EDUC 732: Culturally Aligned Leadership

Kia Ora Koutou Katoa, 
I have decided to undertake some post-graduate studies in Educational Leadership through the University of Auckland. I will be using my blog to share my reflections and any mahi I produce as a way of reflecting on what I have learned and how this has challenged and changed my practice. 

MODULE ONE: Reflections 

Question/ Statement	Reflection
Reflect: Bloom’s Taxonomy did not align with McGrath. How does her experience resonate with you? Does it align with my own thinking & experience?	I find McGrath’s Taxonomy to be more achievable. I believe that the flow between each level is something that can happen more naturally and organically. Each level builds upon the first and allows for authentic conversation to take place and more importantly to make connections with one another. I personally prefer McGrath’s Taxonomy (2014) as it goes beyond the surface and connects to the wairua of oneself. It is about using experiences to learn and teach and reflect. Bloom’s Taxonomy follows a very precise and constructed flow. I feel this does not allow for authentic conversation/ reflection to occur as it becomes quite prescribed.
What do you think English (2008) might be saying when considering the topic of authentic cultural leadrship?	Quote: Each individual sees the world through a lens that is reflective of their culture, values, beliefs, and traditions. In leadership, you need to be open to the ideals and world views of each diverse individual. To authentically lead in a diverse setting particularly with minority indigenous people it is integral that you are understanding the lens through which they look.
Reflect Can you relate the concept of wayfinding leadership to your own leadership experiences?	I can relate to the concept of wayfinding in the sense that I use my culture and my ancestry to influence my values and way of teaching and planning.  I agree with Spiller when she describes the sense of stepping into your rangatira space.  Ranga- weave  Tira - group  Leadership: weaving a group together  I relate to this concept a lot as I am a massive advocate for using teacher expertise. Giving teachers agency is so important to ensure that you, as a leader are tapping into what expertise is available and on offer.
Think about this Which of the approaches suggested on this page do you think was used in producing this model? Take a few minutes to reflect on images or symbols of significance for you. Consider how they may relate to culturally aligned leadership. Write down any ideas that come to you and start thinking about how you might present and explain this metaphor in Assignment 1. You will have the chance to present your image/metaphor if you wish, during this module's Assignment 1 preparation activity.	Creating a powerpoint using google slides and talking over top of it.  Use ppt to share key learnings  Metaphor: - Weaving  promoting teacher agency  Using each others expertise  Causes discussion to take place  Promotes leading from the middle  Working alongside each other  Creates a collective responsibility  Weaving involves the motion of going under and over, in leadership I believe that it is your job to lead but also to go ‘below’ the idea of a leadership position and be involved in what happens on the ground floor.  Leaders need to be in tune with what is happening within their staff/co-workers, there needs to be a joint focus or as Chellie Spiller puts it, Calling the Island to You, having a joint focus- the island. If raranga is taking place it can create something beautiful. For this to happen there needs to be a rhythm. One which can only be successful if every part is working together.  Concluding Statement: culturally aligned leadership should encourage leaders to make the most of the expertise they have available within their staff and use this to weave together the mat in which a successful and progressive system may sit.

 

Assignment One 

Culturally Aligned Leadership: What is it? 

Culturally Aligned Leadership is all about learning about how to lead with indigenous peoples in mind. It challenges you to think about how you can incorporate one's culture and look at leadership from a Wayfinders perspective. 

For assignment one we were asked to critically analyse literature and explain how it relates to our own experiences. We were also asked to create a metaphor for Culturally Aligned Leadership.