Partner with whānau and welcome their diverse perspectives
Develop whanaungatanga and a sense of belonging and partnership with whānau and welcome their diverse perspectives.
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On this page:
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Go to top of current page: Partner with whānau
Go to top of current page: Partner with whānau
Parent perspective on effective partnership
Parent perspective on effective partnership
Whānau and teachers worked closely together to help a student with low vision to feel less anxious in her first months at school.
Closed Captions
Learn about diversity together
Learn about diversity together
- Be open to learning from and with parents, whānau and your local community and make decisions together.
- Engage in genuine dialogue with whānau and make decisions together.
- Create multiple opportunities for your community to ask questions about inclusion and what it would mean for their own child.
- Invite your community to see activities that explicitly model inclusion at your school, or at another school.
- Offer presentations or workshops to parents and whānau about the value of including all learners.
- Create opportunities for students and their whānau to share what valuing diversity means to them.
- Be ready to articulate your vision for inclusion in language that your community can relate to.
Build culture with deliberate acts of leadership
Build culture with deliberate acts of leadership
Learn about treaty partnerships and diversity together by connecting with whānau, iwi and community.
In this video, a principal talks about deliberate acts of leadership to develop a bicultural school.
Consider barriers to partnership
Consider barriers to partnership
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to working in partnership.
Discuss with whānau ways of working together that respect diversity, are culturally responsive, and are inclusive of individual needs.
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Connect with culturally sustaining frameworks
Connect with culturally sustaining frameworks
For example use dimensions from the Māori health model, Te Whare Tapa Whā
Taha Whānau - family, people and relationships
- whānau, friends, iwi and hapū
- cultural, religious, social and recreational connections
- professionals working with the family
Taha Wairua - spiritual well being or life force
- spiritually strengthening aspects for example faith, being in nature, creative activities and meditation
- special interests
- hopes and priorities for ākonga and whānau
Taha Tinana - physical wellbeing
- physical activity and recreation preferences
- sensory challenges
- medications and allergies
Taha Hinengaro - mental and emotional wellbeing
- strengths and talents
- dislikes, what can upset them
- signs that the student is beginning to feel upset or anxious
- strategies used to calm students
Whenua - connection to the land and environment
- important places
- Iwi and hapū maunga - mountains and awa - rivers
- interests in the environment, plants and animals
- connections to people and ancestors.
Reflection questions
Reflection questions
- Do our policies, procedures and local curriculum reflect the diversity of our community?
- How do we support strong partnerships with learners with additional needs, and their whānau?
- Do we actively seek diverse perspectives when making decisions?
- How do we support the participation of Māori whānau and Pacific families?
Source: Adapted from: Education for disabled learners in schools – ERO (opens in a new tab/window)
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Leading with moral purpose”:
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Current page Partner with whānau
Return to the guide “Leading schools that include all learners ”
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Leading inclusive schools
Understand:
Strategies for action:
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Leading with moral purposeShow suggestions for Leading with moral purpose
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Strategically resourcing for inclusive practicesShow suggestions for Strategically resourcing for inclusive practices
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Leading learning to support inclusive practicesShow suggestions for Leading learning to support inclusive practices
