Chapter 8 Phenomenological Learning in the Northern Territory
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Abstract
The chapter raises questions around notions of social and educational inclusion for First Peoples’ communities in the remote regions of the Northern Territory. Critically analyzing the terms of reference for inclusive practices in education, it critically analyses the historical context of social and pedagogical encounters between educators and First Peoples’ communities. Based on their own experiences as educators, the authors are critical of contemporary practices and question their effectiveness and value. Exploring everyday dilemmas of teachers at work in a remote community and utilizing the practice of poetry, the testimony contained in this work suggests that the situation regarding black and white relations in terms of education continues to be deeply troubling and requires urgent systemic change. However, this research is not completely devoid of hope; through an examination of both challenging and successful classroom teaching methods, it arrives at a phenomenological approach and proposes experiential learning as one way of moving forward.