Reflective entry 3: Demonstrate a critical understanding of how indigenous knowledge (IK) and cultural responsiveness (CR) inform your practice and research topic.

The opportunity to consider how indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness informs my practice and research topic presents a real opportunity for me to critique and change my practice. Wilson, (2008, p. 135) suggests that “If research doesn’t change you as a person, then you haven’t done it right.” Without an increased awareness and understanding of indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness, I run the risk of limiting the success of my research topic, my professional practice and ultimately the success of my ākonga.

My classroom is made up of primarily pakeha learners, with 2 of the 12 identifying as Māori. I do know that not all learners of Māori whakapapa record this accurately on the schools learning management system, and as such, I anticipate that this number could be higher. Irrespective of the percentage of Māori students in my class, research has shown that “What works for Māori works for everyone. But what works for everyone does not necessarily work best for Māori” (Ministry of Education, 2013). This highlights the need to ensure my research topic and practice is centered within a te ao Māori worldview in order to reach all learners.

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological System Theory (Härkönen, 2001), which I used in my second reflective post, also provides a framework to consider cultural responsiveness. The macrosystem ecosystem relates to the attitudes and ideologies of culture that are surrounding and influencing students at the broadest level. The important realisation here is that societal and cultural values do impact on individuals and their wellbeing.

Although the macrosystem in which the students operate may reflect their culture and values, this has a lesser ability to influence them significantly, when compared to the things within their microsystem, such as their classroom and school. This highlights to me the importance of ensuring indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness is embedded within my classroom practice and that students see their knowledge and culture reflected also. The New Zealand Curriculum (Ministry of Education, 2007) has at its core eight principles, one of which is cultural diversity, which calls on schools and teachers to deliver a curriculum that is culturally diverse and values the histories and traditions of all people within Aotearoa/New Zealand.

I am strongly moved by the following from the Ministry of Education, (2012) “The culture of the student can only enter the classroom once it has entered the mind of the teacher.” As I continue to consider my classroom practice in general I turned to Ann Milne’s Action Continuum - eliminating White spaces (Core Education, 2017).


CORE Education. (2017). Dr Ann Milne, Colouring in the white spaces:
Reclaiming cultural identity in whitestream schools.[video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cTvi5qxqp4&feature=em-subs_digest

This continuum demonstrates the six differing degrees of culturally responsive approaches for Māori learners. Having analysed this continuum, I believe that my school and classroom practice best fits within the purple aspect on the continuum. Whilst cultural diversity is embraced, students are not provided with authentic opportunities to experience success as Māori and achievement is categorised by white stream thinking. This has the potential to exclude some students from attaining high levels of success as defined by them and their culture. The opportunity here is to challenge this and begin to normalise indigenous and culturally-centred structures and practices within my classroom, including expectations and definitions of success.

My research topic of critical thinking (knowledge construction) and collaboration through digital tools needs to reflect equally the views and beliefs of all learners. It will be important for me to choose digital tools that are not exclusive of culture where students can see their culture represented. The knowledge construction aspect of my topic needs to give effect to the knowledge inherently held by learners and their whānau, as a starting point for the development of critical thinking which will make the cultural capital of ākonga integral to the learning process. This is supported by Gay, (2002) who states that culturally responsive pedagogy is defined by using cultural characteristics, experiences and perspectives as conduits for effective teaching.

I am proposing to conduct my research topic within an Enviroschools Inquiry around energy. As a result of the research I have undertaken, I will now start the knowledge construction for the inquiry by allowing learners to identify the knowledge that they hold relating to a specific topic, and developing their understanding of a te ao Maori worldview of Energy. This is supported by Milne (Core Education, 2017) who argues that “schools have a role in sustaining culture instead of negating it”. I had intended using the ITL Research 21st Century Learning Design Rubrics (ITL Research, 2012) as an assessment tool throughout my research topic. It will be important that I ensure these accurately allow for the knowledge and skills of all learners, framed within an inclusive view of indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness, rather than perpetuating Western views of success and achievement.

References

CORE Education. (2017). Dr Ann Milne, Colouring in the white spaces:
Reclaiming cultural identity in whitestream schools.[video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cTvi5qxqp4&feature=em-subs_digest

Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for Culturally Responsive Teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2), 106–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487102053002003

Härkönen, U. (2001). The Bronfenbrenner ecological systems theory of human development. Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3d4f/99b537bdd5b18745fdef084dc34b71978ffd.pdf

ITL Research. (2012). 21CLD Learning Activity Rubrics. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/34212053/21CLD_Learning_Activity_Rubrics

Ministry of Education. (2012). Funds of Knowledge. Received from:
https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-resources/NZC-Online-blog/Funds-of-knowledge

Ministry of Education. (2013). He Kakano. How does it work? Retrieved from: https://hekakano.tki.org.nz/The-programme/How-does-it-work

Wilson, S. (2008). Research is ceremony. Indigenous research methods. Winnipeg: Fernwood.