Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsiveness

Gay (2001),cited in MIndlab class notes (2017), defines culturally responsive pedagogy as using the cultural characteristics, experiences, and perspectives as conduits for effective teaching. In my opinion, one cannot be culturally responsive without having indigenous knowledge. As a cultural minority myself, I am all too aware of the need to feel valued and respected for who you are. One of my goals, therefore, is to make each student in my class feel valued and respected.

I was fortunate to attend an information seminar for overseas trained teachers at the start of my teaching career in New Zealand. I did not learn everything there is to learn about the different cultures in New Zealand, but it did influence my cultural lens (Bucher, 2008, cited in MIndlab class notes, 2017). This reminded me how easily I could insult or hurt people, parents, students and colleagues, without meaning to. In my culture, for instance, it is a show of affection when you ruffle someone’s hair. I also never thought that stepping over someone’s outstretch legs could be an issue. I stopped doing these as well as several other things after learning about them at the seminar.  I also started to focus on using the Maori language in my practice and attended the Te Reo course offered by Unitech. I’ve learned and I am still learning about Maori tikanga.

Improved knowledge of Maori tikanga, helps me be responsive, but, as an immigrant, I also had to try and understand the culture of Kiwis from European descent, different Polynesian cultures, Asian Cultures, as well as the Indian culture to help me teach the children in my room. Using the Mauri Model,  I would place my Cultural responsiveness in terms of my vision , mission and core values at level 3 - Mauri ora, although there is a lot more I can and should do.

As information about Maori protocol is freely available and the presence of  strategies like ka hikitia in schools, it is unlikely that teachers in New Zealand Schools would not have some indigenous knowledge.  Yet , Savagea ,Hindleb, Meyerc, Hyndsa, Penetitoband and Sleeterd (2011) reports incidences of racism in their recent study, which is an outrage. This supports the view that people can be culturally unresponsive, even though they possess indigenous knowledge. Why this happens, is anyone’s guess.

In terms of policies,  I would describe my cultural responsiveness as Mauri Oho. Up until last year I have deliberately included Maori tikanga and te reo in my room. For instance, we would say a karakia together and sing a waiata at the start and end of the day, and say a karakia before eating time. This year, I am working with three other teachers who want to get started with the day as soon as possible. I find myself in an advocating role where I need to justify the use of time for saying a karakia and singing a waiata. Sadly, with my energy going into learning to work in an Innovative Learning Environment, this is an area that needs to be picked up again.

Reference:
Savagea, Hindleb, Meyerc, Hyndsa, Penetito and Sleeterd (2011). Culturally responsive pedagogies in the classroom: indigenous student experiences across the curriculum. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. Vol. 39, No. 3, August 2011, 183–198