Personal Critical Reflection on Teaching Practice

18036116: Jasmine Breeze

The importance of teaching practice is relative to the students’ experience. Every student will
encounter a diverse educational experience to another student. This is due to cultural and prior
background interaction that places effect on the students learning capability. A teacher’s
pedagogy becomes vital in corresponding with social justice issues that may be relatable to the
limitation of a students’ ability, perspective and schooling career. Through evidence of
pedagogical theories, sociological ideologies and social justice theorists, supporting data can be
provided to assist students in need. This can be executed by enhancing student experience and
teaching pedagogy to counteract the social effects of diversity and equity within ethnic
classrooms.

Implementation of social justice perspectives within schooling is important as it provides

understanding and background knowledge for students to conceptualize a voice or opinion
around. Multiculturalism is the modern setting of the Australian schooling environment and has
over the years slowly been incorporated within NSW educational policies, curriculums and
standards. (NSW Department of Education, 2016) The importance of understanding
‘multiculturalism’ is essential in promoting an equal and fair opportunity for all students
regardless of socio-economic status and other social justice issues within the community.
Exploring these social issues of diversity through teachers’ pedagogy implements a positive and
powerful way of confronting issues. The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative [AuSSI] uses a
whole school approach of sustainability to engage in critical thinking of environmental
management systems, ideally this concept can be developed to involve community support in
recognition of diverse cultures. (Ferreira, Ryan, & Tilbury, 2006, 17) Understanding the issues of
and incorporating diversity as a whole-school approach, could influence an educators teaching
pedagogy by creating emergence of understanding and presenting ‘acceptance’ of cultural
diversity. The school therefore would create a power imbalance within the community for
approaching cultural issues and enhancing students understanding among social justice issues.

Educators should understand that there must be some reflection to their own cultural positions
as stated by Jo Lampert. (Lampert, Burnett, & Morse, 2015) Supporting Lampert’s ideas, there
needs to be reflection on how cultural identities can impact students’ holistic health by
effecting and restricting their future opportunities. In implementation of pushing forward,
teachers must be able to create an understanding of diversity that visualises these social justice
issues from a perspective that is not opinionated and is freely versed for student ideology.

A personal example of understanding diversity in reflection to my teaching pedagogy would be

through the group task resource, “what’s my background”. Which highlights the stereotypes of
specific cultures through a social perspective. This is an important resource within schooling as
there needs to be an objective in showing discrimination of race by accessing students’
understanding. Placing students in the opposing position can be a risk in exposing the immoral
issues with cultural expectations that students may believe in. Although, using teaching
strategies that focus on ‘acceptance’ will counterbalance the students’ understanding to create
power that will hopefully be promoted positively within outer school communities.

The NSW Government implements policies, acts, amendments and standards that
promote cultural equality. (NSW Department of Education, 2005) In referral to these policies,
there must be an understanding of cultural diversity to promote positive learning
environments. That conquers social justice theories like Critical Race Theory from limiting a
students’ educational experience. These government policies incorporated within learning and
teaching pedagogies, ensure that students are treated with equality throughout their schooling
and fairly in terms of access to resources and learning activities. With focus drawn on ‘critical
race theory’, educators must consider action within their pedagogical strategies by ensuring
each “student is entitled to knowledge, understanding and skills that provide a foundation for
successful and lifelong learning and participation in the Australian community”, as stated in the
curriculum. (“Student Diversity – Student diversity advice – The Australian Curriculum v8.3”,

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2016) Educators must be able to reflect on ‘privilege theory’ to move beyond time and
“understand what they are teaching, how they should teach it and why it matters.” (Ferfolja,
Diaz, & Ullman, 2015) In reflection, educators should respect and acknowledge cultural
diversity and influence students to follow similar morals.

Teachers need to enhance and implement action through pedagogical strategies by exploring
race and ethnicity, incorporating cultural background and breaking deficit thinking within
students. The students’ experience should involve opportunity, equality and equity. Therefore,
providing a stable foundation for the students to apply their full potential within their studies
should lead to student dedication in schooling. It is important that we value the students’
diverse needs and counter balance will equality throughout the schooling system. Pedagogical
strategies like customised learning activities create opportunities for those students who may
be disadvantaged due to cultural stereotypes, their background environment, socio-economic
status and gender discrimination. A safe teaching strategy is to understand and follow the
curriculum and policies in place, these documents aims to protect students and educators, and
promote safe learning environments.

Personally as a future educator, my teaching practice would address issues of equity and
diversity. Through the incorporation of learning activities and the resources that I scope for as
recommended by the Music 1 Syllabus. (Board of Studies, NSW, 2009). KLA music displays
diversity in terms of personal reflection of a students’ inspiration. For instance, within
performance and compositional tasks students may result to using individual cultural
background as source of inspiration on what they may write or perform about, or they may
choose to scope further into the characteristics of another cultural background.

Understanding a student’s cultural identity can be demonstrated through cultural

representations of performance and composition. Therefore, diversity is explored in the
context of mutual respect and understanding of characteristics between cultures. Equity can be
performed by providing equal resources and opportunities for each diverse student. In the KLA
of music, an example of equity can be viewed through equal access to instruments, composing

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equipment and set stage requirements.

It is important that a students’ ability to understand and accept people for the social justice
issues that may be inflicted upon their learning, is enhance and influence through their own
educational career. As a learning educator, I hope to set a moral example in acceptance of
diversity and understanding of cultural equity. I aim to provide equal access for the students I
teach and stimulate students to work ethically to achieve high standards and reach their full
potential. It is important to understand who you are as an educator, student and school
community. There are values, cultural identities and legalized policies and documents that
highlight issues within the ‘critical race theory’ exposing aspects of the ‘privilege theory’. As an
educator I will act as part of a wider community and aim to provide and contribute to the future
generation. Whether this be in assisting a student throughout their academic career or by
supporting and promoting multiculturalism within schools.

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References
Board of Studies, NSW. (2009). Music 1: Stage 6 Syllabus (pp. 12 - 14). NSW: Board
of Studies NSW.
Ferfolja, T., Diaz, C., & Ullman, J. (2015). Understanding Sociological Theory for
Educational Practices (1st ed., p. 92). Port Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge
University press.
Ferreira, J., Ryan, L., & Tilbury, D. (2006). Whole-school approaches to
sustainability (1st ed., p. 17). North Ryde, N.S.W.: Australian Research Institute
in Education for Sustainability, Macquarie University.
Lampert, J., Burnett, B., & Morse, K. (2015). Destabilising privilege. In T. Ferfolja,
C. Diaz & J. Ullman, Understanding Sociological Theory for Educational
Practices (1st ed., pp. 90-92). Port Melbourne, VIC: Cambridge University Press.
NSW Department of Education. (2005). Multicultural Education Policy. NSW: NSW
Department of Education.
NSW Department of Education. (2016). Culture and Diversity: Cultural Inclusion.
NSW: NSW Department of Education.
NSW Department of Education and Training. (2003). Quality teaching in NSW public
schools: A classroom practice guide. (p. 40). NSW: NSW, Department of
Education and Training.
Student Diversity - Student diversity advice - The Australian Curriculum v8.3.
(2016). Australiancurriculum.edu.au. Retrieved 12 May 2017, from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/StudentDiversity/Student-diversity-
advice