Māori and education

This Assessment News article discusses an important opportunity to develop and extend the Māori-medium knowledge base by helping teachers both to identify the oral Māori-language proficiency of students in their first years of Māori immersion education, and to connect the Māori-language progression of student outcomes with key curriculum documents.

Liz Patara, principal of Clyde Quay School, Wellington, responds to a question from Mark Bradley of Wellington College: "What advice would you give to someone who is new to teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand about how to go about integrating culturally responsive teaching and learning pedagogy in line with Ka Hikitia?"

Gifted education is an evolving kaupapa for Māori and Māori-medium settings. Māori perspectives of giftedness are not finite and static, but rather dynamic and evolving. This article tells a story about gifted education within a Māori-medium setting, and identifies factors that have enabled or hindered successful engagement with gifted education as experienced in this particular Māori-medium setting.

Teachers, educators and leaders have privileged roles in responding to the educational aspirations of our Māori learners, whānau, hapū, iwi and communities. This article considers the responsibilities of this group, the amount of work they take on as individuals, and the need to work collectively and with a shared vision to achieve the aspirations of our people.

Addressing the achievement disparities that exist within New Zealand education for Māori is identified by the Ministry of Education as being a critical challenge for school leaders that requires committed and responsive leadership. The case study presented in this article describes the leadership practices of a primary school principal whose school is one where the majority of the Māori students were meeting or exceeding national expectations (for all students) in reading in 2009.

Racial-ethnic identity is a fundamental aspect of an early adolescent’s identity. This article, based on data from Māori adolescents in Auckland, shows that racial-ethnic identity is important for Māori adolescents because it frames who they are, how they belong and their achievement aspirations. It concludes that, although negative stereotypes are prevalent and powerful in the lives of Māori adolescents, a strong racial-ethnic identity may enhance their resilience, providing them with the capacity to prevent negative pressures from interfering with their educational engagement.

Whānau are integral to the educational wellbeing of Māori students in English-medium education. However, very little Māori educational research has been carried out with an explicit focus on identifying the critical issues for whānau in education. This article presents whānau aspirations in English-medium education, and identifies elements that advance whānau educational aspirations. The article concludes with reflective questions that aim to help teachers keep whānau involved in their teaching work.

Marae ā-kura (school marae) have been part of the New Zealand educational landscape for nearly 30 years. Marae ā-kura began amidst the wider kaupapa of cultural regeneration; they are also a response to state school policies of assimilation, integration and Taha Māori. Marae ā-kura represent the aspirations of Māori as well as the Government’s aspirations for Māori. This article considers two strands in the whakapapa of marae ā-kura: a Māori-led initiative to revitalise Māori language and culture in schools; and the Government’s selective inclusion of Māori culture in the curriculum.