TEPI 331 ASSIGNMENT 2

REPORTCULTURAL COMPETENCE AND

CULTURALLY SENSITIVE PEDAGOGIESPART ONE

Outline your understanding of one of the Cultural Competencies from Tātaiako, and describe how this cultural competency was

reflected in your experience on the Noho Marae.

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Whanaungatanga

• Whanaungatanga or building relationships is a vital part of Māori culture. Through my Noho Marae experience, I learned how Māoris come together and build relationships with whānau, hapū, iwi and the general communities. This is reflected in their willingness to welcome and engage everyone who visits the Marae.

Whanaungatanga

• Being Connected

• From the stirring Pōwhiri to the last Poroporoaki, I have experienced the connection and togetherness. I felt included and a part of the extended whanau. It is just not the coming together of people, but what I felt was the joining of minds and souls of a very diverse group of people.

• Safe Environmnet

• Any apprehension and unease that I might have had prior to stepping foot in a Marae was eliminated. The Marae is a safe and embracing place and it reminded me very much of my Hindu temples. What I felt was a sense of serenity, well-being, and calmness.

• Knowledge Sharing

• I also experienced how Māoris are generous with their sharing of knowledge and the innate need to get to know about others. This was reflected when each of us were given the chance to share a little about ourselves with each other.

Describe your own personal and professional needs in relation to the Tātaiko competencies,

and outline some strategies you will use to address those needs.

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Personal and Professional Needs

• In order to be a responsible and effective teacher, I have described the competencies that I need to develop both personally and professionally in order to help Māori learners achieve educationally as Māoris:

Five Tātaiko Competencies

• Wānanga

• I need to develop effective communication and problem solving strategies which I can use to inform the parents of their child’s learning. Engaging parents, whānau, hapū, iwi and the community in constructive yet robust communication benefits students’ overall achievement.

• Whanaungatanga

• I need to ensure that I build strong, positive, productive and on-going relationships with my students, parents and the wider community. These effective and productive partnerships will enhance learners’ achievement.

• Manaakitanga

• I need to be aware, respect and appreciate the diverse values and beliefs that students bring to the classroom and recognise the impact they have on individual student needs, class dynamic and their overall learning.

Five Tātaiko Competencies

• Tangata Whenuatanga

• I need to make learning relevant to students by having an awareness of students’ identity, cultural locatedness, and language. My learning and teaching should incorporate and reflect the cultural context of the students.

• Ako

• I need to be responsible for students’ learning by using various teaching pedagogies in the classroom and beyond as teaching and learning doesn’t stop in the classroom. I can use in classroom that will lead to learning beyond the classroom. I also have to be responsible of my own learning.

The following are a few strategies that I can use as a teacher to incorporate Tātaiako in

my teaching and learning• Introduction Letter

• At the beginning of the school year, I would write a letter to the parents introducing myself, welcoming the students and parents and outlining my aspirations for the students for the year.

• Meet the Teacher

• I will organise initial meeting with the parents. This meeting will be informal and it will be the means to get to know the parents and any queries that they might have of their children’s learning needs.

• Parent Helpers

• I will get parents involved in class and extracurricular activities by creating a database of parents’ skills and interests for future opportunities. I will make it part of my communication and outreach plan to find out what talents, knowledge and abilities the parents have to offer. Parents can help assist with special interest activity such as arts, singing, sports or dancing.

Strategies…..continuation……

• Parent Readers

• Get parents, grandparents, and extended family to become class readers. Regularly schedule time where they can come and read to the whole class of children or to individual children who need more support.

• Effective Communication

• As a teacher, I can help bring parents and the wider community on board by improving communication, including returning phone calls and emails promptly.

• Te Reo Māori

• As a teacher, I have to ensure that I use Te Reo Māori appropriately in the classroom. For example, I could start the day with Karakia and learn to say the Māori students’ names properly.

Strategies…..continuation……

• Safe Learning Environment

• Creating physical and emotional safety is crucial for the well-being and learning achievement of Māori students.

• Communicating Assessment Information • I need to be able to appropriately communicate assessment information to students and their parents.

In conclusion, it is hard to negate the importance all five cultural competencies discussed above have on overall student success regardless of their socio-economic status, ethnic or cultural background. However, there is little doubt that a teacher who links all these cultural competencies positively and effectively in the teaching and learning will lead to the achievement of high expectations among students, especially Māori students.