Mind Lab Week 28. Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness in my practice

Indigenous knowledge in education talks about the understanding and appreciation that the school has when valuing ethnic diversity. Culturally responsive pedagogy is described by Jacqueline Jordan Irvine in her video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGTVjJuRaZ8) as having at its heart, ‘culture’. This  means that in essence it is about understanding a person’s beliefs, world views, values and languages.

Gay (2010) defines culturally responsive pedagogy as teaching ‘to and through [students’] personal and cultural strengths, their intellectual capabilities, and their prior accomplishments’ (p. 26) and as premised on ‘close interactions among ethnic identity, cultural background, and student achievement’ (p. 27). (as cited in Savage,et al 2011).
This means that teachers need to take students everyday cultural experiences and build their classroom programme in a way that acknowledges and respects the lens through which people of other cultures view life.

The findings of the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (Cowie et.al 2011) tells us that a culturally responsive pedagogy is a social justice and equity issue because if we continue to create educational opportunities for students that are based on a european, white, english speaking model, we are disadvantaging students from diverse backgrounds. The mind lab notes inform us that the make - up of our NewZealand schools is 67% European, 14.6% Maori and the remainder Pasifika and Asian. We have a commitment through the Treaty of Waitangi to be culturally inclusive of our Maori students. We have a moral obligation to be culturally inclusive of people from all ethnic origins.

What do we need to do to be culturally responsive?

Last year I attended the MAC (Maori Achievement Collaborative) Conference, Te Ara Hou at the Owae Marae Waitara. The focus was on Maori Potential: Maori achieving as Maori. One of the speakers there resonated with me. We know as educators that as with many ideas in education, what works with one group often can be transferred to all learners (Maori, Pasifica, ESOL, Dyslexia). I wondered what was different about Maori

learners. Dr Melinda Webber shared the outcome of ten years of research into Maori achieving as Maori, the Ka Awatea Project.  There were many relevant implications for teachers, whanau, Boards of Trustees and of course for students.

 

(taken from Dr. Melinda Webber presentation at Te Ara Hou Marae 2015).

These sources of Mana have strong implications for policy makers in the school and for teachers and students. One of the enduring messages that I gained from the Dr. Webber and from the other presenters was the high importance placed on the need for strong role - model relationships between a Maori student and a significant teacher in his / her life. That strong relationship does not even need to be with the current teacher or teachers but with one person at the school. This message had a profound effect on me as I considered the far reaching effects of positive relationships in the lives of our students. Innovative practices allow for greater flexibility when planning and assessing and these relationship considerations need to be engaged with at the planning level.

Communication

Kahikitia - Accelerating Success 2013 - 2107 is the Ministry document that also talks about the Maori Potential. This means that Maori and all relevant stakeholders must have high expectations around their ability to succeed.

For our new (Feb 2016) school, St. Francis of Assisi, this means that we will need to engage with all stakeholders to ensure that these expectations are high. We will need to have hui with local iwi, with interested Maori parties in our school and church whanau. We will need to make these stakeholders feel welcome in our school through open days, information evenings, cultural celebrations and invitations to share knowledge of culture with us.

(Taken from Dr. Melinda Webber presentation at Te Ara Hou Marae 2015).

References:

Cowie, B.,  Otrel-Cass, K., Glynn, T., Kara, H., with Anderson, M., Doyle, J., Parkinson, A., Te Kiri, C. (2011)Culturally responsive pedagogy and assessment in primary science classrooms: Whakamana tamariki

 Gay, G. Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching Journal of Teacher Education 2002; 53; 106 

Savage, C.,  Hindle, R., Meyer, L, H.,   Hynds, A., Penetito, W., Sleeter, C, E., indigenous student experiences across the curriculum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGTVjJuRaZ8 -culturally responsive pedagogy

Slides copied from presentation by Webber, M at the Te Ara Hou Maori Achievement Collaborative at the Owae Marae 2015.