Ready Steady Play - The ‘building blocks’ of culturally responsive practice to achieve success.

A challenge Ready Steady Play faced was the varying levels of confidence and competence around using te reo Māori. Even though the team had well established bicultural practices and a strong commitment to giving mana to Te Whāriki, there was a strong desire for te reo Māori to be visible in everyday practices for all kaiako. The leadership team then discovered The Hikairo Schema: Culturally responsive teaching and learning in early childhood education settings. 

The poutama from The Hikairo Schema highlights the importance of the ‘building blocks’ of culturally responsive practice to achieve success. The centre had an existing relationship with Benita Rarere-Briggs, co-author of The Hikairo Schema. Through kōrero with Benita, the team realised that to truly make sustainable and powerful changes to their practice, they needed to work collaboratively as they navigated this poutama. 

Beginning at Moemoēa, the team focused on understanding their cultural identity and how this may impact professional practice. The team engaged in a noho marae which promoted thinking around both treaty partners in Aotearoa and how practice could be altered to acknowledge, respect, and value both parties. Vulnerability was encouraged by challenging prior thinking, bringing out emotions, fostering connection and a sense of belonging for the team. Based on this noho marae, the team found a new eagerness to take their learning further.

The team reached out to Dianne Robinson and Mātauraka Mahaanui. Dianne encouraged connections with hapū, iwi, and mana whenua. She also supported them to focus on the cultural heritage of their place in Ōtautahi. Together with Dianne, the centre renamed its rooms to reflect their cultural narrative. Sharing this new learning with tamariki and whānau was a great way to celebrate the special meanings of these names.

Collaboration with whānau, tamariki, kaiako, and the wider community has brought about meaningful culturally responsive practice in the centre.

Partnerships have continued to strengthen. The team noticed that whānau eagerly engaged in the journey, learning more about the practices utilised, whilst seeking and sharing information. Across the Kāhui Ako, tuakana teina relationships and shared learning through manaakitanga, kotahitanga, and whanaungatanga have continued to grow. Examples include:

• Inviting others into the centre for Matariki and performance. 
• Providing more opportunities for older ākonga to come and work alongside younger ākonga.
• Actively involving ākonga in welcoming new children through mihi whakatau.

Here the team highlights the ongoing impact of their shifts in practice. 

Tamariki can:

• share their culture and whakapapa – mihi sharing is part of our day and tamariki are proud to do this.
• use more complex te reo Māori at preschool and at home. They are eager to learn more each day!
• respond to reo Māori naturally throughout their day.
• practise appropriate tikanga. They hold each other and whānau accountable for their actions concerning tikanga.
• utilise bicultural principles and atua in daily conversations such as Sea Week Beach Clean Up “We have to help Tangaroa take care of his tamariki! Tangaroa and his tamariki don’t like rubbish, ay?”

Whānau:

• share their cultural identity with kaiako in a safe space
• share ideas and time to support the centre 
• celebrate key events that are significant to them
• contribute to the programme
• share their aspirations, skills, knowledge and know this is valued
• express a true sense of belonging in the centre and engage in meaningful conversations with kaiako
• are open and eager to learn; they ask for words, phrases, waiata, mihi structure and so on, and reinforce this learning at home.

Kaiako:

• feel confident in their culturally responsive practice, their own cultural identity, and know how this impacts their practice
• use reo Māori naturally in their practice and feel supported to do this without fear of judgement
• naturally integrate culturally responsive practice into every aspect of their work
• have grown stronger and more connected as a team 
• have grown stronger and more connected with tamariki and their whānau
• continue to engage in learning opportunities that support their development.

The team continues to engage in professional learning with a shared focus on expanding their knowledge and enhancing learning experiences for tamariki. They see this as an ongoing journey to push themselves. 

Overall, partnerships with the community continue to grow. This was evidenced recently when the centre experienced an emergency closure due to flooding. During this time, the team worked hard to maintain connections with the community and whānau, providing alternative care for tamariki for the long seven-week period that the centre was not fully operational. Tamariki remained enrolled at the centre, even providing support, and offered assistance in the cleanup efforts. This highlighted the strong sense of belonging and community within this space. While being hosted at their sister centres, the tamariki exhibited rangatiratanga. They confidently shared their learning and capability with te reo Māori, tikanga, and their knowledge of waiata and karakia with others.

Connecting back to their learning with Dianne Robinson, the team continue to reflect on practices and refine teaching to continually extend themselves. Once a month, they engage in ongoing professional learning and planning as a team. These hui allow them to collaboratively set learning outcomes and plan strategies. Alongside this, the team have been sharing their story, their learning, their reflections, and their growth with others.

Chantelle, the centre manager, is passionate about sharing their journey with others so that they too might take steps towards being truly culturally responsive. Here are her top tips for investing in this mahi:

• Commit to a shared learning journey. When all parties have invested, the success of all is enhanced.
• Create connections with the wider learning community – whānau, local iwi, schools – and involve them in this journey. Each party brings a wealth of knowledge that can enhance learning practices and ensure consistency for tamariki in their learning. 
• Set strong building blocks for learning. Utilise the poutama in The Hikairo Schema to guide you to build strong collective foundations for natural learning and evolution.
• Celebrate the successes and steps along the way. It is important to acknowledge the mahi and input from others as you grow.
• Share your learning with whānau, other educational settings, and with your local community. Sharing supports others to build their own culturally responsive practice and to honour both partners of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This will enhance experiences for our future generations.

Macfarlane, A., Macfarlane, S., Teirney, S., Kuntz, J. R., Rarere-Briggs, B., Currie, M., & Macfarlane, R. (2019). The Hikairo Schema: Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning in Early Childhood Education Settings. New Zealand Council for Educational Research. PO Box 3237, Wellington 6140 New Zealand.

Ready Steady Play Preschool (2021, 1 July) Matariki and our connections with our community. Today we honoured Matariki as we connected with our friends from Shirley Boy’s High School [images attached]. Facebook.