Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness!

In this reflection, I will be using 'Rolfe's model of reflection' to discuss my understanding of indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness. I will critically evaluate how my practice has been informed by indigenous knowledge and culturally responsive pedagogy. 

What? 

Being a culturally responsive teacher means viewing students strengths not their deficits, spending the time to get to know our learners and celebrate their all the experiences and knowledge that they bring to the classroom. In New Zealand, the disparity in achievement between maori and non-maori learners is vast. A non-culturally responsive teacher would see maori as the problem. A culturally responsive teachers see the barriers to learning, such as the environment, attitudes and school as problems. 

So what? 

I have critically evaluated my practice against the "Mauri" model. Mauro model is made up of three different states of being, Mauri Moe (being dead or asleep), Mauri Oho (being proactive or being awoken) and Mauri Ora (being actively engaged). 

The learning activities that I design for my learners sit within the Mauri Moe state, as they are largely based on stories and experiences that draw on my own "pakeha knowledge". I find creating activities that are draw on the cultural and indigenous knowledge of my learners challenging as they have life experiences and identities that are different from my pakeha world view. It is a learning journey. 

The goals, or expectations, that I have for my learners are sit within the Mauri Ora state of being, as they the same expectations that I have for all my learners. Expectations that is rooted in growth mindset thinking. That all learners can achieve success, in school and in life. 

Now what? 

My next step towards drawing on the indigenous knowledge of my learners it to open the lines of communication between school and our whanau. I think that the use of digital technology, using apps like Class Dojo, have the potential to remove some the barriers for our whanau. Engaging our whanau in the learning journey of their tamariki, allow for indigenous knowledge to be shared between whanau and school.Using the indigenous knowledge of the whanau in my school, I would be able to create learning experiences that celebrate the kete's of knowledge and experiences my learners bring to the classroom.

The beginning of this culturally responsive journey was to use Class Dojo to reach out to our whanau as part of our inquiry. As a school, this term we are learning about celebration foods. Using Class Dojo, I asked our whanau for recipes that they make as a part of a celebration, drawing on their indigenous knowledge. I received a range of recipes from the different cultures represented in my class, including on whanau who shared their Papa's Steamed Hangi recipe. They took photographs of the cooking process, brought in Steamed Hangi and talked to the class about the language surrounding Tongan celebrations.