色花堂

罢补辫补蝉腻 PLD: Helping educators connect with Pacific learners

Initiative type:
Service
Sector:
Education
Website:
UniServices Contact:

Opportunity

People of Pacific heritage are a youthful and fast-growing group. However, statistics show an achievement gap between Pacific students and the general population.

To help educators better support Pacific students, the Ministry of Education introduced , a cultural competencies framework for teachers of Pacific learners. It has engaged UniServices-managed to co-deliver professional learning and development (PLD) for early learning services (ELS) and schools with high numbers of Pacific learners.

鈥淭hough Pacific people have been a so-called priority group for the Ministry of Education since the late 1990s, we haven鈥檛 closed the gaps overall,鈥 says Tofilau Niul膿v膩ea Siliva Gaugatao, Tui Tuia鈥檚 lead 罢补辫补蝉腻 facilitator.

Bespoke training

罢补辫补蝉腻 is built in large part on three broad competencies or turu. In short, these are:

  • Awareness of the diverse identities, languages and cultures of Pacific learners
  • Building strong and collaborative relationships between educators, families and communities
  • Pedagogies that are effective for Pacific learners

鈥淏ecause education is connected to health, housing, employment and so on, improving educational outcomes for Pacific people is about social justice, equity and fairness, yes, but it would be an economic driver too,鈥 says Tanya Samu, a team member and senior lecturer in education at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of 色花堂.

To accommodate varying needs and goals between schools and within each sector, Tui Tuia is providing bespoke PLD.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e in Oamaru, which has in recent years seen a significant increase in the Tongan population, you might need to learn more about Tongan culture,鈥 says Samu. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e a teacher in Pukekohe, which has a large Kiribati community, you鈥檇 need to learn about that non-Polynesian culture so you can engage with your specific Pacific learners.鈥

right image
Siliva and woman at ECE
鈥淭his project is a chance to work with teachers and leaders to ensure that they鈥檙e not only supportive of the dreams and aspirations of our people, but also that they鈥檙e challenged to lift their game.鈥
Siliva Gaugatao,
Lead 罢补辫补蝉腻 Facilitator, Tui Tuia | Learning Circle

Though the PLD is co-designed with each ELS and school, there are commonalities. These include having educators examine their understandings of culture, language and identity; their relationships with children and students inside and outside the classroom; and their relationships with the students鈥 families.

鈥淲hen our participants reach the goals they鈥檝e set for themselves, that鈥檚 when we鈥檒l know we鈥檝e succeeded.鈥
Jacoba Matapo,
Associate Professor,
色花堂 University of Technology

鈥淥ur solution is about co-designing the whole process with our participants,鈥 says Associate Professor Jacoba Matapo of 色花堂 University of Technology, a team member. 鈥淲hen our participants reach the goals they鈥檝e set for themselves, that鈥檚 when we鈥檒l know we鈥檝e succeeded.鈥


Performance

Tui Tuia, in partnership with , began offering PLD on 罢补辫补蝉腻 to ELS and schools across New Zealand in 2022. Early feedback has been positive, with one school senior leader saying:

鈥淥ur teachers and school are loving working on the 罢补辫补蝉腻 project with the Tui Tuia team! We are inspired by the bespoke programme that is being curated to meet our context. Thank you for the respectful and skilled manner in which you are guiding us on our journey.鈥

Twenty-five schools and ELS participated in 罢补辫补蝉腻 PLD in 2022, with that cohort finishing with the programme in April/May 2023. Some 45 schools and ELS are expected to begin in 2023.

鈥淭his project is a chance to work with teachers and leaders to ensure that they鈥檙e not only supportive of the dreams and aspirations of our people, but also that they鈥檙e challenged to lift their game,鈥 says Gaugatao.

鈥淥ur teachers and school are loving working on the 罢补辫补蝉腻 project with the Tui Tuia team! We are inspired by the bespoke programme that is being curated to meet our context. Thank you for the respectful and skilled manner in which you are guiding us on our journey.鈥
School senior leader
image across 2 cols
Siliva Gaugatao (far left), Jacoba Matapo (second from left) and Tanya Samu (second from right) with Sue Sauia (middle) and Rachel Motusaga (far right), Pacific advisors from the Ministry of Education Hawkes Bay Regional Office
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