Relationships for learning

Published: 04 Sep 2017
Audience:
Education
Parents
Schools
Topics:
Improvement
Relationships
Curriculum
Teaching
Evaluation
Whanaungatanga
Manaakitanga
Video
Improvement in Action Te Ahu Whakamua

Summary

“We let everyone know that we all have the brain power. We all have the heart to go for something. Opportunity is open to everyone.”

A learning community characterised by whanaungatanga and manaakitanga creates the challenge and support needed to develop learning to learn capabilities and achieve successful learning outcomes.

This video was filmed at McAuley High School.

Key messages:

  • Students are conscious and caring of each other and seek to build a collective sense of belonging and acceptance
  • Students care extends to wanting to see everyone achieve
  • “Its not competing against each other, its competing for the whole group”

Things to think about:

  • How do your students support each others opportunities to learn?
  • What might you encourage and enhance this process?

The evaluation indicators this video illustrates

  • Domain 4: Responsive curriculum, effective teaching and opportunity to learn 
    • Evaluation indicators 
      • Students participate and learn in caring, collaborative, inclusive learning communities
      • Students learn, achieve and progress in the breadth and depth of The New Zealand Curriculum and/or Te Marautanga o Aotearoa 
      • Students have effective, sufficient and equitable opportunities to learn 

This video is part of a series

This video is part of the series Improvement in Action Te Ahu Whakamua. We created this series to inspire schools with examples of success in action. These examples highlight the benefits of fulfilling the evaluation indicators we use to review schools.

The full video series can be found here.

Remote video URL

STUDENT 1: When I first got here, I was the only person from my school. So I was really scared of nobody wanting to be my friend. And then as soon as the first day started everybody started introducing themselves and helping each other out.

STUDENT 2: It doesn't matter if you started like a monthly, you'll still be welcome as a sister. So I had like different people from different new levels asking if I knew where my classroom was, where I was going.

STUDENT 3: We always want our year level to be the best one. So we try to get everyone to work together. We try to make sure that no one fails. And so when we have a due date, we try to encourage everyone else to hand it in so that we can all get our results back. So that's how we help each other to achieve. So that's our sisterhood. 

KIRI TURKETO: There's no such thing as you've got a good grade, it's really stink. You're good at swap. Blah, blah. That doesn't exist here. And it hasn't existed for a very, very long time. It's more like, OK, hi, who's struggling? I see that you didn't do so well on your last assessment, let's do a study group. Let's go and see Mr. such and such and do his workshop.

STUDENT 5: It helps us to know that we got each other's back no matter what.

STUDENT 6: We have people who understand more than others. And so we look up to those people to explain more detail to us. When one person is down, everybody tries to put her up. Nobody's left behind.

ANNE MILES: We have assemblies where we show them the results. And we compare it to previous years so that they can just see where they should be at the moment and how they compare to other years. And they actually like competition. So it's not competing against each other, it's competing as a whole group.

RACHEL WILLIAMS: I don't know whether it's anything we've explicitly ever said to them. But it is incredibly important to them that they support each other to be successful. And so they want the best for each other. And they see that as a success if they can help each other.

STUDENT 2: We let each other know that we all have the brainpower. We all have the heart to go for something. Opportunities open to everyone. Even if you feel it's not the thing for you, just try it anyway. And you can learn more about yourself going for it as well.