Manaiakalani Teacher Within School interview CoL 2021

Which  Achievement Challenge are you considering as an area of focus in 2022 and why? Include in your WHY both evidence and your own passion/expertise

When I think of our school community I am instantly drawn to the achievement challenge of ’Lifting the achievement for boys' writing Years 1-10.’ For us in our space and leaning into my observations and beliefs since arriving at St. Pius X Catholic School, I would focus directly on:

‘How does a Māori centred theory and practice approach lift the achievement of writers in Yr 5-6?’

NMSSA study based on approx
2000 students (ERO 2019)

Over the years national data has shown that average achievement was higher for girls than boys, lower for Māori and Pasifika students than for non-Māori and non-Pasifika students respectively, and was lower for students from lower decile schools (ERO 2019).  We, at St. Pius X Catholic School, are male-dominated with 60% of our boys working below the expected level for writing across the middle school.

The reason for wanting to implement a ‘Māori centred’ approach is that it draws on Māori concepts and promotes and develops bicultural values for our setting, which aim to promote and enhance wellbeing. This bicultural setting ties into Pacific values and connections and again highlights the connection between Pacific Island and Māori values. If we look at Māori centred approaches we would look our Tikanga, our values:

• whakawhanaungatanga - belonging whānau inclusiveness and connectedness

• Manaakitanga - providing that tautoko, awhi, respect and care for others - lends a hand to school values

• Kotahitanga - oneness - unity encouragement and moving forward together

• Rangatiratanga - self-governance - being in control. Giving tauira and whānau the information to create their own pathways

• Maramatanga - Understanding. Can see the relevance in learning something and how they can apply it.

• Mohiotanga - sharing information. Rangatahi building on their knowledge. learning new information /strategies.

• Hakari - celebrating success. Sharing of kai, Whakawhanaungatanga

• Tuakana / Teina - Experienced helping those less experienced

• Kaitiakitanga - Reciprocity - we are guardians of not just our knowledge and learning journey but of sharing that knowledge to our community.

• Whakapapa - Making whanau links in the group and wider community

• Wairua - a sense of wellbeing. A connection to whenua, ngahere, moana, maunga, awa.

• Tikanga - The placing into practice that which is correct. Encourage rangatahi to do the right thing by providing them with the essential information.

• Atuatanga - Paying respect to nga Atua. Karakia, knowing & respecting the realms of each atua and their roles in our everyday lives. Learning around Nga Atua Māori and the roles they play in te Ao Māori. How the knowledge can be used practically to connect us to our tupuna, Whenua, etc. Being aware of individuals' different beliefs and respecting those. Sharing karakia.

"If there is a higher congruency between home culture and school culture then learning is likely to be more powerful for Māori students" (Bishop. 2000).

Mason Durie (1994) Te Whare Tapa Whā of hauora.

These are my strengths and with my previous study and involvement in mental health in our rangatahi, I have strongly connected with these values as key influencers to support welfare, agency and success. If tauira are not happy within themselves and feel supported how can we expect them to achieve?

What learnings from the 2017 - 2021 CoL teacher inquiries have informed or inspired your thinking?

Inquiry Focus Question

• Will engaging my learners using a Talanoa framework support and enhance their understanding and learning in a collaborative project-based environment? - Dot Apelu Tamaki College 

• Will developing an oral language programme that draws on students’ strengths in their first language, and incorporates short high-interest topics and real-life hands-on experiences with a focus on intensive oral language acquisition, see a shift in student achievement? - Jo Gormly Tāmaki Primary

Why:

Dot Apelu:

The Talanoa framework is similar to that of a Māori Centred framework. Te whare tapa whā, Va'atele Model or Meihana Health framework. The Talanoa framework centres around:

• Ofa/Love - we start with questions about ourselves. O ai a’u?  Ko ai au?  Who am I?. This sets the scene of your talanoa and shows that you are sharing your love with everyone by acknowledging who is in the meeting. This ‘ofa’ can mean different things, but in this case, it’s about who you are.

• Mafana/Warmth - builds rapport, developing a connection to bring in the trust of the parents

• Malie/Humour - You can often find something funny in a situation by over-exaggerating something to the point of being ridiculous. 

• Faka’apa’apa/Respect -  Both teachers and parents start building the ‘where-to-next’ stage because of the mutual respect from both sides. This helps to build a shared understanding between the teachers and Pasifika parents, families, and communities.

Why:

Jo Gormly:

Jo’s idea of drawing on the first language strengths of tauira supports children’s identities and acknowledges them as experts in their field. It also helps make those connections which as we know are imperative to foster good relationships with whānau.

Dr Rae Si'ilata The Va‘atele Framework: Redefining and Transforming Pasifika Education (2014)

How would your work support Manaiakalani pedagogy and kaupapa?

Definitely, it would bring about empowerment to tamariki and whānau because it centres the aspect of whānau and connectedness. The connection with whānau would help create a connection online with learning as now parents and tauira will be connecting together. With the new connectedness and understanding the ubiquitous nature of online learning now not only benefits tauira but again whānau and even the wider community. 

Which elements of the extensive Manaiakalani research findings inform or challenge you as you think about this?

As educators, we are aware that for some students, it is very likely that efficacy and achievement will taper off as their years' progress in primary education. Manaiakalani states: ‘If a child was continuously present in a Manaiakalani school, that is they got the full ‘dosage’, the rate of gain in writing was twice that expected nationally.’ That is a big wero for me as an educator to take on in my stride. It is one that I feel confident can be done if the right tools and facilitation are present.

How would you like to be supported in 2022 as you undertake this inquiry?

We all at one stage or another feel time slipping away on us. For me, to have the ability to reflect, observe and analyse my impact on teaching and learning would be of the greatest benefit. Not only that but to be able to observe and talanoa with other working professionals across multiple levels of education. Such as other teachers and academics who are principals in their fields would be of the greatest benefit.

How would you plan to support your colleagues in your school with THEIR inquiries and/or teaching in the area you are exploring?

As a school, we are currently rebuilding with new staff who will be new to Manaiakalani Kaupapa. So for me, it will be about making those connections with them, finding out where their skills lie along with their needs and working collaboratively with them to the end goal. 

Finally, all my mahi will be visible. Our class learning site and professional blog will be learner-centric that provides the step towards equitable education for those learners to stand alongside others as equals, in knowledge at school, in their communities and in wider society. Alongside my leading and sharing at staff meetings.