Teacher PLC Meeting 1: Focus on Culturally Responsive Practice

Teacher Inquiry PLC:
Meeting 1
Whakarongo School
Ana, Reece, Jo B & Gwen: 4 June 2013
Tuesday, 4 June 2013

Ko taku reo taku ohooho, ko taku reo taku
mapihi mauria
My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my
soul
Whakarongo School
Whakatauki:

Response to Whakatauki
Whakarongo School
What do we think?
Language is how you communicate
Language is an identity
The passing on of culture for Maori is all about the language -
especially oral language.
Importance for Maori - it’s who you are.
Notion of how you say things - way you speak is influenced by
different factors e.g. colloquialisms, new times e.g over
generations.

Relationships & Culture
Whakarongo School
How are we all doing?
A difference from class last year (Gwen) - far different maturity levels -
have a melting pot; very culturally diverse in the classroom - keeps on
toes and good challenge but constantly having to reflect.
Navigator centre = continual change. Very different mix of kids this year;
more positive kids this year. With more year 6s see greater range in
maturity - keeps it interesting and recognise things take a little longer
(Reece).

Relationships & Culture
Whakarongo School
How are we all doing?
Pretty good class this year. Big difference - have an extra 5 children -
takes a lot more work. 1/3 identified as Maori - none of those would
perceive as embracing their culture at the moment (Jo). Gotten used to
it but notice different when kids are away - more time with groups and
general noise level.
Quite different class - change in year levels. Noticed big difference in
how organise programme due to maturity and “self-management” skills of
Year 4s. Just starting to introduce more flexibility (Ana) - Looking
forward to getting back into my class.

Reading: Culturally Responsive Practice in the Mainstream School
by Mike Hogan
Our key reflections/noted ideas...
Key Issues Emerging...
The tokenism - main issue emerging. An issue for every school - ensuring that it is meaningful - how to do more for
Maori.
Consultation with community is really important and how you do it - doing it in ways that work for whanau rather than
surveys.
Reminds us of the idea of “ticking boxes” versus meeting deeper features. Those deeper features are really hard to
understand also for non-Maori and need a lot of support to understand it.
Challenge of Practice...
Often can appear as tokenism due to not understanding culture or meaning behind it. Made ask question - what else
could I do to be more culturally responsive?
Trying to make it more fluid in programme e.g. not just having the date up there and never referring to it.
Challenge: not just targeting Maori kids but it’s about using the features to develop culturally inclusive classes for all
children.
Trying new strategies that will have benefits for all children -not being academically responsive but being culturally
responsive.
It’s not always about academic achievement. Finding ways/contexts to engage children to enhance learning and value of
learning community e.g. collaboration.
Whakarongo School
Response to the Reading

Whakarongo School
Our key reflections/noted ideas...
Things agreed with/What will we take on board...
Personal communication with parents - big one to improve; removing barriers we think are there e.g. always working.
Consultation is important! Bringing them on board - joint pathway.
Feel on right track on our journey as school in identifying what we need to do and where we want to go - opening up the
lines for communication.
Recognising that we are learning to and working together - didn’t have the confidence or knowledge of culture. Weary
of being offensive by using language incorrectly.
Use the parents to support and explain - e.g. pronunciation.
Good Quotes...
Reading: Culturally Responsive Practice in the Mainstream School
by Mike Hogan
Response to the Reading

Whakarongo School
Pedagogy/Leading/Learning/
Leading Change

5 minutes uninterrupted presentation by each person focusing on: This needs to be
focused on your original goal...
•Teacher inquiry plan & progress
•Evidence/artifacts
•Impact of teacher actions on student learning
Reflection/ Critical Friend
Reflective Questioning & Critique from Colleagues for each presentation
Each group member should be asking questions of the presenter to encourage reflection using PLC
reflective questions
Whakarongo School
Pedagogy/Leading/Learning/ Leading Change

Ana...
Uninterrupted Presentation Reflection notes...
Whakarongo School
Changed my goal a lot at first - kept feeling like it was tokenistic and was struggling to figure out how
to make it meaningful - kept getting stuck on how to make it so it was enhancing achievement but also
showing effort to meet Maori students needs. Originally was going to interview students but thought
that was OTT so didn’t and then following visit from Oroua Downs guest and reading we did, decided that
was where needed to start. Found it really enlightening - students identified wanted to know more
about being Maori, more Te Reo, more negotiation and flexibility. Did own research and found Tataiako
really good - aligned with key ideas from students so organised three competencies to focus on (1 each
term). This term focusing on manaakitanga by having class meetings, integrating Te Reo more in class,
giving more time to specific Te Reo teaching time and linking specifically with inquiry. All students really
enjoying more Te Reo and focus group responded well to interview. Got signs up around class and
focusing on akomanga, instructions, greetings etc initially in sentences. Going well so far.

Reflective Questioning/Coaching/Mentoring...
Whakarongo School
Ana...
Why do the interview in end? In my gut always knew that was the place to start but had thought it
might be too much for teacher inquiry so in end went back to my initial feeling and interviewed them.
Found really beneficial, especially for something like this that is hard to measure.
How will you monitor them (measure) focus group? Interview focus group each term to monitor how feel
about strategies being implemented and new ideas/engagement/motivation etc... aiming for greater
engagement and to see how strategies affect them directly but can also be applied to all children in
class and other cultures.

Reece...
Whakarongo School
Changed goal a few times...
Struggled due to organisation of Nav Centre - could only identify a few that he had interactions with for
Te Reo.
Focus to increase knowledge of Te Reo and students - use within context of normal day. May feel a bit
tokenistic but where need to start due to own understanding and confidence - aim to slowly build on
personally and then build on in centre.
Focus group picked due to knowledge/interest in te reo. Focusing with the group - why is it important
to learn te reo? Why should we learn it? Reviewed that.
Strategies focus on constructing tasks that reflect real life communication - began with pepeha and mihi.
Discussed language being an oral language. Trying to get signs up to support it/ greetings etc in roll -
greeting and responding. Give opportunities to use Te Reo through role plays etc and trying to use
everyday. Using games to support practice.
Measuring: use the focus group students to lead in the navigator centre and develop use more across
the centre.

Reece...
How will this fit within the centre and the changes/plans? e.g. te reo teaching time vs kapa haka - how
to develop across the centre? Still need formal teaching and need balance of that with using in
integration across learning. Need to focus on explicit use - hard to use naturally when it doesn’t come
naturally. Needs to be teacher led and modelled.
Why did your goals change/develop?
First started with linking to strand maths and then realised was difficult based on own and children’s
understanding. Need to get some basis initially to build on. Really hard to develop the language if not
used to it or comfortable.
Don’t be hard on yourself - need to take the steps slowly and keep it manageable.
Keep revisiting to reinforce.
Whakarongo School

Jo B...
Focus: to improve use of te reo through daily integration - want class using it naturally all the time.
Focus group: three children - most below or just slightly below/on cusp. Maori children in class don’t
use Maori or talk about Maori or culture ever. Feel unsure about what she knows - would be good to do
interview and get some information for herself, also help feel valued.
Hoping continued use of more Maori will impact positively in achievement.
Having signs up; asking/answering questions; giving instructions... using way more already through
forcing self to use it e.g. cards shared with staff. Making it there/clear so using it. Repeating so often
and using it that children are learning really well. Greeting in variety of ways also - been positive and
have done well with that. Possibly have overused to reinforce for herself to use more naturally. Then
build on. For an oral language session, doing Te Reo for one also - more explicit teaching then - been
positive and useful also. Tried to put up more signs around class and use the language as much as
possible - think the kids are quite enjoying it. Interesting to talk to focus group and see what they have
to say. Feeling less tokenistic as encouraging greater use of it - makes it more natural - feels more
natural now.
Whakarongo School

Jo B...
Did many have much Te Reo? Just the basics e.g. mihi, basic greetings etc. Need to get kids using it
more as well.
Do you think any get that exposure at home? Not sure. May find out through interviews. Some
parents have said part Maori but nothing more.
How have you thought about balancing reading/writing and speaking? Mostly focusing on oral language
and due to signs, some are reading it. Thinking of development of language - oral language is place to
start and about balancing writing due to stage of learning generally e.g. still learning to write in English,
so Te Reo could be confusing?
Raised questions - progression as school at what point do we expect them to be reading/writing in Te
Reo more.
Whakarongo School

Gwen...
Felt was going over and over while determining goals. Began with strength first... all feel valued, it is an inclusive
culture in the class. Focusing on Te Reo due to own understanding and level of children.
Use commands mainly. Have developed some leaders and they are teaching other - they’re gaining in confidence
and so is she.
Focusing on using Te Reo and choosing material, particularly for lower achieving children, that engages them and
targets their interests. Many don’t acknowledge their Maori culture as much but higher achieving children have
greater interest in Maori and Te Reo.
Trying to understand diversity of children and their own understanding. Will now pull aside and discuss with them
Have mostly developed with whanau and valuing - making connections to things going on in the class - trying to
make things meaningful for use of Te Reo e.g. brain food.
Counting in te reo become natural part of class now as part of maths - they’ve picked up very quickly. Need to
focus on areas she is not so comfortable with to develop this.
Greetings in Maori - embracing it and also using greetings from other cultures in class.
Making connections between home and school and then develop language more. Also want to do more waiata. A
lot is to do with own confidence and development - target in self what is going to matter to them but not
overwhelm them.
Whakarongo School

Whakarongo School
Gwen...
What are some of the others in the team doing? Doing a lot of greetings/ team sharing/ Karen taking
te reo in modules... trying to support some of these things that she is explicitly doing. Reflecting these
things in the classroom and taking time to reinforce these.
Only do half a term at modules so need to keep supporting it to keep it up.
Right across the team focusing on basics - whole school and have to keep achievable and teacher
knowledge means that we are starting with basics. Need to work together as team to support each
other in teacher knowledge. Be honest with kids about trying to develop the language - working
together to learn.
Repetition is important e.g. it’s how young kids learn languages.

Organisation for next meeting...
Before the next meeting...
✓ Complete reflections please on PLC group page.
✓Jo B to organise the next reading in next week.
✓ Next meeting is week 8, please be prepared.
✓ Bring along resources or examples of kids work.
Whakarongo School

Teacher PLC Meeting 1: Focus on Culturally Responsive Practice

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