Grasping culture!

Well, now Gertie is into managing her learning in a variety of ways, and is even managing to get better grades with her ability to pick and choose a bit when and where and what and how to learn to meet the required objectives. She does, however, have a bit of a problem with the idea of having to go on the hui - it's not so much the learning about Maori culture and stuff, but it's having to sleep at the Marae for a night, and having to learn her mihimihi. She's never been very good at pronouncing Maori words... And what if she upsets someone really inportant?

Again she meets with Hellie and challenges why she should have to go. Fortunately, Hellie has recently read the Polytech Maori Strategic framework, has attended numerous Treaty of Waitangi workshops, and has done some reading and study. Hellie is able to explain that she too identifies as NZ European, but that she understands that she is living in a bicultural place, and that she has a moral, ethical and legal responsibility towards understanding how to work in partnership with Maori, and that learning about their culture helps prevent misunderstandings. She talks about cultural safety, and explains how OT students are helped to develop culturally safe practice. The hui experience is a part of this, along with the treaty workshops, and with the learning she will do in various aspects of her course. Hellie also points out that there are Maori students in the class, and that they have the right to study in an environment that is knowledgeable about and respectful of their culture as much as non-maori do.
Gertie says the strategic framework is all well and good, but does it really make a difference? Is anything ever really put into practice?
Well, Part of the framework says we should:

• create a system of role models
• raise expectations for Maori
• Maintain retention

Hellie is able to point out that the polytech does have support services for Maori, a pre-grad celebration programme, Maori awards, and that there is a whanau room. She also points out that the OT school has a group for Maori students and staff, and that they all have input into developing the meaning and relevence of the programme for Maori as well as enhancing the ability of non-Maori to develop cultural awareness and safety. Also, the way the programme is being delivered and assessed is increasingly flexible, which may help people (including some Maori) with learning styles that are not reader-writer to achieve. And, part of the rational for choosing Wintec to be the second campus for the programme was to make it more accessable to a larger number of Maori students in an attempt to grow the population of Maori OTs.

It seems, however, that Gertie is still a little resistant - mostly she is frightened of having to stay in a place as strange as a marae, and of making mistakes and upsetting people. Hellie reassures her that whenever working with people of any other culture, if she is able to be respectful and to develop rapport with the people, she will generally be forgiven mistakes!