Mana Ūkaipō: Māori Student Connection, Belonging and Engagement at School

This paper describes the background, methods and key findings from a research project conducted in one Kāhui Ako (Community of Learning) in a city in New Zealand. All 12 schools had significant numbers of Indigenous Māori students whose iwi (tribal) ancestry connected to the region over centuries. Using a mixed methods approach, the study investigated the specific ‘across and within’ school interventions that positively impacted Māori student engagement in learning. Evidence was collected by seeking the views and opinions of students, teachers and whānau (family). Interventions and strategies included collaboration between Māori teachers and across-school leaders, positive school culture focused on the health and well-being of students, localised curricula, and substantial use of te reo Māori and tikanga in most schools. School principals reported limited collaboration with each other due to perceived competition between schools for student enrollments, which is counter to the policy drivers for the Kāhui Ako initiative. Results indicated that culturally inclusive leaders and teachers must deliberately focus on motivating students for their positive futures. This is key to improving the academic and social outcomes for Māori students.