Rachael Dwyer

Very few white Australians have anything resembling the broad knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of being and knowing that would enable them to meet the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers 1.4 in any but the most tokenistic of ways. The so-called achievement gap for Aboriginal students in literacy and numeracy is widening and this may have everything to do with the gap in 'white' understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of being and knowing. Of note is that Aboriginal stories and deep literacy has been in process on this continent continuously and longer than anywhere on earth. In this workshop, we explore with participants as a 'performative' and investigative real-time shared narrative, the use of qualitative auto-ethnographic reflections to engage with the concept 'Closing the Gap' and to step out of the paradigm in which the gap exists for Original Australians and yet not for the white descendants of immigrants. From this perspective, we underscore the problems inherent in trying to meet the criteria of APST 1.4. We reflect on how, if we are to educate in Australian schools and universities for a truly socially just world, we might need to identify the gap that prevents many of us from reaching out in de-colonial ways. We share some examples of how we have entered into creative, auto-ethnographic dialogue as white academics and educators reaching out to our local communities to broaden our own understanding and involve our students in that reaching, and we share stories and reflections from our work in schools and in teacher education courses. We discuss our perceptions and the impact we have witnessed in our own and our student's shifting perspectives and invite participants to share their thoughts and responses. We offer a forum for engaging in illuminating discussions and exchanges in order to address the gap in white Australian understanding of +70K years of Aboriginal knowledge that precedes the dominant narrative of our time.

This paper has three parts. First, findings from recent survey research show how school teachers balance performance improvement agendas and student wellbeing concerns. Second, in response to these survey findings, this paper describes the startup initiative of the Teachers of Australia social media campaign, which is designed to champion the teaching profession. Third, preliminary interview data from the Teachers of Australia project is presented to show how teachers balance academic agendas and student wellbeing. Mixed methods survey research conducted among 177 primary and secondary school teachers revealed that although teachers value student well-being initiatives, they are experiencing very real tensions dealing with student mental health concerns and academic performance targets. One teacher described this tension to be like "tightrope walking between two pitching ships in storm." Survey findings also revealed that teachers often take it upon themselves "check in" with students, prioritising wellbeing to support academic performance, showing that they play a critical role in helping students strike a balance between these competing imperatives. Yet, current assessment driven federal reform initiatives where standardised data is published have resulted in a name-and-shame comparison culture, which has contributed to an erosion of respect for the profession. With mental health concerns on the rise amongst young people in Australia, the role of the teacher has never been so important. Teachers are a critical contact point for young people, and their work needs to be appreciated. In response to these survey findings, the University of the Sunshine Coast launched a social media campaign to champion the great work that teachers do. By putting faces and stories to the profession, this campaign aims to generate a groundswell of good news that answers the teacher-blame that dominates mainstream press. Additionally, using phenomenological and narrative inquiry methods, we are interviewing teachers to listen to their experiences and stories of how they strike the balance between academics and wellbeing. Findings from qualitative data analysis point to vital social, emotional and cultural competencies needed to strike this balance well.

Wearied by the ringing noise of corporatisation that currently pervades the academy, this ethnodrama-influenced presentation engages us in speculative silence and speaking back. Using performative and contemplative methods, we react to the increasing corporate incursions into institutions of higher learning - the over-valuing of money, measures and metrics - which encroach upon our freedom to think. This neo-liberalisation of our scholarly practices (which demands we pay attention to rankings, performance and comparison) is reducing time for knowledge work focused on the public good. Rather than courageously working for long-term sustainability and social justice, our scholarship is limited to narrowed, short-term and fundable agendas - our care, desire, creativity and blue-sky, novel pursuits subsequently compromised.

The aim of many conferences, including AARE, is to provide spaces for researchers to engage in forums, discussion, ideas and the sharing of research. Such spaces are considered vital for the development and dissemination of academic ideas, and the building of academic careers. But who is not here? Research around gender and academia highlights how opportunities to attend and participate in traditional academic conferences are often out of reach for women with caring responsibilities, or for casual staff, research students and other marginalised groups.