Whose knowledge is important?
What is happening?
I am trying very hard to make kaupapa and Māori knowledge important in my classroom. I incorporate a whakatauki in our learning to integrate into our reading program and to underpin our class culture. We use kupu, nga tau, and the students and I try hard to weave both reo and kaupapa into our teaching and learning.
Part of this though is thinking about whose knowledge is important, and thinking of my students as cultural beings. Not just as Māori, but as members of our community.
Dr Anne Milne, asks, is their cultural identity embedded into every aspect of the school day, no matter the subject, etc? It needs to be "modelled by those in leadership roles". In my class I am in a leadership role, and I am trying to embed cultural identity into everything. But I am on the outside.
I want to use more opportunities to find out and learn. There is one incredibly obvious step I can take, although it could be perhaps seen as a 'token' effort. I need to do kapa haka. I waste more than 1 hour a week drinking tea or chatting. Why not use my CRT release once a fortnight to do PD. Incorporate the knowledge that we see as important for our students as important for us also.
So, once a fortnight, Kapa Haka for Sally. As a learner. Not a teacher.
I will need to check with Whaea Tash and Renee first. Make sure they are comfortable. And make it explicit to the students that I am there to learn and will take off my teacher hat for that hour.
Here is Dr Anna Milne's speech at the conference:
I am trying very hard to make kaupapa and Māori knowledge important in my classroom. I incorporate a whakatauki in our learning to integrate into our reading program and to underpin our class culture. We use kupu, nga tau, and the students and I try hard to weave both reo and kaupapa into our teaching and learning.
Part of this though is thinking about whose knowledge is important, and thinking of my students as cultural beings. Not just as Māori, but as members of our community.
Dr Anne Milne, asks, is their cultural identity embedded into every aspect of the school day, no matter the subject, etc? It needs to be "modelled by those in leadership roles". In my class I am in a leadership role, and I am trying to embed cultural identity into everything. But I am on the outside.
I want to use more opportunities to find out and learn. There is one incredibly obvious step I can take, although it could be perhaps seen as a 'token' effort. I need to do kapa haka. I waste more than 1 hour a week drinking tea or chatting. Why not use my CRT release once a fortnight to do PD. Incorporate the knowledge that we see as important for our students as important for us also.
So, once a fortnight, Kapa Haka for Sally. As a learner. Not a teacher.
I will need to check with Whaea Tash and Renee first. Make sure they are comfortable. And make it explicit to the students that I am there to learn and will take off my teacher hat for that hour.
Here is Dr Anna Milne's speech at the conference:
Wow Sally, what a great idea. I agree with you, we are our students role-models. I find it tricky as it does not come naturally to me to use Te Reo phrases, but after a few times just remembering to greet in Te Reo in the morning, it seems to become easier. An interesting observation in my class was how students from other cultural backgrounds responds to Te Reo, and I think it's important that I now try to incorporate Tonga and Samoan when we greet in the morning. Good Luck on your Kapa Haka Journey. Would love to see how you go.
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