Aboriginal Education

ou are to revisit and analyse my initial short essay (attached) 500 words APA referencing .... Suggested steps for assignment completion Read the required readings for the designated topics (see down) in their entirety. Read the suggested readings ! Step 2: Identify and briefly summarize central themes and ideas presented in the readings. Instead of discussing readings one by one, try to tease out a few common themes and perspectives that can be drawn from all the readings. Step 3: Revisit my initial short essay. Ask yourself what new light, if any, the themes and ideas introduced in the readings shed on what you discussed in the short essay. Have they allowed you to wonder about things that you did not initially consider? Step 4: Revisit your previous writings see attached and discuss how your initial views have been reshaped or reinforced since them. Step 5: Make sure you’ve made references to a minimum of 6 readings from the designated topics. What we are looking for in your writing? With this assignment, we are asking you to demonstrate the following two things. First, we want you to demonstrate the process of your reflective thinking as you engage with unit readings. This will require you to constantly revisit your state of thinking in previous weeks and analyse how your thinking has changed (or not changed) as the semester progresses. When we say “to engage with unit readings,” we don’t mean at all that you have to agree to what authors argue. We want you to first of all carefully listen to what they have to say. And then consider how you would respond to their claims. Should you disagree with them, discuss your views and experiences that counter them. Second, we want you not only to demonstrate your comprehension of the readings but more importantly your ability to apply the new ideas and concepts introduced by them in interrogating your earlier beliefs and views. My previous short essay: By and large, culture has direct impacts on learning and teaching. In the school setting, multiple types of linguistic, socio-economic, racial and cultural diversity abound given the different backgrounds of the students. For instance, in my past schooling, most of my classmates were from different social, cultural, linguistic and cultural backgrounds. They comprised of students of German, Turkish, Moroccan, African and Iranian descent. Largely therefore, the class was made up of culturally different students who subscribed to different cultural practices, values and learning patterns other than my native German ones. In response to these differences, the school had adopted a form of teaching that accommodated the divergence with German as the only instructional language. As such, students with inadequate skills in German were required to enrol in language classes before joining the institution. Similarly, classmates shared individual cultures among themselves and organise multicultural events that allowed them to celebrate diversity. Additionally, teachers used the unique cultures in enhancing the academic performance of the entire class. This involved exploitation of work styles of different ethnicities especially those that emphasise group success. The teachers also clarified incorrect portrayals of various ethnic groups to enhance understanding of cultural in the classroom. These efforts appropriately addressed the diversity among the students, thereby facilitating learning. As a teacher of a racially, socio-economically, and linguistically diverse students I would adopt a number of strategies to ensure learning. Firstly, given the immigrant students’ difficulties with English as the instructional language, I would employ the symbolic curriculum. The culturally receptive curriculum would allow me to use bulletin board posters, decorations and banners to deliver multicultural content through easily understandable symbols. This would also reduce the need to solely rely on language for instruction. Secondly, I would adopt instructional strategies that utilise learning patterns emphasized by the students’ cultures. Thirdly, I would organise a multicultural day during which students and their parents would be required to present and share their ethnic dishes. Topic 5 Required reading Grant, C. & Sleeter, C. 2003, ‘Action research activity 5.2: Classroom and school assessment’, in Turning on learning: Five approaches for multicultural teaching plans for race, class, gender, and disability, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, pp. 213-215. Ladson-Billings, G. 1995, ‘But that’s just what good teaching!: The case for culturally relevant pedagogy’, Theory into Practice, vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 159- 165. *Nieto, S. & Bode, P. 2009, ‘Multicultural education and school reform’, in Affirming diversity: The sociopolitical context of multicultural education, 5th ed, Pearson, Sydney, pp. 42-62. *Pearce, S. 2003, ‘The teacher as the solution’, You wouldn’t understand: White teachers in multiethnic classrooms. Trentham Books, Trent, UK, pp. 11-27. Topic 5 Suggested reading **Burridge, N. Buchanan, J. & Chodkiewicz, A. 2009, ‘Dealing with difference: Building culturally responsive classrooms,’ Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Journal, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 68-83. Available at Google Scholar. Editors of Rethinking Schools, 2001, ‘Failing out kids: What’s wrong with the testing craze’, in Rethinking our classrooms: Teaching for equity and justice [Vol. 2], eds. B. Bigelow, B. Harvey, S. Karp, and L. Miller, Rethinking Schools Ltd. Milwaukee, pp. 204-206. Grant, C. & Sleeter, C. E. 2003, ‘Lesson plan: Creating a newspaper’, Turning on learning: Five approaches for multicultural teaching plans for race, class, gender, and disability, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, pp. 346-351. Grant, C. & Sleeter, C. E. 2003, ‘Lesson plan: City Government’, in Turning on learning: Five approaches for multicultural teaching plans for race, class, gender, and disability, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, pp. 334-338. Grant, C. & Sleeter, C. E. 2003, ‘Race, class, gender, and disability in the classroom, in Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives, 5th edn. update, eds. A. J. Banks & A. M. Banks, John Wiley & Sons Inc. New York, pp. 65-83. (Extract: Approaches to multicultural education). Ladson-Billings, G. 1994, ‘Seeing color, seeing culture’ (Chapter 3), in The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco, pp. 30-53. Zaslavsky, C. 2006, ‘Multicultural math: One road to the goal of mathematics for all’, in Rethinking mathematics: Teaching social justice by the numbers, eds. E. Gutstein & B. Peterson, Rethinking Schools Ltd. Milwaukee, pp. 124- 129. Topic 6 Required reading *Nicholls, C. Crowley, V. and Watt, R. 1996. ‘Theorizing Aboriginal education: Surely it’s time to move on?’ Education Australia, vol. 22, pp. 37-40. *Poynting, S. & Noble, G. 1995-1996, ‘Racism and the ‘common sense’ of ‘learning styles’’, Education Links, vol. 51, pp. 16-19. *Shade, B. J., Kelly, C. & Oberg, M. 1997, ‘Goal 1: Understanding cultural backgrounds’, in Creating culturally responsive classrooms, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, pp. 17-38. **Zhou, R. Y. Knoke, D. Sakamoto, I. 2005. ‘Rethinking silence in the classroom: Chinese students' experiences of sharing indigenous knowledge,’ International Journal of Inclusive Education, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 287-311. Available at Informaworld database.