Great week down in Wellington. The stay a Tapu Te Ranga Marae was very thought provoking. Has made me really think about the effort I am putting into being culturally responsive. This area has always interested me and I have always felt I should be doing more. I am a strong believe that if learners feel connected and that they belong they will have a far better chance of success in the future. My biggest barrier is to have the confidence to build this and give students the support and guidance they need. I always feel that I might do the wrong thing and offend people or their culture. Listening to Craig over the two days made me think that I need to be a lot braver and take more risks in this area. We ask our students everyday to take risks, but even as an adult I still struggle to take risks because of the fear of failure or offending people. It was good to hear Craig talk about how diverse Maori are. One thing that may seem tapu to one iwi might not be to another. Even if you make...
