Making inclusive education happen: the impact of initial teacher education in remote Aboriginal communities

Abstract

This paper discusses the Growing Our Own initial teacher education (ITE) pilot programme which allowed Indigenous assistant teachers in their own communities to study to become a teacher with the support of a non-Indigenous teacher. There are five sections in this paper, including: (1) the underpinning theory and philosophy of one Australian university's Inclusive Education paper in their ITE course; (2) how these principles informed the Growing Our Own pilot which has made ITE accessible to Indigenous Australians in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, Australia; (3) elements of the programme which have led to it becoming systemically sustainable; (4) how it has enhanced the provision of authentic education for Aboriginal children, making it accessible to them; and (5) the unforeseen positive outcome of non-Indigenous initial preservice teachers being provided with opportunities to complete professional experience in remote Aboriginal communities.

Keywords:

• inclusion
• Indigenous
• initial teacher education
• authentic education