Kia ora and welcome to Poutama Pounamu

The last week of the school holidays saw over ninety kaiako who were immersed in the Blended Learning process come together online to connect, learn and share experiences. Exploring the kaupapa of resistance, they considered what actions they might take to resist practices within education culture and structures that contribute to inequity of outcomes.

"Some refer to colonialism as in the past and having finished, but for many it is very much felt and lived today."
- Kaiwhakaako

The online format allowed Kaiwhakaako, who are currently engaging locally with small groups of colleagues, to collaborate both regionally and nationally, literally from Kaitaia to the Bluff.

The invitation to all Kaiwhakaako was to weave together their thinking with that of others – be it a paired activity, or a small group or the whole cohort. The opportunity to share concepts through waiata, video, visual art, photography and poetry alongside the critical theory provided a myriad of gateways through which every participant could find an entrance.

It is through these analytical, engaging and often challenging shared explorations of resistance - and what it is we are resisting – that the transformative power of Wānanga 2 comes into its own.

"Evidence that this kaupapa makes a positive impact for everybody is what we must continually lead with."
- Kaiwhakaako

"Resistance requires me to be vulnerable and to lead by example. This affirms the space that we create as Kaiwhakaako as one that is challenging but open to learning."
- Kaiwhakaako

The wānanga provides ample space for each Kaiwhakaako to explore transformative praxis and the links between what ‘we’ as an education system are built upon and what ‘we’ must deconstruct.

­"We are only strong when we work together and have each other’s best interests at heart."
- Kaiwhakaako

Agency requires personal decisions to change and then draw in other people.

"The education system hasn’t worked well for Māori and it’s continuing not to work well for Māori, despite having the evidence to show us, generation after generation, that the system has not worked for Māori we have continued down that pathway. Hearts and minds have to be engaged in this if we’re ever to disrupt that appalling reality."
- Prof. Mere Berryman

More than thirty early learning kaiako came together at Kohinga Mārama Marae with members of Poutama Pounamu whānau to wānanga on ways to better realise the potential of Te Whāriki. That they gave up part of their weekend to attend, speaks to their commitment to a kaupapa that seeks to ensure every mokopuna enjoys a sense of belonging while learning where their culture, language and identity can flourish.

The wānanga marks the beginning of months of engagement with Poutama Pounamu’s new Blended Learning offering - developed specifically for the early learning sector - entitled Tū Mai Mokopuna. An extended series of marae-based and in-centre interactions develop and deepen kaiako knowledge around cultural relationships in order to provide responsive pedagogies for tamariki and their whānau.

The participants are called Kaiwhakaako - those who take what they are learning back into their centres and engage others in a conversation to provoke collective action.

"The content of the wānanga is awesome, the delivery and the way the team facilitate and work together keeps you focused and excited as to what is to come next."
- Kaiwhakaako

Safe spaces provided by marae, and the power of intimate group discussions, supports the personal commitment to wanting to know more, and that this is not something to be rushed.

"While the noho marae is an unknown experience for many of our new Kaiwhakaako, they soon understand the marae will look after them and support them to open themselves to the learning. I wanted to really privilege that space of not knowing, that space of learning, that space of being able to ask questions, to think about it in the safety of our own minds, the safety of our own heads. I wanted to actually give people the time it took until they are comfortable that they’ve learned what they need to know."
- Mere Berryman

Kaiwhakaako are encouraged to examine our history to understand how this has shaped who we are today.

"At first I felt quite confronted and that I was maybe the wrong person to be there. I felt uncomfortable to share anything as I did not have much prior knowledge but the wānanga was amazing and really opened my mind. I felt in a safe space to share and learn."
- Kaiwhakaako

Much of the information discussed had been previously silenced, therefore was only partially understood. For Kaiwhakaako, the inconvenient truths of colonisation and resulting systemic racism are challenging.

"This wānanga was well planned to create a safe space for people to learn about some pretty heavy topics, I felt fully immersed in some very deep and meaningful thought-provoking conversations."
- Kaiwhakaako

"I found the conversations around privilege and power with some of the other kaiako very interesting, especially talking to teachers from overseas … the similarities and differences in the colonisation story across the world."
- Kaiwhakaako

"It hit me where it needed to and I left feeling empowered to continue growing my knowledge and to continue on this journey."
- Kaiwhakaako

Māori kaiwhakaako were impacted differently.

"Our wānanga was amazing, I found day one very confronting and I was trying hard to channel my mamae, my hurt - that trauma that was suppressed and oppressed for a long time - into a positive space and place."
- Kaiwhakaako

Historical conversations that had never been had, or had actively been avoided, took place:

"I heard tauiwi use the words "confiscation" when talking to us - to Maaori, in a marae. This is the first time I have heard this directly. Some others shared similar stories after this. It was factual - not softened, not excusing, just honest conversations about privilege."
- Kaiwhakaako

"I want to create the same sort of space in my team as we go through this journey."
- Kaiwhakaako

Tū Mai Mokopuna builds on many years of research into what makes the biggest difference for tamariki and their whānau. The Blended Learning modules provide structured access to these proven practices.

"It’s not just about raising people’s consciousness to the racialised education system, it’s not just about upsetting people and teaching them to have the conversations about racism because once you’ve done that, once you’ve raised their critical consciousness, the question becomes "So what do we do?" We give equal weight to answering that question.There is a process for leaders, there’s a theory of change, there’s some processes of work that can be undertaken by early childhood services to help them actually begin to turn the tide on the disparities that the system is still producing for Māori."
- Mere Berryman

Kaiwhakaako are also using Rongohia te Hau. Data from surveys and practice observations is triangulated to provide a picture of the learner experience. This establishes an informed starting point for developing kaiako capabilities - specifically, being thoughtful and reflective about what they do; using evidence-based critical inquiry and problem-solving to shape their practice; and developing increasing proficiency in the use of te reo and tikanga Māori.

While this mahi is unashamedly focused on Māori, it is capable of more positive outcomes for all children and their families, something very much appreciated by participants, including those tauiwi recently arrived in Aotearoa.

"I have found this wananga very refreshing as the tangata whenua are not just standing up but they are also pushing back the colonialism and all the demonising that have happened…I will never look at the indigenous people all over the world the same way again. And I hope our future children will be able to give the tangata whenua the justice from all the oppression that they experienced."
- Kaiwhakaako

"Today at work I was asked how the marae visit went. This led into me telling staff and I could see in their faces the interest in knowing more. I’m excited for this journey."
- Kaiwhakaako

Links

• For more on Poutama Pounamu’s Blended Learning within early childhood settings, see this Education Gazette article.
• For more on Rongohia te hau, see the Best Evidence Synthesis series of videos on Education Counts.

Prof. Mere Berryman recently gave a keynote address and ran a master class during the New Zealand Area Schools Association Conference in Rotorua.

Responding to the theme of the conference ‘Challenge and Change’, Mere spoke of how deeply entrenched racial prejudices promoted internationally, prior to colonial settlement in Aotearoa, continue to cause division throughout our society. The equitable contexts for living and learning that successive governments have sought to promote have not eventuated.

The disparity in education outcomes remains evident with rangatahi Māori having disproportionately heightened rates of suspension and expulsion. Half of those receiving early leaving exemptions identify as Māori, as do 7 out of 10 of those in Alternative Education settings.

While the challenge is recognised, the root causes of this situation, and how to change it, are less well understood. The compounding intergenerational debt owed to those denied equity of access to education requires sustained transformative action.

Why, asks Mere Berryman, is a society inclined to believe it exemplifies progressive values apparently lacking in a collective response to the issues?

"To understand the genesis of our systemic failure, we have to know our history and many of us have been poorly served in what we have been told, or perhaps not been told. A lot of what is broadly accepted as our ‘common’ history is in fact the storying of nationhood and equalty of opportunity that celebrates the actions of settler governments. In this process, some historical narratives are intentionally silenced while others have been amplified."
- Mere Berryman

Mere’s challenge to the conference was for every individual to realise their personal agency to enact the promises made on their behalf in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

"Mere is so very special, her presence is so humble, and yet her words are so compelling. She reminded us that we all have to connect to the history, our history, and where we sit within that history. Everybody is taking it on board on paper, but if you really want change those of us in leadership roles have to understand where we connect, and where our responsibility lies, otherwise it’s just rhetoric."
- Louisa Barham NZASA President

Mere illustrated how the history of education in Aotearoa reflects that of wider society with an accumulation of ‘policy sediment’ that still mires this generation of learners, and their families, in a status quo of privileging some, while abandoning others.

Consistent and focused support of contemporary initiatives has been ineffective, with the sector too often left to determine for themselves how best to respond.

"The aspirations of the first two iterations of Ka Hikitia went unfulfilled and, as a nation, this went largely unnoticed. Without our recognising the full implications of what is required and where to start, excellence and equity for all through education may also continue to be ignored despite the changes to the Education and Training Act and the actions it calls for."
- Mere Berryman

During her master class, Mere drew on the work of Mason Durie to introduce the Māuri Ora Pathway - one of the Critical Change Elements employed by Poutama Pounamu to support schools and early learning centres to bring about transformative reform.

The Best Evidence Synthesis has case studies featuring the work of Poutama Pounamu including:

• Transformative leadership, impact and sustainability: Raukura Rotorua Boys High School
• Rongohia te Hau: Effective support for culturally responsive teaching

Sustainability is not a destination
Paying attention to what matters

Contributed by Renae Rakena, Russell McCabe, Sarah Davis and Cath McGlinchey from Kerikeri High School and Robyn Lamont from Poutama Pounamu

You sometimes hear educators express an idea that they have “done” a particular PLD initiative. Time to move on to the next thing! With multiple demands on teacher’s time and energy this might, at first, appear understandable.

However, what some schools are coming to deeply understand is that sustainability of change is not a place you arrive: sustainability is a way of being. The journey towards equitable outcomes is an ongoing journey; an ‘every day, every week, year-on-year’ attitude; one that pays attention to what matters in spite of competing demands. It is also staying focused on the vision through disruptions and uncertainties rather than deferring change actions until a mythical “getting past” or “getting back to normal” is achieved.

Kerikeri High School’s relationship with Professor Mere Berryman and what is now Poutama Pounamu began in 2003 when the school became part of Te Kotahitanga Phase 3. Two decades later those relationships are still active, still contributing to a context specific response that is focussed on equity, excellence and belonging and mauri ora for Māori and for all.

A humble PLD opportunity

At Kerikeri High School, one small part of the sustainability picture lies in a humble PLD process first conceptualised in early 2021.

The Poutama Pounamu PLD facilitator and key staff recognised the value of supporting individual teachers and other staff to grow into understanding the kaupapa to depth.

Under the umbrella of conscientisation, resistance and transformative praxis, RAPLD (Regionally-allocated Professional Learning and Development) hours were earmarked for the Poutama Pounamu facilitator to work alongside in-school leads.

The aim of this collaboration was to develop a pragmatic and easily accessible mechanism through which staff could strengthen their own critical-thinking muscles and progress their own learning.

“The secret to the school being strong is having lots of people in different roles all promoting the kaupapa quietly.” (Russell McCabe)

Initially implemented as a trial, Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero was established in March 2021. This group would meet fortnightly for shared-sense-making and learning conversations and to contribute to each other’s learning.

Each after-school session would bring into focus a resource or reading for the group to engage with in the coming fortnight.

Participation was open to all staff and was entirely voluntary although people who expressed interest were actively encouraged to make a commitment to the rest of the group to ‘turn up’ regularly.

Right from its inception, Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero had the support of school leadership. One pragmatic way this was demonstrated was including Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero meeting dates in the school calendar in an attempt to reduce conflicting meeting schedules.

“Two years on it continues to be important that we have someone in the senior leadership team with an understanding of Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero. The nature of schools today means there are times when circumstances beyond our control mean we have to prioritise what we pay attention to. When that happens Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero has a voice at the table. Having a senior leader with oversight of the process also means we are more effective in supporting the staff leading this mahi.” (Renae Rakena)

About 17 people turned up to the first meeting in 2021. While people have come and gone over the intervening two years, in spite of the pressures and disruptions of recent times a core group continues to meet regularly. A second group of 15 people began in 2023. Leadership of both groups has shifted and is increasingly facilitated by in-school staff.

“Yes we’ve had someone from an external agency in, but that’s empowered internal leaders to grow.” Cath McGlinchey

“Being part of Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero ignited my agency. It’s lit a fire in my belly for change that permeates across all the spaces I occupy: as an in-school PLD leader and facilitator; as a teacher; as a colleague.” Sarah Davis

Paying attention to ‘how’: Learning through cultural relationships for responsive pedagogy

One of the first conversations each group engaged with was to tease out what behaviours and attitudes would support them to listen carefully, contribute safely, learn together and deepen their understanding of what can sometimes be unsettling topics. In 2023 we collected the ideas of the group.

Staff reflections on being part of this group

At the end of 2022 the first group was invited to provide feedback about Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero. We were curious to understand what people had learned, personally and professionally:

“Decolonisation is necessary to move forward. There is a whole depth of voice that is silenced with the current political and a growing movement to change this. We must listen to all our people, and we need to be more aware of indigenous culture and the depth of what they have lost through colonisation.”

“Personal - being much more mindful of the space that I hold, and the interactions I have and see. Professional - being much more aware of the issues that surround our learners and the disparity in content that reflects the needs of all our students.”

We were also curious to hear about what they valued from being part of this group:

“I like the given texts to introduce new ideas and offer opportunities for more in-depth reading. I'm also doing my own reading off the back of this. I want to keep doing this but when I am given an open book option I struggle to keep up or keep going.”

“Everybody bring their experiences and processing to the content. I think that listening to that is what helps our processing and our progress to make changes.”

“I really liked the set readings, that opened eyes, allowed for good robust conversations and made people uncomfortable but made us all more aware of the shared skewed histories and how it has influenced the way we are today.”

“Just love being part of a group with some like-minded goals and a willingness to be open about educational inequity.”

The Lower Mataura Valley Collective of Edendale Primary School, Gorge Road Primary School, Hokonui Runanga, Kia Nga Wari Kohanga Reo, Little Ones Early Learning Centre, Mataura Primary School, Menzies College, Poutama Pounamu, Te Werohau, Tokanui Primary School, Tuturau Primary School and Wyndham Primary School, entered Ngā Whetū Katoa Wearable Arts Night with their collaborative work He Poi o Te Hurihanganui.

On the night the work was modelled by Menzies College Student Shaelin Moir he uri ia o Ngāi Tahu - a descendent of Ngāi Tahu.

The kākahu is the result of the collaboration of 12 different organizations, representing

• Mana whenua
• Kohanga Reo
• ECE
• 6 Primary Schools
• a High School
• Poutama Pounamu facilitators
• and Te Werohau, evaluators of Te Hurihanganui.

Te Hurihanganui, or the “The Great Turning”, is the name given to the Ministry kaupapa that all those who contributed to this kākahu are currently involved in.

It was developed in acknowledgement of the systemic racism Maori have endured since the inception of our nations education system.

Together the participating education spaces have taken on the challenge to address racism and inequity and to accelerate the achievement and wellbeing of our Maori ākonga and their whanau in their individual spaces and our wider community.

He Poi o Te Hurihanganui is a representation of our collective hope for the future; a future where all ākonga experience an equitable learning environment - one that reflects their culture, their beliefs, and their whānau.

Initially the brainchild of facilitator Debbie Ruwhiu, she explains the construction of He Poi o Te Hurihanganui in this way:

"We chose the poi to represent the spread of our community and our coming together as one. The skirt or poi of our entry is constructed of hundreds of poi made by, and, reflective of our separate organisations. Those hundreds of poi have been joined together and transformed in to the single one you see before you. The white skirt when dropped signifies the removal of barriers and revels the poi as the aspirations of our whānau, allowing each individual to be who they are unconditionally.

The bodice represents the common threads that binds us on our Te Hurihanganui journey and displays the colours of each contributing education space."

Whaea Sheree Keenan of Gorge Road School has been another driving force of this kākahu and has used her amazing creative skills to support the project from start to finish. She even roped her husband into using his four plaiting skills.

There have been teachers, students, aunties, mums and dads all offering their time and creativity to produce He Poi o Te Hurihanganui. From Gorge Rd to Gore - and everywhere in between - whānau have been making poi, plaiting and designing for the past 4 months. Regular wananga were held in the fabrics room at Menzies College to plan and create with the final touches put in place right up until showtime.

"During this time of Matariki we make our desire’s known to Hiwaiterangi, that it is our hope, the collaborative efforts we have undertaken in creating our entry will be maintained moving forward to help support each other as we continue our Te Hurihanganui journey and, create education spaces that have moved on from acknowledging the systemic errors of the past, and now are focused on the positive changes that will make our education system a true reflection of our country’s unique heritage" - Debbie Ruwhiu

Manawatia a Matariki Mauri Ora!

Poutama Pounamu was excited to wānanga with the Lower Mataura Schools' principals, kaiako, local Ministry of Education and Ngāi Tahu Iwi at the Hokonui Rūnanga in Gore.

After 18 months of participating in the three-year government initiative Te Hurihanganui, the wānanga provided a perfect opportunity to gather together and kōrero about the journey so far. The wānanga enabled participants to revisit the Te Hurihanganui blueprint and identify next steps of learning as part of their action planning.

From left to right: Jo Brand (Hokonui Rūnanga), Sheree Keenan (Gorge Road School), Liz Eley (Poutama Pounamu), Debbie Ruwhiu (Poutama Pounamu), Sam Walker (Mataura School), Patricia Emia (Te Kōhanga Reo Kia Ngāwari), Nardine Rhind, (Little Ones Early Learning Centre), Susan Dennison (Mataura School), Karen Stirling (Glenham School), Rodney Trainor (Hokonui Rūnanga), David McKenzie (Edendale School), Karley Wilks-Forde (Poutama Pounamu), and in front Matu Coleman-Clark (Hokonui Rūnanga). Absent from the picture: Kath Luoni (Menzies College), Tina McMullen Tokanui School and Teri Pikia (Ministry of Education).

Aspirations
Part of the day utilised the expertise of Ngāi Tahu Iwi Jo Brand and Matu Coleman-Clark. Iwi were able to articulate their aspirations from an Iwi perspective, for ākonga Māori and their whānau, living in the local rohe.

Ngā Tumuaki are still on a steep learning journey, their progress and the whanaungatanga development as a roopu is evident and strengthening the cultural environments of their schools.

The understanding of true partnership has enabled teams to engage with Iwi appropriately and respectfully to ensure we can, together, support outstanding experiences for our Tamariki and Rakatahi who will lead our future.
- Jo Brand

The day included a tour of the local area and a rich historical cultural narrative retold by historian Rodney Trainor as summarised below.

Mataura Te Awa Mataitai
The Mataura Te Awa Mātaitai is the first freshwater reserve in New Zealand.

The Mataura River remains an important mahinga kai for Ngāi Tahu for gathering kanakana (lamprey) and tuna (eels).

It also provided nohoanga (campsites) along the river for annual fishing expeditions.

The Mataura River notably offered an access route between coastal Murihiku (Southland) to Fiordland and the West Coast for the gathering of pounamu for Ngāi Tahu whānui.

Tuturau Reserve — Mataura
The Tuturau Public Reserve stands in memory of an historic battle which took place on the site in 1837.

It is said that the last shot of New Zealand’s Musket Wars was fired at Tuturau.

Ngāti Tama warriors, led by Te Puehe from near Nelson, undertook a remarkable journey in the hope of capturing the Murihiku Lands of the Mataura.

Their initial raid was successful; however, this success was only short-lived as the famous local Chief Tuhawaiki heard about the invasion. He gathered a party of warriors to counter attack where Te Puehe was slain and the rest of his warriors were taken prisoner, some to be later released.

We returned to the Hokonui Rūnanga for a tasty lunch, concluding with poroporoakī, a chance to acknowledge the rich cultural perspective that has been gained to date through the ongoing interactions with the Te Huirhanganui kaupapa.

“Tino Rangatiratanga – mo tātou, a, mo, ka uri a muri ake nei”.
“Creating and controlling our own destiny, for us and our children after us”.