Navigating the unfamiliar in a quest towards culturally responsive pedagogy in the classroom (original) (raw)
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Journal of Transformative Education, 2019
This article explores a synergy of inquiry-based learning and a cultural pedagogy within a Māori environment, the marae (communal meeting place) while using Academic Co-Creative Inquiry (ACCI), an innovative approach to teaching and learning which enables teachers and students to cocreate the content and the process of the course through personalized inquiries. Three areas form the focus of this article: an exploration of cultural pedagogy within a marae space, an ACCI process, and the culturally responsive Māori pedagogy of ako (teaching and learning). These three areas created a context for transformative learning. Authors reflect on how three academic women, two Māori and one Pākehā (person of European descent) each explored how the physical space of Ngākau Māhaki (name of the carved meeting house, meaning respectful heart) at Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae (name of the marae complex) contributed to transformative teaching and learning processes.
Putting "Maori" in the Mainstream: Student Teachers' Reflections of a Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 2011
This paper reports on student teachers experiences of an education program that was explicitly designed to be grounded in both Kaupapa Māori and mainstream pedagogy. This program started from the Kaupapa Māori view to be Māori as Māori. This was then supported by mainstream epistemology of New Zealand focused good teaching practice. A Kaupapa Māori approach was taken in this qualitative study that used participant driven spiral discourse. The paper suggests that this combined Kaupapa Māori and mainstream approach allowed these student teachers to find their place in education. Conclusions suggest that a culturally relevant pedagogy modeled as good teaching practice was needed for these student teachers to develop an understanding of not only how learning occurs but also how their teaching relates to learning.
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
This strengths-based paper draws on the qualitative and quantitative survey results from whānau (family members) of tamariki (children) attending 12 schools in an urban area in New Zealand with a high proportion of Māori people. The paper describes the positive impact of effective family engagement on tamariki, from the perspectives of whānau, paying particular interest to the differences between Māori and non-Māori whānau. The views of all whānau who participated in the project support the importance of relational and culturally sustaining aspects of teaching, and challenge commonly held stereotypes about indigenous parents’ low expectations in relation to their children’s education. The paper amplifies whānau voice about their children’s school enjoyment, perceptions of teacher support and future career aspirations for their tamariki.
Kapa (in rows) haka (dance) is considered a modern day performing art distinctive to what mainstream secondary schools (i. e., high schools Yr. 9-13) in Aotearoa New Zealand offer as way of fostering the social and cultural wellbeing of Māori students who attend. It is also considered a culturally responsive learning environment because it provides opportunities for Māori students to engage in learning more about their own language, culture and traditional ways of knowing and doing. With over 54 thousand Māori students (18%) attending mainstream secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand (Ministry of Education, 2006), this paper, based on my doctoral research completed in 2007, explores the ‘voices’ of 20 Māori students and 27 secondary school teachers about the educational benefits associated with participating in kapa haka and the implications for improving educational outcomes for these students. The study concluded that the most effective way to improve levels of participation (i.e., interest, attendance, engagement, association and success) working with Māori secondary school students is to employ learning environments that are socially, culturally, emotionally and spiritually uplifting and in particular, to assign learning activities that are specifically linked to their unique identity as Māori. A number of key social and cultural considerations are included to assist mainstream secondary schools (i.e., public State- funded high schools) and teachers to not only better evaluate their own levels of cultural responsiveness working with Māori students but to also improve their understanding of what constitutes effective ways of engaging indigenous and culturally-connected learners in these contexts.
Tūrou Hawaiki: Morning karakia and waiata as culturally responsive pedagogy
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
This article presents the findings of a qualitative case study on voluntary participation in morning karakia (incantation, prayer) and waiata (song) sessions, led by a group of teacher educators. This study is informed by a selective review of literature from three relevant sources: the impact of music therapy practices, culturally responsive pedagogy, and the normalisation of te reo Māori (Māori language) and tikanga Māori (Māori protocols and customs). This approach to the literature review was necessary given the paucity of research on the impact of indigenous cultural practices such as karakia and waiata in mainstream cultural contexts. Through thematic analysis of a survey questionnaire (N = 65) and semi-structured interviews (n = 9), findings showed that participants experienced an improved sense of wellbeing, an increased feeling of whanaungatanga (relationships and belonging) and greater confidence in engaging with Māori culture. This study could be considered a catalyst for...
2011
This paper reports on student teachers experiences of an education program that was explicitly designed to be grounded in both Kaupapa Māori and mainstream pedagogy. This program started from the Kaupapa Māori view to be Māori as Māori. This was then supported by mainstream epistemology of New Zealand focused good teaching practice. A Kaupapa Māori approach was taken in this qualitative study that used participant driven spiral discourse. The paper suggests that this combined Kaupapa Māori and mainstream approach allowed these student teachers to find their place in education. Conclusions suggest that a culturally relevant pedagogy modeled as good teaching practice was needed for these student teachers to develop an understanding of not only how learning occurs but also how their teaching relates to learning
A Pedagogical Continuum: Driving Culturally Responsive School Reform for Māori Secondary Students
Journal of Education and Development
The racialised legacies of colonisation in many parts of the globe, have resulted in intergenerational disparities for disproportionate numbers of Indigenous learners and their families. Global responses for indigenous and other minoritised learners have seen the use of culturally responsive pedagogies and theory-based school reform initiatives to better understand the ‘core’ changes that are required. In this paper, we bring theory-based, secondary-school reform and culturally responsive pedagogies together in pursuit of equity, excellence and belonging as Māori, for these marginalised learners in Aotearoa New Zealand.We discuss the collaborative building of a pedagogical continuum by teachers. This continuum introduces teachers to the theoretical underpinnings of cultural relationships and responsive pedagogy. Evidence gathered using classroom walkthrough observations is then compared to the continuum in order to understand what is happening with teaching and learning across the s...
The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education
Currently, educational bodies are recognising the importance of integrating Australian Indigenous cultures in education to promote intercultural understanding and improve outcomes for Indigenous students. In drama, learning about Indigenous perspectives can be integrated through sharing cultural stories, with this integration mandated by the Australian curriculum. However, teachers are struggling to achieve this directive due to a lack of knowledge in Indigenous content and concerns surrounding permission and cultural appropriation. This qualitative study used a focus group interview to determine non-Indigenous pre-service drama teachers' perceptions about integrating Indigenous perspectives in their praxis. Inductive analysis of the data revealed participants strongly believed in the importance of embedding Indigenous perspectives yet felt apprehensive due to a range of challenges, including a lack of adequate training. These challenges and the participants' recommendations...
Putting ‘Maori’ in the Mainstream: Student Teachers' Reflections of a Culturally Relevant Pedogogy
Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 2011
This paper reports on student teachers experiences of an education program that was explicitly designed to be grounded in both Kaupapa Māori and mainstream pedagogy. This program started from the Kaupapa Māori view to be Māori as Māori. This was then supported by mainstream epistemology of New Zealand focused good teaching practice. A Kaupapa Māori approach was taken in this qualitative study that used participant driven spiral discourse. The paper suggests that this combined Kaupapa Māori and mainstream approach allowed these student teachers to find their place in education. Conclusions suggest that a culturally relevant pedagogy modeled as good teaching practice was needed for these student teachers to develop an understanding of not only how learning occurs but also how their teaching relates to learning.