edprofst 612 b 2010

Pasifika Youth, Diversity and Education in New Zealand Schools.

Critical Studies in Education

Lecturer: Fa’amalua Tipi

cONtenTS

• Diversity and youth in New Zealand.• New Zealand Demographics.• Two arguments:

– Socio-economic status.– Ethnic cultural Identity.

• Being responsive to diversity.

Ministry of Education

• BES research and development shows that the cause of disparity is not judged on the decile ranking of the schools.

• The difference in educational outcomes is the result of differences in the effectiveness of teaching within schools in New Zealand.

• How can you develop an understanding of diversity and its implications for you, as a Teacher?

Understanding Students and their Worldview.

New Zealand demographics

The New Zealand diversity fern was designed by Malaysian born New Zealand designer Jean Voon for Race Relations Day 2005.

By 2050 nearly 60% of all children in New Zealand will identify as either Māori or Pasifika.

Discuss

Best evidence Synthesis 2003

Ethnicity

Statistics New Zealand: Census 2006.

Ethnic Diversity Projected to Increase• New Zealand’s Maori, Pacific and Asian

Populations are expected to grow faster than the European population.

The Māori, Asian and Pacific populations are projected to increase during the projection period

under all series:

• The Māori population is projected to increase from 620,000 at 30 June 2006 to 820,000 (series 6) in 2026, and range between 700,000 (series 1) and 940,000 (series 11) in2026.

• The Asian population is projected to increase from 400,000 in 2006 to 790,000 (series 6) in 2026, and range between 600,000 (series 1) and 990,000 (series 11).

• The Pacific population is projected to increase from 300,000 in 2006 to 480,000 (series 6) in 2026, and range between 430,000 (series 1) and 540,000 (series 11).

Ageing population

All four ethnic populations are projected to age over the next two decades, regardless of which projection series is chosen, reflected in rising median ages and increasing proportions of people in the older ages.

Working Population in New Zealand.

1 2 3 4

2.62.9

1.81.7

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Birth rates per female

Ethnicity

Fertily birth rates for females living in New Zealand 2001

Series1

MaoriMaori PasifikaPasifika European

European

AsianAsian

Statistics New Zealand 2005

Pacific ethnic groups


Asian Ethnic groups


School population

Statistics New Zealand, 2006.

New Zealand Statistics 2006

Why is the notion of ‘Understanding Diversity’ important for Teachers in the 21st Century?

“There is a powerful human tendency to gravitate toward people who remind us of ourselves. People who are in some way similar to make us feel safe: We understand their motives, we share some of their experiences. And because we anticipate that they will see some of themselves in us, there is less fear of rejection on the grounds that we have nothing in common.” (Steele, 2002, p.18).

Differences is harder: • Difference is harder to negotiate, and yet difference is

an unavoidable reality in schools and in the larger society.

• For many students in secondary schools differences yields exclusion: Student form alliances with one another based upon ethnic, academic, or socio economic similarities.

• Even teachers often fight an uphill battle to persuade students to acknowledge and appreciate diversity.

(Steele, 2002)

Principles• Cultural diversity

The curriculum reflects New Zealand’s cultural diversity and values the histories and traditions of all its people.

• Inclusion The curriculum is non-sexist, non-racist, and non-discriminatory; it ensures that students’ identities, languages, abilities, and talents are recognised and affirmed and that their learning needs are addressed.

New Zealand Curriculum, 6 November 2007http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/the_new_zealand_curriculum/principles

Lisa Delpit stated:

“ We all carry worlds in our heads, and those worlds are decidedly different. We educators set out to teach, but how can we reach the worlds of others when we don’t even know they exist? Indeed, many of us don’t even realize that our own worlds exist only in our heads and in the cultural institutions we have built to support them….” ( 1995, xiv)

Tatum (2000) asks, ‘Who am I?’

One of her answers is…

‘…who the world around me says I am’.

Ethnicity % in state schools in 2007

58%22%

9%

8%

2%

1%

1

2

3

4

5

6

2007: State schools

European/ PakehaMaori

Pasifika

Asian

Other

NZAid Scholarships

Education Statistics of New Zealand 2007. http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/series/2507/27456/6

Number of Students Attending Schools by Ethnic Group at 1 July 2007

Effective Teaching

• Diversity is about recognising and acknowledging differences in people,

Example:

socio-economic status and cultural ethnic identity are two different elements of diversity.

Hattie, (2003)

It is likely that we have not engaged Pasifika students in schooling, not belonging to the school climate, and we have not encouraged them to gain a reputation as learners within [the New Zealand] school system - regardless of socio-economic background.

Maybe we have known about this lack of engagement for a long time, but we have explained it away as something to do with home and the parents, and thrown more money at the schools. Instead, we need to strategically resolve who we are.

It is we, the teachers, and we need to ask how teachers can better “relate” to students from different cultures, and we all need to esteem culturally rich schools and not bewail the problem as something to do with…students - it is not the problem of the students (cited in Airini et al., 2009:90).

What does this mean…

• Schools need to build better relationships with Pacific families.

• Recognise and understand the cultural capital of students.

• Embrace home practices and utlize home languages, consideration for Pacific families aspirations for their children.

MPIA Quality Teaching.

• In trying to be culturally responsive, teachers can get caught in cultural stereotypes about Pacific learners which then limit the students’ learning opportunities (Ringold, 2005).

For example, teachers need to avoid applying assumptions about Pacific peoples as group learners and shy participants (Coxon et al., 2002).

Effective Teaching

• Appointing Pacific teachers does not in itself improve Pacific student engagement or achievement (ERO, 2009).

However, Pacific staff in a school can provide support for Pacific students and enhance the school’s understanding of and responsiveness to its Pacific communities.

Classroom Teaching

• RESEARCH in classrooms. – What is effective?

Alison Jones: ‘At School I Have a Chance.’

• Study was done at a all girls school and the findings were very interesting.

• 5 Simmonds Students Middle to Upper class.Prodominantly

European.

• 5 Mason Students Middle to Lower class.Prodominantly Pasifika and Maori.


5 Simmonds Students:

“…the girls in 5 Simmonds often worked independently on work-sheets, they wrote essays, and often discussed their work with serious intensity both with their teachers and amongst themselves, inside the classroom and out.” (Jones.A, 1991:2)

“The teacher is seen primarily as a resource, to be used for her provision and explanation of the necessary information.” (Jones.A, 1991:2)


5 Mason Students:

“ … the girls spent a lot of time ‘doing nothing’ – like just sitting, or starring out the window or into space, or lyinig with their hands on their arms; or ‘mucking about’ – chatting, reading novels, writing letters, fiddling with pens etc.” (Jones.A,1991:2)


5 Mason Students:

“Waiting for the answer reflected what these girls considered to be appropriate classroom activity or what counted as school work. School work for the 5 Mason girls is ‘getting the teacher’s knowledge’. The most efficient and accurate way to do this is to copy it.”

“The 5 Mason girls did not consider discussion relevant.”

5 Simmonds Students:

“ The 5 Simmonds girls interacted with their teachers in terms of their definition of school work and ‘what to do’ as a student in the classroom.”“For these girls group discussion is seen as appropriate and there is usually cheerful and attentive involvement in any discussion.”

Dumbing Down:

• Lisa Delpit: “Teach more not less, and have high expectations”

• Know your student, (relationship)

• Understand the student’s worldview

• Celebrate differences.

NO

Hawk, Tumama Cowley, Hill and Sutherland (2002)The importance of the teacher/student relationship for Maori and Pasifika students

Caring - Students knew these effective teachers really cared about each one of them, as if they were their own daughter or son.

Respect- An effective relationship is one of mutual respect. This is not necessarily the same as liking.

Going the extra mile-Students were really appreciative of extra effort by teachers to reward and encourage them. This could be tangible or intangible, such as giving extra or personal time.

Trouble is my business!!

Teacher who can make a difference.

REFERENCE

Alton-Lee, A. (2003). Best evidence synthesis: Quality teaching for diverse students in schooling: Wellington: Ministry of Education.

Delpit, L. (2006). Lessons from Teachers. Journal of Teacher Education, 57(3), 220-231.

Jones, A. (1991). At school I've got a chance: Culture/privilege: Pacific Islands and Pakeha girls at school. Palmerston North, New Zealand: Dunmore Press.

Samu, T. W. (2006). The 'Pasifika Umbrella' and quality teaching: Understanding and responding to the diverse realitites within. . Waikato Journal of Education, 12, 35-49.

Steele, J. (2002). Acknowledging Deiversity in the Classroom. In L. Darling-Hammond, J. French & S. P. Garcia-Lopez (Eds.), Learning to Teach for social justice (pp. 18-21). New York: Teachers College Press.

Tatum, B. (2000). The complexity of identity:“Who am I?”. Readings for diversity and social justice, 9-14.