Improving the Educational Achievement of Maori Students in Mainstream Education

Te Kotahitanga is a collaborative response to the rising problem of underachievement among Māori students in mainstream schools.  As part of this professional development/research project, which began in 2001, the research team headed by Professor Russell Bishop,  University of Waikato, developed an Effective Teaching Profile based on suggestions made by Māori students, their parents, their teachers and principals.

The five year project will see the school and its staff go through a professional development programme run by a staff facilitation team.  The project looks at ways to better relationships between staff and Maori students. Research shows these relationships have a direct correlation to Maori student achievement.

• Each term every teacher who is part of Te Kotahitanga will be observed in class by one of the facilitation team.

• The facilitator observes the teacher’s practice in relation to his/her students in the class.

• The teacher will also complete a cycle of feedback, co-construction and shadow coaching with the aim of implementing and achieving a specific and measurable goal each term.

• Facilitators Jason Bird and Quentin Crawford planning PSIRPEG activity for the 2009 hui Whakarewa - pictured right: