Friday 19th of April 2024
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Australia's relationship with Indonesia

Thank you to everyone that has contributed to the discussions about chatting with my Year 11 Modern History class. You were so helpful that I thought I'd hit you with another issue! This time it's for the 12s!!

They are currently researching foreign affairs and have to choose between Australia and Indonesia's relationship or Australia and the US's relationship. They are coping very well with the history of the relationships but I've asked them to find out about the Australian public's view on the relationship. They are surveying their families but I though I could throw some of your opinions into the mix as well.

So...

What is your opinion on Australia's relationship with the US? Is it healthy?

What is your opinion on Australia's relationship with Indonesia? Is it healthy?

Thanks again for all your help.

What a challenge!

Hey Naomi, you are certainly challenging your students. What a choice! Indonesia or the USA. Talk about timing after the Bali decision yesterday!

I'd certainly be interested in the US relationship but don't have enough knowledge of the Indonesian relationshiop to be helpful. There's a lot of history in that I am unaware of and couldn't offer a decent perspective.

I bet you have a great rapport with your students. After all you seem to be treating them as adults, like they have opinions and a contributuion to make to society. If only that had been the case in education down the years.

You have my admiration for tackling these issues and even more so for bringing them into a real life situation. I don't think anything I learnt at school was day to day useful except the obvious basic 3 R's. I was also taught cynicism 101 by my favourite High School teacher. We ended up drinking at the same pub after I finished schoo so I suupose that was useful tool.

Are all teachers working in a similar way? I hope so as my youngest daughter is a year away from High School and she would love what you are doing.

Another question. What is the feedback from parents? Are there any/many who don't like this sort of education? Do they think their kids are being " brainwashed " if you know what I mean?

I don't have much info about current teaching except through my daughter's school and I'm afraid the few requests/discussions I have attempted with teachers there have been met with scared, worried looks. That's the result of Beattie's ( and Howard's ) financial pressure on schools I think as the last comment offerd to me by a teacher was " I could lose my job if I answered that question!".

The question I asked, of the Deputy Principal was " Why does this school not provide regular sporting activites for ALL students at this school?".

Best and keep up the good work Naomi.

Hamish: Hey Pegasus, I'm worried the students might be a bit of a challenge for us. If they're anything like my Year 11 Modern History Class, 21 years ago, they're not gonna go easy on us.

Hi Pegasus

Thank you for your kind words.

I don't enforce any views on my students. They are all allowed to develop their own opinions. I throw a few curly, devils advocate type questions their way and we discuss them and usually all agree to respect each other's opinions. I am actually not allowed to voice my opinions and when I do I tell them that it is mine and they are welcome to disagree. We have actually had some quite heated discussions. My aim is to question any of the beliefs they have about society. I will question their dislike for GWB as much as their respect. Modern History is no longer about the facts but about where they get their ideas from and how reliable that source is. As they are young we start easy through using sources with obvious (like our chat this morning...thank you again Hamish) and opinion polls. Eventually we will lead to talking about things like the agenda of Michael Moore. They'll soon get the idea, they're getting there and they are only kids! I have two whole years to help them develop. I can't lay it all down at once, they'd crack!

I've actually set up a 'safer' forum site for my students that I will moderate and they can only access with a password I give them. I really believe in the Socratic approach to education...asking the right questions.

As for parent feedback. I've never had any negative. Even when I taught at a private school, with quite a conservative culture, my philosophy of allowing kids their opinion as long as they back it up met with positive feedback. Therefore I don't understand what you mean by 'brainwashing'. I think I am actually addressing brainwashing in our society. The chat showed they are beginning to be confused, questioning the world. My job is to guide them gently through this awkward stage. As long as I do it with understanding and not 'close mindedness' I think they will be alright.

I want them to understand how valuable democracy is; giving them the opportunity to have all different points of view.

Bit of a ramble but if you want to have a more specific chat, email Hamish to grab my email. I'll answer your job losing question to the best of my ability -- safer when anonymous.

Teaching kids to think

Naomi, your classroon sounds just like one I remember very fondly from years 9 and 10 more than 30 years ago where a teacher just like you had a most profound effect on my life.

I didn't keep in touch with him and as I got older always wanted to say thank you to him. I'd lost hope of ever having the opportunity when I was unexpectedly given his address at an informal school reunion a couple of years ago.

I wrote a letter thanking him for allowing me to dare to make up my own mind and we have been corresponding almost daily via email since. We are now very firm friends. I feel sure that your students will one day understand what a great service you are doing them. Congratulations!

countries' relationships

My family who are Dutch talked many times about their countries' relationships with the Indonesians. Perhaps that is a good start.

I think your teacher has given you a very hard subject at the moment, but if you keep to the policial facts and dont get emotionaly involved, it should work out for you. Put aside what has happended in Bali recently, until you actually get to that point in history, I would definately go back to just before the Dutch left, to see what the opinion of the Australian Government was at this time about the Dutch involvement and go forward from there.

I also would like to know that outcome.

Also, having just travelled from Europe through to Canada and then Hawaii, it did not matter that we have troops in Iraq. We were of course finger-printed, along with everyone else, and searched as bags went through, and they demanded that we take our shoes off one and all. So you can see there is no special treatment for us Aussies.

Also we were asked to not lock our bags. We refused, as we would rather they force them open. We were told that no one could force us to send our bag through unlocked so we did not.

another inspiring teacher

I was lucky to have a few of them in my school years.

I'll do my best to think about these questions over the weekend and give you an opinion.

One clarification please: have your students chosen which yet? It's a bit confusing because your title only refers to Indonesia, but your entry mentions USA as well.

Cheers.

clarification (sorry Myriad)

Hi Myriad. Half the class is doing Indonesia and the other half is doing the US. It's a research topic. Thanks for your help and the encouragement. Keeps me going!!!

The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment. Robert M. Hutchins