Aboriginal Education and Child Development

This essay delves into the significance of aboriginal education, particularly focusing on its impact on child development. It examines how early childhood education lays a foundation for academic and social success within Aboriginal communities. The essay emphasizes the role of integrating children from diverse backgrounds to foster unity and understanding. It also highlights the importance of community involvement in shaping a holistic educational experience that empowers Aboriginal individuals.

Running head: EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES 1
EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES
Institution
Student
Date

EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES 2
PART A – Aboriginal Perspectives in Early Childhood
Teaching Aboriginal students requires sensitivity bearing in mind the special needs of these
children. A successful teaching program should relate to real life and issues surrounding the
Aboriginal culture to allow the kids to comprehend and relate the lessons to their life. Relating
the environment and the community is one of the activities that can be applied facilitating
learning. A good example of an activity that can be used to teach children between the age of
four and five is the Koori Dreaming story.
The dreaming story as a teaching tool
In this series of D’harawal Law Legends, there are many lessons to be learned. The
D’harawals believed that children learned better and more quickly when they were
encouraged to work through a problem, rather than be told the answer. For this reason, the
dreaming story "The Whale and The Pelican” can be used to teach children a few developmental
techniques (Bodkin & Bodkin-Andrews, 2001, p. 2). From the story, they can engage in
activities such as introducing the children to different types, sizes, and characteristics of whales;
water play activity that includes whales like swimming and prying or predation. Aboriginal
concepts of dreaming are also brought out clearly in this story. From this story, the teacher can
make a sketch of whales and ask the children to color it. The activity can be used to introduce
different colors to the children as they keep coloring the images. In addition, the kids can learn
different shapes and symbols based on the shapes they will make in the process. It also allows
the minds of the child to be exposed to creative arts, color blending and time management. All
these are important aspects of culture since things like dress codes revolve around colors and
shape Also, the activity will best describe the culture of the people that includes social activities,
beliefs, and practices.

EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES 3
The approach is best considering that Aboriginal culture has been passed on through stories
and as such questions and answers might not work. Instead, more practical activities should be
encouraged rather than the traditional questions and answers (Pinchbeck, 2001). Research has
shown that these children associate their learning with a practical activity will make them
practice it even outside the class (Lutwych, 2009, P. 209). Songs and dance too can be taught
efficiently using this activity too. This is facilitated by the fact that it is mentioned in the dream
story how Whales and Pelican will respond to the woman singing. Helping the kids dance out
these songs will form a pattern of rhythm in their brains that will eventually be part of them.
Courtesy and etiquette can as well be dramatized in class with good characters being highly
valued to encourage participation.
EYLF Outcome of the Activity
The activity has some outcomes on the early years life of the children. One of the major outcome
of this activity is that the children are able to explore, manipulate and use resources in order to
invent and construct (Bailey, 2002 P, 33). Using the whale and the pelican story is an example of
local resource that the children can use to learn and eventually this will have outcomes that can
be associated with early years. As a result, the kids will be part of the innovative process of the
society by for example, allowing the kids to color or dot the images. The main reason for this is
because the Aboriginals are a unique specimen of people who first view things in a macro
perspective before narrowing it to micro (Medel, 2002, P.896).
PART B – Aboriginal Pedagogy in Early Childhood
Aboriginal people have different ways of teaching their children. These methods include story
sharing, community links, deconstruct/reconstruct, non-linear, land links, symbols & images,

EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES 4
non-verbal or learning maps (8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning, n.d) . Each of this
strategy plays a major role in the development of the child and in the learning process. For the
purpose of this module, I shall expound more on story sharing or storytelling. The method has
since time in history been used as a way of passing the traditions of a given community. Some of
these narratives are mare myths while others have few facts in them or exaggerated truths
(Harrison, 2008, P 108). In most cases, the teacher, or an elderly person will pass the story to the
children who in turn are expected to pass them to their peers and their children in their due time.
It is still one of the key pedagogy of teaching aboriginal children.
The method is important because it helps the children to interact with their teachers and a
strong bond is created which in turn makes inspiration possible and as a result passing of
knowledge is facilitated. Another value of this method is that it helps the children to get answers
to most of their questions. For example, a child will understand well the origin of the human race
through an explanatory tale. It is also one of the major learning pedagogy that will invoke the
learners to take actions (Craven, 2000, P 66). The invoking of feelings such as love, hatred,
anger or joy is a milestone in facilitating the learning process.
Another important aspect of this strategy is that it helps the pupils ask for clarifications in the
area they did not understand during the storytelling process and as such understanding is
enhanced. The storyteller can use language in its simplest way that young children can
understand (Harbutt, 2008, P.456). The facilitator is also able to note the psychology of the
pupils and how well they are following the teachings through such things as the participation in
singing narrative songs or through the answering of regular questions posed during the narration.
In addition to the above advantages, narratives will explain issues that have no better
explanations. A good example is explaining how babies are made to a young child. The only way

EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES 5
of bringing this clearly is by giving a narrative. Also, stories have been known as the best way of
capturing the attention of learners because they are interesting and facilitate interaction. The
genres that have been there over time have remained relevant in expounding the complex issues.
PART C – Aboriginal Community Resourcing in Early Childhood
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have different forms of organizations.
These organizations are formed to meet specific purposed and their importance to these
indigenous people is immeasurable. Some of the major groups include Aboriginal Community
Controlled Organization (ACCO), The Redfern Foundation, Victorian Aboriginal Community
Controlled Health Organization (VACCHO) and National Aboriginal Community Controlled
Health Organization (NACCHO) among much other more. In this module, I am going to discuss
more on the Aboriginal Community Controlled Organization (ACCO).
ACCO is an independent non-profit making organization that is incorporated as an Aboriginal
Organization which is based in the said community. It is governed by the Aboriginal Board
which is elected by the local members of the community where it is based. Decisions are made
by the members of the board (Alkman & May 2003, P.7). The body is formed to uphold the
rights of the member to self-determination. It was also meant to empower and services that will
empower the community. Like most of these organizations, ACCO is basically limited to the
Aboriginal and Islander Strait Communities which are in most cases discriminated against based
on their skin color and their origin. The body is charged with the responsibility of promoting
fairness by way of advocating for the rights of the members. Since it is a non-profit making
institution, it is able to concentrate more on the objective of its formation. Over the history of the
ab (original organizations, ACCO has remained a key player in advocating for human rights and

EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES 6
social well-being of the concerned people. Its purpose is outstanding and very key in promoting a
fair society.
These organizations can be utilized to a larger extent in the early childhood development. As
children are growing up and developing in the society they get to know their environment and in
many cases, they question the existence or non-existence of certain things. A child born in the
indigenous communities of Aboriginal and Islander Strait will question the differences they have
with the rest of the society. They will thus question the unfair treatment, the difference in skin
color or why they are discriminated upon. The role of these organizations will thus come in by
explaining these disparities (Burridge, 2012, P. 34). They will educate the children on their
origin and use the resources available to enhance oneness and unity among the various members
of the society. If a child is introduced to the theme of integration and cohesion, they will grow
appreciating the importance of each other and the reasons why they need to stay together.
Another importance of these organizations in child development is by helping the children
realize their role in creating a peaceful environment in the society.
PART D – Professional Reflection
Aboriginal education is holistic, in that it includes many factors from the classroom,
pedagogy, policy, and community. In this last part of the essay, I will focus on the role of early
childhood education in the achievement of the general goals of the aboriginal education system.
Early childhood forms the basic foundation of any education system. This is the case too for the
aboriginal community. It is the strength of the education introduced to a child that will determine
his or her higher levels. For this reason, the issue should be taken into account with much gravity
as required. In addition to basing the academic journeys of a child, ECD plays a major role in

EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES 7
determining the social characteristics of a child. How he or she will interact with the
environment is to a greater extent determined by the basic education introduced to the pupil.
Understandability of the environment and the society too is determined by the strength of the
early childhood education one is exposed to.
Despite the many challenges that the aboriginal communities face, the quality of the
education given to their children can cause an end to these challenges. If the children will have a
good education, they will learn to appreciate themselves and others and be part of the solution to
their many challenges. Having the right perspective to the various dynamics that are taking place
to all the Aboriginal and Islander Strait people all over the world will help to eradicate the issues
surrounding the community. Empowering the community too through the community-based
organizations is also vital in achieving a fully integrated aboriginal people. The major aim of any
education system all over the world is to produce individuals who are self-reliant, creative and
innovative in facing the ever-changing challenges of the society. The aboriginal childhood
development is important in shaping this objective (Maria, 2006, P.309). In addition to the other
benefits that come with quality education, for these indigenous communities they will feel a
sense of equality with other communities. Further, through quality education, the people will be
empowered to move out of their societies to face new environment thereby making them
unlimited in a given locality.

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References
Burridge, N. (2012). A history Overview of Aboriginal Education System. New York: rHill
Publishers.
Bodkin. F. & Bodkin-Andrews. G. (2001). D'harawal Dreaming Stories: the whale and the
pelican 2 guwarra and goolay’yari: Retrieved from
https://dharawalstories.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/guwarra1-4mb1.pdf
Craven, R. (2000). Teaching Aboriginal Studies. Education Times, 11-19.
Harbutt, K. (2008). The Power and the Passion. Education Times, 56-88.
Harrison, N. (2008). Teaching and Learning in Indigenous Education. Melbourne: Oxford
University Press.
Maria, L. (2006). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: Australian
university press.
May, S. &. (2012). Indigenous Education. Comprehensive Education, 139-
146.
8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning. (n.d): Retrieved
from http://8ways.wikispaces.com