Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu Though the gift may be small, it is something precious (Timu Niwa)

1. Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu Though the gift may be small, it is something precious (Timu Niwa) Exploring Cultural Giftedness Robyn Boswell

2. Our Key Question: In what ways might we provide a culturally responsive environment for our students from diverse cultures so that their cultural giftedness is nurtured?

3. Personal vs Impersonal: • Making connections – Maori learners • Who are you? • Where are you from? • Are you really interested in me? • Can I trust you? • Do you really care? • Should I follow you? • The personal approach will work for all learners but the fact is the impersonal one wont work for Maori learners

4. Ethnicity and culture: Ethnicity is fixed Culture is dynamic Culture and its realities are invested anew with each generation. One culture always has the potential to enrich another.

5. Each culture tends to define giftedness in its own image. Think*Pair*Share What do you know/understand about your own culture? What would you like to know? How might you find out?

6. Students are often nominated for gifted programs by teachers who have the knowledge, understanding, awareness, and appreciation of their own culture as well as their students’ cultures.

7. Teachers must be aware of themselves as having distinctive cultural experiences before they can try to support and nurture the cultures of their students (Arredondo, 1999). This understanding can increase the awareness of how students receive information and form relationships within the context of their culture. If educators have an increased understanding, they can change their classroom environments to nurture culturally diverse students’ gifts and talents..

8. If educators can create culturally relevant classrooms, connecting students’ cultural and personal histories to the curricular content, students will demonstrate higher achievement and continue to achieve success in school and in gifted and talented programs. (Bernal, 2002).

9. In culturally responsive classrooms, teachers also move beyond celebrating heritage months and famous people to make a bridge between diverse cultures and the dominant culture to develop and promote an appreciation for all cultures to improve curricular connections and academic achievement.

10. Teachers must modify their programs, curricula, and strategies for students from diverse cultures to be successful while simultaneously helping them to maintain their cultural identities (Maker & Schiever, 1989).

11. If I spent a day in your classroom what would I *see*feel*hear * to tell me about the diverse cultures that are represented in your room?

12. Schoolhouse giftedness (Renzulli and Reis, 1997), is characterized by good grades, high scores on standardized tests, and model classroom behavior. Those students from minority cultures who are identified as gifted and talented generally represent a fraction of the prospective talent or emerging gifts and talents of the large pool of culturally diverse students in our schools.

13. Your personal lens: • Colours your world view • Contributes to your cultural make-up • Informs and influences your thinking and behaviour

14. Maori Learners – your lens: What do you *see*think*know* feel* about Maori learners? What is your evidence base? What is the nature and quality of your data? What does your analysis tell you? What will you do with this information?

15. Traditional western approach to teaching: • What? • Why? • How? • Who? (if considered at all) • Traditional Tribal Approach to teaching: • Who? (connections) • Why? • (purpose) • How? • (methodology) • What? • (knowledge)

16. Thinking about Maori gifted learners.

17. Dame Whina Cooper

18. Sir Peter Buck

19. Hongi Hika

20. Patricia Grace

21. Louisa Wall

22. Pita Sharples

23. Kiri Te Kanawa

24. Witi Ihimaera

25. Michael Campbell

26. Hinemoa and the Tribe

27. Billy T James

28. Keisha Castle-Hughes

29. Iriaka Matiu Ratana

30. Pero Cameron

31. The concept of giftedness and talent that belongs to a particular cultural group is shaped by its beliefs, attitudes, values and customs. The concept varies from culture to culture. It also varies over time. ‘Gifted and Talented Students - Meeting their Needs in New Zealand School’ - Learning Media 2000

32. Gifted students can be described as possessing an abundance of certain abilities that are most highly valued within a particular society or culture. Many children have special talents that are valued within their own cultures; unfortunately, these students are often not recognized as gifted and talented.

33. Most procedures used in the past for identifying gifted and talented students have been narrow and exclusive rather than looking for diverse gifts. Such procedures have led to an under-representation of Maori students in gifted and talented programmes, which in turn prevents our schools from developing the strengths and abilities of this special population.

34. Schools’ values are often in conflict with cultural values: Gibson 1996

35. In Puerto Rico, children learn to seek the advice of their family rather than act independently (Perrone &Aleman 1983). Respect for elders is often valued more than precociousness, which can be seen as disrespectful. Gibson 1996

36. Tongan children learn that it is disrespectful to ask questions of adults. Gifted Samoan students use differing registers of language depending on who they are engaging with. Personal appearance can be an important characteristic of giftedness.

37. Similarly, the Mexican-American child who respects elders, the law, and authority becomes vulnerable in a school system that values individual competition, initiative, and self-direction. Gibson 1996 What are the parallels for gifted and talented Maori students in New Zealand schools?

38. Just as gifted students are not a homogenous group, Maori gifted are not a homogenous group. • They are not all good at music, kapahaka, playing the guitar and singing. • They are not all excellent at sports. • They don’t all learn best in groups. • They are not all whakama.

39. Children from culturally different groups possess skills, concepts and information that many of their teachers have never had the opportunity to learn or understand. E. Paul Torrance

40. Jill Bevan-Brown found that Maori value a wide range of abilities and qualities, including spiritual, cognitive, affective, aesthetic, linguistic, artistic, musical, psychomotor, social, intuitive, creative, leadership, and cultural abilities and qualities.

41. It would be simplistic, however, to equate terms such as spiritual, artistic, musical, or leadership with Pakeha meanings of the terms. Maori have their own interpretations, which should be understood in their relationship to Maori culture. Maori tend to expect these abilities and qualities to be used in the service of others. (Bevan-Brown)

42. Identifying Characteristics of Maori Giftedness Manaakitanga: - generosity - honouring, caring and giving mana to people thus maintaining your own. - Pita and Claire Mahaki

43. Identifying Characteristics of Maori Giftedness Whanaungatanga (family values - relationships) Pita and Claire Mahaki:

44. Identifying Characteristics of Maori Giftedness • Wairuatanga • (balance – harmony, spirituality, being grounded, calm) • Pita and Claire Mahaki:

45. Identifying Characteristics of Maori Giftedness • Kaitiakitanga • (care taker / guardianship of knowledge, environment and resources) • Pita and Claire Mahaki:

46. Identifying Characteristics of Maori Giftedness • Rangatiratanga • (ranga – to weave, tira – a company – leadership that inspires unity) • Pita and Claire Mahaki:

47. Identifying Characteristics of Maori Giftedness • Matauranga • (knowledge – intellect, thinking skills, wisdom, education, learned, studious) • Pita and Claire Mahaki:

48. Identifying Characteristics of Maori Giftedness • Te Mahi Rehia • (Recreational Pursuits - physical and artistic performance) • Pita and Claire Mahaki:

49. Identifying Characteristics of Maori Giftedness • Tikanga • (approved etiquette – correct behaviour, truthful, proper, respectful ). • Pita and Claire Mahaki

50. In Groups: • How might you recognise a students with this area of giftedness? • In what ways might you cater for this aspect of giftedness in your programme?