What does this descriptor look like at different levels?
Understanding and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation is the fourth descriptor of the second standard of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
This descriptor covers how teachers support their students to understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. This is a key priority for schools across Australia and so is embedded in our professional standards. To meet this standard, you must provide opportunities for your students to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and perspectives in your class.
Graduate
What does it look like?
At the Graduate level, teachers are expected to demonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
The Graduate level is the starting point for all Australian teachers, and you will need to meet this level across all of the focus areas before you graduate with a teaching degree. At this level, you only need to demonstrate that you have enough of an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures to be able to incorporate them into your programs. You will not need to actually incorporate it into your planning at this stage.
See more: The #1 Obstacle Teachers Face with Aboriginal Perspectives
What evidence can I collect?
You will need to demonstrate broad knowledge, which isn’t always an easy thing to do. It’s a good thing then that it’s your university’s job to help you.
You may need to complete an essay or other assignment that will enable you to address this descriptor. You may also be able to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into your learning programs. Both of these are great pieces of evidence, especially if you annotate them to clearly link them to this descriptor.
Proficient
What does it look like?
At the Proficient level, teachers are expected to provide opportunities for students to develop understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
As with most of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, the Proficient level of this focus area requires you to implement what you learnt at the Graduate level in the classroom.
This descriptor is very cleverly worded. It says that you are required to provide opportunities for students to develop understanding, which doesn’t necessarily pressure you to teach students their culture if it is not your own. This descriptor encourages you to invite Aboriginal people into your classroom, go on excursions, or let students explore and learn at their own pace.
What evidence can I collect?
Teaching and learning plans and program documentation are great for this. Annotate them to show how you’ve designed your teaching to allow students to learn and understand Australia’s Aboriginal cultures.
This is all you need at this level. Still, you may also include task sheets or activities that the students have done, notes from lesson observations, or documented communication to show your planning to get a speaker in or go on an excursion.
See more: Creating a Reconciliation Action Plan – Best Practice for Schools
Highly Accomplished
What does it look like?
At the Highly Accomplished level, teachers are expected to support colleagues with providing opportunities for students to develop an understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
As is typical for the Highly Accomplished career stage, this is where you need to start working with other teachers and impacting more than just the students in your classroom. You must show evidence that you have supported colleagues to do the same good work that you demonstrated at the Proficient career stage.
What evidence can I collect?
To provide evidence for this descriptor, you will need to show that you have supported others. This could look like documented communication such as emails or minutes of meetings.
You may also have a collaborated planning document to use as evidence. If you have worked on a unit with a group of teachers where students can explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, annotate it and use it! Just make sure you annotate it and clarify what your role was in planning this unit.
Lead
What does it look like?
At the Lead level, teachers are expected to lead initiatives to assist colleagues with opportunities for students to develop understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.
You are expected to support a group of other teachers at the Highly Accomplished career stage. At the Lead career stage, you will need to put systems and plan strategies to support ALL teachers at your school.
You can do this in many ways, and it will be a lot easier if you have been in a formal leadership position, even for a short while. You could meet this descriptor by planning a whole school professional learning day, implementing something in your Reconciliation Action Plan, or by reviewing and changing one of your school policies.
See more: How to Present a Great Professional Learning Workshop
What evidence can I collect?
The evidence you collect will depend on your action to meet this descriptor. Meeting minutes are always a good option as they show your leadership and actions. There is, of course, any documentation such as updated policies or initiative proposals that you can annotate and use as evidence.
Learn more about the other focus areas and descriptors for Standard 2:
2.1 Content and Teaching Strategies of the Teaching Area
2.2 Content Selection and Organisation
2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting
