To step up! To lift up!

Quick look at what it means to be Maori. Historical background.

What does this mean? Recognising the potential of every Māori student Acknowledging that being Māori is an advantage All Māori learners are inherently capable. Taking a personalising learning approach Recognises that one size does not fit all.

What challenges exist? year olds have disengaged from the Education System, most of these are Maori (Stuart Middleton) Maori students that are not engaged in the first two years of Secondary School are more likely to end up on truancy, suspension and expulsion rolls. If we can engage Maori & Polynesian boys (in particular) at 12 years old they are more likely to succeed at Secondary School. Transition to secondary school is important. Māori children continued to be over-represented in lower literacy achievement levels Nearly 40 per cent of Māori learners were leaving school before turning 17. The participation rate of Māori in tertiary education is the low.

How can we tackle the issues? Less focus on...More focus on... Remedying deficitRealising potential Problems of dysfunctionIdentifying opportunity Government interventionInvesting in people Targeting deficitTailoring education to the learner Maori as a minorityIndigeneity and distinctiveness Instructing and informing Collaborating and co-constructing

Action plan for teachers: Increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning for Māori students in years 9 and 10. Look for professional development programmes that show significant improvements in Māori student achievement. Provide language learning support for Māori students – Use as much Te Reo as possible. Effective teaching strategies and knowledge in Te Reo and tikanga.

Action plan for principals: take responsibility for Māori students presence, engagement and achievement. Allow teachers who are succeeding with Maori students to share their strategies and techniques. Support professional leaders by resourcing and focussing on areas of importance. Strengthen school planning and reporting processes by increasing the expectation that schools will have an explicit focus on Māori student presence, engagement and achievement. Strengthen the NAGS requiring all schools to set goals in their charters for improving Māori student presence, engagement and achievement.

Action plan for B.O.T. make decisions about future education pathways. Be aware of career agencies that support Maori achievement and allow students access to these. Assist whanau to make decisions about future educational choices Help parents and whanau understand the process of NCEA and other testing in order to build student achievement.

So what can we do? Maori students need to be engaged and active in School life. Experiences such as sports, music and drama are essential in your teaching programme. I.C.T. will motivate students to build stronger foundations in numeracy and literacy and support the basic skills needed. Make sure Maori students have a voice and are contributing to school improvement practices that directly relate to their culture – gardening, arts and kapahaka. Help Whanau to understand how their children are being taught and how they can assist with that process. Also allow them to understand that their culture is important and included in the school programme. Whanau need to understand that their childrens gifts and interests will be supported by the wider community and are involved in the future choices of the school. E.g. Many schools will not run a kapahaka if they do not have a teacher, so shouldnt BOTs look for this trait when hiring the next teacher?

So what can we do? Teachers make sure you are engaging in professional development that enables you to establish effective teaching and learning relationships with Māori students, which leads to improved student engagement, and achievement. If there is a gap fill it, if you cant then find someone who can help you. Principals must lead and support professional development for all staff and account for their schools performance in lifting Māori student presence, engagement,and achievement. Be honest – if its not working you need to change what you are doing. BOT allow the whanau to be involved in decision making processes. This can be difficult as many find it hard to run Maori hui but get your local Marae involved as they are usually a strong support!

How can all teacher do this? TERM ONE: GREETINGS (Social sciences: people pass on and sustain culture and heritage for different reasons and this has consequences for people) Maori - W.A.L.T. ask and answer simple questions. I.C.T. - W.A.L.T. utilise photostory. TERM ONE: WHO AM I? (Social sciences: people pass on and sustain culture and heritage for different reasons and this has consequences for people) We choose to concerntrate on Pepeha Powhiri – Filming beginning of the year for Youtube Whakapapa – Photo collage of family tree

How can all teacher do this? TERM TWO: ANZACS (Social science: people pass on and sustain culture and heritage for different reasons and this has consequences for people) Maori battalion website ANZACs commemoration – Maori TV Maori battlion march to victory waiata - Youtube Photo collage using Google images TERM TWO: SUSTAINABILITY (Home, school, community) (Social science: Understand how exploration and innovation create opportunities and challenges for people, places, and environments. Understand that events have causes and effects.) Community – We choose to concentrate on the Marae Marae – Plan and outline - Google sketchup Marae DIY – Maori TV

How can all teacher do this? TERM THREE: LIFECYCLES - PLANTS (Investigating in Science: They will ask questions, find evidence, and carry out appropriate investigations to develop simple explanations.) We choose to concentrate on Matariki. Matariki – science website Sustainability and gardening by the moon Student explanation of Matariki – teachertube. Arataki for medicinal plants. Photo collage for planting a garden using a flow chart.

How can all teacher do this? TERM FOUR: ROBOT TAKE OVER Understanding the visual arts in context Investigate the purpose of images from past and present cultures and identify the contexts in which they were or are made, viewed, and valued. We choose to concentrate on Maori technology. Maori technology - Auckland museum Maori cooking – Maori TV Maori innovation in Ta moko – Website and speaker. e&id=14&Itemid=29

Where to from here? Look for every opportunity to use Maori in order to reach out. Use what you have – any contacts that allows you to access the Maori community in order to help your achieve your goal – is a great contact! If you havent got it, get it! People, resources and equipment! Hinemoas story