The need for learning arenas: Non-Indigenous teachers working in Indigenous school contexts

Work contexts shape conditions for work. Teachers working in Indigenous school contexts face conditions different from teachers working in mainstream schools. Challenging working conditions for these teachers result in high teacher turnover, making it even more difficult for already disadvantaged students to progress. From a social justice perspective, this disruption in learning requires looking at the working conditions for teachers in Indigenous school contexts. Using interviews, this article examines how non-Indigenous teachers working in Indigenous school contexts in Australia experience their working conditions. The interviews reveal 'learning gaps' that seem to be associated with their lack of opportunities to develop context-specific professional knowledge.