Learning-focused culture

Strategies I might use

• Do I understand effective pedagogy as described in the NZC?

• What is my understanding of an effective, innovative learning environment?

• What are ways that I can successfully engage ākonga?

• Who can support me to build my practice in this area?

• How does my teaching foster trust, respect and cooperation?

• How do I learn from my own and others’ practices?

• How does my teaching practice promote an environment where learners feel safe to explore ideas and respond respectfully to their peers?

• Who else might I ask for constructive feedback and advice?

• How can I access and use personal information about ākonga to better meet their needs?

• What agencies, groups, individuals in the community are available to support my work as a teacher and how can I access them?

• What type of emotional climate and learning environment have I created in my classroom?

• What are acceptable behaviours for everyone in the classroom and how can these be fostered and maintained? 

• What can I do to create a sense of belonging?

• What routines can be used to provide a sense of safety, stability and predictability for my ākonga?

• Do ākonga feel physically, socially, culturally or emotionally safe in my classroom? If not what can I do to address their concerns?

• How can I make my lessons interesting, engaging, relevant, and inclusive?

• Can I make a positive difference by changing an aspect of my interaction with ākonga or delivery of a lesson? If so, how?

• Who can help me to develop my practice so I can more effectively support my ākonga?

• How do I show in my practice that I actively promote the well-being of all ākonga for whom I am responsible?

• What are the needs of different groups of ākonga at this school?

• How do I display respect, integrity and sincerity when engaging with others, especially Māori ākonga whānau, hapū, iwi and those in the wider Maori community?

• What are important social and cultural influences on learning in this school?

• What teaching approaches are effective for ensuring Māori ākonga achieve educational success as Maori?

• How have I incorporated this knowledge into my planning, teaching and choice of assessment approaches?

• How will I best utilise the technologies and resources available to me to effectively support ākonga from diverse backgrounds?

• How can I more effectively analyse and use relevant assessment data to address the needs and strengths of different ākonga?

• Am I aware of the ethnic identities, languages and the cultures of my ākonga and do I acknowledge this in my interactions and teaching?

• Am I engaging my ākonga in ways that affirm their cultural identity?

• Am I flexible in my teaching approaches?

• How can I more effectively communicate with the whānau of ākonga from diverse backgrounds and involve them more fully in their child’s learning?

• How does my knowledge of the varied strengths, interests and needs of individuals and groups of ākonga influence how I teach them?

• Who can I gain help and support from to better serve the needs of my ākonga, especially those from diverse backgrounds? 

• Observations in my classroom that focus on the learning environment.

• Involvement in appropriate PLD.

• Discussing my practice with colleagues and being open to new ideas.

• Understanding and employing effective questioning techniques.

• Seeking and acting constructively on feedback from ākonga and whānau.

• Observing other teachers practices and approaches in the establishment of an inclusive and supportive learning environment.

• Understanding and using a range of innovative, co-operative and inquiry learning approaches.

• Effectively incorporating digital media into the learning environment.

• Providing opportunities for ākonga engagement in co-operative learning, and reciprocal teaching. 

• Fostering tuakana/tēina relationships.

• Engaging ākonga in the establishment of routines and the creation of a positive learning environment.

• Ensuring the physical environment is organised to enable less ablebodied ākonga to move about freely, and to enable collaboration over learning to readily occur.

• Monitoring ākonga closely to ensure they are treated respectfully and are included in all aspects of school life.

• Seeking ākonga and whānau feedback on these aspects.

• Regular engagement with whānau to discuss ākonga, well-being, behaviour and achievement. 

• Promotion of positive and appropriate relationships with and between ākonga.

• Monitoring of all ākonga closely to ensure they are being included and treated respectfully by their peers.

• Seeking regular feedback from ākonga and whānau to ascertain if ākonga feel safe, included and valued. 

• Requesting classroom observations to provide feedback regarding class dynamics, ākonga interactions, and teacher/ākonga interactions.

• Incorporation of Māori culture (including tikanga-a-iwi) in curriculum delivery and design processes.

• Identification and the addressing safety issues associated with the classroom and equipment. Knowing emergency safety procedures.

• Fully understanding appraisal and registration/certification requirements and all regulatory and statutory requirements for keeping ākonga safe.

• Participation in school related extra-curricular activities.

• Classroom observations with a specific focus on this standard.

• Involvement in culturally specific PLD

• Analysis of achievement data by ethnicity, based on the school’s ethnicity profile.

• Learning phrases of languages that are familiar to my ākonga who come from different cultures.

• Using community cultural resources.

• Engaging with and learning from whānau and cultural groups in the wider community. 

• Relating meaningfully to members of the local community.

• Seeking and acting upon local community feedback.

• Ensuring ākonga from diverse backgrounds feel safe and valued members of the class.