From Theory to Practice - The Bicultural Reality

Aotearoa/New Zealand prides itself as a nation that is proactive in the advocacy of biculturalism. The national early childhood education curriculum Te Whaariki is arguably the very first such bicultural document. To understand how an acclaimed bicultural curriculum document is transferred into the reality of a bicultural educational practice, a close lens of that reality has been aquired. This work investigates how early childhood education practitioners implement the New Zealand National Early Childhood Education Curriculum document (Te Whaariki) through a bicultural practice. Specific focus drew on the perspectives, experiences and aspirations of teacher educators in relation to their own bicultural practice. A snapshot in time has been provided through teacher educators voicing their understanding and practice of biculturalism. Some basic questions around the understanding of biculturalism and Te Whaariki as a bicultural guide have indicated that more needs to be provided in assisting the educators of our bicultural future to implement a bicultural curriculum and to realise a bicultural practice.