Gender, wealth, ethnicity, aboriginality

Case No.8

Gender, wealth, ethnicity, Aboriginality and the construction of the curriculum

prepared by
David Smith and Robyn Cusworth

Focus:: This text-based case will explore the issues of gender, wealth, ethnicity and Aboriginality and their relationship to the construction of the curriculum.
Structure of the case:: Each seminar group will the provided with a folder of newspaper articles dealing with issues of gender, wealth, and ethnicity and Aboriginality. Additional references will be suggested. Each seminar group is encouraged to gather their own collection of articles and other sources as they explore the case. Policy documents are all available in the reference section of Alexander Mackie CRL. Students are encouraged to find other references. The readings suggested are only a beginning.
Suggested procedure:: It is suggested that each seminar group begin by examining some of the relevant newspaper articles in each of the three areas. Five 'home' groups of three people can then be formed. Each home group will nominate three 'experts' who will pursue issues of gender or wealth or ethnicity and Aboriginality issues in expert groups, splitting the readings and resources to ensure that each aspect is examined.
: For example, one student may concentrate on the policy materials available in the area, one may examine the media articles, another may examine the children's literature while another may look at the other readings. Another could explore other media representations ea. the soapiest Each expert will then return to the home group to share their findings before a plenary session to examine the focus questions.

N.B. At some point, a different procedure may be necessary as relationships between gender, wealth and ethnicity become apparent.

Initial activities:

Are there differences in the way girls and boys/rich and poor/white anglo and other ethnic/Aboriginal background students are socialised at school? (eg. in selecting books, completing problem solving tasks, using the space in the playground, selecting genres for writing, selecting subjects for study, interaction in the classroom). Are there similarities?
Can you identify recent media coverage/advertisements in press, TV and radio which reflect or reinforce male/female, rich/poor/ racial stereotyping? Can you identify examples which are the opposite of this?
Reflecting on your own lived experiences at home or school, can you identify experiences or activities or interactions which reflected or reinforced gender/class/race stereotyping?
From your initial visits in the M.Teach program and/or from your own experience, can you provide examples of classroom/playground discourse which are disadvantageous to a particular group of students?

1. Gender and the curriculum

To be a woman I must wear a skirt

Long hair, high heels and a blouse not a shirt.

To be a woman I have to stay sweet

I have to smile with painted lips at every man I meet.

Judy Small

The taking on of traditional forms of femininity or masculinity was no mere individual whim on the part of each child, nor was it that parents were pressing their children into particular ways of being male and female. It was the incorrigibility of the male-female dualism and its construction as a central element of human identity that was the problem (Davies, 1989:ix).

The familiar patterns of schooling to which we have all been exposed are most often the learning of stereotypes, and very rarely about the learning of the new that comes about from the disruption of those stereotypes, and the creation of the cutting edge....The male-female dualism and all the associated binary metaphors through which it is created, solidified, made natural, must be deconstructed, opened up towards the possibility of multiplicity. Such openings up must occur in language, in individual psyches and in the material and symbolic structures in which we are all embedded (Davies, 1993: 199-200).

Relevant newspaper articles

Beattie, K. (1996). H.ow S.ex C.ounts Growing strong 96, 50-51.

Bunyan, S. (1994). Perhaps it's best to have a girl. Sydney Morning Herald, Editorial (1994).

The case for girls only classes. Sydney Morning Herald, 20/3/94.

Foster, V. (1996). Facts and fallacy in the HSC. Sydney Morning Herald,18/1/96, 11.

Gelber, K. (1994). Feminism gone too far? Green left, 3/8/94,11.

Gliksman, M. (1996). Justice is gender based. Sydney Morning Herald, 1811/96: 13.

Kainedeer, A. (1996). Boys will be boys but girls can be anything. Growing strong 96: 69.

Raethel, S. (1996). Don't harass top performers, students urged. Sydney Morning Herald,1011/96,2.

Raethel, S. (1996). The gender generals. Sydney Morning Herald,15/1/96, 10.

Raethel, S. (1995). Real men don't teach primary school. Sydney Morning Herald, 12/12/95, 11.

Teese, R. and Foster, V. (1996). The phoney gender gap. The Australian, 13411/96,24.

West, P. (1996). Now it's time to help the boys. Sydney Morning Herald,11/1/96,11.

Wllliams, G. (1996). When it comes to study, girls are top of the class. Sydney Morning Herald,10/1/96,

Policy documents

Australian Education Council. (1992). The review of the national policy for the education of girls in Australian Schools. Canberra; AGPS.

DEET, (1987). National policy for the education of girls in Australian schools. Canberra: AGPS.

NSW Ministry of Education and Youth Affairs. (1939). Classroom strategies for equal opportunity. Sydney; Government printer.

NSW DSE .(1994). Girls Education Strategy. Sydney: Government printer.

Curriculum resources

Curriculum Corporation.(1994). Gender equity in curriculum and the classroom. Canberra:

Curriculum Corporation. NSW Metropolitan East Region.(1990). Classroom strategies for equal opportunity. Sydney: Curriculum Development Branch.

2. Wealth

At a time when social and economic inequalities in Australia have assumed greater prominence, educational inequality has become increasingly marginal in policy debates. In the hands of the new breed of educational reformers, the curriculum seems clothed in a new and spurious kind of neutrality. Just when we might think the links in the social class - curriculum chain should become evident for all to see, they become invisible again. (Johnson, 1993:62).

On the evidence the Review has concluded that it is simply not true that students all over the state have access to the same education: The quality of education provision varies greatly from region to region, district to district and school to school. (Scott,1989:6).

The first priority is ... to acknowledge that schooling in fact has a social purpose and to state it explicitly....Without clear social purposes schooling authorities can hardly be expected to construct curriculum policies which advance those purposes ( Ryan and Davy, 1989,12).

Newspaper articles

Editorial, (1995). A little light on schools. Sydney Morning Herald, 16/10/95,14.

Garcia, L. (1995). Parents' education a factor in uni entry. Sydney Morning Herald,18/10/95.

Powell, S. (1993). Class distinction. Sydney Morning Herald,18/3/93,8.

J Scott, M. and Harvey, A. (1996). HSC and beyond. The joy of knowing. Sydney Morning Herald,10/ l/96.

Scott, M. and Raethel, S. (1996). Uproar over plan to cut courses. Sydney Morning Herald,21/2196,4.

Scott, M. and Raethel, S. (1995). Selectives lead the way as State schools lift game. Sydney Morning Herald, 18/10/95.

Scott, M. and Raethel, S.(1995). Students warned of HSC trap. Sydney Morning Herald,16/10/95,

Scott, M. (1996). Public kick to the privates. Sydney Morning Herald, 11/1/96,1

Scott, M. (1996). The elite schools stay on top of HSC tree.Sydney Morning Herald,10/1/96,1.

Scott, M. (1995). Schools: Wealth wins out. Sydney Morning Herald,16/10/95,1.

Scott, M. (1995). Honours go to maths, science candidates. Sydney Morning Herald,17/10/95

Scott, M. (1995). Tough lessons to be learnt from keeping students in school. Sydney Morning Herald, 13/10/95.

3. Ethnicity and Aboriginality

Appropriate and meaningful education for Aboriginal students is one of the most effective means through which Aboriginal society can develop the skills vital for participation in and contribution to twentieth century Australia. (Morgan, NSW AECG, Aboriginal Education Policy.)

Aboriginal education has a dual purpose: to enhance the development and learning of Aboriginal students, for too long suffering the effects of many disadvantages: and to enable all students to have some knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Aborigines and their cultural heritage. ( NSW Director General of Education)

Four out of five Aboriginal students drop out of school before they complete their HSC....(Paola Totaro, SMH, 2316190).

Equitable education for ethnic minority children requires teachers who have appropriate skills in educational policy, curriculum development\ and classroom management and interaction..... (Panington and McCudden, 1992:vii).

Films

Barbekiewarea
Lingo

First days

Newspaper articles

Garcia, L. (1996). New migrants set the pace on uni places. Sydney Morning Herald 1213/96,p.2.