Ka whati te tai, ka pao te Torea: Investigating culturally responsive policy, particularly, te reo Maori in English-medium schools, using an ecological framework.

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, a range of macro system education policies to potentially address Māori student achievement have been developed and implemented. Policy creation is extremely complex and is an often-contradictory process that defies the traditional held image of singular purpose and open, effective planning. Policies are inherently political, cross multiple contexts, and can involve multiple actors at national and local levels. To make sense of these complexities and the interconnectedness of policy at the various levels from development to enaction, this study draws on an ecology metaphor from education and linguistics to critique educational policy developed at the macro-level of education and then enacted at the micro-level of English-medium schooling. I also draw on my varied experience involved in the struggle to enhance Māori student education as a classroom teacher, a te reo Māori and student achievement facilitator to make sense of and interpret the data and contexts. Informed by the narratives of teachers, school leaders, and board of trustee members from two case study schools, issues and tensions are examined as these schools struggle to implement the current culturally responsive policy with limited national guidance, including policies that promote the teaching and learning of te reo Māori. While there is a belief held by classroom teachers based on anecdotal evidence that these policies make a difference, there is minimal school student achievement data to prove otherwise. Without any effective state led monitoring, this study shows that policy implementation in these two case study schools has defaulted to a small number of teachers who have used their agency to advance these policies. Successful policy implementation has been impacted on by a teacher workforce with limited knowledge and skills of te reo Māori and tikanga. To address the challenges facing Māori education, including the role of Māori language in education, multifaceted long-term solutions are required, not short-term quick fixes. Second, a cohesive national plan is required for all levels of policy implementation that attends to all dimensions, not just policy development at the macro system. The solution lies with the education system working in genuine collaboration with Māori whānau and communities and this is a challenge when in many contexts Māori are a minority in the school community and/or where historically Māori cultural values, language and aspirations are not the prevailing norm in the education system.