Webinar with Dr Tania Cliffe-Tautari
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The role of the critically conscious teacher
The attitudes and beliefs that kaiako hold consciously and unconsciously can be a significant factor leading to student engagement or disengagement at and from school, particularly among rangatahi Māori.
This webinar will discuss how ākonga often regarded as being ‘on the fringes’ experience school, and some of the consequences for them if they become disengaged, whether of their own determination or as a result of being stood-down, suspended, or excluded from school. It will also explore how the reframing of kaiako perceptions of ākonga can be a powerful mechanism to shift the teacher/student dynamic to enhance rangatahi Māori engagement in education.
Drawing on cultural tools like pūrākau and whakataukī, and an understanding of the complex layers of identity-making, teachers can support rangatahi Māori to develop strong cultural identities to shift them from the fringes of the education system, to engage them more at school.
About the presenter
Dr Tania Cliffe-Tautari (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tahu) is a lecturer at Waipapa Taumata Rau – University of Auckland in Te Puna Wānanga and the Programme Co-Director of the Bachelor of Social Justice Studies. She has over 20 years’ experience in education, including Māori medium education (including total immersion and bilingual settings), mainstream secondary schools, special education, and education in secure residences (including youth justice and care and protection). Her extensive research intersects multiple contexts including education, social services, and youth justice.
