Policy for enhancing Pasifika learner achievement in New Zealand: Supports and challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26512/lc.v25.2019.23780Keywords:
Values, Culturally sustaining practice, Education policy implementation, Pasifika education, Teacher perceptionsAbstract
Values understood to be fundamentally important across Pacific groups are central to New Zealand education policy focussed on enhancing school learning of Pasifika students. To explore teacher perceptions of three of these values (respect, service, leadership), interviews with primary and secondary teachers were collected and analysed and their lessons observed. Findings indicate policy implementation is challenged by a lack of deep understanding of Pasifika values amongst many teachers. Implications include that extensive professional development and urgent recruitment of teachers and school leaders with strong knowledge of Pasifika communities are needed to improve achievement opportunities for Pasifika learners and facilitate policy implementation.
Downloads
References
Allen, P., & Robertson, J. (2009). "In order to teach you, I must know you." The Pasifika initiative: A professional development project for teachers. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 44(2), 47.
Anae, M. (2001). The new Vikings of the sunrise: New Zealand-borns in the information age. In C. Macpherson, P. Spoonley, & M. Anae (Eds.), Tangata o Te Moana Nui: The evolving identities of Pacific peoples in Aotearoa/ New Zealand (pp. 101-121). Palmerston North, New Zealand: Dunmore Press.
Anae, M., Coxon, E., Mara, D., Wendt-Samu, T., & Finau, C. (2001). Pasifika education research guidelines. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
Averill, R., & Clark, M. (2012). Respect in teaching and learning mathematics: Professionals who know, listen to and work with students. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 3, 50-57.
Caygill, R., Hanlar, V., & Singh, S. (2016). TIMSS 2014/15: Mathematics Year 9: Trends over 20 years in TIMSS. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education. https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/180342/TIMSS-2014-Maths-Y9-Report-FINAL.pdf
Celedón-Pattichis, S., Borden, L., Pape, S., Clements, D., Peters, S., Males, J. Chapman, O., & Leonard, J. (2018). Asset-based approaches to equitable education research and practice. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 49(4), 373-389.
Chu, C., Glasgow, A., Rimoni, F., Hodis, M., & Meyer, L. (2013). An analysis of recent Pasifika education research literature to inform improved outcomes for Pasifika learners (Report to the Ministry of Education). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Coxon, E., & Wendt Samu T., (2010). Pacific education research: New directions’. MAI Review, 1-4.
Education Council. (2017). Our code our standards. Wellington, New Zealand: Author. https://www.educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf
Education Counts. (2019). Teaching staff: Information on teaching staff in schools from 2004-2017. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education. Retrieved from: https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/schooling/teaching_staff
Education Review Office. (2012). Improving education outcomes for Pacific learners. Wellington: Author.
Education Review Office. (n.d.). Ethnic diversity in New Zealand state schools. Wellington, New Zealand: Author. https://www.ero.govt.nz/footer-upper/news/ero-insights-term-1/ethnic-diversity-in-new-zealand-state-schools
Fa’avae, D. (2017). Family knowledge and practices useful in Tongan boys’ education. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 2, 49-56.
Fairbairn-Dunlop, T. P. (2010). Pacific youth connecting through Poly. In C. Ward, J. Liu, T.P. Fairbairn-Dunlop, and A. Henderson (Eds.), Youth voices, youth choices: identity, integration and social cohesion in culturally diverse Aotearoa/New Zealand, (pp. 2029). Wellington, New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington.
Ferguson, P.B., Gorinski, R., Wendt Samu, T. & Mara, D. (2008). Literature Review on the experiences of Pacific learners in the classroom. Report for the Ministry of Education. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Flavell, M. (2017). Listening to and learning from Pacific families: The art of building home-school relationships at secondary level to support achievement. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 2, 42-48.
Fletcher, J., Parkhill, F., Fa’afoi, A., & Taleni, L. (2006). Pasifika learners’ perceptions of barriers and support to reading and writing achievement in New Zealand schools. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 41(2), 163-182.
Fletcher, J., Parkhill, F., Fa'afoi, A., & O'Regan, B. (2009). Pasifika students’, teachers’ and parents’ voice their perceptions of what provides supports and barriers to Pasifika students' achievement in literacy and learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(1), 24-33.
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research and practice. (2nd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.
Hawk, K., Cowley, E. T., Hill, J., & Sutherland, S. (2002). The importance of the teacher/ student relationship for Maori and Pasifika students. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 3, 44-49.
Hill, J., & Hawk, K. (2000). Making a difference in the classroom: Effective teaching practice in low decile, multicultural schools (AIMHI report to the Ministry of Educa tion). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education, Research Division.
Hunkin-Tuiletufuga, G. (2001). Pasefika languages and pasefika identities: Contemporary and future challenges. In C. Macpherson, P. Spoonley, & M. Anae (Eds.), Tangata o te moana nui: The evolving identities of pacific peoples in Aotearoa/New Zealand (pp. 196–211). Palmerston North, New Zealand: Dunmore Press.
Hunter, J., Hunter, R., Bills, T., Cheung, I., Hannant, B., Kritesh, K., & Lachaiya, R. (2016). Developing equity for Pasifika learners within a New Zealand context: Attending to culture and values. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 51(2), 197-209.
Hynds, A., Averill, R., Penetito, W., Meyer, L., Hindle, R., & Faircloth, S. (2015). Examining the impediments to indigenous strategy and approaches in mainstream secondary schools. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 19(5), 534-556. http://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2015.1051130
Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32, 465 – 491.
Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.
Ministry of Education. (2011a). Tataiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Maori learners. Wellington, New Zealand: Author. Retrieved from http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/required/tataiako.stm
Ministry of Education. (2013). Pasifika education plan 2013–2017. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
Ministry of Education. (2018). Tapasa: Cultural competencies framework for teachers of Pacific learners. Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand. http://www.elearning.tki.org.nz/News/Tapasa-Cultural-Competencies-Framework-for-Teachers-of-Pacific-Learners
New Zealand Qualifications Authority. (2017). Annual report on NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship data and statistics 2016. Wellington, New Zealand: Author.
Paris, D. (2012). Culturally sustaining pedagogy: A needed change in stance, termino logy, and practice. Educational Researcher, 41(3), 93-97.
Reynolds, M. (2017). Video and va: Caring for relationality in Pasfika education. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 2, 34-41.
Reynolds, M. (2018). They always have my back: A strengths-based approach to understanding the value(s) of Pasifika brotherhoods in education in Aotearoa New Zealand. International Journal of Multicultural Education, 20(2), 1-23.
Rimoni, F. (2016). Tama Samoa stories: Experiences and perceptions of identity, belonging and future aspirations at secondary school. (Unpublished PhD thesis). Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
Rubie-Davies, C. M., Hattie, J., & Hamilton, R. (2006). Expecting the best for New Zealand students: Teacher expectations and academic success. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 429-444.
Samu, T. W. (2006). The ‘Pasifika Umbrella’ and quality teaching: Understanding and responding to the diverse realities within. Waikato Journal of Education, 12, 35–49
Siope, A. (2011). The schooling experiences of Pasifika students. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 10(3), 11-15.
Spiller, L. (2012). “How can we teach them when they won’t listen?”: How teacher beliefs about Pasifika values and Pasifika ways of learning affect student behaviour and achievement. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 3, 58–66.
Statistics New Zealand. (2013). 2013 Census Quick Stats about culture and iden tity. Retrieved from http://archive.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-culture-identity/pacific-peoples.aspx
Tongati’o, L., Mitchell, K., Tuimauga, F., & Kennedy, S. (2016). Ngaue fakataha ki he ako 'a e fanau: Schools and parents and families working together to better unders tand and support Pasifika students’ progress and achievement at school (Phase One). Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2019 Linhas Críticas
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:
-Authors maintains the copyright and grants the journal the right of first publication, the work being simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which allows the sharing of the work with recognition of the authorship of the work and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are authorized to enter into additional contracts separately, for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (eg publish in institutional repository or as a book chapter), with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal.
-Authorers are allowed and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (eg in institutional repositories or on their personal page) at any point before or during the editorial process, as this can generate productive changes as well as increase the impact and the citation of published work (See The Effect of Free Access).
