Date
13 October 2024

Develop critical consciousness

Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Develop cultural capability’

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Being critically conscious

Being critically conscious

Critical consciousness involves:

  • reflecting critically on the imbalance of power and resources in society
  • taking critical action in the pursuit of equity
  • disrupting the status quo to address oppression and strengthen equity.

Challenge the status quo

Challenge the status quo

Conscientisation is becoming aware of the part we play in keeping things the same. How we support the status quo, how we perpetrate that. And becoming very conscious of how and why we are doing that and what are the implications of our actions.

Conscientisation may make us aware, but if we're not going to do anything with that thinking we're of very little help to our students. Resistance is the “doing” following the disruption to our practice on account of the conscientisation.

Adapted from Poutama Pounamu

A personal journey

A personal journey

Reflect on your own cultural identity and life experiences, and how these impact on your teaching practice.

Decolonising education

Decolonising education

Engage in a critically conscious curriculum both for yourself and for your students

Reflective questions

Reflective questions

Consider your responses to these questions. What actions do they inspire?
  • What have I been doing unconsciously that I need to unlearn or that I need to undo, so that I can be sure that I am supporting Pacific learners to succeed as Pacific learners?
  • What are the things that I need to do differently?
  • What can I do in order to disrupt the status quo?

Source: Adapted from Poutama Pounamu: Drawing from critical theories (opens in a new tab/window)

Useful resources

Useful resources

pasifika learners context connections

Pasifika Learners Context & Connections

In this video Ruth Davidson Toumu’a skilfully and succinctly explains connections and contexts that are critical to the identity and self-efficacy of Pacific learners.

Publisher: Ako Aotearoa

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Full Report Good To Great Cover FillWzY2MCw0NTBd

From Good to Great: The 10 Habits of phenomenal educators for Pacific learners

The Full Report includes 11 case studies describing the phenomenal educators involved in the project. It outlines the methodology, which is built around an Appreciative Inquiry approach. It features student talanoa about their experiences with phenomenal educators and introduces the “Ten Habits’ displayed by those educators.

Publisher: Ako Aotearoa

Visit website

Unteach racism

Unteach Racism

Empowering the profession to have safe and productive conversations about racism, that result in greater understanding and changes in behaviour and practice.

Publisher: Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand

Visit website

Next steps

More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Develop cultural capability”:

Return to the guide “Supporting Pacific learners”

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