"Culturally responsive pedagogy is a student-centered approach to teaching in which the students unique cultural strengths are identified and nurtured to promote student achievement and a sense of well-being about the students cultural place in the world" (Lynch, 2011, n.p).
According to Lynch (2011) there are three facets involved in culturally responsive pedagogy:
1. institutional - factors affecting school policy, organisation and procedures.
2. personal - affects teachers as they reflect on their own heritage and upbringing as well as learning about the backgrounds of the children they will be learning.
3. instructional - focuses on implementing cultural responsiveness in the classroom.
As a New Zealand European I am part of the dominant culture and therefore part of the culture that dominates social and behavioural norms and policies. In today's growing multicultural society the need to reflect on my own cultural and racial biases has never been more relevant.
Under the Treaty of Waitangi and the New Zealand Curriculum I have an obligation to ensure my classroom practice acknowledges the indigenous culture of Aotearoa. Our school wide inquiry this year is about developing positive relationships with all ākonga and whanau. We began the school year by looking at 'whanaungatanga' as a way creating closer ties with the Māori community and celebrating the various cultures within our school and classes. I presently work in a community with few Māori families, however I have an interest in broadening my knowledge of te reo and tikanga Māori. Over the past 12 years I have enrolled in various Māori language courses to extend my capabilities in this area and believe it is essential that all children in New Zealand grow up acknowledging Māori as the tangata whenua of New Zealand and an understanding of Māori language and culture. At school I lead the Māori language team and was part of a school hui held at the beginning of the year, encouraging Māori whanau to share their aspirations for their tamariki. This was an invaluable exercise and one in which I was able to make contacts to assist with the schools kapa haka groups and te reo Māori plans. As the Māori lead teacher it is my responsibility to develop the schools te reo plans for each term. This is a role I have held since Term 3 of 2014 and something I find rewarding yet challenging as I am not a fluent Māori speaker. I try to incorporate as much Māori language into my programme as possible and begin each day by discussing the day, date and weather in te reo. A large number of my commands are in te reo as are a number of my feedback phrases. The children very quickly adopt these phrases and the associated responses. I currently lead the junior kapa haka group at school and am responsible for organising Māori language week activities.
With a range of cultures within my class it is crucial that I investigate and appreciate the traditions and values of these cultures and ensure they are reflected in my classroom programme and practice.
My Concerns:
As a school I am concerned that our approach to Māori language and tikanga is viewed as tokenistic. As a European teacher developing and delivering a large proportion of the schools Māori programme I am very conscious of the potential to offend. I keep myself updated with the latest research regarding Māori learners and try to incorporate this into what I plan and present. I also make my limitations known to staff and seek assistance from contacts when I am unsure.
Future Goals:
To make stronger links with the local iwi and marae.
Create a learning context where learners from all cultural identities can bring their own experiences and backgrounds to the learning conversations (Bishop, n.d).
Bishop, R. (n.d). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. Retrieved
from https://app.themindlab.com/media/7321/view
Lynch, M. (2011). What is culturally responsive pedagogy? Huffington Post. Retrieved
from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-lynch-edd/culturally-responsive-
pedagogy_b_1147364.html
Activity 14
Whilst the dominant culture at school is European, the school is aware of their need to strengthen their ties with the various cultures that are represented in our school community. The schools mission statement, 'to think, to learn, to achieve and to consider others', is relevant for all students.
Goals
The following goals outline the schools commitment to ensuring the academic success of all students. These goals were developed with input from staff and whanau and the student achievement goals are guided by National Standard results. This data has informed the schools inquiry focus for 2015/2016.Strategic Goals
The current Strategic Plan was developed by the Board of Trustees after consultation with staff and community.
Its core goals are:
- Challenge and support all our children to reach their potential in Literacy and Numeracy.
- Empower our teachers to deliver a stimulating, inspiring and well-rounded education that encompasses all areas of the NZ curriculum.
- Integrate authentic rich learning experiences that incorporate environmental, social and cultural elements.
- Work in partnership with families to develop our students into self-motivated, resilient citizens.
- Enrich our school through positive relationships with our community.
Student Achievement Goals
As with all Primary and Intermediate schools we are required to identify a student achievement goal that links to improving achievement in relation to the National Standards.
Major Goal:
Challenge and support all our children to reach their potential in Literacy and Numeracy through the use of Teaching as Inquiry and Professional Learning Communities.
Supporting Goals:
- For 75% of Pasifika students to achieve at or above the National Standards in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
- For 60% of our “below” and “well below” National Standards students to progress to either “at” or “below” respectively.
- To increase the percentage of students achieving above the National Standards, and
- To decrease the percentage of students achieving below the National Standards.
A comprehensive plan has been developed and is being implemented to raise the achievement levels in Reading, Writing and Mathematics. Annually the Board of Trustees, via Management conducts assessment and data-driven self review of student achievement and curriculum delivery practices. These are included in the School’s Annual Report.
(Meadowbank School, 2012) http://www.meadowbank.school.nz/our-school/mission-statement-strategic-plan/
School-Wide Activities
With an increased focus on promoting and developing positive relationships with all families the school has a number of activities to promote and celebrate the various cultures represented in our community.
Cultural Evening - every year the schools holds a community picnic evening on the field. The various cultures within the community set up food stalls to share traditional food. It is also an opportunity for the children to experience a wide variety of cultural dance, drama, art and story telling. The parent community are often engaged in the preparation for the evening and enjoy sharing their knowledge with the children.
Kapa Haka - The school has 2 kapa haka groups, junior and senior. These groups are led by members of staff and are supported by kuia from the schools whanau. These groups perform at key school events, local events, such as the local library Matariki celebrations, and regularly entertain members of the community at the retirement villages.
Kai Club and Pacific Eats - The school holds termly lunch clubs for those children who identify as Māori or Pasifika. They are an opportunity for these students to celebrate their unique cultural identity. These events are supported by staff and the parent community.
Homework Club - In response to feedback from both the hui and fono, a weekly homework club was created to support Māori and Pasifika children. This club is run by dedicated members of staff and whanau. It provides an opportunity for children to further develop their understanding of topics in a supportive environment.
Speech Contests - Each year the school holds speech contests in English, Mandarin and Māori. These are an opportunity for children to showcase their language abilities.
Communication
The school acknowledges that there is no one way of communicating with the parent community and offer a wide range of avenues to keep parents updated. These include a school website, app, paper newsletters, emails and class blogs. School reports are issued twice a year and teachers meet formally with parents for triadic interviews in terms 1 and 2. It is an expectation that teachers keep parents informed throughout the year through their preferred method of contact.
The Education Review Office (ERO, 2013) state that strong links with whanau are an effective way of raising student achievement. In response to this our school has held both a hui and fono to receive feedback from the Māori and Pasifika communities.
Hui / Fono - The school is dedicated to promoting and enhancing their relationships with the Māori and Pasifika families at school. At the beginning of the year they invited Māori parents to a hui and Pasifika parents to a fono. These were an opportunity for parents to share their views and opinions on how well the school reflects the values of the Māori and Pasifika cultures. Parents were able to offer ideas on how the school can better support their children as well as learning of ways they can get involved in school events.
ERO. (2013). Secondary Schools: Pathways for future education, training and employment (July
2013). Retrieved from http://www.ero.govt.nz/National-Reports/Secondary-Schools-
Pathways-for-future-education-training-and-employment-July-2013/Findings/Responsive-
schools/Some-effective-initiatives-for-Maori-and-Pacific-students
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