Week 28 - Indigenous knowledge & Cultural responsiveness

Living in a bicultural country with multicultural diversity requires open mindedness and basic understanding of many cultures. Developing caring and interactive relationships with a wide range of cultures is an important and relevant issue in an evolving cultural climate. Understanding and learning about Māori culture is important for all New Zealanders. This shows respect and Manaakitanga (caring) towards our indigenous people. History shows us European settlers and immigrants did not show respect for the Māori in the 1860's with the influx of Pakeha to New Zealand. There was a major decline in te reo Māori and in tikanga. 

Prior to that, Māori language was learned and used by Pakeha adults and children with fluency as they assimilated into evolving communities. With the large numbers of immigrants from Great Britain and other European countries, people did not understand that the Māori language was the main form of expression and crucial for the indigenous people of New Zealand in keeping their identity and preserving their pride. This led to Māori language being discouraged and the people were left floating in a sea of Pakeha language, ideals and values. 

Today we understand the importance of all people being proud of who they are, where they come from and what they have to offer. We are responsible as educators to make decisions in partnership with our communities on how we deliver, what we deliver, where we deliver and to accept our learners, have experience and knowledge to share and teach too. Bishop (2012) identifies educational disparities having an impact on our country and as a society we need to understand and address these disparities. He also states the educational achievement gap between Māori and non-Māori as accumulated economic, social and academic deficits. 
Ensuring Māori students learning needs and approaches are respected is significant in classroom programming at our school. We consciously look for opportunities for all students to take leadership and teaching roles while staff support these students or learn alongside the students. We are also mindful of core values in the planning and delivery phases of our curriculum and learning activities.

Our school-wide planning documentation is currently under review and we are ensuring we address Whānaungatanga, Ako, Manaakitanga, Tangata Whenuatanga and Wānanga in all areas. Embracing and making conscious decisions about these important values is an area we are beginning to feel connected to and consider on daily basis. We are developing documentation to support  a programme, belief, philosophy and ethos at our school to show and celebrate our student achievement which interestingly has been for some time, higher in our Pasifika and Māori students. Our current concern is addressing social and economic cultures in our community and encourage and support continued relationships and positive communication with all cultures. We as a staff use, and consider Tātaiako (2011) cultural competencies. We think about and consider our own personal values and beliefs and how our relationships with students and our community can be developed, as well as learning new customs and languages.

References:

Bishop, R. (2012, September 23). A Culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. 

Source: Edtalks.(2012, September 23). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. [video file].Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49992994

Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Cavanagh, T., & Teddy, L. (2007). Te Kõtahitanga Phase 3 Whānaungatanga: Establishing a Cultural Responsive Pedagogy of Relations in Mainstream Secondary School Classrooms. Report to the Ministry of Education. 

Retrieved on 6 June 2016 from: 

https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/9977/9454

Ministry of Education (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners. Ministry of Education. Wellington.