Maori students in English

1. The responsibility of the system 2. Problems faced by Maori 3. ERO’s findings 4. An English HOD’s perspective 5. Possible strategies

In New Zealand there is a responsibility to meet the needs of Maori students

Anchored in the Treaty Guarantees Maori right to their taonga

(treasured things) The Treaty guarantees Maori the right to the

same benefits and citizenship as Europeans◦ The education needs to acknowledge Maori

shortcomings in education◦ There is a right of Maori to a process of learning

that acknowledges and engages their culture

The Treaty of Waitangi

22% of students are Maori Maori are over-represented in low-literacy

rates and under-represented in high-literacy rates◦ Literacy skills rated from 1 (very poor) to 5 (very

good) with 3 being the suggested minimum◦ 70.3% of Maori above the age of 16 are below this

level◦ Maori are achieving in numeracy more than

literacy

Problems faced by Maori

Nearly 40 per cent of Māori learners were leaving school before turning 17, compared to the national average of 30 per cent

Approximately 56 per cent of Māori learners left school without a level 2 NCEA qualification, compared to 34 per cent of all learners

The participation rate of Māori in tertiary education decreased, dropping from 23 per cent in 2005 to 20 per cent in 2007/08.

Wants more Maori language and culture in schools

Does not consider a school ‘high-performing’ unless it shows Maori students improving

‘What is good for Maori students is good for everyone in the class’

Maori world view needs to be represented more in the classroom

An ERO review

Problems as recognized by Kamo High H.O.D (paraphrased)

Problems in English

Shutter Island Into the Wild Schindler’s list The Truman Show Shawshank Redemption Coach Carter Fight Club

What do you notice about these films?

Films studied are often done so without recognizing New Zealand’s culture

Many Maori students feel their culture is ignored when studying film; primarily American films

Utu – good/bad?

A New Zealand perspective?

Literacy needs to be addressed at home – a culture of reading for fun should be made

“None of the kids read – ask them their favourite author or book and there’s no reply”

Quick poll in class of English students showed this to be overwhelmingly true

A problem at the bottom?

Students who read for fun generally perform better in English class◦ Wider knowledge to draw from◦ More accepting of texts

20% of students do not read for fun at all – 32% of Maori do not

Maori students are less likely to use, or even be a member of, a library

The stats agree

HOD believes that many teachers set lower expectations for students

“Deficit theory”◦ Less challenging tasks requiring lower

performance

Lower expectations?

Maori success rates improve in Maori language skills

But is this realistic? “Risk of segregation” “Problem of training” “Low support” “Many problems still evident – low reading

rates, lack of texts”

Total immersion?

Library development directly addressing Maori cultural needs

A provision of relevant, good quality resources of interest to Maori learners

Teachers fostering positive attitudes to reading for information, pleasure and personal development through access to quality information resources, and reading enrichment activities

So what can be done?

Kamo High School is involved in two significant programmes: The Literacy Project and Te Kotahitanga (beginning in 2010). Both programmes are designed to raise student achievement. In its first year, and at the junior level, three or four core classes in both years 9 and 10 will be targeted for development through the utilising of the principles addressed by the Te Kotahitanga programme. The English department will endeavor to source and buy texts to support the bicultural nature of New Zealand and recognize the importance of Maori writers and film makers contribution to literature. This recognition will display how vital the department feels Maori contribution is to New Zealand life and texts. Each unit will have a strategy and possible texts that will help to develop pride and academic success in Maori students.

A shake-up?

Te Kotahitanga is a research and professional development programme which:

supports teachers to improve Māori students' learning and achievement. This support enables teachers to create a culturally responsive context for learning which is responsive to evidence of student performance and understandings.

enables school leaders, and the wider school community, to focus on changing school structures and organisations to more effectively support teachers in this endeavour.

Te Kotahitanga (from site)

A huge variety of texts giving unique Maori perspective

Can be chosen in novel, film, short text, poetry, anything

Maori texts

“Students love telling you what they know” Ask students for input – avoid tokenism! Many different themes in texts can be

related to Maori culture, consider how this can be done

Avoid using texts that have nothing to do with students lives

Student input

“Units developed have a multi pronged focus on Bicultural Awareness. As well as incorporating texts into each unit which reflect New Zealand’s bicultural society teachers will also treat each idea with sensitivity and incorporate principles learnt from the Te Kotahitanga teachers.”

Unit design

http://www.austlii.edu.au/nz/journals/WkoLRev/2004/4.html

http://tekotahitanga.tki.org.nz/About http://www2.stats.govt.nz/domino/external/

web/nzstories.nsf/092edeb76ed5aa6bcc256afe0081d84e/2e308ada85f43864cc256b180004d7ba?OpenDocument

http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/ncea_factsheets/14603

http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/mi/maori-learning-environments/teaching-and-learning

Resources