Education: Such a forefront political issue

In today’s age of technology and development, many questions are raised as to the appropriateness of the curriculum being taught in schools. The society we live in has developed to such a standard where most information about any topic is right at hand thanks to the internet. This raises questions as to what should be taught in classrooms to prepare students for the outside world in which we live.  “Education was always about knowledge and skills” (Ferrari, 2013) but now we wonder whether we should alter subjects and the teaching methodologies to allow students to have the “essential skills for 21^st Century learners in literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology, thinking, creativity, teamwork and communication”. (Ferrari, 2013). These skills have always been crucial, but even more so now, the media and society pose issues about the suitability of traditional subjects within the curriculum.

This debate leads the idea that education is inherently political, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be “left or right”  (Donnelly, 2013) “ Recognising that many on both sides of the political spectrum agree about the need for a more academic, discipline-based approach to the curriculum does, though, provide cause for optimism.” (Donnelly, 2013). Ultimately, education is a key issue in the hearts and minds of many Australians. While all political sides have a view on the importance of education and the method through which it should be instilled, if often causes much debate between opossing camps. The nature of Australian society shows an individualist view on education in which parents are heavily involved in school life and their children’s academic performance and achievement. It is ingrained within our culture that the majority of parents take an interest in the methods used to educate their children, and the teacher’s capabilities. (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2008). I find it so interesting that education is such a heated topic within politics. It is at the forefront of many people’s minds and all you need to do to witness this is open up a newspaper. 

Over the course of my time reading a variety of newspapers in search of inspiration for these blog posts, I very rarely came across a paper that didn’t contain an article or opinion piece regarding education. More often than not, they were within the first ten or so pages. At such a time in the political calendar, with the election campaign and the subsequent change of government, education is a key issue being debated. Seeing signs in the street purely advertising a standpoint on education, showed how clearly views were evident within our greater society. I think it is a credit to our society that the average Australian resident is so actively involved, or at least thinking about, the future of education within Australia.

References:

Apple, M. (1996). Cultural Politics and Education. Teachers College Press.

Donnelly, K. (2013, September 10). School debate not left or right. The Australian.

Ferrari, J. (2013, September 10). Traditional subjects alone 'insufficient' for Google age. The Australian.

Rosenberg, M., Westling, D., & McLeskey, J. (2008). Special Education for Today's Teachers: An Introduction. Pearson.

Posted by Emily Mitchell

Bend It Like Bowie

The fluidity of sexuality is something that is controversial in modern society. Theoretically, we portray ourselves as open, and with postmodernity comes a sense of liberation surrounding sex and sexuality. Moore (2013) sees Gender as just a performance, a social construct, though she questions why we are compelled to repeat the same performance over and over. This culminates through viewing the way in which western political groups have shaped educational policies and schooling systems when considering students sexuality and choice.

There seems to be this obsession with secondary sexual characteristics, these so called idealistic acts performed by particular genders. For instance, a woman goes to the toilet seated and often has a preoccupation with their physical appearance whilst a male is portrayed as rugged and with a preoccupation on facial hair. These stereotypes are propagated from a young age and often reinforced in formal educational environments. it is little wonder that those who have sex changes, or transition as it is now called, have so much emphasis placed on these particular aspects of their own identity with sexuality. Moore (2013) sees this reinforcing of stereotype through people who identify as trans gender automatically remove the fluidity of gender. In this regard I disagree, as isn't it the choice to reflect particular genders in whichever way is available a further step into accepting the inevitable opportunity to accept or reject gender classifications at will. 

This is, however, at its roots deeply controversial. The issues arise when looking at the use of gender politics, and their impact on the educational environment. Children are raised in an environment that has a deeply complex and hidden web of hatred entwined with its practices. The lack of fluidity in identity is seen in every aspect of the educational system, from the sexualisation of school uniform to the concepts embedded in educational programs, including a lack of curriculum coverage on fluid sexuality. Moore calls into question the use of intersectionality as a new buzz word. The refusal for feminist politics, identity politics, and sexuality politics to engage with many other political discourses allows for the hierarchy of oppression to continue.

 Harper (2011, pp. 104-113) conducted a study into identity and intersectionality within students, and concluded with a call for a more fluid, dynamic and multidimensional perspective into how we classify race and sexuality. In this regard I call to attention a man who has challenged modernist conceptualisations of sexuality,  and managed to show the fluidity it can entail over the span of forty years. David Bowie has often used music and popular culture to challenge and provoke thoughts, although he never wanted to be the man who stands as a flag waver for particular causes. His androgynous appearance in the seventies took the international world aback, and his fluid understanding of his own sexuality and the experimentation he conducted into matters of sexuality emphasises the multidimensional nature of gender and sexuality. The study into intersectionality and the freedom of sexual choice ultimately culminates with the concept, what are we doing with it? We need to look at the dialogue between racialised, ethnicised, sexualised and religionised humans living in different parts of the world and understand that despite all these differences there is an undercurrent of exploitation and degradation as a result of transgender choices. We need to look at our politics, responsibilities and ethics, and ultimately consider why these choices are so widely controversial and disagreed with (Brah, Phoenix, 2004, pp. 83-4).  Why does our educational system cripple the freedom of choice within sexuality?

 In the words of RuPaul: ''Honey, we are born naked, the rest is drag.''  

References:

Brah, Avtar and Phoenix, Ann (2004). Ain't I am woman? Revisting Intersectionality. Journal of International Women's Studies, 5(3), 75-86

Harper, C. E. (2011), Identity, intersectionality, and mixed-methods approaches. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2011: 103–115. doi: 10.1002/ir.402

Moore, Suzanne. "Bending gender rules for solidarity." Canberra Times - For local Canberra News, World News & Breaking News in ACT, Australia. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2013. <http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/bending-gender-rules-for-solidarity-20130110-2cinl.html>.

A student's perspective on the value of education

The value and importance placed on a good education is significant by any standards within Australia. Though to take a student’s perspective may show that the personal value of education is held back by the commonplace nature of Australian education. Too often, a fair and easily accessible education within Australian cities is taken for granted. To see this in action, all I need to do is look back on my own education.  If you asked most of my classmates what their favourite part of the school year was, they would say ‘school holidays’. The last day of term would see a student attendance so low that very little school work could be completed. Most students accepted the fact that school was merely 'a part of life'. 

To contrast this view, I will discuss a personal experience of a trip overseas. When I visited Kenya and volunteered in a high school for a short period of time, the contrast to my own high school experience was stark. These students told me how lucky they are to be in school, even if that school had buildings falling apart and dirt floors. When these students showed me their workbooks, they turned the pages with such care and pride. These students have been raised in an environment where their parents never had these opportunities. They appreciate education and are fully aware of the benefits it will have on bettering their own life, but also the lives of all those living in the same community. They fully recognise the economic value of education and help each other to achieve success. 

These students use a collectivist view of education. (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2008: p 63-64). Their culture has raised them in such a way that they support each other to achieve to their full potential and better their lives which co-exist within the wider community. They are respectful of teachers, and share all property within the classroom. This was so clearly evident in seeing the way students would behave and how their class teacher was revered. 

In contrast to this is the widely accepted view on Australian education. The individualist perspective shows how students work to achieve their own results and very rarely offer peer assistance.  (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2008). This view is clearly seen when analysing the National Assessment Program- Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). School results are collaborated and ranked against other schools, the key to this ranking is competition, between students and schools, clearly an individualist perspective. The media and experts will analyse the results, compare and contrast schools and try to explain school difference and competition. (Job, 2013). While neither perspective, individualist nor collectivist, is necessarily the “right” one, I merely want to observe the difference in cultural upbringing and the appreciation of education as the key to success.

References:

Job, P. (2013, May 15). NAPLAN is driving our students backwards. The Age.

Rosenberg, M., Westling, D., & McLeskey, J. (2008). Special Education for Today's Teachers: An Introduction. Pearson.

Posted by Emily Mitchell

School Cuts Affect Sibling Enrolments - and raises stereotypical issues for parents

For many years within the Australian schooling system, siblings of enrolled students receive preferential treatment in terms of enrolment. However, Kirsty Needham of the Sydney Morning Herald (Sept 22 2013) reveals in her article 'School out of bounds for siblings' that due to the rising numbers of students in Sydneys' inner city schools have forced the prevention of siblings being enrolled. Needham (2013) using statistics to substantiate these claims: within five years an estimate of 900 primary school children somehow must squeeze into only 16 spaces in various schools. Classrooms are an issue as well forecasting that "another 39 classrooms are needed." Parents have therefore been forced to enrol their children at seperate schools, kilometres apart.

This raises an important issue however. Greens Member of Parliament Jamie Parker, the member for Balmain, is quoted in Needham's (2013) article to have claimed that this policy of seperating siblings is "cruel" and "unfriendly to families." Parker claims that "it is cruel to tell kids that their brother or sister can't attend the same school because the government has failed to plan for growth." Not only is this a hardship faced for families within Sydney, according to Mr Parker it raises gender and liberation issues as well where he claims that this 'no-sibling' policy "assumes there is a parent at home who can do more than one schol drop off. This is 1950's thinking." This heavily limits both single parents, of either sex, into a strict sphere of thought that implies that single parent families don't work, and are able to drop siblings off at seperate schools kilometres apart. 

This implies issues for a growth of identity for children as well. According to McAdoo and Sheets (1993;1999) "Children begin to develop a sense of identity as individuals and as members of groups from their earliest interactions with others." This could either be advantageous or disaterous for the child being enrolled at a different school than their siblings. It may serve as a grounding point for a child to have a sibling at school with them.

Annandale North Public School has no room for growth, where enrolments went from 353 in 2008 to 440 this year (Needham 2013). This growth however is concerning. Mr Parker asserts that "the state government must act urgently to address boundary issues and create a more family-friendly sibling policy." This certainly raises interesting questions of identity and the culture within the schooling systems.

References:


McAdoo & Sheets 1993;1999. In The Education Alliance, 2002. The Diversity Kit. Brown University. Accessed online at
http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/diversity_kit/

 Needham, Kirsty. Sept 22, 2013. 'School out of bounds for siblings.' The Sydney Morning Herald.
 

Bilingual Education - a new frontier in learning? (Amber Johnson)

An article published by the Sydney Morning Herald demonstrated a new tactic within the Australian eduction system. 'Classrooms blazing the trail in NSW for bilingual education' written by Amy McNeilage published September 9th this year, demonstrates a part of a government-bilingual program, piloted at Campsie Public School in 2010. It was one of four schools to implement this pilot study in "an attempt to boost the study of Asian languages" claims the article.

Apple (1996:7) claims that perhaps schools may limit the students ability to discover their own identities, both personal and cultural. This is rebutted however by Qvarsall and Wulf's (2003:1) assertion that educational insitutions actually cultivate and strengthen the popularity of culture: "Cultures are sustained and transformed through the manner in which they communicate with the younger generation; it is at this level that they constitute their particular power and dynamic."

For students, particularly primary school students, this idea of enforcing a bilingual approach to education may have both positive and negative affects on their outlook towards education, identity and association within their own culture. However, in this case of the Campsie Public School implementation of the program the research outlined in the article demonstrated that almost 75% of parents whose children attend Campsie Public School, agree the programs had been a success. However, it must be noted that Campsie Public School boasts diversity and linguistic capability: "Not a single child speaks only English" claims McNeilage (2013). The school's principle, Phil Irvine, claims that to be well educated means that exposure to language is a necessity (McNeilage 2013).

Cultural workers (Dumas 2009:405) are "social actors who participate in the production and dissemination of ideas, discourse and/or artisitc products indended to inform or influence how we make sense of the human condition and our actions within relations to power." Teachers, particularly those who share the view of the principle of Campsie Public School, who are placed in the role of a cultural worker, can cultivate the students' ability to formulate and constuct meanings and ideas within education that can either attribute or diminish their chances at connecting with their culture through education.

An issue that may arise from this bilingual approach to education, would be when children become confused at which culture they inherently associate themselves with. However, despite this social and personal complication, educational data from Campsie Public School shows the students involved in the language program have improved in other areas of the curriculum. 

Overall the study was so successful, that it "could be a strong model for language learning in other schools" (McNeilage 2013). 



References:

Apple, M. (1996). Cultural Politics in Education. New York, America. Teachers College Press. Print.

Dumas, M.J. (2009). 'What is this 'Black' in Black education? Imagining a cultural politics without guarrantees.' In Z. Leonardo (Ed.), Handbook of Cultural Politics and Education (pp.403-22), Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. 
 
McNeilage, A. 2013. 'Classrooms blazing the trail in NSW for bilingual education.' Accessed online http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/classrooms-blazing-the-trail-in-nsw-for-bilingual-education-20130908-2te22.html 



Qvarsall, B. & Wulf, C. Eds. (2003) European Studies in Education: Culture and Education. Germany: Waxmann. Print. Accessed online at http://books.google.com.au/books?id=qZgNdP4LEewC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false