Culturally responsive pedagogy isn't anything new in New Zealand schools. However, teachers need to have this pedagogy in the forefront of their everyday teaching practice. Gay (2010) defines culturally responsive pedagogy as teaching ‘to and through [students’] personal and cultural strengths, their intellectual capabilities, and their prior accomplishments’ (p. 26) and as premised on ‘close interactions among ethnic identity, cultural background, and student achievement’ (p. 27).
Being a cultural responsive teacher in Russell Bishop's (2012), research is to move away from deficit explanations for students' learning and a focus on agentic talk. That is, talk that is clearly articulated and students are encouraged as they succeed. Another example of being a cultural responsive teacher is one who cares and nurtures the learner.
Effective teaching around this area is one where educators have a sound understanding of their own culture and how they build relationships and provide learning experiences with their akonga and involving their whanau.
Relationship Based Learning (RBL) (Bishop, 2012) is one of our whole school professional development contracts we are currently on. For Maori learners to learn successfully, teachers need to embrace individuals and seek out their strengths and cultural heritage, nurture and set high expectations and allow for students to collaborate in meaningful ways within authentic contexts. What benefits Maori leaners, will in turn benefit the whole class.
Step 2: Examine the actions you have taken for your inquiry in light of the cultural frameworks.
For this reflection, I have chosen the 'Culturally Responsive Practice for Maori Scale' (Asil, 2017). This scale has been developed around key components of Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Kotahitanga, Rangatiratanga, and Pumanawatanga.
My inquiry is to what extent does gamification engage and motivate learners and student achievement. I was finding that children did not have positive relationships with each other and were unable to successfully collaborate. Asil's, (2017) aspect of Whanaungatanga (relationship building) ties in nicely with this.
Knowing this issue, I am finding that the introduction of Games Based Learning and Gamification has had positive outcomes. With the introduction of these platforms, I created groups that were not based on friendships but rather a mix of abilities and gender. Children in these groups were instantly bought together to create a group name and then to decide on what members of the group had what 'powers'. Children quickly worked out who should have the various powers. Suddenly I noticed the tuakana teina concept in practice (Asia, 2017).
Within each task or 'quest', I have found it surprising how students are more sincere towards each other and how they are now displaying Whanaungatanga. Relationships are a lot more positive now with children working together in these groups to gain points, powers and extra 'gold' to level up to the next level.
Step 3: Implications for future inquiry
When considering implications and future actions in relation to cultural responsive practice, it is important to reflect on my learning journey in this area.
Our school will enter its third year of Relationship Based Learning (which is based around Russell Bishops research, 2012). I have recently been accredited as a RBL Impact Coach through a vigorous PD programme alongside our Cognition facilitators. This involved several observations of colleagues and then having a feedback session looking specifically at their cultural responsiveness in the lesson.
I have become more aware of my own teaching pedagogy in this area and now have a clear understanding of what it means to be culturally responsive by way of rejecting deficit thinking in my practice.
I believe with more agentic talk, caring for and nurturing the learner, voicing and demonstrating high expectations, and knowing what students need to learn, that I will continue to provide an environment where Maori students will show positive and social outcomes.
Being a cultural responsive teacher in Russell Bishop's (2012), research is to move away from deficit explanations for students' learning and a focus on agentic talk. That is, talk that is clearly articulated and students are encouraged as they succeed. Another example of being a cultural responsive teacher is one who cares and nurtures the learner.
Effective teaching around this area is one where educators have a sound understanding of their own culture and how they build relationships and provide learning experiences with their akonga and involving their whanau.
Relationship Based Learning (RBL) (Bishop, 2012) is one of our whole school professional development contracts we are currently on. For Maori learners to learn successfully, teachers need to embrace individuals and seek out their strengths and cultural heritage, nurture and set high expectations and allow for students to collaborate in meaningful ways within authentic contexts. What benefits Maori leaners, will in turn benefit the whole class.
Step 2: Examine the actions you have taken for your inquiry in light of the cultural frameworks.
For this reflection, I have chosen the 'Culturally Responsive Practice for Maori Scale' (Asil, 2017). This scale has been developed around key components of Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Kotahitanga, Rangatiratanga, and Pumanawatanga.
My inquiry is to what extent does gamification engage and motivate learners and student achievement. I was finding that children did not have positive relationships with each other and were unable to successfully collaborate. Asil's, (2017) aspect of Whanaungatanga (relationship building) ties in nicely with this.
Knowing this issue, I am finding that the introduction of Games Based Learning and Gamification has had positive outcomes. With the introduction of these platforms, I created groups that were not based on friendships but rather a mix of abilities and gender. Children in these groups were instantly bought together to create a group name and then to decide on what members of the group had what 'powers'. Children quickly worked out who should have the various powers. Suddenly I noticed the tuakana teina concept in practice (Asia, 2017).
Within each task or 'quest', I have found it surprising how students are more sincere towards each other and how they are now displaying Whanaungatanga. Relationships are a lot more positive now with children working together in these groups to gain points, powers and extra 'gold' to level up to the next level.
Step 3: Implications for future inquiry
When considering implications and future actions in relation to cultural responsive practice, it is important to reflect on my learning journey in this area.
Our school will enter its third year of Relationship Based Learning (which is based around Russell Bishops research, 2012). I have recently been accredited as a RBL Impact Coach through a vigorous PD programme alongside our Cognition facilitators. This involved several observations of colleagues and then having a feedback session looking specifically at their cultural responsiveness in the lesson.
I have become more aware of my own teaching pedagogy in this area and now have a clear understanding of what it means to be culturally responsive by way of rejecting deficit thinking in my practice.
I believe with more agentic talk, caring for and nurturing the learner, voicing and demonstrating high expectations, and knowing what students need to learn, that I will continue to provide an environment where Maori students will show positive and social outcomes.
References:
Asil, M. (2017). A School-Based Measure of Culturally Responsive Practices. Frontiers in Education 2(17), 1-7. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2017.00017
Edtalks.(2012, September 23). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. [video file]. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49992994
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching (2nd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.
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