Activity 7: Indigenous Knowledge And Cultural Responsiveness In My Practice

Rolfe’s model of reflection is used this week to reflect on this weeks activity.

What

Definition

The term ‘indigenous’ refers to the native people of the land, or tangata whenua, specifically Maori people, but my definition also includes our early Pakeha (Caucasian) settlers too. Alternately, ‘cultural responsiveness,’ expands to all ethnic cultures. In my view it is the practice towards awareness, respect, and sensitivity to other ethnic cultures their rituals and practices at home, at church, and most importantly how it is embraced at school.

Two Ways Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsiveness is Practiced at My School

CORE VALUES: 

Informed through a consensus between staff, students, ex-students, community, and board members Kelston Boys High School (KBHS) core values are Whanau (Family), Kairangi (Excellence), Tohea (Resilience), and Mana (Respect) with the motto,“To Wisdom with Honour.” The Kelston Way is wrapped up in a brotherhood that is safe, stimulating, inclusive and educationally tailored for boys. How is this practiced? New students (Year 9) are inducted into the Kelston way through school camp, and 4 weeks introductory training. Training is made up of a series of courses covering the school’s values (school haka and its origins, school history), digital citizenship, numeracy, careers etc. Core values are practiced well and integrated into school-wide daily routine, learning academic and sporting goals seen through, haka, powhiri, poroporoake, tangi, korowai adornment to address academic/sporting success, whanau inclusion in all facets etc.

HUMAN RESOURCES:

This is one area in need for improvement however. While the teachers are expected to reflect, and practice indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness very little is seen from Human Resources. In fact, their role, and intentions are concealed from staff, and community.

So What

Proud to have had her speak to our school during a Teacher only day in 2017, I will be using Milne’s (2017) Action Continuum - eliminating the white spaces to reflect upon culturally responsive pedagogical practices within my school.

According to Milne’s (2017) Action continuum my school is positioned around the dark green section (see Figure 1). The majority of KBHS teaching staff do the best to incorporate te reo Maori into the reo, and make a real effort to understand the tikanga, the whanau, and the tauira for who they are as an individual. Myself, a Maori female teacher at the school, I proudly uphold these agentic teachers who embody a real genuine compassion for our students, Maori, and all other cultures. KBHS has its own Maori unit (Te Onewhero Roopu) made up of year 9-13 students. These students are the backbone leading assemblies, powhiri, poroporoaki and all ceremonies big or small for the school. Te ao Maori for them is not only in te reo, but they assimilate into other NCEA curriculum areas, still colonial in terms of NCEA expectations, and definitions of success, still governed by Ministry of Education (MOE) guidelines.

Figure 1. Milne's Action Continuum - eliminating White spaces.

What Next?

“You can't do as Maori or develop cultural identity on Tuesdays and Thursdays or one week of the year, or ... by showcasing your kapa haka culture. Cultural identity can't be left to timetabling...” (31:28; in Milne, 2017).

In line with Milne’s suggestions, next steps for our school means that cultural identity has to be integrated into every aspect of the school day, subject, activity and area. It has to be in policy, human resources, management and even the MOE / NZQA / NCEA guidelines. It has to underpin all teacher professional development, and reflection-in-practice (Finlay, 2008) as the first steps towards self awareness, self critical evaluation, and most importantly cultural awareness.