Rolling out the Fala to challenge Behaviour Bias
Image with permission by author
The recent ERO report, Time to Focus: Behaviour in Our Classrooms provided a snapshot of behavioural challenges in schools across Aotearoa. However, the report would benefit from a broader exploration of the ecological and holistic factors influencing how ākonga respond to everyday schooling contexts. A good example of the limited depth and nuance in the report is evident in Figure 12, which compares high and low socio-economic communities, showing that greater levels of challenging behaviour occur in low socio-economic communities (Education Review Office, 2024, p. 31). Those reading the report are left with an oversimplified understanding of the historical, complex, and systemic factors that contribute to societal imbalances and the subsequent influence on the lives of our young people.
Demographically speaking, the broad description of ‘low socio-economic backgrounds’ also implies communities of Pacific and Māori people, thus promoting harmful and unfair misconceptions. As a Pacific educator who has proudly taught in ‘low socio-economic’ communities, I think it’s important not to allow such data, and the corresponding deficit ‘soundbite’, to become a dominant message. Such messages only serve to reinforce inequity and discrimination.
Let us roll out a fala inviting educators to change this language loaded unfairly against ākonga. We need to begin a different narrative and not reinforce the repeated rhetoric of ‘managing behaviours’ in ‘low socio-economic’ areas. Let us make the data useful, turn the negative soundbites on their heads and instead frame information to inspire and support educators to keep making a difference for ākonga.
Let’s also question the purpose behind such a report. Why is there a need for a generalised report that provides limited guidelines on behaviour? A more logical approach is to build on and implement what is already available, especially by amplifying positive stories and empowering narratives. I urge educators to explore one such approach, The Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030 (Ministry of Education, 2023).
The Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030 (Ministry of Education, 2023) challenges deficit assumptions by focussing on five key system shifts: proactive actions that aim to improve successful outcomes for Pacific people. With wellbeing centred within these shifts, The Action Plan (Ministry of Education, 2023) counters negative biases against ‘low socio-economic kids’. For example, there are opportunities to collaborate with learners and families in deciding the values that they want represented in their school communities and classrooms. Pacific values such as respect, collectivism, service, and love can emerge creating safe learning spaces and revisiting these values can ensure being proactive.
Key Shift 4: “Partner with families to design education opportunities together with teachers, leaders and educational professionals
so aspirations for learning and employment can be met” (MoE, 2023, p. 64)
Not only would this proactive approach to behaviour authentically enact Key Shift 4 by partnering with families to meet Pacific aspirations, it would also allow for genuine and culturally grounded talanoa where open conversation can occur, where thoughts, feelings and experiences can be shared and where an understanding of each other’s lives can be discovered (Vaioleti, 2006). Taking the time to harmoniously discover and understand these relational connections must be the norm to reduce reactive and punitive approaches and to shift the narrative from ‘managing behaviours’ to supporting learning. The value of opening hearts and placing wellbeing must be at the core of our education system for all ākonga.
As a Pacific educator, I believe that it is important to embrace an ecological perspective when looking at the way ākonga respond to everyday schooling contexts. I encourage educators to keep sight of the equitable vision for education by pursuing the key shifts within The Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020-2030. Align these with proactive approaches that enrich teaching practice through nurturing connections with young people, families, and communities. This is not an unrealistic goal, nor should it be something that remains desirable for the future. Instead, we can achieve this goal by holding onto the words from 2020 school leader Aigagalefili Fepulea’i Tapua’i on the launch of the Action Plan: “When Pacific learners and their families all across Aotearoa feel safe, valued and equipped to achieve their education aspirations, we know we have made the system shift in the right direction.”
References
Education Review Office. (2024). Time to Focus: Behaviour in our Classrooms. https://ero.govt.nz/our-research/time-to-focus-behaviour-in-our-classrooms
Ministry of Education. (2023). The Action Plan for Pacific Education. https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/overall-strategies-and-policies/action-plan-for-pacific-education/#action-plan
Vaioleti, T. M. (2006). Talanoa research methodology: a developing position on pacific research. Waikato Journal of Education, 12, 21-34. https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/server/api/core/bitstreams/4d7849c6-d17c-44f7-8380-dc0b7e330028/content
Rosina Prasad is part of the Specialist Teaching Team, Institute of Education, Massey University. Rosina has over 25 years classroom and Resource Teacher Learning Behaviour experience and she contributed to the team that designed He Pikorua, a one practice framework for Learning Support. Her mixed Pacific heritage means she is committed to research that is by, with and from Pacific communities.