Activity 4 (Week 28)

Activity 4 (Week 28)

Critique and evaluate how indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness inform practice;

When considering Butcher’s (2008) mega skills that contribute to cultural intelligence, I believe the 9 criteria are constantly evolving depending on who you are as a person, and as such, I think the first criterion of ‘understanding my cultural identity’ is the most important. By being aware of and understanding our personal beliefs, values and assumptions of teaching and learning, we will be in a better position to help students learn. Considering this, I think both myself and our school is in the state of being proactive (Mauri Oho), being awaken from the Mauri Moe. We are in the Kua whakawhiti stage which means we are beginning to interact (Pohatu, 2011). I say this because as a staff (I do not speak for all) we are still learning about our student’s cultural backgrounds and identities and are learning Te Reo at the basic level. Most of us are still in the stages of integrating Te Reo naturally throughout our programme and using common terms regularly throughout the day. As an educator, I try hard to be an ‘agentic’ thinker and not a ‘non-agentic’ thinker; teachers who locate the problems of Maori educational achievement with the students themselves, or their families or cultural background (Gutschlag, 2007). I agree with Gutschlag (2007) when he states that; what is called for is an awareness of the overall context of Maori student achievement and a theoretical approach which takes into account, rather than rules out, the historical links between culture, ethnicity, class and the education system. Below are some examples of how our school strives to maintain this.

Whanaungatanga is about actively engaging in respectful working relationships with moari learners, parents and whanau, hapu, iwi and the maori community (Ministry of education, 2011). At TPS, our vision, mission and core values have been collaboratively agreed upon as a staff. Our principal then takes these to the community and then to the board. We encourage learning about new cultures that arrive at our school by acknowledging them in school assembly’s and reporting facts about the country in our school newsletter. Our classroom practice includes learning celebrations; where parents/caregivers are invited to view the terms inquiry work. We also have an open-door policy and welcome parents expertise into the classroom. For example, this year our inquiry was around matariki. A ‘nana’ from my classroom made poi with the children and helped with displays.

Literature shows that it is not socio-economic resources that affect Moari achievement, but the relationships between teachers and maori students (Hatti, 2003., as cited in Bishop, Berryman, Cavanagh and Teddy, 2009). This year, I have used the seesaw app which has proved to be an excellent tool to strengthen communication between home and school. The use of this app has naturally reinforced relationships between all parties; student-teacher, teacher-parent, student-parent, student-student. Where the establishment of whanau type relationships in the classroom is primary, then a pattern of interactions will develop where commitment and connectedness are paramount, and where responsibility for the learning of others is fostered (Bishop & Glynn, 2000). However, when reflecting on my practice, an area I could improve in is drawing on students, families and whanau’s funds of knowledge. Even though an above example showed that I do invite parent expertise into the classroom, I believe I could do this more actively. A study undertaken by Cowie et al., (2011) found that respecting the diversity of the knowledge and expertise of the families and communities of students, student engagement increased and learning was made more meaningful and equitable.

References;

Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Cabanagh, T., & Teddy, L. (2009). Te Kotahitanga: Adressing educational disparities facing Maori students in New Zeland. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5), 734-732

Bishop, R., & Glynn, T. (2000). Kaupapa Maori messages for the mainstream. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 1, 4-7

Bucher, R. (2008). Building Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Nine Megaskills. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Cowie, B., Otrel-Cass, K., Glynn, T., & Kara, H., et al.(2011).Culturally responsive pedagogy and assessment in primary science classrooms: Whakamana tamariki. Wellington: Teaching Learning Research Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.tlri.org.nz/sites/default/files/projects/9268_cowie-summaryreport.pdf

Gutschlag, A.(2007). Some implications of the Te Kotahitanga model of teacher positioning. New Zealand Journal of Teachers’ Work, 4(1), 3-10. Retrieved from http://www.teacherswork.ac.nz/journal/volume4_issue1/gutschlag.pdf

Ministry of Education. (2011). Tataiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Maori Leaners. Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Potahu, T. W. (2011). Mauri - Rethinking Human Wellbeing. MAI Review, 3, 1-12. Retrieved from http://www.review.mai.ac.nz/index.php/MR/article/v...