Engaging Māori students meaningfully in all aspects of learning

In light of the education system’s failure to address the needs of Māori students, educators need to learn how to engage those students more effectively, in all aspects of their learning. This includes acknowledging their prior learning, and the specific cultural (or local) knowledge that they bring to the teaching and learning process.

In the Best Evidence Synthesis about quality teaching for diverse students (2003), Alton-Lee concludes that quality teaching is the single most determining factor contributing to positive student outcomes.

In its report on schools making a difference for Māori students (2002:1), ERO concludes that a good practice school is one that creates an environment where students can feel proud of being Māori. Furthermore, the report states that, in order to engage meaningfully in their learning, Māori students need to be able to make links with what interests them and what they already know.

Questions / Things to think about / Activities

1. ERO's report on Māori achievement (2006) highlighted that the weakest area of school performance was monitoring the effect of different programmes/interventions targeted at improving Māori achievement. How can we address this situation in our school?
2. In what ways does our school try to ‘fit’ the Māori student, rather than the Māori student having to fit the system?
3. What might ‘engagement’ look like in our classrooms?