Maori Community

Mā te kōrero, ka mōhio.

Mā te mōhio, ka mārama.

Mā te mārama, ka mātau.

Through discussion we become aware.

Through awareness we gain understanding.

Through understanding we gain proficiency/expertise.

Whakataukī

Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success 2013–2017

Ka hikitia! Ka hikitia! Hiki, hikitia!

Whakarewa ki runga rawa

Herea kia kore e hoki whakamuri mai Poua atu Te Pūmanawa Māori

He Mana Tikanga

Me Te Urio Māia

Poipoia nga mokopuna

Nga rangatira mo apopo

Ka tihei! Tihei mauriora!

Ka hikitia! Ka hikitia!

Encourage and support!

And raise it to its highest level!

Ensure that high achievement is maintained Hold fast to our Māori potential

Our cultural advantage

And our inherent capability

Nurture our young generation

The leaders of the future

Behold, we move onwards and upwards!

“Taka’i koe ki te papa ‘enua, ‘Akamou i te pito ‘enua. A’u i to’ou rangi.”

“You step on to solid land, Affix the umbilical cord. And carve out your world.” Puati Mataipo

Introduction:

Over the past decade, there has been an increase in achievement for Māori students in primary and secondary education. Improvements in achievement result when schools and kura:

• integrate elements of students’ identity, language and culture into the curriculum teaching and learning
• use their student achievement data to target resources for optimal effect
• provide early, intensive support for those students who are at risk of falling behind
• create productive partnerships with parents, whanau, hapu, iwi, communities and businesses that are focused on educational success retain high expectations of students to succeed in education as Maori.

Engaging with our Community - https://goo.gl/4AZmln

Students, whanau, all stakeholders need to be a part of the Maori student achievement conversation. Most importantly, the purpose of the community interaction needs to be clear.

1. What is our goal?
2. How do we work together to achieve this goal?

Maori students respond to the context in which they find themselves. If they feel valued and appreciated and wanted, if they feel that teachers care, then the conditions for their learning are enhanced.

Te Kotahitanga - Effective Teaching Profile

Effective teachers of Maori students create culturally appropriate and responsive contexts for learning in their classroom. In doing so they demonstrate the following understandings

1. we reject deficit theorising as a means of explaining Moari students' educational achievement levels
2. we know and understand how to bring about change in Maori students' educational achievement and are professionally committed to doing so

a) Manaakitanga:

We care for our students as culturally-located human beings above all else - by building and nurturing a supportive and loving environment_.

b) Mana motuhake:

We care for the performance of our students. This involves the development of personal or group identity and independence_.

c) Whakapiringatanga:

We are able to create a secure, well-managed learning environment by incorporating pedagogical knowledge with pedagogical imagination.

d) Wananga:

We are able to engage in Ako - learning - using a range of strategies that promote effective teaching interactions and relationships with our learners. This requires an interactive dialogic relationship_.

e) Kotahitanga:

We promote, monitor and reflect on outcomes that in turn lead to improvements in educational achievement for Maori students.

We work together collaboratively towards a commonly held vision, goal, purpose and outcome_.

With this exchange of views ideas are given life and spirit through dialogue, debate and careful consideration in order to reshape and accommodate new knowledge_.

Achievement Data 2016:

Initial Big Picture Points to Note:

We are a top performing/achieving school in our Community of Learning Cluster.

Compared with the rest of Auckland and New Zealand as a whole - Well Below and Below:

• in Reading, Writing and Maths, we have a lower than usual percentage of children at Well Below - less than half the average for Auckland and for New Zealand.
• in Reading we have 3% more children in the Below column - that is the 3% that are not in the Well Below column
• in Writing as well as having 4% less in Well Below, we have 6.5% less in Below
• in Mathematics as well as having 4% less in Well Below, we have 12% less in Below

Compared with the rest of Auckland and New Zealand as a whole - At and Above:

• in Reading we have 12% less at At, but that 12% is sitting in Above - where we are 12% above the Above
• in Writing we have 4% more in the At column, and 12% more in Above
• in Maths we have 4% less in At, but 20% more in Above

Compared with the rest of Auckland and New Zealand as a whole - Collectively Reading:

• we have the same total percentage of children Well Below or Below
• we therefore have the same total percentage At and Above standard - but with more weighting at Above (12%)

Compared with the rest of Auckland and New Zealand as a whole - Collectively Writing:

• we have 11% less children at Well Below or Below
• we have 12% more children at At and Above

Compared with the rest of Auckland and New Zealand as a whole - Collectively Maths:

• we have 16% less children at Well Below or Below
• we have 17% more children at At and Above

Year One Data Analysis - after 40 Weeks At School:

This is the area of greatest concern, and has the greatest impact on our school-wide data.

This negative data is most notable in Reading in particular, where we have 47% of our year one children at Well Below or Below.

If we removed Year One data -

• One year out of six years should generate 16.5% of the data
• Year One Reading generates 42% of the Well Below data
• Year One Reading generates 43% of the Below data
• Year One Writing generates 30% of the Well Below data
• Year One Writing generates 24% of the Below data
• Year One Maths has a positive impact on Well Below data
• Year One Maths has a neutral impact on Below data

Maori Student Achievement Summary

1. Year One Impact - 12 levels in their first 12 months is unrealistic in Reading
2. Language Readiness for 5 year olds an issue - cf Scandinavia
3. Reduction in Well Below and Below over time is most noticeable

Building Relationships - Whanaungatanga from each child's perspective

1. Greet me personally each day

Wish me good morning, and send me off with a “see you tomorrow.”

2. Smile

When you look at me, let me see happiness in your eyes.

3. Give me your attention

Sit and talk with me privately; even if only for a little while.

4. Imagine with me

Help me dream of things I might be able to do; not just the things I need to do now.

5. Give me challenging content and assignments

Show me how to handle it. Teach me what to do.

6. Ask about me

Inquire about my weekend, the game I played, the places I go. It shows you care about my life.

7. Let me have time

Time to let things sink in. Time to think. Time to reflect, process, and play.

8. Expect a lot of of me

Hold me accountable to high standards. Don’t let me get away with less if you know I am capable of doing better.

9. Notice Me

A comment to me, on my work or on my Seesaw post. Just a quick note that says you notice something special about me or my efforts.

10. Let me ask the questions

Even if my questions are off topic, let me ask them. It will show that I am thinking about new perspectives, curious, and willing to learn more. Let me have the chance to show what I am wondering about, not just what I know.

11. Engage me

I came to you in love with learning. Keep me excited, keep me wanting more.

12. Trust me

Believe that I can do it. Allow me the chance. I promise to show you I can.

Excellent Web Resources:

http://inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/supporting-maori-students/

http://hereoora.tki.org.nz/Reomations

http://hereoora.tki.org.nz/

http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/

Key Readings:

Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success 2013–2017

Tau Mai Te Reo: The Māori Language in Education Strategy 2013–2017, Ministry of Education.

Whakapumautia, Papakowhaitia, Tau ana – Grasp, Embrace and Realise: Conducting Excellent Education Relationships between Iwi and the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Education.

Key Competencies - Te Reo Maori:

Tataritanga - Thinking

Whakawhanaungatanga - Relationships

Te Reo –Understanding - Communicating

Mana Motuhake - Managing Self

Mahi Ngatahi. - Participating and Contributing

What Works For Maori Students -

Strategies that are effective for Maori students will be effective for all students. They are in essence effective teaching strategies - if we want to move Maori students forward with their learning they are essential. For Maori students to experience success, schools need to ensure that they have a quality, culturally responsive learning environment.

• Create learning environments that are fit for purpose in the 21st century, which allow diverse learners more opportunities to stay engaged and achieve.
• Have high expectations for every learner.
• Know your students and apply that knowledge of their background, identity, language, and culture into what and how you teach, so they can "...participate in engaging, inclusive, and culturally responsive teaching and learning environments..."

Māori students will:

• have their identity, language and culture valued and included in teaching and learning in ways that support them to engage and achieve success
• know their potential and feel supported to set goals and take action to achieve success
• experience teaching and learning that is relevant, engaging, rewarding and positive
• have gained the skills, knowledge and qualifications they need to achieve success in te ao Māori, New Zealand and the wider world.
• "Maori students experiencing success as Māori means having access to te ao Māori, the Māori world – access to language, culture, marae… tikanga... and resources.

Through:

Ako - a dynamic form of learning. Ako describes a teaching and learning relationship where the educator is also learning from the student in a two-way process and where educators’ practices are informed by the latest research and are both deliberate and reflective.⁴ Ako is grounded in the principle of reciprocity and also recognises that students and their whānau cannot be separated.

Well-being - students’ well-being is strongly influenced by a clear sense of identity, and access and exposure to their own language and culture. Students do better in education when what and how they learn reflects and positively reinforces where they come from, what they value and what they already know. Learning needs to connect with students’ existing knowledge.⁵ Identity, language and culture are an asset and a foundation of knowledge on which to build and celebrate learning and success.

Maori identity, language and culture recognises, acknowledges and validates Maori students as Maori. Māori organisations, hapu, whanau, iwi, parents and students are the kaitiaki (guardians) of Maori identity, language and culture.

Understanding how identity, language and culture impact on Māori students’ learning and responding to this requires all stakeholders to develop a greater understanding of their own identity, language and culture and the ways in which they shape their lives.

Strong collaboration between stakeholders on ways to take account of identity, language and culture in their work is essential to Maori enjoying and achieving education success as Maori.

Successful transitions - across the educational journey of Maori students. Successful transitions in education occur when students develop a strong sense of belonging in the new setting and feel proud and supported in their identity, language and culture. Successful transitions are critical in enabling strong education pathways for Maori students.

Key transitions include:

• beginning early childhood education and care services
• starting school
• changing year levels within a school
• transferring from one school to another
• shifting from primary school to intermediate school, and on to secondary school
• moving from secondary school or re-engaging post compulsory schooling to vocational education and training tertiary education, and higher skilled employment.

Having respectful positive teacher student relationships with Maori students is essential.

Teachers need to believe that students can improve through diligence, and must encourage all students to believe that they can achieve anything they set out to do.

Kahikitia states that Maori students in Primary and Secondary Education show improvements in their achievement when schools:

• integrate elements of students’ identity, language and culture into the curriculum teaching and learning.
• use their student achievement data to target resources for optimal effect.
• provide early, intensive support for those students who are at risk of falling behind.
• create productive partnerships with parents, hapu, iwi, communities and businesses that are focused on educational success
• retain high expectations of students to succeed in education as Maori.

‘Tataiako: Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Maori Learners’ can help scaffold teachers through the process of raising Maori student achievement.

What Works For Maori Students - Research Says:

Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success 2013–2017

We know Māori students do much better when education re ects and values their identity, language and culture, and this

is a central focus within Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success 2013–2017.

"The most profound way to create a culturally responsive context is through introducing co-construction, where the student is free to bring their own experiences into that classroom context." Source: Te Mangōroa (NZ)

“…at the heart of successful education for all Māori learners is the provision of a culturally responsive environment” (Kāhui Tautoko Consulting Ltd, 2012a, p.19).

Māori learners are more likely to feel a part of the institution if it is culturally relevant to them (Phillips and Mitchell, 2010)

Time and time again the student voice coming through in the research refers to the difference a whānau-like atmosphere makes and the sense of belonging this instils (Akroyd, Knox, and Sloane, 2009; Marshall, Baldwin and Peach, 2008; Mullane, 2010; Phillips and Mitchell, 2010).

Whānau values and concepts such as manaakitanga, aroha, and awhina underpin effective relationships. Students are supported to thrive if shown that they are cared for and valued, and that teachers believe in their ability to suceed and are there to support them to achieve their goals (White et al., 2009).

Students who are expected to achieve and who have high expectations of themselves are more likely to succeed.

Kahikitia states that everyone must share high expectations for Maori students to achieve, and that sometimes this means challenging long-standing beliefs and stereotypes. The Maori potential approach means more focus on:

• realising potential
• identifying opportunity
• investing in people and local solutions, communities or networks of provision -tailoring education to the student
• indigeneity and distinctiveness
• collaborating and co-constructing

Kahikitia further states that improvements in two key areas will make the biggest difference to Maori Students’ achievement.

1. Quality provision, leadership, teaching and learning, supported by effective governance.
2. Strong engagement and contribution from parents, families and whanau, hapu, iwi, Maori organisations, communities and businesses.

Ka Hikitia – Accelerating Success 2013–2017

When the vision is realised, all Māori students will:

• have their identity, language and culture valued and included in teaching and learning in ways that support them to engage and achieve success
• know their potential and feel supported to set goals and take action to enjoy success
• have experienced teaching and learning that is relevant, engaging, rewarding and positive
• gain the skills, knowledge and quali cations they need to achieve success in te ao Māori, New Zealand and the wider world.

Culturally Responsive Education:

• Cultural Competence is the ability to understand, interact and communicate effectively and with sensitivity, with people from different cultural backgrounds. Cultural competence is a personal capability that is not necessarily innate but develops over time. A precondition is a deep awareness of one’s own identity since it involves examining one’s own biases and prejudices. A culturally competent person is able to empathise with how people from other cultures might perceive, think, interact, behave, and make judgements about their world. Consequently it has four elements: awareness, attitude, knowledge and skills. (Martin & Vaughn, 2007, Cross et al, 1989)

Weaver (1997) explains that the three components of cultural competence (knowledge, skills and values) are interactive and none is sufficient in and of itself to bring about appropriate practice. In addition, she unpacks these three components as follows:

Knowledge:

• Of diversity within a cultural group
• Of history of groups including laws, policies, loss experienced on all levels and pain resulting
• Cultural knowledge (communication patterns, world views, belief systems, values (e.g. importance of family, respect for elders)
• Contemporary realities

Skills:

• General skills (e.g. problem solving: defining the problem and arriving at a solution from an Indigenous²⁷ perspective)
• Containment skills (e.g. patience, ability to tolerate silence, listening skills, resisting the impulse to talk to keep the conversation going)

Values:

• Self-awareness
• Humility and willingness to learn
• Respect , non-judgmental attitude
• Social justice

Culturally responsive educators:

• Consistently communicate high expectations to students
• Understand the communicative function of the students’ behaviours (these may need to be ascertained through the students’ family or community)
• Demonstrate professionalism, civility and respect in interactions with students
• Communicate in non-judgmental ways to students
• Recognise that some students’ behaviour may be a result of inappropriate code-switching for different contexts (Gay, 2002; Richards et al, 2007)

Connection to Curriculum:

Teachers need to connect the intended curriculum to the cultures and backgrounds of students. This must be done by integrating it rather than ‘adding it on’. Teachers should be careful not to stereotype this as this strategy might serve to further alienate or marginalise students. We should also take care to embed/permeate cultural content across the year rather than for a particular week or month

A culturally-responsive curriculum:

• Reinforces the integrity of the cultural knowledge that students bring with them
• Recognises cultural knowledge as part of a living and constantly adapting system that is grounded in the past, but continues to grow through the present and into the future
• Uses the local language and cultural knowledge as a foundation for the rest of the curriculum (in particular, utilises the local language as a base from which to learn the deeper meanings of the local cultural knowledge, values, beliefs and practices)
• Fosters a complementary relationship across knowledge derived from diverse knowledge systems
• Situates local knowledge and actions in a global context.

Culturally Inclusive Pedagogies:

Trouw (1999) identified fourteen ‘culturally inclusive pedagogies’ as follows

• The environment of the school reflects the community and students - books, media and displays used for teaching, and cultural backgrounds of staff in proportion to students.
• Students’ previous experiences are incorporated into the classroom; (Ernst (1994) stated that teachers need to “create opportunities for students to perceive the significance of what they have and know with what the language and culture of school offers them.” (p. 321)
• Students need to be empowered by their education i.e. pedagogies themselves need to be empowering, not just the materials and resources used. Strategies need to be both respectful and challenging. [Bartolme (1994) maintains that teachers and students should interact and negotiate meaning as equals, since this will result in students empowering themselves to succeed rather than waiting for and expecting teachers to ‘drip-feed’ knowledge in an effort to maintain control and authority.] Such pedagogies include negotiating the curriculum and assessment mode, and those that promote communication and collaboration among students. Teachers should model behaviours and thinking processes out aloud, giving hints, providing feedback and redirecting when needed. Activities and reflection should enable students to set their own goals, self regulate, and self assess.
• Teaching must be explicit
• Teachers and students need to build up a pool of shared experiences; the process of schooling can be a mystery to many students because the goals and purpose are not revealed.
• Learning process should be responsive to a variety of learning styles; teachers should not rely on techniques that are supposed to be appropriate for a particular minority group due to the wide range of home experiences that often exist within the group. Personal and individual stories are needed. A wide variety of teaching styles is needed for a wide variety of students. This does not mean each child has a different approach – rather that by using a variety of styles continually will maximise the opportunity for each student’s preferred style to be used more often.
• Heterogeneous grouping; this will ensure that children learn from each other, broadening the base of shared knowledge and culture rather than grouping disadvantaged or advantaged children together, minimising their experiences and outreach.
• Students need to learn the culture of Western Schooling; Edwards & Mercer (1987) believe that ritual learning, where understanding is embedded in the learning activity without any knowledge of what is the intended learning of the activity, is a result of inadequate teaching. Fundamentally, inadequate teaching occurs when teachers do not draw out the learning through prompting self-reflection and higher-order thinking (such as inference and evaluation) about the activity.
• Students need to develop higher-order thinking skills; these include critical thinking, meta-cognition, and inquiry skills. Jackson (1993/4) claims that a cultural mismatch may occur which could disadvantage some children who are not taught meta-cognitive skills in the home, and that teachers need to explicitly teach these skills.
• Teacher/Pupil interaction; Edwards & Mercer (1987) point out the classroom interaction is determined by the significance of persons, place and time, and cultural knowledge. Teachers tend to dominate classroom talk, often by asking a question and then following up with another question when an answer is given (Cullican, n.d.). Teachers use this process to continually check whether there is shared understanding as the basis for continuing the discourse. This can render students as passive learners rather than active. Edwards and Mercer, cited above, recommend that students should interact before, during and after lessons through activities that enable them to personalise knowledge, for example by paraphrasing, explaining, and valuing through creative means.
• Quality feedback should also be given during these interactions and activities. The feedback must however, relate to quality of learning rather than physical attributes such as artefacts produced and neatness.
• Emotional needs of students must be addressed; Teachers need to build a sense of trust with their students since this builds confidence and hence self-efficacy, and a belief that what they are doing in class is worthwhile (Jackson, 1993/4). Tepper (1992) believes that teachers need to create what she calls a ‘classroom family’; a loving relationship based on respect, support and trust which students can count on to take risks. She also believes that teacher discipline should not violate this trust.
• High expectations; teachers need to believe that their students can achieve what is expected (i.e. for their same age cohort) and to show this by their behaviours, including the tasks they set students to achieve desired goals. Rutter, et al (1979) found that, “Schools that foster high self-esteem and that promote social and scholastic success reduce the likelihood of emotional and behavioural disturbance”. (p.83)
• Parents should be encouraged to participate in decision-making processes of education; (Jackson, 1993/4; Burke, 1993)

Learner-centred and ‘strengths-based’ pedagogies and teaching styles

The successful enactment of the curriculum – or the act of teaching – requires that teachers are learner-centred. This means that they

• understand the intended learning,
• can identify when a student has been successful in attaining those intentions
• understand what the student understands on coming to the task
• know enough about the content to provide meaningful and challenging experiences in some sort of sequential development (Hattie, 2009, p.23).
• Foundational to this enactment, is teacher understanding of what the student understands on coming to the task (or brings with them to the learning situation). For a culturally responsive teacher this means understanding
  • the skills and strengths of the student as they approach the task (some of these will be cultural and linguistic)
  • the values and perspectives of the intended learning that the student may have on the content presented, and the consequent impact on their understanding and desire to learn, and
  • a sense of where the content to be learned ‘sits’ on a continuum from the starting point of what the student knows to that of the new content, (this is so that the content can be broken down into ‘achievable chunks’ towards the desired learning goal).

Vygotsky (1978) argues that the most effective teaching is that which occurs within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), that is, when the challenge presented by the task is just ahead of the learner’s actual or current development (Hammond & Gibbons, 2005).

• In order to determine what learning experience to offer students, a culturally responsive teacher would need to have not only knowledge of the students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds, but also knowledge of the students’ interests and home life/environment. In addition to this, an authentic and trusting relationship with the student is necessary so that students will engage with the task.
• This Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) facilitates and supports the achievement of all students, not just those from culturally diverse backgrounds (Richards, Brown, & Forde, 2007).
• Proponents of CRP argue that recognition of cultural diversity, although necessary for all students, is imperative to meeting the educational needs of ethnically diverse students (Gay, 1995) and to situate the intended learning in meaningful and relevant tasks. This recognition includes understanding the cultural characteristics and contributions of different ethnic groups (Gay, 2002).

Perso (2008) suggests that teachers need to know as much about their students as possible;

• Who are they?
• What is in their ‘virtual school bag’?
• What do they already know?
• How do they learn?

She suggests that this information be gathered about every student in the class by

• talking with parents, families, community members, previous teachers of the students, current school staff, Indigenous Teacher Aides and Assistant Teachers
• talking to the students themselves
• analysing student acquisition of Standard English, and
• analysing individual student achievement data, especially regarding literacy and numeracy achievement.

Summaries offered regarding effective pedagogy and teacher strategies include those by Cleary & Peacock (1998), Swisher and Deyhle (1989), and Perso (2003), and include the following:

• making personal connections with students and building strong relationships, including with families and community
• establishing cultural relevance and meaning in the curriculum
• using highly engaging activity-based learning and cooperative learning some of the time
• being flexible, fair and consistent
• providing real audience and purpose for student work
• providing immediate feedback and give praise when it is due
• allowing for students to ‘save face’ so they are not shamed by having to perform or singling them out in front of their peers
• using humour and laughing at yourself when you make a mistake; showing students it’s OK to make a mistake or get it wrong

Other Key Understandings:

• The role of education is to provide experiences for children that are as close to their area of development as possible because if the experiences are too distant from the child’s cultural orientation then the child will fail to make the necessary connections and will not develop as fast as expected. Learning new tasks that are culturally related and recognisable will allow for controlled risk taking, experimentation and relaxed learning
• The role of the teacher should involve increased knowledge and understanding of the child and their family, the positions of the individuals in the family and the extended family network.
• Students develop the ability, confidence and motivation to succeed academically when they participate competently as a result of having developed a secure sense of identity and knowledge that their voice will be heard and respected within their learning environment. They must feel a sense of ownership for the learning that goes on in their learning community.
• Ensure that you are totally prepared before venturing on this journey but be aware that you will not be travelling alone. Preparation will involve seeking knowledge about the Maori students in your classroom including their family, their place in the family, the roles of the family members, community elders or leaders and their expectations of you with this very important position as the teacher of their child.
• Leading change in schools requires resilience, perseverance and flexibility (Fullan, 2005a).
• Despite challenges and impediments to change, sustainable leadership requires that leaders always have the long–term goal in mind (Hargreaves, 2007). Fullan (2005a) argues that the main plan is sustainability, dependent upon a combination of a moral purpose and capacity building. Leaders should expect — and work with — periods of perceived activity and inactivity.
• A significant barrier to change is the ‘culture’ of the school and the approach taken to school improvement and student learning (Dinham, 2005). Professional learning communities in schools are a significant ‘driver’ of change. Established around principles of collective responsibility for change, collaboration, and shared values and vision, professional learning communities have been identified as key to sustaining successful education practice in schools (see Gilbert, 2011).
• Matua Aaron is our CoL representative who is learning and teaching ways we can be culturally responsive in our teaching and learning programme
• We are a MAC School - MAC = Maori Achievement Collaborative Community

What We Are Doing -

Language Readiness for 5 year olds an issue - cf Scandinavia - so we are employing the Walker Learning Approach to provide language rich experiences and material for imagination, inquiry and play. Walker Learning Approach is a mix and balance of explicit teaching of literacy and numeracy drawing upon children's own interests and lives to make literacy and numeracy meaningful and relevant to the child and their culture.

This approach provides authentic personalised learning that is effective across all cultural, economical, geographical, religious and social spectrums. It aims to bring deeper levels of engagement to children in meaningful and relevant strategies that enhance academic skills alongside the development of skills for life particularly in areas of social and emotional development, resilience, self esteem and independence.

The Walker Learning Approach specifically involves

Dramatic Play - Sensory Stimulation - Literacy - Numeracy - Science - Reading Corner - Construction - Tinkering - Developing Fine Motor Skills

Seesaw Electronic Learning Journals

• Sharing
• Celebrating
• Reflecting
• Extending
• Growth Mindset approach

Establishing our Cornerstones

Whanaungatanga -

• The culture of familiness - being a family.
• Caring, sharing, having empathy, contributing - these are shown in
• Being a Bucket-Filler
• Pay It Forward

Turangawaewae

• The place where we feel at home, where you feel you belong, where you feel special, loved, valued, respected.
• Our standing place or your stand-tall place.
• Our home number two.

Matauranga

• Learning is Life. Another word for it is Ako.
• We talk about the learning pit - where we are faced with a learning challenge and where we use our skills, tools, attitudes and dispositions to come out of the pit with new knowledge and new strengths.

Manaakitanga

• It’s the sharing part of Caring and Sharing.
• It is all those things we do to put our Love into action.
• It’s being a blessing to others - it’s Pay It Forward.
• And this will Lead into our Theme for this year - Being a ZeroHero and Paying It Forward for our Planet.

and Our Pou

• Aroha - Love
• Ako - Learn
• Arataki - Lead

Ara Ako

Learning from Kaumatua the history and heritage of our area.

• Kaitiaki
• Taonga

Preparing All Children for 21st Century Success:

• Our approach is to focus on some core values - Love to Learn to Lead; The Seven Cs - Caring, Curious, Creative, Critical, Confident, Connecting, Contributing; Pay It Forward.
• These core values help us achieve our broader New Zealand Curriculum goal of ..."young people who will be confident, connected, actively involved, and lifelong learners."
• We are progressing children from day one to become increasingly confident, competent and independent. We talk about "self managing, self motivating, self moderating, leaders of our own learning."
• Our learning environments move towards an increasing focus on SOLE - Self Organising Learning Environments. In these environments children work in flexible, fluid groups. They discuss, debate, research and reflect in order to solve increasingly complex problems via the Cycle of Inquiry. This happens with contexts that are relevant to our children's lives, prior learning, needs, interests. We endeavour to build opportunities for cultural connections within our inquiries.
• Knowledge is no longer the desired end product. It is a means to understanding, and as such, it must be verified, validated and referenced.
• The teaching of discernment via the skills and practices of questioning and Higher Order Thinking tools is a vital component of learning.
• Our research indicates that discreet knowledge is of increasingly limited value.
• Students' ability to think critically has always been a key concern of business organisations and the general public. When asked which skills new college graduates needed to improve most, more than half of the respondents to the question on The Wall Street Journal's survey of 479 college recruiters named some combination of
  • critical thinking
  • problem solving skills
  • the ability to think independently (WSJ Sept. 13, 2010).

Susan Traiman, the Roundtable's director of public policy, states that the skills companies felt were most lacking are

• work ethic
• communication skills
• analytic skills (Taylor, Marisa, Nov. 2, 2013).

A National Survey of Business and Nonprofit Leaders indicated that more than 75 percent of those surveyed say they want more emphasis on five key areas including:

• critical thinking
• complex problem solving
• written and oral communication
• applied knowledge in real-world settings.
• The survey further indicated that employers are more interested in critical thinking and problem solving than the college major (aacu.org, 2013, accessed on Nov.12, 2013).

What You Can Do

Attendance - Lateness and Regular Absence data correlates to Well Below and Below data - so making every effort to have children here and on time helps

Reading -

• encouraging
• modelling
• supporting (alternate pages etc), talking about their story
• Pause, Prompt, Praise model

Maths - Writing - Reading

National Standards Parent Guides have lots of suggestions

Maori Community Goals and Aspirations:

Understanding the people, history and places of significance in our wider Western Heights area

1. Meet with Kapa Haka tutor from Henderson Intermediate to ascertain who are the best Kaumatua and Arahi to help with this
2. Staff invited to go on a Haere Wananga with Arahi to learn these things
3. Provide that opportunity for some of our Maori students also
4. Revisit our Kaitiaki role with Opunuku Stream

Look at ways to enhance and develop the oracy skills of our children

1. Instead of speech competitions or poem recitals, have children present a story from their cultural background.
2. Provide structure and clear guidelines to ensure quality results

Noho Marae for Kapa Haka Ropu

1. Encourage more children to join and remain with this ropu

Traditional Maori Art Works Displayed in our School

1. Pleasing to see our Whare panels in our hall and Aroha, Ako, Arataki on display also

Find ways to provide opportunities for, and to celebrate, Maori experiencing success as Maori at Western Heights School

Invite successful students to come back and share experiences and strategies for success

Connect with Liston and St Dominic's Colleges

Tuakana Teina relationships established that also fall within senior students' Pastoral Care requirements

Children to have experienced a Marae visit by end of year six

Children to be able to recite a Mihi or their Pepeha by end of year six

Staff to make a genuine effort to include greetings, common sayings, commands, directions, guides, welcomes and farewells in Te Reo Maori - with correct pronunciation and enunciation

Questions - Ideas - Suggestions:

Aaron McGreel to share with our community the purpose and goals of our Cultural Responsiveness Focus

Hold an evening involving Kids, Kai and Culture to achieve broader turn-out

More Kanohi te Kanohi interactions - use these as opportunities to survey community re all of the above

Celebrate Matariki as a WHS Whanau - bringing in Jerome Kavanagh was a real positive