He kaiako - teacher and learner

“Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere. Ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao”

Reciprocal learning and exemplary modelling of innovation that leads to the effective creation, development and delivery of high quality authentic learning contexts and practice

The kaiako leadership role is about being an exceptional teacher and educational practitioner. It is underpinned by a focus on leading with an innovative edge and embracing an up-to-date knowledge of new and emerging developments in learning and teaching pedagogy. The kaiako leadership role involves being both a learner and a teacher, exchanging roles with learners in order to better understand teaching and learning dynamics.

Key focus area: mana mokopuna

Goal: To ensure the kura keeps abreast with current teaching and learning pedagogy

Leadership practice:

  • supporting and facilitating professional colleagues to exemplify effective practices to support and extend learners’ academic, cultural and physical learning
  • applying advancements in technology, teaching practice and resources to support learners’ learning
  • continually monitoring and assessing learner and staff performance

Key focus area: mana wairua

Goal: To lead teaching practices that support and protect the health, safety and well-being of learners, staff and whānau

Leadership practice:

  • providing a teaching and learning environment that assures the health, safety and personal contentment of mind, body and spirit of learners and kura whānau
  • ensuring each individual is able to enjoy a sense of satisfaction and happiness in their learning experiences

Key focus area: mana tangata

Goal: To lead teaching and learning in a way that respects and values relationships

Leadership practice:

  • supporting teachers to develop their teaching skills
  • respecting and valuing professional colleagues’ contributions towards best classroom practices
  • valuing the ‘teacher–learner exchange’ in which teachers and learners learn from each other

Key focus area: mana reo

Goal: To lead teaching that uses and values te reo Māori

Leadership practice:

  • encouraging and promoting te reo Māori as a teaching resource, and as a means of generating new ideas and meeting social and educational goals
  • assisting teachers to extend their proficiency and capability to meet the linguistic demands necessary to advance learners’ language development

Key focus area: mana tikanga

Goal: To lead the practice of tikanga in classroom and school-wide programmes

Leadership practice:

  • promoting tikanga Māori in classroom and school-wide programmes

Key focus area: mana mātauranga

Goal: To use mātauranga Māori in teaching and learning pedagogy

Leadership practice:

  • applying mātauranga Māori across teaching and learning programmes
  • using mātauranga Māori, tikanga and te reo Māori in innovative and creative ways to support learning and understanding

Key focus area: mana ā-kura

Goal: To lead the implementation of quality teaching and learning programmes across the classroom and facilitate professional development programmes to strengthen staff knowledge and skills

Leadership practice:

  • mobilising professional colleagues to deliver learning programmes in culturally appropriate ways
  • readjusting programmes to meet learners’ needs and interests
  • ensuring learning programmes deliver positive educational outcomes

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