Teaching practices that support high achievement in the education of Pacific boys

Why How What

Recent examples of high achievement in youth sport in teams with high % Pacific background Rugby - De La Salle College – NZ 1 st XV school champs 2008 Rugby - KBHS – NZ 1 st XV school champs 2011 Rugby - KBHS – NZ 7’s school champs 2010/2011 Rugby – KBHS – Sannix World Champs 2012 League - Junior Warriors – Champions 2010, 2011

Background The research specifically sought to identify what causes achievement in the classroom, as opposed to why Pacific boys might be failing in comparison to other groups. This research explored the most effective methods of supporting Pacific boys in their secondary education and investigated what teaching practices lead to success.

Context: DLS Decile boys Year % Pasifika (3% Maori, 4% other) Mangere, South Auckland KBHS Decile boys 52% Pasifika (18% Maori, 18% Euro, 12% Asian/other) West Auckland

The New Zealand Ministry of Education’s Pasifika Education Plan (2008), uses the following ethnic groups: Tokelauan Fijian Niuean Tongan Cook Island Maori Samoan Other Pacific Islands

Methodology The primary sources of data: student questionnaire focus group interview interviews with three highly successful teachers of Pacific boys Conversations and discussion with key personal, e.g. coaches

Teachers Interviewed Teacher One: Male, 33, New Zealand Maori. Currently Head of Science. 12 years experience and at the end of 2009 was nominated for the NEITA (National excellence in teaching award) best teacher awards. Teacher Two: Male, 36, 10 years experience, a UK teacher with 7 years experience in New Zealand. Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning. Teacher Three: Female, 31, Fijian Indian, current coordinator of Literacy at the college. 10 years experience, firstly in Fiji then an all girls school in Auckland.

Student feedback Respect for culture. They generally affirm that teachers who use a wide range of strategies to build relationships and enforce clear classroom management strategies are most respected by students. Students strongly affirmed the importance of teachers positioning themselves as being in charge; the development of mutually respectful and caring relationships; and the importance of open and fun classroom interactions.

Student feedback Students want teachers who provide environments that are high in expectation and teachers who are there to offer students the best chance of success – best teacher first! Students enjoyed well prepared lessons and in particular lessons that were clear in their intentions and well-paced. Clear provision of achievement criteria and feedback was very important to their participation and learning and this data supported the initial findings from the questionnaire. Be honest – let them know how and where they are going.

Teacher feedback Belief by teacher that all students have the ability to achieve. Strong relationships within the learning space (necessary to have trust, not just between tutor and students, but also between students). Cultural responsiveness: mindful that every student is different, even within the categories of M ā ori, Pacific and youth. Clear themes regarding strategies which support Pacific boys to achieve.

Teacher feedback Create lessons that focus on IEP, not a one size fits all approach. Use of Projects, e.g. Numeracy, Literacy, AToL, e-asTTle. While it was important to be culturally sensitive the teachers all believed that best practice and attention to detail were key elements to successful teaching of Pacific boys. Students want to know the teacher cares for them and they want teachers to push and hold high expectations for them.

‘a centre of teaching excellence’ Build a learning community - simple plans, complex in execution Outstanding HR processes, induction, appraisal and professional development Distributed leadership Teaching as inquiry - Observations, Peer and self review Experts at differentiated teaching based on data Literacy specialism Attendance push

School wide ‘soft’ tactics Publish credits – create awareness and competition. Track and target groups and mentor weekly. Provide opportunities to create success – use the guidelines of NCEA. Pathways and curriculum options – what are we teaching and why? Celebrate and link of bit of success to academic achievement. Challenge and confront students, create a ‘language’.

Activity: What are the strengths of Hato Petera?  Individually: Think about 2x things that you consider are strengths of the kura (towards students achieving their potential) and why you consider them strengths?  What difference did it make for: students, teachers, leadership & governance, PFWh partnership and school culture?  What did it take? What resources did you need? What was the effect on student achievement?  Share back to group deficitpotentialstatus quoinnovationpessimismoptimismisolatedconnectedexcusessolutionsfailuresuccess

Student threatens teacher, no student in class has a single credit ‘This year 11 is not as bright as last years so we might struggle to get as good results’ We are doing our best with the type of students we have Our students won’t cope with that

Quotes to live by Rob Waddell: ‘Make the boat go faster’ If you don’t shoot you can’t score If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem

Recommendations 1. Teachers who are teaching Pacific boys are made aware of the teaching practices and strategies to which Pacific boys’ best respond. These include: Classroom environments that are interactive, inclusive and well-paced. This would include group work and activities that involve feedback and feed-forward for students. Ensuring students are at all times aware of what criteria is required for their success and making sure they fully understand this criteria. 2. Productive home–school partnerships.

Recommendations 3. Professional development targeted at tailor-made requirements of teachers. 4. Teachers showing empathy but at the same time firmness for students. 5. In order to meet individual learning needs, teachers need to involve the learners in this process. 6. A research project that compares results and data between Pacific boys born in New Zealand and those born in the Islands. 7. A New Zealand wide study is undertaken to account for the experiences of Pacific boys throughout the country.

The Five Capabilities 5. Organisational Capability 4. Evaluative Capability 3. Instructional Capability 2. Educationally Powerful Connections With Parents, Families and Whānau/Aiga 1. Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness and Inclusiveness The Five Capabilities

Expectation, expectation, expectation DLS NCEA results 2010: Level 1: 75% Level 2: 72% Level 3: 63%

2011 NCEA National % Boys 2011 National Pasifika Boys % 2011 KBHS Pasifika% 2010 KBHS Pasifika 2011 % Level (+30) Level (+31) Level (+35) UE (+6)

E o’u le aso, ae’ o oe taeao (Today my turn, tomorrow yours) Talanoa