Ko Te Rarawa te iwi, ko Roma te marae, tihei mauriora! I am a Maori (indigenous New Zealander) woman with strong tribal links to the far north of Aotearoa New Zealand. I have worked in the area of Maori education for 20 years, 15 years as a Maori language teacher in mainstream state secondary schools. I am currently a Maori adviser to the Teach First NZ program, working alongside the program team and University partner.
This session will explore how Teach First NZ has incorporated cultural competence into its recruitment and selection, as well teacher, alumni, and staff development. Through interactive exercises and examples of Teach First NZ’s approach, session participants will develop an understanding of cultural competence and the values behind it. Together, attendees will discuss the impact of this approach in Teach First NZ’s context, and how other network partners can consider incorporating it into their work.
After two days of learning about the Aotearoa New Zealand context, exploring classrooms, and understanding the Culture Counts approach to cultural responsiveness, we will synthesize our learning within the theme of Further Together. Through facilitated storytelling, we will look at the foundational role that self-awareness and connection play in strong partnerships, and connect this concept to our learning thus far.
