"Biculturalism" In The Classroom

You teach from your own experience as a cultural member. Education in Aotearoa is Eurocentric in essence, despite increasing efforts, and for this to be further perpetrated by an authoritative teacher enhances the marginalisation of non-European learners. Within the structural hierarchy of teacher to student, it is essential that teachers are not only aware, but increasingly attuned to what this means in a bicultural and multicultural education setting (Bell, 2011). Bell notes how culturally responsive teaching is inherently political in its application, is emancipatory, and negates the stereotypical application of deficit thinking held by pervasive biased beliefs (2011). It is not equal opportunity, but equity of outcomes which needs to be at the forefront of any teaching pedagogy.

Fraser and Hill stress that a culturally responsive pedagogy is essential for dismantling the overarching implications of Māori and Pasifika non-engagement in learning, and enhancing both the achievement and enjoyment for previously marginalised students (2016). The government has begun tentative exploration of indigenous rights, however this is not enough to bolster the limited ability for structural self-sufficiency of Māori and increase the diminishing local community where tikanga Māori is the norm (Tawhai, 2013). There is no mention of Māori as tangata whenua in the treaty – their “citizenship” was part of a global, world membership of colonial Britain. This effectively erases indigenous and cultural governing structures, and thus identity as Māori. Furthermore, hapū and iwi were not treated as a collective identity, which removes yet another practice of Māori cultural beliefs – the individual existed only in the colonialist view and was another tool for reducing self-governance of Māori (Tawhai, 2013).

Not only are socio-economic and parental influence important, but the long lasting effects of colonialism and lack of Māori achievement in school which allows for a consistent degree of disengagement in learning (Nuthall, 2007). Distinctive lack of cultural engagement is seen with low-achieving students, which furthers the stronghold of other avenues such as gang membership to foster that sense of community and belonging. Nuthall also noted unwillingness of other students to engage in talks of Pasifika culture as experienced by their peers (2007). His research found marginalisation felt by students was enhanced by exclusionary language of the teacher, and lack of involvement of anything other than verbal Māori cues (Nuthall, 2007). This social segregation reinforces inequality, and is further perpetrated by “ethnic blindness” of teachers. By refusing to acknowledge multiculturalism in the classroom, you are denying an aspect of a student’s identity and extending institutional bias (Fraser & Hill, 2016).

Bi-cultural & multi-cultural education:

Bicultural education is the rubric from where teachers approach both tikanga Māori cultural practices and a European educational framework. We are a bicultural nation (as well as a multicultural society), meaning that both of these aspects must be fully integrated and implemented for the benefit of the educational majority. Tātaiako shows us that by combining ako, whanaungatanga, tangata whenuatanga, manaakitanga & wānanga competencies, we can bolster and enable Māori success in education. By participating with both learners and communities (whānau, hapū, iwi), an inclusive approach to bicultural education is able to be achieved to a greater extent (Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa, 2016). Wānanga gives Māori community room for self-governance within an educational framework which may differ from a teacher’s experience. This is essential to note, especially the importance of whanangatanga for teachers in understanding their position of privilege and power within a bicultural and multicultural postcolonial social construct (Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa , 2016).

Multicultural education stems from our national community and the vibrancy of ethnicities that this includes (Bell, 2011). Acknowledgement and exploration of various ethnic groups identifies belonging to a global community, and aids in understanding and gaining empathy for a wide range of religious, cultural, and social practices. Implementing multicultural practices into the classroom enhances the learning experience all involved, and aids in providing a base of acceptance for the various culturally diverse members of the classroom.

The similarities of both bicultural and multicultural education are easily identifiable, with a collective acknowledgement of a non-European cultural membership (or at least non-pākeha). The appropriate investigation and celebration of cultural differences, as well as how they fit into a New Zealand educational setting are consistent between the two – for example, Matariki, observation of Ramadan, Chinese New Year, Diwali etc. We see membership in multicultural groups such as Pasifika students performing at PolyFest which is encouraged and supported.

Conversely, bicultural education has the specific task of ensuring the Treaty of Waitangi is being acknowledged, as well as the indigenous implications of colonialism. Whilst these issues occur in one form or another in numerous other countries, they are New Zealand-centric in nature, and specifically engage with indigenous Māori practice in a postcolonial setting.

Benefits of bi-cultural & multi-cultural approaches:

Implementing the guiding principles, tools, and strategies of Tātaiako and Ka Hikitia in conjunction with the New Zealand Curriculum [NZC], ensures the development of community relationships and engagement with Māori will be enhanced. This is beneficial for not only students, but parents who perhaps had a negative schooling experience. The results of a bicultural approach to education means that a multicultural engagement of students is easily implemented into this pedagogy. The benefits of this for ALL students, not just Māori, are tenfold.

Firstly, Māori students will have the opportunity for higher engagement if tikanga is observed, with a culturally relevant learning environment providing a holistic base for learning (Bell, 2011). By following the practice of tikanga Māori in the classroom, a community engagement (including whānau and parents) means that a collective model of support will be put in place to aid in the academic success of Maori students. Parental engagement has a significant effect on the attitudes towards learning, and if parents struggled at school it is likelier that the children will have a pervasively negative attitude towards it as well (Rahsbrooke, 2013).

Secondly, the implementation of a culturally appropriate learning environment for Māori means that the observance of other cultural belief systems will be seen as equally important by students (if an inclusive approach is adopted and modelled by the teacher). For those with cultural membership outside of Māori or Pākeha identification, a sense of cultural expression and observation is key in providing a safe learning environment of all students.

Thirdly, for the European majority, the observation of bicultural and multicultural practice in education intensely aids in the wider understanding of racial and ethnic inequality. Through empathetic exploration and understanding of both Māori and (for example) Pasifika cultural practices, is the first step in identifying racial privilege and the widespread and long lasting effects of colonialism. By acknowledging and participating in a bicultural and multicultural society through education, cultural/racial/ethnic majority students can be the beginning of the dismantling of the institutional bias and deficit stereotypes pervasive in society.

Expression of multi-cultural & bi-cultural context:

 
(review of an education provider's mission statement)

The school’s mission statement and values touch on the subject of diversity, and at first glance seem to promote the valued variety of students to achieve together. The vision statement uses vague key words also, with “culturally located” being apparently inclusive of a ethnically diverse school population. Native trees and a koru are used to express their indigenous and “culturally located” ethos, as well as a picture of the kapa haka group. This seems to be a theme with the school, with the house system also having Māori identifiers. Something to note in the first three pages of the document is the school’s unwillingness to lend itself to any concrete identification of cultural exploration. The initial evaluation is one of “ticking the boxes” to keep the ERO wolves at bay. This spoon-fed Māoridom is essentially unhelpful for bicultural education, and lends itself to nothing more than token key words.

Significant areas to strengthen & prioritise:

1). The school’s inclusion of the community as a whole is through newsletters, with nothing else in the way of community engagement. This does not even begin to touch on the base of tikanga Māori and community identity and engagement, which in turn will only exacerbate the truancy problem beginning to emerge. Pasifika students are also noted as having high levels of truancy – again highly likely to the lack of cohesion between school, home, and the community. A strong sense of “otherness” is most likely felt in a highly Eurocentric learning environment.

2). In fact, there is no mention of Pasifika at all aside from the truancy note from ERO. Being “culturally located” does not mean simply noting Māori trees as house names, it is having a Pasifika group (however small), having times in the year to celebrate various cultural events, and normalising multiculturalism within classroom teaching practice. Pasifika students are not the only members of the multicultural school environment, with students from China, Vietnam, South Korea, and Germany having a vast amount of ethnic and cultural diversity to enrich the school. This bipartisan approach to multiculturalism is inherently unhelpful – either being European, Māori, or “other” scaffolds a cultural hierarchy which reinforces a wider social construct.

3). There is no pastoral care for Māori, Pasifika, or international students. It contradicts the term ‘pastoral care’, if there is not a culturally relevant environment to feel safe, heard, and most importantly understood. Engagement with truant students by an authoritative figure that will have little to no experience in belonging to a minority colonised culture is going to be ultimately unhelpful, and enhance the feeling of marginalisation within a school setting, as well as in the larger community.

4). The token use of Māori key phrases borders on mockery if there is no cultural follow through. Tikanga Māori is unable to be upheld and ethically observed if it is routinely picked apart at the shallowest of levels. Furthering this, the community environment of the classrooms evidences the unilateral hierarchical structure of teacher teaching to students, as opposed to a community environment where learning is shared and investigated together.

To conclude, whilst commendable efforts are being made to “reduce” or “reverse” the effects of colonialist cultural genocide of Māori in Aotearoa, a shift in the institutionalised approach not only by the education sector, but by the national community as a whole is essential. Simply writing the date on the board in te reo, and using “kia ora” as a greeting is a weak display of tokenism and ultimately reinforces the idea that tikanga Māori must only be applied at face value. Bicultural and multicultural education are essential to the enhancement of academic success for all students, and is vitally important for education in Aotearoa.

References:

Bell, B. (2011). Theorising Teaching in Secondary Classrooms: Understanding our practice from a sociocultural perspective. Cornwall, UK: Routledge.

Fraser, D., & Hill, M. (Eds.). (2016). The Professional Practice of Teaching in New Zealand (5th ed.). Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning. (Original work published 2012).

George, A. S., Brown, S., & O'Neill, J. (Eds.). (2014). Facing The Big Questions In Teaching: Purpose, power and learning (2nd ed.). Victoria, Australia: Cengage Learning. (Original work published 2009). 

Graham, L., Berman, J., & Bellert, A. (2015). Sustainable Learning: Inclusive practices for 21st century classrooms. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Mullholland, M., & Tawhai, V. (2010). Weeping Waters: The Treaty of Waitangi and Constitutional Change. Wellington, New Zealand: Huia Publishers. 

Nuthall, G. (2007). The Hidden LIves of Learners. Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER Press. 

Rashbrooke, M. (Ed.). (2013). Inequality: A New Zealand Crisis. Wellington, New Zealand: Bridget Williams Books Limited. 

Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa. (2013). Summary of Ka Hikitia: Accelerating success 2013 - 2017. Aotearoa: Te Tāhuhu o Te Mātauranga. 

Te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa. (2016). Tātaiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Māori leaners. Aotearoa: Matatū Aotearoa.