Effective Pakeha teachers of Māori students

Abstract

To teach in primary schools in Aotearoa-New Zealand means to encounter students from diverse backgrounds. A significant proportion of those students are M a ori and a significant proportion of M a ori students are not achieving to their potential in school. There are several reasons for this under-achievement, which this thesis explores, and there is substantial research evidence as to what will turn this situation around, which is also explored. Some argue that the answer is for M a ori learners to be taught by M a ori teachers, and in M a ori medium contexts. This approach has achieved considerable success for a small number of M a ori learners; however, the demographic data tell us that for now, the significant majority of M a ori learners are in English language medium classrooms, taught by non-M a ori teachers. At present, there are not enough M a ori teachers to teach all M a ori learners. The New Zealand Ministry of Education has goals for improving the achievement of M a ori learners through providing “high-quality, culturally responsive education that incorporates the identity, language and culture of M a ori students, and engages their parents, families and wh a nau” (Ministry of Education, 2008). The Ministry and the New Zealand Teachers Council expect all teachers to be ‘culturally competent’, that is, to teach in culturally responsive ways. The Ministry of Education’s research and development project, Te K o tahitanga, continues to provide evidence of ‘what works’ for M a ori learners in New Zealand secondary schools. The effective teaching profile that was developed as part of this project informs this thesis. The thesis describes qualitative, social justice-based case study research undertaken between late 2004 and 2006 with four effective P a keh a primary teachers of M a ori children, and with children from those classes and their parents/wh a nau. The study sought to glean insights about what characterises effective P a keh a primary teachers of M a ori students.