Preservice teachers' learning with Yuin Country: becoming respectful teachers in Aboriginal education. Issue 2 (14th March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McKnight, Anthony
• Is Part Of: Asia-Pacific journal of teacher education. Volume 44:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 110
• Page End: 124
• Publication Date: 2016-03-14
• Subjects: Aboriginal perspectives -- communities -- country -- experience -- partnerships -- preservice teachers; Teachers -- Training of -- Australasia -- Periodicals; Teachers -- Training of -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; 370.71095
• DOI: 10.1080/1359866X.2015.1066491
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-866X

Abstract

Abstract : The ownership of Aboriginal knowledge and the Aboriginal perspective presented in school curriculum is always with Country. A number of preservice teachers were taken to a sacred story, "Gulaga a Living Spiritual Mountain, " to participate in an elective subject to engage in respectful reciprocal relationship with Country. The spirituality of Country is unknown to many preservice teachers, consequently the concept of Country as teacher in a respectful reciprocal relationship was unfamiliar. Engaging in Aboriginal ways of knowing, learning, and behaving provides an opportunity for preservice teachers to initiate a relationship with Country to respectfully implement Aboriginal perspectives in their own teaching. This article not only examines how preservice teachers developed a relationship with Country, but also importantly demonstrates how a relationship between Country, researcher, all the participants, and the research can inform respectful behaviour in reculturalising Aboriginal perspectives.