Build relationships with whānau and others who know the student well
Suggestion for implementing the strategy ‘Taking a community approach to supporting learning and wellbeing’
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On this page:
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Go to top of current page: Build relationships with whānau
Go to top of current page: Build relationships with whānau
Involve families
Involve families
Linda Ojala describes how families contribute to the class programme.
Ideas for working with whānau
Ideas for working with whānau
Suggestions for working closely with parents, caregivers, and whānau.
- Communicate and share information in ways that work for everyone, for example, social media, playground conversations, email, Skype, a notebook, class blog, newsletters with photos.
- Value parents’ and caregivers’ knowledge about their child and assessments they have had done out of school.
- Involve whānau in determining strategies to support student learning and well-being at home and school.
- Work with programmes or materials parents are using to maximise consistency and support for the student.
- Share information about out-of-school programmes that may boost self-esteem (for example, groups for music, art, or sporting interests).
- Recognise areas of expertise and experience and look for opportunities to explicitly value and utilise them in the classroom.
Engage with whānau and iwi
Engage with whānau and iwi
Strong engagement and contribution from students and those who are best placed to support them – parents and whānau, hapū, iwi, Māori organisations, communities and businesses – have a strong influence on students’ success. Māori students’ learning is strengthened when education professionals include a role for parents and whānau, hapū, iwi, and Māori organisations and communities in curriculum, teaching and learning.
Listen to families
Listen to families
Parents, Dayna and Phil, found sharing successful approaches and incorporating their daughter’s interests reduced anxiety and provided consistency between home and school.
Work closely with families
Work closely with families
John Robinson describes the impact of working closely with parents and whānau.
Useful resources
Useful resources
Perspectives of whānau
Parents of students needing additional support outline their needs and how schools can best work with them to meet those needs. Key information is from the ERO report Partners in learning: Parents’ voices. An example of practice from a primary school and discussion questions are provided on this page from the Inclusive Practices website (NZ).
Engaging Pasifika parents and communities
Resources and videos which focus on engagement with parents, families, and communities.
Publisher: Pasifika Education Community
Ka Hikitia – Ka Hāpaitia
Ka Hikitia, the Māori Education Strategy, is a cross-agency strategy for the education sector.
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Take a community approach ”:
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Current page Build relationships with whānau
Return to the guide “Developing an inclusive classroom culture ”
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Inclusive classroom culture
Strategies for action:
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Value what each student bringsShow suggestions for Value what each student brings
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Establish a respectful class climateShow suggestions for Establish a respectful class climate
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Plan for everyone to participate and achieveShow suggestions for Plan for everyone to participate and achieve
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Take a community approachShow suggestions for Take a community approach
- Build relationships with whānau
- Involve local iwi, Pasifika community, and cultural groups
- Involve past students
