University-Qualified Indigenous Early Childhood Teachers

Abstract

DEMONSTRATING PERSISTENCE and resilience, increasing numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood teachers are gaining university qualifications. This paper explores factors that support and constrain these students on the path to their degrees. Investigated through a cycle of interviews and focus groups, otherwise perceived as taking time to chat and yarn, the data speaks through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices. Graduates from a cohort-specific three-year degree program, and several of their colleagues from an earlier program, share their reflections. The importance of family, community and infrastructure support is apparent, as well as recognition of complexities of ‘both ways’ learning (Hughes, Fleet & Nicholls, 2003) and cultural boundary crossing (Giroux, 2005). Highlighting salient factors is critical in efforts to create and maintain conditions in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders can gain university qualiflcations and extend their professional contributions.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Britt

, & Sumsion

(2003). Within the borderlands: Beginning early childhood teachers in primary schools. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 4(2), 115–136.

Burns

R. B.

(1995). Introduction to research methods. Melbourne: Longman.

Cassady

, Fleet

, Hughes

, & Kitson-Charleston

(2005) Professional pathways of university-qualified Indigenous early childhood teachers: Strengthening national outcomes. Sydney: Macquarie University.

Cole

(2004). Provoked by art. In Cole

, Neilsen

, Knowles

J. G.

& Luciani

T. C.

(Eds.), Provoked by art: Theorizing arts-informed research (pp. 11–17). Halifax, Canada: Backalong Books.

Fleer

, & Williams-Kennedy

(2002). Building bridges: Literacy development in young Indigenous children. Canberra: Australian Early Childhood Association.

Giroux

H. A.

(2005). Border crossings: Cultural workers and the politics of education (2nd edn). NewYork: Routledge.

Hughes

, Fleet

, & Nicholls

(2003). Both-ways learning The development of an Indigenous Bachelor of Teaching. Change: Transformations in Education. A Journal of Theory, Research, Policy and Practice, 6(2), 67–74.

Kitson-Charleston

(2005). Starting school in Negara Brunei Darussalam: An exploration of practices and possibilities: Listening to the voices and rethinking practice. Brunei Darussalam: University of Brunei Darussalam.

Power

(2004). Yarning: A responsive research methodology Journal of Australian Research in Early Childhood Education, 11(1), 37–46.

10.

Smolicz

J. J.

, Hudson

D. M.

, & Secombe

M. J.

(1998). Border crossing in ‘multicultural Australia’: A study of cultural valence Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 19(4), 318–336.

11.

Willis

(1999). Expressive and arts-based research: Presenting lived experience In qualitative research. Paper presented to research seminar, University of South Australia.