Learning Outcome d)

Learning Outcome d) Recognise the obligations of the Treaty of Waitangi as they relate to teaching and learning.

Evidence One
Tuesday 5th February 2013
Topic: Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Notes taken in class.

The Treaty of Waitangi is reflected in all our courses and therefore must be incorporated in all curriculum areas. For New Zealand teacher standards it is important to incorporate Maori. The Maori culture is also reflected in the National Education Goals where it is a goal to focus on Maori achievement. The New Zealand Curriculum document also incorporates Maori especially in the principles section which acknowledges the treaty and states that all students should have the opportunity to acquire Maori, both in terms of te reo (language) and tikanga.

Tikanga Maori is the Maori way of doing things, practises and cultural traditions. For example not sitting on tables respects the cultural practises of tikanga Maori.

Some information about the history of Maori in New Zealand.

• Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi - 6th February 1840.
• 1840 population - 115,000 Maori students, 1500 settlers.
• No. of chiefs who signed on Waitangi day = 45.
• 512 signatures on the Maori version of the treaty.
• 30 Maori signatures on the English version.
• Henry Williams - translator of treaty.

New Zealand Flags - using flags is a great tool to use in the classroom as a visual way of showing New Zealand's history.

Te Hakituatahi O Aotearoa 1835

• First flag of NZ
• Flag of united tribes of NZ
• Came about because of trading on the sea between NZ and Sydney.
• Needed to have one on the ship.
• James Busby proposed it.
• It was used to keep Maori tribes together.
• Still flies at Waitangi today.

Union Jack 1840

Current NZ Flag 1902

• originated in Maritime Law. 
• Southern cross on it - emphasises NZ's location. 

Friendensreich Hundenwasser 1983

• donated Koru flag
• not exclusive of things Maori but inclusive. 

Tino Rangatiratanga 1990

• A contest to create a flag representing Maori culture. 
• Red  represents Papatuanuku
• Black represents the realm of potential being. 
• White - the realm of light. 
• Koru - unfolding of new life. 

A treaty is a partnership, not a set of rules and therefore if you make a class treaty as a teaching tool for the Treaty of Waitangi you need to be aware of this. The treaty would then not just be about what the teacher wants but about a partnership between the teacher and the students. Therefore it would be a give and take relationship where both parties work together and put equal work into the relationship. 

When teaching all students, including Maori students, I as a teacher need to have high expectations and high standard of relationships with learners. Tataiako is a initiative at developing Maori achievement through building relationships between teachers, students and whanau. These will be important concepts to focus on as a teacher as these relationship foundations will create effective learning relationships where students feel valued in the classroom. 

Evidence Two:
Reading Reflection.
Bishop, R. (2012). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. In C. McGee and D. Fraser, (Eds.), The professional practice of teaching (pp. 185-204). (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning. 

This reading talks about the achievement of Maori students and how this is influenced by students, parents, principals and teachers discourses surrounding what these individuals believe effects Maori achievement.

The reading showed that teachers often attribute underachievement of Maori students to deficit theorising where they blame underachievement on the child or their home life.
However students, parents and principals see relationships between students and teachers as the key to achievement. This discourse sees Maori underachievement as a breakdown between the relationships between student and teacher.  This is often when the teacher has not taken an active effort to get to know the student or take interest in them as a person.

The reading introduces Te Kotahitanga, a effective teaching profile that provides information for teachers about how they can break down their deficit theorising and build successful relationships with students.

This reading made me think about my own attributions for the success of students and how I can work on having a better understanding of Maori culture, aspirations and ways of doing things. As a teacher, I want to ensure that I form positive relationships with all my students by getting to know their personalities, strengths and interests. I believe that forming a positive student-teacher relationship will ensure a positive learning relationship is also formed so all students can achieve. I will also presume competence and have high expectations in all my students.



Evidence Three. 
Wednesday 25th March 2013
Topic: Inclusion: Cultural Competencies. 
Notes taken in class. 

Part of New Zealand's national education goals (NEGs) involve ensuring all schools and therefore teachers work to increase the participation and success of Maori students. Schools and teachers are required to adhere to NEGs and therefore must ensure they are including and teaching Te Reo Maori and Maori practises and values that are in line with the Treaty of Waitangi. School boards are then required to report to the community about efforts they are making to meet these obligations.

The New Zealand curriculum also acknowledges the Treaty of Waitangi as part of the curriculum's principles. However the curriculum wording states that "all students have the opportunity to acquire knowledge of te reo Maori", meaning that this obligation can be meet in different ways by different schools. As schools are therefore not required to fully provide teaching of te reo to students and only provide an "opportunity to acquire this knowledge", some teachers are not fully embracing there obligation to ensure the success of all students.

Overall nationally, Maori students are under performing in comparison to Pakeha students. However NEMP (2009) testing showed that when tested on tasks involving a Maori context, Maori students performed equal to or better than pakeha students. This shows how important context is to learning for Maori students. Teachers therefore need to developing deficit theorising surrounding Maori students and instead look at their teaching and practises and the contexts they teach in. By creating an inclusive environment where teaching practises are adapted and based on Maori values, students will be able to achieve in New Zealand classrooms. However it has been shown by ERO reports that teachers are not doing this.

To help support teachers, the government bought out a document called Tataiako which works to change the system for Maori learners. The document focuses on five competencies for teachers to incorporate into their teaching which will result in positive outcomes for Maori students. These competencies include, ako, wananga, manaakitanga, tangata Whenuatanga and Whanaungatanga.

As teachers, we also need to get to know the community we are teaching in and iwi/hapu that are connected to the school. Local iwi want to ensure their students are succeeding and perhaps will have initiatives set up to promote the learning of their whanau. For example, Ngai Tahu policy involves an education overview that focuses on ensuring all Ngai Tahu people have access to education where they can succeed.

 By creating connections with students whanau, we will show our respect and interest in their learning and be able to build a strong relationship with the child's family to work together towards their success in school.

In the classroom, we also need to make an effort to incorporate Maori language, culture, traditions, contexts and values into the classroom in natural ways. Examples can be using the language with children, singing Maori songs, linking to the Maori worldview or history in teaching, reading school journals or stories incorporating Maori contexts and using Maori concepts to underlie all our interactions with students.

However  when teaching and working to ensure Maori students succeed, we need to look to Shulman's three apprentices model. This means we not only need to gain knowledge of Maori culture and language and change our practises to include Maori but we most importantly need to believe in Maori. This means we need to have high expectations in all Maori students and believe that they can succeed. This will ensure all our knowledge and practises our informed by our honest beliefs and intention that it is our responsibility as teachers to ensure all students in our classes are succeeding in education.


Evidence Four. 
Reading Reflection. 
Ministry of Education (2011). Tataiako: Cultural competencies for teachers of Maori learners.

This document is published by the Ministry of Education as a means to ensure teachers are embracing Maori practises in order to raise the achievement of Maori students in their classrooms and schools. This involves teachers shifting their thinking from believing students are responsible for their learning to an approach where teachers recognise that it is their practices that influence how students achieve. The document features five competencies that illustrate behaviours teachers should incorporate into their practice that will enable Maori students to succeed in the New Zealand education system.

Taitaiako Competencies:

Wananga: Participating with learners and communities in robust dialogue for the benefit of Maori learners' achievement.

This competency involves teachers using communication, problem solving and innovation to help Maori learners achieve success as Maori. Teachers should be open to understanding others points of view and that these views may also offer the truth. They should value and utilise the expertise of Maori parents, whanau, hapu and iwi in the classroom and school community as a way to engage and benefit Maori learners. Teachers must communicate effectively with Maori parents, whanau, hapu and iwi about their child's learning and involvement in the school environment. Knowledge of effective teaching strategies must also be obtained by teachers to ensure scaffolding of students learning is occurring in a classroom community context where students are supported by both teacher and other students.

This results in students who's views are listened to and valued by their teacher. Students and teachers develop a strong relationship where there is open communication about the students learning and where both student and teacher talk about their ideas and opinions.  Students also benefit from the  close relationship between teacher and whanau where communication is open about the child's learning so parents and whanu feel involved in the students school life and feel welcomed in the classroom.


Whanaungatanga: actively engaging in respectful working relationships with Maori learners, parents and whanau, hapu, iwi and the Maori community.

This competency involves teachers building relationships with students and their wider community based on high expectations. This creates inclusive connections with the community where all can be involved in the child's education. Teachers must recognise their own and others cultures, language and identify and understand how these impact on relationships. this means they must work to learn and respect the language, identity and cultures of Maori and appreciate how others live. Teachers must understand the importance of creating effective relationships with learners, parents and whanau and actively work at developing effective relationships.

This results in students who know their teacher respect them and understands them as a person. Teachers will know students, their personalities, interests, parents, whanau and community. Students will see their teachers being active and involved in this community and invite the community, whanau and parents to be involved in the classroom.


Manaakitanga: Showing integrity, sincerity and respect towards Maori beliefs, language and culture.

This competency involves teachers showing care and respect for Maori students and their beliefs, language and culture as Maori. Teachers must have knowledge surrounding the treaty of waitangi and believe in the value of incorporating Maori cultural practise and language in both the classroom and New Zealand society. In the classroom, teachers displaying manaakitanga will incorporate Maori culture and language in lessons. Teachers should also have knowledge of tikanga Maori and incorporate these values and protocols in their classroom practise and interactions with Maori learners, parents, hapu, iwi and the wider community.

The outcomes of manaakitanga ensure students feel their culture and language is respected and allows these to be include in their classroom interactions. Students names will pronounced accurately and tikanaga Maori, Maori culture and Maori language is embraced and included in all aspects of classroom life.

Tangata Whenuatanga: affirming Maori learners as Maori. Providing contexts for learning where language, identity and culture of Maori learners and their whanau is affirmed.

This competency involves creating a context for learning that is natural and relevant to Maori learners. Teachers must know and incorporate local Maori history and cultural practices in their teaching in order to engage Maori learners. This may involve teachers inviting local people and whanau into the classroom who possess knowledge surrounding these areas to help support lessons. Teachers must acknowledge what students bring to the learning setting and utilise this knowledge and skill set to maximise student learning.

Students of teachers who embrace tangata whenuatanga feel that their teachers are interested in the knowledge they have and want to find ways for learning to be relevant to their life, culture and language. Students will know their teacher has knowledge of the local Maori community and how they as a learner are involved in this community. The whanau and community of learners will be involved and feel happy about the way tikanga and te reo Maori is being incorporated into classroom and school life for their students.

Ako: teachers taking responsibility for their own learning and that of Maori learners.

This competency focuses on both the teacher and the student being capable of both being teachers and learners. This means teachers recognise that they are still learning and can involve students in sharing their knowledge to benefit both teacher, student and other class members. The teacher also recognises their responsibility for students learning and therefore understands that they make the difference in students achievement. This means teachers do not engage in deficit theorising and have high expectations for students.

This results in students who have teachers who believe in them and do everything they can to engage, involve and ensure students learn. Teachers will encourage students to also be teachers as well as learners where they share their knowledge. Parents and whanau will feel that teachers are committed to their child.

My reflection based on this document:
I believe this document will be valuable over my teaching career as a resource to remind and reinforce my responsibility in raising the achievement of Maori students in my classroom. Through taking Maori culture and language papers at university I have some knowledge of tikanga and te reo Maori and I am determined to continue growing my knowledge surrounding all things Maori. I believe New Zealand is a fortunate nation to have a diverse range of cultures that we can embrace, learn about and incorporate into our lives. Being bilingual is also another valuable skill and as New Zealanders we are also fortunate to have another language we can learn and use in our interactions. I believe it would be amazing to have a country where every citizen can speak both Maori and English. To achieve this we must start in schools, with our children and develop citizens who have knowledge and passion for the Maori culture and language. Although I have knowledge and experience with Maori culture and language that I can bring to the classroom, I believe my biggest asset to my students will be my acceptance and enjoyment of Maori culture and language. I really enjoy and find it immensely interesting learning about Maori traditions, history, culture and language and look forward to incorporating these into my future classroom.