Activities 9 : Evaluations of the cultural responsiveness in practice

As a Welshman, living in Wales, I grew up with an appreciation of hegemony. Culturally responsive pedagogy is a way in which indigenous knowledge can be affirmed. It is refreshing to work in New Zealand’s bicultural education system where indigenous knowledge is held in high regard, whilst not losing sight of the blended nature and developmental history of Aotearoa. Wales, whilst an old nation, is still struggling with its place in British society. There is much opposition to positive discrimination, especially around compulsory language lessons. Wales has not yet appreciated the bicultural nature of itself in the 21st Century, when, in law it is bilingual.

For me, knowledge of the indigenous cultures and responding to this in the classroom is another tool available to the teacher and can be applied in varying degrees dependent on the class concerned. Teaching in a ‘Pasifika school’ where there are few Pakeha, but many pacific islanders, indigenous knowledge and relationship connections are important to establish and build upon.

Culturally responsive assessments

Some exemplars and contexts for assessments provided by the NZQA are designed with Pakeha in mind. Our school has a pasifika profile.

A maths standard at our school demanded that students calculate percentages and so the department created an assessment where students would calculate how long it would take to

repay a credit card loan considering APR rates and repayments over time. The results were poor. The engagement of the students was poor. The connection between the topic discussed and the students’ own personal experiences was just not there. None, or very few, of the family, had credit cards and therefore didn’t understand the fundamental principles involved. When they changed their percentage assessments to calculating excess in construction orders for construction jobs e.g. you need 19M of 100mm x 50mm rough sawn timber to create a fence, calculate the excess for loss (in cuts and length, since timber is delivered in 5.1 metre lengths)  loss of 10% is acceptable for example. Results and class engagement improved. The assessment was changed to be more appropriate for day to day culture that families are exposed to, not just the historical nature of cultural identity.

Communication methods

I will approach this by considering the Pasifika education plan and Te kotahitanga. Traditional, European, even Victorian, styles of pedagogy may not always work with all students. New Zealand’s indigenous culture respond well to collective communications and constructing activities based on groups. Assessments are not always well received when presented for individuals to complete. However, if learning is communicated in such a way that it can be shared with Whanau, Ainga  and discussed at home then the whole community can be involved together to advance both the team and the individual. Using a blog, for example, has been a great way to share experiences with home and so far it is proving to be a good way to connect to home. The school is still producing communications in paper form, letters, newsletter and so on. These are translated in the main for the families of the students. Each culture has a leader and they beginning to embrace the 21st Century agenda using telecommunications in terms of email, mobile technologies and the now ‘traditional chromebook’! Teachers are using social media to affirm students achievements and as Polyfest approaches it is a great way to share students work and passions. 

There is more work to be done in this area engaging parents and communities with our Google Apps for Education project and especially in connecting via social media the Educultural Wheel may be useful tool to apply in this situation.

Perhaps a school App may help raise this profile!!

References:

Click on Wales » Blog Archive » The trouble with bilingual ..." 2014. 7 Mar. 2016 <http://www.clickonwales.org/2014/11/the-trouble-with-bilingual-education-the-ever-increasing-gap-between-research-policy-and-practice/>

(2010). Te Kotahitanga - Home - Te Kotahitanga. Retrieved March 11, 2016, from http://tekotahitanga.tki.org.nz/.

(2014). Pasifika Education Plan 2013-2017 | Education in New ... Retrieved March 11, 2016, from http://www.education.govt.nz/ministry-of-education/overall-strategies-and-policies/pasifika-education-plan-2013-2017/.

(2014). The Educultural Wheel. Retrieved March 11, 2016, from http://www.vln.school.nz/file/download/852642.

(2016). Alternative Wales: End Cymraeg Coercion.Walesuk.blogspot.co.nz. Retrieved 7 March 2016, from http://walesuk.blogspot.co.nz/p/end-cymraeg-coercion.html