The perceptions gained from this trimester include a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres-strait islander identity and how it is influenced by, kinship, culture, and country with whom indigenous people share a reciprocity relationship (Nyernila, 2014). Moreover, this trimester taught me about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories as told by indigenous communities, which include the colonization of indigenous people and the implementation of assimilationist policies (Price, 2019) the teachings and readings about indigenous history made me question how these events in history have shaped and also how stories about indigenous history can best be told. Furthermore, the lessons during this trimester have made me wonder why it is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait are so sparingly included in Australian history lessons, and it made me think about ways in which I could include Aboriginal and Torres Strait knowledge and voices in more widely within different curriculum subjects. 

Perhaps the most important perception gained from the classes this trimester is the importance of the inclusion of indigenous voices. Especially since I am going to be in a position where I will be responsible for enhancing children's comprehension of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and approaches. I want to ensure that I will make use of indigenous sources and provide access where possible, in order to ensure that any information and material taught to the children is appropriate and contains the correct information and wording.

I have developed my lesson plans based on the greater understanding and knowledge gained from this trimester and based on what I have learned about how to plan for practice in schools. To ensure the effectiveness of my lesson plans I have made sure to link the plans to curriculum requirements and pedagogical and educational considerations. Furthermore, I have implemented a degree of support for the children that are learning to ensure that will be guided and supported when it comes to greater understanding and knowledge about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, identity, and voices during the lesson plans. I believe this inclusion of support will ensure that the educational part and the related understanding and knowledge will be effectively thought to the children. 

First the delivery of originally developed lesson plans could be improved if the educational elements of each lesson plan are aimed toward children gaining a greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, history, identity, approaches, and voices. Would be communicated or at the very least informed and would include the involvement of one or more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This would improve the lesson plans as it would ensure that the knowledge and educational information is not wrongfully or miscommunicated (Du, 2017). 

Additionally, the lessons plan could be better developed by implementing a sequence of lessons that would go deeper into how support would be provided for children to help them to obtain a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, history, identity, approaches, and voices that are presented within the lesson plans. As that sequence and support are currently missing in the previously presented plans. Moreover, the lesson plan could be improved by connecting the lesson plans to one another, so that they support each other and a deeper comprehension can be created through the connection of all the lesson plan combined, compared to the stand-alone lesson plans that I originally have presented. 

This part will provide an analysis of how well the lesson plans reflect on Aboriginal and Torres-strait islander approaches when it comes to education and knowledge.

The first lesson plan is aimed at increasing children's understanding of Aboriginal and Torres-strait islander culture and identity which it does through incorporating indigenous approaches when it comes to education and knowledge. Furthermore, it supports learning across the curriculum disciplines of English and arts (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, n.d.). Moreover, it reflects on Aboriginal and Torres-strait islander approaches when it comes to education and knowledge as the lesson plan incorporates teachings about indigenous identity through culture and the creation of art. It aligns with indigenous approaches as throughout history indigenous communities used have used art to tell stories, as a cultural practice, and to represent their tribe and sometimes even their rank (Garber, 1995; Spearim, 2013). Therefore this lesson plan makes use of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander display of identity which in this case is done through the display and the creation of art pieces that showcase one on multiple elements that relate and are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity and culture. this approach helps children to form a sense of consciousness about other cultures and relates it to topics such as history, identity as well as spirituality. Personally, I have found that learning about identity through art allowed me to look at other forms of art from the perspective of those from other cultures more easily and with greater understanding.

The second lesson plan is aimed at increasing children's understanding of Aboriginal and Torres-strait islander culture and identity which it does through incorporating indigenous approaches when it comes to education and knowledge. The second lesson plan supports subjects across the following disciplines English, History, and Art of the Victorian Curriculum F–10 (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, n.d.). The lesson plan of the subjects reflects on Aboriginal and Torres-strait islander approaches when it comes to education and knowledge as it incorporates the learning about indigenous history through indigenous poems, this learning supports the disciplines English, History, and Art. Moreover, it supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches as poems historically have been widely used by indigenous communities and a form as art as well as a form to communicate elements about their culture and history (Thorpe & Galassi, 2014).

The third lesson plan is aimed at increasing children's understanding of Aboriginal and Torres-strait islander culture and identity which it does through incorporating indigenous approaches when it comes to education and knowledge. Moreover, The third and final lesson plan supports the subjects English, Music, and Art of the Victorian Curriculum F–10 (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, n.d.),. Which it does as it incorporates the making of music using instruments and singing to communicate the importance of indigenous voices. Because this lesson plan uses indigenous songs and indigenous instruments it includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and approaches. According to the literature Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders use music to express themselves within their native languages and tell their stories through their perspectives. Which they do by using their own written music and instruments, and tell indigenous stories which include their culture and identity, and are often used as an empowerment tool (Costigan & Neuenfeldt, 2002; Mackinlay & Dunbar-Hall, 2003). Personally, I have found music is a very familiar thing for most and that many can easily relate and indigenous culture and identity when it is communicated through music.

 Costigan, L., & Neuenfeldt, K. (2002). Torres Strait Islander music and dance in informal and formal educational contexts in Australia. Research Studies in Music Education, 19(1), 46-55. 

Du, J. T. (2017). Research on Indigenous People and the Role of Information and Communications Technology in Development: A Review of the Literature. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 66(4), 344-363. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2017.1397857 

Garber, E. (1995). Teaching art in the context of culture: A study in the borderlands. Studies in Art Education, 36(4), 218-232. 

Mackinlay, E., & Dunbar-Hall, P. (2003). Historical and dialectical perspectives on the teaching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musics in the Australian education system. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 32, 29-40. 

Price, K. (2019). A brief history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education in Australia. In K. Price & J. Rogers (Eds.), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education: an introduction for the teaching profession (Third edition ed., pp. 1-20). Cambridge University Press. https://www-cambridge-org.ezproxy-b.deakin.edu.au/core/product/E57E7A86E6A153B100658D01F25FC2D6/online-view

http://ezproxy.deakin.edu.au/login?url=https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108552905 

Spearim, P. T. (2013). Indigenous culture demystified: Inspiring reconciliation through education. Educating Young Children: Learning and Teaching in the Early Childhood Years, 19(2), 38-39. 

Thorpe, K., & Galassi, M. (2014). Rediscovering Indigenous Languages: The Role and Impact of Libraries and Archives in Cultural Revitalisation. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 45(2), 81-100. https://doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2014.910858 

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (n.d.). Learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, . https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/static/docs/Learning%20about%20Aboriginal%20and%20Torres%20Strait%20Islander%20histories%20and%20cultures.pdf 

 

This part will provide a critical reflection of my personal development and will be taking into consideration how the perspectives relating to how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge have been formed, extended, and enriched.

Throughout this subject, my views regarding and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge have been shaped in the sense that the lessons and readings during this trimester have expanded my knowledge about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander approaches, knowledge and perspectives. Which will allow me to better support children in developing a greater understanding of indigenous knowledge, approaches, and perspectives. Moreover, reading materials of indigenous people about their perspective on the events that have taken place in history rather than reading literature written by non-indigenous people provided me with a deeper understanding of their feelings and perspective towards current events and history. Throughout this semester my understanding and knowledge about indigenous voices and their need to be heard has been shaped. As I have now come to understand that indigenous voices, history, culture, and identity should be told from the perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and not through the perspective of non-indigenous people. 

Moreover, my understanding of identity has been deepened and I have better come to understand what it means to teach indigenous knowledge as a non-indigenous person in addition I have come to understand that as a teacher it is important to explore your identity and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander the understand their viewpoint so that when communicating indigenous knowledge it is done carefully and correctly and relates to the indigenous identities which I have practiced throughout this subject during the development of my lesson plans, other assignments, and in-class practices.