Dom 6: Cultural Responsiveness
Journal
22.10.2015
With my background in Te Ao Maori and a growing interest in Deaf culture I believe my strength lies in cultural responsiveness and I seem to have a knack for bringing people together. Therefore collaboration and creating culturally-safe classrooms/schools is a natural focus for me. My appetite has been whetted in culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy and I believe even when the course has finished I will continue to pick up research in this field of study and run with it beyond my retirement, such is my growing passion for empowering youth, through education.
Maori-Deaf identity
16.10.2015
Pasifika Success
Ministry of Education Statement of Intent
PRIORITY OUTCOME 1 Improving education outcomes for Māori learners, Pasifika leaarners,
learners with special education needs and learners from low socio-economic backgrounds.
PRIORITY OUTCOME 2 Maximising the contribution of education to the New Zealand economy.
The Pasifika Education Plan 2013–2017 (PEP) personalises all of the Ministry of Education and Education Partner Agencies’ work to Pasifika. Personalising is used to show that the PEP puts Pasifika learners, their parents, families and communities at the centre, so that all activities ensure the Ministry of Education and Education Partner Agencies are responding to the identities, languages and cultures of each Pasifika group. This requires the PEP to take account of processes, methodologies, theories and knowledges that are fa‘asamoa (the Samoan way), faka-Tonga (the Tongan way), fakaTokelau (the Tokelau way), faka-Niue (the Niue way), akano‘anga Kūki ‘Āirani
(the Cook Islands way), and vaka-Viti (the Fijian way), for the major Pasifika
populations. Pasifika Success will be characterised by demanding, vibrant, dynamic,
successful Pasifika learners, secure and confident in their identities, languages
and cultures, navigating through all curriculum areas such as the arts, sciences,
technology, social sciences and mathematics. Data and information will be used to increase the knowledge and voice of Pasifika learners, parents, families and communities, so they can demand better outcomes and influence the education system from within.
Pasifika Education Plan 2013-2017 retrieved from http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Ministry/Strategies-and-policies/PasifikaEdPlan2013To2017V2.pdf
Ko Wai Au
Often they are expected to choose which cultural group they affiliate with but Smiler says cultural identification is more fluid than that and depending on which circumstances present, different aspects will come to the fore.
There is no doubt however that those whose cultural background is both Deaf and Maori are vulnerable fence-sitters who neither belong fully in the Deaf or Maori world and have a unique identity niche to carve in a formally oppressive societal legacy. (Smiler 2006)
Deaf-Maori growing up in the residential schools for the deaf were estranged from their cultural roots and although strengthening their Deaf identity and surreptitiously signed language through assocation with other Deaf were highly unlikely to develop their Maori identity in a pakeha-dominated environment.
On the other hand, Maori-Deaf, growing up with their whanau will be privy to cultural practices but will lack the language either for communication or explicit learning and later will seek company with other signing Deaf in order to foster deeper relationships, thereby removing themselves form their cultural roots (Smiler, 2006, p118).
I was suprised to read in Smiler`s (2006) article that Maori have sometimes felt marginalised in a Deaf community, sitting on the borders of both a predominantly pakeha mainstream-hearing community and a pakeha-dominated Deaf community.
image retrieved from:
http://www.education.govt.nz/ministry-of-education/overall-strategies-and-policies/pasifika-education-plan-2013-2017/
15.10.2015
According to the Deaf Maori rangatahi who participated in the Ko Wai Au project, being Deaf does not supercede being Maori. When asked what influences their present sense of identity and well-being almost all of them made reference to their Maori cultural heritage, giving that more or less as much weight as their Deaf cultural background.
Therefore as educators in the Deaf realm we are being asked to respond not only to cultural deafness but to the myriad other cultural nuances of any one student`s life.
Maori-Deaf have a significant place in New Zealand owing to their indigenous status and therefore acknowledging them as tangata whenua and Treaty partners means "seeing their voices". Their unique cultural standpoint can offer insight into meeting the needs of these yound people whose cultural legacy places them in (at least) two of the minority cultures, both with a history of being repressed.
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=pasifika+culture&safe=strict&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIspPmsbfUyAIVgiamCh2_CQ-T#imgdii=pUqebltS4qyD2M%3A%3BpUqebltS4qyD2M%3A%3BXz8jTX1aasNq6M%3A&imgrc=pUqebltS4qyD2M%3A
Maori - Deaf
The call is to become “culturally intelligent educators”.
The Pasifika strategy which Kelston has adopted fits nicely into other pedagogy but it is all coming together now with a focus on student-centred learning, collaboration and recognising multiple identities.
In my practice I can see the need and relevance of adopting a similar response not only to our Pasifika and Maori students but to all of our students, recognising the particular and unique cultural identities of our Deaf rangatahi.
cont..
15.10.2015
Cultural Responsiveness
There is however no special consideration, other than a generic mention, given to Pasifika children who are also Deaf and on account of this cannot easily access the majority culture, language and social norms.
Also there may be shame attached (see Attitude in Samoa) for the family who are reluctant to identify themselves in relation to their child with special needs.
There may also be many bridges to cross, considering that many Pasifika adults are under qualified and may feel out of place in an educational setting with much unfamiliar jargon to negotiate.
Also, as expressed in both Angela Sew Hoy and Patrick Thompson`s accounts of growing up under the umbrella of two minority cultures their need is multi-faceted according to the multiple cultures with which they identify and in particular a unique identity which is, as yet,under-catered for.
I think it is presumtious to decide that early childhood intervention is more important than keeping children at home as long as possible which may be in align with a cultural value.
Whilst the Deaf Association (New Zealand) has been serving needs for Deaf within New Zealand since 1977, representation of Maori Deaf has come under the generic title of Deaf and therefore their needs have been been treated generically An alarming statistical reality hit home when it was observed that Maori Deaf are most highly represented in the negative indicators of the Health, Education and Welfare sectors and that maybe Maori-Deaf have specific needs aligned to their two distinctive minority cultures. In 1994 the Council (DANZ) decided to include one Maori-Deaf representative into their executive line-up which was followed by the formation of a Deaf-Maori Council. Since then Maori-Deaf have strengthened their position by joining forces and alerting the Council to their specific needs and areas of interest and to seek recognition in the various sectors (Dugdale, 2001).
22.10.2015
18.10.2015
17.10.2015
Williams & Abeles (2004) ask professionals to question their own cultural assumptions and biases when working with people who are Deaf and ideally become fluent in sign language and comfortable with Deaf culture (p646). In most cases an interpreter is required and whilst this offers a means of bridging the communication gap it provides other issues, which may prove awkward depending on the previous experience of the client with the interpreter and the context in which they are employed (p645). Interpreters have reached a high level of skill required in language interpretation and therefore more able to decipher the finer nuances of concepts and language required in some specialist scenarios than communicators. They are however not experts in other fields (unless trained accordingly) and the distinction needs to be clear between the different strengths of both interpreter and specialist and a healthy respect for each other fostered (p646). Given the lack of qualified interpreters available at the very least, the authors suggest that professionals acquaint themselves with Deaf culture in order to feel comfortable enough to put the clients at ease (p647).
The inclusive approach, infusing many schools nowadays, invites parents to become more involved in their childrens` schooling. Are educators willing , however, to step back from the mono-cultural assumptions on how this will look and create opportunities for families to become co-creators of culturally safe classrooms? This is the kind of question Gorinsky & Fraser (2006) have unearthed. There needs to be a change from the previous assumptions of mainstream education toward that of a multi-cultural worldview. Furthermore it is outlined that more equitable pedagogy will have a holistic approach, in which the physical, emotional, spiritual, communal and language needs are catered for.
In our 'expert' roles as RTDs, is there scope to have such an intuitive and holistic approach with our students? I see the greatest challenge and greatest potential in the power of collaboration and really believe this is where a lot of our effort could be spent to reach some of the goals that inclusive pedagogy promises.
Becoming culturally responsive in Aotearoa/New Zealand means more than adopting an incusive policy. Maori are indigenous to Aotearoa and have rights under the Treaty of Waitangi and International Law. Both Maori and Deaf languages are officially recognised in New Zealand and therefore both Maori and Deaf New Zealanders have rights and needs based on their indigenous/minority basis and official status.
The Pasifika Education Plan 2013-2017 is in response to the low numbers of Pasifika children entering early education , the under-achievement of educational standards and earlier drop-out of Pasifika school-age children and less numbers entering tertiary education.
The strategy aims to engage Pasifika children in education earlier, imprve their outcomes and through higher education promote greater contribution to the economy of Niu Sila/New Zealand.
The means by which the Ministry of Education presumes to achieve these goals is through collaboration with families and the wider community in a bid to get their buy in to their childrens` educational soccess and by making the educators accountable for getting Pasifika children to school, keeping them there and teaching in a culturally responsive way across the curriculum.
The Ministry of Education promises to collaborate with other providers to enhance policy, share information and upskill new teachers, classroom teachers and specialist teachers with Pasifika-effective teaching programmes and practices.
It`s wondeful to see the Maori-deaf youth in the Ko Wai Au video so empowered. Not only is it in the shifting socio-political climate that they are able to identify themselves with pride but it is in the dedication of people like patrick Thompson (to name a few involved with supporting them on this particular journey) who facilitated an opportunity for them to explore their own identities in the Maori-deaf framework.
We don`t have to have the answers but having the heart to support our rangatahi most at risk, on a journey of self-discovery and self-empowerment is imperative i believe
17.10.2015
18.10.2015
A 1995 report “Tautoko Tangata Turi” noted that –
“Māori Deaf suffer on two levels because of their dual status of being both deaf and being Māori. To be able to fully exercise their tino rangitiratanga (Māori cultural and political self-determination and empowerment) there must be acknowledgement of this dual status and changes put into place to enable Māori Deaf to fulfil their aspirations in both the Māori and Deaf communities where their two cultures will be recognised and validated.”
Maori who are also Deaf are strengthening their unique identity as Maori-Deaf in a society where Maori indigenous rights are more recognised in a society which has oppressed this minority culture group in the past. One of the features of a unique culture is the use of a distinctive language say McKee, McKee, Smiler & Pointon, (2007) and although formerly Maori-Deaf have not had a distinctive signed language there is a growing recognition that in developing such, it will provide a significant step toward strengthening their status in society (p32).
Patrick Thompson (QSM)
Patrick Wikiriwhi Thompson was of Ngati Paoa/Ngati Whanaunga descent. Patrick was born into a traditional Maori family and boarded at Kelston School for the Deaf in the 1970s. Patrick was instrumental in organising the first National Hui for Maori Deaf in 1993. Throughout his career, Patrick acted as an advisor to many groups in the Maori and Deaf communities. Patrick was trilingual, and could communicate in NZSL, English and Te Reo Maori. He was a strong advocate for training and supporting more trilingual interpreters, and for empowering Maori Deaf people to have greater access to both mainstream society and Maori tikanga, and worked with a range of organisations to advance this goal. Patrick was awarded the Queens Service Medal (QSM) in 2013 for his services to Maori, and the Deaf community.
In light of this, as a teacher of the Deaf,
I believe we need to access other Maori-Deaf role models who can provide a sense of positive expectation and aspiration for our Maori-Deaf learners. Given that identifying in this dual role is a relatively new phenomena in the Deaf world there may well be a lack of peoples strong in their dual identity as yet.
Patrick also mentioned how, despite the communication difficulties, he absorbed Maori tikanga by immersion into the Maori world, with and without explicit instruction. Therefore I believe it is important to facilitate opportunities for Maori-Deaf to identify with their own cultural heritage so let`s invite whanau to the party. Teaching te reo Maori and tikanga in the classroom will only go so far but mana is transferred by people with mana therefore let`s harness that energy in the resources we have available, namely; family and wider community.
One of the difficulties around this is creating an environment where our families, who have also been marginalised on account of their ethnicity and have a history of oppression can feel safe and valued.
According to the authors` Maori sign was first conceptualised for the purpose of easing access to Maori tikanga and later suggested as a means of liberating Maori-deaf from the hegemony of the dominant language (p64). Maori-deaf have made it clear that developing Maori sign language is not primarily a means of accessing a hearing-Maori world but rather in formulating a Maori-deaf identity in their own right (p68).Therefore Maori-Deaf have expressed a desire that Maori sign is distinct in form as well as cultural context from that of other NZSL signs. In formulating their own signs, Maori-deaf may be seen as disrupting the perceived unity of Deaf as a distinctive cultural group in New Zealand but on the other hand awareness of this may well invoke greater awareness to the diversity of Deaf within the group (p73). Regardless of the means by which the development of Maori signs is constructed, a shifting sense of power relations and cultural affinity is taking place within this framework and judging by the complexity of linguistic response to the contact between deaf and hearing Maori and deaf pakeha, the construction of Deaf-Maori identity is not easily defined either (p74
Patrick Thompson talks of his dual identity and how empowering it is to identify with both cultural heritages (p172). Earlier in this chapter he spoke of the mana passed down to him of his father and how that has enabled him to stand on the marae with strength and purpose and further on about how he can be a positive role model for others