Mana ki te Mana: A Kaupapa Maori Approach to Behavior Support

• In Event: Enhancing Classroom Management Through Professional Development and Teacher Education

Abstract

Given the theme “Public Scholarship to Educate Diverse Democracies” we present the findings of an Indigenous classroom management teacher professional development intervention (Mana ki te Mana) currently being implemented within a whole school behavior reform project. The schoolwide project (known as Huakina Mai) has been created in Aotearoa New Zealand, by Māori - for Māori. This paper reports on the findings from one year of implementation in three uniquely different school settings and provides evidence of shifts in teacher practice from a deficit view of behavior to a sociocultural perspective. Classroom observations and qualitative interviews demonstrate impact on teacher beliefs, values and practices.

Authors

• Porsha London, Te Tapuae

• Sonja Macfarlane, University of Canterbury

• Angus Hikairo Macfarlane, University of Canterbury

• Catherine Savage, Ihi Research and Development