finding-your-voice-in-a-digital-world

Finding your voice in a digital world

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Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

2020 threw us all a curveball. It was the year of baking banana bread, viral TikTok trends, and online learning. Forget Year of the Rat, 2020 was the year of the Zoom chat. Education, along with the rest of the world, was virtually redefining itself. When I looked ahead to the uLearn20 conference, my first as a presenter, I was both invigorated and daunted by it being online.

While Covid-19 has been the source of some of our problems, more so it has amplified those we have already been facing as a community. It was an amplifier of digital inequity issues, forcing us to reassess our measures of academic achievement. It amplified our pedagogy, forcing educators to adapt our practice to suit a digital format. It has shown us that we need to rethink not only what but how we teach. But has technology been a hindrance or an enabler? Well it kind of depends on who you talk to.

Zoom

Zoom is a tricky beast. Have you ever caught yourself zoning off in your staff Zoom meeting? You are busy reading emails in another tab, or scrolling through your phone trying, all the while, to look like you are listening. I will admit, I am guilty of this. It is an all too real experience. The way we use and view technology as a means for teaching and learning, often depends heavily on the approach we take within the kanohi-ki-te-kanohi (face-to-face) environment of the classroom. I have listened to teachers complain about students sitting with screens off as they talk for 20 minutes into the abyss. I cannot help but question if this is not merely an extension of their kanohi-ki-te-kanohi classroom practices.

The problem with online learning spaces is that they are authoritative. They are focused on teacher-centred knowledge telling, evaluation, and the presentation of unquestioned findings (Juuti et al., 2019). Here is the rub – neither in-class nor digital teaching should be, or has to be authoritative. Digital learning offers us the opportunity to change the script, rethinking learners’, and educators’, roles, personalising learning, and to approach knowledge in ways that promote equity, diversity, and inclusivity (Bolstad et al., 2012).

During the first lockdown, my extended family met regularly on Zoom and we found exciting new ways to pass the time. We would share a novel we were reading, write collaborative quizzes where each family would contribute a round, and we even made a game out of guessing people’s favourite songs. Whilst these experiences were fun, engaging and worked to not only maintain my connection with family, but to strengthen it, at the same time, it got me thinking – what was it about these conversations that made them so enjoyable?

The answer: Talanoa.

Talanoa

The word ‘talanoa’ is a term meaning to talk or speak. In my research, I’ve drawn on the work of Togi Lemanu and other Pacific academics who developed the Talanoa model. (Manuatu, Vaioleti, Mahina, Seve-Williams) (Lemanu, 2014). I have seen how effective Talanoa conversations can be in helping educators better understand the interests and passions of their students.

In my research, I aimed to use four attributes that make the ‘talanoa’ meaningful and rich: Ofa, Malie, Mafana, Faka’apa’apa (ibid). I was interested in how these attributes apply to the way we do digital teaching and learning. And, I wondered whether our most enjoyable and productive digital spaces were inadvertently echoing the principles of Talanoa? Below, I explain how these were applied in my research.

Ofa/Love

When we talanoa, we begin with questions about who we are and where we come from. By providing an opportunity for all involved to feel known and to have their gafa, or genealogy acknowledged, the barriers to building relationships are removed. In my classroom Talanoa, I have observed that this process takes time. I have learnt that you must allow space for these stories to be told.

During the first lockdown, I asked all my classes to engage in a Zoom ‘Show and Tell’, where students could bring their taonga and were given time to share part of who they are. Students in my classes immediately opened up during this time and were far quicker to ask questions about the learning after this experience. They were given a chance to speak and a chance to be heard. The opportunity to speak and share, not only strengthened our whanaungatanga within the class, but also allowed students to apply learning to their personal context.

Malie/Humour

My students are funny. Transcribing our talanoa throughout this research project was a pleasure. Our conversations were punctuated with laughter, the humour allowing us to be real and authentic, as we felt comfortable making jokes. In digital spaces, I’ve seen people use humour to liven up meetings, with challenges, funky backgrounds, and silly digs at one another in the chat. I always come away feeling more engaged after I’ve had a good laugh.

Mafana/Warmth

Both Ofa and Malie help build Mafana in our conversations. Talanoa needs to be warm and unthreatening to the parties involved. Lemanu makes the salient observation that “at times, teachers just want to get to the point and then move on.” This was my experience in both digital and kanohi-ki-te-kanohi class talanoa. Active listening, taking the time to build rapport, and developing a connection is something that did not come naturally. I’m often quick to try to get to the point but I’ve learnt that talanoa is as much about journeying through conversation together as it is the destination.

Faka’apa’apa/Respect

Respect is overarching in talanoa conversations. Mutual respect involves actively listening and allowing students to make authentic contributions. It is about the purpose. We need to give students a platform; recognising that everyone has a voice and a contribution to make. I keep seeing this phrase at the start of webinars and teachers’ classrooms: “Mute your mic please”. It makes me question how often education spaces are instruction heavy and dominated by a single voice. Instead of asking students to mute their microphones, we should be providing opportunities for rich ‘unmuted’ learning conversations to take space.
When reflecting on the first digital hui for our eFellows, I shared that the moments I found most valuable were those where I was able to bounce ideas off other people. Where I was heard, where I was able to joke, where I didn’t feel afraid to share my potentially half-baked ideas.

Conclusion

What became clear is what works for teachers, works for students. We are a reflection of one another and so are our best learning experiences. What if we took all our boring Zoom chats, instructional meetings and webinars and compared them to both our live and digital classrooms. Would we see much difference?

I wonder what the education sphere might look like if we embodied Talanoa in everything we do? In our teaching, meetings, and professional development. Technology will always be an amplifier but what if we changed the practice it was amplifying?
The irony of this is that a blog post can often feel like a one-sided conversation. You’ve heard my thoughts; I’d love to hear yours and in doing so, maybe we can start a conversation.

Find out more about the Dr Vince Ham eFellowship and read Kit’s research report

Further readings

References

Bolstad, R., Gilbert, J., McDowall, S., Bull, A., Boyd, S., & Hipkins, R. (2012). Supporting future-oriented learning & teaching. Ministry of Education.
Juuti, K., Loukomies, A., & Lavonen, J. (2019). Interest in Dialogic and Non-Dialogic Teacher Talk Situations in Middle School Science Classroom. International Journal Of Science And Mathematics Education, 18(8), 1531-1546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-019-10031-2
Lemanu, T. (2014). Creating the ‘talanoa’ conversation is all it takes… [Blog]. Retrieved 20 April 2021, from http://blog.core-ed.org/blog/2014/12/creating-the-talanoa-conversation-is-all-it-takes.html.
Vaioleti, T. (2016). Talanoa Research Methodology: A Developing Position on Pacific Research. Waikato Journal Of Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.15663/wje.v12i1.296

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Talanoa Mai: Pacific early learning services engaging online

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Image owned by CORE Education, all rights reserved.

Tapena sou ōso mo lau malaga.
Prepare yourself a gift for your travels.

This Samoan proverb asks people to prepare for the road ahead. It highlights the importance of honouring, respecting and sharing the gifts of life’s journey. Aupito William Sio, Minister of Pacific Peoples, used this proverb recently in an interview with Radio New Zealand noting its appropriateness for our current times as a way to help Pacific peoples of Aotearoa contribute to ‘Rebuilding Together’.

In this blog I look at what preparedness means for the early learning sector, and in particular Pacific kaiako, in a world impacted by Covid-19. How can we still learn together and share our stories when we are not physically together?

Sections are:
A dramatic introduction to learning online
Our team flipped its learning model
What matters? Inspiration online with a focus on spirituality, resilience and wellbeing
Highlights and kaiako feedback
Vahevahe – one service shares their story
Using cultural models as a framework for connecting online
Resources to support leaders, kaiako and parents in online learning
What I’ve learned about these experiences
Nofo ‘a Kainga – a poem by the late Siosifa Pau’uvale
Come and join the Early Years team at uLearn 20!

A dramatic introduction to learning online

Online learning became part of the landscape for early learning services in a rather dramatic way in 2017 through a professional learning programme funded by the Ministry of Education. The programme supported the implementation of the updated curriculum Te Whāriki (2017). This was one of the first times that learning had been offered online in this way – and we all had to learn fast to get up to speed! It included 100 live webinars on Zoom (with over 13,000 participants and, to date, 74,022 views of the recordings).

This meant that many of us were already well prepared for the online learning journey brought about by Covid-19.

Three years on our landscape has again shifted dramatically. Online learning is no longer a new approach but a way of life as we navigate lockdowns and alert levels. While many kaiako tell us that they prefer the collaborative and collective nature of face to face learning, including our Pacific colleagues, we’ve all had to adapt and mobilise our teams to learn together online.

“The number of Pacific leaders and teachers using online platforms to engage in professional learning increased during the lockdown. They have developed confidence in using online platforms to connect with others.” (Facilitator)

Our team flipped its learning model

The CORE Early Years team has been fortunate to engage with kaiako across the country who have been implementing Tapasā, the cultural competencies framework this year. Like many other groups, we have needed to shift all our professional learning engagements online. Our facilitators had to adapt to online delivery. We’ve been used to face to face fono and relied on visits to early learning services to support practice. Our team strengthened our online mentoring strategies as an effective way to support leaders.

These intense experiences have allowed us to learn so much from colleagues in Pacific early learning services and mainstream services about facilitating learning online that matters, and that makes a difference. We would love to share some of these insights with you through this blog.

What matters? Inspiration online with a focus on spirituality, resilience and wellbeing

“Pacific wellness …planning to keep everyone safe and strong with their emotional and spiritual wellness during the most arduous legs of our post Covid-19 journey.” (Aupito William Sio)

During Alert Level 1 we supported Auckland Pacific early learning services with a programme funded by the Ministry of Education. The ‘recovery and resilience’ programme was facilitated as an online experience and included a combination of inspirational speakers, community and church ministers, a session on wellbeing and space for kaiako and leaders to share practical examples of their learning and connecting from home.

To connect in a meaningful way online we wanted to maintain the values we would normally express in face to face fono. For us this meant a strong focus on identities, languages and cultures as well as weaving together well-being and spirituality. We started our sessions with blessings from community leaders and church ministers which supported cultural locatedness – a key competency of Tapasā. This prepared us well to come together, share our gifts and most importantly have some fun while learning about resilience strategies through drawing, singing and listening to others. Although challenged, we realised anything was possible and many of our pedagogical practices could be transferred to online including mindfulness, poetry and reflection. One of our facilitators commented on the importance of joy, connection and creating inspiration, hope and optimism.

“Quite deep relationships can be created on-line” (Participant)

“We could really talk like we were face to face” (Participant)

CORE facilitator Ara Simmons reflected on her experience supporting wellbeing.

“Having a series of experiences as opposed to workshops was an initial step in focusing us in on the purpose of gathering together with a variety of Pacifika communities in the ECE sector. Having the opportunity in creating such an experience that placed spirituality front and centre of wellbeing was unique as there often is not such an opportunity in education. Really homing in on the purpose enabled me to let go of a traditional workshop format and offer a more connected feel of fellowship where individuals could connect to their own wellbeing and express this in both verbal and non-verbal ways.”

Another inspirational speaker was Jason Tiatia. Jason encouraged us to look to our past, before reimagining learning that is relevant to the lives of Pacific learners, and to reimagine success as a collective.

“Recreating familiar environments, and contexts that nurture collaboration, culture and language will lead to a greater sense of belonging and improved wellbeing.”

Highlights and kaiako feedback

For some kaiako online learning offered a more personalised approach, which they liked. Others commented on the benefits for the environment and family life with less travel and that the timing of the PLD suited being in their own homes. The opportunity to hear from different people across the country and the collective wisdom of the group was a highlight and many enjoyed sharing ideas and gaining insight into how other services were coping.

“The importance of looking after our Body, Mind & Spirit for our work.”

“Learnt some awesome calming techniques that we could use with tamariki”

“Less travel, better for the environment, people can be in the comforts of their own home. Early shifts in ECCs – don’t have to wait around for meetings”

“In terms of getting connection, getting the participants to draw on a map of the islands (a Zoom tool), where they were from”

Vahevahe – one service shares their story

“[the sharing by Jeanne] of their Akoteu journey before and during Covid-19 [was] invaluable” (Participant)

CORE facilitator, Lorraine Pauuvale-Paea, talked with Jeanne Pauuvale Teisina about Akoteu Kato Kakala – a Tongan early learning service – about their story of online engagement.  Jeanne shared that “Connectedness was more crucial than any other time in the history of the service’s operation”. It was important for their community to foreground tauhi Vaa (relationships) in unprecedented times. How do we take care of the Vaa to ensure it is stronger and connected during Covid-19? This was a guiding question for the teaching team. The centre manager commented that they saw great examples of effective leadership during times of uncertainty, crisis and change. Lessons and examples were shared with each other online for all to learn from. At Akoteu, kaiako shared how they used the ‘mana’ of Te Whāriki (2017) to guide them in their calling to connect with tamariki and whānau. Kaiako did this by sharing visual displays of the curriculum in action through children learning from home.

“Ko e ‘ui mei he ate- the absence of the children at the centre yet connected through online made their presence known and valuable contributing to the langa ngāue (building success) of AKK” (Centre Manager)

Used with permission from Lorraine Pau’uvale-Paea.
Used with permission from Lorraine Pau’uvale-Paea.

Using cultural models as a framework for connecting online

“By bringing in cultural models, it increases buy-in, because people feel the connection and understand it implicitly. It speaks to them” (Kaiako)

“Deepen our own learning and understandings about concepts that relates and reflect our sense of reality” (Kaiako)

An important focus in our PLD programmes is unpacking different cultural models as authentic and empowering ways to align Pacific values with leadership, governance and curriculum. Services share models that fit their world view and that connect to their philosophy and local curriculum. These models and practices became useful guides to navigate the challenges of Covid-19, to engage fanau, communicate online and provide learning for children and connect with teams. An example of this are the four baskets of knowledge; Le Tofa (knowledge), Le Pule (governance), Le Tautua (service) and Le Va Fealoa’i (relationships) which have been used as a guide to support online engagement.

Resources to support leaders, kaiako and parents in online learning

During lockdown leaders and kaiako focused on their own professional practice by accessing online resources and downloadable workshops, including from Te Whāriki Online. An example is the Spotlight on Practice – Pacific voices in Te Whāriki. Services also shared their experiences about engaging with families during lockdown and contributed to the development of videos and stories for the sector in the Learning from Home series funded by the Ministry of Education such as Let’s imagine.

lets-image
Screenshot of Let’s Imagine video, Ministry of Education

CORE facilitator Ruta McKenzie talks about the importance of authenticity that reflects four elements of talanoa- talanoa alofa, talanoa mafana, talanoa malie and talanoa fa’aaloalo. These elements demonstrate caring, warmth, humour and respect. We asked participants what helped and what we need to consider when facilitating online learning.

Here are some of our tips and strategies based on kaiako feedback and our sense making:

  • Go in ahead of time to check links and to practice using Zoom
  • Set up rituals for beginning and end (e.g. music on arrival)
  • Be culturally responsive – have a Pacific facilitator
  • Check in with everyone before you get underway
  • Identity the hosts within the online group
  • Have someone on standby for technical support – a helpdesk email or phone number
  • Make it a fun experience – with singing and laughter
  • Provide time and space for talking and sharing
  • Silence is ok when reflecting, stretching and drawing
  • Use grid view to see each other – even at times during the presentation
  • Use the chat box for sharing ideas and sharing resources. Have a person who looks after and
  • monitors the chat box – acknowledge contributions, invite questions
  • Use break out rooms with a facilitator in each room
  • Dual facilitation is important
  • Encourage whole teams to engage in online mentoring

We all need to work hard to design inclusive learning experiences by being open to feedback and willing to adapt and try new things. We need to invite the indigenous knowledge of others and strive to make a difference so that online learning can be a positive and rewarding experience for all.

What I’ve learned about these experiences

What stands out to me about learning online is the importance of starting well. This means having space to validate individual world views, focus on connection, and create a culture of sharing and reflection. It’s a bit different to being face to face but thinking about time differently is important and shifting your mindset to see the possibilities and benefits. There is still a pedagogy to consider – be intentional in building relational trust so everyone can contribute. Think critically about how you invite participation with careful preparation, clear guidelines, use of breakouts, drawing, using the chat and using home languages. We need to work hard to shift the power imbalance, and realise that less is more! Some information is best communicated via other channels – handouts, links, emails. The time together online is a taonga – it’s about the people, the dialogue and the collective.

This poem by the late Siosifa Pau’uvale Nofo ‘a Kainga is about what binds us together – it’s the interrelationships that connect us.

Nofo ‘a Kainga – a poem by the late Siosifa Pau’uvale

Tulou moe talamalu ‘o e fonua
Kau lave ki he fa’unga ‘o e nofo ‘a kainga
‘oku kamata he ‘uluaki matu’a
Moe fua hona manava ko hona fakakoloa’
Koe famili eni ‘o e Tamai ‘a e ma’uanga tala’
Ke ne tala e tapu’ mo e ngaahi ngofua’
Tauhi ‘a e faka’apa’apa mo e loto ‘ofa
Talangofua’ moe tauhi vaa’.
‘A e ngaue mateaki’ moe mamahi’i me’a’
‘Isa na’a ngalo e ngaahi felave’i ki tu’a’
‘A e famili ne tupu ai si’i fa’e ‘ofa’
Pehee ki he Tamai mo hono hu’unga’.
Koeni ‘a e pule’anga ‘o e nofo ‘a kainga’

Ko hai ‘oku ‘a’ana e tala fatongia fakakatoa
He hoko ha me’a fakamamahi pe fakafiefia’
‘I he siakale ‘o e nofo ‘a kainga’.
Ke matu’otu’a fakatoto ‘o e tupu’anga’
Seuke he ‘ikai ngalo e ngaahi matakali ‘iloa
Ne punakaki mei he ongo ‘uluaki fa’unga’
Pea toki tatuku ki he ngaahi ha’a
Ko hono taki ‘a e ‘ulumotu’a’.
‘Io koe mape ia ‘o e nofo ‘a e Tonga’.
‘Oku siakale ‘uluaki kihe ‘uluaki faa’.
Ko e famili, kainga, matakali moe ngaahi ha’a’
‘Oku maau, ‘oku melino pea tolonga ‘o laulau to’utangata’.
Malo fau e fatu moe langa hota fonua’
‘Oua ‘e felakaaki he siakale tupu’a
Nofo ki he ‘uluaki fa’unga tala’
Ko ia e ma’uma’uluta’anga e Tonga’

Come and join the Early Years team at uLearn20!

CORE Education’s annual conference for educators, uLearn, is moving online this year. Kaiako from early learning services throughout Aotearoa are warmly invited to join CORE’s Early Years team to carry on the conversation started in this blog by Kathryn O’Connell-Sutherland.

Reimaging, reaffirming and recreating with Jason Tiatia

Jason Tiatia is one of CORE’s activators at uLearn20! Jason will be talking about designing learning environments that enhance success for Pacific learners by putting learners and their āiga at the centre of the design.

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Voices from the Pacific – Lost in translation

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E lē falala fua le niu, ‘ae falala ona o le matagi.
The coconut tree doesn’t sway on its own, but is swayed by the wind.

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How do we define culture? Who is responsible for developing one’s culture? What measure and importance is given to an individual’s culture? At what age do we develop a good understanding of who we are and where we are from? What role as educators do we have in acknowledging the culture of our learners? This blog aims to challenge our thinking, question our personal judgements and encourages us to distinguish perception from reality. Information and statistics included in this blog have been developed from the perspectives and results of collated research data from 30 ākonga, both male and female, from 8 – 18 years of age across Te Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki Makaurau who identify as Tongan, Samoan, Niuean, Cook Islands and Māori.

For some of the questions posed in the opening there is not a clear answer. However, they do draw attention to the inequities, confusion, and at times frustration, felt by ākonga as they to begin to ask themselves who they really are. Do these infants, toddlers, children and young adults transition from their homes to their educational contexts with the same values, beliefs and teachings that they share with aiga (family)? Are we encouraging them to bring their kete (basket) of knowledge or are they leaving it at the door on their way in? Do we inadvertently ask them to step into another world that may be foreign to them? The Ministry of Education draws attention to this, ‘Pacific peoples are one of the larger ethnic groups in New Zealand, with the highest proportion of children aged 0-14 years. It is estimated that the number of Pacific learners will increase from 10 to 20 percent of the total school population by 2050’ (2017, p.1). As educators we have an important part to play, starting with pronouncing their names correctly.

What cultural lens do you see through?

Cultural identity through a Pasifika lens may look different from how we imagine as educators. We cannot learn about a culture from attending pre-service teacher training or from reading textbooks. We need to understand the struggle that many of our young Pasifika people face today. Growing our understanding is a critical part of changing mindsets. Our classrooms provide  forums where they can feel validated, and where their messages are heard. The research data highlighted how deeply ambivalent ākonga feelings are towards education. Despite what we perceive to be a culturally responsive curriculum and delivery in New Zealand 66.7 percent of learners have had their name mispronounced or have been referred to, and compared against, another family member who has been a past ākonga at their current centre or school. Therefore, their identity as an individual feels lost as they are always stepping into the footsteps of another member of their family.

As one ākonga stated in a 1:1 interview, ‘we are expected to respect the names of all the adults in our school…I feel that we deserve the same respect’, ‘you only need to ask me how to say it and I will help’. Another stated, ‘saying my name right is important to me’. Due to similar experiences across cultures, one ākonga in Auckland has created an app to support educators in their pronunciation of student names – Prounounce App for Educators.

voices-of-the-pacific

Showcase my talents

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This voice recording is taken from the voice of a 14-year-old Tongan-born male when asked to write his first speech. He took this as an opportunity to change mindsets and when thinking about one’s own culture, some pertinent messages became evident. What makes our ākonga proud? What stereotypes do they want addressed? Here are some  voices taken directly from ākonga who took part in  this research:

“We are just not your normal rugby players, fast food workers, bus drivers, road workers and that we are more than what statistics say we are”

“That I show who I am for myself and for who I want to be”

“Knowing who I am as an individual and how my heritage, upbringing and understanding of society impacts that”

“Acknowledgement of my cultures is a proud moment in itself”

“My culture values and beliefs are important to me”

When asked to name a time in their lives where they felt proud to identify as a Pasifika ākonga the most compelling statement from one Pasifika student about being a successful learner was, ‘when I achieved excellence in my NCEA results, as I often hear Pasifika students achieved low results’. The data revealed other areas that were strongly centred around six main events they consider pertinent to who they are:

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Celebrating, sharing and uniting people together through cultural experiences such as performing at Polyfest events leave a lasting memory for ākonga and families. Alistar Kata, a reporter and presenter for Tangata Pasifika captures North Shore schools’ journey to their Polyfest debut.  She follows the journey, alongside Rosmini and Carmel colleges, as they create history by entering for the first time on the Samoan stage at Auckland’s Polyfest.

Speak to be heard not forgotten

Fakatumau ke vagahau e Vagahau Niue
Keep persevering to speak the Niue language

For many, language is the gateway to learning. Fostering, encouraging and sharing in languages globally is what makes us so diverse in New Zealand. Over 75 percent of participants in this project identified the importance and feeling of connections when speaking in their mother tongue. A common thread was the desire to learn a Pasifika language at school. With greater opportunities for children to attend bilingual early childhood centres, language opportunities diminish  as they move on to primary and higher education. Opportunities to engage in a language other than English become limited with fewer resources, fewer educators who speak a Pasifika language and reduced emphasis on languages in each sector. How can languages be revived and kept alive in our education sectors? With 22 out of 30 ākonga not comfortable to speak their language in an educational setting, can we attribute any disconnect of engagement with aiga (family) and fanau (children)?

Over half of the participants felt that from early childhood onwards they perceive little acknowledgement that their culture has been cherished throughout their education. Siope (2013) argues that there is much more to being and becoming culturally responsive. It is not just about stories and legends. It is about talanoa, getting to know each family and their children, and understanding their life experiences. When questioned about who in their life believes in them 2 out of 30 responses identified a single educator that has had an impact on them in one year of their life. Aiga were the only other people stated in answers. These were not restricted to a nuclear family, rather names included extended family members both young and old.

Through sharing, celebrating and making those connections educators can make a difference. Educators do care. It’s asking those questions of ourselves. What do I do in my centre, school, learning space to ensure that those faces in front of me know they matter to me? Are there signs, messages, gestures that I share to show this? If not, what can I change in my current practice? The Ministry of Education cultural competencies framework for teacher of Pacific learners,  Tapasā (2018) describes three Ngā Turu (support). Using this framework alongside The Pasifika Education Plan 2013 – 2017 (PEP), The New Zealand Curriculum (2008) including Te Whāriki (2017), there are many opportunities to capture, transform, engage, respond and celebrate in Pasifika success.

‘In a similar way that our ancestors journeyed across the oceans in search of knowledge, prosperity and growth, Tapasā seeks to guide and support teachers and Pacific learners, their parents, families towards their ‘destination’ – a shared vision and aspiration of educational achievement and success for Pacific learners’ (Ministry of Education, 2018, p. 5). Resources and supports are available such as The Pasifika Success Compass, we just need to use them and act.

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What makes me, me?

Interviews surrounding achievements with cultural groups, for example Pasifika cultural days, Polyfest and Kapa Haka drew attention to the connectedness that encompasses wellbeing and identity. Interwoven beneath each strand is a story that seeks to tell us who they are, where they are from and what is important to them. When reflecting on what pivotal moments in their life where ākonga were proud to be able to explore their culture, the main themes that emerged were:

  1. The feeling of a sense of belonging
  2. Being able to perform in front of people and being able to gain confidence
  3. Celebrating our Pasifika heritage
  4. Singing and dancing being proud of where we come from
  5. Gaining respect from my friends, family and developing friendships

Te Whāriki Online draws attention to ‘Pacific voices’ through their spotlight with a focus on local curriculum, Pacific pedagogy and languages. The storytelling that emerges through a variety of interactions, images and experiences in the early years creates a sense of belonging that we are gradually losing as our children transition through their education. How can you prepare for the future? Is there a way to keep Pasifika storytelling alive?

Measuring engagement – How?

Is it necessary for ākonga to be facing the front of a class, watching an educator, focused during mat time or asking questions to be an active learner? Forty-eight percent of ākonga recorded that they think their educators view them as shy, quiet and reluctant learners. As one child shared, ‘Even though I am very shy, I still want to learn so if I don’t put my hand up it isn’t because I do not want to learn’. This message is clear. We must not give up. Misconceptions are sometimes ideologies we inherit as we move through our own life journey and experiences. However, it is how we respond to these that holds the most importance. Of equal importance, when speaking with ākonga of all ages, they want people to know, ‘we do care about our education’. This research revealed 73.3 percent believe that education plays a large part in their success as a lifelong learner.  Pennie Otto provides a perspective through CORE EDtalks of cultural interactions of Niuean boys in secondary school.

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Diversity at its finest

One of the CORE’s 2019 Ten Trends highlights the changing role of teachers ‘Deliberate provision of opportunities for ākonga to strengthen their own connection to their language, culture and identity which will in turn support teachers to respond to their learning needs’. Auckland, for instance, is often referred to as the melting pot of cultures. As one HOD secondary teacher shared, ‘know your ākonga. Learn the about the cultural backgrounds of ākonga. Not just Māori and Pacific Island children but Asians, Indians, Middle Eastern. We all learn differently. Islanders aren’t always quiet because we are shy. It’s respect. We grow up to respect elders’.

Cultural responsiveness is a term that for some is another new language added to the repertoire of our education system. How this looks, feels and is viewed can be different for each person. As Pasifika ākonga in today’s world they are faced with many new demands, confusion and uncertainties for the future. Our centres, classrooms and learning environments need to be stable and safe places where our children can be themselves without feeling any judgments. This is not to suggest that they are uncomfortable, it is rather to reflect, observe, and think about whether the ākonga in our care feel a sense of belonging alongside their peers and educators. How nurturing are our environments?

west-auckland-deputy-principal

In summary, when challenged on how ākonga feel about each other in various regions across Auckland, 56.7 percent believe that they are all different despite sharing the same or similar backgrounds and culture. No one area or people are the same. No two people look the same. Therefore, ‘know me, my values and where I am from’ (Pasifika Student, 2019).

edSpace is CORE Education’s online network for educators to connect with others, discuss strategies, and share information – join edSpace here. Once you’re there, join one of the discussions below to continue to conversation about Pasifika education.

Promoting Pasifika languages

How teachers can support Pasifika learners

Pasifika Leaders in Early Years

Pasifika educators across the sectors

References

CORE Education. (2019). Ten Trends. Retrieved March 19, 2019, from http://core-ed.org/research-and-innovation/ten-trends

Ministry of Education (2013). Pasifika Education plan 2013-2017. Retrieved from https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/overall-strategies-and-policies/pasifika-education-plan-2013-2017/

New Zealand Government (2019). Ministry for Pacific peoples. Te Manatū mō ngā iwi ō te Moana-nuī-ā Kiwa. Retrieved from
http://www.mpp.govt.nz/pacific-people-in-nz

Ministry of Education (2018). Tapasā. Cultural competencies framework for teachers of Pacific learners. Wellington.

Pasifika Futures, (2017) Pasifika people in New Zealand- How are we doing? Retrieved from http://pasifikafutures.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/PF_HowAreWeDoing-RD2-WEB2.pdf

Siope, A. (2013). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. The Professional Practice of Teaching, 18(2), 154–171. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=en&lr=&id=bwcVWzGQ1rQC&oi=fnd&pg=PA185&dq=maori+pedagogy&ots=m8wAtLmnkc&sig=_ek3trpJa8x47e32_BTPs1uG8M0%5Cnhttp://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=en&lr=&id=bwcVWzGQ1rQC&oi=fnd&pg=PA185&dq=maori+pedagogy&ots=m8wAtLmnkc&sig=_e

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Reviving Pasifika languages of the Realm

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The Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau are a part of the realm of New Zealand. What could this mean for the indigenous languages of those islands?

Teanau Tuiono in the islands

As I write this it is Cook Islands Language week, which also means we are in the middle of the New Zealand winter. So for most Pacific Islanders, feeling the cold (one of my car doors was so frozen this morning it wouldn’t open!) makes the tropical pull of our home islands that much more compelling.

The theme for this year is, “Kia ngākau parau, kia rangarangatu to tatou reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani“, translated, “Be proud of your language and protect its future”. It is a theme that underpins the perilous state of the languages and dialects of the Cook Islands. Niue also shares a similar threat.  Both the Niuean and the Cook Islands languages feature on UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger. This view supported by a  2010 research publication, ‘O tatou ō aga’i i fea?/ `Oku tau ō ki fe? Where are we heading?: Pacific languages in Aotearoa/New Zealand1 by researchers John McCaffery and Judy Taligalu McFall-McCaffery which suggests that Niuean and Cook Islands Māori languages will disappear from New Zealand within a generation, unless urgent action is taken2. The research highlighted that fewer than five percent of the New Zealand-born population can speak Cook Islands Māori, and less than 11 per cent of the Niuean population can speak the Niuean language in New Zealand.

This was also highlighted in the PPTA Komiti Pasifika Paper, ‘Mind your language’, where it was noted:

‘Depopulation significantly affects the islands of Niue, Tokelau, and the Cook Islands. 91 percent of Niueans, 83 per cent of Tokelauans, and 73 percent of Cook Islanders now live in New Zealand. Because of the dominant numbers living in New Zealand and speaking English, it is likely that if they [the languages] fail in New Zealand they will not survive in the islands either. In fact, there will not be another generation of speakers of Cook Islands Māori Rarotongan in New Zealand. This language has dropped intergenerationally to levels as low as those of New Zealand Māori (5-8 per cent of school-aged children) before Te Kohanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori began.3’

With my father a Cook Island Māori and my mother a New Zealand Māori this kind of makes me Māori-Māori. Confused? Then you would be like the kid I went to school with in Avarua Primary, Rarotonga, when I tried to explain to him that ‘yes’ there were Māori in New Zealand, and not just in the Cook Islands. He was amazed. There were no television stations or televisions back then in Rarotonga, so I couldn’t visually prove what I was saying. He had to take my word for it, that yes my mum was a Māori, and yes she was from New Zealand.  

Down at the Tumunu on the island of Atiu
Down at the Tumunu on the island of Atiu

It’s quite ironic that I often find I need to use the colonial terms i.e. ‘New Zealand’ and ‘Cooks’, to draw distinctions and similarities between both the New Zealand Māori and Cook Islands Māori. I use ‘Aotearoa’ in place of ‘New Zealand’, when referring to ideas or contexts outside the ‘establishment’, like the land wars, the Treaty of Waitangi, and most aspects of tikanga Māori.

When I was young, most New Zealand Māori hui I went to were conducted in English, and most Cook Islands Māori gatherings were in the Cook Islands Māori language. On the Cook Islands side, we were encouraged to speak English because this would help us assimilate better into mainstream New Zealand, while our parents’ generation spoke in our island languages. The opposite was happening with my New Zealand Māori side. Assimilation wasn’t an option. There was the historical 1975 Māori Land March led by northern matriarch, Whina Cooper, successive Māori land occupations taking place around the country, and regular protests at Waitangi calling for the Crown to honour the Treaty. My mother and her generation had Te Reo Māori literally ‘whacked’ out of them at school. Māori language revitalisation continues to be a strong part of the Māori renaissance, and as a parent of Kura Kaupapa children, it is something I am grateful for. The benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism are well documented. The cognitive benefits have associated educational advantages, as well as having the added ability to help ground people in their culture, and strengthen their ties to their identity.

Strong community organisation, and consistency in reminding the State of its responsibilities and obligations to Māori, were a key feature to advocating for Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa. Clearly, Cook Islands Māori, despite being a Māori people, are not Tāngata Whenua of Aotearoa. I understand this more acutely than most, as someone that walks in both worlds. The establishment of New Zealand as a settler colony resulted in the loss of Māori and land resources often through violence (The New Zealand Land Wars) or legislation specifically designed to take away what little land remained  The Cook Islands also experienced colonisation but not as a settler colony due in the main to its size and relative isolation. The Cook Islands and Niue became New Zealand’s first Pacific colonies in 1901 and then protectorates along with supporting war efforts in WW1. The ability of mass arrival came much later with the opening of the Rarotonga International Airport, by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in 1974. The experiences of colonisation in both cases are as different as they are geographically apart yet the impacts continue to reverberate for generations.

Growing up, I did not know that New Zealand had a ‘realm’, and that I was a part of it. The Realm of New Zealand is the entire area whereby the Queen of New Zealand is the head of state. It is a collection of states and territories united under its monarch. New Zealand has one Antarctic territorial claim, the Ross Dependency; one dependent territory, Tokelau; and two associated states, the Cook Islands and Niue. In 1965 the Cook Islands became a self-governing in free-association with New Zealand and Niue followed in 1974. New Zealand is officially responsible for the defence and foreign affairs of the Cook Islands and Niue. However, these responsibilities confer New Zealand no rights of control and can only be exercised at the request of the Cook Islands and Niue. Tokelau came under New Zealand control in 1925 and remains a non-self-governing territory. With that relationship comes New Zealand passports which helps with access to jobs particularly in Australia where most Cook Islanders migrate to these days4. New Zealand supports the Cook Islands as a part of its development efforts in the Pacific5 and the Cook Islands supports New Zealand with imports for the tourism industry ($70.9 million in 2016)6.

All good relationships are based on the understanding that commitment is a two-way street, and the Pacific Islands communities are no strangers to this. This has culminated in an environment where Pacific Islanders continue to contribute at every level of New Zealand society, spanning from areas of sporting prowess and academic excellence, to arts and culture, and other spheres of New Zealand.

Cook Islands WW1 commemorations in Porirua
Cook Islands WW1 commemorations in Porirua

That commitment was profoundly demonstrated during World War One. The ranks of the Māori Contingent were seriously depleted during the Gallipoli campaign in 1915, and subsequently, recruitment in New Zealand became more difficult. The government looked to Niue and the Cook Islands for reinforcements. Māui Pomare, the Member of Parliament for Western Māori and Minister Responsible for the Cook and Other Islands, took personal responsibility for this recruiting. An estimated 500 Cook Islanders, and a significant number of Niueans, responded. Most of them were in the Rarotongan Company, which served with the British in Sinai and Palestine, as ammunition handlers7. Māori leaders, such as Sir Āpirana Ngata, saw participation in war as the ‘price of citizenship’. A price that both Niue and the Cook Islands paid.

The right to learn and use one’s own language is an internationally recognised human right. While New Zealand has a particular responsibility under the Treaty of Waitangi and international law, to protect and promote te reo Māori as the indigenous language of New Zealand, it also has a special responsibility to protect and promote other languages that are indigenous to the New Zealand realm.

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Recognition of the various Pasifika ‘Language Weeks’ galvanise communities to celebrate who our respective languages and culture. But we need to be doing this for more than just one week out of a whole year. As someone who works in the Māori medium education sector, I am more than aware that when communities want to throw weight behind language revitalisation initiatives, it must be matched by resourcing and commitment. I think the Cook Islands and Niue have shown substantial commitment to New Zealand over the years, and so ensuring the protection and survival of their languages would be a significant way to reciprocate that commitment. It is a conversation not only for those of us from the islands but for those who remember that Aotearoa / New Zealand is part of a wider whānau of Pacific nations. The identities and cultures of Pasifika peoples are like the Pacific ocean itself unable to be contained by borders between nation states. There is no ‘us’ and ‘them’ there is only ‘us’ and ‘ourselves’ and everything we do for Pasifika languages and education in Aotearoa must be done from the perspective of that great wide ocean.  

 

References

  1. The research draws together statistics, research, public data and community information from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. This includes information collected during visits to the four Pacific Island nations, 2006 Census data and The Pasifika Languages of Manukau Project – a major sociolinguistic study which examined Samoan, Tongan, Niue and Cook Island dialects in Auckland between 2000 and 2008.
  2. http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2010/09/niue-and-cook-island-maori-languages-threatened/
  3. https://www.ppta.org.nz/dmsdocument/302
  4. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/LifeinAustralia/Documents/MulticulturalAffairs/cook_islands.pdf
  5. https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/aid-and-development/our-work-in-the-pacific/cook-islands/
  6. https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/cok/
  7. http://blog.core-ed.org/blog/2015/07/ka-akamaara-ua-rai-tatou-ia-ratou-we-will-remember-them.html
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Going back to the Island

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Diving deeper into the cultures our students carry into the classrooms.

Last year, I was fortunate to go back to my home island of Atiu, in the Cook Islands. It is the place where my father was born, before the Cook Islands even became a nation (the nation of the Cook Islands is only about 50 years old plus change). I went there with Pounamu Media as the focus of a documentary where they were looking at Māori (my mother is a Ngāpuhi) who also had whakapapa connections elsewhere, and, in my case, Pasifika. The focus is on the connection to a tīpuna. I chose my grandfather, so, not someone who had passed a long time ago, but within living memory — I figure you become a tīpuna once you’ve passed on. You can still view the documentary here.

going home to the island

The journey there made me think of how being Pasifika is different depending on where you are and changes over time. As a semi-frequent visitor to the Cook Islands, like many, I try and go back when I can. We refer to the specific islands where our parents were born as our home island and, although I spent some time there in my childhood on Rarotonga (the main island), my experience of being Pasifika has been through the lens of our migrant community here in Aotearoa. Between the 1960s–1980s, being Pasifika meant you were one of the people who got off the boat or plane from the islands. We were relatively easily definable with our common community experiences of seeking employment and education opportunities. In the 1980s I did not know many kids who had both Māori and Pasifika whakapapa, however, today — in 2018 — you’re Pasifika if you got off the plane five minutes ago from the islands or you are the culmination of decades of cross-cultural interactions in melting pots like South Auckland or Porirua. What that diversity of experience means is that my experience of being raised as Pasifika minority in a predominately Palagi population, I could have more in common with say a Niuean kid from Otahuhu than, say, my own relatives born and raised on our home islands, despite our close affinity. (I say Niuean kid in Otahuhu because, yeah, I’ve had this conversation with some Niueans about my age from Otahuhu.)

Atiu

My “home island”

Atiu is an island 187 km northeast of Rarotonga, in the Southern Islands group of the Cook Islands. It is a raised volcanic island surrounded by a reef from which rise 6-metre-high (20-foot) cliffs of fossilized coral (makatea). The makatea cliff forms a one-mile-wide (1.6-kilometre) ring round the island, creating a virtual plateau. The low swampy land consists of taro plantations, marshes, and a lake, Te Roto. This fertile area also grows bananas, citrus fruits, pawpaws, breadfruit, and coconuts. The ancient name of the island was, Enuamanu, meaning, the island of insects and animals. The population is approximately 200. There are significant populations in New Zealand and Australia along with a village called Patutoa in French Polynesia.

Fun Fact: Adrian Orr, the new Governor of the Reserve Bank is also from the island of Atiu. His grandfather migrated to Aotearoa in the 1930s.

What does this mean for educators?

So, what does all this mean for educators here in Aotearoa?

It means we shouldn’t pigeonhole Pasifika students. We shouldn’t assume they all go to church or like sports. Cultures are organic, so our shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices as Pasifika peoples also change over time and context. Because of this, we can assume that each student will have his or her own singular experience about what it means to be Pasifika. There is a rich diversity in what it means to be Pasifika.

I had the privilege over a number of years to work with Ruta Mackenzie, and she would often start her workshops with the following saying:

O tu, aganu’u, ma agaifanua a le tamititi o le a le mafai ona ulufale atu i le potuaoga sei vagana ua fa’atauaina ma faaulufaleina muamua I le loto ma le agaga o le faiaoga.

The culture of the child cannot enter the classroom until it has entered the consciousness of the teacher.

A perfect reminder to have an open mind when working with our Pasifika students, and that we have to go beyond merely pronouncing names properly (this is the basics, guys!). We can take a closer look at how we are meeting our learners’ needs by developing further inquiry into best cultural, inclusive practice. While most schools acknowledge cultural responsiveness in their school charters and strategic plans, this doesn’t always translate well into practice.

This is also what the research tells us:

Alton-Lee (2003) stated “that effective teaching requires teachers to take responsibility for every student’s achievement, to value diversity, have high expectations, and build on students’ experiences. For Pasifika students this requires teachers to understand their day-to-day experiences, their cultural background and the dimensions that make this up including language and cultural values”. (Education Counts: Quality teaching for diverse students in schooling)1.

It’s about creating environments with students at the centre, where Pasifika students have the focus and learning support they need to lift their academic achievement patterns.

In an earlier blog post, Anthony Faitaua showed it like this:

Level One: Surface level — greetings, pronunciation
Level Two: Environmental — the walls reflect diversity
Level Three: Curriculum — a diverse range of texts and authors are represented
Level Four: Pedagogical — teaching style is varied to reflect diversity and to cater to specific cultural needs
Level Five: Assessment — students are assessed in culturally diverse and appropriate contexts

 

We need to appreciate our students with the fullness of cultural diversity that they bring with them when they step into the classroom. It is a cultural diversity that encompasses Aotearoa as a Pacific nation where Pasifika identities continue to grow as they did back in our island homes.

 

1 Ministry of Education Te Tāhuhu o Te Mātauranga. Education Counts. (2003). Quality Teaching for Diverse Students In Schooling: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration (BES). Wellington, New Zealand: Author.

Image credits:
Photos taken from video of author: Pounamu Media
Photo of island beach scene: the author.

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