Culturally Responsive Pedagogy: A New Zealand Case Study

This paper examines the justification for a culturally responsive educational initiative to raise the educational underachievement of Maori students in New Zealand. The initiative is justified by claims that the recognition in the classroom of a student's cultural identity will lead to the student's educational achievement. Using an account of a small study of teachers and their beliefs regarding New Zealand's culturally responsive educational policy "Kia Eke Panuku," we argue that such a claim is not established and it is the development of an epistemic identity which is more likely to be the means for Maori to attain educational success.