Some students have a lack of connection to their community
and might feel they should not participate
Students are frightened of being pigeon holes. Not all students
have the knowledge and can share
15. What will continue after the project
PST option on the placement form will be maintained as an
ongoing practice within the School of Education
The online community will be maintained to facilitate the
development of a community of students, academic staff and
possibly Elders
Matching preservice teaches with mentors who have
undertaken the professional development program
16. Lessons for others
Recognise how challenging professional experience can be for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
Explore ways to provide professional development for non-
Indigenous teachers in an ongoing way
This paper explores supervising teachers developing viewpoints about how they can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students during professional experience. A network of schools and supervising teachers agreed to engage in two half-day professional development workshops to support them in their work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander preservice teacher during their placement. Teachers and administrators who participated in this professional development program were invited to participate in a survey. The survey provided opportunities for reflection on their views about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers contribute to schools and communities and how they as supervising teachers can support students during professional experience. The presentation will report the findings of the thematic analysis of the survey outcomes and identify shifts in supervising teacher viewpoints throughout the project.
A one day program was delivered across two sessions with participating teacher mentors from schools and early learning centres.
USC has received funding from the More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teacher Education Initiative to develop partnerships with schools and early childhood sites across the region. We are seeking to develop a network of school and early childhood sites where teachers and administrators have participated in professional development so that they can most provide supporting to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander preservice teachers during their professional experience placement.
This two way partnership will build capacity at the university and in schools or early childhood contexts to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander preservice teachers during their placement. Teachers, administrators and university academic staff will participate in two half day professional development opportunities that will explore how to develop a culture of learning through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges. Each school is invited to nominate three staff preferably two mentor teachers and one member of the administration team/school coordinator. A number of early childhood sites have been invited to have one staff member participate to ensure we have a range of early learning sites as part of the partnership network.
The program occurred across two days and teachers and administrators explored:
Welcome by Elders
Language and how we use it
Identity
Culture and community
Stereotypes
Embedding perspectives
Resources
Reflections on supporting role as a mentor
Teachers and administrators shared their views at the end of the workshop about the implications for practice and also completed an anonymous online survey.
Validates present practices
Diverse approaches are required for diverse learners
High expectations
Share with other educators at staff meetings links
Promote positive aspects: positive photos and celebrating
Mindful of the children’s contributions:
stories of their family/people
family to write stories/photos
Encourage professional development
High expectations time management for preservice teachers and school students
Code switching awareness and providing assistance support. Providing thinking time.
Explore diversity
Professional development embedding for preservice teachers (school led) and for teachers (uni led)
Share information by email, staff meetings and conversations
Utilize the student (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) as a resource to assist me in my role as kindergarten teacher
Incorporate their pedagogy/culture style to assist the preservice teachers learning
Adapting own style/language/teaching to suit the ‘level’ of preservice teaching e.g. Cert 3 TAFE or Diploma TAFE or Uni student and young or mature age
Share our new learning/knowledge
Student encouraged to share their story – family, culture. If they wish to acknowledge being Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander
Code-switching – early childhood studies university have never attended
Notify preservice teachers about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff in the school – of course feeling are safe and come with permission
Code switching awareness and providing assistance support. Providing thinking time.
Value Preservice teachers and what they bring not always used as a resource
High expectations time management for preservice teachers and school students
Connection to country
Formalise a school register process – see if they want to be on a register to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Preservice teachers
Identify – info passed to teachers/ teachers notified vice versa preservice teachers
Professional development embedding for preservice teachers (school led) and for teachers (uni led)
Utilize the student (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander) as a resource to assist me in my role as kindergarten teacher
Incorporate their pedagogy/culture style to assist the preservice teachers learning
Adapting own style/language/teaching to suit the ‘level’ of preservice teaching e.g. Cert 3 TAFE or Diploma TAFE or Uni student and young or mature age
Share our new learning/knowledge
Student encouraged to share their story – family, culture. If they wish to acknowledge being Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander
Code-switching – early childhood studies university have never attended
Notify preservice teachers about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff in the school – of course feeling are safe and come with permission
Code switching awareness and providing assistance support. Providing thinking time.
Value Preservice teachers and what they bring not always used as a resource
High expectations time management for preservice teachers and school students
Connection to country
Formalise a school register process – see if they want to be on a register to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Preservice teachers
Identify – info passed to teachers/ teachers notified vice versa preservice teachers
Professional development embedding for preservice teachers (school led) and for teachers (uni led)