How a strengths-based approach supports the success of ākonga Māori

The English-medium education system has historically failed Māori students, and the blame has traditionally been misplaced on families rather than the institution itself. In a webinar, Dr Hana Turner-Adams from Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland discusses a strengths-based approach where Māori students can genuinely succeed.

The power of teacher expectations

Teacher expectations function as powerful self-fulfilling prophecies and research finds that teacher expectations can be significantly lower for Māori students than for any other ethnic group. These expectations directly dictate what happens in the classroom: high expectations translate to challenging tasks, rich feedback, and meaningful relationships, whereas low expectations manifest as dull, less engaging work. Because teachers rarely admit to holding low expectations due to implicit bias, continuous self-reflection and analytical data review are critical to disrupting these deeply ingrained patterns.

Transitioning to culturally sustaining practice

Moving beyond culturally responsive teaching, which simply acknowledges or integrates cultural elements at a surface level, requires adopting culturally sustaining practices. This framework centres culture within the entire learning process. To achieve this, educators must understand their learners beyond the superficial, such as assuming all Māori students engage primarily through kapa haka. Culturally sustaining practice demands evaluating whose knowledge is valued and weaving Māori culture across all subject matter rather than siloing it into isolated units. Collaboration and sharing resources among teachers can help successfully integrate te ao Māori into fields like mathematics and social studies without placing the developmental burden entirely on a single educator.

Enhancing whānau engagement

Effective engagement with whānau depends on building genuine, non-threatening relationships, rather than relying solely on formal, school-led events. Schools should look at where whānau are already naturally showing up, such as sports sidelines, kapa haka practices, and casual social evenings. Building trust in these relaxed settings removes the confrontational dynamics often felt during traditional, structured parent-teacher interviews. Secondary schools often struggle more with this than primary schools, frequently inviting parents only when discipline issues arise. When schools adjust their formats, such as lengthening interview times to allow deeper conversation and scheduling around shift workers, they see massive increases in whānau participation.

Alternative education and the impact of exclusion

Alternative education settings in New Zealand serve young people aged 13 to 16 who have been disconnected or excluded from mainstream schooling. Although intended to act as a temporary bridge back to traditional high schools, statistics indicate that only 25% of these learners successfully return to mainstream education, while 14% fall completely out of education, training, and the workforce. Māori students are starkly overrepresented in alternative education, making up roughly 68% of the demographic. This aligns directly with higher rates of school stand-downs and suspensions for Māori boys. In fact, students are often excluded from actual learning via withdrawal rooms long before their formal expulsion, effectively terminating their educational pathways prematurely due to punitive disciplinary practices. To change these statistics, effective alternatives to the practice of removing children from classrooms and schools must be found.

Promising shifts

Despite systemic challenges, there are numerous schools achieving exceptional outcomes by implementing restorative behaviour management instead of punitive discipline. Programmes like Positive Behaviour for Learning teach and reward positive conduct, while restorative processes bring affected groups and whānau together to solve conflicts collectively without removing the student’s access to learning. Ultimately, individual teachers are encouraged to prioritise learning-focused relationships over purely social ones. While being kind and friendly creates a sense of belonging, true care manifests when teachers actively support academic success. Strategies that support ākonga Māori, such as high expectations and strong relational foundations, ultimately serve as exceptional pedagogical practices that benefit all learners across the board.