Culturally responsive teaching practice
Culture is not exclusive to race and/or ethnicity. It refers also the the unique features of a community. its demographic makeup, including location, age, gender, language/s spoken, local history, industry and economics.
Cultural responsiveness is a relationship based approach which allows for culturally appropriate responses to diverse communities based on a range of factors:
One community being referenced in this portfolio is a group of 10 newly qualified (year 1 and 2) teachers at a decile 9 North Shore Girls High School. 7/10 are 2nd years and 3 are joining them as first year teachers.
The formation of this community comes from the requirement for professional development to be delivered to First and second year teachers. The NZ Teachers Council states that a programme of induction and mentoring must be undertaken for 2 years and provided by the school in which the teachers are employed.
The community largely already exists. The teachers returning for their second year have been part of a functioning support group meeting at least each fortnight (often weekly) and connected already by email and Google Classroom. They are cognisant with One Note, semi familiar with Twitter and are used to receiving digital newsletters and links to PD sites. Research from Prestidge (2009) and Carpenter and Krutka (2014) suggests that naturally forming communities who steer the content themselves provide better quality Professional Development (as perceived by the participants) than those artificially constructed by outsiders (researchers and mentors)
This community is based on the existence of similar needs in members within the school but the intent is to better enable the group to access the wider communities outside of the school to pursue more differentiated, cost effective, future focussed PD.
From anecdotal comments and observations while looking into research for my Literature Review, evidence suggests that past practice towards empowering PRTs has been ‘adequate’ but is not stretching or challenging the teachers involved to become more digitally literate.
The aim of enabling PRTs to develop digital literacy skills is to help them develop effective practice to address the needs of not only their present community but any community they may find themselves teaching in in the future
The Te Kotahitanga model which I was fortunate enough to be involved in in 2004 provides an effective teaching profile which engages students using a Kaupapa Maori approach
Culture is not exclusive to race and/or ethnicity. It refers also the the unique features of a community. its demographic makeup, including location, age, gender, language/s spoken, local history, industry and economics.
Cultural responsiveness is a relationship based approach which allows for culturally appropriate responses to diverse communities based on a range of factors:
- The capacity to work with the community to support culturally appropriate programs and practices
- The necessary resources to create and support programs, policies, and
- Practices that are culturally responsive to community needs
- Strategic collaborations to enhance cultural responsiveness
One community being referenced in this portfolio is a group of 10 newly qualified (year 1 and 2) teachers at a decile 9 North Shore Girls High School. 7/10 are 2nd years and 3 are joining them as first year teachers.
The formation of this community comes from the requirement for professional development to be delivered to First and second year teachers. The NZ Teachers Council states that a programme of induction and mentoring must be undertaken for 2 years and provided by the school in which the teachers are employed.
The community largely already exists. The teachers returning for their second year have been part of a functioning support group meeting at least each fortnight (often weekly) and connected already by email and Google Classroom. They are cognisant with One Note, semi familiar with Twitter and are used to receiving digital newsletters and links to PD sites. Research from Prestidge (2009) and Carpenter and Krutka (2014) suggests that naturally forming communities who steer the content themselves provide better quality Professional Development (as perceived by the participants) than those artificially constructed by outsiders (researchers and mentors)
This community is based on the existence of similar needs in members within the school but the intent is to better enable the group to access the wider communities outside of the school to pursue more differentiated, cost effective, future focussed PD.
From anecdotal comments and observations while looking into research for my Literature Review, evidence suggests that past practice towards empowering PRTs has been ‘adequate’ but is not stretching or challenging the teachers involved to become more digitally literate.
The aim of enabling PRTs to develop digital literacy skills is to help them develop effective practice to address the needs of not only their present community but any community they may find themselves teaching in in the future
The Te Kotahitanga model which I was fortunate enough to be involved in in 2004 provides an effective teaching profile which engages students using a Kaupapa Maori approach
Through the use of expanded practice and development of better Professional development Manaakitanga, mana motuhake, whakapiri ngatanga, wananga ako and kotahitanga , teachers can establish the best possible models of practice.