The practicum as border crossing

The experiences which the non-Indigenous teacher education students obtained whilst at Yirrkala can be viewed, both literally and figuratively, as a series of border crossings facilitated by the staff of the Resource Centre who acted as guides and mentors, negotiating entry with the Yolngu people and seeking the advice of the Ngalapal, those in the community recognised as the thinking people or intellectuals.1 In the journals and interviews provided by the student-teachers, it is possible to trace the development of an incipient form of cultural hybridity working across a number of binary distinctions: Indigenous and nonIndigenous, Aboriginal and Anglo-Celtic, school and university, centre and periphery, urban and rural.

The following comments by Ted, one of the student-teachers, represent the cultural divide at the broader community level between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

I've quickly sensed were almost in a different country and I'm bracing myself for some type of culture shock. (Journal entry, 25 April).

 

This was reinforced a week later after a visit to the Comalco mine at Nhulunbuy.

The majority of the day was taken up with a tour of the nearby mine. Although the community in which I'm staying [at Yirrkala] is only about 25km from the mine, you can't help but feel the different attitude between the two settlements. It's almost as if they exist without the requirement of each other... the people have different needs, concerns, beliefs. Two different worlds operating only a short distance from each other. It's starting to feel more like home already. (Journal entry,1 May).

The irony of the situation is not lost on Ted, who can detect parallels with Darwin where the two groups, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, do appear to exist 'without the requirement of each other'. There is a double irony here, too in that as Bhabha (1994: 9) tells us 'unhomeliness,' which Ted appears to have been experiencing, 'captures something of the estrangement that is part of crosscultural initiations'. 2

Five student-teachers went out to Yirrkala, with a sixth following three weeks later. Three were in the fifth semester of a three year Bachelor of Teaching (primary and Early Childhood), two were taking part in the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Primary) and had not been on a previous practicum, and another was completing a double degree in Education and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies. Not all were able to accept the redefinition of the teaching act or engage in border-crossing. As a result two of the original five students returned to Darwin and were given alternative postings in another rural school. Those who stayed were forced to consider their options carefully. Ted's decision was partly based on his desire to experience the unfamiliar.

I've decided to stay mainly because I know I would never get another experience like it. What I actually miss in classroom time should be compensated for by experiencing what attributes one needs in order to work in an environment such as this... I feel the unfamiliar will be a unique experience that can do nothing but benefit me as much personally as it will professionally (Journal entry: 30 April).

Sarah's reasons were more complex. Sarah's previous practicum had been in a Pre-School. She saw the practicum at Yirrkala as an opportunity to become more involved in programming and 'pulling apart curriculum,' something she had done little of in child care. At the same time it would give her the opportunity to observe child-rearing practices and look for cultural similarities and differences. But her main reason was entirely pragmatic: it would simply make it easier to concentrate.

I think I have a greater chance concentrating on my prac out here, like, if I'm in town then it won't be my sole concentration and not working and things like that and home life. It's easier to focus on prac and have it all as a different experience and a new experience and everything I do is related to prac, whether it's going home, you know, cooking a meal for everyone. (Interview: 1 May)

In spite of her early anxieties and confusion, Kim had made her mind up 'straight away,' and was 'prepared to go with the flow and try and get the most out of whatever was happening'. Early on, in critiquing one of the Homeland Centre documents, she had realised the teaching act would be nothing like 'teaching... as in western culture'. Like Martha who followed her several weeks later, Kim was possessed by a sense of advocacy understanding the aspirations of the Yirrkala people for self-determination.

Martha never questioned her decision to go to Yirrkala, realising how an understanding of self depends on the Other. 'The more I learn about everything else at Yirrkala, the more I'll gain insights into myself and my culture and own background'. She sought 'a more holistic understanding of the place and role of school in the everyday lives of the people and the impact this brings with the creation of identity'. She was already very much aware that 'the fondly held liberal notions about education and information are ethnocentric and potentially dangerous for the cultural identity of the people who do not share them'. (Journal, 18 May)

The student-teachers who returned prematurely to Darwin were unable to reconceptualize the teaching act along the lines indicated. They found 'going with the flow' too difficult to adjust to. How would they meet their competencies? How would they meet their other practicum requirements including the self-study? How much actual class teaching would they get? They wanted detailed timetables indicating exactly what they would be doing each day for the five weeks which would provide them with 'some sort of security and direction'. They found it very difficult to adjust to 'the culture of the place.' 'It really is a holiday atmosphere,' said one. 'But we are not here to relax,' said another. Everything appeared to be 'taking place in slow motion'. Their initiation into the workshops also became a point of contention and demonstrated a lack of sensitivity on their part to the cultural dimensions of the event, and a preoccupation with their own desires.

Student-teacher 1. We'd got no idea of what it was going to be like... then we were informed by [the Visiting Teacher], we were told by her that when we came here today, don't talk while you're in there and don't ask questions.

Ted. You can kind of understand in a way. You can't just put pressure on them, the presenters.

Student-teacher 1. Yes, but we're not children, Ted

Ted. Yes I know that

Student-teacher 1. I'm an adult and I'm saying...

Ted. Yes but I'm saying if we start asking them ten thousand questions then they're going to get really...

Student-teacher 1. Yes, but why can't we be given two sheets of paper with the outline of what's going on in the workshop... so that we can understand what we're walking into today with a little endnote: NTU students please note you are here as a third party....

Student-teacher 2. Basically it did come across, basically we felt we were going to be in the way

Student-teacher 1. It made you feel like, we got up to leave and she clearly thought she had offended us in some way

Without being aware of it at the time, the Principal of the YHS Education Resource Centre, Leon White, played an important role in encouraging the three student-teachers to remain. All were impressed by his passion and commitment. As Sarah said during my first visit:

He's really knowledgeable... You see, he 's got a passion for talking about the homeland centres... Most things he says are really relevant and helpful. Yes, we've got a lot to learn from him.

The students could also see they had been placed with a committed team of educators who lived their practice and were 'truly inspirational' as one of the students subsequently wrote in her journal.

Indeed, the staff of the Resource Centre were also learning more about themselves from their engagement in SBTE as this extract from the discussion with staff during my final visit confirms.

One of the things that I said to the students on the first day was that, what I expected to get out of this, was that they'd be able to tell us more about the story that we should tell new staff coming in... because that's the challenge to them, to us, because individually they've had to explain what they do or what they are going to do and that's always harder than just talking to somebody who shared that story with you and so I think it's part of our own learning as well to have to participate in that.