Learning in and from primary schools: Teaching Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories in Years 1 to 6
(reference: https://aotearoahistories.education.govt.nz/)
The Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum was released on March 17. Beginning in 2023, all schools and kura across the country will formally teach the nation’s past to ākonga from years 1 to 10. News of the long-awaited new curriculum launch spread fast across the country. While some expressed concerns about the curriculum’s omissions and the short implementation timeframe, most educators celebrated that learning New Zealand history will no longer ‘be left to chance’ in schools. Curiously, public debates about the new curriculum have often lacked the voices of those who will be some of the most profoundly affected by this document, namely primary teachers. The fact that primary schools will have to teach NZ history prescriptively for the first time ever should have prompted major news headlines and deeper conversations. However, so far, the voices of policymakers, journalists, university historians and secondary school representatives have prevailed.
What are primary teachers’ experience teaching history in general, and Aotearoa history in particular?
To explore the reactions of primary teachers, we - Genaro Oliveira (Massey University) and Matt Kennedy (West End School) - collaborated with local primary schools in Palmerston North and Horowhenua. We wanted to know more about primary teachers’ experience teaching history in general, and NZ history in particular. Do kaiako feel prepared to implement the new curriculum? Are there adequate PLD (professional learning development) opportunities to support teaching the new curriculum? What teaching resources are available for teachers? How are schools establishing closer connections with hapū and iwi to understand local histories?
Our survey with 10 local schools resulted in a recently published article on the journal Curriculum Matters that provides valuable insights about primary kaiako experiences teaching history and also challenges they foresee to deliver the new curriculum. Three main findings of our research are: (1) Despite differences of approach, focus and depth, primary schools have already been teaching NZ histories long before the launching of the new curriculum; (2) however, despite prior experience teaching history, most teachers still lack confidence teaching NZ histories and welcome PLD; (3) beyond content, primary teachers have already employed a range of innovative pedagogical strategies to approach social sciences learning in general, and history in particular, including hands-on role playing and involving community experts.
Anecdotal evidence and personal experiences of primary educators demonstrated that: a) teaching history content is widespread and varied across primary schools; and b) a significant share of this content is related to Aotearoa NZ’s histories. Noticeably, all local teachers surveyed indicated they had taught some history at primary school level. Encouragingly, among the historical topics kaiako mentioned having previously taught, most were related to Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories. Te Tiriti o Waitangi (ToW) was the top ranked topic mentioned by teachers, followed by topics related to Māori histories and ANZAC/Gallipoli. Another auspicious finding for the implementation of the new history curriculum is that their primary teachers surveyed have already been taking local history seriously. In particular, many mentioned having established partnership with local iwi/hapū, often inviting local kaumatua (elders), and other whānau (family) members who guide the school about mana whenua protocols in general, and support in teaching students local and NZ history.
What about teaching confidence?
In terms of teaching confidence, overall the findings suggested a gloomier landscape for the implementation of the new curriculum. While a good share of teachers declared themselves at least ‘moderately confident’ to teach the 7 broad historical themes initially suggested by the government, the vast majority highlighted limited confidence. Curiously, the great majority of teachers said they felt comfortable and/or willing to teach the new curriculum in spite of their low confidence. In relation to NZ history, teachers’ relative low levels of confidence alongside their untroubled prospect of teaching it might seem a contradiction. But it attests to teachers modus operandi and sound pedagogical grounding. Given the generalist and dynamic nature of primary teaching, many teachers have become used to describing themselves as adaptive professionals, who constantly make curricular and pedagogical changes to meet students’ needs and in response to changes outside the school. Therefore, the findings point to the fact that despite not confident yet with the new history content, teachers seem to believe their repertoire of pedagogical tools will successfully support teaching any topic. In the survey, teachers indicated their willingness to overcome limited confidence through training and reliable resources. Many responses emphasised the role of schools and the government in providing support through clear guidance, age-appropriate resources and PLDs opportunities.
Primary teachers pedagogical preparation was further evidenced in their responses to how they might ‘create meaningful and engaging history learning experiences’? In open-ended responses, primary kaiako expressed a preference for social constructivist pedagogies and teaching strategies that: a) encourage agency and student voice while minimising direct instruction; b) are based on an inquiry approach; c) present opportunities for conversation and group debate; d) promote hands-on learning; e) link to children’s’ personal identities, backgrounds, and everyday experiences. They also shared strategies to bring history “to life” through learning opportunities outside the classroom, historical images, role play, stories of individuals and their experiences, and connections to the learner’s whānau (family).
Where to next?
Primary schools will no doubt benefit from the prolific production of academic historians and the repertoire built by history departments at secondary schools. As most primary school teachers have limited history training background, our research suggests that they will need focused support: a) raising teaching confidence related to the seven broad historical themes suggested prior to the release of the draft curriculum; b) going beyond the ‘big three’ popular topics (ToW, Gallipoli and ‘Māori histories’) by incorporating less popular - often difficult and more recent - history topics into their planning; c) adapting historiographical collections and works into age-appropriate and primary-friendly resources.
In turn, with their accumulated mahi on inquiry-led, student-centred models and iwi partnerships, as well as with years of experience teaching Aotearoa NZ’s histories as documented in our research, primary teachers also have much to teach to students and society alike. Some of ideas developed by primary teachers – both practicing school teachers and also kaiako pitomata (student teachers) from Massey University – will be showcased in the website we are currently developing to help teachers implement new history curriculum: www.aotearoanzhistories.com
Genaro is a historian who has joined the Institute of Education as a Lecturer in Secondary Education in August 2018. His career began as a history teacher in Brazil, where he had experience working in the public, private and NGO sectors as a school teacher, educational consultant and academic. Prior to his current role at Massey, Genaro worked as a social studies and Spanish teacher at Diocesan School for Girls (Auckland), did a postdoc in digital history at the University of Basel (Switzerland), lectured on history and education at the Fiji National University (FNU -Fiji Islands), taught media history at College of Sciences and Technology (FTC -Brazil) and digital inclusion at the NGO Cipó (Brazil). Genaro’s fields of research are: teaching and learning history, art history, digital history, historiography, and Latin American history.
Contact: g.oliveira@massey.ac.nz