title: Primary school physical education: Professional learning as a partnership between a specialist and generalists

authors: Johnson, Nicola

subjects: Physical Education

abstract: The quality of physical education (PE) lessons delivered by generalist primary school teachers is recognised across the literature as inadequate. As a secondary PE teacher, I became acutely aware of the challenges faced by generalist primary school teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand delivering PE lessons to their students. Issues underpinning the research were concerned with the effect of the marginalisation of PE in primary schools on teachers, the impact high stakes testing for literacy and numeracy has had on the availability of professional learning (PL) for teachers, and also a lack of confidence to deliver PE for many generalist teachers. The motivation for this study was to provide generalist primary teachers with a structured and supportive PL programme that could enhance their pedagogical skills, knowledge and confidence to teach PE.

This research sought to examine how a specialist secondary PE teacher could support primary school teachers in the delivery of PE lessons. The PE Partnership Programme was developed with the support of Sport New Zealand’s KiwiSport funding initiative. The PL programme involved the modelling of lessons, co- teaching opportunities and the provision of resources to enhance pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and understanding of the curriculum model Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), with the aims of growing their confidence, and facilitating the delivery of high-quality lessons.

This study was situated in both the interpretivist and constructivist research paradigms. An interpretive paradigm was adopted as it allowed for an appreciation of how the teachers constructed and understood the realities of their lived experiences, feelings and interactions during the PL programme. The research was also positioned within the constructivist theory where knowledge acquisition is constructed rather than transmitted. Qualitative methods provided a basis for a study that was evaluative and reflective. Qualitative data was collected through analysis of documentation, semi-structured individual and focus group interviews, observation of teachers teaching PE and the collation of field notes throughout the PE Partnership Programme.

The findings revealed that the teachers involved in the programme increased their confidence to teach PE and that their attitudes towards PE were changed: as a result three significant key learnings were identified. Firstly, it showed the need for positive relationships to be built between the facilitator and the participants. The relationship between the PL provider/knowledgeable expert and the generalist teachers has been observed to be crucial for the programme to be successful. Secondly, the necessity for the facilitator to understand the context in which the PL is being undertaken, which includes the school culture and the working conditions of the teachers. Thirdly, the teachers valued the fact that the PL was situated in their classroom practice alongside the students, using school facilities and equipment, and was not abstract theorising.

Conversely, the findings indicated that despite the significant amount of time spent with each of the teachers, limited progress was made in developing PCK and physical education-content knowledge (PE-CK). This issue, in turn affected the teachers’ ability to move beyond the level of asking surface questions and they struggled to adapt activities to meet the needs of their students. The challenges of supporting generalist teachers as teachers of PE are highlighted, and guidelines are suggested for providers of PL concerning their responsibilities and positive attributes required. Also proposals have been made for the way that future PE professional earning (PE-PL) could be delivered to primary teachers.
PE in the form that was presented in this PL programme has been shown to be valued by the primary teachers. Mixed with the reflections of where change in the programme may have been needed the research offers useful insights into how PE- PL for primary teachers could be reconsidered. The recommendations from this research are aimed at the funding organisations and providers of PL with the view to enhancing the future provision of primary school PE-PL in Aotearoa New Zealand and possibly considered in other contexts.

text: Primary school physical education: Professional learning as a partnership between a specialist and generalists The quality of physical education (PE) lessons delivered by generalist primary school teachers is recognised across the literature as inadequate. As a secondary PE teacher, I became acutely aware of the challenges faced by generalist primary school teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand delivering PE lessons to their students. Issues underpinning the research were concerned with the effect of the marginalisation of PE in primary schools on teachers, the impact high stakes testing for literacy and numeracy has had on the availability of professional learning (PL) for teachers, and also a lack of confidence to deliver PE for many generalist teachers. The motivation for this study was to provide generalist primary teachers with a structured and supportive PL programme that could enhance their pedagogical skills, knowledge and confidence to teach PE.

This research sought to examine how a specialist secondary PE teacher could support primary school teachers in the delivery of PE lessons. The PE Partnership Programme was developed with the support of Sport New Zealand’s KiwiSport funding initiative. The PL programme involved the modelling of lessons, co- teaching opportunities and the provision of resources to enhance pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and understanding of the curriculum model Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), with the aims of growing their confidence, and facilitating the delivery of high-quality lessons.

This study was situated in both the interpretivist and constructivist research paradigms. An interpretive paradigm was adopted as it allowed for an appreciation of how the teachers constructed and understood the realities of their lived experiences, feelings and interactions during the PL programme. The research was also positioned within the constructivist theory where knowledge acquisition is constructed rather than transmitted. Qualitative methods provided a basis for a study that was evaluative and reflective. Qualitative data was collected through analysis of documentation, semi-structured individual and focus group interviews, observation of teachers teaching PE and the collation of field notes throughout the PE Partnership Programme.

The findings revealed that the teachers involved in the programme increased their confidence to teach PE and that their attitudes towards PE were changed: as a result three significant key learnings were identified. Firstly, it showed the need for positive relationships to be built between the facilitator and the participants. The relationship between the PL provider/knowledgeable expert and the generalist teachers has been observed to be crucial for the programme to be successful. Secondly, the necessity for the facilitator to understand the context in which the PL is being undertaken, which includes the school culture and the working conditions of the teachers. Thirdly, the teachers valued the fact that the PL was situated in their classroom practice alongside the students, using school facilities and equipment, and was not abstract theorising.

Conversely, the findings indicated that despite the significant amount of time spent with each of the teachers, limited progress was made in developing PCK and physical education-content knowledge (PE-CK). This issue, in turn affected the teachers’ ability to move beyond the level of asking surface questions and they struggled to adapt activities to meet the needs of their students. The challenges of supporting generalist teachers as teachers of PE are highlighted, and guidelines are suggested for providers of PL concerning their responsibilities and positive attributes required. Also proposals have been made for the way that future PE professional earning (PE-PL) could be delivered to primary teachers.
PE in the form that was presented in this PL programme has been shown to be valued by the primary teachers. Mixed with the reflections of where change in the programme may have been needed the research offers useful insights into how PE- PL for primary teachers could be reconsidered. The recommendations from this research are aimed at the funding organisations and providers of PL with the view to enhancing the future provision of primary school PE-PL in Aotearoa New Zealand and possibly considered in other contexts.

year: 2018

title: Going 'walli' and having 'jinni': Exploring Somali expressions of psychological distress and approaches to treatment

authors: Ryan, Juanita Frances

subjects: Somali

abstract: Western researchers conducting studies with Somali refugee participants have identified Somali-specific idioms of psychological distress as well as high rates of Western psychological disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this refugee group.  Methodological limitations of these previous studies, however, have limited the validity of the conclusions drawn.  These limitations include the use of Western psychometric instruments and diagnostic nosologies, limited information about the methodological procedures undertaken, the apparently unqualified use of terms such as  mental illness,  madness  and  craziness  in interview schedules, minimal exploration of psychosomatic idioms of distress, and limited applicability of some of the research findings to Somali women..   The current research primarily aimed to address these methodological short-comings and build on the findings of previous studies that have explored Somali conceptions of distress.  Two additional objectives were to (i) identify protective and resilience factors which may decrease vulnerability to experiencing psychological distress in Somali women, (ii) gauge non-Somali health professionals' understanding of (a) the nature of distress and suffering experienced by Somali women, and (b) effective treatment modalities to ameliorate this distress.   The analytical style employed in all three studies of this thesis was thematic.  
In the first study, ten Hamilton (New Zealand) based Somali women were interviewed.  Particular areas of interest explored in the first study included psychological, physical and spiritual conceptions of distress, the symptoms of key idioms of distress, and the way in which these are managed/treated at the individual, community, and family levels. 
The findings of Study 1 identified spirit (jinn) possession as a form of distress known by at least some members of the local Somali community.  Jinn appeared to be an explanation for both milder forms of distress akin to depression and anxiety, as well as more severe forms of distress similar to psychosis.  Treatment for jinn possession tended to focus on Koran readings in conjunction with family and community-based support.  Generally participants considered there was a very limited role for mental health professionals and Western psychiatric medication in the extraction of jinn.
Faith was considered a key protective factor against experiencing non-spiritual forms of distress such as stress, worry, anxiety and depression.  Although war trauma was acknowledged to have an adverse impact on the psychological functioning of Somali women it was not considered to impact on a woman's ability to manage her day-to-day responsibilities.  The impact of having family in refugee camps in Africa was, however, identified as a common and very distressing issue impacting on many Somali women.  The only way of alleviating the distress associated with this stressor, according to participants, was reunification.  Interviewees stated that Western interventions for distress were rarely pursued by Somali as they were not considered efficacious.  
Given there is evidence that Somali communities residing in various cities in New Zealand are at various stages of acculturation, it was considered important to ascertain how valid the results from Study 1 were considered to be by women from other Somali communities.  Six focus groups were conducted with a total of 27 Somali women recruited from three New Zealand cities.
The findings of Study 2 identified numerous culturally specific forms of distress reported by participants.  These states were qalbijab, boofis, murug, welwel and jinn.  These Somali idioms of distress were akin to some Western psychological disorders, particularly the depression and anxiety spectrums.  Treatment for Somali forms of suffering were reported to focus on Koran readings, in addition to family and community support.  Generally, participants in Study 2 considered there was a very limited role for general practitioners (GPs) and mental health professionals in assisting Somali to deal with psychological and spiritual distress.  Consistent with the findings of Study 1, faith was considered the most important protective factor, family separation was described as one of the most significant stressors, and war related trauma was suggested to cause significant distress only if the sufferer had family still in Africa.
Study 3 explored non-Somali health practitioners' understanding of Somali idioms of distress, as well as their perspectives about how to best treat Somali presenting with psychological distress.   A total of 18 mainstream mental health practitioners, general health practitioners (both GPs and primary care nurses), and specialist refugee mental health practitioners took part in this research.  
Few practitioners mentioned spirit possession as an aetiology for distress and none mentioned other Somali-specific forms of distress.  The psychosocial stressors identified as contributing to the psychological distress of Somali women were relatively consistent across the three groups of practitioners and also consistent with the stressors identified by participants in Studies 1 and 2 (e.g., family separation, social isolation, financial concerns).  Interviewees did not consider PTSD to be a common psychological disorder amongst Somali women living in New Zealand.  
Advocacy work and assistance with day-to-day concerns were suggested by many participants as more efficacious for the amelioration of psychosocial stressors than medication-based treatment.  Generally, participants in Study 3 were supportive of traditional forms of healing being used as the treatment of choice by Somali clients.  
The findings of the current thesis suggest that there are clear parallels between Somali idioms of distress and those of Western cultures.  However, the data indicate that equating Somali idioms with Western diagnostic labels would be rejected by Somali.  Regardless of the similarity of symptom profile of some of the Somali states to Western states, the manner in which these states are conceptualised, understood and treated is markedly different.  
The findings of all three studies suggested that Somali tend to opt for their own traditional interventions to treat psychological and spiritual forms of distress rather than engage with Western mental health services.  Numerous barriers including long waiting lists, mental health practitioners' apparent lack of knowledge/expertise working cross-culturally and poor treatment outcomes were provided for Somali not engaging with such services.  The stigma attached to having a mental illness was also considered a barrier to engaging with mental health services.  
With respect to improving service provision for non-Western clients, an intermediate service that sits between primary and secondary health care agencies is recommended as an effective means of meeting the needs of non-Western clients experiencing psychosocial stressors and mild to moderate psychological distress.  It is imperative, however, that any such service involves key stakeholders from the community groups it would serve, in the design, development, and implementation of interventions.

text: Going 'walli' and having 'jinni': Exploring Somali expressions of psychological distress and approaches to treatment Western researchers conducting studies with Somali refugee participants have identified Somali-specific idioms of psychological distress as well as high rates of Western psychological disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this refugee group.  Methodological limitations of these previous studies, however, have limited the validity of the conclusions drawn.  These limitations include the use of Western psychometric instruments and diagnostic nosologies, limited information about the methodological procedures undertaken, the apparently unqualified use of terms such as  mental illness,  madness  and  craziness  in interview schedules, minimal exploration of psychosomatic idioms of distress, and limited applicability of some of the research findings to Somali women..   The current research primarily aimed to address these methodological short-comings and build on the findings of previous studies that have explored Somali conceptions of distress.  Two additional objectives were to (i) identify protective and resilience factors which may decrease vulnerability to experiencing psychological distress in Somali women, (ii) gauge non-Somali health professionals' understanding of (a) the nature of distress and suffering experienced by Somali women, and (b) effective treatment modalities to ameliorate this distress.   The analytical style employed in all three studies of this thesis was thematic.  
In the first study, ten Hamilton (New Zealand) based Somali women were interviewed.  Particular areas of interest explored in the first study included psychological, physical and spiritual conceptions of distress, the symptoms of key idioms of distress, and the way in which these are managed/treated at the individual, community, and family levels. 
The findings of Study 1 identified spirit (jinn) possession as a form of distress known by at least some members of the local Somali community.  Jinn appeared to be an explanation for both milder forms of distress akin to depression and anxiety, as well as more severe forms of distress similar to psychosis.  Treatment for jinn possession tended to focus on Koran readings in conjunction with family and community-based support.  Generally participants considered there was a very limited role for mental health professionals and Western psychiatric medication in the extraction of jinn.
Faith was considered a key protective factor against experiencing non-spiritual forms of distress such as stress, worry, anxiety and depression.  Although war trauma was acknowledged to have an adverse impact on the psychological functioning of Somali women it was not considered to impact on a woman's ability to manage her day-to-day responsibilities.  The impact of having family in refugee camps in Africa was, however, identified as a common and very distressing issue impacting on many Somali women.  The only way of alleviating the distress associated with this stressor, according to participants, was reunification.  Interviewees stated that Western interventions for distress were rarely pursued by Somali as they were not considered efficacious.  
Given there is evidence that Somali communities residing in various cities in New Zealand are at various stages of acculturation, it was considered important to ascertain how valid the results from Study 1 were considered to be by women from other Somali communities.  Six focus groups were conducted with a total of 27 Somali women recruited from three New Zealand cities.
The findings of Study 2 identified numerous culturally specific forms of distress reported by participants.  These states were qalbijab, boofis, murug, welwel and jinn.  These Somali idioms of distress were akin to some Western psychological disorders, particularly the depression and anxiety spectrums.  Treatment for Somali forms of suffering were reported to focus on Koran readings, in addition to family and community support.  Generally, participants in Study 2 considered there was a very limited role for general practitioners (GPs) and mental health professionals in assisting Somali to deal with psychological and spiritual distress.  Consistent with the findings of Study 1, faith was considered the most important protective factor, family separation was described as one of the most significant stressors, and war related trauma was suggested to cause significant distress only if the sufferer had family still in Africa.
Study 3 explored non-Somali health practitioners' understanding of Somali idioms of distress, as well as their perspectives about how to best treat Somali presenting with psychological distress.   A total of 18 mainstream mental health practitioners, general health practitioners (both GPs and primary care nurses), and specialist refugee mental health practitioners took part in this research.  
Few practitioners mentioned spirit possession as an aetiology for distress and none mentioned other Somali-specific forms of distress.  The psychosocial stressors identified as contributing to the psychological distress of Somali women were relatively consistent across the three groups of practitioners and also consistent with the stressors identified by participants in Studies 1 and 2 (e.g., family separation, social isolation, financial concerns).  Interviewees did not consider PTSD to be a common psychological disorder amongst Somali women living in New Zealand.  
Advocacy work and assistance with day-to-day concerns were suggested by many participants as more efficacious for the amelioration of psychosocial stressors than medication-based treatment.  Generally, participants in Study 3 were supportive of traditional forms of healing being used as the treatment of choice by Somali clients.  
The findings of the current thesis suggest that there are clear parallels between Somali idioms of distress and those of Western cultures.  However, the data indicate that equating Somali idioms with Western diagnostic labels would be rejected by Somali.  Regardless of the similarity of symptom profile of some of the Somali states to Western states, the manner in which these states are conceptualised, understood and treated is markedly different.  
The findings of all three studies suggested that Somali tend to opt for their own traditional interventions to treat psychological and spiritual forms of distress rather than engage with Western mental health services.  Numerous barriers including long waiting lists, mental health practitioners' apparent lack of knowledge/expertise working cross-culturally and poor treatment outcomes were provided for Somali not engaging with such services.  The stigma attached to having a mental illness was also considered a barrier to engaging with mental health services.  
With respect to improving service provision for non-Western clients, an intermediate service that sits between primary and secondary health care agencies is recommended as an effective means of meeting the needs of non-Western clients experiencing psychosocial stressors and mild to moderate psychological distress.  It is imperative, however, that any such service involves key stakeholders from the community groups it would serve, in the design, development, and implementation of interventions.

year: 2008

title: Political critique and genealogical vision in te oriori a Rihi Puhiwahine, 1870s

authors: Iti Prendergast, Sam

abstract: Long before twentieth-century scholars developed the language to describe 'settler colonialism', nineteenth-century Māori writers, composers, and storytellers critiqued British imperialism and theorized colonial violence. In mōteatea, letters, and kōrero heke iho (narratives passed down), tūpuna Māori asked what British colonial settlement would mean for te ao Māori, the Māori world. As they reflected on the changes wrought by imperialism, tūpuna offered guidance for future uri (descendants). This is an article about the ways that one wahine Māori critiqued colonization and imagined Māori futures in the context of mid-nineteenth-century colonial invasion. More specifically, it is an article about how Rihi Puhiwahine, a renowned composer, guided her descendants through a world disfigured by British imperialism.

text: Political critique and genealogical vision in te oriori a Rihi Puhiwahine, 1870s Long before twentieth-century scholars developed the language to describe 'settler colonialism', nineteenth-century Māori writers, composers, and storytellers critiqued British imperialism and theorized colonial violence. In mōteatea, letters, and kōrero heke iho (narratives passed down), tūpuna Māori asked what British colonial settlement would mean for te ao Māori, the Māori world. As they reflected on the changes wrought by imperialism, tūpuna offered guidance for future uri (descendants). This is an article about the ways that one wahine Māori critiqued colonization and imagined Māori futures in the context of mid-nineteenth-century colonial invasion. More specifically, it is an article about how Rihi Puhiwahine, a renowned composer, guided her descendants through a world disfigured by British imperialism.

year: 2024