Ko te Hāpai Ō: Forefronting Kaiako Māori Leadership
| Presenter/s: | Tania Cliffe-Tautari & Hiria McRae |
| School/Institution: | University of Auckland/ Victoria University of Wellington |
| Type: | Workshop / facilitated discussion |
| Keywords: | Kaiako Māori, Leadership, Indigenisation |
Abstract
Kaiako Māori (Māori teachers) bring a depth of cultural knowledge and collective values that enrich student learning and school communities. Research, however, reveals that retention is an issue due to additional cultural and pastoral responsibilities leading to stress and burnout. A mismatch of what leadership looks like for Māori can be misunderstood as mere acts of service, and these deficit perceptions and attitudes can result in a lack of recognition of the leadership contributions of kaiako Māori. In this session, we share initial findings from our Teacher Learning and Research Initiative funded project with kaiako Māori (n=20) investigating how kaiako Māori leadership is recognised, valued, and nurtured in education. Framed within te ao Māori (Māori worldview) perspectives, this session draws on the whakataukī “Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai ō ki muri”—the leader stands at the front, upheld by others from behind the scenes”. This whakataukī encapsulates an initial finding, that manaaki is a vital expression of leadership grounded in service. This session explores ideas on how we can better identify, honour, and strengthen kaiako Māori through indigenising notions of leadership to better reflect te ao Māori perspectives.
Biography
Tania Cliffe-Tautari & Hiria McRae
Dr Tania Cliffe-Tautari (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tahu) is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Arts and Education, at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland. Tania has a significant background in Māori education and has carried out several transdisciplinary kaupapa Māori research projects across education, social services, and youth justice. Current research projects include: kaiako Māori leadership, Māori PhD student trajectories, Māori youth justice, and rural education.
Dr Hiria McRae is an Associate Professor in the School of Education, and Associate Dean (Māori) in the Faculty of Education, Health & Psychological Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington. She is a Māori teacher education expert in the areas of mātauranga Māori, te reo Māori, science and technology, critical pedagogies, education for sustainability. Current projects include examining kaiako Māori leadership and the development of te ao Māori applications to engage Māori students with computer science.