Classroom Kōrero: relationships and the delivery of Māori content in the New Zealand secondary school dance class
Tia Reihana-Morunga
Tia's article
The situation/context
Maori in School
Classroom conversations- Maori content
over represented in exclusion and suspension under in achievement
Cultural positioning of teacher, school and curriculum
creative & performing arts
Memory- colonizers and the colonized- Judith. European written histories (big western bias prespective). Contrasting Tia's whānau shared stories. misrepresentation of Māori knowledge and culture.
The affect of the two contrasting histories. The NZ curriculum shows to support Western pedagogies and learning methods thus affecting content of state schooling.
The currulum roots and t4 content - pedagogy and learning decides how they experience thier own culture in the room
Dance teachers including implimentation of dance curriculum. Research is focused on how the teachers individual histories and teaching identity is informed by their conveyance of Māori cultural content.
Teachers responsible for devilvery of Māori cultural content also challenges the teacher to teach cultually safe way, opens avenues for growth
NZ English dominant, BIG FAT CHICKEN.
Knowledge on specialist dance teachers who - something about Māori curriculum.
Key words- Indigenous dance education, Māori performing arts, culturally responsive dance education
Acknowledges the gap between Māori and non-Māori academic achievement according to the curriculum State schooling system.
The curriculum, teaching and learning is dominated by wester pedagogy
Creative and performing arts is central to Māori culture as a way of connecting.
2001 Arts in curriculum NZ, dance as a compulsory subject.
Māori dance curricula is not compulsory but there is focus to for its inclusion. Especially the
Language, knowledge and culture in NZ curricula- to recognize in curruciulm. Is it aauthentically inclusive in schooling?
Contemporay and traditional = confusing in indigenous cultures
Attempting to recognise te teriti o waitangi and Aoteatoa's biculutral past
Kapa haka both trad and contemp?
Kapa haka has helped students academic success and cultual wellbeing
Māori knowledge needs to reflect proticals, tikanga or values such as poi, te reo, rakau, waiata, symbols and images that include kowhaiwhai, whawtauki, waka, pūrākau
should incorporate kapa haka but not limited to. Typical including- haka performance, choreography, whakatauki
Problem of not knowing enough. Misinterpretations, mispronounciation in schools can produce culturally insecure space which influences the wellbeing of both students and teachers and can contribute further harm. How to be equitable...
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Pedagogical reflection is needed. three teachers. Dance teachers, toi Māori teach indigenous Māori arts expectation.
Kaupapa Māori research
Can foster wellbeing and students sucess
Kaupapa Māori
Focuses on whakawhanaungatanga, methodology for suooort 'cultually appropriate realtionships that are meaning for to iwi Māori (Māori families and extended communities" (bishop, 1996
Whaka: to happen, whānau- family ngā- more than one tanga- pope
Can mean people united via shared interest, understanding
The teachers
Ngāti Hine. Became a state highschool secondary school
Western European NW Jade. Dance teacher for 10 years. High Māori percent who participate in dance subject
Lisa is Māori with m dad and ozie m. 8 years-
Robin- 18 years teacher Pākeha
Relationships
Practical tools
a. tika focusing on the collectives needs and being flexible. b. pono integrety, activating space
c. showing aroha
d. awhi supporting otherssharing story
e manaki extending hospitality.
f. tiaki offering guidance when asked
Personal and professional histories were revealed. Informal and formal help the construction of research through constucting research questions. It was then check back with the interviewee to ensure truthful representation occued
Qualitative research inquiry. beneficial and a tool without oppressives agendas
Classroom. Acknowledge Stories. Key things emperged.
- Teachers id constructs pedagogy
-cultural landscapes Secondary schools in NZ
-Relationships Māori students and teachers.
-Resources in the dance class.
Recognised relationships
Aim= advance Maori student wellbeing. whakawhnaungatanga.
Lisa: māori but feels not qualified and little exposure. Fear of judgement. doesnt look . Bringing outsid being inside classroom- whānau, others friends impression of sefl. Idenitity is complex.
Cultural identitiy chapes thier
Robin-recognises Māori expertise is important approaches in teaching indigenous dance and knowledge (Like any form of knowledge- Ellie). Cultural exposure (shame and dislike for Māori practice). Fear of disresecting students culture. Knowledge and no knowledge- WHITE.. cultuually homogenised (make uniformed) - Back to cominalitydoes not mean uniformaty - page 7
Lack of sense of belonging, culture= hard to engage in anothers culture.
" As such, relationships within the
classroom highlight the importance of teachers being able to appreciate their own
identities in the learning environment (Savage et al. 2011) "
English medium- Robin, Lisa and Jade. -
haka. Fear of being laughed at.- Lisa
Robin- tick the box of treaty of waitangi. Needs more than just me- school policy. dialogue- school framework
But Academics express that the if facilitators are not willing to teach beyond ones own culture, of biculutal treaty objectives are not supported both Maori and non-Māori.
WHat happens sometimes is the simplification of cultural content which devalues the dance genres- based on teachers feeling alienated by content.
Assessments are meant to focus on what the kids do well in
Content based on percieved skill set and knowledge. But when will htese knowldegeds be diversified?? And teachers own skills. Have thier own perceptions of knowing
The need for support for teachers. EG. relevant and responsive relationships
CLarification of student role- not to fill cultural aps. Difference to be contributing verse facilitating content.
M`aori arts beyond the body. Acknowledging personal histories, Wellbeing or curriculum . How you value knowledge affects
How do we ensure students are valued over curriculm outcome or teacher outcome
RELATIONSHIPS. But in the Western educational institutions. schedules.
More resources- M
ori . Problem to construct Maori knowledge in box- source relevants.
Importance of critical reflection on equitable cultural pedagogy.
Teachers need tools to recognise thier backgrounds? Ongoing support that includes relationsl communiiteis
Narratives and story telling importance. SUch decisions should also be in wider support - Staff commitees, school leadership . School policies
Needs: Connecting with M`aori = need Teacher Development of cultural awareness, language, Wider school community resources , teacher development,
Relationships affect - cultural pedagogies, cultually responsive pedagogy to valid culutral knowledge in ideologies in art