Discovery

We Own Our Science

Leeana Kent

Last year, Leeana Kent, a secondary school teacher of physics, chemistry and general science, received an International Teacher Award at the National Science Fair for her "outstanding contribution to the education of students and dedication to the advancement of science". That contribution has focused on work with science fairs and in promoting science among Maori students. Along with the recipient of the Maori student award, Adam Manukau, Kent attended this year's International Science and Engineering Fair held in Canada.

Why did I wish to become involved in the teaching of science in the first whanau class at this North Shore college? As the mother of a son of Tuwharetoa and Ngati Maniapoto descent, I had witnessed the challenges he had faced through his years of schooling and university. Teachers had stereotyped him in a negative way as a Maori student. He had experienced no Taha Maori throughout his education. Instead he relied upon interaction within his whanau to gain an understanding of who he was.

At the same time, I had witnessed the low success rate of Maori students in the external exams. The results for all sciences other than chemistry was worse. This does not include the large number of Maori students who did not complete their third year at secondary school. Obviously, the science course at secondary schools was not encouraging the students to succeed. There have been a large number of analyses on the low success rate and retention of Maori students at schools. These range from "victim blaming", where the background and experiences of the students are perceived to be at fault, to criticism of the system itself.

In 1992, in my first year of a Masters in Science Education, I was exposed to the research of the Centre of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Research Centre led by Beverly Bell at Hamilton, and of overseas educationalists, into the theory of how students learn. The ensuing controversy about constructivism has not diminished my classroom observations that this paradigm is worthy of attention. Simultaneously, the Putaiao curriculum was being developed by Liz McKinley and Pauline Waiti. Graham Hingangaroa Smith had published articles about Kaupapa Maori and, with the support of our Maori teacher, I attempted to develop the course along the lines of constructivist kaupapa Maori.

As a non-Maori initiating a science programme in a Maori bilingual unit for Form 3 and 4 students at a predominantly non-Maori school (9% Maori), I felt unsure of where to start. Of one point I was certain: the present science programme for our third and fourth form Maori students was irrelevant to their needs as Maori science students. The only way I could see to reverse the present lack of interest was to pass the ownership of the course back to the students.

Te Whanau o Te Kakano, as my whanau class are known, had been an experimental group. They had allowed me to trial a new method of teaching science with them, and had enjoyed the experience.

"What do you wish to learn in science over the next two years?"

Ask any class this and you will get a wide range of answers. Ask a bilingual Maori class and the answers seem more specific.

"What is the science in Te Ao? Nga Moana? Nga Hangi? Nga Whare-nui? Nga Harekeke?"

The students clustered their questions according to topics and, with the help of their whanau, we formulated our answers. Within the first year, I was amazed at the extent of curriculum science we had covered. This was to continue in 1994, and four of the students decided to attempt School Certificate at the end of their fourth form. Their results bettered all but one of the current fifth form Maori science students.

At the end of our two-year programme, the 20 students had developed a keen interest in science that appears to have continued into their senior years. In the process I had learnt a lot and, in effect, the teacher had become the student.

Although I am completing my thesis while on study leave this year, I have maintained my contact with the classroom. My whanau students, along with a Form Three whanau class at another school, are providing the data for my action research into assessment methodology that will better reflect the learning of the students. I have also judged at the Auckland Regional Science Fair, and am on the organising committee for Chem Ed 95. For the sixth year, I have been the co-ordinator for our school Samoan Group, ensuring they performed at the Auckland Secondary Schools Maori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival -- this in a school of fewer than 25 Samoans!

As well as my work in science for Maori students, the award was also for my work with science fairs. Attending the International Science Fair has made me aware of the time and commitment required of students if they are to achieve international status. The range and depth of the exhibits has given me the incentive to promote a greater degree of commitment by New Zealand students to research science that will reflect our unique heritage.

My commitment to students and science teaching is paramount. The future looks exciting for Maori and Pacific Island science students, and I intend to continue to work towards improving their performance and enjoyment of science, and at the same time acknowledge the status of scientific Maori knowledge.