An educationally powerful connection

Posted on 28 November, 2016

"Our tamariki are best equipped to express their identity and be active contributors to the community when they can understand, engage with, and use oral and written language”
- Topia Rameka, Chief Executive Officer of the Trust Board

In 2015, the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board approached Tāupo-nui-a-Tia College to discuss what they could do to assist the school to accelerate Māori student achievement. Based on a common desire to realise rangatahi Māori potential, a partnership was born.

A phased approach – phase 1
A sensible place to start seemed to be with evidence.

The 2013 data indicated that 64.9% of tamariki Māori aged between 5-13 within the rohe of Ngāti Tūwharetoa were at, or above, national standards for reading compared to 85.2% of their non-Māori peers. Not only was the 21% gap between the two groups concerning, the trend suggested that literacy rates amongst rangatahi Māori were on the decline.

From their shared understanding and commitment, they agreed a two-pronged approach focused on adopting a literacy strategy, Pause, Prompt, Praise (PPP).

Phase one was rolled out in school. During this phase tuakana-teina relationships between Year 13 and Year 9 students were established for mentorship and tutoring using the principles of Pause Prompt Praise.

Both senior students saw the personal benefits of fulfilling the role of tuakana. Other indicators of impact on literacy outcomes are also beginning to emerge; as some students talk about reading more at home while others mentioned they were more confident in class, knowing what was going on.

Phase 2
The Pause Prompt Praise (PPP) initiative was launched by the Trust Board in the local community hall. The Hui brought together staff from the college, whānau from the local community, Trust Board members and representatives from Literacy Tāupo.

During the hui people heard about PPP, discussed what literacy meant to them and engaged in activities associated with the programme.

The Trust Board has allocated resources; they are committed to supporting community facilitators and co-constructed a way to spread and embed the processes and practices of PPP. Kia Eke Panuku kaitoro helped develop and grow an understanding PPP and are shadow coaching the tutors.

What people are saying
It is exciting to hear parents say, "this gave me the opportunity to see my son shine". Moreover, others comment, " I can already see a difference from two weeks ago".

Exploring the quality of relationships with school in regards to planning, implementation and monitoring (pre and post assessments) community-based facilitators are also saying:

“I like engaging with kids and extending it out to families, getting a personal insight as to their growth throughout the programme, both as a reader, watching them utilise the strategies and being confident in the use of them and not having to prompt them”.

Facilitators are exhilarated, “it’s exciting to initiate the discussion and communicate with students as to what PPP means to them, it shows trust, we lay down the challenge, and the students pick it up, and all that comes with it. This includes our akonga, kaitautoko and whānau – they all have their role to play”.

5Based on early, emerging positive indicators the Trust Board is in the process of rolling out the same intervention at another local high school with plans to further include other schools in the rohe in 2017.

As a result of this process, the Trust Board is also exploring relationships with other support services such as Tāupo and Turangi Literacy.