A feature of school structure at Te Kura Tuarua o Waihora – Hillmorton High School, are the vertical form classes, or tutor groups. Students and staff attribute much of the supportive and responsive school environment to the effective use of these structures.

At Te Kura Tuarua o Waihora – Hillmorton High School, a distributed leadership model was deliberately applied to the implementation of professional development in order to encourage school-wide acceptance and adoption of new practices.

At Te Kura Tuarua o Waihora – Hillmorton High School, an analysis of student data revealed a pressing need to address issues of Māori student achievement. Teachers took ownership of the issues and sought solutions through an action research model.

Mason Durie speaks of the need for schools and whānau to have shared expectations of Māori students. (Extract from ‘Te Mana Kōrero: Relationships for Learning’, 2007).

Mason Durie speaks of that body of knowledge unique to Aotearoa that we are yet to fully appreciate and utilise within our educational system. (Extract from ‘Te Mana Kōrero: Relationships for Learning’, 2007).

Mason Durie, Wally Penetito and Keriana Tawhiwhirangi discuss the need for both Māori and non-Māori to share the responsibility of building and maintaining effective relationships for learning. (Extract from ‘Te ManaKōrero: Relationships for Learning’, 2007).

Keriana Tawhiwhirangi provides advice on how to initiate dialogue with whānau. (Extract from ‘Te ManaKōrero: Relationships for Learning’, 2007).

Keriana Tawhiwhirangi and Wally Penetito reflect on the risks inherent in failing to maintain productive partnerships with whānau. (Extract from ‘Te ManaKōrero: Relationships for Learning’, 2007).

It’s not enough to invite the community to come to you - you have to go into the community. At Hiruharama School, every Friday senior students, the principal and whānau are involved in the delivery of meals-on-wheels to the kuia and kaumatua in the area. (Extract from ‘Te ManaKōrero: Relationships for Learning’, 2007).

A regional example of celebration of student learning with their community is the annual Nati awards on the East Coast of the North Island. (Extract from ‘Te ManaKōrero: Relationships for Learning’, 2007).