Professional Context - Crossing Boundaries

Current & Future Interdisciplinary Connections

Future Interdisciplinary Goal:

For the next twelve months I, alongside the staff at NPS have an interdisciplinary connection with Marian Pearce and Dr Mark Dashper who are both Māori Medium PLD Practitioners based at Auckland University. As a school we identified the need to raise our game in terms of culturally responsive practice and in order to do this, we have the experience and expertise of Marian and Mark to develop responsive teaching and learning programmes at our school. Through joint teacher/practitioner observation and planning, we want to expand not only our teaching practice and understanding but our students understanding and achievement. We need our interdisciplinary connections and collaboration to go beyond the surface, both for teachers and students; encouraging different perspectives, connecting with peers, critical thinking, communication and higher order thinking skills (Jones, 2010).

I have chosen Mulligan & Kuban’s conceptual model for successful interdisciplinary collaboration (2015) as an approach to adopt.

Workplace Conditions:

Regular communication to maintain engagement and momentum, whether electronically or in person is essential. Regular staff meetings, as well as small group meetings/workshops, will provide the time and opportunity to share and discuss how to develop and devise a strategic plan on Māori educational achievement. Lollies are an integral component of the meetings as these will invariably take place after school when energy levels are lower. Additional support through appropriate research and readings will provide the opportunity for staff to explore pedagogy and encourage further discussion to take place. Providing time to develop thinking and practice is critical. As Jones (2009) points out “Interdisciplinary curricula is time consuming and takes collaborative team work to create” (p. 80).

Qualities /Attitudes:

Key to the success of collaboration is relationships - between facilitators, leadership, staff and students. Levels of ‘uncomfortableness’ can be elevated, especially when engaged in new learning that involves reflection, critique, needs and next steps. Trust is key, both of the ‘expert’ and peers. Professional trust provides the environment for honesty, compromise, risk-taking and new learning when planning, making decisions and setting goals. As a staff, we have to have a shared vision and enthusiasm for changes in our culturally responsive practice to take place and be sustained. I have found that one has to let go of the ‘control’ factor in order to successfully collaborate. A Tuakana/Teina relationship allows the role of expert to be reversed at any stage. This has occurred during our student ‘impact inquiry projects’ where integrated curriculum planning is collaborative and students take on various roles of expertise, “learning tolerance for their peers as well as leadership and collaboration skills” (Jones, 2009, p. 77).

Common Goals:

For collaboration to be successful there needs to be a shared vision and a willingness to work together to affect change. In order for us to do this in the context, I have chosen we need to firstly analyse achievement data for the last two years looking at what success as Māori looks like in our school, how Te Ao Māori can be embedded in all areas of the curriculum, and how success can be accelerated. Strengths of staff and those beyond our immediate school environment need to be recognised and utilised so we are able to build on what we have. There needs to be accountability to our students, whānau and each other so that effective collaboration is sustainable and ongoing once our lead facilitators have stepped away. Our common goals are woven through our teacher/team spiral of inquiries so that they remain at the forefront of our pedagogy and practice - building a sense of community.

I have found that the most challenging aspect for crossing boundaries in a professional context is relinquishing ‘control’ and stepping outside my comfort zone. Recognising that there are multiple experts out there to connect with is not a sign of weakness - it becomes a strength. It has certainly been easier to initiate this in a primary setting. I personally, have come a long way utilising interdisciplinary connections and know that I still have some way to go!

References:

Jones, C.(2009). Interdisciplinary approach - Advantages, disadvantages, and the future benefits of interdisciplinary studies. ESSAI7 (26), 76-81. Retrieved from http://dc.cod.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1121&context=essai

Ministry of Education. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://tereomaori.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-guidelines/Teaching-and-learning-te-reo-Maori/Aspects-of-planning/The-concept-of-a-tuakana-teina-relationship

Mulligan, L. M., & Kuban, A. J. (2015). A Conceptual Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration. Retrieved from http://acrlog.org/2015/05/14/a-conceptual-model-for-interdisciplinary-collaboration