Critical and Culturally Responsive Teaching

Australia's student population is growing super-diverse, yet most Australian teachers are white. The student-teacher relationship is therefore one where unintentional cultural blind spots may impact the educational experiences of both teachers and students. Australian teachers also face a challenging task: to cater equitably for cultural diversity while satisfying policy frameworks standardised on the language and cultural knowledge of the Anglo mainstream. This course is designed to assist emergent teachers to understand and proactively navigate this paradox. It explores critical pedagogies for cultural diversity, and is grounded in awareness that First Nations sovereignty is our collective starting point. The course draws from a rigorous sociological literature base and raises questions pertaining to class, race, gender, sexuality, history, social justice, and politics. The course addresses two aims: 1) to develop Preservice Teachers' (PSTs) sociological imaginations, or the capacity to look beyond the individual to appreciate the relationship between personal experience and wider society. And 2) to engage PSTs in culturally responsive practice informed by sociological knowledge