Educating the Dragon

Here is an interesting educational article on TV3’s 60 minutes tonight, apologies for no video feed- not available currently. Te Mutu College along with 11 other high schools are adopting Professor Bishop’s approach to Maori education called Te Kotahitanga  In it he advocates for a holistic approach to educating Maori. The research he did talking with Maori young people identifies a crying need for understanding and a raising of expectations. Just what any young person wants: someone to believe in them, what Professor Bishop talks about is a way that the teacher can and should be demonstrating that belief. It’s alright to say we understand where these kids come from but we need to demonstrate that in the way that we teach.

I hear it now: ‘we do it that way’, ‘we are from a high density Maori community and our school reflects that in its culture and ethos’.

 To which I reply: “Are we really showing it, demonstrating it, but more importantly are the community and the kids feeling it?”

If not, why not? And what are we going to do about it.

The way Professor Bishop spoke about it I thought back to the book I read. And the posts I wrote about, William Glasser’s approach. It sounds the same only with a New Zealand Maori accent.