The Māori Achievement Collaboratives (MACS)

Te Ara Hou – The new pathway:

To realise Māori potential

and improve educational outcomes in our schools

A professional development programme by principals

for principals.

The basis of the Māori Achievement Collaborative for NZPF and Te Akatea is the following;

To provide an education that enhances what it means to be Māori;

To ensure Māori students have access to te ao Māori - access to language, culture, marae, tikanga and resources;

To guarantee that the absolute right for an education that fits Māori learners is enshrined in all we do; and

To promote self-learning, strong secure relationships, cultural identity, and whānau-centred practice which are equally as important as academic achievement

The basis of the Māori Achievement Collaborative for the Ministry of Education is the following;

To improve education outcomes for Māori learners, Pasifika learners, learners with special education needs and learners from low socio-economic backgrounds;

 

Improve foundation education to ensure all young people are able to gain skills and qualifications;

 

 

 

Implement tailored and coordinated approaches in specific geographical areas to improve educational achievement;

 

Develop a 21st-century learning system, with high quality, relevant learning environments; and to

 

Transform the performance of primary and secondary education to increase attainment of core skills and qualifications.

Our overall aim, our principles and operating values are core to our vision, work and development.

These are as follows:

Our overall aim is : A change to the hearts and minds of principals – a learning journey .

Our overall guiding principle is: Whānau and whanaungatanga ( relationships , connections , commitments and responsibilities ).

Our overarching values are: Courage , honesty , trust, respect and commitment.

The inception of MACS

The vision for the MACS – a collaboration between those knowledgeable and successful in improving pathways and outcomes for Māori and those who wanted to but needed support, was born in the hearts and minds of:

Peter Witana Keri Milne-Ihimaera Whetu Cormick

They challenged and supported the NZPF Executive to begin to see things through different eyes...to see that there were other ways of doing things...as a result the learning and growth of the Executive was realised and change began.

They believed that applying that same kaupapa in the spirit of partnership to regional groups around the country could impact more widely on the outcomes, lives and futures of Māori students in many schools.

Te Akatea and the NZPF approached the Ministry of Education as well as the Minister and gained approval and resourcing for the professional development and so MACS was born.

A National Coordinator and 6 Regional facilitators were appointed to drive the MACS and to begin a journey of dramatic change to the hearts and minds of each and every participant.

The success of this, yet so young professional development pathway, is phenomenal and far-reaching!

In the words of the participants

“Working with the MAC schools has helped provide me with knowledgeable sounding boards, expertise and support to follow through with school goals. Being able to tap into the expertise of other principals who have greater knowledge to support out tamariki has been an excellent aspect of the MAC initiative.”

  “We have also shifted our thinking across the school from just

knowing that staff has Māori students in their classes to knowing there are students who are from different iwi and have begun to share their stories.”

“These days have been a great assistance to growing clarity around my own setting and instrumental in giving me the confidence to seek my own solutions to engage authentic whānau voice. The opportunity to grow relationships with Principals across Auckland and to compare my setting with others has been not only interesting but has allowed me a critical view of my own.”

“This collaborative approach has also allowed us the opportunity to share models of successful practice from other MACs participants which has allowed us to enhance our own school practices. It has also allowed us to affirm some of our good practices and to continue to build on these practices.”

“MAC provides me as a Principal with well-designed Professional development aimed at the specific goals Target Road School set to improve outcomes for our Maori learners.”

“…I have found the MAC experience extremely valuable especially as a new Principal. This working group has given me the ear of very experienced people…I have grown in confidence in my own ability in engaging with my Maori and Pasifika Whanau and learners to provide culturally responsive curriculum that will motivate, stimulate and inspire.”

“I think the MAC initiative is a transformational experience that can only lead to leaders improving the environment for Māori students to thrive in their schools.”

MACS Facilitators around the country walk with and beside participants. They visit individual schools, help develop strategic and action plans, facilitate full-day cluster workshops at each of the particpants schools, provide professional development for staff and, contribute to an annual Hui / Wananga / Conference that brings together all particpants in each cluster across the country.

The first of these had an incredible impact:

“…Just a big thank you for a fantastic conference. My eyes have been opened! Now I must act. Clearly we have a big job to do but  I plan to start with our connecting more closely with our whanau community - Finding out what is really important to them and ensuring what we see as important at school meets their criteria. After attending the conference I realise this needs to open, honest and truly meaningful therefore must be on an individual whanau basis.”

“Thank you! I now truly believe MAC will make a difference. The conference has made it clear to me that we are the people to lead and we are the people who can and will make a difference for our tamariki. I see now that my efforts have been poor. Thank you for being pushy! And making us stand up! I mean that positively. Thank you for sharing your experiences and helping create the awesome line up of passionate speakers. Continue to hold that mirror up to us and we will do our best.”

“…I have been reflecting on our very special Hui. Often after a conference you move on as you drive away to thinking about other things. Our MAC Hui was intended to open our thinking and to challenge us. It certainly achieved these goals for me. I have been reflecting on the conversations and images all weekend.”

 

 

“I have certainly been challenged to think in different ways…all very thought provoking and have opened my thinking in different ways to opportunities and changes I can start to make at our school.”

 

“What I have been challenged by is bigger than just our school. I have been given a new lens from which to view things. I am looking forward to MAC and walking alongside many principals and others… to help polish and refine this lens to improve Māori achievement in Aotearoa.”

Te Ara Hou MAC National Hui 2015Owae Marae Taranaki 13-15 May

Piharau Manawanui The hope of this wānanga is that the opportunity to come together

as an extended whānau will provide both challenge and support in a process of critical change as a means to better meeting the needs and improving the achievement of Māori students.

Key Note Speakers

Dr Ruakere Bond Dr Melinda Webber Waitera East School

Denise Torrey Nathan Mikare Wallis

Leaders share stories and critically reflect implications for future practice

Research Team Data from Leadership Surveys and Hui Reflections 2014

Impact of MAC on School Leaders

“The group helps change the group. Together we make a difference, on our own we battle alone. Provides me with models of good practice to think about so that I can adopt/modify for my own setting. Provides us with resources, people to voice our ideas.”

Principals Reflective Leadership Practice“I am seen as a Pakeha with a Māori heart and I like it that way. I try to be comfortable in both worlds.”

Andres Santamaria Lorri Santamaria Melinda Webber

MAC Cluster Developments Whanaungatanga, positive relationships and partnerships with whānau. Passion and commitment to implement change with a common purpose,

kaupapa. Leaders support one another, recognizing strengths to work collectively,

sharing and shaping ideas and practices. Lead teachers in a cluster are meeting once a term to share resources

and organise shared events Cluster relationships established with iwi: Cluster PD at Tuahiwi Marae,

local history, authentic contexts. National Standards Māori Achievement Data has shown a great

improvement in the clusters.

Auditor Generals Audits on Education

“New Zealand's future prosperity is inextricably linked with the achievement of [Māori] students. In our view, it is important that the education system enables and supports all children, so they achieve as highly as they can. It is in the interests of all New Zealanders that young Māori thrive academically, socially, and culturally “ Lyn Provost 2012

Education for Maori: Relationships between schools and whānau.

“ About 60% of our whānau members who responded to our survey believe that they have effective relationships with their child’s school, whereas about 90% of schools that responded to our survey believe that they have effective relationships with whānau. Despite the difference of perception, these results indicate that some schools have a foundation on which to build “educationally powerful” partnerships” 2015

Te Ara Hou (MACS) is a proactive response to the biggest crisis facing education in Aotearoa...achieving successful outcomes for all!

It is working, it is making a difference and it is available to you..

The following presentations attest to what is being achieved in schools when working collaboratively to find and implement solutions is committed to. Thank you for being here!