those who are presently controlling the system! – need to face that most Finnish teachers had master’s degrees. So they decided up to and accept as major causations of underachievement. Dr that all teachers in England should have a master’s degree too. Johan Morreua’s message is consistent with numerous others, And so the simplistic ball was set rolling, despite the fact that including that of Nash and Prochnow (2004) which too politely there is more than ample good evidence saying that a master’s stated, “The dismissal of home environment as an effective site degree is not the defining qualification of successful teachers. for the generation of cognitive habitus is Many are now asking, “When will all misguided.” of this policy importation, emulation Our mission as adults So why do we persist in deriving and copy-catting stop?” When will our policies and programmes from “up is to protect our policy makers, bureaucrats and on-song there”, albeit in variant form, that fail academics come to the realization that children from to produce results commensurate with what might work somewhere else will their very considerable cost? As widely politicians. We also not necessarily work here – even with respected Dylan Wiliam cautions in his adaptive tinkering. Or, as Wiliam advises: excellent book, Leadership for Teacher have an ethical and moral Those who want to determine what Learning, there are distinct dangers in works in education are doomed to fail, responsibility to importing others’ approaches in the because in education, “What works?” quest for solutions to problems of student tell business people is rarely the right question for the achievement. Emulation is built on the simple reason that in education, just flawed assumption that what might appear to stay out of our building. about everything works somewhere, to work in others’ contexts will work and nothing works everywhere. equally well in our own. Cases in point are places like Singapore Wiliam (2016), p. 63 and Finland, where policy-shopping tours have been common That “everywhere” applies not only to different systems, but among politicians and their policy hunters. Take, for example, the current drive for all teachers to have equally within systems: differences among communities, master’s degrees – an emulation from Finland that has been differences among schools, differences among teachers, different picked up by a number of systems, including our own. According children, different values, and different beliefs. But to return to the question, “When will all of this stop?” The to Wiliam, a delegation of politicians from England simplistically concluded that the cause of Finland’s success must be the fact answer is, probably not in our lifetime. After all, one of the most far reaching and pervasive outcomes of Tomorrow’s Schools was the heightened politicisation of education in our country. That is most unlikely to be changed by Ms Parata’s Education Update Bill which, if anything, further entrenches political control. So perhaps the best we can do is to follow the advice of one of Finland’s professors:
Specialists in Audio Visual Supply & Installation for Schools
p: 09 912 7222 Classroom Interactive Learning Auditoriums & Theatres System Design and Equipment Microphones, Mixers, Processors, Amplifers, Video/Data Projectors, Infrastructure Wiring, Supplying Portable PAs User Training Bayview School • Vauxhall School • Coatsville School Carmel College • Glenfield College • Lynfield College Freemans Bay School • Kristin School
e: info@comsec.net.nz w: www.comsecav.co.nz
Our mission as adults is to protect our children from politicians. We also have an ethical and moral responsibility to tell business people to stay out of our building. Doyle, W. STUFF, 28 August, 2016 Footnote: In the high performing Shanghai school system, there are thirteen salary points on the scale for regular teachers. To get to higher points on the scale, teachers have to spend a certain amount of time working in hardto-staff, more challenging schools. Now there’s an idea – and it could be applied to principals too! But it won’t happen. Do you know why? References Doyle, W. (2016). This is why Finland has the best schools. STUFF, 29 August. Nash, R. & Prochnow, J. (2004). Is it Really the Teachers? NZ Journal of Educational Studies, Vol. 39, No. 2. Wiliam, Dylan. (2016). Leadership for Teacher Learning. Victoria, Australia: Hawker Brownlow Education.
Unconscious bias and education Helen Kinsey-Wightman
My eldest son loves rap music. A couple of weeks ago we went down to Christchurch to see Macklemore in concert. Whilst I love good music in almost any genre, I have always struggled with the number of expletives hip hop artists feel compelled to use – particularly those on the theme of mothers – an hour into an Eminem concert I lost count when we got past 30! I like Macklemore though because his lyrics are really thoughtful and positive; he challenges consumerism and the need for girls to wear make-up; he talks about art, 10,000 hours of practice, gay rights and op-shopping. Yet, despite all the great messages, I left the concert feeling overwhelmingly sad for America. Macklemore used his song White Privilege to highlight the Black Lives Matter movement. Despite having watched the news and understanding the need for the message – I find it shocking that 50 years after the end of segregation, in a country with a black president, there is a need to campaign under this banner. My reading for the flight to Christchurch, coincidentally, was Unconscious Bias and Education: A comparative study of Māori and African American students. The 2016 report by Anton Blank, Dr Carla Houkamau and Dr Hautahi Kingi of University of Auckland and Cornell University respectively, draws comparisons between current socio-economic statistics for Māori students in NZ and African American students in the US and finds that, “While the histories and cultures of the two groups are very different, almost every economic and social statistic indicates that they occupy similar social spaces in their respective societies. When educational outcomes of Māori and African American children are compared, a strong and consistent pattern of disadvantage emerges.” 1 The report states that, “Racism is disparaged in New Zealand where the vast majority of the population consciously endorses fairness and equity.” Dr Houkamau suggests that there are inequities in our society that are the result of unconscious bias defined as, “perceptions which occur outside of the perceiver’s
conscious awareness.” 2 During the term break I took my boys down to Wellington. I think Wellington is one of the best cities in the world and I count myself privileged to live within a 2 hour drive. My 5 year old stopped on the waterfront at a café under Frank Kitts Park where the owners put out a brightly painted piano that anyone can play. While he played I got a coffee and bought him a bar of chocolate. When I handed it to him, he looked at it and handed it back saying, “I don’t want this one . . . ” At first I thought he was joking, when I realised he wasn’t I asked him why. It was a Trade Aid chocolate bar with a picture of a smiling Ghanean woman on the label – he pointed to her and said, “I don’t like her, she doesn’t look nice . . . ” Whatever our age, ethnicity, body shape, religion or gender, the reality is our brains are programmed to identify with people whom we perceive to be like us. Conversely we are likely to discriminate towards “out-groups.” Discrimination in NZ is becoming a topic of conversation in the media. A story screened on Seven Sharp recently featured Pakeha New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd claiming he had been the recipient of racist behaviour – including having been spat on in front of his children – for pushing to have Māori representation at the council table. He calls himself a recovering racist and talks startlingly honestly about growing up in Masterton and the attitudes that led to the development of his own conscious and unconscious biases towards Māori. In an interview with E-Tangata he says; “I’d bike past other state houses and Mum would say: “Make sure your lunch is locked and safe because it might get stolen.” So, as I’d go past, I’d speed up. And no lunch was ever stolen. I was never stopped and harassed in any way, shape or form. Small examples, but examples of how attitudes to Māori were planted deep in my psyche.” 3 Mike Hoskings’ dismissive comments following this interview led to formal complaints to TVNZ from the public and comments
N Z Principal | N o v e m b e r 2 0 16
from his colleagues – among them Miriama Kamo: “Like most Māori I have lived with casual, and often deliberate racism my entire life, but when we use a powerful primetime television platform to dismiss and ignore racism in our community, my view is that is unacceptable.” 4 So what does this mean for education? Studies quoted in the report on Unconscious bias showed that both teachers and students hold negative perceptions about Māori which, “leads them to treat Māori as if they were not capable of success . . . ” 5 Given that unconscious bias is by its very nature unconscious how can we begin to raise this issue with our staff and students? Interestingly the report finds that cultural competence training which is often espoused in our staffrooms and PLD programmes, “had no real impact on reducing bias.” 6 Studies in the US found that, “when white participants actively engaged in an activity where they were collegial or teamed with African American people or were asked to vividly imagine scenarios where they had positive relationships with African American people – their bias . . . reduced.” 7 My own strategy has been to try to become more aware of my own biases, why they might be there and to think about times when they have been proven wrong. On my way back to the airport an Indian couple got on to the shuttle – examining my biases reminded me that I grew up in a society where it was normal to refer to Pakistanis as Pakis
and led me to remember my grandfather’s largely negative comments about his time in the Army in India. His experiences and viewpoint came from a different place and time – yet they have affected mine. I am fortunate to have travelled in India and to have met many people whose kindness I am able to remember to counter my grandfather’s comments – but I am aware that the attitudes I learned earliest still persist. I have recently begun teaching a class for students identified as needing support with literacy. We are using reciprocal reading as a deliberate strategy to improve reading comprehension. Early evidence tells me it is working too. We cover a wide range of reading material and I find our discussions really interesting. Last week someone mentioned girls who wear headscarves to school – a Tongan student casually remarked, “Oh you mean one of those terrorists . . . ” I must have grimaced – she looked at me and said, “Sorry miss – but that’s what they call them on the news . . . ” Just as my grandfather was very influential in my own life, our students spend a lot of time observing us and listening to what we say. They get to know us well and what we believe matters. We must model challenging our unconscious biases and those of our colleagues and then teach our students to do the same. References Blank, A., Houkamu, C. And Kingi, H. (2016) Unconconscious Bias and Education: A comparative study of Māori and African American students. Oranui Diversity Leadership. http://e-tangata.co.nz/news/andrew-judd-an-upbringing-too-whiteby-far http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/303433/tvnz-toreview-‘racist’-comments
Blank, Houkamau & Kingi p5
Blank, Houkamau & Kingi p5
http://e-tangata.co.nz/news/andrew-judd-an-upbringing-too-whiteby-far
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/303433/tvnz-toreview-‘racist’-comments
Blank, Houkamau & Kingi p11
Blank, Houkamau & Kingi p15
Blank, Houkamau & Kingi p16
Education Marketplace NEW ZEALAND’S PROJECTOR LAMP SUPERSTORE • Special Education Pricing for Schools • 100% Original Projector Lamps • Full Manufacturer’s Warranty • Free Lamp Shipping • We also stock projectors!
Well, look no further HPPS are your local school pool people ✔ Cost effective to run ✔ Easy to install ✔ Easy to maintain ✔ Innovative, reliable technology ✔ Proven to be effective in schools Contact us now, to arrange a free no obligation consultation.
0508 46 46 89 www.hpps.co.nz
YOUR ONE-STOP APPAREL PARTNER aWe will save you precious time, resource and money aWe are New Zealand’s go-to one-stop shop for school and sports uniforms aWe are family-owned with our own ethically-focused manufacturing plants aWe ensure efficiencies and excellence are maximised at every stage of planning, design, production and delivery aOur CUSTOMER PACT guarantees the quality of your experience aWe are happy to prove ourselves by providing you with a special offer A+ sponsorship
|
SO DO WE.
0508 452 677
info@projectorbulbs.co.nz
m: 022 021 2442 david@hpps.co.nz
www.sas.co.nz
YOU SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY.
www.theuniformshoppe.co.nz
Call us 09-299 8412 Specialists in Audio Visual Supply & Installation for Schools
p: 09 912 7222 Classroom Interactive Learning Auditoriums & Theatres System Design and Equipment Microphones, Mixers, Processors, Amplifers, Video/Data Projectors, Infrastructure Wiring, Supplying Portable PAs User Training • Bayview School • Vauxhall School • Coatsville School • Carmel College • Glenfield College • Lynfield College • Freemans Bay School • Kristin School
e: info@comsec.net.nz • w: www.comsecav.co.nz
Lighting design by Diana Kesselschmidt. Photography by Lukasz Drapala.
Looking to heat your school pool FOR LESS?
Could your school and students qualify for our FREE Vectorworks offer? How could your Drama students benefit from using Vectorworks in your school?
AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTOR
For more information, go to: megabits.co.nz/Ed-offer E: EdOffer@megabits.co.nz Ph: 09 445 8480
Financial Reporting and Property Services specifically for schools.
Gold sponsor NZPF Education Services provide an accounting service to over 660 schools. Let us take all the worry out of financial management at your school. If you would like a “no obligation” quote to compare the cost of our service, or simply to see what we do and how we do it.
Please phone Pete on 06 757 5489 or email pete@educationservices.co.nz www.educationservices.co.nz
MAGAZINE
You can now access the current and past issues of NZ Principal magazine online. You can search by magazine issue, article name or author. visit www.nzprincipal.co.nz