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Strong and Smart

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Strong and Smart STRONG AND SMART: REINFORCING ABORIGINAL PERCEPTIONS OF BEING ABORIGINAL AT CHERBOURG STATE SCHOOL DECLARATION I declare that this thesis is my own account of my research and contains as its main content work which has not previously been submitted for a degree at any tertiary institution. Chris Sarra 21 September 2005 - 1 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is dedicated to the Strong, Smart, Young Black and Deadly children of Cherbourg State School. What a ripple they started. I acknowledge the efforts of their parents, Elders and other community members. I also acknowledge the efforts of the exceptional team that worked with me at Cherbourg State School and in particular that of the teacher aides who never gave up because they believed in something better for their community’s children. I make special mention of those special colleagues who have now passed; Michael Blackman, and the late great Richard ‘Hooper’ Coleman. Thanks also to my intellectual mentor and the man who made me see the world differently, Dr Gary MacLennan. Finally, I acknowledge the great sacrifices of my wife and little family, who lost so many hours of my time as a husband and father while I was in the back shed writing. Thank you Grace, Ezra, Talia and Marcellus. The pelican has landed! - 2 - CONTENTS Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………6 Chapter 1 – Methodology……………………………………………………………..30 1.1 Methodological Preliminaries…………………………………………..30 1.2 Underlaboring for Science……………………………………………...32 1.3 Meta-theory and Totality……………………………………………….37 1.4 Meta-theory and Realism………………………………………………38 1.5 Meta-theory and Truth………………………………………………….40 1.6 Domain Specific Theories……………………………………………....45 1.6.1 Identity theory: Michel Pêcheux’s Identification, Counter- identification and Dis-identification……………………………45 1.6.2 The Other……………………………………………………….49 1.6.3 Deploying the Other: William Dampier………………………..53 1.6.4 The Other as Trace……………………………………………...55 1.6.5 Master–Slave Dialectic…………………………………………58 Chapter 2 – Literature Analysis……………………………………………………..60 2.1 Analysis of McConaghy……………………………………………….60 2.2 Meta-theory…………………………………………………………….61 2.3 McConaghy’s Politics of Knowing…………………………………….65 2.4 Culturalism and Its Various Manifestations……………………………68 2.5 Radicalism……………………………………………………………...68 2.6 Strategic Identity……………………………………………………….77 2.7 Analysis of Marcia Langton: the Need for an Explicit Ontology………80 2.8 Analysis of Martin Nakata……………………………………………...85 2.9 Analysis of Tuhiwai Smith……………………………………………..90 Chapter 3 - White Perspectives on Aboriginal Identity…………………………….94 3.1 ‘Alcoholics, Drunks, Heavy Drinkers’………………………………..111 3.2 ‘Boongs, Coons, Niggers, Black Cunts, Abos, Porch Monkeys, Blacks, Gins, Darkies, Black Bastards’………………………………………114 3.3 Got it Good, Privileged, Well Kept by the Government………………114 3.4 Welfare Dependant, Dole Bludgers, Lazy, Wont Work………………122 3.5 Aggressive, Violent, Troublemakers, Disrespectful…………………..126 3.6 Good sportsmen/women, Good footy players………………………...130 - 3 - Chapter 4 – Aboriginal Perceptions of Being Aboriginal………………………....134 4.1 Reflections on Research………………………………………………149 4.2 A feeling about Being Aboriginal…………………………………….152 4.3 A sense of pride…………………………………………………..…..153 4.4 Respecting Elders…………………………………………….………155 4.5 Family…………………………………………………………...……157 4.6 Ways of Connecting…………………………………………………..158 4.7 Connections to the Land………………………………………………159 4.8 Spirituality……………………………………………………………..164 Chapter 5 (a) – School Strategies to Reinforce Aboriginal Identity………………169 Chapter 5 (b) – School Strategies to Reinforce Aboriginal Identity………………170 5b.1 Challenging Aboriginal Identity……………………………………….175 5b.2 Developing Aboriginal Identity………………………………………..175 5b.3 Embracing Aboriginal Identity…………………………………………176 5b.4 Facilitating Change……………………………………………………..176 5b.5 Changing the Culture of the School…………………………………….182 5b.6 Generating a Sense of Solidarity………………………………………..182 5b.7 School song……………………………………………………………..183 5b.8 School Uniform ……………………………………………...…………184 5b.9 Cleaning up the school grounds……………………………………...…185 5b.10 School Calendar ……………………………………………………..…187 5b.11 Expecting Improved Attendance…………………………………….…187 5b.12 Expecting Improved Student Behaviour……………………………….189 5b.13 Expecting Improved Academic Performance…………………………..191 5b.14 Awards Night…………………………………………………………...192 5b.15 Focussing on Improved Literacy Standards……………………………193 5b.16 Valuing and Utilising Indigenous Staff Within the School…………….196 5b.17 Whole of School Aboriginal Studies program…………………………198 5b.18 Promoting Community Involvement …………………………………..199 5b.19 Empowering Parents to Participate in Student Behaviour Management Processes……………………………………………………………….201 5b.20 Meaningful School/Council Partnerships……………………………...203 5b.21 Elders in School………………………………………………………..205 5b.22 Developing a School CD ………………………………………………208 5b.23 Human Values in Education Program …………………………………209 - 4 - Chapter Six – Impact of Strategies to Reinforce Aboriginal Identity…………...…213 6.1 School Review Methodology…………………………………..….……214 6.2 Learning………………………………………………………….…..…215 6.2.1 Year 2 Net Data…………………………………………….…..216 6.2.2 Year 5 Diagnostic Data……………………………………..…..217 6.2.3 Year 7 Diagnostic Data………………………………….….…..218 6.3 Schools…………………………………………………………….....…219 6.3.1 Unexplained Absences………………………………………….220 6.3.2 Absenteeism…………………………………………………….221 6.3.3 Enrolments……………………………………………………...224 6.3.4 Retention into High School……………………………………..225 6.3.5 Parent Opinion Survey………………………………………….227 6.3.6 Community Surveys on the Strong and Smart Vision……….…228 6.3.6.1 General School Progress………………………………..228 6.3.6.2 Parent/Community Partnerships………………………..230 6.3.6.3 Principal/Teacher Leadership…………………………..231 6.3.6.4 The ‘Strong and Smart’ Vision…………………………233 6.3.7 Student Opinion……………………………………………...…234 6.3.7.1 Student Opinion Survey…………………………..……235 6.3.7.2 Student Survey on Human Values in Education….……235 6.4 Workforce……………………………………………………………....237 6.4.1 Staff Opinion Survey………………………………….……….238 6.4.2 Staff Survey on Human Values in Education ………………….239 6.4.3 Teacher and Teacher Aide Interviews………………………….240 6.4.4 Teacher Perceptions……………………………………...……..241 6.4.5 Teacher Aide Perceptions……………………………………....244 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………..…251 7.1 Challenging Mindsets………………………………………………….256 7.2 Quality Teacher Practice………………………………………….……256 7.3 Strengthening school leadership………………………………….……257 7.4 Boldness………………………………………………..………………259 7.5 Key Issues/questions for schools/school leaders………………………260 Appendixes………………………………………………………………………….. .270 Appendix 1 – ABC Australian Story Transcript………………………………………270 Appendix 2 – List of Key Reports, Policies and Strategies Related to Indigenous Education in the Last Two Decades……………………………………279 Appendix 3 – Cherbourg State School Profile………………………………….……..283 Appendix 4 - Cherbourg State School – Aboriginal Studies (Program Overview)…...284 Appendix 5 - Accountabilities Matrix………………………………………………. .285 References……………………………………………………………………………..286 - 5 - INTRODUCTION This introduction is designed to contextualise this study and to flag key issues for later explication. The complete thesis is designed to examine the more positive Aboriginal perceptions of ‘being Aboriginal’ and the impact of reinforcing this in an Aboriginal school setting. During this introduction I will outline some very personal reasons for pursuing this particular line of research. It is hoped the research will make a positive contribution to related literature as well as provide some guidance in the development of Australia’s social and psychological landscape. For me as an Aboriginal person, an Aboriginal academic, and Aboriginal educator, there are some key objectives of this entire research project. The key objectives of this thesis are to: • identify some Aboriginal perceptions of ‘being Aboriginal’; • identify some white perceptions of ‘being Aboriginal; • challenge white Australia’s perception of ‘being Aboriginal’; • challenge Aboriginal perceptions of ‘being Aboriginal’; • facilitate access to a more accurate and more positive perception of ‘being Aboriginal’; • examine the impact of reinforcing a positive Aboriginal identity in schools; • examine how to reinforce a positive Aboriginal identity in schools. To a large degree it is hoped this research will be utilised for emancipatory purposes. According to Hugh Lacey: emancipatory activity is collaborative activity, engaged in by people who experience oppression and by those in solidarity with them, that is expressive of their effective agency and that aims both to alleviate the sufferings being experienced and to create conditions for the effective agency (or freedom) of everyone (2002: 10). - 6 - Against this background this work will enhance the role of both players in the emancipatory process. This work will provide some insight to what Lacey would call ‘the oppressed’ by identifying and challenging mechanisms and processes of oppression. The role of those, whom Lacey would refer to as ‘in solidarity with’ the oppressed, will be enhanced through explicit discussion about effective means to alter the oppressive structures which they are a part of. Such emancipatory processes will be discussed throughout this thesis, and in more specific detail in Chapter Three. To many this research project will appear at times somewhat different in its approach, and in many ways it is these differences that are indeed a key feature of the research topic. Before proceeding, one must understand
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