The Extent, Nature and Effectiveness of Planned Approaches in ...

Provisions: ProblemsShortage of culturally appropriate programmes and teachers qualified to provide them. Similar tothe situation reported overseas, concerns about the cultural inappropriateness of gifted programmesand the inability of teachers to provide for culturally diverse gifted students have been voiced byBevan-Brown (1993, 1994, 1996, 2000a, 2002), Cathcart and Pou (1992), Galu (1998), Henderson(2003), Niwa (1998/99), and Reid (1992). It should be noted however, that much of the criticism inNew Zealand is opinion-based as outcomes-based evaluations of gifted educational provisions ingeneral and individual programmes in particular are relatively scarce in this country.Placement and provision issues. Concern is expressed in the literature about the appropriateness andeffectiveness of placing gifted Mäori students in accelerate classes and withdrawal enrichment groups.This concern comes from different ‘quarters’ and for different reasons. Firstly, Keen’s (2002)participants noted:the likelihood that giftedness, in a Mäori cultural context, will be a group rather than anindividual attribute, with the attendant possibility that Mäori students will prefer not to besingled out for participation in a gifted programme (p.17).It is assumed this concern is based on the concept of group giftedness first identified by Bevan-Brown(1993) who states that when group giftedness arises it must be nurtured and developed in a groupcontext (2003).Reid (1990) also warns against moving gifted Mäori and Polynesian students to educational settingsaway from their peers because this places them in danger of being negatively labelled and rejected bytheir peers. While Bevan-Brown (1993) does not support Reid’s claim of peer rejection, she doesquestion the practice of moving gifted Mäori students into accelerate classes and enrichment groups.In her research Bevan-Brown (1993) came across a number of unsuccessful instances of gifted Mäoristudents being placed in these classes and groups. In every case, the student concerned identified withtheir Mäori culture, was the only Mäori in the class or group and the accelerate or enrichmentprovision did not include any cultural content. Similarly, Niwa, (1998/99) notes that withdrawalprogrammes and streaming practices result in Mäori students “being moved out of their own peergroup and [are] asked to display their gifts and talents with a group that they have no aroha-ki-tetängataties with” (p. 5).Galu’s (1998) research, however, revealed contrary findings. He interviewed ten Mäori, threePolynesian and four Asian ex-students of a Differentiated Learning Unit at a large urban school inHamilton and also current and former teachers of this Unit. Despite agreement that the giftedprogramme offered in the unit did not meet the students’ cultural needs, the majority of studentsenjoyed their time in the gifted programme and felt that they benefited academically from theexperience. Interestingly they did not experience any undue peer pressure or negativity as a result ofbeing placed in the Differentiated Learning Unit.A further controversial issue which has implications for identification, placement and provisionsrelates to Mäori attitudes towards giftedness. Reid (1992) and Cathcart and Pou (1992) maintain thatgifted Mäori students are not encouraged to ‘stand out’ because this goes against traditional Mäorivalues. This claim is refuted by Bevan-Brown (1993, 1994) whose research found that gifted Mäori,especially whänau and hapü members, were celebrated and admired. Timutimu-Thorpe (1988) notesthat being a strong individual and co-operative group member are Mäori values that did not clash intraditional times nor do they today. This is reinforced by Arapere (cited in Bevan-Brown, 1994) whoadds that the contention of able Mäori students being actively discouraged from standing out is simplynot true.This myth should be confined to the grave, the more it is used the more it becomes a“truth.” The view has been largely promulgated by Päkehä academics and Päkehäteachers, and educators act accordingly. I have a fear that in the future researchers may135