Researcher–Teacher Collaboration in Māori-Medium Education: Aspects of Learning for a Teacher and Researchers in Aotearoa New Zealand when Teaching Mathematics

Abstract

This paper describes aspects of learning for a teacher in a Māori-medium Year 7–8 classroom and two mathematics education researchers from a university when they collaborated on a project supporting children to develop their ideas about transformation geometry. Key principles of kaupapa Māori (Māori ideology) methodology such as ako (reciprocal learning), manaakitanga (showing care, respect and kindness) and whanaungatanga (family-like relationships) were integral to the initiation and facilitation of the research. Data presented is qualitative and derived largely from wānanga ā-kanohi (face-to-face discussion) between the participants. Results revealed that the collaborative partnership was conducive to developing insights into the complexities of learning mathematics in an indigenous setting. Issues of collegiality, learning mathematics in a second language, teacher mathematical knowledge and appropriate contexts for learning mathematics are analysed and discussed.

Perceptions of intercultural religious music and intercultural competence in a Southern U.S. public middle school eighth grade women’s choir: A case study

“…During my 10 weeks at CMS with the eighth grade advanced women’s choir, I was an active participant — observing, interviewing, and teaching (Hammersley & Atkinson, 2007; Hāwera & Taylor, 2014). In addition, when studies involve adolescents, Patton (2015) suggested that the researcher may participate in a leadership role, such as the teacher.…”

Tools and Resources Used/Designed for Teacher Collaboration and Resulting from Teacher Collaboration

“…Realising that not only schools, but community and family spaces need to be engaged mathematically, South African Numeracy Chair Project worked in collaboration with teachers to use classrooms after school meetings and community math clubs to promote meaningful and fun-filled engagement with mathematics using take-home resources (Graven & Venkat, 2017). Alternatively, recognising that addressing equity involves not only access to school mathematics, but also taking into account marginalised students, studies have built culturally responsive tools in collaboration with teachers belonging to marginalised communities, such as studying patterns in the Maori art and adopting Maori culture in building relationships (Hāwera & Taylor, 2014). In the context of schools located in slums, for the teaching of proportions Bose and Subramaniam (2019) have highlighted the interest of taking into account the resources resulting from the children's own experience.…”

A review of research in applied linguistics published in New Zealand (2013–2017)

“…Two articles dealing with one school subject, mathematics, illustrate some of the challenges involved in Māori-medium curriculum development. Hāwera and Taylor (2013, 2014) reported on collaboration between researchers and a Year 7–8 teacher in investigating the teaching and learning of transformational geometry in te reo Māori . Their 2013 article focused on the insights which arose from the collaboration, and their 2014 article concentrated on the perspective of the students.…”