CultureWhat is it?

It can be tangible

and intangible

What does it look like?

Food, customs,

language, Clothes,

Music

Hart’s Iceberg

Hart’s IcebergWhat did I learn from this model

1. That we can never assume anything about a

person’s cultural identity. They may associate

with more than two cultures.

2. The relationships we form are a massive part of

building the foundations of a culturally

responsive learning environment.

3. This allows us to find out what is going on below

the iceberg tip and build a more responsive

cultural authentic relationship.

A Te Tiriti o Waitangi Perspective on

Culturally Responsive Relationships

Jenny Richie pointed out a quote in, Our Code Our

Standards. Ngā Tikanga Mataitika Ngā Paerewa.

Today Te tiriti O Waitangi is seen as s commitment under which Maori and all

other New Zealanders may live together in the spirit of honourable

relationships, with promise to take the best possible care of each other. This

requires the injustices caused by colonisations to be addressed and all New

Zealanders to engage in creating a positive future that honours Te Tiriti o

Waitangi (Our Code, Our Standards pg 4)

Some Considerations For Building Relationships

• Reflecting on impacts of different backgrounds -historical power differentials, colonisation, immigration, refugee

status

• Recognising our power as teachers to define what is validated, what is visible

• (Re)considering, in partnership, which and whose dispositions are being highlighted

• Re-envisioning, in partnership, what our aspirations for children might

(Ritchie, 2018)

Tangata whenua, Tangata Tiriti A Tiriti based model for working with migrant families and their children. Jenny

Ritchie, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand) Finding a Place Here , Making a New Home in Aotearoa

New Zealand TRCC Course Wellington April 2018)

● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4pH6TxKz

us

Further Links● https://www.aacu.org/sites/default/files/files/hips/Beyondthetipoft

heiceberg.pdf

Five stages Toward Cultural Competence, Beyond the Tip of the

Iceberg Author: Jerome Hanley

● The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. Website

with lots information about culture and language.

● The Danger of a Single Story A Video on Youtube about the importance

opening our minds to other people's perspectives

● https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_s

ingle_story

● Non violent communication. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-

dpk5Z7GIFs Marshall Rosenberg

Putting it into practice“Finding a place here - Making a new home in Aotearoa New Zealand”

TRCC Conference –Wellington 2018

It’s the little things that really matter….

Teachers being warm, welcoming, friendly and approachable, providing a safe and inclusive environment.

Understanding that trauma, language barriers, diverse cultures, social and economic factors do affect the children and families entering into our kindergartens

Being ‘flexible’ –especially with paperwork as families usually only have very limited English and understandings. A support person is very useful in this process e.g. case worker – Red Cross, translator, apps on iPad, utilise local school’s etc Having an awareness that sometimes there are no other emergency contacts as they have no other family here; for example

Recognising that some families & children have never been involved in ECE before due to the culture in their home country or because of war.

Children & Families see and hear their own script and language e.g. greetings displayed, words around environment etc

Visual images & photographs are in the environment e.g. Photograph of child, Flag of country, maps etc This shows an effort to ‘connect, value and acknowledge’ their culture and who they are, and that they have a valued place in your kindergarten

Asking families what cultural celebrations/events they recognise and acknowledge by celebrating as a kindergarten and with parents/families involved e.g. Ramadan

It’s the little things that really matter….

Teachers may need to explain some play areas – carpentry/waterplay so there is a shared understanding of why we do this. E.g. water is precious and not to be played with.

Important to gain information about food/cultural specifications e.g. Halal, Muslim – not touching dogs etc

Child rearing practices e.g. clash of ideas independent vs collective, discipline, gender attitudes, differing world views, children have been fed by adults and have most things done for them e.g. putting away belongings and having to leave them at kindergarten

Communication between kindergarten and home very important so that they can know what is happening with their child and be assured that their child is settling and happy. Giving feedback is important – can be done verbally, profile books, photographs can say so much if parents don’t have language

Children can end up being great ‘translators’ for their parents/teachers as they often pick up English very quickly and love to help.

Encouraging Language with children

Have lots of visual cues/resources/pictures e.g. pointing to things when the child has little or no English language

Have the child’s attention

Keep it short and simple – create the need to talk together through meaningful experiences/activities

Avoid and reduce lots of questioning

Give 100% feedback to child and be positive even if they are not correct

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat! Words, phrases & sentences so child has opportunities to hear and listen to new words

Support parents/families to value their home language and make an effort to learn simple greetings, words of their culture

Singing, music & dancing are powerful ways to promote language and togetherness

Safe places to play, watch and listen

Philosophy…time to think…to reflect….

Your own personal philosophy –

What is my image of the child?

What do children need to know?

What’s important in their learning & development?

What about social interactions & relationships?

The role of whanau?

Diversity & inclusion

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Kindergarten team philosophy –

What are the core values and beliefs?

What do we want our kindergarten to be like?

What should our kindergarten look like? Feel like? Sound like?... For children? For whanau? Community?

Finding a place here

Guest speakers Ruth Ham and Angela watts

Refugee resettlement centre head teacher & Refugee Programme

Coordinator Dunedin

A little bit of Ruths background.Ruth Ham has been involved in education since 1986 where she started as akaiawhina in Kohanga Reo. She then went on to start a Kohanga Reo andthen followed by a bilingual centre, Best of Both Worlds.

Her goal has always been to empower children with their language andidentity. To know they can be and do anything they choose.

AUT’s (Auckland University of New Zealand) Centre for Refugee Education(in the Mangere Refugee Reception, Manukau City) provides an on-arrival 6-week education programme for the refugees who come to New Zealandeach year under the government quota scheme.For many refugees the programmes represent the turning point from theirtraumatic past to a future of hope.

What happens when the families arrive at the Refugee Resettlement Centre?

Refugees receive help to prepare for life in New Zealand and to move into the community. Servicesoffered at the Mangere Centre include English language classes, health screening and mental healthsupport.

Permanent teaching staff are assisted by bi-lingual aides/interpreters, casual staff, volunteers, andguest speakers.

In the Early Childhood Centre all of their teachers speak English and at least one more language.The children are introduced to many new experiences at this centre. Initially the parents stay withtheir children to see how it all works and start to build up trust with the teachers and then after 2-3days they are asked to leave them – the adults are required to attend their own classes over the 6weeks.

The centre caters for both under and over 2’s and is set up like any other centre.Some of the main things the children learn about is toileting practices, washing hands etc, sayingkarakia kai, learning that their food is theirs - no need to stash some away for later and that therewill be more. Teachers write narratives for all the children and keep learning progress records.

Adult EducationThe programme includes English language and Orientation to New Zealand sessions, introducing refugees to the essential skills and information required for successful integration into the wider New Zealand community.

On the last day of the intake there is a farewell ceremony. Speeches are made, the primary and secondary children perform songs, and the adult students have the opportunity to speak on behalf of their fellow refugees.

Each family receives a Departure Kit, containing individual progress reports for each student, information about support agencies and services and English language provision, a free copy of the centre's Picture Dictionary, and an Orientation to New Zealand booklet.

Angela Watts –Refugee Programme Coordinator Dunedin

Angela is currently based out of Carisbrook School and workshelping children and families in the primary sector. Angela spent 9years living and working in the Middle East before taking on therole as Refugee Programme Coordinator.

Some useful information:

Refugee_Resettlement_Schools_Resources

This is resource that different people can add too. If you haveany resources that you think would be useful for others let Angelaknow and she can add them to it.

Citizens Advice Bureau – CABDid you know that if you require an interpreter you can call them and arrange to

speak to one for free?

The interpreting service run through the Citizens Advice Bureau is calledLanguage Connect. Arabic language is available every day. Language Connectcaters for a range of different languages. People in the Red Cross have reportedit is very easy and found the service extremely helpful. The first time someonecalls Language Connect, tell them that it is your first time and you need an Arabic(or other language) interpreter. They will ask you whether the person you want tospeak to is with you or whether they need to be called. If they are with you,Language Connect will put you on hold and find an interpreter and will connect youwith them so that you can have a 3-way conversation. If the person needs to becalled then Language Connect will ask for the person’s name and contact numberand will call them for you, and will connect you with an interpreter over the phonetoo. The phone number for Language Connect is 0800 78 88 77.

Angela has said that if anyone has any questions or needs support to feel free to contact her, her email is angelaw@carisbrook.school.nz

This is available at

http://www.cab.org.nz/languageconnect/Pages/home.a

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Take care of our children,Take care of what they hear,Take care of what they see,Take care of what they feel,For how the children grow,

So will be the shape of Aotearoa

Dame Whina Cooper