Learning from each other: A framework from the field

Abstract

Parents of Pacific learners are clear about what they want their childrens’ teachers to know. Teachers can make good sense of such knowledge when it is gifted to them if they are well-supported. This article is a preliminary account of a Teaching and Learning Research Initiative project, Learning From Each Other. The article describes an appropriate learning framework to support teachers of Pacific learners which leverages the potential of parent–teacher relationships to be the beating heart of Pacific education. The argument, driven by data from two case studies, points to the significance of a number of features as framework elements when seeking sustained positive change in Pacific education. These are: a context in which teachers see, and are motivated by, a need for change; talanoa as supportive exploratory process; exposure to resources (Pacific parent voice, Pacific origin theory, navigators); sufficient opportunity to learn; and a growth mindset. By linking these elements into a framework, we seek to support the effectiveness of activities designed to help teachers serve their Pacific (and other) learners better.