Improvement In Action Te Ahu Whakamua

Shared values – Invercargill Middle School

In order for you to participate, and share what gold you have, you need to know what that gold is, and so you bring your identity, who you are, and that innate worth you have as a human being to your learning. As you do that you are benefiting everyone else in the school.

Culturally responsive relationships and practices support and promote the development of learners’ confidence in their identity, language and culture. These relationships are explicitly acknowledged and understood by teachers and learners and contribute to an inclusive learning environment in which there are equitable opportunities to learn.

This video illustrates

Domain 4: Responsive curriculum, effective teaching and opportunity to learn

Evaluation indicators

  • Effective, culturally responsive pedagogy supports and promotes student learning
  • Students participate and learn in caring, collaborative, inclusive learning communities

This video also illustrates

Domain 3: Educationally powerful connections and relationships

Evaluation indicator

  • School and community are engaged in reciprocal, learning-centred relationships

Domain 2: Leadership for equity and excellence

Evaluation indicator

  • Leadership builds relational trust and effective collaboration at every level of the school community

Key content

  • Learners’ prior knowledge and cultural experiences are integrated into curriculum, teaching and learning
  • Ako based, reciprocal relationships enable teachers and learners to develop the capability to move between teaching/learning roles according to the context
  • The shift to agentic positioning and the focus on each individual’s potential has been deliberate and significant for the school community. 

Things to think about

  • How well does your curriculum, and your pedagogy, enable students to bring their identities, knowledge, language and culture to their and others learning?
  • How far are you on the journey from a learner deficit to a learner potential focus?
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