Equity... or lack of?

Our week six reading about Equity in Education has left me lost for words. The statistics in this article seem ridiculous. I can't believe that we are living in 2012 and still struggling to close, or narrow, the gap between low socio-economic and high socio-economic as well as the indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. I have to admit that I feel mostly embarrassed that I am staring right at this reading and I haven't done anything about it.

I am studying a primary education degree that is combined with international studies, and at the moment I am focusing one of my international studies assignments on 'Indigenous education in Australia'. In the midst of research for this task, I have come across numerous videos, readings, articles about Indigenous education. 

I'd like to share this video with my viewers...

At 0:12 seconds this video has referenced Mallin (1990); "The skills which Aboriginal children bring to the classroom often remain invisible and unacknowledged." I think this is interesting because throughout most aspects of both of my courses I have been lectured about terms such as diversity, equality, multiculturalism and globalisation and yet I feel as if we aren't embracing the true Australian history and inheritors of this land. For those of you that don't know, Australian Aborigines have a history of oral communication and do not have written culture... While researching I did take notice that most scholars describe that this is one of the reasons why so many indigenous children do not succeed at school. This is only a generalisation, but due to their culture and upbringing many indigenous children are oral learners. There are numerous readings about the low success in education and how it is effected by the history of 'White Australia.' Centuries of being made to feel 'ashamed' has led generations of indigenous Australians to feel as if they do not belong in establishments like schools, and hence have low self esteem.

I believe in equal education and opportunity for all, and catering to a diversity of children, not matter their learning type, ability or disability, socio-economic status and culture.


Reference List:

A Vision for 2020: Achieve Equity in Education. A Contribution to Public Discussion of the 2020 Summit Idea by Save our Schools – the national independent advocacy group. April 2008. Retrieved from www.valuesineducation.org.au/pdf/sos0804.pdf.