Achieving Educational Success as Maori

The Prerogative of Maori Education

In keeping with the theme of the Maori Language Week here is a post on education of Maori.  The following power point was presented at staff meeting on Monday.

Maori achieving as maori from WaihiCollege

Many of our schools 2015 priority learners recognise themselves as Maori.  Part of our responsibility (duty of care) for the students in our classroom is effectively providing for their (and their whanua's) needs.

Questions that we need to ask...

1. How am I going as a teacher (am I positively impacting the learning)?
2. What informs me on my answer to Q.1.?
3. What is my sense of urgency around this?

[These questions need to be asked of the students as well].  

This post is related to RTC #1. "Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of ākonga." And RTC #7. "Promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment part ii. foster trust, respect and cooperation with and among ākonga.  And ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 3 "Educationally Powerful Connections and Relationships".

Maori Language Week at Waihi College.

Maori Students and Waihi College

The 5th of our college annual goals ties nicely in with the Maori Language Week.  That goal states...
"Culturally Responsive Teaching - Teachers will continue to develop culturally responsive teaching practices that recognise the special place of Maori and Pacifika students to maximise effective learning relationships with students."

Waihi College is very much a bicultural school.  We have on our role 201 students that primarily identify themselves as Maori.  [based on the number of domestic students as at June 2014].

This means that 29% of our role, on enrolment have selected to identify firstly as Maori.  There will be an additional number of students that will see themselves a Pakeha first with some Maori ancestry/whakapapa. 

In year seven and eight 35% (67 students) of those cohorts primarily recognise themselves as Maori.  There is a case for speculating that students are becoming more open to acknowledging their culture.

What does it mean to be Maori?
An interesting thing that can be noted, within the statistics of Maori in the population of students at Waihi College, is that whilst there are significant numbers of students identifying as Maori only two thirds were able to connect/identify with a specific Iwi. 
 
n.b. Did you know that the Hauraki Maori Council officially recognised in the 1960's a new Iwi - Ngati Waihi.  None of the current group of students recognised themselves in this Iwi. 

Maori students are not getting the results that they should be getting.  We in NZ education have a collective issue on addressing this inequitable situation. 

Something tangible that we can all do as teachers is to check that we are honouring our Maori students names.  Here is a video highlighting that pronunciation is important.  The real key message is to be able to show the students that you care enough to try.

 

Here is that video by Key and Peele "Substitute Teacher" (comedy central)