30.06.2013 Views

supporting tiriti-based curriculum delivery in mainstream early ...

supporting tiriti-based curriculum delivery in mainstream early ...

supporting tiriti-based curriculum delivery in mainstream early ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

…gave us the opportunities to reflect as a group, create awareness and<br />

know<strong>in</strong>g each other‟s feel<strong>in</strong>gs and views (Tr: D 15/12/09).<br />

Because of the focus on Tiriti-<strong>based</strong> <strong>curriculum</strong> at the research meet<strong>in</strong>gs,<br />

teachers were able:<br />

To cont<strong>in</strong>ually foreground bicultural practice; otherwise it took a back<br />

seat (Email A 18/3/09).<br />

When the centre of attention focused on Tiriti-<strong>based</strong> <strong>curriculum</strong>, teachers<br />

more readily put it <strong>in</strong>to practice. However, this was unrealistic for most centre<br />

plann<strong>in</strong>g meet<strong>in</strong>gs, because they n<strong>early</strong> always had a crowded agenda.<br />

Nevertheless, if every centre <strong>in</strong> Aotearoa New Zealand spent some time on it at the<br />

beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of each staff meet<strong>in</strong>g progress would almost certa<strong>in</strong>ly accelerate.<br />

Tiriti-<strong>based</strong> <strong>curriculum</strong> had strengthened for Case Study One, even after<br />

several years had elapsed s<strong>in</strong>ce the completion of the action research cycles. A<br />

contribut<strong>in</strong>g factor was very likely team stability. Ritchie and Rau‟s (2006b) co-<br />

researchers found Tiriti-<strong>based</strong> programmes “much harder to susta<strong>in</strong> when there<br />

were staff<strong>in</strong>g changes” (p. 20). For this study, the relatively stable team <strong>in</strong> Case<br />

Study One (with 4 of 6 participants rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g at the centre) was, therefore, a likely<br />

factor to staff susta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g their efforts with Tiriti-<strong>based</strong> <strong>curriculum</strong>.<br />

6.4.9 Susta<strong>in</strong>ability<br />

The unforeseen time-frame extensions for data gather<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> this study<br />

made it possible to <strong>in</strong>vestigate the susta<strong>in</strong>ability of Tiriti-<strong>based</strong> <strong>curriculum</strong> <strong>in</strong> Case<br />

Study One and Case Study Two. Return<strong>in</strong>g 4 years after the action research cycles<br />

had been completed enabled factors which had enhanced or prevented<br />

susta<strong>in</strong>ability to be studied.<br />

At the end of the action research cycles, Tiriti-<strong>based</strong> <strong>curriculum</strong> was not<br />

very visible <strong>in</strong> Case Study One, but, as discussed earlier, the research had provided<br />

impetus for further professional development at a marae <strong>in</strong> Gisborne. This<br />

professional development opportunity prompted stronger relationships with a<br />

Māori teacher from one of the other centres <strong>in</strong> their group. Regular visits back and<br />

forth with this centre enabled pōwhiri, waiata, haka, and hāngi to take place:<br />

So we go there. We do some performance. They welcome us and then<br />

they come to us and we do the same th<strong>in</strong>g (Tr: D 15/12/08).<br />

216

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!