Learning Stories & Bicultural Identity

What is a fundamental way Learning Stories can help a child develop their bicultural identity in the New Zealand context?

• By providing standardized tests of language proficiency.

• By focusing solely on the child's European heritage.

• By allowing teachers to make visible their valuing of the child's place, ancestry, history, and contribution, particularly in relation to Māori identity.

• By documenting the child's ability to assimilate into mainstream culture.

Te Whāriki, New Zealand's Early Childhood Curriculum, is described in the sources as a significant turning point. What was a key characteristic of Te Whāriki's development and nature?

• It was a top-down, school-based curriculum imposed by the government.

• It was developed through extensive consultation across diverse groups in New Zealand ECE and is bicultural and sociocultural.

• It primarily focused on developmental psychology viewpoints for assessment.

• It intentionally avoided incorporating Māori perspectives to maintain simplicity.

What metaphor is used in the sources to describe Te Whatu Pōkeka, a publication of Māori assessment exemplars?

• A journey up a mountain.

• A sturdy waka (canoe) sailing the seas.

• A seed that grows into a large tree.

• A baby wrapped in a fine woven flax blanket with albatross feathers, growing with the child as the curriculum is formed by and grows with the child.

What are the three key components (or parts) of a Learning Story in its current format?

• Observation, Interpretation, and Reflection.

• Noticing (the story/photographs), Recognizing (the analysis/assessment), and Responding (the planning/opportunities/possibilities).

• Description, Evaluation, and Action Plan.

• Checklist, Summary, and Recommendations.

The videos emphasize the importance of the 'Recognizing' or analysis section in a Learning Story. What is a primary reason this section is crucial?

• It ensures the story adheres to a specific length requirement.

• It allows the teacher to assign a grade to the child's learning.

• It is the point where the story becomes a Learning Story, moving into the field of assessment and making visible what is valued.

• It is solely for the teacher's private notes and not shared with families.

In the context of Māori children and Te Whatu Pōkeka, what does the concept of mana refer to?

• The child's physical strength.

• The child's academic achievements.

• The child's social popularity.

• The power and potential that the Māori child brings with them.

What is the meaning of tikanga?

• A traditional Māori song.

• A type of Māori food.

• The Māori word for teacher.

• Generally speaking, Māori customary practices or behaviors that are culturally proper or appropriate.

How do the videos suggest Learning Stories can be made accessible to families, particularly those for whom English is an additional language?

• By requiring families to learn English to read the stories.

• By simplifying the language so much that cultural nuance is lost.

• By relying solely on verbal communication about the stories.

• By translating stories, using photographs, and potentially utilizing translation software, recognizing the importance of valuing their culture and identity.

The story of Robin and the child praying is used to illustrate a key point about teachers and cultural understanding. What point does this example highlight?

• That teachers should avoid addressing cultural or religious practices in the classroom.

• That children from refugee backgrounds often have unexpected behaviors.

• That teachers should be experts in all cultures present in their classroom.

• That a child's culture cannot truly enter the classroom until it first enters the teacher's consciousness, often requiring teachers to challenge their own paradigms and learn more.

How does the teacher view their role in the Learning Story process and relationship with the child, particularly emphasizing a bicultural approach?

• The teacher is the primary expert who dictates the child's learning path.

• The teacher acts as an evaluator, solely focused on assessing the child's deficits.

• The teacher is not the expert but learns beside the child, sharing ideas and constructing knowledge together, demonstrating a reciprocal and trusting relationship.

• The teacher follows a rigid formula for documenting predetermined learning outcomes.