Te Pā Harakeke: Māori and non-Māori parent (whānau) support of culturally responsive teaching pedagogies

Oct 15, 2026

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Strengths-based research examines how Māori and non-Māori whānau (family members) support culturally responsive teaching pedagogies in 12 New Zealand schools in an urban area with a high proportion of Māori learners. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative survey data, the study highlights positive impacts of effective family engagement on tamariki’s school experience, including teacher support and future aspirations. Findings emphasize relational, culturally sustaining teaching and challenge stereotypes about indigenous parents’ low expectations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Historical context

Te Pā Harakeke: Māori and non-Māori parent (whānau) support of culturally responsive teaching pedagogies Camilla Highfield, Melinda Webber and Rachel Woods Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92109, Epsom, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand, email: [c.highfield@auckland.ac. nz](c.highfield@auckland.ac. nz) This strengths-based paper draws on the qualitative and quantitative survey results from whānau (family members) of tamariki (children) attending 12 schools in an urban area in New Zealand with a high proportion of Māori people. The paper describes the positive impact of effective family engagement on tamariki, from the perspectives of whānau, paying particular interest to the differences between Māori and non-Māori whānau. The views of all whānau who participated in the project support the importance of relational and culturally sustaining aspects of teaching, and challenge commonly held stereotypes about indigenous parents’ low expectations in relation to their children’s education. The paper amplifies whānau voice about their children’s school enjoyment, perceptions of teacher support and future career aspirations for their tamariki. Keywords: Māori children, school enjoyment, family engagement Introduction In Māori culture, te pā harakeke (a stand of flax) is a metaphor for the family unit, where the rito (centre shoot) or growing point is likened to a child and the shoots immediately either side of the rito are awhi rito (parents), and the following shoots the grandparents. This metaphor is often used when making reference to social contexts that support children’s development. Many schools in Aotearoa New Zealand have increasingly focused on promoting strong home–school relationships in order to ensure all whānau (family members) feel welcomed and a part of the school community. The word “whānau” in this research project refers to the relational position of the adults that completed surveys, because they were responsible for the children who attended the schools who also participated in the research project. These adults were parents, aunties or uncles, grandparents or any other adult in the child’s life who cared for them in the home. School leaders’ and teachers’ efforts to connect with whānau are premised on a belief that parental involvement at school will aid student engagement and learning outcomes. This belief is supported by research that posits that whānau engagement, along with high teacher expectations and culturally responsive practice, are central pillars in supporting student engagement and achievement, particularly for Māori students (Rubie-Davies et al., 2018). Previous studies investigating the factors that contribute to Māori success have found that whānau are strong role models for their children and can be instrumental in facilitating supportive learning environments (Macfarlane et al., 2014; Webber et al., 2021) . These studies argue that whānau expectations and aspirations impact children’s motivation to persist and strive at school. The New Zealand Curriculum also emphasises the importance of whānau involvement in schooling and challenges leaders and teachers to develop programs and practices which (1) reflect the values and aspirations of whānau, (2) are meaningful and relevant to students, and (3) engage whānau in their child’s learning (Ministry of Education, 2007; 2020) . It is therefore important to understand whānau perspectives on these matters to inform effective and culturally responsive practice, pedagogy and leadership. The specific research questions that have underpinned the investigation include: 1. In what ways do whānau expect school leaders and teachers to support their children’s academic and social development? 2. How do Māori whānau expectations and non-Māori parents compare? 3. What are Māori whānau hopes for their children’s futures? This paper reports the results from whānau data gathered through a research project that w

FAQs

What metaphor does the paper use to explain the whānau role in supporting children?

It uses te pā harakeke (a stand of flax) as a metaphor: the rito (growing point) represents the child, parents are the awhi rito (supports around the growing point), and grandparents are the following shoots.

How does the study examine differences between Māori and non-Māori whānau?

It compares Māori whānau expectations with those of non-Māori parents using survey perspectives, focusing on children’s academic and social development and whānau hopes for the future.

What research questions guide the investigation?

The paper asks how whānau expect school leaders and teachers to support children’s development, how Māori and non-Māori expectations compare, and what Māori whānau hope for their children’s futures.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Kurz