Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsiveness:week 31

Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsiveness

Applied Practice Two, Activity Seven

 In the following blog, I will critically evaluate how my school’s practice has been informed by indigenous knowledge and culturally responsive pedagogy in the two areas of communication methods and school-wide activities. I will use Rolfe et al’s (2001) Reflective Model to examine this in my school.

Step 1 - What?

My understanding of Indigenous knowledge and culturally responsive pedagogy is around the creation of an educational environment where;

·        Culture is an integral and integrated part of the school landscape

·        Relationships are fundamental - connectedness between home and school

·        Power and decision making is shared-self determination (ako)

I believe for us as educators to be able to provide this culturally responsive environment we first have to understand and examine our own cultural background and beliefs. Being aware of our own bias can help in critically challenging them when they could possibly impede our pathway to cultural responsiveness.

Step 2 - So What?

Using Milne’s “Action Continuum - Eliminating White Spaces (CORE Education, 2017), I will critically examine our school communication methods (not doing well) and school-wide activities (doing well).

Communication Methods - We are in the brown box - lip service to anything indigenous or cultural. Evidence;

·        Minimal Te Reo/celebration of Maori/contribution from Maori students and whanau in communications-Newsletter, Facebook, Student reporting, Assemblies

·        Reporting to parent - digital portfolio report (of the 25% of families not accessing these reports, over 50% are Maori/Pasifika families, but they are only 30% of the school roll)-never investigated why

·        Student Led Conferences - poor turnout from Maori/Pasfika whanau

School Wide Activities - We are in the green box Indigenous and culturally centred structures and practices are embedded. Evidence;

·        Leadership programme run by Maori liaison for local college for Maori boys and year students transitioning

·        Strong Kapa Haka group - public performances

·        Strong Indian Dance group - public performances

·        Local Marae visits (Reretewhioi Marae)

·        Local Maori history - Toanga and Hikoi - with local Kaumatua

·        Cultural Excellence Award - Honours Board

·        Matariki Celebrations - hangi, performances, kai, harakeke, carving

Step 3 - Now What?

To become more culturally responsive we need to change the way we conduct our Student led conferences. We need to hold these in a space that our Maori and Pasifika whanau feel welcomed and comfortable. Savage et.al. (2011), found in their research that Maori families who were able to meet for Te Kotahitanga facilitation such as the marae helped them feel Maori in positive ways.

We also need to continue to build our connections to our Maori/Pasifika whanau and wider community. Although we do have some contact, this contact is on our terms and at our invitation. It would be great to see our Maori/Pasifika feeling comfortable enough in our school to be active participants in all aspects of school life including decision making. How we do this will be a challenge but still worth the effort if real change is to occur in our school.

References:

Milne, B.A. (2013). Colouring in the white spaces: Reclaiming cultural identity in whitestream schools. (Doctoral Thesis, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand). Retrieved from http://hdl. handle.net/10289/7868

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001) Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Savage et. al (2011),  Culturally responsive pedagogies in the classroom: indigenous student experiences across the curriculum, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, Vol. 39, No. 3, August 2011, 183–198