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For the purposes of this report, out of the
numerous policy documents I will specifically focus on the multicultural
policy document (1996) in context of the Visual arts Syllabus.
The multicultural policy document acknowledges that Australia
is a nation of cultural diversity and that with 100 cultural and
linguistic backgrounds living in Australia, makes it one of the
most culturally diverse nations in the world. It states that this
policy builds on existing State and Commonwealth legislation,
policy documents and reports. It seeks to ensure that every level
of DESC operations, from curriculum, programs, staffing procedure
and so on respond to and enrich the cultural and linguistic heritage
of the Australian community. It also seeks to promote harmonious
community relations and contribute to the development of Australia's
cultural and intellectual resources.
The document asserts that this will provide a platform for new
talents, ideas, economic wealth, building a brighter future and
allowing diversity to flourish, leading to greater creativity
and resilience of society as a whole.
The Principles of multiculturalism are
· Cultural identity - allow children to develop there cultural
ties
· Equal opportunity
· Maximizing potential
Children and students will develop an understanding,
the knowledge, and skills, to participate in a multicultural society.
Also they will gain an understanding that cultural diversity will
enhance their lives and the communities lives. This will foster
attitudes free from racist, cultural or religious prejudice, discrimination
and harassment. The policy states that the curriculum will be
culturally inclusive which will allow students to experience other
languages and cultures.
In the Visual Art syllabus, this is achieved by the use of the
cultural frame. The cultural frame seeks to analyse a work of
art in terms of its cultural context. For example viewing a work
thorough the cultural frame would challenge the student to consider
things like -
· Culture
· Ideology
· Class
· Gender
· Spirituality
· Secular
· Events
· Objects
· Region
It would also encourage the student to reflect
on issues like these though the subjective frame i.e. how they
feel what they like and dislike. This may lead the student to
take affirmative action to help stamp out things they discovered
they didn't like, e.g. Racism or exploitation. The cultural frame
also allows a student to explore their own and others cultural
diversity.
The policy documents also states a commitment to meeting the need
of children linguistically and culturally to ensure equal opportunity
of all. To allow parents in the decision making and provide staff
will bicultural and bilingual skills. It states that DESC employees
are bound by this policy, to apply it in their work, participate
in training, and provide access to services to children, students
and parents of all cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
It says that all managers, including principals, preschool directors,
district superintendents, regional coordinators and principal
curriculum officers as well as all employees, are responsible
for-
· organisational procedures
· curriculum content and practices
·Schools and children's services provide for the learning
needs of all children and students in languages other than English,
the learning needs of non-English speaking children
·culturally inclusive environments are developed, free
from racism and
harassment
· personnel practices value the diversity of cultural and
linguistic knowledge,
Skills, and expertise that employees bring to the workplace.
In addition to the responsibilities of all employees, teaching
staffs are responsible for providing:
· Culturally inclusive curriculum in all areas of learning
· Supportive and culturally inclusive learning and care
environments for all
Children and students.
These facts are interesting in context of the adolescent in the caase study, Matthew Ranker(alis) when you consider the statistics on his place of birth, Bankstown -
Approximately 52,298 or 33.2% of the population
who live in Bankstown were born
overseas, 28.8% were born in a country where the language spoken
was other than
English. (ABS 1996) in light of the cultural frame in the syllabus
this cultural diversity would become a valuable resource to enhance
the ideals in the multicultural policy document. Education delivered
in this fashion may even help those students like Matthew ( my
case study ) who have not as yet accepted his own cultural background,
to discover and view their own cultural background so that they
may learn to appreciate the diversity and positive benefits to
having another cultural relationship and perhaps accept it quicker.