Teaching stories - Where am I?
An exploration of the local context. Who is in your school community? Which Pacific group/s do they connect with? How are your students connected to their community?
About this resource
This resource is part of the Tapasā series, which contains videos that encourage teachers, leaders, and schools to engage with the community to provide leaders with authentic, relevant learning experiences that relate to them, their whānau, and their culture.
Teaching stories: Where am I?
These videos are stories of effective Pacific pedagogies. "Where am I?" includes ways to explore contexts such as learning from students, families, and the community, Pacific views and values, and how being a learner yourself can enrich your classrooms and schools.
Members of the Pacific community and the profession have come together to tell these stories and help support teachers in developing the knowledge to empower their Pacific learners. See how other teachers have put the Tapasā framework to use in their schools and get inspired for your own journey.
- Being a learner
- Being a Pacific learner
- Keeping culture at the centre
- Pacific values
- The importance of knowing the learner
It’s important for students to see that you are learning too. These videos show how teachers have learned from students and families and how that learning has changed their practice.
This video illustrates that teachers are learners too.
Relevant turu: Turu 3
This video illustrates that teachers are learners too. You will hear teachers express themselves from the learner’s point of view. One teacher talks about taking the back seat when learners talk about their culture. Another teacher talks about meeting the needs of Pacific learners by entering their space. It is important to show the learners that their teacher is willing to be a learner too. An example in the video is for teachers to learn to greet learners in their home languages. Another example is ensuring that other learners, who are not Pacific, feel welcome. Listen to the voice of a Tokelauan teacher in a Tokelau early childhood setting talk about Vietnamese children who attend the centre, how the parents are welcomed, and the warmth and care their children receive. Teachers who put themselves in the position of a learner foster reciprocity, and it can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience.
Reflections for individual teachers
As you watch this video, think about how you can shift to a learner mindset.
- Think about the disconnection between classroom learning experiences and the learning experiences your learners have at home and in their communities. How can you put yourself in the learner position, both inside and outside of the classroom, in order for you to recognise this disconnection?
- What activities do you provide for your learners so that they can learn at their own pace? How do you give them opportunities to choose what they learn and how? How are you nurturing yourself as a learner?
- How do you find ways for your learners to explore their culture, and how are you integrating your experience as a learner for the benefit of your learners?
- Watch the video of teachers describing their approaches as learners. Share an example of how you have been guided by your learners. How was your experience driven by your learners’ achievement?
Reflections for staff or departments
- A school goal should be to inspire learners to want to learn more. As you watch this video, as a staff member or member of a department team, consider how your school is motivating and encouraging staff to ensure that classroom learning, and how learners understand it, is connected to their culture and what matters to their communities.
- What other ways are you training non-Pacific teachers to be culturally competent so that their teaching practice is relevant and personalised to the learner?
- Teachers need to understand that Pacific learners inhabit different realities. Share the many ways that your teaching staff engage with their Pacific learners and the insights they gained when they put themselves in the position of the learner.
Kylie McDonnell shares her personal understanding of the Pasifika Success Compass.
Relevant turu: Turu 2
Kylie shares her personal understanding of the Pasifika Success Compass. She explains that children at Sydenham Community Preschool are central. They are surrounded by the community – teachers, parents, and family. Reciprocal relationships are important. Teachers support each child and their family, and families support her as a learner.
Reflections for individual teachers
Kylie was challenged to think about what the Pasifika Success Compass compass meant to herself and her environment.
Look at the Pasifika Success Compass (Tapasā p. 4)
- Identify the aspects of the compass Kylie found important for herself and her environment.
- What does she see as key to building collaborative, respectful reciprocal relationships?
Consider your environment and your Pasifika learners, parents, families and communities.
- Highlight the values, domains, and principles that are evident in your setting?
- Draw your own diagram illustrating what is important for you in your setting.
Turu 2 focuses on building collaborative and respectful relationships.
“A fia vave oo lou va’a, alo na o ‘oe, ae a fia tuli mamao, le taunu’uga tatou ‘alo’alo faatasi.
If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”
Samoan proverb
Reflect on the relationships you have with your Pasifika parents and families. Consider the different phases in developing a relationship and building a community.
Reflections for staff or departments
Look at the Pasifika Success Compass (Tapasā p. 4)
- How does your vision include and value Pasifika learners, their families, and community?
- What practical steps can you take to build ongoing collaborative reciprocal relationships that enhance the wellbeing of Pacific learners? Identify how you can do this in an inclusive, culturally responsive way. For example, by using appropriate greetings, providing food, inviting the whole family so parents bring their children, listening and providing opportunities for parents and families to share their thoughts. Consider some of these contexts.
- Identify a space with parents and families in your learning centre that parents can come to and spend time at school or the centre. This might be a space where parents meet to support each other or just come and talk. Think about what is needed to make it welcoming - is there a jug, cups, tea and coffee, and somewhere to sit? Invite parents to make the space their own and bring things into the space.
- Who are the cultural leaders in your local community? Plan a meeting with them or invite them to an appropriate school event. Think carefully about using greetings, when is a good time to meet, providing food etc.
- Invite parents and families in to review your centre/school resources with you including Pacific language books, songs, and other artefacts. Ask them what they think is helpful, important, and what ideas/resources they may have to share.
- What systems are needed to support parents' understanding of learning or the assessments in your environment?
- Is visiting parents at home, to explain how things work, viable?
- Can you meet in their church or community centre?
- What works for your community?
Jane Clifford uses Tapasā as a guide to what Pacific learners, families, and communities expect from a teacher.
Relevant turu: Turu 3
This video is about being a teacher using Tapasā. Jane Clifford, from Hornby Primary School, talks about her first encounter with a Pacific community and how she uses Tapasā as a guide to what Pacific learners, families, and communities expect from a teacher. Simple things like pronunciation and learning a few greetings in Pacific home languages might sound simple but can be quite challenging. Engaging and knowing your Pacific learner is the key; finding out what Pacific learners are most interested in and incorporating that into their learning. Tapasā is a two-way learning journey that is a valuable tool, which can be used to pause and ask questions about your personal cultural capability.
Reflections for individual teachers
This video explores beliefs and actions teachers develop within their teaching approaches using Tapasā.
- Have you engaged in Tapasā workshop or training? If yes, how do you use Tapasā to understand your learners’ cultures as a building block for your own learning and practice? If no, have you heard of, or read about Tapasā? Share your thoughts.
- How can you use Tapasā to engage with all Pacific learners in their learning and make the classroom a positive learning experience for them? Think about how you will contextualise your teaching and learning in a Pacific learner setting.
- How can you build and grow your cultural understanding at different stages of your teaching journey? Reference the Tapasā framework and indicators to keep track of where you are at each stage and your understanding of expected behaviours at that stage.
- How can Tapasā assist in your reflection and learning inquiries?
Reflections for staff or departments
If you are a staff member or member of a department team, find out if your school has engaged in Tapasā as a guide to help navigate your journey of becoming more culturally aware and competent in engaging with Pacific learners and their families.
- How does your school use Tapasā in conjunction with the Standards for the Teaching Profession and The Code of Professional responsibility?
- What other culturally responsive resources does your school use to complement Tapasā to support governance, strategic and programme planning, developing local curriculum, induction, mentoring and appraisals, and professional learning and development?
Does your school provide teacher training on Tapasā? What was the feedback on how the programme design responds to their needs? How can/do your staff get the most out of Tapasā? Share feedback.