31 Aug 2011

Veteran pakeha teacher endorses Tataiako strategy

7:06 am on 31 August 2011

A Whangarei teacher is welcoming a new Ministry of Education resource designed to raise pakeha teachers' cultural awareness.

Tataiako was launched this week by Associate Minister of Education Pita Sharples.

Jane Morris, who is assistant principal at Onerahi Primary School in Whangarei says the resource makes a lot of sense.

She says that at first glance the material looks excellent.

A pakeha who has taught for many years in Northland, Ms Morris says it can be daunting for young Maori children to enter a pakeha-style school and teachers who understand why that is so, can make a big difference to how well they do at school.

She says the key is, as it is with any child, is developing relationships - valuing students, understanding what's important to them, and having empathy.

Tataiako aims to help pakeha teachers engage more effectively with Maori students and is part of the Ministry's Ka Hikitia strategy to boost Maori achievement at school.