What do you consider to be the place of ‘grace’ in wise teaching and how do you envision it could be outworked in practice?
Students learn from being passionate about what they are learning, they can find grace in working towards achieving a goal. A teacher should work around motivating a student to find grace in the classroom. As students are created by God, teachers should value them as if they were God. (Van Brummelen, 2009). Grace helps create a path for students to follow in order to achieve (Robertson and Sextus, 2015). We should implement strategies around grace that will help student progress.
The main Karakia that I have always used in the classroom to end a lesson is the Karakia Kia Tau Ki a Tatou Katoa. It has been taught to me while I was a student. It can translate too, may the grace of god be with you and guide you (University of Otago). Grace in the class room environment can be found in the New Zealand Curriculum. This can be found under teaching pedagogy which helps effect student achievement, through teachers creating good relationships through interacting with students and whanau, where they can create a supporting learning environment, make connections with prior student knowledge. These factors can help students to achieve more, feeling the grace of god. This is how you can give value to these students and feel grace in the classroom (Ministry of Education , 2018). Teaching is a gift from God, its is the duty of a teacher to give this grace to students. Grace in the classroom is an environment where students well being is being looked after. Where the character of each student is valued (Grace-Filled).
Being culturally responsive you can also show your grace, this could be done by valuing students with different cultural identities, by letting them know they are acknowledged in your classroom because of their cultural difference. Tapasa is a framework guide for non pacific teaching staff to engage positively to Pacific Island students (Ministry of Education , 2018). Its aim is to help create a better understanding of the Pacific Island language, culture, identity and to create a positive connection with Pacific Island students. Here teachers can find a positive connection to with students and create a way which includes them (Ministry of Education , 2018). This could be done as a teacher could create class work that looks into the pro values of a pacific culture, here a teacher could educate their class on why this culture is so important. From doing this pacific island students could feel a sense of pride, they may feel included in the topic, teachers can get students to teach other students the information they know.
As explained earlier grace can be found in the curriculum under teaching pedagogy as teachers are creating supporting learning environment, make connections with prior student knowledge.
References
Van Brummelen, H. (2009). How to Prepare For Meaningful Learning?
Van Brummelen, H (3rd ed.) Walking with God in the classroom: Christian approaches to teaching and learning. (p.95-133.). Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications.
Ministry of Education , Te Kete Ipurangi
University of Otago , Karakia Prayers
https://www.otago.ac.nz/maori/world/te-reo-maori/karakia-prayers/index.html
Sextus, N. & Robinson, W (2015). The Wise Teacher Bridge Model. Retrieved from https://thewiseteacher2015.wikispaces.com/Models+of+Wise+Teachinghttps://574958834498041819.weebly.com/destination-5–grace/the-place-of-grace-in-the-classroom-and-it-outworked
Grace-Filled
Teacher’s Toolbox 