Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsive in my practice

Wk 28: Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsive in my practice

Indigenous people are the first people to originate in a place.  Indigenous knowledge refers to the information and skills embedded in cultural traditions and heritage. The concept of culture is not easy to define as there are many physical and invisible elements connected to this term.  According to Butcher (2008) culture is “socially learned, shared, and transmitted from generation to generation” (p.6).  

At Taupo Intermediate School we currently have 215 Maori students, making up 35% of our school’s population.  A frightening statistic from Bishop’s (2012) research showed that Maori males make up 50% of inmates which directly corelates with their lack of higher education and results in limited employment opportunities.  This shows the urgency to do something now to create learning environments and opportunities to support Maori students to achieve educational success as Maori.

Bucher (2008) states that we need a clear understanding of our own cultural intelligence before we can deliver a culturally responsive pedagogy.  He identified the following nine megaskills:

Due to my varied teaching and personal experiences in different schools, in New Zealand and overseas, I believe I have developed a strong cultural intelligence.  Butcher’s (2008) diagam of CQ highlights the interdependence of these vital skills, awareness and understanding that are needed to enhance our cultural intelligence.

Mauri is considered the life force, “a central place in informing Māori, how and why our lives take the forms they do” (Pohatu, 2011, p.1).  I chose to use this model to evaluate how my practice has been informed by indigenous knowledge and cultural responsive pedagogy.

Learning Activities: 

I would rate my State of Being as Mauri Ora,  ‘E kakama ana’ - alert and actively engaged.  This year my student’s interests were paramount in their choice of Inquiry as I wanted to engage them in meaningful learning;

1.      Whanau

2.      Mountains/Volcanoes

3.      Endangered species

I have also encouraged my students to be involved in all Te Ao Maori /Cultural Competencies challenges;

• ·         waiata,
• ·         vocabulary games
• ·         art,
• ·         pepeha,
• ·         Matariki,
• ·         designing kapa haka outfits,
• ·         scavenger hunts.

In this way, myself as a teacher, and Maori students are all on a learning journey where we both learn from each other rather than the teacher solely directing and controlling the learning.  

Research conducted by Bishop (2012) stresses that agentic teachers are the key to making a difference for Maori students, I demonstrate many characteristics;

• ·         I care and respect.
• ·         I believe Maori students can achieve.
• ·         I hold high expectations.
• ·         I listen and encourage learning conversations.
• ·         I provide formal and informal feedback and feedforward.

Research by Bishop states that this level of engagement brings about improved attendance, achievement and engagement and further engagement.  “Evidence also shows that effective teaching, and learning depends on the relationship between teachers’ and students and student’s active engagement.” (as cited in TATAIAKO. p.1). 

To me, being culturally responsive in my practice entails building positive, respectful whanuu-type relationships that show I truly care about each student, their achievement and their well-being.  I embrace ‘Whakawanangatanga’ which is believed to be a key factor to raising Maori student achievement.

Communication:

I would rate my State of Being as Mauri Moe, Level 2: ‘Proactive Potential.’  Although I communicate with the whanau of my students, it is mostly via class newsletters or formal conversations about their child’s learning or behaviour.  I need to reach out to my Maori  whanau and community and involve them in meaningful ways such as:

1. Seek their values. 

2.  Acknowledge and access their expertise.  

3. Meeting in informal ways.

In this way Maori students could bring their own prior cultural experiences, understandings and ways of knowing to the classroom interactions.  Building this relationship is crucial for Maori students and whanau to feel connected, valued and trusted in the classroom which also fosters ‘‘Whakawanangatanga.’

References:

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

·         Edtalks.(2012, September 23). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49992994

·         Gay,G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2),106-116.

·         New Zealand Teachers Council. (2011). Tātaiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners. Wellington.

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