Culturally responsive pedagogies

From Tātaiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners

The competencies are:

• Ako: taking responsibility for their own learning and that of Māori learners.
• Manaakitanga: showing integrity, sincerity and respect towards Māori beliefs, language and culture.
• Tangata Whenuatanga: affirming Māori learners as Māori. Providing contexts for learning where the language, identity and culture of Māori learners and their whānau is affirmed.
• Wānanga: participating with learners and communities in robust dialogue for the benefit of Māori learners’ achievement.
• Whanaungatanga: actively engaging in respectful working relationships with Māori learners, parents and whānau, hapū, iwi and the Māori community.

While the competencies are not formal standards or criteria, they are linked to the Graduating Teacher Standards and Practising Teacher Criteria developed by the Education Council.

From TKI: Secondary Arts – Culturally responsive learning environments

Ako

Ako involves reciprocal shared learning in the classroom and beyond.

Ka Hikitia (Ministry of Education, p 22) describes the concept of ako as the teaching and learning relationship where the teacher is also learning from the student and where teachers’ practices are informed by the latest research and are both deliberate and reflective. Ako is grounded in the principle of reciprocity and also recognises that the learner and whānau cannot be separated.

Manaakitanga

Mannaakitanga is about values of integrity, trust, sincerity and equity. Through manaakitanga, the teacher and fellow students recognise and affirm the identity of each student in open and trusting relationships.

Tangata Whenuatanga

Tangata whenuatanga represents place-based, socio-cultural awareness and knowledge of the whenua or land we come from.

This competency actively harnesses the rich cultural capital which Māori learners bring to the classroom by providing culturally responsive and engaging contexts for learning facilitates participation of whānau and people with the knowledge of local context, tikanga, history, and language to support classroom teaching and learning programmes.

Teachers engage with students as learners and facilitators by generating opportunities for students to use ‘who they are’ and bring ‘what they know’ into the learning through culturally responsive contexts. The learning environment and teaching practice reflect and affirm identity, language and culture and seek expertise, resources and knowledge from the wider community, for example whānau, iwi.

Students’ cultural norms, how they live and succeed as who they are, how they develop a strong cultural identity, their wairua (spirituality) and whanaungatanga (connectedness) are all high status learning, valid in their own right.

Whanaungatanga

Whanaungatanga involves relationships (between students, school-wide, and with the community) based on high expectations.

To promote whanaungatanga, arts teachers communicate a belief in the capacity of all students as learners and achievers. Teachers and students share work, successes, and challenges. They celebrate diverse abilities and individual excellence.

By empowering students to believe in their aspirations and goals, arts teachers can support students in their ambitions for further study and pathways to a career in the arts and enthuse them to participate in the wider communities.

Tino Rangatiratanga

Tino rangatiratanga is the principle of relative autonomy – the goal is to gain relative control over one’s own life and cultural well-being.

Tino rangatiratanga is enhanced by effective teaching, which establishes a space for learning and self-empowerment in the classroom.

Students who understand how to succeed or to reach their potential will be more engaged and resilient. The power to learn and make decisions will rest equally with them and the teacher.

Effective teachers enable or empower students, who are aware of how and why they are learning.

They set up structures, models, or templates and class routines for clarity.

They plan ability groups on the basis of assessed skills and knowledge.

They set up flexible groupings, according to abilities and/or interests. Students need to be active and engaged for their learning to be self-empowering.