On the line?

Online teaching is now promoted as our new norm in teaching. At least while we are
in lockdown. The gloomy statements of the world never being the same again, are
buffeted by visionaries who see Covid 19 as a catalyst for a long overdue game
changer in education.

In rugby, “on the line”, is out. Online education needs to ensure that it does not create
lines that rule its participants out.

Māori boys who arrive at school at five years of age with energy, optimism and abilities,
(note the plural), are not restricted by the outlines of education.
Despite natural ability and a deep down desire to play, their beaming smiles are red
carded from the game. Their smirk, now worn as a mask for lost pride.
However, now that we are all on the sideline, yellow carded (only), are we able to
utilise this time to watch replays of the historic matches to remind us that even the
‘best’ need to continually go beyond the line.

The Crusaders rugby franchise, who are adept at dealing with adversity are regarded
as the most successful rugby franchise in the world, so why did they need to change?
Their players have crossed the try line more than any other. Despite earthquakes and
the atrocities of racially inspired shootings, the Crusaders response was to ask what
they could do for their community. Their very name was challenged and they
responded with - “ma pango, ma whero”. This renowned Māori whakatauki (proverb)
talks about broadening your understanding to acknowledge, accept and ultimately
align with our changing world so as to include and embrace diversity so that we all
win.

The All Blacks evolved as a brand in the 21st Century, continuing to draw new lines in
their quest to redefine the game well beyond the rectangular parameters of a playing
field. The inclusion of “Kapa ō Pango” challenged not only the teams they faced, but
us as a nation to embrace our country's cultural heritage and not allow a line to be
carved between our peoples.

Our Mamaku - Black Ferns, endear themselves to a growing audience with their skill,
passion and determination. The early pioneers of women’s rugby are now revered for
their efforts to take our sport into the future. Their courage to twink out the historic
lines of exclusion for women are now a platform for further growth in all aspects of
society.

So what about the Māori All Blacks? In a maturing multicultural society, we do not
need a melting pot that “turns out coffee coloured people by the score”. Culturally
selected teams ensure that their voices and rights are recognised and celebrated.
When the Māori All Blacks form the kurutao (spearhead) formation they state to the
world their right to create their own lines for advancement. The true revelation in this
is the international adoption of indigeneity, as seen by the indigenous sports teams of
Australia who perform their balyunmirr as a statement of who they are. The Tongan
- Mate ma Tonga, ‘Red Sea’ of rugby league spectators are a further reminder of
understanding the power of culture when players, teams and sport look beyond the
white lines of a game.

Future learning?
The key is education. (at least this is what we are told)

Not the curriculum lines of A, B, C and 1, 2, 3, but rather to recognise the wider
potential purpose of education. The enforced transition for schools into “online”
learning for most has merely been to teach as normal through the medium of our
laptop. Whilst the initial enthusiasm for students to see familiar faces and actually have
a break from “the game”. For the majority this will be short lived and equally deficient
at getting all students across the line, even if only for the purpose of placing them on
another line?

Toward the end of last century educationalists started to talk about “21st century
learning”. In fact the really clever educational strategists pushed beyond this to talk
about 2020. If only they had known then what we know now?

The future for education at the end of last century espoused notions of change, of
something “different” from practices of the day. However, now that we are in the
second decade of the 21st century, most secondary schools continue to deliver a
siloed, teacher dependent curriculum. In fact, the more ‘traditional’ schools promote
this walking stick education model as being responsible for creating “better people”.
Attested, by the ability to have students stand in uniformed lines in apparel that clearly
has not shifted into the 21st century.

The same notions of change to educational practices are again being espoused by
educational visionaries post Covid 19. No doubt there will be pockets of educational
enterprise, as there already exists. Where teaching and learning is revolutionised to
adapt to new norms as well as adapting to the capacity that technologies can avail
us. That said, the vast majority of teachers and schools will continue as they have in
practice. The words of innovation and all of the glossary terms of technology will be
illustrated in brochures and websites. However, in the delivery cells of schools under
the shrouded protective mechanisms of education, kind hearted, caring human beings
will again red card Māori boys from the game of education.

We have seen the entrepreneurial skills of Māori come to the fore during our lockdown.
Innovation, creativity are innate in all people. The establishment of new learning
mediums and an ability to capture our rangatahi requires us to dare to dream, design
and deliver. My word of caution however, is that we do not put a line around ourselves.
Our message needs to ensure that we look to the future which will ensure we can live
beyond any line.

Nathan Durie - The Māori Sidestep

MANUKURA
nathan@manukura.school.nz