Teaching stories: Where am I?

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. 

This video is about being Cook Islander, the diversity of Pacific Islands, and how one size does not fit all.

Relevant ethnicities: Cook Islands 

Relevant turu: Turu 1

This video is about being a Cook Islander, as well as the diversity of the Pacific Islands and how one size does not fit all. In the Cook Islands, there are 15 islands, as represented by the stars on their national flag. Each small island that belongs to the main island has its own distinct dialect. For some people, their identity can be traced to many islands. Cook Island culture is expressed through self-identity. Self-identity includes representing the island(s) you are from and your family name. One participant speaks about being proud to be a Cook Islander and how the Cook Island culture is not as highly visible when compared to Samoa or Tonga.

Reflections for individual teachers 

As you watch this video, think about the Cook Island learners in your classroom and reflect on your own self-identity. 

• As your Cook Island learners walk through the school gate, ask them if they see part of themselves reflected in the school environment and classrooms.
• How can you support your Cook Island learners to respond well and participate in a variety of learning situations? How can you identify priorities for their learning? How can you support their culture, language, and identity to ensure that your Cook Island learners get an effective education? 
• What support and resources do you need to assist you with improving learning outcomes for your Cook Island learners? How will support and resources inform curriculum activities? 
• How will you engage with Cook Island parents and families in making decisions about their child's learning? Will it be a different approach from other island groups? If so, how? 

Reflections for staff or departments

As you watch this video as a staff member or member of a department team, think about how your school is meeting the needs of your Cook Island learners.

• How has your school built on the teachers’ knowledge of Cook Island culture to meet the needs of your Cook Island learners? 
• Think about ways your school can challenge your teaching staff to look at a curriculum area of their choice and how they can incorporate te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani and culture into it. 
• Think of examples of appropriate contexts for Te Reo Māori Kuki Aiani and culture, and any improvements to school systems and processes you have made to develop a rich classroom environment and more appropriate contexts for learning for Cook Island learners. 
• Ask your staff to walk around the school and classroom environments to see if they can identify Cook Island artifacts, displays of Cook Island language and culture, and any other resources that relate to Cook Island learners in your school. 

This video is about being Fijian, cultural identity, and how Fijian customs and traditions are similar to those of other Pacific Islands.

Relevant ethnicities: Fiji

Relevant turu: Turu 1

This video is about being Fijian. It talks about cultural identity and how Fijian customs and traditions are similar to those of other Pacific Islands. The Fijian learners in the video speak of their pride in their culture, food, and traditional dance. They describe a different way of life to that here in New Zealand; they describe the music and the things they do in Fiji, such as picking mangoes off the trees, the clothes, and tapa design. Fijians are renowned for their smiling faces, friendliness, and hospitality.

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch this video, think about the Fijian learners in your classroom and reflect on your own identity. 

• Ask your Fijian learners if they see any part of themselves reflected in the school environment and the classrooms as they walk through the school gate. 
• Through a range of Pacific contexts, how do you explore your understanding of Fijian culture? How can you develop what you know and learn about Fiji and your cultural capabilities?
• How do you provide a safe space for Fijian learners to be seen, valued, cared for, and respected? It is important that you think of your responses to other Melanesian learners as opportunities to learn from varied experiences and perspectives.
• How do you build cultural narratives into the curriculum?

Reflections for staff or departments 

As you watch this video as a staff member or member of a department team, think about how your school is meeting the needs of your Fijian learners. 

• How is your school building on the teachers’ knowledge of Fijian culture to meet the needs of your Fijian learners? 
• How is your school creating a learning environment that enables teaching staff to draw on student cultural experiences to enrich the curriculum? 

Ask your staff to walk around the school and classroom environments to see if they can find and identify Fiji artefacts, displays of Fijian language and culture, and any other resources there are to relate to each Fijian learner in your school.

Samoan identity at school brings pride, confidence, and a sense of belonging. 

Relevant ethnicities: Samoa

Relevant turu: Turu 1

This video is about Samoan identity, language, and culture, as well as being Samoan at school. One learner shares that she didn’t identify as Samoan in primary school as the environment was dominated by the white culture; she felt she was one of them. She found her identity at school in 7th grade when she moved to a school where there is a strong community presence and diversity is recognised. Others spoke of the importance of culture, connections, language, and the value of respect. Samoan identity at school brings pride, confidence, a sense of belonging, and the significance of a family name.

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch this video, think about the Samoan learners in your classroom and reflect on your own identity.

• Ask your Samoan learners if they see part of themselves reflected in the school environment and the classrooms as they walk through the school gate.
• How are you sharing and incorporating your background, identity, and culture, and what matters most to you in your teaching practice to allow your learners to relate to your personal story? What approaches do you use to enable your learners to share their own identity, culture, and background, and what matters most to them?
• How do you connect with your Samoan learners to understand who they are, where they come from, and their lives outside the classroom? What can you do to help them retain their Samoan identities and keep their culture active in your class?
• How do you invite their parents and families to share some of their own Samoan cultural knowledge and strengths, to use as a foundation for effective teaching, and to build on your own cultural awareness and understanding?

Reflections for staff or departments

As you watch this video, as a staff member or member of a department team, think about how your school is meeting the needs of your Samoan learners.

• How does your school build on the teachers’ knowledge of Samoan culture to meet the needs of your Samoan learners?
• Think about ways your school can challenge your teaching staff to look at a curriculum area of their choice and how they can incorporate the Samoan language and culture into it.
• Think about examples of appropriate contexts for the Samoan language and culture. How have you made improvements to school systems and processes to develop a rich classroom environment and appropriate contexts for learning?

Ask your staff to walk around the school and classroom environments to see if they can identify Samoan tapa, artefacts, displays of Samoan language and culture, and any other resources that relate to Samoan learners in your school.

This video is about being Tongan and the importance of connecting with the Tongan culture to form self-identity. 

Relevant ethnicities: Tonga

Relevant turu: Turu 1

This video is about being Tongan and discusses how Tongan values relate to Christianity, similarities between Tonga and other Pacific Islands, and the importance of connecting with the Tongan culture to form self-identity. Embracing Tongan culture and language at school empowers many Tongan learners because they feel connected. Polyfest is an important platform for many Tongan learners to gain insights into their culture, embrace their language through dance and songs, and be part of a familiar, home-like environment. Respect is valued highly in Tongan culture, and it is a key trait that is expected of all Tongan people. 

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch this video, think about the Tongan learners in your classroom and reflect on your own self-identity. 

• Ask your Tongan learners if they see part of themselves reflected in the school environment and the classrooms as they walk through the school gates. 
• Think about how you can incorporate Tongan history, stories, and myths into your lessons and class activities in ways that are relevant to both your Tongan learners and non-Tongan learners in your class. 
• How can you build an understanding of Tongan values and embrace the faith, spirituality, and families of your Tongan learners? How can this be shared with non-Tongan learners in your class? 
• How will you engage with Tongan parents and families in making decisions about their child's learning? Will it be a different approach for other island groups? If so, how?

Reflections for staff or departments

As you watch this video, as a staff member or member of a department team, think about how your school is meeting the needs of your Tongan learners.

• How can your school build on the teachers’ knowledge of Tongan culture to meet the needs of your Tongan learners?
• Reflect on how your school celebrates Tongan Language Week and how you are engaging Tongan parents, families, and communities in your school activities.
• How are you tracking and responding to staff efforts in their Tongan learning journeys, and how will you ensure that staff value being part of the journey? Design an activity to find out how many staff members can pronounce Tongan names and words properly and talk about their meanings. Involve Tongan parents, who are not afraid to critique, to assist and share their reflections.

Ask your staff to walk around the school and classroom environments to see if they can find and identify Tongan tapa, artefacts, displays of Tongan language and culture, and any other resources available that relate to Tongan learners at your school.

Two parents challenge teachers to ask questions and dig deeper into a learner’s identity to understand them better. 

Relevant turu: Turu 1

This video is about recognising a learner’s dual heritage at school. A parent in the video speaks about the importance of children in New Zealand with dual heritage feeling that their identities are recognised and embraced, the benefits of dual languages, and the differences between Pacific learners who are in mainstream classrooms and those who are in bilingual units. Another parent speaks about her son Maddox and what is important for him in terms of his identity and getting to know his language and culture. The video also challenges non-Pacific teachers to ask questions and dig deeper into a learner’s identity to understand them better. 

Reflections for individual teachers 

As you watch this video, think of the benefits and challenges of learners’ dual heritage and what they bring to the classroom. 

• What are the models of dual-language education that you use in your classroom? Also, consider thinking about the myths associated with learners of dual heritage. 
• How are you valuing the literacies and skills that Pacific learners have gained in their first language and making clear connections with school literacy? How can your Pacific learners build on these?

How are you ensuring that second language acquisition is assessed? How are you checking with your learner to see if they require support? 

Reflections for staff or departments

As you watch this video, think about how learners of dual heritage can thrive in your school environment. 

• How is your school integrating Pacific culture into classroom content? 
• What support system for Pacific students do you have in place to allow them to support each other? How are you empowering Pacific learners with dual heritage to thrive in their learning? 
• What opportunities does your school offer Pacific learners to embrace their dual heritage and use their home languages at school?

How does your school support learners’ expression in their indigenous language and build on the recognition of a learner’s first language to help build their confidence and a sense of being cared for?

In this video, one learner from Kiribati speaks about her culture, identity, and her island name. 

Relevant ethnicities: Kiribati

Relevant turu: Turu 1

This video is about being Kiribati. One learner speaks about her culture, identity, and her island name. Kiribati culture and identity are embodied through dancing and costumes. Traditional costumes are unique, and long hair is precious. When women cut their hair, men use it as part of their costumes. The hair has to be well treated, and parents play a part in ensuring girls’ hair is well maintained. Kiribati people are known to be friendly, kind, and proud of their cultural traditions. 

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch this video, think of the Kiribati learners in your classroom and reflect on your own identity.

• Ask your Kiribati learners when they walk through the school gate if they see part of themselves reflected in the school environment and the classrooms.
• How do you develop cultural awareness about Kiribati in your class? How can you actively engage your class in the subject of climate change and use Kiribati as a case study? 
• How could you use the concept of hair being precious to design a project that invites Pacific learners’ to draw on their expertise and prior knowledge and speak about the value of hair in their culture and traditions? Teach a lesson or give a demonstration. The aim is for your learners to exercise their critical thinking and share authentic, genuine experiences. 
• How will you engage with Kiribati parents and families in making decisions about their child's learning? Will it be a different approach for other island groups? If so, how? 

Reflections for staff or departments

As you watch this video, as a staff member or member of a department team, think about how your school is meeting the needs of your Kiribati learners. 

• How is your school building on the teachers’ knowledge of Kiribati culture to meet the needs of your Kiribati learners?
• How are staff stimulating their thinking and engaging in discussion about their current practice? How responsive to the specific learning and cultural needs of Kiribati learners is your current teaching practice? 

Ask your staff to walk around the school and classroom environments to see if they can find and identify Kiribati tapa, artefacts, displays of Kiribati language and culture, or any other resources that relate to Kiribati learners in your school.

This video is about culturally located and responsive practice, identity, language, and recognising learners as individuals located within their cultures. 

Relevant turu: Turu 3

This video is about culturally located and responsive practice, identity, and language, and recognising learners as individuals located within their cultures. In this video, Ali Glasgow speaks about culturally located pedagogy: programmes that are delivered in the learner’s home language and reflect what learners would be learning in their homelands. Schools are challenged to learn what Pacific families consider to be valuable learning outcomes for their children and work from there. The video invites teachers to reflect on what they need to build into their programmes to ensure that Pacific learners will not lose their culture, language, or identity.

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch this video, think about the keys to educational success for Pacific learners. 

• Think of ways to acknowledge that Pacific learners are culturally located and how effective education embraces culture. How do you enhance your Pacific learners’ sense of identity and belonging and encourage them to actively embrace their culture and language? 
• How will you explore Pacific cultural knowledge, theories, and values to support the development of culturally responsive theory and practice in your classroom? 
• Think about how you can be more culturally responsive in your teaching. Reflect on your cultural knowledge and teaching as it relates to Pacific culture. How can you use your Pacific learners’ cultural knowledge and perspectives as a resource for teaching? 

Reflections for staff or departments

If you are a staff member or member of a department team, think about how you can contribute to a school curriculum that supports Pacific learners to achieve educational success and retain their Pacific culture. 

• Share your thoughts about: 
  • why culturally responsive pedagogy is important 
  • how culture supports educational achievement 
  • the importance of teachers' attitudes and behaviour towards culturally diverse learners. 
• How is your school creating a safe and supportive environment for staff to learn and grow relationships? What can your school do to connect with families and communities? 

A Tokelauan teacher shares how they use Pacific values to guide the curriculum in her early childhood setting. 

Relevant turu: Turu 3

This video is about culturally responsive pedagogy. The Tokelauan teacher in the video shares how they use Pacific values to guide the curriculum in her early childhood setting. Core Pacific values also guide responsive pedagogy through cultural relationships that include families and communities and connect their learners to the school environment. Rooted in culture and spiritual principles, culturally responsive pedagogy aims to link content to practice. 

Reflections for individual teachers

Culturally responsive pedagogy is grounded in cultural relationships. 

• Think of conversations you have had about your own culturally responsive practices. Have they helped you reflect on your perspectives and biases? 
• Being culturally responsive encourages learners to feel a sense of belonging and helps create a safe space where they feel respected, heard, and challenged. How are you responding to the diverse needs of your learners? 
• As you prepare and deliver lessons, what can you do to ensure that your classroom is a culturally responsive setting? Think about how you can gain insights about your learners in a culturally responsive way and how to uncover their learning needs. 
• How can you encourage your learners to devise a cultural education campaign that champions their favourite cause and give them the opportunity to present their project to class and discuss the role culture plays in societal change? 

Reflections for staff or departments

• Do you have a Pacific plan for your school? If yes, how is the plan encouraging Pacific parents to participate in decision-making and shaping the future direction of your school? If not, is your school planning to create a Pacific plan in partnership with parents? 
• Think about how your school includes Pacific cultural references in all aspects of reshaping the curriculum. How has your school acknowledged Pacific voices? 
• Does your school deliver different forms of content? For example, could your school invite guest speakers or role models to share cultural and historical knowledge to capture student interest? This could help your staff who are struggling to engage with Pacific learners and is more effective than lessons or storytelling. 

Keshmin Reedy speaks about the challenges and opportunities of culturally responsive teaching.  

Relevant ethnicities: Cook Islands, Kiribati

Relevant turu: Turu 1, Turu 3

This video is about teaching with culture at the center. Keshmin Reedy, a teacher at Manurewa High School, speaks about the challenges and opportunities of culturally responsive teaching and how it has guided her to learn about and be part of Kiribati culture at school. Teaching with culture at the centre is about cultural relationships and reciprocal learning. Learning about different cultures also involves learning about communities. Encouraging learners to speak their home language, rather than English, is part of their personal identity. Teaching with culture at the centre also goes hand-in-hand with spirituality. Prayer is important to many Pacific people, and incorporating prayer into Pacific school activities is as deeply important to many Pacific learners as embracing their culture and language. 

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch the video, think about the ways that culture has impacted your teaching and how you should anticipate culture shock. 

• How can you include interactions that acknowledge diverse cultures in your classroom? How can you adjust your teaching approach so that it appeals to your Pacific learners? Think of pedagogical approaches that require cultural intelligence. 
• Where and how can you seek out relevant information and advice to resourcefully adapt to the needs of Pacific learners? Share your own cultural assumptions. 
• Do you have a story to share about how you anticipate cultural differences and how you will you address them before they become problems? In your story, describe the particular problem, how you intend to address it, and share strategies to address situations similar to those in the video. 

As a class activity, ask each learner to bring a dish from their culture and explain what the dish represents and why it has become a part of their culture. They could also share about celebrations that include their dish at home. Ask other learners what they know about the dish. Treat these dishes with respect, and consider using this activity as a lesson in cultural sharing. 

Reflections for staff or departments

If you are watching this story as a staff member or member of a department team, think about classroom learning and cultural relationships. 

• How is your school supporting teachers to recognise the value of and include cultural learning? Is your school equipping them with knowledge and skills through culturally relevant programmes? 
• How is your school preparing staff to be culturally responsive? How are you working collectively to lift achievement by responding to the learning styles and needs of Pacific learners? 
• How are you being encouraged to think critically about your programmes, learning experiences, and coursework to prepare you to work successfully with diverse students, especially Pacific learners? 

This video discusses why Pacific learners need to see their cultures in their classrooms. 

Relevant turu: Turu 1, Turu 2

Pacific learners need to see their cultures in their classrooms. This video illustrates how schools should value Pacific cultures. Family context and culture are important components for Pacific learners. Valuing their identities, languages, and heritages is key to their educational success. Most Pacific learners are shy and not very confident about understanding who they are and where they come from, and the current system focuses primarily on achieving academic and educational aspirations. The video challenges schools to work differently and reciprocally.

Reflections for individual teachers

Plan to get to know your Pacific learners and how you will integrate their language and culture into your classroom environment. 

• Do you know your learners as individuals? Learners also want to know about you and your life outside of school. Consider doing an activity based on personal storytelling. Share information about your own cultural identity and personal story. Encourage your learners to reciprocate. Share about your imperfections and the times you have made mistakes. This will help your learners feel more comfortable making mistakes, learning from them, and supporting strong relationships.
• Another activity to encourage and support your learners to appreciate and acknowledge their own cultural identity is to broaden your approach to food tasting, favourite songs, music, and dance, learning a few Pacific words, or participating in an event that is meaningful to Pacific learners. Examples include participating in a wedding, a church service, a birthday celebration, or a community event like the market, a festival, or another Pacific community activity. 
• Explore culturally appropriate teaching approaches and resources with learners to try to meet their needs from a cultural perspective. Work together with your learners to identify important features for a culturally responsive curriculum. Have discussions with your learners, and respond to their questions by giving feedback with relatable examples. Consider a buddy system for this activity to allow learners to support each other. Make connections to their culture and work with them to integrate ideas into classroom content. 

Reflections for staff or departments

If you are a staff member or member of a department team, think of your own expectations of Pacific learners. 

• Explore how your school is delivering for its Pacific learners. How is your school supporting Pacific learners to value their culture, home language, religion, and values? 
• How is your school supporting learners with English as a second language? What bilingual resources does your school provide? How do you use Pacific cultural activities as a learning context? 
• Think about how your school develops teaching practice and works on an inquiry framework to examine classroom practices and identify strategies and approaches that make a difference for Pacific learners. 

This video is about how leadership can support non-Pacific staff, teachers, and learners to engage in a culturally responsive way.

Relevant turu: Turu 3

This video is about leadership support for non-Pacific staff, teachers, and non-Pacific learners to engage in a culturally responsive way. The video describes different examples of reciprocal teaching and learning with cultural content. One example is teacher swaps, visiting teaching environments, and combined celebrations as part of professional leadership development. Another example is providing resources to support non-Pacific staff so that they feel connected and comfortable enough to learn and lead others in time. For children, reciprocal learning with cultural content is about taking part; for example, children taking part in the ava ceremony gives their culture relevance and context.

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch this video, think of your role as a leader working within a Pacific context. 

• How can leaders work in partnership with staff, parents, families, and communities to achieve positive outcomes for Pacific learners? 
• How can you, as a leader, contribute to ongoing improvements such as curriculum development, staff appraisals, school performance, and reviews of cultural learning? 
• What PLD do you need to undertake to support your role?

How will you incorporate cultural models into your lessons to guide discussions with your learners, and how does the curriculum support your learners’ languages, cultures, and identities? 

Reflections for staff or departments

If you watch this video as a staff member or member of a department team, think of effective leadership in Pacific cultural practice. 

• How is your school fulfilling its role as a custodian of Pacific cultural practices to provide a culturally responsive guide to the curriculum? How are you embedding Pacific cultural practices to support your non-Pacific staff? 
• Does your school have relationships with Pacific elders and leaders, and how are they included? Consider connecting with other schools or Pacific groups in your area to support your school activities. 

How are you developing cultural capability for leaders in your school? What does good cultural capability for leaders look like? 

This video explores the Samoan concept of "le va" (the space in between) relationship and relatedness. 

Relevant ethnicities: Samoa

Relevant turu: Turu 2

This video is about a process of reflection and recognising Pacific values. It explores the Samoan concept of 'le va' (the space in between) in relationship and relatedness. It provides grounds for a more nuanced discussion of relationships by addressing the breadth and transformational power of the application of le va. An awareness of 'va' has its place in the school, the classroom and in teacher-learner relationships. Appreciating the va deepens cultural understanding and appreciation. 

Le va

The va/va'a/vaha is a pan-Pacific notion that describes the spatial and relational context within which secular and spiritual relationships unfold. Social, spiritual, and relational contexts allow for personal and collective well-being and growth through knowledge generation, social action, and cultural transformation. In Teu Le Va, relationships are given space and valued so that all involved may benefit (Anae, 2007). 
 
In learning settings, le va is about giving space and time to prioritise and value relationships with students, families and colleagues – nurturing physical and relational spaces. Teu le Vā (nurture the relationship) is a common expression because it shows how relationships define us. Le va is also about how we are within the space; encompassing principles such as reciprocity, balance, respect, and mutual trust. 

Reflections for individual teachers

You can now reflect on how you can use the idea of 'le va' in relation to your learners. One of the key values of va/space is the value of proximity. As you watch this video, think of the quality of relationships that have been identified as a significant factor for Pacific learners through movement and the closing of space. 

• How does the identification of 'le va' translate in the way you configure, and the scale of space, in your classroom? 
• How can you communicate to your learners the value of asking questions, and acknowledging challenging subjects, areas of ignorance, and confusion so they do not emerge as a hurdle (especially in front of the class)? 
• What is your approach for encouraging Pacific learners to share their understanding of the va and its significance in social environments and/or spiritual settings? 

The emotions evoked by the va act as a learning hurdle. 

• What pedagogical tactic will you use to avoid exposing Pacific learners to shame and embarrassment in class? 
• How do you make space for your learners to ensure balanced reciprocity of giving and taking? 
• Take time to reflect on how you will develop a positive connection in the va between your Pacific learners and their learning. The actions here involve time and care. Also, reflect on your interactions with learners outside of the classroom and how you communicate and build connections with their parent/s and families. 

Reflections for staff or departments

If you are watching this story as a staff member or as a member of a departmental team, reflect on va as the relational space between people.  

• How can you nurture the va, and maintain sacred space, harmony and balance in your relationships with your Pacific learners, and their parent/s, families and communities? 
• In what ways do you protect and preserve sacred space for Pacific learners in your school environment? 
• What programmes and initiatives are offered in your school to ensure teachers learn how to teu le va in different stages of relationships by understanding va disciplinary, personal space, and practicing mutual care? 
• Reflect on how your school supports an understanding of va as recognising the quality of relationships, and how your learners see their relationship with a learning area. 

This video illustrates the values of faith, spirituality (church), and family. 

Relevant ethnicities: Cook Islands, Samoa

Relevant turu: Turu 1 

This video illustrates the values of faith, spirituality (church), and family. Values that are important to many Pacific learners are collective community, spirituality in the lives of Pacific children and families, and looking after and caring for each other. Culture is also an important part of a Pacific learner's identity, and it is built around the core Pacific values of respect, spirituality, and Christian faith. 

Spirituality and the classroom

There will be many versions of faith and spirituality in your learning setting, and it is important that we are tolerant and accepting of values and beliefs while also following the Ministry of Education guidance about spiritual components in secular education.

Understanding your learners’ faiths and spiritual beliefs will give you a holistic view of each child. Understanding faith doesn't mean that you need to unpack it or teach it; rather, it’s a way to find out about your learner outside of school and a way to connect with the wider community and families. 

Reflections for individual teachers

This video demonstrates that cultural customs and spirituality are important to Pacific learners’ ways of being. The video also shows the way that the values of respect, love, family, and collectivism are interconnected. 

As you watch this video, think about how you can:

• engage your Pacific learners in classroom discussions in the context of their community and spirituality.
• embed Pacific values and cultural practices to enhance learning through engagement in class discussions and content
• incorporate Pacific knowledge, values, and practices into your class content
• identify other ways of engaging with learners using culturally inclusive pedagogies that will improve their learning in the classroom.

To acknowledge the different cultures in your classroom, it is necessary to have an idea of who your learners are and their cultural backgrounds.

• What is your current method for inviting learners to introduce themselves and share their name and its origin, where their family is from, the community they live in, and their spiritual worldview? Can you pronounce all of your learners’ names correctly? How can you improve on your current practice? 
• Think about how you can enhance and strengthen your learners' cultural and spiritual worldviews and how you can support and enable them to understand and make sense of curriculum learning through their own experiences. What teaching methods could you use? 
• How will you share your place in your community, your family, your background, your culture, your values, and your name? A good way for learners to share the significance of their names is through storytelling.

Reflections for staff or departments

Culturally responsive pedagogy for Pacific learners is built around core values that include spirituality, respect, stories, humility, humour, affection, and a sense of community. 

Reflect on the following questions in the context of a culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy:

• How can you enable your Pacific learners and their families to share their knowledge with each other and, at the same time, collaborate with other students and parents to learn? 
• How is your school creating an environment that is safe and supportive of Pacific learners with regards to their culture, spiritual faith, and life experiences? 
• How does your school build Pacific knowledge into content and delivery, and how are you customising teaching methods to suit Pacific learners?
• What cultural competency workshops does your school currently offer to encourage culturally responsive teaching and learning and cater for differences, acknowledging that the cultural values and norms of your learners may be different from your own? 

In this video, Pennie Otto of Manurewa High School shares her outlook on community identity. 

Relevant turu: Turu 1, Turu 3

In this video, Pennie Otto of Manurewa High School shares her outlook on community identity, which is an important driving force to create a sense of belonging, self-pride, and a feeling of unity. Community identity enables learners to recognise their personal identity and where and how they fit into the community. Connor McHoull talks about community empowerment, involvement, and the links back to classroom learning. 

Reflections for individual teachers

Both stories illustrate how community identity empowers learners. As you watch this video, think about how you can:

• incorporate community identity into your lessons and how to empower learners by encouraging them to take pride in their community, surroundings, and cultural backgrounds
• use exercises and activities to support a community culture of care; give your learners the opportunity to speak about their sense of identity and belonging; and empower them to participate in a community environment
• reflect on your own learning experiences outside the classroom. How could you improve your own teaching practice? How will you connect with and engage your learners by talking about your own local community and culture?
• work together with your learners to create a resource for newcomers (as some teachers do not live in the same geographical area as their learners). What is the Pacific history of your area? Where are the Pacific "hubs,” such as the churches, language nests, sports grounds, markets, and food venues? Try to connect with the wider community at events inside and outside of school.

Reflections for staff or departments

If you are watching this video as an individual staff member or as a member of a departmental team, reflect on your wider team or how your school can increase parent and community involvement. 

• Does your school have a community consultation plan? If yes, how familiar are you with the plan for how each key group can help your school reach its academic and resource goals? If not, how will you go about collectively creating a community-empowered plan? 
• Now reflect on the school-home partnerships and consider how you can strengthen partnerships with parents, whānau, and communities and involve them in supporting learning. Think about your local curriculum and how it supports the community and helps parents engage with their child's learning.
• As a staff member, how will you contribute to the implementation of successful school, whānau, and community partnership activities?
• How will you support each other for a teacher-training workshop on the utilisation of parents and community mentors/role models in the classroom? 

Rhonda Duncraft of Sydenham Community Preschool explains the steps they took to build a truly inclusive environment.

Relevant turu: Turu 2

After the earthquake in Christchurch, Sydenham Community Preschool was provided with a new centre. Lead teacher, Rhonda, explains the steps they took to build a truly inclusive environment based on a deep understanding of how their Pacific families operate. Key steps included:

• researching and getting to know who the people in their community were
• teacher PLD to understand how Pasifika students learn language and culture
• identifying what to offer in their programme and how to deliver it to support their Pacific learners.

Reflections for individual teachers

Cultural responsiveness does not mean just learning about others. Developing an awareness of your own cultural identity is an important tool for developing cultural understanding. This means critically reflecting on and coming to understand how identity, language, and culture influence your own life and your own identity, so you can develop an appreciation of complexity rather than reinforce stereotypical understandings.

Read The Education Hub resource Four strategies to effectively support Pasifika students.

Understanding your Pasifika community in more depth – Challenge

Participate in events and activities to learn more about your local community:
What local groups can you connect with?
What groups or activities are the families from your centre involved in?
What events are occurring in your local Samoan or Tongan community?

Consider attending a local church service, sporting, cultural, or political event that your Pasifika families attend so you can grow your understanding and get to know your families and communities in more depth.

Reflections for staff or departments

“Relationships with parents, family, and community need to go beyond communication about achievement. Build relationships where you are working together to support student success.”
- Educationally powerful connections with parents and whānau, ERO, 2015

Strategic goals around parental engagement are supported by PLD for staff.

In the video, lead teacher Rhonda described how they spent over a year with PLD focusing on building a deep understanding of Pasifika culture and language to develop a genuine, welcoming space that met the diverse learning needs of their community. 

Identify how your centre is already or can engage in ongoing PLD to:

• ensure that partnership is authentic
• create a warm and inviting environment 
• work with parents, family, and the community rather than a token consultation.

This video illustrates how teacher expectations influence their learners’ experiences of learning.  

Relevant turu: Turu 2

This video illustrates how teacher expectations influence their learners’ experiences of learning. The featured teachers talk about understanding the learner’s cultural background. Many learners bring their cultural ways of being into the school, and this represents their identity. Teacher expectations lead to student self-confidence and belief; it motivates the learners to aim high and get to places where few or no Pacific learners are represented; for example, one teacher talks about scholarships. 

Reflections for individual teachers

This video considers the expectations different teachers have for Pacific learners, their cultural background, and their learning. As you watch this video: 

• Write and share your understanding of a teacher’s lower or higher expectations for Pacific learners. We recommend that you develop a conceptual understanding of the implications that teacher expectations have for a learner’s learning.
• Explore and write down your perceptions of how your expectations for your different learners are shaped. How do your expectations influence your practice and student outcomes?
• What do you think are other contributing factors to a Pacific learner’s success aside from the maintenance of their cultural identity, high expectations by both teachers and parents, home-school relationships, parental and community support, the role of community and church, and culturally responsive teaching?

Reflections for staff or departments

If you are watching this story as a staff member or member of a department team, you may have examined what your staff understood about teacher expectations, with a particular focus on Pacific learners.

• In groups, unpack what having high expectations for Pacific learners looks like and share your understanding of the biggest barriers to improving or becoming high achievers faced by Pacific learners.
• Think of ways that you can co-construct the curriculum and involve your Pacific learners in assessment as a way of ensuring your school is responding to the specific strengths of individual learners and Pacific needs (rather than working from generalised assumptions). Set up activities that encourage meaningful exchanges between your teaching staff and Pacific learners as part of planning curriculum and pedagogy.
• Focus on the training needs of your teachers and use Tapasā as a guiding document to respond to specific cultural practices, expectations, and awarenesses to grow your staff’s cultural understanding. This includes critically reflecting on their own expectations and teaching behaviours in classrooms.

This video is about the importance of recognising and building on the identity, language, and the culture of Pacific learners. 

Relevant ethnicities: Tonga

Relevant turu: Turu 1

This video is about the importance of recognising and building on the identity, language, and culture of Pacific learners. The video talks about the need for teachers to engage with their Pacific learners and find out about their families, values, and culture. Incorporating cultural events, values, and practices that are relevant to learners into the curriculum and learning environment is one way that teachers can enable students to be secure in their cultural identity.

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch this video, think about your role as a teacher working within a Pacific context. In groups, discuss the following questions:

• How well do you know your learners, who have cultural knowledge, languages, and experiences that are different from your own?
• What do you already know about the languages, cultures, values, and practices of your Pacific learners? 
• Where are your gaps in knowledge, and who can help you broaden your understanding?
• What is one thing that you can do in your classroom or early learning service to recognise and build on the language, identity, and culture of one of your Pacific learners?

Decide on an immediate action that you will take to make your teaching and learning more responsive to your Pacific learners. 

Reflections for staff or departments

If you watch this video as a staff member or member of a department team, think about effective leadership practices in Pacific cultures. 

How does your school or early learning service support your staff and students to deepen their awareness of different Pacific identities, languages, and cultures?

Consider how you can draw on the cultural expertise of your Pacific learners and their families, elders, and community groups to develop your understanding.

You might choose to:

• work with your Pacific families to organise activities for the many Pacific language weeks that we celebrate in Aotearoa 
• invite elders from your Pacific community if they are willing to share their stories, values, customs, and languages with your staff
• take part in Pacific events and festivals in your community, including art exhibitions and cultural celebrations.

This video demonstrates different ways of knowing and understanding Pacific learners. 

Relevant ethnicities: Cook Islands, Samoa, and Tonga

Relevant turu: Turu 1, Turu 3

This video demonstrates different ways of knowing and understanding Pacific learners. Making connections to their cultural contexts and extending those connections to their families and communities helps strengthen relationships and support learning. A culturally located pedagogy helps establish reciprocal relationships and strengthen connections with Pacific learners. Knowing a Pacific learner includes understanding their Pacific world view and weaving that into your learning in genuine and meaningful ways to create a culturally responsive environment. 

Reflections for individual teachers

This video highlights the key elements of knowing your learner.

• Write down examples of culturally responsive strategies to meet the needs of your Pacific learners. Think about your teaching and learning and the ways you get to know your Pacific learners. 
• How well do you know your Pacific learners? Share examples of how you make connections to their experiences and contexts to support learning and strengthen relationships. 
• This exercise involves you asking your Pacific learners what they want to see in their classrooms or learning programmes. Ask them what makes a good teacher. Construct learning situations based on what is important to Pacific learners by linking learning to their interests and prior knowledge. 
• How do you build an effective curriculum and pedagogy for the different cultural contexts of your Pacific learners? How are you connecting with and responding to the identities, languages, and cultures of each of your learners? How will you weave values such as respect, service, leadership, family, belonging, and relationships into your lesson? 

Reflections for staff or departments

If you are watching this story as a staff member or member of a department team, think of different situations and how you will develop an understanding of the different perspectives and values held by your Pacific learners and their parents, families, and communities. 

• How can you work with your staff to deepen understanding of the different Pacific ethnicities and values to help your staff engage with their Pacific learners and their parents? Explore different Pacific beliefs, values, and expectations. 
• How are you promoting Tapasā as a resource for all teachers of Pacific learners to support them in becoming more culturally aware, confident, and competent when engaging with Pacific learners and their parents, families, and communities?
• How does your school involve parents, whānau, and communities in the learning of their children and young people? Provide and share examples. 
• How is your school providing best practice for teaching Pacific learners? 

This video is about inviting the wider community to be part of the school community. 

Relevant turu: Turu 2

This video is about inviting the wider community to be part of the school community. Connecting with the community helps encourage Pacific parents to engage with and support their child's learning. In the video, you’ll hear about the importance of connecting with parents to support learners’ learning. When parents and communities feel connected to and welcome at the school, it helps them to support their child’s learning at home.

Reflections for individual teachers

As you watch this video, think of how you are connecting home to the classroom.

• How are you enabling community conversations in your classroom? Share how you are fostering parent engagement in learners’ learning. Do you provide practical tools for parents to support classroom learning at home? 
• Do you seek support from other Pacific teachers when reaching out to Pacific parents and communities? Are translators provided for parents whose communication in English is limited? 
• Think about a learning framework and toolset to offer Pacific parents. What specific advice can you give about how to support their child’s learning? Share ways that you work with parents to help them understand their child’s school assessments and learning. How do you foster active engagement and learning partnerships with parents? 
• Share examples of effective classroom practice and describe how connections with your community support learning and teaching to get great outcomes for learners. 

Reflections for staff or departments

This video looks at home-school partnerships. If you are watching this story as a staff member or member of a department team, think of how your school is engaging with Pacific families and the community. 

• Community engagement is one of eight principles in The 2007 New Zealand Curriculum that provide a foundation for schools' decision-making. What is your school’s approach to supporting parents and communities to fully engage with and understand school assessment? How are you working with parents and communities to support targeted learning? 
• Using digital technology enhances the engagement of families and wider community networks. What channels does your school use to communicate with diverse communities? 
• How are you developing and strengthening home-school partnerships in which parents, families, and communities are involved in and support learning? 
• In department groups, think of ways that you collaborate with Pacific parents and families to design a local curriculum that meets the needs of their community. How are you enabling parents to support their child's learning? Discuss how different forms of communication have helped to engage the community to support and share learners’ learning.