We are a South Auckland school where the majority of the school is Maori and Pacific Island (90%). I feel that everything I do, and we do as a school, is culturally responsive and in the best interests of the children we teach. We have a Samoan principal, Cook Island, Maori, Samoan and European deputy principals and an eclectic mix of Maori, Pacific Island, European and Indian staff members.
Decision Making:
Our community is a very important part of our decision making process.
*We send out questionnaires when needed to ask for input and to gather data. We often have these translated into the main languages of our school to ensure that everyone has as much chance to participate as everyone else.
*We start our year off by having Parent Evenings running over several weeks. We include our main groups - but do not lump Pacific Islanders as one. We run a Maori, Tongan, Samoan, Cook Island and European and other night. Each night has translators to again ensure inclusion and full participation. We ask their vision for their children and their learning, what they would like to see happen in their child's school so this can then be acted on.
Communication:
* We communicate in all the normal ways - newsletter, notes home, phone calls, visits.
* When we are sending questionnaires or letters asking for input we often translate these to ensure there is more participation.
* We have class blogs to show each classes learning. Parents can check and comment on these at any time and are encouraged to do so.
* Our Facebook page advertises each time a blog post is made so that parents are notified. Our blog traffic has increased exponentially since we advertised on Facebook.
* The different Pasifika performing groups, and the Travelwise group have their own blogs to keep in contact with the community and families.
Planning and Assessment:
* We take into regard what our whanau and community want us to teach their chidlren. At parent nights one of the questions relates to what they would like to see happening in the school. We are in Term 3 teaching flight so that we can incorporate the teaching of the legend of the kite is our school motto (Soaring to Success) and is a legend from Manurewa.
* We have implemented a programme called Mutukaroa this year to further engage our parents in their child's learning, and to understand the processes we follow at school and how best they can help their child at home.
Mutukaroa sets out to explore and implement a personalised approach that would develop honest, robust, and rigorous relationships with parents and whānau. The principle intentions of Mutukaroa are to grow relationships based on trust, build understanding, invite a two-way knowledge exchange, and encourage parents and whānau to participate actively in their child’s learning. (Ministry of Education, 2014)
Learning and School Wide Activities:
* We have a powhiri to welcome visitors. We have a school haka we perform, and children are taught this early on. A prime example of how important it is that everyone knows this haka and powhiri ritual is our performing groups were in Wellington and we had to welcome Sir Graham Henry into the school. The Year 5 and 6 children who did not participate in the Wellington trip could step up and become leaders for this event.
* We have the Tuakana Teina concept in our school where older children help and work with the younger in a buddy system.
(Ministry of Education, n.d)* The school is sperated into houses (Pukeko, Kotare, Kakapo, Piwakawaka) for competition - both in and outside of the classroom. It's a great opportunity for friendly competition and for working together.
* We have cultural days/weeks that relate to the Language Weeks. Samoan Lanaguge WEek was a huge success and the entire shcool gets involved. There are challenges each day where classes learn phrases and put an entry on the blogs to show their learning. We do the same for Maori Language week, and make our own weeks for Cook Island, Tongan, Niuean and Indian languages.
References:
Ministry of Education. (2014). Mutukaroa. Retrieved July, 2015, from http%3A%2F%2Fnzcurriculum.tki.org.nz%2FSystem-of-support-incl.-PLD%2FSchool-initiated-supports%2FMutukaroa
e Aho Arataki Marau mō te Ako i Te Reo Māori - Kura Auraki
Curriculum Guidelines for Teaching and Learning Te Reo Māori in English-medium Schools: Years 1-13
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