MÄTAURANGA / KNOWLEDGE Tamakaiwänanga Secondary School: Mäori Boys at study of Mäori boys’ motivation A qualitative in NCEA Level 1 and engagement This is an interactive PDF File. Controls can be found at the top of every page. Use the contents page to navigate. Click on website and email addresses to access.
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“He rei ngä niho, he paräoa ngä kauae.” To have a whale’s tooth, you must also have a whale’s jaw. (One must have the right qualifications for great enterprises).
REALISING M ÄORI P O TENTIAL
Mätauranga – Building of knowledge and skills. This area acknowledges the importance of knowledge to building confi dence and identity, growing skills and talents and generating 1 innovation and creativity. Knowledge and skills are considered as S LIFE QUALITY a key enabler of Mäori potential as they underpin choice and the KNOWLEDGE TA + INFLUENCE + = power to act to improve life quality. ANGA RANGA U RESOURCE
WA 2 Whakamana – Strengthening of leadership and decision-making. MÄ TA WHAKAMANA RA TE IRA T 3 Rawa – Development and use of resources.
1 234 4 Te Ira Tangata – The quality of life to realise potential.
The framework above identifi es three key DISCLAIMER The information contained in this publication is for general Theenablers framework that are above fundamental identifies to three Mäori key enablersinformation thatonly. W arehile every fundamental effort has been to m ade Mäori to e nsure achieving the accuracy Te Ira Tangata (improving life quality) and realising their potential.of Allthe written information, information because the had information been organised is generalised, within its these accuracy three achieving Te Ira Tangata (improved life cannot be guaranteed. Readers are advised to seek independent advice keyquality) enablers and or Terealising Ira Tangata. their potential. on particular matters and not rely on this publication. No liability is assumed by Te Puni Kökiri for any losses suffered directly or indirectly All our written information has been by any person relying on the information contained in this publication. organised within these three key enablers ©Te Puni Kökiri 2006 ISBN: 978-0-478-34536-0 Hakihea 2013/Dec 2013 or Te Ira Tangata. MIHI
E aku rau rangatira mä, tënä koutou katoa! i haere i runga i te mata o te whenua nei 03 ki te körero ki ngä taitamatäne, ki wä rätau Tënä koutou i runga i ngä tini aituä o te wä nei. Ka titiro whakararo tonu ki te whänau, ki ngä mähita ränei. Tënei tuhinga urunga o te rä, ki Hikurangi maunga. Ka körero nä koutou i ruirui, nä koutou anö i titiro whakarunga ki Tïtïrangi, ki te Uawa- whakatinanatia. Nä reira, e kore e mutu nui-ä-Ruamatua, ko Parekura tërä e takoto ngä mihi. ai i te urupä o öna mätua tïpuna. Heoi He mihi hoki ki a koutou i tautoko tënei anö, ka whakarere taiäwhiowhio te mihi rangahau körero. Koutou ngä taitamatäne, ki ngä mate huri rauna i Te Ika-nui-ä- ngä whänau, ngä mähita, ngä kura, oti atu Mäui-tikitiki-ä-Taranga, whakawhiti atu rä ki a koutou ngä kaimahi o Te Puni Kökiri, rä i Raukawa-moana ki Te Waipounamu, ki tënei he mihi aroha ki a koutou katoa. Rakiura, ki Wharekauri hoki. Rätau te hunga Koutou ngä taitamatäne, kia pümau tonu i haere-ä-tira ki whaka-te-tokerau, i runga koutou ki te manako, ki te hiahia; pümautia i Te Ara Wairua, ki Te Rerenga Wairua, ki kia püäwaitia, kia tötika i te ao türoa nei. Te Reinga, ki ngä Tawhiti. Ki tä te körero Mënä käre koutou i whakaae ki te körero o Toiroa Te Ikariki, “Haere ki Matahourua, haere ki Waingaromia, haere ki oti atu rä e!” ki a mätau, käre i tutuki te hiahia kia kite Ko rätau ki a rätau; ko tätau ki a tätau. Tënä ai he aha ngä painga, he aha ngä raruraru anö tätau katoa! mö koutou. Kia ahatia ai? Kia kimihia te huarahi kia täea ai te hiki ake i a koutou E mea ana ngä mätua, ngä tïpuna, ko te i waenganui i ngä whakamätautau, kia käkano i ruiruia mai i Rangiätea e kore e whiwhi tiwhikete, kia toa ränei. Ko wä ngaro. Ko wä tätau nei tamariki he käkano. mätau moemoeä kia tutuki tënei pürongo ki Mënä ko te hiahia kia tipu ake ai rätau, kia te manako nei. poipoia, kia ruiruia tika ai, kia tipu ake hei tangata. Ahakoa ko te tirohanga o tënei Nä reira, tënä anö tätau katoa. Kia ähei tuhinga körero ko ngä taitamatäne me wä tonu koutou ki ngä körero o nehe, arä he rätau mahi e pä ana ki te whakamätautau taonga te tamaiti, ä, ka tika me whakarewa NCEA, ko te tino pütake kia whiwhi ai ki runga kia tä rangatira. Kia rite ai pea ki te he huarahi kia tü pakari ai rätau i te kimihanga a Täwhaki inä whai mätauranga mätauranga, i te ao ränei. ia; e ai ki ngä kupu o te oriori nei:
He mihi tënei ki a koutou katoa i häpai nei Piki ake, kake ake i te toi huarewa i tënei rangahau körero. Tuatahi, he mihi Te ara o Täwhaki i piki ai ki runga maioha ki a koutou o te röpü rangahau, I rokohina atu rä, maikuku, mäkäkä arä ko Reece Kohatu, koutou ko Jonathan Häpai o Mäui, he waha i pä mai Kilgour, ko Chelsea Grootveld, ko Neralee aku wahine pürotu, taku täne pürotu, körua Mahuika, ko Hana Lambert, ko Täkuta Kathie ko te tau e! Irwin. Koutou ngä ringaringa, ngä ringa raupä o tënei mahinga kimi körero. Koutou ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research was commissioned by Te Puni Kökiri and undertaken by Kaipuke (Lisa Davies, John Whaanga and Neralee Mahuika) with contribution from Reece Kohatu (R&K Consultants), Jonathan Kilgour (Pare Consulting), Chelsea Grootveld (Aiko). Hana Lambert (Rata Education) and Dr Kathie Irwin (Hopebrokers) provided expert advice to the research team. The report has been prepared by Kaipuke and the views expressed in it are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Te Puni Kökiri.
Kaipuke wishes to acknowledge the Principals of Rosehill College, Aorere College, Rotorua Lakes High School, Trident High School, Rongotai College, Wainuiomata High School and Tarawera High School for their enthusiastic support of the research and for welcoming our team into their schools. We also wish to thank those staff within the schools that assisted with the recruitment of rangatahi, whänau and teachers and organised the logistics of the school visits. We also appreciate the advice and feedback provided by the Research and Whänau and Social Policy Teams of Te Puni Kökiri.
We acknowledge the contributions of teachers and whänau who generously shared with us their expertise, experience and insights into the motivation and engagement of rangatahi.
Finally, to the rangatahi who so willingly gave of their time to share with us their motivations, achievements, challenges, hopes and dreams for the future. Your voices bought this research to life. Our team was impressed and inspired by your collective academic, sporting and cultural achievements and your resilience in the face of adversity. Every one of you was a credit to your whänau and your school and our team wishes you every success in the future.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA CONTENTS 1
100 106 104 15 15 16 18 17 18 19 19 20 20 22 22 24 27 28 36 38 37 38 40 45 45 50 49 50 52 53 54 56 58 57 58 59 64 69 72 76 10 80 79 10 80 90 99 98 21 31 51 81 91 11 9
Introduction Executive Summary 2.1. 2.2. 2.3. 2.4. 2.5. 2.6. 3.1. Profile ofRangatahi 3.2. 3.3. 3.4. 3.5. 3.6. 4.1. Enablers ofMotivationandEngagement 4.2. 4.3. 4.4. 4.5. 4.6. 4.7. 5.1. Barriers toMotivationandEngagement 5.2. 5.3. 5.4. 5.5. 6.1. Future AspirationsofRangatahi 6.2. 6.3. 6.4. 6.5. 6.6. 6.7. 7.1. Rangatahi Typologies 7.2. 7.3. 7.4. 7.5. 7.6. 7.7. 8.1. Teaching Strategies toEngageRangatahi 8.2. 8.3. 8.4. Appendix A–TheMotivationand Engagement Wheel References Implications ofResearchFindings Appendix D–Whänau InterviewGuide Appendix C–Teacher InterviewGuide Appendix B–RangatahiInterview Guide Purpose oftheresearch Background Research design Overview ofNCEA Caveats Report structure Overview Profile ofachievement Whänau sizeandlivingarrangements Strength ofculturalidentity Interests outsideofschool Summary ofrangatahiprofile Overview Sources ofmotivationtoachieveatschool Thoughts thatboostengagement Knowledge andskillsthatsupportachievement Behaviours thatboostengagement and engagement Whänau strategiestoencouragemotivation and engagement Summary ofenablersmotivation Overview Negative thoughtsthatreducemotivation Factors thatreducecapacitytoengageandachieve Negative behavioursthatreducemotivation Summary ofbarrierstomotivationandengagement Overview Motivations forreturningtoYear 12 in Year 12 Improvements inmotivationandbehaviour Career aspirations Access tocareersadvice plan fortheirfutures Role ofwhänauinsupportingrangatahito Summary offutureaspirationsrangatahi Overview The matrixoflearnertypologies High flyers Quiet achievers Over-confidents Strugglers Vulnerables Overview a goodteacher Rangatahi perspectivesonwhatmakes Teaching strategies thathelptoengagerangatahi engage rangatahi Summary ofteachingstrategiesto 3 Figure 1 – Factors that enable and impede rangatahi motivation and engagement 5 Figure 2 – Matrix of learner typologies 11 Figure 3 – Proportion of Mäori students staying on at school to age 17 years 11 Figure 4 – Proportion of Mäori students who achieved NCEA Level 1 2004-2011 18 Figure 5 – Number of credits attained by rangatahi (n=42) 19 Figure 6 – Number of children in the whänau (n=40) 19 Figure 7 – Living arrangements of rangatahi (n=41) 25 Figure 8 – Rangatahi self-rating of their motivation confidence to pass NCEA 27 Figure 9 - Rangatahi rating of their understanding NCEA and of the understanding of their whänau of NCEA at the beginning of Year 11 30 Figure 10 – Rangatahi rating of their study management effort
LIST OF FIGURES 52 Figure 11 – Future aspirations of rangatahi who passed NCEA Level 1 52 Figure 12 – Aspirations of rangatahi who didn’t pass NCEA Level 1 58 Figure 13 – Matrix of learner typologies
7 Table 1 – Distinguishing features of rangatahi typologies 8 Table 2 – Options for enhancing the engagement and achievement of rangatahi in secondary school 12 Table 3 – School sampling frame 13 Table 4 – Key characteristics of participating schools 13 Table 5 – Sample of participants in the research 60 Table 6 – Distinguishing features or rangatahi typologies 97 Table 7 – Options for enhancing the engagement and achievement of rangatahi in secondary school LIST OF TABLES
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SECTION TITLE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH − Are there approaches/initiatives that participating schools have introduced that are Te Puni Kökiri commissioned this research to contributing to the engagement, motivation and explore Mäori boys’ (rangatahi) experiences of achievement of Mäori boys? NCEA Level 1. Te Puni Kökiri is especially interested in the differences between the motivation and RESEARCH DESIGN engagement of high and low achieving rangatahi. The research involved qualitative research in seven The objectives of the research are to: secondary schools (two based in Auckland, three – identify barriers that contribute to in the Central North Island and two in Wellington). disproportionate numbers of rangatahi The research was undertaken between February- 2 disengaging from secondary school June 2013 and involved interviews with 42 Year − identify ways in which rangatahi, whänau and 12 rangatahi who sat Level 1 NCEA in 2012. Of teachers can work together to reduce barriers those rangatahi, interviews were undertaken with to disengagement 22 who had achieved Level 1 (and 15 of their − explore the experience of rangatahi who whänau) and 20 who did not achieve Level 1 (and experience success in Level 1 and identify 7 of their whänau). In addition, 28 teachers who the key factors that have enabled their had previously taught the students in the sample achievement, including the roles of teachers were interviewed about their perspectives on the and whänau. rangatahi experience of NCEA.
A key driver of this research is that Te Puni Kökiri The demographic characteristics of rangatahi who is seeking to identify opportunities to improve the participated in the research were diverse: levels of engagement of rangatahi in secondary − across the sample of rangatahi there was a school and accelerate achievement levels so wide range of achievement levels (from 24 that more rangatahi may progress onto further credits to 211 credits) education and training and ultimately into more − more than half the rangatahi came from skilled employment. whänau with three or more children − rangatahi had a diverse range of living THE KEY RESEARCH QUESTIONS TO arrangements including: living with two BE ADDRESSED ARE: parents; living with other whänau members; − What are the enablers of motivation and living with one parent and a step parent; and engagement for rangatahi sitting Level 1 NCEA? living with one parent. − What are the barriers to motivation and − the strength of cultural identity engagement for rangatahi sitting Level 1 NCEA? of rangatahi varied. Some boys were very − What are the future aspirations of Year 12 proud of being Mäori and others didn’t identify Mäori boys and to what extent are they strongly as Mäori. planning for their future? − What do boys identify as the key features of motivating teaching practice? What strategies do teachers consider to be effective in promoting the motivation and engagement of Mäori boys?
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA KEY FINDINGS
Enablers of motivation and engagement
For most rangatahi, whänau were a key source of motivation for them to be in school. For many rangatahi, the educational experience of their whänau (both good and bad) was a key motivator and most rangatahi were driven by a desire to make their whänau proud. Rangatahi motivation was positively influenced by a number of sources both within the whänau (including parents, older siblings, aunties, uncles and grandparents) and from outside the whänau (such as teachers, sports coaches; and for high achieving rangatahi, their peer groups).
Three broad categories of enablers that were identified as boosting motivation and engagement were: 3 − positive thoughts including: an appreciation of the value of school, confidence and self-belief, knowledge, and strong cultural identity − knowledge and skills including: knowledge of NCEA and knowledge of study skills − positive behaviours including: persistence and self-management, and study management and effort.
Achievers were more likely to experience enablers that boost motivation. Relative to non-achievers, achievers: − were more confident in their ability to achieve Level 1 − were better able to self-manage including: being organised and prepared for class; ignoring distractions and being able to work independently − were more persistent when learning became challenging/difficult − worked more consistently throughout the year and put more effort into internal assessments, mock exams and external exams − had a better understanding and application of study skills and exam techniques − had greater access to resources that support study management such as study revision books and laptops/internet.
FIGURE 1 - FACTORS THAT ENABLE AND IMPEDE RANGATAHI MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT1
Knowledge of NCEA MOTIVATION Study skills and techniques BOOSTERS Knowledge Strong cultural identity and Persistance and Confidence and self belief Skills self management Valuing school Study management Positive Positive Thoughts Behaviours
Negative Negative Disruptive behaviour Low confidence Self sabotage Behaviours Thoughts Fear of looking dumb Attendance Factors Complacent attitudes that Reduce Capacity
MOTIVATION Health and learning needs GUZZLERS Social circumstances Literacy Equipment Gaps in knowledge
1. This diagram draws broadly on the model of student motivation and engagement developed by Martin, J. (2003). The model identifies the concepts of motivation boosters (factors that enhance motivation) and motivation guzzlers (factors that reduce motivation). For more detail about the model refer to Appendix A.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Barriers to motivation and engagement − were less likely to have the correct equipment required which either had disciplinary The key barriers to motivation and engagement consequences or could contribute to low faced by rangatahi include: achievement − negative thoughts including: complacent − were more likely to have lower levels of attitudes to Year 11, low confidence and self- attendance and engage in disruptive classroom belief in their academic ability and a reluctance behaviour. to ask for help in class − factors that reduced rangatahi capacity Diversity of experience amongst rangatahi to engage and achieve including: previous Within the broad categories of achievers and 4 negative school experience (low levels of non-achievers, there are identifiable sub-groups literacy and gaps in knowledge); social of rangatahi that share similar characteristics circumstances (such as the death of a and experiences. Identification of these sub- close family member; issues with parental groups is intended to help readers visualise and relationships; family violence; unstable living better understand the diversity of experience and circumstances; issues related to suicide within circumstances amongst Year 11 rangatahi and in the whänau or a combination of these factors); turn provide insights to enable better targeting of lack of equipment and undetected health and student needs. learning needs − negative behaviours including: non- Amongst the group of rangatahi who participated attendance; disruptive classroom behaviour in the research, five key typology groups (or sub- and self-sabotaging behaviour outside of groups of rangatahi) have been identified: high school (where computer gaming activities flyers; quiet achievers; over-confidents; strugglers and, to a lesser extent, sports commitments and vulnerables. detracted from study effort). Figure 2 (page 5) plots each of these typologies Non-achievers were more likely than achievers along two dimensions that the researchers to have experienced one or more barriers to identified as impacting on rangatahi achievement: motivation and engagement. Relative to achievers, the level of confidence, skills and knowledge non-achievers: held by rangatahi and the extent of active − were less likely to have made the attitudinal encouragement and support from whänau transition required from Year 10 to Year 11; and/or teachers. were notably less confident in their ability to achieve Level 1 and were more reluctant to The size of the typology shape is indicative of the seek help either within or outside the classroom relative number of rangatahi within this sample environment for fear of ‘looking dumb’ whose experiences aligned with that typology. − were more likely to find learning difficult due The key features of each of these typologies are to gaps in knowledge from previous years and set out in Table 1 (page 8). low levels of literacy) − were more likely to face issues around a lack of equipment
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA FIGURE 2 - MATRIX OF LEARNER TYPOLOGIES
Active encouragement and support from whänau and/ or teachers
High Flyers
Quiet Achievers
Rangatahi have Rangatahi have 5 low confidence, Over-confidents high confidence skills and skills and knowledge Strugglers knowledge
Vulnerables
Minimal encouragement and support from whänau/teachers
Future aspirations of rangatahi
Most achievers were self-motivated to return to school. They had goals and were usually focused on lifting their grades, and attaining the requisite Level 2 and 3 credits required to pursue chosen career/ tertiary pathways. Some achievers were more reticent about returning to Year 12 but had done so as a result of either their parent’s encouragement and/or expectations.
The non-achievers were more strongly influenced to return to Year 12 by parents or significant others. Their motivations included attaining the entry qualifications to a course, the opportunity to socialise with friends and to pursue sports interests.
Many rangatahi (both achievers and non-achievers) reported improvements in their attitudes, behaviour and achievement in Year 12 and this was consistent with the views of their teachers and whänau.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As a group, rangatahi (both achievers and Teaching strategies to engage rangatahi non-achievers) reported a narrow range of Rangatahi value and respect teachers who have occupational aspirations. Some achievers had a sense of humour and are able to make their clear occupational aspirations (including a mix subject area engaging; who are able to control of professional and trade occupations) whereas classroom behaviour, are fair and consistent, and others aspired to some form of tertiary education who care about them and support and encourage (usually university). them to achieve. Most commonly, non-achievers “did not know” Teachers identified a number of strategies that what their future aspirations were. Those with they had found to be effective when engaging 6 specific aspirations were most likely to aspire to with rangatahi including: investing in building a trade occupations. Some non-achievers, despite relationship with rangatahi; building confidence not having passed Level 1, aspired to and motivation; tightly managing behaviour; and professional occupations. targeting teacher support within the classroom. A sizeable portion of both achievers and non- This included: making work relevant to rangatahi, achievers were uncertain about what types of breaking down work into manageable chunks and occupations they would like to pursue in the hovering and circulating the classroom. future. Employment in the defence forces (Army, Teachers also identified engaging the support of Navy and Air Force) emerged as the most popular whänau (on a subject by subject basis) as a key aspiration for both achievers and non-achievers. strategy to support rangatahi achievement. Few rangatahi, low or high achieving, reported The accessibility of whänau via technology having accessed careers advice from school. Some emerged as a key enabler of teacher-whänau rangatahi had canvassed future career options collaboration. A number of teachers of both with whänau, whänau friends and mentors. achievers and non-achievers had successfully Some whänau of achievers had assumed an active engaged the support of whänau via e-mail and role in helping their rangatahi to plan for their texts. Teachers reported that there was often future by talking to them about their aspirations a good response from whänau which enabled and researching various options. Others were teachers and whänau to work together to keep the supportive of rangatahi in planning for their rangatahi on track. Teachers identified that some futures but relied more on sources at school or whänau (especially whänau of non-achievers) wider family/networks for advice about future can be difficult to make contact with due to options. Whänau of non-achievers tended to be technological barriers. This impeded the degree to less proactive about engaging with rangatahi about which teachers and whänau could collaborate to their futures and facilitating their future pathways. support rangatahi.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA TABLE 1 - DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES
Features High flyers Quiet Achievers Over-confidents Stugglers Vulnerables
Credit range 120+ 70-120 40-80 credits 40-70 Less than 40
Motivation Highly motivated Motivated Low Somewhat motivated Low motivation
Confidence High Low High Low Low
Attitudes to year 11 Very positive Positive Negative Somewhat positive Negative
Personal Organised Hard working Personable Low self esteem Low self esteem Charachteristics Conscientious Persistent Able Self-concious Disengaged 7 Independent learners Quiet Easily distracted Disorganised
Previous educational Yes Some Some success Limited success Limited success success (Years 9 and 10)
Literacy High Adequate Adequate Variable Low
Knowledge of NCEA High Reasonable Limited Low Very low
Effort put into Consistent all year Grows throughout the Minimal until Term 3 Minimal until Term 3 Minimal all year assessments year
Asessment skills2 Well developed Some skills Skill awareness – Low knowledge No knowledge limited application
Access to study High Variable Variable Low None resources outside school3
Future aspirations Clear career / Some employment/ Range of aspirations Vocal aspirations Limited future education aspirations education No thought given to Some thought given aspirations have begun to think aspirations pathways to trade pathways No thought given to through pathways Unsure about pathways potential pathways
Whänau support/ Actively supportive Supportive Variable support Passive support Limited support engagement Strong collaboration Limited Some collaboration Limited No collaboration with school Collaboration with with school Collaboration with with school school school
2. Such as study skills and exam techniques. 3. Such as computers and subject revision books.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY POTENTIAL FOCUS AREA FOR POLICY INTERVENTION A summary of the potential focus areas for intervention and potential actions that could be taken to promote increased motivation, engagement and achievement by rangatahi is provided in Table 2. A discussion about the rationale for the options is provided in Section 9.
TABLE 2 - OPTIONS FOR ENHANCING THE ENGAGEMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT OF RANGATAHI IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Focus on the intervention Target groups Potential actions
Increasing exposure to the range High flyers • Develop strategies that: 8 of future education, training and Quiet achievers − promote increased access by rangatahi to careers advice career options. Over-confidents − encourage rangatahi to carefully consider their subject options Strugglers/vulnerables − raise awareness of rangatahi about sources of information on career options such as the Mäori Future Makers website and NZQA resources. • Undertake further quantitative research into the subject choices of rangatahi and their impact on future pathways.
Increasing levels of Quiet achievers • Consider initiatives/resources to improve rangatahi and whänau understanding of NCEA by Over-confidents understanding of NCEA. The key messages to emphasise are the rangatahi and whänau Strugglers/vulnerables importance of: − rangatahi “switching on” at the beginning of the year − internal assessments − subject choices for future options.
Lifting literacy Strugglers/vulnerables • Undertake further research into the extent to which literacy impedes the achievement of rangatahi in secondary school by: − analysing National Standards data from Years 6 and 8 to examine the relative literacy levels of rangatahi. • Consider the feasibility of piloting an IT based literacy intervention with: − rangatahi in Years 5/6 and 9/10 by participants in the research who have low literacy.
“Wrap around” support for Strugglers/vulnerables • Approach Rosehill College to further explore the Kaimanaaki programme rangatahi and the extent to which the learnings could be shared with other schools.
Increasing access to equipment Quiet achievers • Explore options for ensuring rangatahi: and resources Over-confidents − have access to equipment and resources to require to support learning Strugglers/vulnerables and achievement. − health issues that have the potential to impede learning are detected and addressed.
Initiatives to accelerate Over-confidents • Approach Trident High School to further explore the Te Timatanga Hou achievement Strugglers/vulnerables model and the extent to which it offers learnings for other secondary schools.
Increasing collaboration Quiet achievers • Consider options for increasing whänau access to techology that with whänau Over-confidents facilitates: Strugglers/vulnerables − increased communication and collaboration between teachers and whänau communication − rangatahi access to the internet to support their study management.
Capturing effective models School capability • Document the approach that schools who have some success in lifting Mäori of change achievement are taking to lift organisational capacity and the lessons learnt. • Subject to the approval of the schools, share this innovation and good practice among other schools. • Undertake action research in schools that are seeking support to lift Mäori achievement.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 2. INTRODUCTION 9
SECTION TITLE 2.1 PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH rangatahi in secondary school. It is anticipated that this will lead to increased participation in post- Te Puni Kökiri commissioned this research to compulsory education and training and ultimately explore the motivation and engagement of rangatahi entering into skilled employment. rangatahi in secondary school. Te Puni Kökiri is particularly interested in understanding the 2.2 BACKGROUND differences between high and low achieving boys. Mätauranga (building of knowledge and skills) is The objectives of the research are to: a key component of the Mäori Potential Approach − identify barriers that contribute to that underpins the work of Te Puni Kökiri. The aim disproportionate numbers of rangatahi 10 is to identify and promote strategies that support disengaging from secondary school Mäori to build confidence and identity, grow skills − identify ways in which boys, whänau and and talents and generate innovation and creativity. teachers can work together to reduce barriers Knowledge and skills are considered key enablers to disengagement of Mäori potential as they underpin choice and the − explore the experiences of rangatahi who power to act to improve life quality.4 achieved Level 1 NCEA and identify the key factors that enabled their achievement; The historical differences in the educational including the roles of teachers and whänau. achievement of Mäori relative to other groups in New Zealand have been well documented. The key research questions to be Whilst there have been some observable addressed are: improvements in the retention and achievement of − What are the enablers of motivation and rangatahi at secondary school level over the past engagement for rangatahi sitting Level 1 NCEA? decade, the retention and attainment levels of − What are the barriers to motivation and Mäori remain disproportionately low. engagement for rangatahi sitting Level 1 NCEA? Figure 3 (page 11) shows that in 2011, by age 17 − What are the future aspirations of Year 12 years,5 64.7 percent of Mäori students had stayed Mäori boys and to what extent are they on at school to age 17 years, compared to 82.8 planning for their future? percent of European students. − What do boys identify as the key features of motivating teaching practice? In terms of achievement, Figure 4 (page 11) shows − What strategies do teachers consider to be that in 2004, the proportion of rangatahi who effective in promoting the motivation and didn’t achieve a qualification (50.2 percent) was engagement of Mäori boys? higher than the proportion that did (31.5 percent). − Are there approaches/initiatives that By 2009 this situation had reversed, however the participating schools have introduced that are Level 1 achievement rates for Year 11 rangatahi contributing to the engagement, motivation are still very low. and achievement of Mäori boys? The research is based on engagement with Year 12 Of the 13,771 Year 11 Mäori students in 2011, rangatahi in seven secondary schools about their 47.6 percent achieved Level 1 but 42.3 percent didn’t. experience of Year 11 and Level 1 NCEA. It also A further 8.1 percent of this cohort didn’t sit Level 1. captures the perspectives of the boys’ whänau and This has implications for the future capacity and teachers who taught them in Year 11. capability of the Mäori labour force and in turn, the economic well-being of Mäori individuals and whänau. The findings of the research may be used to inform the development of an initiative/s to promote increased engagement and achievement by
4. Te Puni Kökiri, (Oct 2008). Mäori Potential Approach. www.tpk.govt.nz/en/about/mpa 5. The legal school leaving age for students in New Zealand is 16 years.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA FIGURE 3 - PROPORTION OF MÄORI STUDENTS FIGURE 4 - PROPORTION OF MÄORI STUDENTS STAYING ON AT SCHOOL TO AGE 17 YEARS WHO ACHIEVED NCEA LEVEL 1 2004-2011 2009-2011
90 Mäori European 60 Level 1 No Qualification 80 50 70 60 40 50 30 40 11 20 20
Percent of students Percent 10 of students Percent 10 0 0 2009 2010 2011 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Source: Ministry of Education. (July 2013). Retention of students in senior secondary schools. Retrieved from http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/indicators/main/student-engagement- participation/1955
2.2.1 Scope of the research
In defining the scope of the research, Te PuniKökiri chose to focus this research specifically on the experience of Mäori boys due to their disproportionately low outcomes at secondary school including relative to Mäori girls.6 Te Puni Kökiri recognises that while Mäori girls record a slight advantage over Mäori boys, their education outcomes are still low relative to those of non-Mäori boys and girls.7 The experience of Mäori girls may form the subject of future research.
Te Puni Kökiri also chose to undertake the research in mainstream state secondary schools. The rationale for this was that Mäori boys in mainstream secondary schools record lower achievement rates than Mäori boys in other school types. Further, the majority of Mäori students are enrolled in mainstream schools, so therefore initiatives to lift achievement will have the largest scale impact if targeted at and designed to meet the needs of these schools.
2.3 RESEARCH DESIGN
Te Puni Kökiri made a decision to focus the research on Year 12 boys in 2013 who undertook Level 1 NCEA in 2012. This decision was informed by a number of considerations including the following: − Year 12 would include boys who had and who had not achieved Level 1 NCEA − using Level 1 results as a “marker” would provide a tangible and consistent measure of achievement and therefore selection of students across schools − it was anticipated that Year 12 boys would be more confident about engaging with the research team than younger students.
The research took place in seven secondary schools. Within each school the aim was to engage with: − three rangatahi who achieved Level 1 − three rangatahi who did not achieve Level 1 − three teachers who had taught the selected rangatahi in Year 11 − whänau of the participating rangatahi.
6. The youth school participation rate for Maori females aged 17 years in 2010 was 54.1% compared to 47.2% for Mäori boys. (Te Puni Kökiri, 2012) 7. The youth school participation rate for Non-Maori females aged 17 years in 2010 was 78.5% compared to 72.5% for non-Mäori boys. (ibid)
INTRODUCTION TABLE 3 - SCHOOL SAMPLING FRAME
School categories Definition#
High Mäori academic − Schools with over 65 percent of Mäori boys in Year 12 achieving NCEA achievement Level 2 in 2011
Low Mäori academic − Schools with less than 45 percent of Mäori boys in Year 12 achieving achievement NCEA Level in 2011
High Mäori enrolment − Schools where more than 50 percent of students in 2010 were Mäori.
12 Schools that had participated in − A Ministry of Education programme to enhance teaching agency/ the Te Kötahitanga programme.8 effectiveness.
# As defined by Te Puni Kökiri.
2.3.1 Selection of schools − Central North Island: Tarawera High; Rotorua Lakes High School; Trident High School Te Puni Kökiri developed a high level sampling − Auckland: Aorere College; Waitakere College; frame to guide the research that involved Rosehill College. sampling two schools from each of the following categories. Due to competing priorities, Waitakere College Te Puni Kökiri then developed a set of criteria for withdrew from the study resulting in a total sample selecting schools for the research using data from of seven schools. A summary of key characteristics Education Counts and the NZQA website. The of the final sample of schools is provided in Table 4. selection process involved: 2.3.2 Selection and recruitment of − developing a list of schools with more than 15 participants percent Mäori enrolments Kaipuke worked in collaboration with a school − deleting schools where the total number of liaison person (nominated by the Principal) to Mäori boys at Year 12 was less than 20 (to identify potential boys who met the selection protect anonymity) criteria. In collaboration with the liaison person, − identifying schools that were participating in Kaipuke then identified the whänau of the 9 the Te Kötahitanga programme. selected students. For the purpose of this project, From this process, Te Puni Kökiri identified a “long the term whänau is broadly defined to include: list” of 30 schools in the three regions where parents, extended family, caregivers (including Kaipuke researchers were located (Wellington, CYF caregivers) foster parents or other significant Central North Island and Auckland).10 Kaipuke then adults associated with the selected boys. selected a short list of eight schools that included: 8. Te Kotahitanga is a Ministry of Each school was asked to identify three teachers schools from a spread of locations within the Education initiative. The model rejects who had taught the selected rangatahi when they deficit thinking, and focuses on three broader regions and a mix of high and low enhancing teacher agency/effectiveness were in Year 11 that could be invited to participate decile schools. to bring about change in Mäori in the research. student’s achievement. The programme involves workshops, classroom In November 2012, the eight selected schools were observations, co-construction meetings Table 5 (page 13) shows the final sample of and shadow coaching. invited to participate in the research. One school research participants. The target of 42 student 9. Te Puni Kökiri did this based on did not accept the invitation to participate in the appendices from Ministry of Education participants was met (including 22 boys who reports (Phases 3 & 4) and from an research so another school that met the same achieved Level 1 and 20 who did not). In total, article by the University of Waikato criteria was invited to take part in the research. (Phase 5). 22 whänau of the participating rangatahi were 10. This was to realise efficiencies within The schools that agreed to participate included: the research budget and also to successfully recruited to participate in the ensure that schools, to the extent − Wellington: Wainuiomata High School; research. Across those 22 interviews, 28 whänau possible, could work with researchers from their local community. Rongotai College members participated including 17 mothers, four
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA TABLE 4 - THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
School School Total Mäori Mäori as a No. of year % of Mäori decile enrolments % of school 12 boys boys who 2011 roll 2011 enrolled attained 2011 Level 2 2011 Tarawera High School 1 236 85% 24 71%
Aorere College 2 259 17% 22 32%
Wainuiomata High School 4 356 40% 41 27%
Trident High School 5 496 44% 42 55% 13 Rotorua Lakes High School 5 327 52% 29 59%
Rosehill College 6 389 22% 32 53%
Rongotai College 6 102 15% 22 73%
Source: Ministry of Education. (n.d.). Administrative data. Retrieved from www.educationcounts.govt.nz fathers, two grandmothers, two older sibling caregivers and three care givers. Of the three caregivers one rangatahi referred to them as “Aunty” and “Uncle” and the other referred to as “Nan”.
The main reason for non-participation by whänau was that they were unable to be contacted either by the school and/or the research team. Of the whänau who were able to be contacted, only one declined to be interviewed. Table 4 shows that whänau of the boys who did achieve Level 1 were better represented than those of the boys who did not (15 and seven respectively).
As part of the risk assessment in the design of the project, it was anticipated that whänau may be difficult to access within the constraints of the project (due to timelines and budgets). It was acknowledged that not meeting the whänau targets would limit the extent to which triangulation of the perspectives of rangatahi, teachers and whänau could occur. However, it was considered that the perspectives of rangatahi and teachers would still provide important insights into the research questions.
The target number of teachers (three per school) was exceeded with 28 teachers in total agreeing to participate in the research. All of these teachers had taught one or more of the rangatahi who participated in the research.
TABLE 5 - SAMPLE OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE RESEARCH
School Rangatahi who achieved Rangatahi who did not Teachers Level 1 achieve Level 1 Rangatahi Whänau Rangatahi Whänau
Rosehill College 2 1 4 1 51
Aorere College 4 2 3 0 3
Rotorua Lakes High School 3 3 3 1 6
Trident High School 3 3 3 3 3
Rongotai College 4 3 2 1 4
Wainuiomata High School 2 2 4 1 3
Tarawera High School 4 1 1 1 3
Total sample 22 15 20 7 28
Total target 21 21 21 21 21
(1) Including one Kaimanaaki (non-teaching role).
INTRODUCTION 2.3.3 Research tools were conducted individually or in mini groups. All teacher interviews were undertaken on site Semi-structured interview guides were used to at schools either at lunch time, after school or guide discussions with each of the stakeholder sometimes during class time when principals were groups (rangatahi, whänau and teachers). able to make arrangements so that teachers could The guides were designed to capture be released. information about: All interviews were undertaken by Mäori − the background of rangatahi and the whänau/ interviewers and in six of the seven schools social context for their learning interviews with rangatahi were undertaken by − the levels of motivation and engagement 14 male interviewers. This strategy was employed of rangatahi as it was considered that boys may be able to − support/mentoring received by rangatahi develop a better rapport with male researchers but − understanding of, and preparation for, also because it was an opportunity to expose boys Level 1 NCEA to male role models working within the − the impact of teachers and whänau on research industry. learning engagement − the future aspirations of rangatahi. 2.3.5 Ethical considerations
In addition to open ended questions, rangatahi The research was conducted in accordance with were asked to self-rate their level of motivation the Australasian Evaluation Society’s guidelines for to achieve NCEA and their confidence in their the ethical conduct of evaluations.11 The guidelines ability to do so. They were also asked to rate their are based on four guiding principles of: level of understanding of NCEA. Finally, they were − acting to promote research participants’ asked to rate the effort they put into preparing well-being for NCEA. The interview guides are attached as − preventing harm and/or adverse effects Appendices B-D. to research participants 2.3.4 Method of engagement with − respecting the right of the participant to research participants take responsibility for himself or herself − treating all participants in a fair and Depending on the preference of the school, just manner. rangatahi interviews took the form of either one on one interviews or pair or mini group Through the information sheet, consent form and interviews (ranging in size from three to four introductory comments by the research team, all rangatahi). Rangatahi groups were clustered participants were aware that their participation according to the achievement levels of students. was voluntary. Participants were informed of Rangatahi interviews took place within the school what would happen in the research, the kinds environment. All rangatahi were provided with a of information to be sought, and the procedures morning or afternoon tea pack which they were that will be used to assure anonymity and invited to partake of either during the interview confidentiality. In the invitation to principals (and or to take away with them. as part of the consent process) participants were advised that the results of the research would Whänau who agreed to participate in the be distributed to participating schools, teachers, research were interviewed individually, usually rangatahi and whänau when the report was in their own home. Some whänau interviews accepted by Te Puni Kökiri. were also undertaken at school. Depending on the preference of principals, teacher interviews
11. www.aes.asn.au/about/Documents%20.../code_of_ethics.pdf
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA The engagement process was under-pinned by a Each year students study a number of courses or kaupapa Mäori research approach which is consistent subjects. In each subject, skills and knowledge are with the seven kaupapa Mäori practices12 identified assessed against a number of standards. Schools by Smith (1999:120). All participants received a use a range of internal and external assessments small koha in recognition of their contribution to to measure how well students meet these the research (for boys a $10 koha, for whänau a $30 standards. When a student achieves a standard, koha and for teachers a small gift). they gain a number of credits.
2.3.6 Data analysis To achieve Level 1 NCEA students must gain 80 credits of which 10 must be literacy and 10 Data analysis commenced from the first interview must be numeracy credits.14 Many schools allow 15 and was an embedded strand throughout the students to study a mix of standards at different information collection process. The research team levels, depending on their ability. Thus students employed a grounded theory approach to data who do not attain 80 Level 1 credits in Year 11 can collection, coding and analysis.13 still proceed to Year 12. They can enrol in Level From the qualitative data collected through hui 2 for those subjects where they have attained and/or interviews, common findings relating to sufficient credits to progress and at the same time the motivation and engagement of rangatahi they can enrol in Level 1 subjects where they did were identified and extracted from the interview not achieve sufficient credits. notes, and audios taken during engagement with participants. These findings were then grouped 2.5 CAVEATS into similar themes in order to make them more To inform the design of this research, Te Puni Kökiri workable. These themes then provided the basis undertook a literature review of research relating to for conclusions about rangatahi motivation Mäori student achievement including: the needs of and engagement. male learners, the needs of Mäori learners and how whänau and teachers shape student engagement Each team member undertook a rigorous content and achievement. and thematic analysis of interview notes from each of the interviews immediately following the The focus of this research report is presenting the site visit. On completion of the fieldwork, Kaipuke key findings to emerge from engagement with convened a researcher debrief and analysis rangatahi, whänau and teachers and identifying workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to the potential policy implications of the findings. collectively engage the whole team in the analysis It was beyond the scope of this project to consider, and interpretation process to inform the research in detail, the extent to which these findings findings against the key research questions. align with the existing body of research on Mäori student achievement or have the potential 2.4 OVERVIEW OF NCEA to inform new theory on the motivation and The National Certificate of Educational engagement of rangatahi. Achievement (NCEA) is the main national Undertaking this more detailed work is an option qualification for secondary school students in New that Te Puni Kökiri may consider advancing in Zealand. A young person’s level of attainment in the future. NCEA is recognised by employers, and used for selection by universities and polytechnics, both in New Zealand and overseas.
12. Aroha ki te tangata (a respect for people); kanohi e kitea (the seen face; that is, present yourself to people face-to-face); titiro, whakarongo, körero (look, listen, speak); manaaki ki te tangata (share and host people, be generous); kia tupato (be cautious); kaua e takahia te mana o te tangata (do not trample over the mana of the people); kaua e mahaki (do not flaunt your knowledge). 13. Grounded theory is a systematic methodology that involves the discovery of theory through the analysis of data. This approach contrasts with contradicts the traditional model of social science research, where the researcher chooses a theoretical framework, and only then applies this model to the phenomenon to be studied. 14. New Zealand Qualifications Authority. (n.d). Level 1 literacy and numeracy requirements. Retrieved from http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/subjects/literacy-and-numeracy/level-1-requirements/
INTRODUCTION This exploratory research is qualitative in nature engagement are the subject of Section 5. Section and is based on a purposive (non-representative) 6 explores the future aspirations of rangatahi, the sample of students. The findings presented here extent to which they have accessed careers advice relate to the 42 students who participated in the and the role that whänau play in supporting research. Readers should note that larger scale rangatahi to plan for their futures. quantitative research would be required to test the extent to which these findings (both from Sections 4-6 give particular emphasis to exploring the qualitative interviews and the self-ratings of the differences between the two broad groups - students) are able to be generalised to a wider achievers and non-achievers. Section 7 provides cohort of rangatahi. Having noted these caveats, a more detailed analysis of sub-groups of 16 rangatahi who participated in the research. The Kaipuke is confident that sufficient saturation15 aim is to illustrate the diversity of experience and has occurred for the key themes to inform the key circumstances amongst Year 11 rangatahi and in research questions. turn to provide insights to enable better targeting As indicated above not all whänau were able to of student needs. be contacted and therefore the voice of whänau in the research findings is not as strong as Section 8 explores what rangatahi identify as the that of rangatahi and teachers. Thus there are key features of motivating teachers and identifies fewer insights into the views, perspectives and strategies that teachers consider to be effective in experiences of whänau, particularly those whänau engaging rangatahi. The concluding section of the of rangatahi who did not pass Level 1. report discusses the potential policy implications of the research findings. Finally, while the report identifies some initiatives identified by schools that have impacted on rangatahi motivation and achievement, the researchers acknowledge there is likely to be a range of other initiatives in place that were not captured during the two day site visits.
2.6 REPORT STRUCTURE The remainder of this report presents the research findings and is structured around the key research questions identified above. The following section of the report provides an overview of the achievement levels and characteristics of rangatahi who participated in the research. Section 4 discusses the enablers of motivation and engagement as identified by rangatahi, teachers and whänau. The barriers to motivation and
15. Data saturation occurs when the researcher is no longer hearing or seeing new information.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 3. PROFILE OF RANGATAHI
SECTION TITLE 3.1 OVERVIEW This section provides an overview of the characteristics of rangatahi who participated in the research. It begins by presenting the profile of achievement of participating rangatahi. It then provides an overview of the characteristics of rangatahi including the number of children in their whänau, their
18 living arrangements, and the strength of their cultural identity. This information was gathered during the introductory part of the rangatahi interviews.
3.2 PROFILE OF ACHIEVEMENT Across the sample of rangatahi, there was a wide range of achievement levels (from 24 credits to 211 credits). Figure 5 shows the distribution of the 42 rangatahi who participated in the research by the number of Level 1 credits they had attained. For the purpose of the comparative analysis presented in sections 4 and 5 of the report, rangatahi who attained 80 Level 1 credits or more are referred to as ‘achievers’. Figure 5 shows that of the 22 achievers, 13 were clustered within the 80-109 credit range.
The term ‘non-achievers’ is used to refer to rangatahi who achieved less than 80 credits. The group of 20 non-achievers who participated in the research was weighted towards the lower achievement range with 11 achieving less that 50 credits (Figure 5).
FIGURE 5 - NUMBER OF CREDITS ATTAINED BY RANGATAHI (N=42)
14
12
10
8
6
4 Number of rangatahi
2
0 <30 30-49 50-79 80-109 110-139 <140
Number of credits achieved
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 3.3 WHÄNAU SIZE AND LIVING FIGURE 6 - NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN THE WHÄNAU ARRANGEMENTS (N=40)16 Figure 6 shows that many of the rangatahi reported that they came from large whänau 10 9 with more than half (26) of the rangatahi 19 8 identifying that there were three or more children 7 in their whänau. Only 14 rangatahi came from 6 whänau with one or two children. 5 4 As well as large whänau sizes, rangatahi also had a 3 diverse range of living arrangements (Figure 7). Just Number of rangatahi 2 over half the sample (22) lived with their mother 1 0 and father; four rangatahi lived with one parent One Two Three Four Five Six+ and a step-parent; and seven rangatahi lived with Number of children in the Whänau one parent (four with their mother and three with their father). A sizeable portion of the sample (eight) lived with their wider whänau – including FIGURE 7 - LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF RANGATAHI two with an older sister, one with an aunty and (N=41)17 uncle, and five with their nan/koro. 25 3.4 STRENGTH OF CULTURAL IDENTITY 20
Across the group of rangatahi who participated in 15 the research, the strength of their cultural identity varied. Some boys identified strongly and proudly 10 as Mäori. These rangatahi would often refer to
Number of rangatahi 5 their iwi when they introduced themselves and they reported having regular engagement with 0 Te Ao Mäori. This was more likely to be the case Mum & Dad One Parent Parent & Step Whänau Parent for some (but not all) rangatahi who attended Living arrangements Trident High School, Rotorua Lakes High School and Tarawera High School. A number of the rangatahi who participated in the research had previously attended Kura Kaupapa Mäori or had been enrolled in bilingual/immersion classes within mainstream schools.
I’m Tühoe on Mum’s side and Ngati Porou on Dad’s side. I’m into kapa haka. I love it. I like to represent my school. I’m also doing Manu Körero this year. Rangatahi 5, School D
16. Two of the participating rangatahi did not disclose how many children were in their whänau. 17. One rangatahi did not disclose their living arrangements.
PROFILE OF RANGATAHI There were other boys who did not identify their iwi but referred to their rohe. These rangatahi often indicated that they had some level of engagement with Te Ao Mäori and often referred to going home for tangi or reunions.
We go back to the marae for reunion. Every year in [rohe] - we go there every year to play sports. Rangatahi 5, School A
Other rangatahi had less knowledge about their tribal affiliations or contact with Te Ao Mäori but were keen to learn.
My favourite subject is Mäori – cause I am Mäori and I like to learn new things about myself. 20 Mäori class environment is good. Teacher doesn’t muck around. I’m not really shy in that class. Rangatahi 3a,18 School G
A small number of rangatahi indicated that they were not comfortable in their identity as Mäori.
When I hear Mäori I hear ‘hori’. I don’t really like being Mäori. The way kids behave at school. Most Mäori are in gangs and they have given us Mäoris a bad name. Dad’s from [rohe]. We only go home for funerals. Rangatahi 1, Wainuiomata 3.5 INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL Outside of school, many of the rangatahi were engaged in competitive sporting activities (in particular, league and rugby but also a diverse range of other sports such as soccer, martial arts, kayaking, boxing and volleyball). Some participants were also active in cultural pursuits (in particular kapa haka and waka ama). The range of achievements recorded by rangatahi (both achievers and non-achievers) included: being selected for regional and national representative teams, and winning international team events and national titles for individual pursuits. In addition, a number of rangatahi were engaged in part-time employment, for example in retail, hospitality and property management.
3.6. SUMMARY OF RANGATAHI PROFILE The demographic characteristics of rangatahi who participated in the research were diverse:
− across the sample of rangatahi there were a wide range of achievement levels (from 24 credits to 211 credits) − more than half the rangatahi came from whänau with three or more children − rangatahi had a diverse range of living arrangements including: living with two parents, living with other whänau members, living with one parent and a step parent, and living with one parent − the strength of cultural identity of rangatahi varied. Some boys were very proud of being Mäori and others did not identify strongly as Mäori.
18. In Schools C and G four non-achievers were interviewed, thus the fourth participant has been coded as 3a.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 4. ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 4.1 OVERVIEW
This section begins by discussing key sources of motivation for rangatahi to be in school and achieve. It then identifies the key enablers of motivation and engagement in Year 11 (as identified by rangatahi, teachers, and whänau) which include: motivating thoughts, knowledge and skills, and motivating behaviours.19 The section concludes by discussing the extent to which whänau attempted to boost the motivation and engagement of rangatahi.
This section gives particular emphasis to identifying the broad differences between rangatahi who did achieve Level 1 (referred to as achievers) and rangatahi who did not achieve Level 1 (referred to as
22 non-achievers). Readers should note however that within these two groups of rangatahi there was a wide range of achievement levels.20 Section 7 provides a more detailed analysis of sub groups within the sample of participating students. Finally, the quote sources denote the achievement levels of rangatahi. Rangatahi who achieved Level 1 are assigned numbers 1-3 and rangatahi who did not are assigned numbers 4-6.
4.2 SOURCES OF MOTIVATION TO ACHIEVE AT SCHOOL
For most rangatahi, whänau were a key source of motivation for them to be in school and this was true of both achievers and non-achievers. Some rangatahi were motivated by role models within their whänau who had already experienced educational success:
Yeah cause my Mum’s like real brainy, getting a doctorate, that’s something that motivated me, just to be like her. Rangatahi 1, School C
His older cousins are all in uni too. He’s got that in his head too that he’s gonna go to uni. He’s trying to get as many credits now instead of just scrapping through … Because he sees his cousins, they go every day, they talk about their classes and that motivates him. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School A
He’s talked to me about being a PE teacher. He knows what is required. He knows what qualifications are needed. He’s quite passionate about it. I think that’s what’s motivating him; he’s got direction. We come from a family of teachers. We highly value education. Next week is my Aunty’s graduation for her doctorate. He has all these role models for teaching. Sister of Rangatahi 6, School C
For some rangatahi, it was the low educational attainment and employment outcomes of whänau members that motivated them to remain in school:
My background is most of my family, they didn’t stay in school. I come from a troubled family. Most of my older brothers dropped out. I use that as a motivating factor to pass. Rangatahi 1, School B
19. The structure of this section and Section 5 draws broadly on the model of student motivation developed by Martin, J. (2003). The model reflects the thoughts, feelings and behaviours underlying academic engagement at school. It separates motivation into factors that reflect enhanced motivation (referred to as ‘boosters’) and those that reflect reduced motivation (referred to as ‘guzzlers’). (Refer Appendix A). 20. In the case of boys who achieved Level 1, from 80 credits to more than 140 credits, and for boys who did not pass, from 24 to 76 credits.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Well I’ll be honest; my family isn’t the most successful family in the whole whänau. I just didn’t want to end up like them, with average jobs. I wanted something more than that. Rangatahi 1, School D My dad dropped out when he was 15; joined the services; went into the Navy. No NCEA back then. My mum left when she was 17. Yeah, they all regret not carrying on in school. They tell me and my sister to carry on; keep going hard. It’s motivated me hard. They say it all the time; it’s always putting it in my head. Seeing my cousin’s drop out, having kids, after a while you are just trying to straighten up your family name. Rangatahi 5, School E
For one rangatahi, the low expectations of others and/or negative stereotypes of Mäori were a motivator 23 for his educational success:
My motivation was not fitting into the statistics. Like how they always say Mäori always fail. I was like ‘I’m gonna be the one who passes - show you all up.’ Our matua used to show the statistics at assembly a few times. I was like ‘Nah, I’m not gonna be like that.’ Rangatahi 2, School C
Rangatahi often referred to mothers as their primary motivators but they also gave examples of how other whänau members including fathers, aunties, uncles and grandparents, had motivated them:
My parents motivated me. I’m the oldest; they expect me to do well. There’s only a few of my friends who do well. Rangatahi 3, School B My uncle [motivates me] cause after my old man passed away he took us. Before when my old man was alive, I didn’t really care about school, but then my uncle got me back into staying at school. Rangatahi 6, School A My sister she used to tell me to carry on with my work – to do well in school… She knows what it’s like to go down the wrong path. She passed with 108 credits then dropped out. She started getting in with the wrong friends. She’s trying to help me and my little brother out. Rangatahi 3, School C My nan and my koro, that’s the top of my motivation. I grew up with my nanny and koro, they told me be who you are and the best you can be. Knowing that my nanny is proud of me is the best ever. Rangatahi 3, School D
For some rangatahi, it was significant others (such as whänau friends, sports coaches, teachers/ principals/deputy principals) who helped motivate them to be in school:
I’ve got a friend, her daughter is a Doctor. She’s adopted us. She sat down with [name] and drew up a study plan. He took to that, like fish to water. He often talks to [friend]. She rings him. She talked to him about how to break it up. She did sit down, she did a plan out for him and she’s always been there, telling him how to do things. She wants him to follow her. She wants him to go to University. Do a degree, masters, and doctorate. Nan of Rangatahi 1, Trident
ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT Across the participating schools, rangatahi often identified Mäori teachers (often those teaching Te Reo) as influential in motivating them to succeed at school:
My nanny has been the most influential person, but also my Mäori teacher, she has been here since I started high school. I’m constantly reminded to get my homework in on time. Rangatahi 3, School D
Rangatahi also identified peers as a source of motivation, both in terms of providing positive support and encouragement as well as creating a source of competition. This was especially true of achievers:
Yeah, yeah, we always try and beat each other. We were in the same class. We were always in 24 each other’s classes. We would help each other. Rangatahi 1, School C
I have a group of friends in every class. I’m competitive with and try and beat. Have my friends motivate me. Trying to out-do the statistic. Rangatahi 2, School C
[Name] surrounded himself with good people, a good network of friends. There are about five Mäori boys in that class and all were keen on getting credits. [Rangatahi 3] was a beautiful writer. [Rangatahi 2] didn’t quite surround himself with good influences, but he had good whänau support. Closer to exams, friends were able to help each other. They had built a skill base and could problem solve for themselves. Teacher 1, School B
My attitude towards the subject? My friends are interested in science you know so we talk about it. Rangatahi 1, School A
One of my friends who doesn’t really play games [Xbox]; he’s sporty and athletic. He passed. He was telling me to get off the game and start studying. I did it for one subject and ended up passing. He’s in my Mäori class. Rangatahi 5, School G 4.3 THOUGHTS THAT BOOST ENGAGEMENT
4.3.1 Valuing school
Martin (2003) referred to valuing school as being how much students believe what they learn at school is useful, important, and relevant to them or the world in general. Almost all rangatahi who participated in the research placed value on achieving NCEA. For most rangatahi (both low and high achieving) the key value that they associated with the achievement of qualifications was that they would enhance their future job/career prospects.
I just wanted to pass. Just so I can get a good job in the future and have a career choice. Rangatahi 2, School A
To have a good job. Get and income and get some good qualifications. Rangatahi 1, School C
My parents motivate me. They kept telling us we have to do well, get a good job. Dad said stuff like he doesn’t want us to grow up deprived. It made me sad. Rangatahi 6, School C
21. There was a small group of vulnerable rangatahi who did not place high value on the benefits of schooling. The experience of this group is discussed in more detail in Section 7. 22. Where 2 = “I wasn’t very motivated” and 3 = “I was neither motivated nor unmotivated”.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 4.3.2 Motivation and confidence
Rangatahi were asked to self-rate their motivation to achieve Level 1 NCEA (based on their recollection of how they felt at the beginning of Year 11) and their confidence in their ability to do so. Overall, both achievers and non-achievers reported fairly mediocre levels of motivation to pass NCEA with average self-rating scores of 3.6 and 2.8 out of 5 respectively. As the year progressed however, achievers grew in confidence as they began to achieve credits.
I was about a 3 at the start of the year. Once I started getting credits, my confidence increased. Probably went to a 5 by the end of the year. Rangatahi 3, School B 25 Figure 8 shows that achievers were almost equally motivated and confident in their ability to achieve Level 1. By comparison, non-achievers rated themselves as having lower levels of motivation and also were notably less confident in their ability to achieve Level 1. Section 5 discusses in more detail how a lack of confidence can act as a barrier to motivation and engagement.
FIGURE 8 - RANGATAHI SELF-RATING OF THEIR MOTIVATION AND CONFIDENCE TO PASS NCEA
4.0 Motivation Confidence 3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
Rangatahi self rating 1.0
(where 5 = highly motivated) 0.5 Note: These ratings related to the 0.0 42 rangatahi who participated in Achievers Non-achievers this research. They are not able to be generalised to the wider student cohort of rangatahi.
From teachers’ perspectives, there was not a huge difference between the motivation levels of achievers and non-achievers. Many teachers felt that all rangatahi wanted to achieve Level 1, but that the lower achieving were less likely to know how to go about doing so, may face barriers to engagement, or may be less able to persevere when challenged by their learning.
I think they are motivated, sometimes they don’t know how to go about achieving it. I don’t see kids who don’t want success. What they don’t understand that it’s not just going to happen. They need to do practice and focus on their internals. There is often a reality gap of dreaming it and achieving it. Teacher 1, School C
All wanted to pass Level 1. They had the same goal, but motivation was hindered by attendance and behaviour. So motivation is there, but other factors overtook it. Overall, all of the kids are motivated; they all want to get it [NCEA]. Teacher 1, School A I don’t think they are less motivated as such. The cultural background is important to them but I don’t think they are less motivated. They might be a bit lax in some areas, but not less motivated. It could be equipment, pens and pencils. In terms of motivation they still want to learn as much and get ahead. Teacher 3, School B
ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT I think they are motivated, but you can lose them a lot faster I think. They turn up to class, they want the credits but sometimes it gets too hard for them and they just drop off. Teacher 1, School G
4.3.3 Strong cultural identity
Section 3 described the variation in the strength of cultural identity of rangatahi participants. Strong cultural identity emerged as an enabler of confidence and motivation. Rangatahi who identified strongly as Mäori usually considered that it was advantageous in a schooling context and those that did had either achieved or come very close to it:
26 Being Mäori is a big advantage … They don’t know as much as I know. Rangatahi 5, School D For me personally, I think it’s a bit of an advantage. I grew up with my cultural heritage. That can help in some classes – history, geography. I have an understanding of where I come from and where I am. Rangatahi 5, School C
Some whänau also considered strength of cultural identity to be important factor associated with confidence and achievement:
I think it’s important kids know who they are. That gives you a grounding. It’s difficult if you don’t know who you are. [Name] has got it over a lot of them, he knows who he is. He’s comfortable in his own skin. Mother of Rangatahi 5, School D I brought him up since he was a baby. He’s been with me and my husband. Ours is all about our marae. I’ve taught him the old ways. Start at the marae. They know how to do the mahi at the back. Anything to do with the marae, tangihana, he is there. If I am working I say come on son you need to go there. He’s really hard into Mäori. He eats it. He drinks it, no matter what he does. Nan of Rangatahi 5, School D One of his friends is a real high achiever. He went through the kura kaupapa system so is super connected to his whakapapa. Really interesting anecdotally that he is so strong in his identity. He is a good role model for [name] because he is not as connected … I look at his mate, highly connected and achieved really well. A big extended whänau his parents are involved in the local immersion unit. Whereas [name] knows he’s Maori and knows his iwi but I think there’s still a lot of disconnect. He’s very limited in that. I think that’s hard because that really shapes your identity. He’s a highly resilient kid, he’s lived effectively with Päkehä people. I think he’s done a pretty good job. Identity stuff – when he first came down it was all about the external image, but I think at a deeper level I think it’s about forging who he is. He has expressed he wants to get a tä moko, I’ve said I’ll help him, but I want him to go home and find out his whakapapa first, so I want him to go back and force him to do the work. Aunty of Rangatahi 6, School B
Some teachers also noted rangatahi who were strong in their identity were usually confident and tended to achieve well:
Definitely more confident. One kid in Year 11 is extremely confident. He does kapa haka … He’s good at footy. He wasn’t keen at reading, but he achieved in Year 10 cause he was pushed by his parents quite well. He was fluent. Teacher 2, School B Cultural awareness yes, you know the boys who know who they are and it does carry on into their learning. Teacher 3, School B
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 4.4 KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT SUPPORT ACHIEVEMENT
4.4.1 Knowledge and understanding of NCEA
Rangatahi were asked how well they understood NCEA and what they were required to do to pass Level 1. They were also asked their perception of how well their whänau understood NCEA. Overall, both achievers and non-achievers reported fairly low levels of understanding of NCEA at the beginning of Year 11 with average self-rating scores of 3.4 and 2.9 out of 5 respectively.23 The key difference between achievers and non-achievers was that, as the year progressed, achievers understanding of NCEA grew as they begun to attain credits through internal assessments. Non-achievers, by comparison, often reported still being confused about how NCEA worked at the end of the year: 27 Nah, I didn’t know [about NCEA]. And I still don’t know. Rangatahi 4, School D It’s complicated. I’m still trying to get it. Rangatahi 6, School A For some of my classes you needed ticks or something. That’s where you got your credits and it got me confused. I asked my teacher and she just said, ‘See at the end of the year’. Rangatahi 4, School C Just NCEA overall. I remember I didn’t really understand. I got the 80 credits, but I didn’t get it. I was confused how to get them through the year. [Did anyone explain it?] My aunty did, she said it’s like building blocks. When you go in next year you still have same credits. [Did that help you understand?] Yeah, kind of, I was relieved I didn’t have to start all over again. Rangatahi 6, School B
Both groups of rangatahi also rated the understanding of their whänau of NCEA as low. Figure 9 shows that achievers felt they had a better understanding of NCEA than their whänau, whereas non-achievers rated their whänau as having a slightly higher understanding of NCEA than themselves.
FIGURE 9 - RANGATAHI RATING OF THEIR UNDERSTANDING NCEA AND OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR WHÄNAU OF NCEA AT THE BEGINNING OF YEAR 11
5.0 Achievers Non-achievers 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0
Boys self rating 1.5 1.0 0.5 (where 5 = Full understanding) 0.0 Boys rating of their Boys rating of Whänau understanding of NCEA understanding of NCEA
23. Where 2 = “I understood NCEA a little,” and 3 = “I had some understanding of NCEA.”
ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 4.4.2 Knowledge of study skills and exam techniques
Across the sample of rangatahi, their level of knowledge of study skills and exam techniques varied. Achievers were more likely to report planning and scheduling study activities. In addition, they reported accessing a wider range of resources to prepare for assessments, particularly their final exams (for example internet sites and study books):
They told me to revise two days before and prioritise my studying. I went to the NZQA site – our teachers said to go look at past exams – so I did on a computer at home and school. Rangatahi 1, School A
28 They said to revise subjects you struggle with, prioritise and focus more on weaknesses. Rangatahi 2, School A Externals, for the first week I had off, it was just everyday studying. During the day, I got a little chalk board and wrote everything out. Rangatahi 2, School C Revision in my own time, I had my exam timetable on my wall. Mocks and internals helped me for my finals. I did a lot better at internals. Rangatahi 1, School D For revision, I learnt a lot off tutorials about how to study. I used revision books and internet mainly and yeah I put effort into internals. Rangatahi 2, School D I just would go to the maths tutorial and yeah. We could buy study books and they would help us before we go into an exam, I would just learn everything in that book and yeah it was good … I put like nearly everything I had into exams. Rangatahi 3, School D
Non-achievers were more likely to have very limited knowledge of study skills such as planning, timetabling and revision techiques. Similarly, many of these rangatahi appeared to have little if any understanding of exam techiques:
Teachers were mentioning, if you have nothing to do, always do your homework. Study every day, have a study schedule. I didn’t pay much attention to it. Rangatahi 5, School F Exam techiques? Nah not really. Oh they told us but I forgot when I got into the exams. Rangatahi 5, School B Last year I think for one exam I tried to study the night before, but when it came to the morning I forgot it all. From now on I am trying to actually remember what I have learnt. Rangatahi 4, School G 4.5 BEHAVIOURS THAT BOOST ENGAGEMENT
4.5.1 Persistence and self-management
Teachers identified persistence as an engagement boosting behaviour and reported that boys who achieved Level 1 NCEA were better able to persist than those who did not. In addition, teachers identified the ability to self-manage and work independently as important determinants of achievement. Persistence included the ability to persevere when tasks became hard and also the confidence to ask for help:
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA [Rangatahi 1] will try and try and try until he gets it. Some kids will screw up their work and chuck it away. He will say ‘Ok - what can I do?’ Sometimes he will submit three drafts of something to get it right. [Rangatahi 4], he will try, fail and that’s it. Teacher 2, School E I taught [Rangatahi 2] and he was firing. He got a lot of excellences and so forth. When he didn’t get excellence he wasn’t happy. Teacher 2, School F Self-motivated and responsible learners, they would have had the initiative to ask and clarify. Others, wouldn’t have said anything if they didn’t understand. They just sit back and try to do things on their own. 29 Teacher 2, School A
Teachers also reported that achievers had a stronger ability to self-manage, for example, by ignoring distractions, being organised, and being able to work independently.
Another trait is self-management. It is a massive part of kids who excelled. They have few disruptive influences. When they work in group with difficult students, they get them motivated as well. The ones who did really well – they are strong leaders, motivated and independent learners. Teacher 3, School E He’s an independent learner. He’s focused and knows what he wants. He doesn’t get pulled in. A self-motivator; hard-worker. When push comes to shove and pressure is on they can knuckle down: head strong, confident, discipline, driven, support from home. Teacher 1 School A [Rangatahi 1] was very motivated, very focused in class. He didn’t allow himself to be distracted. He was a bright boy anyway and had self-belief in himself. He doesn’t have that attitude. He tries harder than other kids do… [Rangatahi 4] - he had that attitude that it was going to be too hard. He didn’t really try. Practically, there’s not much difference between low and high achievers. High achievers are a lot more organised. It can be as simple as having books, pens, etcetera. Teacher 3, School E
By comparison, teachers considered that non-achievers were: more likely to have poor self-management/ organisational skills, were more easily distracted, and less able to persist when learning became difficult.
The low achievers are the one’s turning up with no bags and no gears. They are reluctant to ask for help; reluctant to put themselves out there. If you are doing work, they wouldn’t put something down in case it was wrong. The kids who are confident wouldn’t mind if they got something wrong. Teacher 3, School E Low achievers are generally not good at self-managing. They don’t take responsibility for learning. They are often truants and switched off from school. From Year 9 they are hard to manage - low self-belief, low self-management. They are generally not from supportive whänau. Teacher 2, School E
ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 4.5.2 Study management and effort
Rangatahi were asked to rate the effort that they put into homework, internal assessments, mock/ practice exams and final exams. Rangatahi (both achievers and non-achievers) reported only putting ‘a little effort’ into homework throughout the year and the indications were that a minimal amount of homework was being done at home. Rangatahi often reported doing their homework in class or during lunch time (this was especially true of high achieving rangatahi who had sporting commitments).
I don’t revise, but if I have to I will, but only certain subjects. If I’m good at it I won’t revise; if I had of I would have got a better mark. I put in a little effort; I had passed before exams, so I was happy. I tried a little bit to stack up the credits in the exams, but I probably could have done more. 30 Rangatahi 1, School A I didn’t really do my homework last year. It was sad, yeah. I would just do a little bit so yeah. I got really distracted at home so I would only study for like half an hour a week or something like that. Rangatahi 4, School C
In terms of study management, (both achievers and non-achievers) rated themselves as putting the most effort into final exams, followed by internal assessments.24 Rangatahi reported putting less effort into homework and mock/practice exams.
Figure 10 shows that the non-achievers put less effort than achievers into all forms of study management but that the biggest difference was the amount of effort put into internal assessment.
FIGURE 10 - RANGATAHI RATING OF THEIR STUDY MANAGEMENT EFFORT
5.0 Achievers Non-achievers 4.5 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0
Boys self rating 1.5 1.0 (where 5 = 100% effort) (where 5 = 100% 0.5 0.0 Homework Internals Mock/ Finals practice exams
Achievers were more knowledgeable about study management skills and techniques and were more likely to engage in some study outside of school:
I usually do most important to least important. The class I want to do well in to the class that I don’t really care. Externals for the first week I had off, it was just everyday studying during the day. I got a little chalk board and wrote everything out. Rangatahi 2, School C
24. Internal assessments are used to assess skills and knowledge that cannot be tested in an exam, for example speeches, research projects and performances. Most external assessments are by examination at the end of the year. For some subjects (such as Techology or Visual Arts) students submit a portfolio of their work at the end of year.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA They were also more likely to report having access to resources outside of school that supported their study such as subject revision books and laptops/internet that allowed them to access relevant study sites. All but two achievers reported having access to the internet at home, compared to only half of non-achievers.
Many of the participating teachers reported creating opportunities outside of class time for rangatahi to prepare for NCEA. These were either one on one or group sessions that were facilitated by teachers and usually occurred during lunch times, after schools or sometimes in the weekends. Rangatahi often reported that some teachers had encouraged them to attend and teachers sometimes contacted parents (via text or e-mail) to encourage attendance.
Part way through Term 2, everyone is running catch up classes in the library on Wednesday after 31 school. It’s just before they go in, so it will be fresh in their minds, it was like a weekend. I thought about it for a bit and I sent a text out to the parents. Some of them, the parents, drove them and dropped them off. I think it’s better to notify the parents. [Rangatahi 3] turned up to that and he passed. Not [Rangatahi 4 and 5] and they didn’t pass. [Rangatahi 3] struggles more than they do. Teacher 1, School G
Achievers tended to be more likely to take up the opportunity to attend these sessions and almost always reported that they found them helpful.
Tutorials, I just got worried about my credits so I went to tutorials at the very end of school. Rangatahi 3, School A I attended tutorials all the time. It got us to understand the topic really well, if we didn’t understand she would break it down even more. Rangatahi 2, School C
By comparison, non-achievers often knew about tutorials/catch-ups but did not take advantage of them.
Yes Miss [teacher] – she is pretty good. She does one on one catch up sessions after school. [Have you done catch up sessions with her?] I have not been able to. I have training Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays and I have my games Saturdays and Sundays. Rangatahi 4, School G 4.6 WHÄNAU STRATEGIES TO ENCOURAGE MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT
4.6.1 Encouraging positive thoughts
As indicated in the previous chapter, whänau were a key source of motivation for almost all rangatahi to be in school. Similarly, most whänau were proactive about emphasising the value of education to rangatahi. There was a slight difference between whänau of low and high achieving rangatahi. Whänau of achievers were more likely to communicate positive messages that emphasised the link between educational success and future life choices.
He wanted to join the Army, and I said ‘No. Give yourself the choice, you may not choose to go to uni, but give yourself the choice, and life is too short, stay at school, have the experiences you want and do better than your parents.’ You just want them to have options. The more education you have the more power you have. You feel more confident. For boys that find school easy it’s not right to let them leave without having a better option. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School B
ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT I did drum it into him. I told him life is getting hard. He needs to achieve well to get more; do better. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School C I think probably the fact that he wants to have options. He wants to know that he can determine his path, his job; he can have some control over what he will do. Father of Rangatahi 2, School D I think it’s a stepping stone, gives him that confidence for further education, that’s my wish anyway, that he doesn’t just drop off at the end. I encourage him to just move forward. Nan of Rangatahi 1, School F
Whänau of non-achievers were more likely to emphasise staying in school as preferable to not being in 32 training or employment.
I bloody well made him. He’s not allowed to leave. He’s not one of those kids who want to leave. Mother of Rangatahi 4, School E
All whänau who were interviewed had been proactive about encouraging their rangatahi to stay in education and about impressing on them the value of education. Whänau of high achievers employed a range of additional strategies to encourage positive behaviours that boost motivation. Firstly, these whänau were communicating with their rangatahi about how school was going, and if necessary, providing additional encouragement and support to build their confidence, self-belief and motivation.
His Mum was in his ear. She would just say you know you can do better. It would pick him up a bit more - give him more belief in himself. Father of Rangatahi 3, School F Keeping an eye out on things. Reading his reports, and trying to keep open communication so if there’s a problem that he will tell us what he is. Sometimes there are concerns but they don’t express it. He does open up to Dad. Dad just listens. Mum tries to fix everything. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School B I’m finding [name] is staying up to ask for answers. Or just to talk. I just want to be there more for him and be able to concentrate. For me, that’s the kind of support I want to give him; to be there more for him. Nan of Rangatahi 1, School F
4.6.2 Whänau contribution to knowledge and skills
Overall (for both achievers and non-achievers) there was not a lot of in depth engagement between rangatahi and whänau about how rangatahi were progressing with NCEA. This is likely to reflect the low level of whänau knowledge and understanding of NCEA (of both whänau of achievers and non-achievers).
Whänau who were most knowledgeable about NCEA either had older children who had participated in NCEA previously or were teachers themselves.
We had already been through it with the older boys so we knew, so we understood a lot about NCEA. But it changes every year so you’ve got to keep up with the play. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School B NCEA is complicated and I’m a teacher. I would say I understand a lot but not without lots of reading, over and over and getting advice from my peers. Father of Rangatahi 2, School D
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Mostly whänau of achievers had a basic understanding of some aspects of NCEA. While these whänau didn’t feel very knowledgeable about NCEA, in most cases their rangatahi were well informed.
No, I didn’t understand much. But he fully understood. Any questions I had he would elaborate. He always had the answer. Mother of Rangatahi 1, School D
It is pretty hard. I still don’t understand. Nan of Rangatahi 1, School F
Back in our day it was pass or fail. I still struggle to understand what happened. He told me had passed before his exams. 33 Mother of Rangatahi 2, School F
How I saw it, when I was at high school you did exams at end of the year. Now it’s from day one you have to do it hard, that’s how I see NCEA. Father of Rangatahi 3, School F
By comparison, whänau of rangatahi who hadn’t achieved Level 1 generally had very limited knowledge of NCEA and they were often were unable to recall how many credits their son had attained for Level 1. Like their whänau, non-achievers also often had very limited knowledge of NCEA.
We all come from the School C era. Even now I have to ask my older daughter. It’s only sort of now that I understand it. At first, I just couldn’t get the NCEA thing … All these different credits, even I don’t understand it now. Mother of Rangatahi 4, School F
The aspects of NCEA that whänau reported as being unclear about included: the number of credits required, the difference between internal and external assessments and the various levels of endorsement.
I was a bit iffy about the credits. I wasn’t sure how many credits they obtained per subject and for the total year overall. I didn’t understand, yeah I actually didn’t understand a lot, I still don’t. Mother of Rangatahi 1, School D
I had some understanding. But I’m still a bit confused. I understood how many credits were needed to pass. I didn’t understand the internals versus externals. He fully understood. He would get on the internet and follow it. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School C
I had little understanding. With me it was when he was going on about merits of endorsement, that’s when I got lost, all of those extra credits. My understanding was when you get your 80 credits you’ve passed. Why do you need to go for more? But he said cause it looks better Mum. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School B
Some parents noted that increased knowledge of NCEA would mean that they were better equipped to help and support their rangatahi.
I don’t understand it. [Name] can explain it till he’s blue in the face. He fully understood it. I just wanted to know where they got their points from. In my view they could stipulate where they were going wrong. I would support him more if I knew what the teachers were aiming for. That thing they are marking, I would like to know more to help him. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School A
ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT Last year it seemed you did your certain subject tests. I have no idea right now if my kids have credits or not. They don’t even send out a timetable. Send me a sheet of paper of how this all works. I don’t understand it. I don’t know how it all works out. What is it that they need? Just algebra or what? I can’t help him at home if I don’t know what’s happening at school. Then they blame us, if I’m asking, how I can help? You get fed up ay … I don’t know how NCEA works. Mother of Rangatahi 1, School E
4.6.3 Whänau strategies to support positive behaviours
Some whänau of high achieving rangatahi were also actively supporting them to manage their study commitments. This included monitoring the degree to which external activities were impacting 34 on rangatahi achievement. They talked with their rangatahi about the potential for out of school commitments and activities (such as sports, part-time jobs and technology) to impact negatively on their achievement at school. If they felt it necessary, they regulated the amount of time spent on these activities.
Making sure he had time and the space to do the revision. We have timed how long it takes to walk home and we know, so he has to come right home. Mother of Rangatahi 3a,25 School A He works in the weekend at McDonalds. I told him when he got the job that if it started interfering with school or the air training corps, he had to leave the job - if he’s tired or overworked. But so far so good. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School B When we said to him ‘Make sure you’re doing your work or you’re not going to waka’, he would say ‘Don’t worry about it Mum I’ll be fine’ . Mother of Rangatahi 2, School B They are only allowed on the internet when I let them on. If he says, ‘for school’ then yes he can get on. Grandmother of Rangatahi 3, School D The sports can be the biggest distraction. We have done the ‘No son, you can’t do both of these’. We do that quite often. We sit down probably once every three or four weeks and put some boundaries in front of them. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School F
Some whänau of achievers also provided hands on support for assessments and exam preparation for example by: going over exam papers, assisting with study skills and revision, and referring rangatahi to websites for support.
My mum planned and gave me a study timetable because she’d done that for my sisters. I only studied for external exams really. Rangatahi 4, School B Mum just reminded me that I should be studying. Rangatahi 3, School B
25. In Schools A and E four achievers were interviewed so the fourth achiever has been coded as 3A.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA What happened is every time he got exam papers I would ask for them. We would go over it. He does well in internals, it’s just the exams. So we would talk about it for next time, for example, go back and re-read the questions. Mother of Rangatahi 3a, School A I’ve tried to help him, looking at how he learns and give him techiques to use. I do know his teacher spoke to them about taking breaths; a couple of deep breaths, and giving positive reinforcement to himself, ‘I can do this.’ … He likes visual learning. I have white boards at home that he would use. I try to give him an acronym that’s associated with rugby, like ‘b.o.o.t.s’. We also did cue cards and games. I made it into card games, it’s a game, a challenge. He would start to
compete with his sister. 35 Father of Rangatahi 2, School D [School] is forever sending out letters informing you of your son’s progress. We hear from them sometimes two or three times a week. They offer websites, if you want to help them at home they give you the passwords and everything Mother of Rangatahi 2, School F
However, some whänau of achievers felt ill-equipped to assist with the content of the homework/subject they were studying for. These whänau still engaged with their rangatahi by talking about what they were doing and sometimes by sitting with them when they were studying. If there were things that they were unable to help with, they supported their rangatahi by encouraging them to go back to their teacher and ask for help.
I talk to him and stuff. He’s way above my level. He shows me his stuff. If I could I would sit there and read slowly stuff to him. He would help me to help him. I think that’s about it really. He’s so past us. I always ask him if there is something he is struggling with and if we can try to get some help. He will normally come see me when he’s stumped. He will come and ask for help, he will complete it, he doesn’t just give up. He won’t just put it in the rubbish; I say, ‘go talk to your teacher.’ Mother of Rangatahi 2, School C
Whänau also supported their rangatahi to participate in additional study support either by encouraging them to attend; transporting them to the study sessions (often outside of school hours) and positively reinforcing rangatahi for taking advantage of study support.
They did offer study groups outside of school. He would spend an hour, here and there; he would take himself off to those. I gave him a ‘high five’ for going off on those things. I would say to him let’s go to McDonalds and get an ice cream, just to get away from school. You know it’s the little stuff. Father of Rangatahi 2, School D
ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 4.7 SUMMARY OF ENABLERS OF MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT − For most rangatahi, whänau were a key source of motivation to be in school. − For many rangatahi, the educational experience of their whänau (both good and bad) was a key motivator and most rangatahi were driven by a desire to make their whänau proud. − Rangatahi motivation was positively influenced by a number of sources both within the whänau (including parents, older siblings, aunties and uncles, and grandparents) and from outside the whänau (such as teachers, sports coaches, and, for high achieving rangatahi, their peer groups).
− The motivation boosters that were identified included: • positive thoughts including: an appreciation of the value of school, confidence, and self-belief knowledge 36 • knowledge and skills including: knowledge of NCEA and knowledge of study skill • positive behaviours including: persistence and self-management, and study management and effort.
− Achievers were more likely to experience enablers that boost motivation. Relative to non-achievers, achievers: • were more confident in their ability to achieve Level 1 • were better able to self-manage including: being organised and prepared for class; ignoring distractions and being able to work independently • were more persistent when learning became challenging/difficult • worked more consistently throughout the year and put more effort into study management for internal assessments, mock exams and external exams • had a better understanding and application of study skills and exam techniques • had greater access to resources that support study management such as study revision books and laptops/internet.
− The key strategies that whänau used to boost motivation included: • encouraging positive thoughts including: communicating the value of education to rangatahi, and fostering confidence and self-belief of rangatahi and their ability to achieve • encouraging positive behaviours including: monitoring rangatahi progress with NCEA; actively supporting rangatahi to engage in study management and manage competing priorities; providing hands on support to rangatahi when they were preparing for assessments and preparing for exams; encouraging rangatahi to seek help when they were struggling; and to attend additional study support that was offered.
− Overall whänau knowledge and understanding of NCEA was low. While whänau of achievers usually had a basic understanding of NCEA, the understanding of whänau of non-achievers was often very limited. This hindered the ability of whänau to engage with their rangatahi about their progress and achievement throughout the year.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 5. BARRIERS TO MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 5.1 OVERVIEW
The section discusses the key barriers to motivation and engagement in Year 11 as identified by rangatahi, teachers and whänau. It identifies three broad categories of barriers that hinder motivation and engagement:
− negative thoughts (including complacent attitudes to Year 11; low confidence and self-belief; and fear of asking for help) − factors that reduce capacity (including lack of equipment; low literacy; social circumstances; health issues and learning needs) and
38 − negative behaviours (including non-attendance; disruptive behaviour; and self-sabotaging behaviour). 5.2 NEGATIVE THOUGHTS THAT REDUCE MOTIVATION
5.2.1 Complacent attitudes
Many teachers discussed how some rangatahi (particularly non-achievers) struggled to make the attitudinal transition required from Year 10 (where there are no formal assessment mechanisms) to Year 11. These teachers noted that a lack of motivation and application at the beginning of the year impeded achievement later on and that the challenge for them was about how to lift motivation early in the Year 11 school year.
Unfortunately they come into Year 11 with the Year 10 mind-set, mucking around. Teacher 4, School C
I generally find with our lot, Term 1 they don’t take much interest until mid-Term 2 when they want to know. Generally Term 2 is when they ramp it up. Teacher 1, School E
They knew about credits. They knew assessments were about credits. There wasn’t that big rush until end of Term 3. I think that’s normal for rangatahi though. Teacher 1, School G
The thing is to try to get these kids motivated from the start. Teacher 2, School F
Rangatahi, particularly non-achievers, also indicated that they found the transition difficult:
I wasn’t that motivated. That was just in the first half of the year and then in the last half I was motivated - highly motivated. I just mucked around in the first half then I wanted to get it. Rangatahi 4, School F
While some rangatahi were able to adjust their attitude and work ethic part way through the year, others ‘left the run too late’ or in some cases did not adjust at all (refer Section 7).
5.2.2 Low confidence and self-belief
As noted in the previous chapter, non-achievers were notably less confident in their ability to achieve Level 1 than achievers (refer Figure 6). Consistent with rangatahi self-ratings, teachers identified lower confidence and a lack of self-belief as key factors that distinguished achievers from non-achievers:
Low achieving boys – they are not confident, low self-esteem, low belief. Confidence is a big factor in terms of how well they do each year. Some were quite confident they would pass. Others would have known early on they would struggle. Junior school has been hard. They are usually pretty honest with themselves but in saying that they still want to get it. Teacher 2, School A
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA The low achievers are reluctant to ask for help; reluctant to put themselves out there. If you are doing work, they wouldn’t put something down in case it was wrong. The kids who are confident wouldn’t mind if they got something wrong. Teacher 3, School E As a whole, academically, Mäori boys are less confident, just academically. That’s my opinion, as a whole group - less confident … When I look at them, yeah, they tend to be lower in confidence and motivation then our Pasifika students. They aren’t lazy, but you could perceive it as laziness. Don’t have same push and encouragement at home. They sort of just fly by under the radar but they are getting picked up with one-on-one mentoring. Teacher 3, School A 39 Teachers identified previous negative educational experience and outcomes as a key contributor to low confidence levels, particularly of non-achievers:
Confidence is all about experience. If you’ve been told for eight years before, ‘Nah that’s not the right answer’ then it’s tough. But the rangatahi in the higher classes will just fly through because they’ve been successful before they get to high school. Teacher 2, School B College I think self-motivators - they have experienced success. They know what it looks like, they know what’s needed to get there and want it again. The others think they are dumb. Teacher 2, School F It’s about reaffirming to them that they are not stupid. Teacher 3, School C I give them a lot of feed forward, feedback, encouraging and motivating them, tell them what they have got and so on. Just keeping them informed to what their options are. Some of the less motivated kids, you’ve got to keep shoring up their self-belief, tell them ‘You can do it’. Some are too scared to try. Defence mechanism is ‘I can’t fail if I don’t try’. Teacher 1, School C I think he really took away something when they [the teachers] gave him compliments. For him it was a moment, you could see, almost like he was saying ‘See, I can do it’. On the other hand, the statements from some teachers like ‘we didn’t think you were going to pass!’ what does that do to his motivation or confidence? Father Rangatahi 2, School D
5.2.3 Fear of asking for help
Related to low confidence, a very common theme to emerge for non-achieving rangatahi was their reluctance to ask for help within the classroom, usually for fear of “looking dumb”:
Nah. I didn’t want to look like a dumb fulla. Didn’t want to put my hand up and look dumb. Yeah, so I didn’t really ask the teacher for help. Rangatahi 4, School F I asked for help sometimes, when I really needed it. Most of the time, I didn’t want to. Sometimes people might think you are dumb if you ask for help. Rangatahi 3, School C
One time I wanted to put my hand up but everyone knew what to do and I didn’t want to look dumb. Rangatahi 6a, School G
Often, as a consequence of not asking for help, non-achievers got off task and caused disruption to the class:
Nah I didn’t ask for help. I ended up mucking around. Mates would normally ask me. Rangatahi 5, School B
BARRIERS TO MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT Section 8 discusses strategies some teachers put in place to target rangatahi who needed help but were reluctant to ask for it.
5.3 FACTORS THAT REDUCE CAPACITY TO ENGAGE AND ACHIEVE A number of factors were identified that can reduce the capacity of rangatahi to engage and achieve at Year 11 level. Some related to previous negative schooling experiences such as gaps in knowledge and low literacy levels. Other factors were often beyond the sole control of rangatahi such as lack of equipment, social circumstances and health issues/learning needs.
5.3.1 Gaps in knowledge 40 Some rangatahi identified gaps in prerequisite knowledge as impacting on their ability to engage in class. These boys felt that they were having trouble engaging in class because they did not have the foundation knowledge required for the subjects. This was especially true of maths and science where knowledge accumulates over time. Boys often commented that if they fell behind (through non-attendance) it was too hard to catch up. Often gaps in knowledge related to poor attendance in Years 9 and 10 and could be magnified for boys who had moved schools.
I didn’t understand it properly. It felt like I jumped from Year 9 to Year 13. I didn’t really learn at Year 9 so it was a big struggle. Rangatahi 4, School F
I couldn’t get it. I missed a bit of class last year, Year 9 and 10. When I lived with my Mum, I never really went to school. Maths and science you have to be in class to learn the formulas. Formulas, you had to be there all of the time. The teachers help but when you miss out on quite a lot of stuff, and you’re always behind. I asked for help and they’d tell you what to do, but I had to keep on coming back and keep on catching up. Rangatahi 6, School B
Well the problem with mathematics is that it is one concept is based on the other. So if you miss two or three classes then it gets hard to catch up. So attendance is really important. If you are here for only 50% of the time then you miss too many concepts. Teacher 1, School B
Similar issues relating to prerequisite knowledge were also raised by boys who had been moved from foundation classes (which rangatahi usually referred to as ‘cabbage’ classes) into academic/extension classes. Some boys reported feeling out of their depth and behind where the rest of the class was at. While one boy persevered and achieved credits in that subject area, the others reported that they disengaged quickly.
In Year 10 I did good, so they put me up to academic classes but I didn’t understand the work. Mum said just to stay up in the higher class. Teacher said they wanted to keep me up there as well. Rangatahi 5, School G
5.3.2 Low levels of literacy
Rangatahi who disengaged in class often reported that it was because they found the work too hard. Unable to keep up with the work, many non-achievers reported getting off task and becoming disruptive:
I struggled with history – I didn’t understand the work. Teacher was good. Students were loud/ noisy. I didn’t understand the work so I just talked to people. Rangatahi 2, School G
Today we were working on statistics. If they are in this class they probably have literacy issues too. I ask them to write a theory and a conclusion. They have trouble, start nattering and go off task. Teacher 4, School C
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA When it came to the work I could explain it. When it came to wording it I would go blank. I’m a really good student; I just don’t show it in my work. It’s a writing thing … My English teacher helped. I came back in lunch time and she would help me word it. In some classes effort helped. Some it didn’t. It was just the wording. You have to be really specific when you word stuff now. Every now and then [the teacher] asked me to type it up. That way I couldn’t get distracted, she would make me type it instead. Rangatahi 6, School C
From the perspective of many teachers, the key reason for low achieving boys finding the work “too hard” was low literacy levels:
Literacy is low. Some of the kids I teach – higher reading is required. They struggle with that. Not 41 so much the numeracy. I think that’s at a better point than literacy. Teacher 2, School C Literacy… there may come a point where one boy will need a writer because his literacy is so poor. Teacher 4, School C Literacy. I don’t know if it’s especially low for Mäori boys, I just know it’s low. Sometimes I would wonder about [name]. Teacher 2, School G Literacy is a huge issue. Reading in English is the biggest thing that’s going to help them. But unless they read they’re not going to understand what they are doing - sentence structures, vocab, contexts, punctuation. English has to be an active subject. Reading is the fastest thing to grow their vocab. Builds your comprehension. And it builds levels of concentration. Teacher 2, School B In Year 10 they might do three lessons a week outside the class. Then they get to Year 11 and have to do theory and can’t manage. You will get kids who struggle with the literacy. Teacher 3, School E
Consistent with the views of teachers, many of the low achieving boys reported having difficulty with writing:
In English I wasn’t too good at speeches and writing out a story. I think my teacher said I just need to learn how to drag it out. Rangatahi 6a, Wainuiomata My spelling was perfect she said. English I found it tricky to put in interesting words. Rangatahi 4, School G
Teachers often noted that some boys would achieve well if assessed orally:
[Name] would struggle with an essay but with a speech would perform quite well. Teacher 2, School G
In some schools, teachers identified that literacy in English was an issue for some (but not all) rangatahi who had previously attended bilingual/immersion education:
Literacy, for my boys anyway. Lack of English literacy. Being able to understand what is being asked. I’m not so familiar with numeracy, kids in the whänau class come in with very, very low literacy levels. You are meant to be Level 4. A couple are Level 2. Teacher 2, School G Both [name] and his sister are kura kaupapa kids. They struggled with English and started to switch off. Teacher 1, School E
BARRIERS TO MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT 5.3.3 Lack of equipment
Both teachers and rangatahi reported that not having the correct equipment (in particular, pens, paper and calculators) was a barrier to motivation and achievement. As the examples below show, failing to have the right equipment in class often had disciplinary consequences for rangatahi:
It’s fundamental - the bag, the equipment, it’s fundamental to the learning. Teacher 3, School E My least favourite subject was English. I kept getting kicked out of class. I kept losing my pen. I got kicked out for asking mates for a pen. [Did you find English became easier at the end of the 42 year?] Yep. All my mates were gone so I had to bring my own pen. [So what was your biggest distraction to achieving Level 1?] My pen! Once I had my pen I was sweet. Rangatahi 5, School B I didn’t have the proper books. I just didn’t have them. I used to write in any random book or pieces of paper – just one or two books for all subjects so it was quite hard to recap. At the end of the year, I bought some new books and started putting everything in the right book. Rangatahi 5, School G Economics wasn’t really my primary focus, it was just an option. I only entered the class near start of Term 2 (I got moved from graphics because I didn’t buy graphics pack). I got a lot of help but then she sort of lost interest in helping me because she felt it was just a subject I had to fill. I didn’t want to be there. Rangatahi 2, School D I wasn’t really organised. In exams I was pretty shocked. I didn’t even have a pen and stuff, I wasn’t worried about exam. I just didn’t have the equipment. Rangatahi 5, School E
Some teachers were of the view that a lack of equipment resulted from poor self-management from the rangatahi themselves:
The biggest one is self-management. You can walk around the school and tell the kids that have an attitude towards school. The way they carry themselves - for a lot of the guys its self-management … A big barrier for low achievers is not having the equipment. They have no equipment; they’re always in detention. It’s the same names every time so you get an idea of who is not coping. It’s all about self- managing behaviour, attendance, equipment. People probably think it’s too simple. Teacher 2, School B
However, as the example below suggests, for some students, a lack of equipment may be more reflective of the financial circumstances of whänau than the students’ ability to self-manage:
I taught him also in Year 9 and 10. He struggles with maths. In fact he probably struggles with most classes. In this class, they were allowed calculators. I always asked him where his was. I sat down with him one day - he said Mum couldn’t afford one. I went to the head of house and I brought one. It made a huge difference. It was no big deal, he would come to class, I would pull it out and he would return it to me at the end of the class. He was very motivated after he got a calculator. Once he got that calculator on his desk, it was ‘What needs doing now?’ Definitely he could self-manage. He was probably motivated before, that aspect of life was very demotivating for him. He was willing, able and went for it. Teacher 4, School C
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 5.3.4 Social circumstances
Some teachers identified that non-achievers were more likely than other students to be dealing with circumstances outside of school life which they often referred to as ‘difficult home lives’.
Home life. For some of our boys, it’s the baggage they bring in with them through the gates … factors like home life, attendance, all those factors add up to make a difference. Teacher 3, School E Peer groups; whänau home-stuff (no push, low expectations). Absences are a negative. Teacher 2, School A
They have poor behaviour; no decent male role-models; parents may be split. He is unsure of himself; 43 lacks confidence; unmotivated; dealing with issues with home life like older siblings with problems. Teacher 1, School A Low achievers are generally not good at self-managing. They don’t take responsibility for learning. They are often truants and switched off from school. From Year 9 they are hard to manage - low self-belief, low self-management. Generally not from supportive whänau. Teacher 1, School E
Consistent with teacher perspectives, some whänau of non-achievers reflected that circumstances within their whänau had been challenging for their rangatahi and had impacted on their achievement at school. The range of challenges that rangatahi and whänau had or were experiencing included: death of a close family member, issues with parental relationships, family violence, unstable living circumstances, issues related to suicide within the whänau, or a combination of these factors. Whänau who were interviewed were conscious of the impact these challenges had placed on their rangatahi. For some, these challenges were in the past while others were still working through them and wanted the best for their rangatahi.
[Name] didn’t cope too well with his brother trying to commit suicide. He’s gathered a lot of strength. Me and his father broke up. We had quite a violent breakup. [Name] came out on top. His father and I have got back together. He didn’t cope too well with us getting back together. It’s been a full on year. He’s adjusted well. He wasn’t the one that used to talk a lot, he put it that way. We would just talk on surface things, now it’s in depth, a bit out of our comfort zone. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School A If you give [name] the time and effort that he needs he will put the effort in. He will give the effort back. He will make the effort. He did awesome in third and fourth form. I think [name] was going through something. I couldn’t understand how he was doing so well and then he dropped. I’m a single parent so he doesn’t have a proper male role model. His father has nothing to do with him. A boy needs a male type role model. I have a partner but he doesn’t have children so he didn’t know how to build a relationship with [name] … A lot of things were happening for us last year, we moved to live with my partner. We have a unique living arrangement. We had lots of crazy things happening. It was about how we dealt with it as a family. Mother of Rangatahi 5, School F My son and I back then, we just didn’t have a very close relationship. He was just so angry and didn’t want to know anything. I don’t know if it was the school life or his dad and I separating when he was a baby. He had a lot of anger. The school, I was forever in here, talking to the principal, going to (school) counselling. He’s always had a lot of support. He had no excuse to be side tracked or mischief; he just went off on his own kaupapa for a little while. I refused to give up on him. It was hard work, it wasn’t like, all roses, and there were some harsh words. It’s because of the love and I knew he could be better than what he was. He had a roof, a lot of love. He chose to be the boy he was at that time until he got into kick boxing. It was really the uncle that had the last card to get him right. Mother of Rangatahi 4, School F
BARRIERS TO MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT For Mäori boys you sometimes have to look at their home environment. That’s what happened with [name] … His environment at home. I wasn’t always around him. From what I heard he was wagging, smoking, you could see that was from what he was getting at home, living with my Dad and stuff. That’s the reason why he came to live with me. He’s had a change in how he’s looking at school now. He’s not like wagging now, does his work, all his attention goes into his school work. Sister of Rangatahi 6, School C
5.3.5 Health issues and learning needs
Some rangatahi and teachers identified that health issues had impacted on the ability of rangatahi to engage in class: 44 Health issues can definitely be something holding them back. I’ve had kids say they can’t see very well. I told them to sneak up to the front. Teacher 3, School C
Health is a big factor – all kinds of biggies, mental and physical. Smoking is a huge issue for boys. Teacher 2, School A
It’s a big, big thing. It’s a big issue for my Year 11 boys last year. Not coming on Mondays because they are too hung over. Stoned at school. It’s not everyone but for some boys it is a big issue. Teacher 2, School G
I had a bit of a disadvantage last year. I found out I was deaf in one ear from some disease. This year I had my third operation on it. But I can hear now. I have had it since I was a kid. It kept coming and going. I told my mum one day when my ear started hurting. So I had to have an operation to help me, but then I went deaf. This year they had to do another operation to open my ear up and it is all good now. I notice the difference and I can hear the teacher. In one class I sat on the right but the teacher sat on the left and I couldn’t hear. They said it was just an excuse. I think it could have been because I was Mäori though. Because they think Mäori kids just make up excuses. Rangatahi 4, School G
Based on their experience, some teachers also queried whether health issues for rangatahi, particularly low achieving rangatahi, were being diagnosed early enough or at all:
I think the problem is we don’t necessarily know it [health issues]. It’s not diagnosed. We find out late in the piece some kids need glasses or we find out sometimes when it’s too late. Teacher 2, School G
When asked about the extent to which learning needs contributed to low rangatahi achievement, teachers generally reported that it had not presented as a big issue, but some teachers also queried the extent to which issues had gone undetected:
We’ve had Year 12 issues. If they haven’t been identified earlier, all the onus goes on the families. If it hasn’t come through and shown then it’s hard to get support and that sort of thing. Teacher 2, School F
I don’t know if this has to do with the boys not getting the same attention -whether or not the parents don’t take them to the doctor’s to get assessed. I don’t know that. Teacher 1, School B
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 5.4 NEGATIVE BEHAVIOURS THAT REDUCE MOTIVATION
5.4.1 Non-attendance
From the perspective of teachers across all participating schools, the biggest barrier to rangatahi achievement was non-attendance (which could be a result of truancy, whänau commitments or illness).
Attendance would be one of, if not the main barrier to achievement – students not attending. They will have the lower attendance rates. You will always have the plodders, but by and large it’s the attendance. Teacher 1, School C 45 Often attendance is a big thing too. If they are here every day it makes a big difference. Teacher 1, School F
You look at those boys, only at school two or three days a week, they don’t know what’s happening. They boys who passed, they are at school every day, they know the stuff. Teacher 3, School E
Attendance was a barrier that some teachers felt was related to the attitudes and extent of whänau support. Some teachers felt that some whänau did not appreciate the importance of rangatahi attending school regularly:
Some of our kids have switched off early. Sometimes parents condone truancy. There are big holes in their learning so when they get to high school it’s even harder. They will go hang on streets because don’t feel stupid there. Teacher 2, School F
Related to this, some teachers and rangatahi felt that whänau obligations/commitments hindered rangatahi attendance, for example, being late because they were taking younger siblings to school or rangatahi being frequently absent due to attendance at tangi.
I went to about eight or nine tangi last year. Yeah and last week someone passed away and we have to travel out of town. I didn’t want to go because I had too much school work. Rangatahi 4, School G
5.4.2. Disruptive behaviour
In contrast to the teacher’s views above, Rangatahi most commonly identified disruptive classroom environments as the biggest barrier to motivation and achievement. Where classroom environments were disruptive, rangatahi reported that they found it difficult to engage in learning. This was true of achievers and non-achievers. Rangatahi reported a range of in-class distractions ranging from students talking, to items being thrown around the room, and to teachers being deliberately “rarked up” by students.
One [distraction] was our class. It was loud and constantly stopping the teacher. He would still carry on talking but you couldn’t hear anything. He wouldn’t yell or anything. He couldn’t really control the class. That’s why everyone took advantage, pretty much the whole year; the loud class … The other boys were really loud and it stopped us from being able to learn. Rangatahi 3, School C
Barriers? The loud environment. The teacher would have control then everyone would start talking again. Rangatahi 5, School G
Maths and English - they were good teachers but had a crazy class so they couldn’t help us as much. Rangatahi 6a, School G
BARRIERS TO MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT Consistent with rangatahi perceptions, some teachers reported that disruptive classroom environments regularly hindered their ability to teach effectively.
I don’t think he [name] ever had any motivation to do well in my class. It was a particularly difficult class. I was so consumed with dealing with the behaviours of the class; dealing with the learning was almost secondary. He was never part of that, he just did nothing. Teacher 4, School C
Many of the participating rangatahi reported that they themselves had engaged in disruptive classroom behaviours in Year 11, with the non-achieving boys tending to confess more serious disruptive behaviour:
46 Distractions? We threw a lot of rubbish so it distracted the class for 20 minutes. We would rark up the teacher but then we got in trouble. [Could you have done anything differently?] I could have been like a team leader to tell them to stop throwing things around – dunno why I didn’t. It was fun at the time. Rangatahi 5, School B English, the teacher only taught the ones that were listening. All of us - we were always kicking it with our mates. He only teaches the ones at the front. It’s partially the boys fault too. Rangatahi 6, School A
For achievers, the biggest temptation was getting distracted by talking to mates:
Yeah I had like heaps of friends in all my classes, sometimes I would just talk to them instead of doing my work. I would be like on and off; be distracted with them; do a little bit of work; then go be distracted again. Rangatahi 2, School C
Teachers commonly identified negative attitudes and behavioural issues as one of the key barriers to achievement for the non-achievers:
We will have poor class room behaviours, disruptive in class. Some of them would have been stood down for various reasons. All those three have behavioural issues. [Rangatahi 5] just struggled. The others had issues in class; just constant. Teacher 3, School F Low achievers, they tend to come to class with poor attitude and no equipment. Teacher 2, School B
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 5.4.3 Self-sabotage
Martin (2003) defined self-sabotaging behaviour as doing things that reduce the chance of success at school. For the rangatahi in this research, the key distractions from study activities (such as homework and preparation for assessments/exams) were computer related gaming activities and, to a lesser extent, sports commitments. Non-achievers were most likely to identify Xbox and other computer gaming activities, Facebook (to a lesser extent), sports commitments, and peer groups as the key distractions from study activities.
Friends – I couldn’t be bothered. When I was supposed to be studying, I’d hang out with my mates instead. 47 Rangatahi 5, School B
Achievers also reported Xbox, Facebook, and sporting and/or cultural commitments as key distractions. However, achievers also reported being more skilled at managing distractions (planning and time management) so that they did not impact negatively on their achievement at school.
Probably my sports. I always have training after school. When I get home I’m too tired. I have to cram it into the day somehow. When I got home I was tired as. Any free time I had I would just try to do it. Otherwise I would do it in other classes or I would have one free day without trainings so I would do it then. Rangatahi 2, School F Games at home; Xbox games; computers; phones. There’s a lot going on at home too. Rangatahi 2, School C Definitely have to be the electronics – TV and Xbox. In between that I’m playing three types of soccer. It’s definitely about thinking ahead and using your time wisely. If I pay attention in class, my homework becomes a lot easier. Rangatahi 1, School D Probably have to be the old electronics. Wanting to go watch TV, jump on the laptop or whatever, for non-academic reasons. Rugby was also a huge distraction for me. I try doing a couple of hours of study, going to rugby for a bit, and going back to study. It’s about making a plan beforehand. I guess just setting a time for this, a time for that, and strict study time. Rangatahi 2, School D Would have to be Facebook. I’m always updating that. After that would be kapa haka. I’m always doing this and that for kapas [kapa haka]. Last year we went to the Solomons. I missed about three weeks of school, so it was hard to get back into study after that … I don’t really plan how I’m gonna do it but I get there in the end but that’s the main thing I think. Rangatahi 3, School D
BARRIERS TO MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENTSECTION TITLE 5.5 SUMMARY OF BARRIERS TO MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT − The key barriers to motivation faced by rangatahi include: • negative thoughts including: complacent attitudes to Year 11; low confidence and self-belief in their academic ability; and a reluctance to ask for help in class • factors that reduced rangatahi capacity to engage and achieve, including: previous negative school experience (low levels of literacy and gaps in knowledge); social circumstances, such as the death of a close family member; issues with parental relationships; family violence; unstable living circumstances; issues related to suicide within the whänau; or a combination of these factors; a lack of equipment; and undetected health and learning needs 48 • negative behaviours including: non-attendance, disruptive classroom behaviour, and self- sabotaging behaviour outside of school (where computer gaming activities and, to a lesser extent, sports commitments detracted from study effort).
− Non-achievers were more likely than achievers to have experienced one or more barriers to motivation and engagement. Relative to achievers, non-achievers: • were less likely to have made the attitudinal transition required from Year 10 to Year 11; were notably less confident in their ability to achieve Level 1; and were more reluctant to seek help either within or outside the classroom environment for fear of ‘looking dumb’ • were more likely to find learning difficult due to gaps in knowledge from previous years and low levels of literacy • were more likely to face issues around a lack of equipment • were less likely to have the correct equipment required which either had disciplinary consequences or could contribute to low achievement • were more likely to have lower levels of attendance and engage in disruptive classroom behaviour.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 6. FUTURE ASPIRATIONS OF RANGATAHI
SECTION TITLE 6.1 OVERVIEW
Section 4 explored what motivated rangatahi to be in school in Year 11 and achieve Level 1. This section explores the motivations for rangatahi returning to Year 12. It considers whether rangatahi experienced any changes in motivation, attitude and behaviour once they progressed to Year 12. It then compares the future aspirations of achievers and non-achievers and considers the extent to which they accessed careers advice either through school or from elsewhere. Finally, it explores the role that whänau played in helping rangatahi to prepare for their futures.
6.2 MOTIVATIONS FOR RETURNING TO YEAR 12
50 As a group, the reasons rangatahi gave for returning to school in Year 12 varied however, a clear distinction emerged between achievers and non-achievers. Achievers tended to be self-motivated to return to school. They were focused on improving their grades, building on the number of credits achieved in Level 1 and attaining the requisite Level 2 credits required to pursue chosen career/tertiary pathways (for example, securing good marks in physics to get into the Air Force or achieving the grades required to get into university). Many achievers had clear goals and were able to articulate what they needed to achieve at Level 2 to reach these goals.
I want to build a better foundation for when I go to university so I can achieve more. I want to go to university and study law but you have to have a back-up – mine is medical science. Rangatahi 1, School A
Non-achievers who had returned to Year 12 were more strongly influenced to do so by parents or significant others. Similar to Year 11, many were motivated by their parents’ lack of educational success and wanting to be the first in the whänau to achieve well.
My parents, they told me I had to come back. I was gonna go on a course, they just want me to stay in school. Rangatahi 4, School D
My Mäori coach influenced me to come back. He said you can’t really muck around in class and that you have to do the mahi or fail in the future. I respect him. Rangatahi 5, School B
I want to make it past Year 13 cause no one in my family has and I want to be the first. Rangatahi 6, School A
I just came back because I wanted to be the first one in my family to finish high school. They usually get to Year 12 and stop. I want to be the first one to do that so my kids can be like me - stay to the end. Rangatahi 3, School D
Some non-achievers had identified a specific training course that they wanted to pursue so were focused on attaining the necessary entry qualifications (usually Level 1 and 2). Many had at least one subject and teacher they enjoyed and looked forward to returning to study this particular subject. Other reasons for returning in Year 12 included seeing mates and playing sports.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 6.3 IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVATION AND BEHAVIOUR IN YEAR 12
As a group, both achievers and non-achievers reported a number of changes in their level of engagement with school since returning to Year 12 including improvements in attitude, behaviour and work ethic. For achievers, this often entailed striving to lift their achievement levels.
This year I am trying to get an excellence endorsement for my Level 2, so trying to get higher grades. So focusing in class and don’t letting people distract me. Rangatahi 2, School C
I’m doing more work. I’m still mucking around but not as much. I’m doing work and putting my head down. [Are you seeing results?] Yep, in my science class, I got a couple of merits and I felt good 51 about that. I try to motivate myself a better mark. I want more of those merits and excellences. Rangatahi 1, School C
Many of the non-achievers also reported having more positive attitudes towards school, developing better self-management skills, and putting in more effort:
I am not good at homework. In Year 11, it ended up in my bag. I did plan to do it when I get home but it never left my bag. Yeah so that is not good. [Do you think that might change for this year?] It already has. I have completed quite a bit of homework. I usually write something on my hand to try and remind me about it. Rangatahi 4, School G
Yeah last couple of years it was a drag, but now it’s like I have to; I have to do these credits. Am I gonna do better this year? I reckon I will. My aunty is my major support; I’ll be motivating myself too. [What three things would you do differently?] Get stuck into it and don’t leave for the last minute. Plan my year out aye, layout of what I can do, what I shouldn’t do. I’d be self-motivated. Rangatahi 6, School B
Consistent with what rangatahi reported, whänau and teachers also noted the lift in motivation and effort as rangatahi moved on to Year 12 and sometimes attributed these changes to a growth in maturity:
I have seen a slight difference, he’s more focused that he was last year. Now he’s realising he only has two years to go. I’ve seen some changes where he was cruising, now he’s actually applying himself, it looks different, it feels different. It’s like a growing up thing, like a maturity thing. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School F
He’s not waiting to be told to do his school work and stuff. Like by himself, he will be in the kitchen and doing his stuff, taking it on himself … Yeah we have seen it. He’s just always on the dining table doing it. We even had to tell him one night to go to bed, he was doing too much. His home life was happier. When you are happy at home, you are happy with everything else. Sister of Rangatahi 6, School C
FUTURE ASPIRATIONS OF RANGATAHI 6.4 CAREER ASPIRATIONS FIGURE 11 - FUTURE ASPIRATIONS OF RANGATAHI WHO PASSED NCEA LEVEL 1 Rangatahi were asked where they saw themselves in five years’ time. As a group, rangatahi (both Apprenticeship achievers and non-achievers) reported a narrow Airforce Pilot Scientist range of aspirations. Figure 11 presents the Engineer range of aspirations identified by achievers. PE Teacher Army Architect The frequency with which occupations/tertiary aspirations were identified is reflected in the size IT Medical Science Accountant of the fonts. That is, the larger the font, the more Police Business owner 52 Navy often that aspiration was identified by rangatahi. Teaching Don’t know It shows that some achievers did not identify Personal trainer specific occupational aspirations but aspired Tattoo artist University to some form of tertiary education, most Property Maintenance commonly university. Those that did have specific occupational aspirations identified a mix of professions and trades. In addition, a group of achievers indicated that they did not know what they would like to do in the future.
FIGURE 12 - ASPIRATIONS OF RANGATAHI WHO DIDN’T Later on I want to go to university; get my PASS NCEA LEVEL 1 degree; go to Australia; then go to America. I want to go work for the Rolling Stones magazine. University Army Rangatahi 2, School C NRL PE Teacher Youth worker Most commonly, non-achievers reported that they “did not know” where they wanted to be in Don’t know five years’ time. Those with specific aspirations Pilot Physiotherapist Builder were most likely to aspire to trade occupations Concreting Airforce (for example an electrician, mechanic or builder). Electrician Engineer Figure 12 shows that some rangatahi, despite Architecture Mechanic not having passed Level 1, aspired to professional Carpenter occupations (for example, physiotherapist, Get a job Stone mason architect or engineer) that would require Police officer significant levels of tertiary education.
Employment in the defence forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) featured prominently amongst the occupational aspirations of rangatahi. This was true of both achievers and non-achievers. An in depth analysis of the reasons for the popularity of the defence forces was beyond the scope of this study. However, for some rangatahi and their whänau at least, the appeal appeared to be that they could attain a trade qualification “for free”. The perceived physicality of occupations in the defence force was also a drawcard for the rangatahi.
He wants to get into the Navy and further his study that way (paid for). Nan of Rangatahi 1, School F
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA It has to be physical. I’m interested in stuff with the Army, Navy, Air Force. It’s motivational; you get to do all that sort of stuff. On top, you get paid for it as well. If you are earning heaps or less, rather do something else. I was also looking into being a personal trainer. Rangatahi 1, School E
On his real mother’s side, he has an uncle in the Army. The fact he can do it, do extra study, without paying for it. You don’t want massive debt. Mother of Rangatahi 4, School A
A slight distinction emerged between the high and low achievers in terms of which defence force they wanted to join. For example, boys who did not achieve Level 1 were also more likely to aspire to the Navy 53 or Army, whereas only high achieving boys aspired to join the Air Force.
I want to join the Air Force, or be a mechanic. Rangatahi 3a, School E
Me wanting to go to the Navy; that was key to coming back to school. Rangatahi 5, School E
Another drawcard for some rangatahi was that their whänau had an inter-generational association with the Army. One mother was guiding her son into the Army because she felt he needed structure:
If not stone masonry – if not I was gonna see how the Army was. I’ve always liked the Army stuff and I have an uncle in the Army. Rangatahi 4, School G
Another factor that may warrant further exploration is the extent to when the long running television campaigns by the defence forces (that specifically target rangatahi) have raised the awareness and captured the attention of rangatahi.
6.5 ACCESS TO CAREERS ADVICE
Some low achievers had been exposed to work experience through the Gateway programme delivered in schools and usually reported this to be a positive experience. Some of these rangatahi had undertaken some research to identify the qualifications required to gain entry to trade training courses, average starting salaries within these occupations, and earning potential over time.
For Gateway we get to go on the internet and look at all these sources for information for jobs we want to do. It is pretty interesting how there is not many for mechanics … My Nan’s boyfriend, he says the pay is pretty good as well. If you have just started being an electrician it’s around $37,000 but if you are an experienced electrician it is around $89,000 or something. I am learning that in Gateway. I think I have to get NCEA Level 1; 20 credits in Level 2 and have some knowledge of being an electrician - which I don’t have much of. Rangatahi 5, School G
Beyond those rangatahi who had accessed the Gateway programme, few rangatahi (including the high achievers) had accessed careers advice from school. While high achievers often had specific occupational aspirations, they were less certain about what the entry requirements were for relevant qualifications.
For a few of the high achievers, careers advice was provided by whänau and family friends who had achieved in tertiary education and were working in a professional career. For this minority, tertiary pathways and professional success was normalised.
I’ve got advice from some of the family that actually do stuff - like in the Navy. What they do; what they like; and that helps. Or I even ask friends. Rangatahi 1, School F
FUTURE ASPIRATIONS OF RANGATAHI 6.6 ROLE OF WHÄNAU IN SUPPORTING RANGATAHI TO PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURES Some whänau of achievers had assumed an active role in helping their rangatahi to plan for their future. These whänau did this in a number of ways, for example: identifying areas their rangatahi were interested in and their strengths/aspirations, researching potential training/employment options, and organising entry to employment/further education and training.
In the armed forces’ cadets you do a, b, c and d and that’s it. We talked about what he would do as a career and that’s a career where he could thrive. He’s been in the armed forces’ cadets three years now. It’s given him a taste of it. 54 Mother of Rangatahi 3a, School A With his first night at ATC they said with the Air Force they generally look at the Air Training Corp kids first because they’ve had that training. That’s straight after school. We’ve seen that the age is 17 but we’ve said no. He said ‘As soon as I turn 18 can I join [August]’, and I said, ‘No, you finish the year’. The first intake is January 2015. So he’s got that time set in his head. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School B
My older boy wanted to be a butcher so I printed stuff off the careers website. I read the school notices every morning and I found him an apprenticeship. So it all worked out. But if he hadn’t said ‘I want to be a butcher’, nothing would have happened. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School B
These whänau also tended to encourage rangatahi to stay in school, achieve the highest possible qualifications, and keep their options open rather than opting to leave school early to pursue training or employment.
His brother started a butcher apprenticeship so he wants to leave school and do that. But I want him to do Level 2 and stay on. Army is okay, but I say to him, ‘Don’t go in as a grunt role. Get an apprenticeship; get NCEA Level 2 and 3 so you have better choice’. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School B I said to [name] you only get one chance. I will give you the best I can while I can. With education you can do anything. If you get a job now and then where will you go? Mother of Rangatahi 3a, School A
Other whänau of achievers were less active but still supportive of rangatahi in planning for their futures. However, they were less active in seeking out information and advice themselves. These whänau and rangatahi tended to rely more on sources at school or wider family/networks for advice about future options.
Yes we spoke about that. They have expos in the school - career expos. He came back with pamphlets and he has been sent some correspondence and enrolment packs from different universities. I think he’s going to possibly enrol this year I think, in the Army. When I spoke to him last night he said not this year - next year. I will talk to him more about it I suppose. Ask him about the ins and outs I suppose. Ask him what career he aims for in the Army and if I could help him more to get there. Mother of Rangatahi 1, School D Yeah he’s talked to [teacher]. He talks to the teachers a lot. They had the Army guys come in. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School D
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA He did talk with the dean last year. He ran it past him last year; that’s where going to the Navy came up. I’d rather he go to university really. If he chooses to go to the Navy, that’s his choice. Nan of Rangatahi 1, School F Jeez I don’t even know what he wants to do at university. On Saturdays he works with an engineer; he quite enjoys that. He holds a stop/go sign, he loves that. He was talking about engineering - civil engineering. The daughter has a boyfriend. He’s in his last year of civil engineering. I don’t know what goes on in those conversations. [Name] talks to him about it. (Mother of Rangatahi 3, School A)
While some whänau of achievers had already begun working with their rangatahi to plan for the future, others had not but were conscious that they would need to do so in the near future. 55
That’s coming up soon. I need to bring him to the school to talk to AUT.26 I told him to talk to the advisors at school. He can do that anytime, he can do that so he did. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School C I think we need to start concentrating. He’s 17 next year. If he finishes school we need to put these things in place. We have to be careful not to put our expectations on him. We need to start looking at help or guidance for our son; we don’t know everything. We need to find out what they are good at. We as parents have always said if you want these things, we will help you do this. If they change their mind that’s ‘kei te pai’ as well. Father of Rangatahi 2, School F
Whänau of non-achievers tended to be less proactive in facilitating the future pathways of their rangatahi. Some whänau had talked with their boys about what they might like to do, but they had not taken the next step of considering options for future pathways. These whänau often assumed that this was the role of schools. While some were aware that their rangatahi had been talking to staff at school about options, they were not always aware of the details of the discussions.
He’s got one more year. I haven’t got any ideas really, just supporting him in all his courses. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School A Yes. They had the careers thing there. The school takes them to it. I don’t know if [name] knows how to follow that pathway, like trade training or something like that. Mother of Rangatahi 5, School D He went to a friend’s house the other day and he does logging. [Name] saw a big truck and big money. I just said, ‘You need to be happy’. He’s still young and just sees dollar signs. My brother is in the Army and talks to him when he comes down. Other than that he doesn’t have a passion for the one thing. Well he hasn’t said to me that he has. I just tell him ‘You’ve got to work at it; you know what success feels like from kickboxing’. Mother of Rangatahi 4, School F
26. Auckland University of Technology.
FUTURE ASPIRATIONS OF RANGATAHI 6.7 SUMMARY OF FUTURE ASPIRATIONS OF RANGATAHI
The key themes to emerge related to the future aspirations of rangatahi are that:
− Most achievers were self-motivated to return to school. They had goals and were usually focused on lifting their grades and attaining the requisite Level 2 and 3 credits required to pursue their chosen career/tertiary pathway. − The non-achievers were more strongly influenced to return to Year 12 by parents or significant others. Their motivations included attaining the entry qualifications for a course, the opportunity to socialise with friends, and to pursue sports interests. − Many rangatahi (both achievers and non-achievers) reported improvements in their attitudes, 56 behaviour, and achievement in Year 12 and this was consistent with the views of their teachers and whänau. − As a group, rangatahi (both achievers and non-achievers) reported a narrow range of occupational aspirations. − Some achievers had clear occupational aspirations (including a mix of professional and trade occupations) whereas others aspired to some form of tertiary education (usually university). − Most commonly, non-achievers “did not know” what their future aspirations were. Those with specific aspirations were most likely to aspire to trade occupations. Some non-achievers, despite not having passed Level 1, aspired to professional occupations. − A sizeable portion of both achievers and non-achievers were uncertain about what types of occupations they would like to pursue in the future. − Employment in the defence forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) emerged as the most popular aspiration for both achievers and non-achievers. − Few rangatahi, low or high achieving, reported having accessed careers advice from school. Some rangatahi had canvassed future career options with whänau, whänau friends and mentors. − Some whänau of achievers had assumed an active role in helping their rangatahi to plan for their future by talking to them about their aspirations and researching various options. − Whänau of non-achievers tended to be less proactive about engaging with rangatahi about their futures and facilitating their future pathways.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 7. RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES
SECTION TITLE 7.1 OVERVIEW Previous sections of this report have focused on the broad differences between achievers and non- achievers. This section identifies typologies (or sub-groups) of rangatahi that share similar characteristics and experiences. The purpose of this more detailed analysis is intended to help readers to visualise and better understand the diversity of experience and circumstances amongst Year 11 rangatahi and in turn provide insights to enable better targeting of student needs. While the experiences of many of the rangatahi align closely with one typology, readers should note that the typologies are not mutually exclusive. That is, for some rangatahi their experiences will align with two and sometimes three of the typologies. 58 7.2 THE MATRIX OF LEARNER TYPOLOGIES Amongst the group of rangatahi who participated in the research, five key typologies have been identified: high flyers, quiet achievers, over-confidents, strugglers and vulnerables. Figure 13 plots each of these typologies along two dimensions that the researchers have identified as impacting on rangatahi achievement:
− the level of confidence, skills and knowledge held by rangatahi − the extent of active encouragement and support from whänau and/or teachers.
FIGURE 13 - MATRIX OF LEARNER TYPOLOGIES
Active encouragement and support from whänau and/or teachers
High Flyers
Quiet Achievers
Rangatahi have Rangatahi have low confidence, Over-confidents high confidence, skills and skills and knowledge Strugglers knowledge
Vulnerables
Minimal encouragement and support from whänau and/or teachers
The size of the shape is indicative of the relative number of rangatahi within this sample whose experiences aligned with that typology. Table 6 (page 58) provides an overview of the distinguishing characteristics of each of these typologies. A more detailed description of each of the typologies is then provided along with vignettes of rangatahi whose experiences align with the various typology groups. The names of rangatahi have been changed to protect their anonymity.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 7.3. HIGH FLYERS High flying rangatahi hold very positive attitudes towards school. They enjoy the challenge of learning and also enjoy socialising and sporting opportunities. They identify themselves as high in motivation and confidence. For most high flyers, whänau are both a source of motivation and support. High flyers usually attain in excess of 120 credits.
My biggest motivation was my parents, full on support, talking time with my Nan. They never put you down aye. They always give you a motivation boost. Rangatahi 1, School F
I had heaps of self-motivation, heaps of self-talk; I just didn’t want to fail. I looked at the bigger 59 picture in the end, get a better future. The big picture - wanting my education to be good for my future so I leave here knowing I did my best. My teachers. They always said I would get a better job if I got better marks and stuff. They pushed me. Rangatahi 2, School F
To me, a lot of it, he just has it in himself, he’s driving these things, he wants to be on top, he drives himself. NCEA is all he’s talking about lately, I just look at him and if he says he’s gonna get it he’s gonna get it. Grandmother of Rangatahi 3, School D
Many (but not all) high flyers are involved in one or more competitive sports/cultural activities that require high levels of commitment. The key distractions high flyers face are sporting/cultural commitments and to a lesser extent computer gaming and social media activities. However, high flyers have the skills to manage competing priorities (sometimes with the support of whänau) so that they do not impact negatively on their educational achievement.
When describing the characteristics of high achieving rangatahi, teachers used adjectives such as confident, focused, organised, dedicated, conscientious and highly motivated. Teachers also noted that high achieving rangatahi entered Year 11 with a clear understanding of NCEA and what was required to achieve. From the outset, high flyers back themselves to pass NCEA.
The high achievers, firstly they come into the year knowing what NCEA is and that’s huge. Then they also attend study skills session and get involved in homework centres and all sorts. They are doing work outside of class. Teacher 2, School B
To be honest they were really motivated to pass. They were the confident ones expected to pass; expected to do well. They meet deadlines. Those who passed were really confident. Teacher 3, School E
High flyers are usually well supported by whänau who value education and are confident about engaging with teachers if required. Some high flyers have whänau members who have experienced educational success, however some don’t. Some of these rangatahi have highly supportive whänau who have been proactive about engaging with the school, informing themselves about NCEA and working with their sons to plan and set goals for the future. Other high flyers had a mentor (such as a teacher, coach or whänau friend) who had been proactive in encouraging and supporting them to achieve well plan for future pathways.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES TABLE 6 - DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OR RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES
Features High flyers Quiet Achievers Over-confidents Stugglers Vulnerables
Credit range 120+ 70-120 40-80 credits 40-70 Less than 40
Motivation Highly motivated Motivated Low Somewhat motivated Low motivation
Confidence High Low High Low Low
Attitudes to Year 11 Very positive Positive Negative Somewhat positive Negative Personal Organised Hard working Personable Low self esteem Low self esteem 60 Charachteristics Conscientious Persistent Able Self-concious Disengaged Independent learners Quiet Easily distracted Disorganised
Previous educational Yes Some Some success Limited success Limited success success (Years 9 and 10)
Literacy High Medium Medium Variable Low
Knowledge of NCEA High Reasonable Limited Low Very low Effort put into Consistent all year Grows throughout Minimal until Term 3 Minimal until Term 3 Minimal all year assessments the year
Asessment skills 27 Well developed Some skills Skill awareness – Low knowledge No knowledge limited application
Access to study High Variable Variable Low None resources outside school 28
Future aspirations Clear career/ Some employment/ Range of aspirations. Vocal aspirations. Limited future education aspirations. education No thought given to Some thought given aspirations. have begun to think aspirations. pathways to trade pathways No thought given to through pathways Unsure about pathways potential pathways
Whänau support/ Actively supportive Supportive Variable support Passive support Limited support engagement Strong collaboration Limited collaboration Some collaboration Limited collaboration No collaboration with school with school with school with school with school
27. Such as study skills and exam techniques. 28. Such as computers and subject revision books.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA High flyers work consistently throughout the year; put effort into internal assessments and have a good understanding of study skills and exam techniques. They have high expectations of themselves and are disappointed if they haven’t achieved the number of credits they aspired to. They view their return to Year 12 as a step along the pathway towards pursuing their aspirations and often are seeking to lift their achievement levels further.
His NCEA results were great, he got really high. If he doesn’t do the best he’s not impressed. Nan of Rangatahi 1, School F
High flyers almost always have future education/occupational aspirations and their whänau are usually actively engaged in supporting them to plan for their futures. High flyers usually have some exposure 61 to potential role models in their area of interest either through whänau or wider networks. By Year 12 some already have a career in mind (for example wanting to be a pilot or an accountant). Others may not have a defined career choice but are clear about the pathway they wish to pursue (for example, attend university). Those that have considered career options tend to identify professional occupations.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH FLYERS − By the end of Year 11, high flyers have the confidence, motivation, knowledge and work ethic to continue to be successful through their secondary schooling. − Despite their academic achievement, high flyers have a narrow range of occupational aspirations and few reported having had access to formal careers advice. − High flyers would benefit from exposure to the wide range of future career opportunities available to them. − High flyers also require increased access to careers advice and information on future education, training and careers opportunities from Year 11 so that they may plan out a pathway to achieve their aspirations.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES 7.3.1 High Flyer Vignette – Hone
Hone is 16 years old and lives with his parents and two younger siblings. He is the tuakana29 and as such his parents expect him to achieve, set a good example and be a positive role model for his teina.30 Hone enjoys football and has a part-time job at McDonalds in the weekend.
Hone’s parents describe him as a naturally shy boy and this is why they wanted him to attend a single sex school. His parents made a decision to bypass the local intermediate and colleges, which they considered to be in a state of flux, to improve his educational opportunities. Hone spends over two hours travelling by bus and train to and from school each day.
62 From the age of eight years old Hone wanted to be a pilot. His parents explained how Hone researched what he needed to do to achieve his goal and found out about the Air Training Corps (ATC) which his parents now support him to attend weekly.
Hone enjoys school and in particular the opportunities, his mates and the help and encouragement from teachers. There is nothing he doesn’t like about school. Hone is a motivated learner who likes to achieve. His biggest motivation to achieve is his parents.
My parents support and my after school pursuits are my motivation. I plan to join the Air Force so my parents support me with that. I want to be a pilot in the Air Force … I’m the oldest; they expect me to do well.
In Year 11, Hone studied English, Mäori, mathematics, science, history, and physical education. He achieved 130 NCEA level 1 credits – 68 were merits. Hone’s parents encourage him to work hard.
Probably what he wants to do is the Air Force. We told him you can’t get anywhere without putting in the work and effort.
His parent’s also described how the high expectations Hone placed on himself took its toll part way through last year, as he became less motivated and disengaged from school work.
He did sort of slack off last year, mid-year. He was taking a bit of time off school. It got to the point where the deputy was calling me at work. So an arrangement was made where he had to turn up to her office every morning. So he did lose motivation then. We both did ask, ‘Is everything okay?’ He said he just felt pressured, within himself that he had to do well. And I think with us saying to him, ‘you‘re not going to be able to do what you want to if you don’t go to school’. So by the fourth term he was back on track.
29. Older brother. 30. Younger siblings.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Hone’s level of confidence to achieve Level 1 increased as he accumulated more and more credits throughout the year. By the end of year he was very confident. Hone said he was happy with the number of credits he achieved and his parent’s reported how proud they were.
Proud, wow! I had to announce it on Facebook to our whänau and friends. He only needed this much, but he got this much.
While his parents didn’t have a strong understanding about NCEA, Hone clearly understood what he needed to achieve in order to reach his goals.
Hone has a clear understanding. He knew what he needed to do to reach his goal. I know they have lots of little things they have to do through the year, not just the exam, like they 63 used to, but I just don’t get … it was when he was going on about merits of endorsement, that’s when I got lost, all of those extra credits. My understanding was when you get your 80 credits, why do you need to go for more? But he said, ‘Cause it looks better Mum.’
Hone put in minimal effort for internal assessments, but worked hard for his externals.
I learnt a little bit of study skills, but not like a huge focus – learnt about organizing notes, keeping focused. Mum just reminded me I should be studying. A little bit for internals, major for external.
Hone used study guides, notes and the internet to study and help prepare for exams. He enjoyed history and did well, which he attributed to prior knowledge and support from teachers and home.
I had good grades in social studies for Year 10, and prior knowledge of topics we covered in history and help and support from teachers and at home.
Hone values NCEA qualifications and knows he can’t become an air pilot without them. Similarly his parents see many benefits in achieving NCEA.
We want him knowing that he’s done his best and it’s all paid off. And knowing we are proud no matter what. He needs that education base in case the airplane thing doesn’t work.
Hone’s parents reported he had a more ‘mature attitude’ at home this year. They want him to continue to achieve at school and attain NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3 as well as good grades in physics (a prerequisite for pilot training). Hone is keen to join the Air Force when he turns 18 years old, but his parents have said they want him to complete Year 13 first.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES 7.4 QUIET ACHIEVERS
Quiet achievers hold positive attitudes to school and learning. Often their key motivation is to make whänau proud and/or to be the first in the whänau to achieve educational success. Related to this, they value education as a means to improving their job/careers prospects. Quiet achievers are likely to attain somewhere between 80-120 credits.
My biggest motivation was probably all my family. Them saying how staying at school helps; saying the better education you get, the more money you can earn. Rangatahi 3, School F
64 I wanted to pass all three levels of NCEA just cause I don’t know what I want to do. So if I have all those three levels I might be able to go to uni and study. Last year I didn’t know what I wanted to do. This year I do. Probably next year I will find out what I can study in at uni. I’m thinking maybe about IT – the hardware side of it. Rangatahi 2, School G
Quiet achievers are motivated to achieve but have low confidence in their ability to do so. Teachers often described these rangatahi as hardworking, persistent, quiet and polite and noted that they respond well to positive reinforcement.
Someone like [name] is not as strong, at school but works hard and gets results. He will work hard, even though he will struggle, he will quietly achieve. He lacks confidence in himself. Once he hears he believes it. He responds well to positive reinforcement. He has a good supportive family. Teacher 1, School G
Quiet achievers put effort into their learning and will take advantage of offers of assistance such as ‘catch-ups’ or tutorials. As the year progresses, their understanding of NCEA and their confidence grows.
I usually go to catch up group after school. A teacher from English will stay in after school and we could stay in and finish off our work. Rangatahi 2, School G
Quiet achievers put some effort into study management outside of school, but their study and time management skills not as developed as high flyers. In addition, they are less likely to have access to internet and other study resources. Teachers often recognise that quiet achievers would benefit from more in class support from teachers but note that sometimes this is challenging.
With [name] he’s a really polite boy but he’s easily distracted. A learner like him who needs more of your time - he is easily lost. Just the culture of that class last year - it didn’t help him, it hindered him. Things take longer for him to process but he will get there. Teacher 1, School G
Parents of quiet achievers are supportive of their rangatahi being in school and often impress upon them the value of education. Parents of some quiet achievers also try to positively influence their motivation throughout the year.
Don’t want him to be like me I guess. I left school before sitting School C. He has hopes and dreams. I just want him to be able to achieve though, so I just push him, to get him where he wants to be. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School C
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Quiet achievers who did not have strong whänau support either relied on their own motivation or the support of significant others such as teachers/sport coaches/mentors.
[Name]’s social support isn’t that strong. He’s a kid that’s achieved, but more on his own motivation than anything else. Teacher 2, School F
Parents of quiet achievers are usually very proud of their rangatahi having passed Level 1 and some acknowledged the hardship or challenges outside of school that their rangatahi encountered.
Whilst valuing education and encouraging their rangatahi to be in school, whänau of quiet achievers often have limited knowledge of NCEA. Perhaps as a result of their own educational experience, and/ 65 or circumstances, they can also be less likely than parents of high flyers to have high expectations of achievement. Similarly they are less likely than parents of high flyers to actively monitor progress of their rangatahi, or to routinely engage with teachers/the school.
Quiet achievers are more tentative than high flyers about their future aspirations. Some report a range of aspirations for the future ranging from professional through to trade occupations. Quiet achievers do not always have exposure to potential role models in their area of interest. Some are yet to determine what they would like to do in the future. Quiet achievers who have begun to plan out future pathways have often done so without formal careers advice and with little input from whänau.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR QUIET ACHIEVERS − Quiets achievers have positive attitudes towards educational and social aspects of school and appreciate the value of education. − By the end of Year 11, quiet achievers have grown in confidence and are motivated to continue to improve their achievement levels in Year 12. − Initiatives that increase skills (such as study skills, exam techniques, and if required, literacy) and access to resources that assist their preparation for assessments (internet access and study resources) could potentially assist quiet achievers to further enhance their achievement levels. − Quiet achievers have often attained Level 1 NCEA without the level of active whänau and teachers support enjoyed by high flyers. − The whänau of quiet achievers value education but may not have high expectations of achievement. Initiatives which support whänau to lift their expectations and provide active encouragement and support to rangatahi may help to lift the achievement levels of quiet achievers even more. − Closer collaborative relationships between whänau/caregivers and teachers may also benefit quiet achievers. − Quiet achievers are usually thinking about employment options but are planning for them in the absence of support from careers advice or active whänau input. Like high flyers, quiet achievers would benefit from exposure that increases their awareness of the range of career options open to them. − Many quiet achievers have the potential to attain Level 3 qualifications. However, without active support and encouragement some may leave school to enter vocational programmes or pursue employment. − Emphasis should be placed on retaining quiet achievers to Level 3 and supporting them to plan out future pathways so that they may achieve their potential and aspirations for the future.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES 7.4.1 Quiet Achiever Vignette – Peta
Peta is 17 years old and the second eldest of five children. He was raised by his mother and surrounded by a large extended whänau. Peta loves sport, especially soccer which he plays socially and competitively. Peta’s mother describes him as a bright, helpful boy and enthusiastic learner. For Peta, his family’s lack of educational success was a key driver in his motivation to do well at school.
Well I’ll be honest - my family isn’t the most successful family. I just didn’t want to end up like them, with average jobs. I wanted something more than that … I like to focus on my education. I want a better future.
66 Peta’s teachers describe him as “quite driven”. His favourite subjects in Year 11 were Spanish (he was top of class) and PE.
My class is quite small. There is a lot of hands on time with the teacher so you don’t get flustered. I enjoy the subject so it provides me a good feeling … I would say PE too, it’s hands on, the team stuff. My Spanish class, it’s just a nice language, something of interest, and the bonus trip is always nice as well.
Peta’s least favourite subject was English because he didn’t understand the teacher. He was also in a talkative class and admitted he struggled to keep on task. Things did improve as the year progressed because his English teacher was also a soccer coach and encouraged Peta to work hard and provided extra one-on-one support.
Peta passed NCEA Level 1 with 115 credits. He attributed his success to surrounding himself by positive peers and the support received by teachers and significant others.
I definitely had a lot of support from the staff. They were my teachers and sports coaches/ managers too … My choice of friends. I believe I chose a good group of friends; they value their education also. They help with reminders of homework, recaps, study groups for exams and stuff.
Peta’s mother commented on the positive support she and Peta have received from their community.
His good friends’ parents from soccer. They take him for holidays. They are just proactive and helped him with resources I wasn’t able to provide. They take him on trips away when they are going out for dinner. He had a great support team behind him. They were definitely positive in motivating him. They provided resources he hadn’t had before or seen. So he thought ‘Wow, I can be something else, not just what my family are’. They have broadened his horizons. Just seeing, because we live how we do, he saw other options.
Peta and his mother described how his teacher and peers have had a positive influence on his confidence.
Definitely my teacher, peer support, results were good to get back as well. They gave me a note academically of how I was doing. His teachers at [School] have been really great with all three of my boys - their motivation towards guiding them towards subject choices.
Peta studied and revised in his own time and had his exam timetable on his wall. He also used study tools like studyit.org.nz. Peta reported he did better in his mocks and internal assessments than his finals and explained why:
Internals you can ask for help from the teachers, in a class room with everyone else. Not as intimidating as finals is.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA He identified that electronics are his biggest distraction from schoolwork – outside of his soccer commitments. He uses a range of strategies to help manage his workload.
It’s definitely about thinking ahead and using your time wisely. If I pay attention in class my homework becomes a lot easier.
With a large family, Peta’s mother has felt stretched in trying to fully support her children through school. However, she has impressed on him the value of education and has provided positive encouragement for him.
The negative I would say is myself. Because I have five children on my own I’m really spread thin with them. I view it as a negative. It could be a positive too. My own lifestyle. The boys haven’t 67 always seen everything great. They have seen alcohol abuse. It was rocky and volatile and hey, that’s behind us too.
Peta’s mother also explained how despite the challenges their whänau has faced; she has been able to provide a consistent presence that has supported Peta to do well at school.
Probably just the consistency of me always being home. When they get home from school I’m always here; that stability maybe? Really we don’t do a lot outside of home because of funds and that. We create our own games, we talk at dinner time, but then I am spread thin.
In addition, Peta has been able to turn to his older brother, who had passed NCEA level 1, for advice and guidance. Peta’s future aspiration is to get out of [town] and enlist in the Army.
7.4.2 Quiet Achiever Vignette - Reid
Reid has a younger sister and has been bought up by his grandparents. He spends time at his mother’s house some weekends. Outside of school Reid plays rugby league and enjoys spending time with his friends. He has recently undertaken work experience as a part-time childcare assistant at a local early childhood centre. Reid describes school as challenging, exciting and he likes learning new things. One of Reid’s key motivations to achieve NCEA was to make his grandparents proud of him.
It was cause my nan and pop work really hard and I wanted to say thanks to them and that, so I tried to pass.
While Reid felt his nan and pop didn’t understand the details of NCEA he felt they knew it was important. Reid’s teacher considered him to be motivated and felt that he had good whänau support.
He is quite motivated. He has the support at home as well. It was nice meeting his mum and nan.
Reid enjoys Mäori classes in particular.
My favourite subject is Mäori – cause I’m Mäori. I like to learn new things about myself. The Mäori class environment is good. Teacher doesn’t muck around. I’ve got good mates in the class – most are from [primary school].
For Level 1, Reid took English, Mäori (Level 2); maths, economics and accounting. He was really motivated to pass Mäori.
My biggest motivation? Passing Mäori – I wanted to do well in Mäori. Teachers helped and were good. I would do the homework, ask for help and come to catch up classes if I needed it.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES It was economics and accounting that he found most challenging.
Economics and accounting that worried me. Those two I just didn’t get them. I thought I’d miss out on two classes of getting credits. I asked for help and I still didn’t get it. I left accounting this year but still trying to do economics.
Reid identified his biggest distraction was the classroom environment.
Distractions? The kids and the classroom environment – paper planes; kids getting kicked out. The main subjects maths and English were the crazy ones.
Reid put effort into his homework throughout the year but didn’t realise how important internal 68 assessments were.
3.30-5pm was my homework time. I didn’t do economics homework though cause it was too hard. Then I put effort into the end of year exams that were important. I didn’t realise internals were important.
It wasn’t until Term 3 that Reid began to fully understand how NCEA worked. This in turn increased his motivation and effort. Reid’s form teacher also talked about how he ‘switched on’ mid-year.
When they started explaining NCEA around Term 3 that’s when I went hard out, cause I began to understand what it is all about. I only had 36 credits in Term 3. I didn’t understand fully how NCEA worked (maybe cause I didn’t listen). My form teacher said I had to start to do something. Once I understood it all – I was like ‘Ohhhhh’ and then I was away. Reid woke up half way through. Without a doubt those boys need a wakeup call … These boys are still on a cruise from Year 10. Reid woke up. For him he needed to be reminded. Every morning he wanted to see how many credits he had. Reid didn’t like not seeing results. He would endeavour to do all he could.
At that point, Reid took advantage of the catch up classes that were offered after school and in weekends by some teachers.
Learning support – catch up classes – they were helpful. Last year I didn’t go as much as I needed to but towards Term 3 I went hard out.
Reid achieved 87 Level 1 credits, but did not achieve Level 1 as he was three numeracy credits short. It was Reid’s decision to return to Year 12. At the time of the interview he was working to attain the three additional numeracy credits required to achieve Level 1.
Reid saw the key benefit of achieving NCEA was that he would get a better job and that this would make his nan and koro happy. He has maintained a positive attitude to school and reported being better able to manage his time and competing priorities.
I’m keen this year … Last year I didn’t know how important it was. This year I do. Time management – I’ve become better at it. It’s still hard cause I think I had two or three assessments in the one week. One week was hard in English and classics and I asked for an extension in another subject. I’m more organised.
Reid was intending to gain work experience in a family business of stone masonry.
If not stone masonry – if not I was gonna see how the Army was. I’ve always liked the Army stuff. I have an uncle in the Army.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA OPPORTUNITIES FOR OVER-CONFIDENTS − Over-confidents have usually experienced some level of educational success prior to Year 11. − They have a belief in their ability to achieve and appreciate the value of the education. − Strategies that encourage over-confident to apply themselves early in the school year and stress the importance of internal assessment are likely to be the key to improved achievement for over-confidents. − Over-confidents demonstrate a growth in maturity between Years 11 and 12. The shock of not achieving Level 1 usually results in improved attitudes, behaviour and effort in Year 12. − Initiatives that increase skills (such as literacy, study skills and exam techniques) and increase 69 access to resources that assist preparation for assessments (internet access and study resources) could potentially assist over-confidents to lift their achievement.
7.5 OVER-CONFIDENTS As a group, the over-confidents can hold negative attitudes towards learning and often report friends and/or sports as the key motivations for being in school.
I don’t really like school but it’s fun. Learning new things is alright but it’s more a social time. Rangatahi 6, School G
Over-confidents have usually achieved well in Years 9 and 10 and are confident in their ability to achieve Level 1. They are however low in motivation and do not see applying themselves to their school work as a priority. Most over-confident rangatahi will report that they lacked motivation at the beginning of Year 11 and were prone to engaging in disruptive behaviour. Outside of school, over-confidents are often heavily involved in sports or spend disproportionate amounts of time on computer activities (in particular Xbox, and to lesser extent Facebook) and/or socialising, which detract from study management. Over-confidents tend to attain somewhere between 40-80 credits.
In terms of whänau support, over-confident rangatahi usually have whänau who value education. Some have whänau members who have experienced educational success and who make an effort to work with teachers to keep them on track at school. Whänau and teachers often express frustration with over-confidents as they feel they have the ability to succeed at school.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES Arapeta, him and [name] were shocking about the Xbox. The whänau tried. [His mother] tried her best to communicate with us and him. Teacher 1, School G
Over-confident rangatahi always report that they “left the run too late” to put in effort to achieve credits. For this sub-group, they often come to realisation in Term 3 that they have accumulated few credits from internal assessments throughout the year. They usually have some understanding of study skills and exam techniques but do not put them into practice. Over-confidents often “pull out all the stops” for external exams but their efforts are not sufficient to secure enough credits to achieve Level 1. Whilst over-confidents demonstrate self-belief, their knowledge of NCEA, study skills and exam
70 techniques are not as well developed as quiet achievers.
Over-confidents are always shocked when they receive their results as they believe that they could have achieved a better result.
It was shocking. Cause my cousin had just finished and passed. It was quite hard – I was shocked. Rangatahi 6, School G
Over-confidents demonstrate improved attitudes, behaviours and work ethic when in Year 12. They are more aware of the value of education and sometimes attribute these improvements to a growth in maturity. In Year 12 they are more determined to achieve Level 1 and often intend to remain in school for Year 13.
Didn’t like any of them – didn’t like school at all. I don’t know why – it was bit of downer. I wasn’t a nice person I think I was just going through puberty. I’ve grown up and realised how important school is. Rangatahi 6, School G
Over-confidents often aspire to professional occupations and usually have a few options they are considering. However, they tend not to have given much thought to the pathway required to pursue their aspirations.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 7.5.1 Over-confident Vignette – Arapeta
Arapeta is 16 years old and comes from a whänau of six. He has an older brother and sister who have achieved NCEA Level 1 and three younger brothers. He works part-time at a bakery and attends the gym most mornings before school. Arapeta attended a bilingual unit at during his primary and intermediate school years and has been in a whänau class at college. He achieved well in Years 9 and 10 and studied maths, English, Mäori, science and history in Year 11.
Arapeta reported that at the beginning of the year he was not really motivated. For Arapeta, Xbox was a big distraction from his school work.
My Xbox. Just takes up a lot of time when I play it. Last year I would play for about six hours from 71 when I got home till when I went to bed. Most of my friends played Xbox as well. They got around the same grade as me. So they weren’t a positive influence.
In Year 11, Arapeta didn’t apply himself in class and the amount of time he spent on Xbox impacted on his motivation and level of engagement in school.
I found Arapeta to be very sleepy. I was asking teachers if he was alright. I would always talk to him and he would just sit there. He would only like to write in pencil, when he finally did do work it was in detention.
Arapeta reported that his understanding of NCEA was limited at the beginning of the year but grew over time.
I didn’t fully understand it but I understood some; that we had to get credits; I didn’t know how many. Later on, through the year, I found you had to get some for different subjects like English and maths and literacy and numeracy. I understood it better at the end.
Arapeta put minimal effort into internal assessments and undertook minimal preparation for external exams.
I came into the year thinking it was going to be nice easy and slow. I didn’t study or anything cause in Year 9 and 10 I did well. I was expecting that. I only did a little bit of homework. I usually did homework at school and then finished it at home. I wasn’t motivated at all. It wasn’t till Term 3 I realised that I had to actually pass my internal assessments. I went online to check my credits I was shocked.
By the end of the year Arapeta felt he had done everything he could. In terms of results, Arapeta excelled in Mäori and achieved 37 Level 1 credits overall. He was shocked to learn that he hadn’t achieved Level 1.
I felt shocked. As in ‘bad’ shocked. I was expecting to do better. My whänau thought I was going to pass. They felt shocked as well.
Arapeta came back to school for Year 12 because he realised he needed to pass NCEA Level 2. While he doesn’t know what he wants to do in the future, he saw the key benefit of returning to school is to get qualifications so that he can get a better job. He is unsure where he will be in five years’ time and hasn’t given much thought to future training or employment options.
I don’t know where I’ll be in five years’ time. I still don’t know what I want to do. I’m gonna come back next year. I’m doing Level 1 and 2 this year.
He reports that he barely plays Xbox now and is more focused on his studies and is achieving better results.
I listen to my teachers now. I ask more questions and I’m better organised now. I leave [my books] with the teachers now so I don’t lose them. I’ve only had three assessments. I think I got ‘achieved’ in two and one I wasn’t here. I’ll pass cause I usually get a lot of sleep cause now I don’t play Xbox.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES 7.6 STRUGGLERS Strugglers generally enjoy school and in particular socialising and hanging out with their mates. They can however hold negative attitudes towards learning and/or teachers.
What do I like about school? My mates; some classes (I do like English); kapa haka, rugby and all that. Rangatahi 4, School D You get to learn something every day. Yeah just being around your mates every day, and yeah, the canteen. I don’t like bullies. Some teachers are pretty ratshit. Teachers that are just there for themselves; they don’t really put effort into it. They see a bunch of boys in corner who don’t want 72 to learn. Rangatahi 5, School F
Strugglers motivation to be in school can come from their whänau and/or their desire to improve their job prospects. Often their aspiration is to gain an apprenticeship or some form of trade training and some are aware that they require Level 1 or Level 2 NCEA to do so.
I want to make it past Year 13 cause no one in my family has. I want to be the first. Rangatahi 6, School A I’ve wanted to be a mechanic since Year 9, but I have to get NCEA Level 1 to get into a mechanics course. Rangatahi 4, School G
Strugglers are usually low in both motivation and confidence and have low self-belief that they can achieve NCEA. For strugglers there tend to be two key factors that impede their motivation and achievement - either previous negative schooling experience (resulting in low literacy, gaps in knowledge and low confidence), or troubled or complex social circumstances which can impact on their confidence, motivation and learning outcomes. Some strugglers are contending with both the effects of negative schooling experience and challenging social circumstances.
Strugglers often have a limited understanding of how NCEA works and what is required to achieve Level 1. They tend to steer more towards subjects they ‘get’ and ‘enjoy’ and often have low levels of engagement learning in class. They can be disruptive or disengage if they find subjects too hard or if they do not have a positive relationship with the teacher.
Strugglers are not proactive in seeking additional help from teachers or support staff and usually do not attend tutorials or catch-ups. Strugglers usually attain somewhere between 40-70 credits.
Teachers often feel that strugglers have potential, but lack the motivation, confidence, esteem, efficacy, structures and support systems to turn this into action and achievement. Literacy and non-attendance are often key barriers to achievement for rangatahi who are struggling.
Whänau members can have little or no understanding of NCEA and more often than not have had negative schooling experiences themselves. Outside of parents, some strugglers have the support of significant others such as older siblings, caregivers and sport coaches, who encourage them to be in school but do not necessarily have the skills and knowledge to provide them with active support for their learning and achievement.
Struggling rangatahi understand the value of education and qualifications as a ticket to a better life and opportunities, but are unable to clearly articulate their goals and aspirations and the steps and amount of work required to get there.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA My Dad just told me heaps of stories. He said if I don’t pass then I would probably just find a job at Countdown or McDonalds. Rangatahi 6, School C Basically I need to get an education; get some credits. If you don’t have NCEA you are basically stuffed for life. Rangatahi 4, School E It’s very topsy and turvy. These boys are still here. They don’t want to go on a course as such. These boys are here to get something. The ones who wanted to go on courses are gone. Teacher 2, School G 73 Strugglers’ future aspirations are often influenced by whänau/family friends. They often aspire to trade occupations and usually have a role model within or associated with the whänau in those occupations. Similarly some see whänau businesses as future employment destinations. Some strugglers have been exposed to industry through the Gateway programme operating in their school.
Yeah. I want to be a mechanic or an electrician. My nan’s boyfriend at the moment, he got me into being an electrician. I am learning that in Gateway. So I think I have to get NCEA Level 1 and 20 credits in Level 1 and have some knowledge of being an electrician (which I don’t have much of). Rangatahi 1, School G
[Plans for the future?] Don’t really know. Maybe concreting or something. No one has talked to be about careers advice. Spoke with whänau members – Koro is a concreter. He said wait till you finish school cause the work is full on so I wouldn’t be able to do school as well. Rangatahi 5, School B My motivation is just always seeing your mates. Some subjects motivate me like Gateway. It helps set you up with jobs and stuff. It’s a subject. It’s really good for setting you up in the future. I’m doing it this year. Rangatahi 6, School F
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STRUGGLERS − Strugglers generally enjoy being in school and have some recognition of the importance of attaining educational qualifications. − Strugglers are more likely than other groups to have reduced capacity as a result of previous schooling experience (such as low literacy, gaps in knowledge and low confidence). − Many strugglers are also contending with difficult or complex social circumstances. − Literacy support is likely to increase confidence, reduce disruptive behaviour and lift the achievement of some strugglers. − Strugglers are thinking about employment options and have often undertaken their own research. They would benefit from exposure to a wider range of employment options through careers advice and assistance with goal setting and planning for the future. − The whänau of strugglers want them to be in school but provide ‘passive’ support for motivation and achievement. Initiatives which support whänau to lift their expectations of achievement and provide positive encouragement and support to rangatahi may enhance achievement levels. − There may be potential for closer collaborative relationships with whänau/caregivers or other significant adults who are already providing support/encouragement.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES 7.6.1. Struggler Vignette - Harley
Harley is 15 years old and is being brought up by caregivers (who he refers to as ‘Aunty’ and ‘Uncle’). They also have three children. He is the eldest of six children. His younger siblings live with his mother in [city]. Harley has been to three high schools in three years. He didn’t do a lot of active schooling in [city] arrived at the end of Term 3 with seven credits. Harley sometimes worries about his mother and often feels the pull to return to [city] to support her.
Family stuff with Mum and that, before I moved down here. My mum and brothers and sisters. Mum would rather me here then up there with her. It was tough. I’ve been with my caregivers half of my life now. 74 Harley’s Aunty and Uncle describe him as a highly extroverted and sociable young man, who fits in really well with different social groups. They recognise his ability and potential.
I think he wants it all because he is intelligent. He’s very aware of the stereotypes of being on the dole. Living with us he’s seen a different option, a different way. He talked about the other day ‘If I go to university can I still stay with you?’ So he does think about achieving. He just hasn’t quite figured out the amount of work he needs to do to get there.
Harley’s Aunt and Uncle work hard to keep him in school, are proactive and contact the school when support is needed. Last year Harley struggled getting to school on time so they contacted the deputy principal to seek help.
We’re just doing our best to keep him in school … Holding him is a real task. You have to follow- up constantly. He is one of many boys they are chasing to keep in the boxes. The deputy principal really rates him so she’s really prepared to back him. The lateness thing, she was like, ‘Nah he actually just needs to pull his socks up’ but she backs him. He is quite personable.
When Harley arrived he felt like he had to start all over again as he had to change subjects.
I knew I wouldn’t pass Level 1. Because when I moved here I had to change all of my subjects so I couldn’t keep going with my old subjects. After moving, I didn’t know how I was gonna do it.
Harley’s favourite subjects were physical education, English and history, because he ‘got them’. His least favourite subjects were mathematics and science because they were hard. He explained how he struggled to learn formulae and equations and felt like he was always behind.
But mathematics and science you have to learn about formulas and stuff. You had to be there all of the time. The teachers help but when you miss out on quite a lot of stuff, you’re always behind. I asked for help and they’d tell you what to do, but I had to keep on coming back and keep on catching up. Living with my mum, I was away heaps. I missed a bit of class Year 9 and 10 and I never really went to school. Maths and science you have to be in class to learn the formulas and I wasn’t there.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Harley explained how he didn’t really understand how NCEA worked. He put minimal effort into study management and explained how his biggest distraction was his friends.
Nah I didn’t really put much effort in to be honest. I don’t like studying. I did a little for English and history, but not much for mathematics and science because I didn’t get it. I couldn’t be bothered when I was supposed to be studying I’d hang out with my mates instead.
Harley’s Aunty and Uncle worked hard to support and encourage good study management.
He really does want to achieve, but he’s not very disciplined and lives very much in the moment. He wants to do youth, church, mates and we say to him, ‘You need to do your schoolwork’ and he says ‘Yeah I’ll do that later’. So working towards goals and stuff is a difficult concept for him. Our 75 role is to provide the scaffolding towards it but it’s really hard. In terms of his motivation he’s not motivated at all, but if you nail him down he will do it.
Harley learnt some study and exam skills and techniques from his teachers, some of which he used in his exams:
I learnt a little bit from my history teacher. Timetables, sorting myself out, time management. Everybody else told me to get into it … ‘Pick up a book’ … A couple of teachers taught me how to review, plan and keep reviewing, that was my English teacher. They said don’t cheat. They said just lay it out; my older cousin said, ‘do the hardest question first get it out of the way.’
Harley was not surprised he didn’t pass NCEA.
I already I knew I wasn’t going to pass. I went into the exams with 30 credits and came out with 50.
Harley reported how his aunty and uncle were proud of his efforts and how far he had come since moving down to live with them. His motivation to return to school in Year 12 was to finish school with NCEA Level 1 and 2. Harley’s aunty is his rock and key motivator.
Aunty, she just made me do it. She said, ‘Have you got a job boy? Nah, then get to school!’. Yep, she was a good motivation. She was mean [as in cool]. To finish school, to just finish it. Yep, NCEA, go to uni. Be the first one in my whänau and stuff like that. No idea what at uni, something like physical education.
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES 7.7 VULNERABLES A small number of rangatahi who participated in the research were notably less engaged in school than other rangatahi. We have referred to this group as “vulnerables”. Vulnerables hold negative attitudes to the educational aspects for school and, in some cases, are quite clear that they do not want to be there.
I don’t wanna be here. Maths and English and careers – a big waste of time you just do nothing. Rangatahi 6a, School A It’s just the same every day. It’s nothing different really. It’s kind of boring. Always the same and yeah… I don’t like learning to be honest. 76 Rangatahi 6, School D
In terms of motivation, vulnerable rangatahi are usually ambivalent about their desire to pass NCEA, and in contrast to over-confidents, their motivation wanes as the year progresses.
Don’t really have a motivation aye. Sometimes there are ups and others there are downs. I just don’t like my parents aye. [Did anyone help motivate you?] Some teachers do. Rangatahi 6a, School A I was tired by the end of the year - over it. Rangatahi 5, School B
Vulnerables have no confidence in their ability to pass NCEA. They are often resigned to not passing. Their peers are their main source of learning support.
Nah, can’t remember how many credits I got. I wasn’t surprised not to pass. I saw it coming. I told Mum and Nan I passed. I think Mum’s still waiting for it in the mail but I chucked it in my bag. Rangatahi 5, School B Physical education and drawing, like the people around me helping me out and it’s physical and not sitting down, my mates helping me along. Rangatahi 6a, School A
Vulnerable rangatahi have very limited, if any, understanding of NCEA, study skills, or exam techniques. Like strugglers, vulnerables are likely to be experiencing literacy issues and gaps in knowledge as a result of previous negative schooling experience. Lack of equipment is also an issue for vulnerables.
[How would you describe you level of understanding of NCEA?] Nah, I didn’t know. And I still don’t know. Rangatahi 4, School D NCEA is complicated. I’m still trying to get it. My whänau didn’t understand it. Rangatahi 6a, School A
Vulnerable rangatahi usually achieve less than 40 credits. They mostly report that they do not know how many credits they achieved. If they do – they do not tell their whänau.
I don’t really know. I didn’t ask how much I had. [How did your whänau react?] I didn’t even tell them … I would have told them if they asked, but they didn’t ask. Rangatahi 4, School D
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Vulnerable rangatahi feel unsupported by whänau and tended to not have significant others who support/encourage them in their learning. They often identify issues at home as a distraction from their learning. Teachers often have had no engagement with whänau of vulnerable rangatahi and report that efforts to make contact with them via phone or e-mail are usually unsuccessful.
Nah, not my whänau aye. They are more like help everyone else and help us last; help my aunties and my uncles and then you’ll come last. I didn’t get any credits till Term 3. Things at home weren’t good so I couldn’t really focus at school. My parents look down on me. I suppose, me and my parents didn’t have a cool relationship. Rangatahi 6a, School A 77 My whänau never come to parent teacher interviews. And teachers never rung home. Rangatahi 5, School B College
Vulnerables also do not look to teachers as a source of encouragement or support. Teachers of vulnerable rangatahi usually report that they are disengaged or ‘distant’ in class and that they are often coping with difficult social circumstances that impede their educational progress.
[Name] had the death of his father last year. Basically, that has really thrown him. As far as I know, Mum does not live at home. It’s him and his sister. He had other stuff going on in his life. Teacher 2, School E
Despite feeling unsupported by their parents, vulnerable rangatahi have usually returned to Year 12 partly as a result of the influence of their parents. For some, sport is also a draw card for returning to Year 12. Vulnerable rangatahi are ambivalent about their futures.
My parents told me I had to come back. I was gonna go on a course. They just want me to stay in school. Rangatahi 4, School D He had no choice. It was get your back side in the classroom and do the work or you’re not going to Aussie. So I had to bribe and threaten him at the same time. Mother of Rangatahi 6, School F
Vulnerables find it difficult to envisage where they will be in five years and have not given much thought to planning for the future.
[Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?]Not sure. Can’t really tell. Don’t really know. Maybe concreting or something. No one has talked to me about careers advice. I spoke with whänau – Koro is a concreter. He said, ‘Wait till you finish school cause the work is full on’, so I wouldn’t be able to do school as well. Rangatahi 5, School B College [Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?] I don’t know yet, anything could happen. [Two years’ time?] Nah I haven’t thought that far ahead. The Army - just to learn something. Better than staying home and doing nothing. Rangatahi 4, School D The Army. Not a job where you sit down, something physical. Rangatahi 6a, School A
RANGATAHI TYPOLOGIES OPPORTUNITIES FOR VULNERABLES − With vulnerables, the key opportunity is that they are still in school despite having reached the legal leaving age. − Whilst vulnerables are disengaged within class, they tend not to be engaged in negative social behaviours. − The priority for vulnerables should be to retain them in school or transition them to some form of education and training outside of school. The alternative is that they will leave school with no education, training and employment options which will place them at risk of negative social
78 behaviour and the associated consequences. − Whilst vulnerable rangatahi reported having limited whänau support, they acknowledged that their whänau had played a part in them returning to school. − Retaining vulnerable rangatahi is likely to require intensive wrap around support that engages both rangatahi and whänau. − Beyond retention, vulnerables will require significant learning support to address the factors that reduce the capacity for achievement (such as literacy, gaps in knowledge, equipment).
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 8. TEACHING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE RANGATAHI
SECTION TITLE 8.1 OVERVIEW This chapter begins by providing an overview of rangatahi perspectives on what makes a good teacher. It then outlines strategies that teachers identified that they have used to engage rangatahi.
From the perspective of rangatahi, “good” teachers are teachers who have a sense of humour and can make their subjects fun/interesting, but “who know when to be serious”. Rangatahi also respect teachers who they perceive care about them, help them when they are struggling, and encourage and support them to achieve. Rangatahi also value teachers who are consistent and fair.
The range of effective strategies identified by teachers include: putting effort into building relationships 80 with rangatahi and providing positive affirmation to rangatahi that they can achieve; setting high expectations of behaviour; targeting teacher support; making work relevant; breaking down work into manageable chunks; and engaging the support of whänau.
8.2 RANGATAHI PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT MAKES A GOOD TEACHER Rangatahi indicated that they related well to teachers who had a sense of humour and were able to make their subject fun/engaging. When asked what subject they enjoyed most, it was usually a subject where the teacher had made the subject fun and engaging. In turn, this tended to be the subject that the rangatahi had achieved well in.
Favourite subject – Mäori – understood the work easily. Teacher was good. Whänau was good. They knew I would do good in Mäori. Teacher had a positive attitude. Would also joke around but would also know when to get serious and do the work and the students would also know when to get serious and when to joke around. Rangatahi 2, School G
Sitting down in class. Sometimes I just get too bored - just constantly writing. If they made a fun way to learn … then yeah. In my biology class, my teacher is really fun. It’s one of my favourite classes. Keep class fun. Have a good personality. My teacher this year is so boring, and yeah, it’s just not fun. Rangatahi 2, School C
The environment. The teacher, he was clear on instructions; he had a good way of teaching; he knew how to relate to us. One teacher I have now, he jokes around with us; he knows when to be serious. It makes it more fun. Rangatahi 3, School C
Interestingly, many rangatahi indicated that they liked and had more respect for teachers who “ran a tight ship” and were able to control classroom behaviour. This was often true of the rangatahi who reported having engaged in disruptive behaviour themselves.
[What are some things you like about school?] My old maths teacher. He was strict on me… [What could teachers do better?] More one on one time. Be more stricter. Rangatahi 5, School B
[What makes a good teacher?] Teachers that talk to us, some that cared what we were doing; that didn’t just let us do whatever. Rangatahi 6, School A
Rangatahi also respected teachers who were fair and consistent in the way they disciplined the class.
There was this one person who was always kind of noisy and he got away with it. He was in graphics, maths and science. Rangatahi 4, School C
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA One of the things is boys have this strong inner sense of justice. If you’ve got a teacher who manages and keeps control of the class the boys respond better. They don’t like it when teachers let people run amuck. It doesn’t mean yelling at them. [Teacher] has a way of interacting with them where he has gained their respect … If you’re not perceived to be fair in their eyes then they won’t build a rapport. Mother Rangatahi 1, School B
Rangatahi also responded positively to teachers who provided encouragement and support.
A good teacher asks if you’re alright – willing to do catch up classes; making sure you know what you are doing etcetera. My teacher was helpful, for example she gave us hand outs. She was pretty 81 good. If we did not understand it she would write it up on the board and she would ask everyone if they understood it. Then she would just make it understandable. So she was a pretty good teacher. I don’t think all the other teachers were that helpful, but then again I didn’t ask for help. Rangatahi 4, School G
8.3 TEACHING STRATEGIES THAT HELP TO ENGAGE RANGATAHI Teachers identified a range of strategies that they used to engage rangatahi including: investing in building relationships, providing positive affirmation and encouragement, proactively managing behaviour, providing targeted teacher support, and engaging the support of whänau.
8.3.1 Building relationships
Section 5 identified disruptive behaviour as a key barrier to motivation and engagement. Some rangatahi and whänau reported that the quality of the student-teacher relationship had contributed to their disruptive behaviour. In these cases, the rangatahi and teacher had usually got offside early in the school year and any issues of conflict had not been resolved. Low achieving boys, in particular, were quick to disengage:
The first day I went in, the teacher looked at me and judged me. I just started swearing at him and I just started wagging that class and not going to his class. I and my couple of mates were just not caring. We just went down to student support for other classes and stuff. Rangatahi 4, School C I asked the teacher for help but she just started yelling at me. So I asked my mates but they just gave the answers. I wanted to know how to get the answer, not just the answer. Rangatahi 5, School D He’s really relational, if he gets a teacher he likes, he’s sweet as. Aunty of Rangatahi 5, School B Drama teacher who wasn’t happy she said that. [name] was aggressive, ill-disciplined and she was scared of him. I was like that doesn’t sound right to me. [Name] goes, ‘She kept getting in my face Mum’ right in his personal space, eye balling him. You learn that some people don’t respond to one style of teaching. [Did anything change with that teacher?] She stayed away from him and didn’t bother with him anymore. But he did do really well in drama. But I think that lack of understanding sometimes. His maths teacher stood out, regular communication, he developed a good rapport with [name] based on respect. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School B
TEACHING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE RANGATAHI Teachers also identified the quality of the student-teacher relationship as an important enabler of rangatahi engagement in class. Some teachers were quite innovative about strategies they employed to build relationships with rangatahi:
I think just having a chat with them and being a real person. Once they see you as a person, invest in that relationship, they then start to think, ‘Oh she actually cares. It’s a journey. Sometimes you don’t get to that point right away. Teacher 2, School C I went to watch them play a rugby game. It was good to see them outside of the class. I’m surprised they actually kind of liked that I went. They were rapt that I took them pineapple lumps. 82 Knowing them - taking the time to get to know them was well worth it. Teacher 1, School G Relationships are crucial, at any school; particularly at this school it’s huge. There are teachers who don’t think it’s important unfortunately. There was a teacher who was Year 9 and I told her to put time aside to build relationships she said, ‘I’m a teacher.’ I said, ‘You can’t teach if you don’t have relationships’. A lot of teachers here fail, they don’t build that relationship. Teacher 2, School E You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know it’s about relationships and building them. Teacher 3, School E A huge amount is about the teacher. It’s not all about the subject. It’s about developing the relationship. Often they are teachers who have issues, often with the Mäori students because they are teaching for a different audience. Teacher 1, School F I think getting on board with them, relationship wise. The kids that weren’t succeeding – to have a relationship with them – that helps build the trust. Teacher 1, School D
Some teachers used humour (sometimes in conjunction with food) as a strategy to build relationships:
I like my Mäori boys. They are usually a little bit cheeky, it gives you an in. You have an opportunity to talk to them. Yeah, tell them a joke and you are away. Some kids are dead quiet. If I still have them from Year 9 and they are saying hello at Year 10, I know I did something right. I try to keep humour in my class. Keep it as interesting as possible … I like the subject to be as interesting as I can make it. I went fishing. I brought in some smoked kahawai. I said, ‘Here you go.’ Then boom! Smashed it! Boom it was gone and they loved it! I did same thing for both classes and got a completely different result. Teacher 3, School C For me, I base my teaching around having fun, getting to know the kids, sense of humour and fun. If I teach a student, I want them to enjoy what they are doing. Try and relate to them in some way. Teacher 3, School E
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 8.3.2. Taking account of social circumstances
Section 5 identified how a range of social circumstances can impact negatively on the motivation and engagement of rangatahi and how whänau commitments have the potential to impact on attendance. Two key perspectives came through from teachers about the extent to which seeking to understand the social circumstances of rangatahi was an effective teaching strategy. Some teachers considered that a good teacher-student relationship would overcome any social circumstances that were contributing to rangatahi disengagement:
If you have a good enough relationship with the kids, that [social circumstance] gets left at the door. It’s your relationship with them should matter … If there is anything on [the school 83 database] about what’s happening at home, I don’t want to know in case I pin their behaviour/ achievement on that. I will keep it to what happens in the class room. If they turn up I can affect them, if they don’t I can’t. Teacher 3, School C
Other teachers felt strongly that having an appreciation of how social circumstances may be impacting on learning engagement was valuable as it allowed them (where possible) to modify their teaching strategies to support the rangatahi to remain engaged:
As Mäori we do things naturally – day to day stuff. So to me the components are there - manaakitanga, whänaungatanga, aroha, wairua. Now if you unpack that, to me, unpacking the aroha or the whänaungatanga works like this. When someone arrives late instead of, ‘Sorry mate you have got a detention’ – the aroha was giving the space to have the körero without judging the situation. So you have the discussion: ‘Ok so you had to walk your younger siblings to school because your parents had gone to work and you didn’t want to leave them alone’. Not all situations are like that but that is an example. So to me that was more the providing that context, that environment, that space, but with these components. I try and build links; trust. Relationships I like to empower boys … I tend to have good relationships; positive relationships where they feel comfortable. There have been occasions where students talk to you about real personal issues, like girlfriend or family. I say to boys, ‘If you are having issues, the door is always open to chat and sort things out.’ Boys carry lot of baggage and there’s not always a person they can talk to. I’ve had boys I’ve taught and coached who committed suicide. It’s pretty hard when you build a relationship and that happens. Teacher 3, School E
8.3.3 Providing positive affirmation
As indicated in Section 5, many teachers recognised that confidence and self-belief was an issue especially for non-achievers. Some teachers were proactive about encouraging and affirming rangatahi as a strategy to build their confidence and belief that they had the ability to achieve.
TEACHING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE RANGATAHI If they have been told too many times they can’t, it’s just the affirmation they can do it. Teacher 3, School C High expectations are really, really important. If you give them the stuff, ‘I know it’s tricky, but I believe you can achieve, I have faith in your ability’, it really helps give them faith in themselves. I don’t think kids [from this town] are any less bright; it’s just in their heads. Teacher 2, School E They are so used to failing. Something I would do last year was just ask them, ‘Hey, how you going’. It’s important to just be interested. Teacher 1, School E 84 I was their form teacher. There were 15 Mäori boys in that class. There would be praise every morning. We would take stock of who had attained credits. They congratulated each other and there were high fives. There was a bit of a competition, last year. I didn’t start out like that but it ended up like that. Teacher 2, School G
Some teachers sought to build motivation by encouraging rangatahi to visualise future pathways and then use this as a source of motivation for achieving the necessary prerequisites to pursue that pathway:
We did do this little exercise - dreams when you leave here. If they have a trade they want to get into there is a lot of support, like [polytechnic], if there is anyone who wants to leave school and gets them excited, then saying to them right, get your Level 1 and then you can do this. Teacher 1, School G
8.3.4. Managing behaviour
The teachers who reported that behavioural issues did not feature in their class had high expectations of student behaviour and achievement.
There are no behavioural issues in my class. Because they know what happens. It is my subject and if they misbehave in my subject then I will deal with that. Very seldom do I have to send them outside and if I do, they have to take their desk outside and work. Teacher 1, School B For some, it gets to a point where you have to manage their behaviour and manage it for them. So you have to put up consequences. You have to have high expectations for all of them. Teacher 2, School B
Managing seating arrangements was also a strategy teachers employed for rangatahi who were easily distracted or who became disruptive:
He finds it really hard when he sits with the wrong person. He’s sitting down the front at the moment; he wouldn’t do as well if he wasn’t. He knows that too. He originally sat himself down the front, then he sat in the back, we kind of negotiated and I said, ‘Do you want to pass?’ Teacher 2, School C I think he’s got one deaf ear, I forgot which side. He will remind me, he’s very polite and very respectful. Teacher 1, School G
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Related to behaviour management, other teachers were quite deliberate about the way that they dealt with disruptive behaviour by Mäori boys. In these teachers’ experience, they had found rangatahi did not respond well to being targeted or disciplined in front of others and that this approach could both knock their confidence and/or contribute to them disengaging.
I think with Mäori boys, you can’t rant at them. It’s all about their mana. Just have a quiet word with them and keep their dignity intact for negative things; they will respect you for it. It’s all about preserving the relationship at the end of the day. The teaching comes secondary. Teacher 2, School C They get a bit off task and you might knock them back about it and they might get hit in their 85 confidence. There are times where I feel like is there another way I could have approached that to explain things. I find that knocks their confidence a little bit more then maybe others. I just wonder, ‘Is it Mäori and Pacific students that get hit with their confidence in that way quicker than others and react?’ Then they disengage and turn right off you. Teacher 3, School B College Few years ago, I remember a kid, throwing things in assembly. I asked him to leave. I persisted – there was a bit of mana at stake. In hindsight, I’ve learnt from that. Now I will say, ‘Right I will talk to you after assembly.’ That student won’t be embarrassed in front of his mates and everyone else sees you will deal with him after assembly. I talked to him afterwards. I learnt a lot from that. I was pretty young and naïve. Teacher 3, School E
One teacher went and observed the behaviour of a disruptive rangatahi in other classrooms in an attempt to understand how best to get him engaged in her class. She then took those learnings back to her own classroom environment:
I always felt like I was fighting with him. Because I was worried, I went and observed him in other classes. I thought, ‘Maybe they work better in other classes’. In maths it was a lot calmer. She had routines, those who got on with the work just got on. If you are ok with your assessment then they could go on the outside, I thought, ‘Oh that’s how she does it’. Teacher 1, School G College
Another teacher worked in collaboration with an adult that he knew the rangatahi respected if they were getting off track:
I know that Matua [Mäori teacher] has an influence on [name]. If I have concerns about [the Mäori boys] I talk to him and he talks to them. I always do talk to him when I have concerns. Most of the time it does [have a good effect]. With very low achieving students it doesn’t but with [name] it had a very good effect. It is a help if he is encouraging them as well and telling them that it is actually necessary and as a Mäori who can achieve they needs to do his best to do that. I tell them exactly the same but it is always better if he does it because they respect him. They respect me as well but two is always better than one. Teacher 1, School B
TEACHING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE RANGATAHI 8.3.5 Targeted teaching support
Teachers reported using a number of strategies to engage rangatahi including: ‘reading the signs’ when rangatahi were struggling with their work, hovering and circulating around the room, making the work relevant, breaking down topics/tasks into manageable chunks and setting regular, small tests to build confidence.
As indicated in Section 5, non-achievers often reported that they were reluctant to seek help in class, usually for fear of “looking dumb”. Teachers who work well with rangatahi recognise that they will not necessarily actively seek out help from the teacher for fear of “looking dumb”. To counter this, these teachers would hover and circulate around the classroom to ensure that the boys are on task. 86 No he will just sit there, and ponder; I’ve had to learn that’s his call sign. He’s not a kid that will openly go off task. Some teachers would struggle to pick him out. He’s usually one of the ones I go to early, set the tasks for the class and then go to him. He knows that I will be coming to see how he’s getting on. Teacher 2, School C Some ask for help, some just go quiet. Then I see and go around the room and check. But I find they’re not ones to be as expressive and come up with problems. They’re not like other students in other cultures. They are more withdrawn. Teacher 3, School B I doubt he would ask publicly, as soon as I set work I will circulate the class. Teacher 1, School C Going to them in class, sitting with them in class and going through it with them. Teacher 1, School D I just knew straight away, he finds it hard to concentrate for more than 15 minutes. Just low level off task behaviour, I would sit next to him, things like that. Teacher 1, School G I quite often get a person and work through things individually, go through on a one on one basis. You can’t do it all the time but working with them you get a different response. Teacher 1, School E Go around class. In class room you would identify the kids who could self-manage, and the kids who did struggle. So you try to get as much one on one time with them as possible. Teacher 3, School E
As indicated in the motivation chapter, peers can be a positive source of motivation for rangatahi. Many boys were motivated by healthy competition with their peers. In addition, boys reported helping each other with subject work and supporting and encouraging each other with assessments. Some teachers recognised the potential in rangatahi peer groups and created environments where rangatahi could work positively and constructively together:
Never be scared to let a boy study with his peers. They are gang readers. If you give four or five boys a Guinness Book of Records, they’ll read it cover to cover. I think boys study a lot better together in my experience anyway. Teacher 2, School G
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Some teachers also talked about making the work relevant for rangatahi as an effective strategy, particularly for low achieving boys. Boys also gave a number of examples of how they became excited with topics that they could relate to their culture:
I love history. History is mean – learning about all of the old stuff … We might be doing Parihaka this year, that’s going to be mean. [Why are you excited about Parihaka?] ‘It’s mean’. It was the first non-violent act that occurred and it has a connection to Ghandi and Martin Luther King. Rangatahi 6, School B If something is really hard first it’s work avoidance. Then it’s asking for the answer. Then they figure it out if you give them the instructions in a different way, different contexts. It’s difficult 87 for low achieving students to put it into a context themselves, but a bright kid can make those connections. So you need to make it more localised and relevant. Teacher 2, School B I’ve had boys who will struggle in English assessments but will do same type of thing in Physical Education because they enjoy that. If you put it in a context that they can understand and relate to, it will make a massive difference. For example, a Year 13 student was reluctant to research a topic in English. He came to PE and did an essay on obesity. I told him it was exactly the same thing. Teacher 3, School E Mäori boys are more hands on too. ‘Show me, give it to me and I can put it together’. They have a different way of learning. He played golf so he learnt to hit the ball. Now he’s talking about projection and that’s all science. If you give it meaning they get it. Mother of Rangatahi 3, School F
Similarly some teachers used strategies to break down work into manageable chunks as a means of building confidence. One maths teacher referred to setting lots of small tests throughout the year, so that the rangatahi could achieve success and in turn, their confidence in that subject would increase. Another talked about the importance of setting rangatahi up well:
I think it’s a bit like running into a brick wall. You want to try a system of scaffolding, make it not as scary as falling free. I’ve learnt this year if you want them to write an essay, set them up well with an introduction, putting it into little bits. We structure our things, I believe if you set them up right they are less likely to fall. Teacher 1, School G
For low achieving rangatahi who came into Year 11 with gaps in knowledge, some teachers referred to a strategy of ‘scaffolding’:
To counter this philosophy of Year 10 being a cruise, I do a lot of scaffolding work. There are a huge number of gaps. We look at stuff that’s relevant from Year 9; lots of practical stuff, lots of clips. Teacher 2, School C
TEACHING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE RANGATAHI 8.3.6 Engaging the support of whänau
Some teachers identified that working in collaboration with whänau, helped to keep rangatahi motivated and on track. Across the schools, teachers used a range of methods to communicate with whänau including e-mailing, texting, calling and sending out letters:
The home support is absolutely vital. I’ve been e-mailing his home a lot more. That makes a difference. That gives him a bit more motivation. Teacher 2, School C I e-mail. I very seldom call because I sometimes have problems trying to understand them 88 properly. Their accents are different. So if possible I will e-mail or ask them to come in and to talk. E-mailing works very well for any student, it does not matter if they are Mäori.31 Teacher 1, School B
Teachers e-mail/text whänau about a range of issues including: absences, overdue assessments, opportunities to resubmit assessments and details of tutorials/catch-ups. Teachers reported that they received positive responses from many whänau. In addition, it was clear that e-mail/text communication was directly impacting on the attendance and achievement of some rangatahi. Rangatahi who were not at school were tracked down by their whänau, late assessments were submitted, and whänau transported rangatahi to catch up sessions in the weekends. In short, teachers working in collaboration with whänau made a difference to the outcomes for those rangatahi.
Mum will communicate through texting so if one of us are not in class, they will text my mum. I we are late to form class, Mum will tell me to go to school early. Rangatahi 1, School G A lot of whänau do come back to me, they are receptive. I e-mailed a whänau about their son resubmitting an assessment and then half an hour later he turns up. He achieved an improved mark as a result. Teacher 2, School B With phone calls the response from whänau is really positive. Overall it’s a positive experience. Some teachers get worried about calling home but I haven’t had that. Teacher 2, School C Call Dad up and within half an hour he will be in the office, he will drop work and be here right away. Basically, if you have any contact with parents its basically very positive. Generally the feedback is good. Teacher 2, School F
One school had a very clear strategy for communicating with whänau. They had a policy of sending out letters to whänau as much as possible. This included both letters that emphasised positive engagement by rangatahi as well as letters to alert parents if issues were arising that needed to be dealt with.
We have a policy of sending out letters as much as we can. The fact that we have the feel good letters going home leads to open positive communication. Teacher 3, School F
31. English was a second language for this teacher.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA Parents at this school gave very positive feedback about the strategy employed by the school:
It was just reiterating that [name] was ok. And every time they rung it was to commend him or let me know how well he’d done considering he had missed a portion of school considering how unwell he was. Grandmother of Rangatahi 1, School F They ring us. Even his maths teacher rung two or three times last year. I was really impressed with the such and such in class last year. To hear something like that is really cool. They are in your face. It’s a good in your face. It’s what you want. Mother of Rangatahi 2, School F 89 Individual teachers from other schools reported taking a similar approach:
I make contact with home not even to report bad things; just introduce yourself. I don’t like waiting until parent teacher interviews. I think, ‘What else can I do to help that kid?’ It’s quite easy, you can just send a text through [school IT system], it’s easy. When they text you back, it goes to e-mail so you can reply to it like that. Teacher 1, School G I make contact with all of them. We have parent teacher interviews and I tell them that if their son has a very good mark they will get an e-mail from me. If they didn’t achieve they get an e-mail from me. And if their achievement declines over a period of time, from excellence down to achieved, they will get an e-mail from me. If they stay on the secure side they won’t get an e-mail from me. Teacher 1, School B
While e-mailing/texting was found to be an effective method of communicating with some whänau, teachers reported that it does not work for all whänau. Teachers reported that whänau of low achieving rangatahi can be more difficult to make contact with:
It’s becoming that we are more and more communicating directly to home through e-mail. For some it is a good response and it’s obvious the parents at home will be attentive to their boy’s work. However, I find there are quite a few students here who don’t have e-mail contact at home. This is important. It is very hard to get hold of their caregivers/parents of low achievers. Teacher 3, School B One barrier is the lack of ability to contact whänau. The cell phone number doesn’t work. No mobiles, no home numbers, no Net contact. You can definitely see the difference between the kids who have whänau support and those who don’t. Teacher 1, School D It’s taken me five or six years to build relationships up. To be honest, kids who are successful are the ones whose parents you can get hold of. I know more parents and families now than I did from the first few years. Teacher 3, School E
TEACHING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGESECTION RANGATAHI TITLE A key theme to emerge from whänau of achievers was that they were “connected” to their school. These whänau often indicated that they were comfortable about making contact with the school if need be and often worked in collaboration with teachers to ensure rangatahi were on track.
It’s like working together. They give all the resources then it’s making sure he’s at home, doing them, yeah. Mother of Rangatahi 3a, School A I’m always getting e-mails from them, contact often. He has a teacher he talks to often and gets a lot of help from. Sometimes if there is something in the e-mail and I feel it’s serious I will talk to [name]. 90 Mother of Rangatahi 2, School C I’ve talked to a couple of teachers here and there for English and Spanish. They just updated me on [his] progress. They just encouraged me to encourage him. His Spanish teacher, she was very encouraging towards him and me. Just her phone calls - I spoke to her three times on the phone. The English teacher rings him, just touches base how he’s doing, completing assessments. I think that’s why she e-mails now so I can encourage him at home. Mother of Rangatahi 1, School D There are about three teachers who have been really good to talk to about [name]; I can talk to them. My thing is if there is anything, ‘please let me know’ … I have a good relationship with the school and teachers. Grandmother of Rangatahi 3, School D He rung me up and because [name] was playing up, soon as his mates starting playing up he will too. Told him buck up, otherwise Facebook is gone, and apologise to the Dean for being disrespectful. Mother of Rangatahi 1, School E 8.4. SUMMARY OF TEACHING STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE RANGATAHI − Rangatahi value and respect teachers who have a sense of humour and are able to make their subject area engaging; who are able to control classroom behaviour and are fair and consistent and who care about them and support and encourage them to achieve. − Teachers identified a number of strategies that they had found to be effective when engaging with rangatahi including: investing in building a relationship with rangatahi; building confidence and motivation; tightly managing behaviour; targeting teacher support and engaging the support of whänau. − Targeting teacher support included: making work relevant to rangatahi, breaking down work into manageable chunks and hovering and circulating the classroom. − A number of teachers of both high and low achieving rangatahi had successfully engaged the support of whänau via e-mail and texts. This was often met with a good response from whänau which enabled teachers and whänau to work together to keep the rangatahi on track. − Teachers identified that some whänau (especially whänau of non-achievers) can be difficult to make contact with due to technological barriers and that this impedes the extent to which teachers and whänau can work together to support rangatahi achievement.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 9. IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH FINDINGS
SECTION TITLE 9.1 OVERVIEW who remain in school for Year 12 often feel more confident in their understanding of NCEA, adopt Te Puni Kökiri is seeking advice on the implications more positive attitudes to school, and significantly of the research findings for development of policy lift their effort. As a result they report attaining initiatives intended to enhance the engagement better results than in Year 11. Thus investing in and achievement of rangatahi in secondary school. retaining rangatahi who did not achieve Level 1 Based on findings of the research, the research has potential to lift rangatahi achievement. team has identified eight potential focus areas that lend themselves to policy intervention: Readers should note that the recommendations − exposing rangatahi to a wider range of made in this report are offered to any organisation 92 employment/career options and increasing with an interest in Mäori educational achievement. awareness of future education and training No attempt has been made to ascertain whether options these areas are already being targeted by the − increasing levels of understanding of NCEA by Ministry of Education or other agencies. rangatahi and whänau 9.2 POTENTIAL FOCUS AREAS FOR − identifying rangatahi with literacy needs and putting in place initiatives to lift literacy levels INTERVENTION − ensuring vulnerable rangatahi have access to 9.2.1 Increasing exposure to future education, wrap around support training and career options − increasing access by rangatahi to equipment A key driver for Te Puni Kökiri is lifting the and resources that support achievement capability of the Mäori workforce. One of the − developing initiatives to accelerate the achievement levels of rangatahi who are at strong themes to emerge from the research was risk of not achieving Level 1 the narrow range of future employment/careers − increasing collaboration with whänau aspirations of rangatahi. This was true of both − capturing effective models of change. achievers and non-achievers.
The typologies have illustrated that within a Across the board, rangatahi had limited, if any, cohort of Year 11 rangatahi, there is wide diversity access to careers guidance and advice. For high in terms of confidence, motivation, and knowledge achievers, this is a concern as those with specific and skill and, in turn, achievement levels. career aspirations or goals to attend tertiary Therefore, while some of the focus areas identified education need to be making informed decisions, above will have an impact on all typology groups, for example about subject choices and planning others will be more relevant to particular groups. for future pathways.
For high flyers the emphasis should be on ensuring A considerable opportunity also exists with that they are able to access timely information quiet achievers. These rangatahi, often through that allows them to make informed decisions their own drive and determination are poised about their future. Similarly, quiet achievers will to progress onto further education and training also benefit from more information about future that will open the door to skilled employment options, but there is also potential to promote opportunities. For those quiet achievers whose increased achievement through initiatives that lift whänau have not experienced educational success confidence and self-belief, knowledge of NCEA, and/or are working in low skilled occupations, and skills. exposure to a wider range of potential career options and careers guidance and advice is Lifting the achievement of over-confident, struggling and vulnerable rangatahi will require especially important. more comprehensive strategies and more significant investment to identify and address factors that impede motivation and engagement. However, as the research has shown, rangatahi
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA It is recommended that the following actions It is recommended that the following issues are are considered: also prioritised: a) further investigating the means by which a) improving rangatahi understanding of NCEA. careers advice is currently provided in schools In addition to the mechanics of NCEA, the key and how rangatahi could gain greater messages to emphasise are the importance access to it of: rangatahi “switching on” at the beginning b) developing strategies that: of the year, internal assessments, and subject − expose rangatahi to a wider range of future choices for future options. education training and career options b) improving whänau understanding of NCEA. − encourage rangatahi to carefully consider In addition to the mechanics of NCEA, the 93 their subject options key messages to emphasise are: the impact of − raise awareness of rangatahi about parents talking about the value of education potential sources of information on career and encouraging rangatahi to do well on their options such as the Mäori Future Makers motivation; encouraging rangatahi to “switch website and NZQA resources. on” at the beginning of the year; encouraging c) undertaking further qualitative research into rangatahi to work consistently throughout the how rangatahi make subject choices and the year; and the importance of subject choices. extent to which subject choices expand or limit future employment and career options. 9.2.3 Target rangatahi with low literacy levels
9.2.2 Increasing levels of rangatahi For the strugglers/vulnerables, feedback from the understanding of NCEA rangatahi and teachers points to literacy as key barrier to achievement. Literacy is a barrier that The findings of this research show that overall, lends itself to direct intervention. There are a rangatahi understanding of NCEA is low at the number of IT based interventions that have been beginning of Year 11 and this is true of both shown to improve literacy that could be piloted achievers and non-achievers. While the knowledge with rangatahi. All schools will have access to of NCEA and confidence of high flyers and quiet primary/secondary school records about rangatahi achievers grew as Year 11 progressed, strugglers achievement in reading and writing. In addition, and vulnerables often reported still feeling many secondary schools test the literacy of confused about how NCEA works at the beginning students at entry level. Based on this information, of Year 12. This is despite teachers reporting schools could readily identify a sample of that they presented and regularly reinforced rangatahi who have low literacy to participate in information about NCEA. an Information Technology based intervention. Similarly, the levels of whänau understanding It is recommended that the following actions of NCEA were low. Whänau of high achieving are considered: rangatahi were only marginally better informed a) undertaking further quantitative research than those of low achieving rangatahi. Initiatives into the extent to which literacy impedes that focus on increasing whänau understanding the achievement of rangatahi in secondary of NCEA will mean that whänau are better placed school by analysing National Standards data to support their rangatahi to achieve. Whilst from Year 6 (primary school) and Year 8 New Zealand Qualifications Authority already (intermediate school), to examine the relative has an initiative in place based on face to face literacy levels of rangatahi. engagement with whänau on a school by school basis, there may be merit in considering additional b) piloting an IT based literacy intervention options for more intensive and wide spread with rangatahi in Years 5/6 and Years 9/10 promotion of the key messages that whänau need and assessing the impact on literacy levels, to understand about NCEA. confidence, self-esteem and classroom behaviour.
IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH FINDINGS 9.2.4 Wrap around support for struggling motivation of struggling and vulnerable rangatahi; and vulnerable rangatahi lift aspirations; expose rangatahi to wider career options; and facilitate whänau engagement. In addition to low literacy, strugglers and vulnerables were more likely to have low This approach has parallels with the lay advocate confidence in their ability; less active whänau role currently employed by Rangatahi Courts. In support and more complex social circumstances this context, lay advocates have been identified that they were dealing with outside of school. as a key success factor in promoting improved Rosehill College has developed a Kaimanaaki outcomes for vulnerable rangatahi.33 A key reason programme designed to provide holistic support to for their success is that rangatahi and whänau do 94 struggling and vulnerable rangatahi. The primary not view the advocate as part of the “Government/ focus of the Kaimanaaki programme is: establishment” and therefore are better able to build a relationship of trust. i. the retention of Mäori Students at school from Year 9 through to Year 13, and It is recommended that Rosehill College is ii. the promotion of academic excellence to the approached to further explore the Kaimanaaki limit of each Mäori student’s potential. programme to consider the extent to which the learnings could be shared with other schools. Such The programme is concerned with the holistic as approach has the potential to identify barriers needs and aspirations of both the student and to learning such as lack of equipment; health their whänau. It also involves participation and issues and learning needs that have emerged dialogue with significant others who are most from this research as particular challenges for low likely to have some practical interface with the achieving rangatahi. individual and/or whänau. The programmes grew out of recognition that Mäori students 9.2.5 Ensuring rangatahi have access to were under-represented in aspects such as equipment and resources that enable assessment successes and were over-represented achievement in disciplinary proceedings. It also recognised that For struggling and vulnerable rangatahi in systems in the college that provided sufficient particular, a lack of necessary equipment (most guidance for most students were not being commonly this included pens, books and scientific adequately successful for Mäori students, and that calculators) emerged as a barrier that impeded culturally specific systems required development.32 their achievement. Similarly, the findings suggest The programme is led by a Kaimanaaki (part of that for these two groups, health issues (such as the Student Support team) who liaises with staff poor eye sight; hearing or learning difficulties) can about Mäori students whose behaviour and/or impede achievement may be an area that requires conduct has the potential to impact negatively further investigation. on their learning, or other students learning. In It is recommended that options are considered to addition, the Kaimanaaki had developed initiatives ensure that: to expose rangatahi to a range of future training/ a) rangatahi have access to the basic school career opportunities; for example by arranging equipment they require to support learning from health sector professionals to come to Mäori and achievement (in particular pens, books, assemblies and promote health professions as scientific calculators). a future career option. The key feature of this b) health issues that have the potential to approach is that it is wrap around/holistic and impede learning (such as poor eye sight, strengths based. hearing or learning difficulties) are detected Preliminary discussions indicate that this model and addressed. has the potential to: boost confidence and
32. Rosehill College (2009) 33. Davies (2012)
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 9.2.6 Accelerating achievement levels more limited engagement with teachers. Teachers who had attempted to contact home For strugglers, the low level of understanding reported that these whänau could be more of the importance of internal assessments difficult to reach. This is likely to reflect the (sometimes combined with a lack of effort relatively low levels of access of whänau to throughout the first two terms of Year 11) result communications technology.34 in many rangatahi entering into the external assessment process with very few internal credits. All whänau who were interviewed however, Whilst many strugglers increase their effort for the valued education, and wanted their rangatahi external exams, the number of credits they achieve to be in school and to do well. A key challenge through external assessments are not sufficient to for secondary schools is to find ways to increase 95 achieve Level 1. collaboration with whänau to support rangatahi to achieve well. Strategies that facilitate greater Trident High School have developed Te Timatanga communication between teachers and whänau Hou – an intensive six day block course designed (for example through greater access to internet) to allow some rangatahi, who are at risk of are likely to support increased collaboration. not gaining sufficient credits, the opportunity to sit internal assessments. Suitable course Trident High School stood out as a school participants are identified by teachers and invited that had close working relationships with the to participate. Students are interviewed and if community. Their policy of engaging regularly they gain entry are expected to commit fully to with whänau via letters and e-mails and giving the programme. Participation on the course is positive feedback about rangatahi (as well as promoted as an “honour” and an “opportunity”. dealing with any issues that have arisen) appears Teachers reported that this initiative has achieved to have been an important step in opening the positive results and that those rangatahi who had lines of communication with whänau. This then been successful, were now more independent and allowed school-whänau relationships to form and confident learners at Year 12 level. Whänau also has enabled closer collaboration between whänau provided very positive feedback on this initiative. and teachers in supporting rangatahi on a day Based on the Trident experience, this type of to day basis. In this school, teachers and whänau initiative appears to have merit in lifting the collaborated not just on barriers to achievement achievement levels particularly of those rangatahi (such as attendance) but also on initiatives to who are struggling (in the 50-80 range). enable success (such as Te Timatanga Hou). Trident whänau held very positive attitudes about It is recommended that Trident High School is the school. approached to further explore the Te Timatanga Hou model and the extent to which it offers It is recommended that options are considered learnings for other secondary schools. for increasing whänau access to technology that facilitates: 9.2.7 Collaborating with whänau a) increased communication and collaboration The whänau of the rangatahi who participated in between teachers and whänau communication this research have been effective in encouraging b) rangatahi access to the internet to support them to stay in school and achieve well. The key their study management. difference between whänau of achievers and non- 9.2.8 Enhancing school capability achievers was that whänau of achievers actively supported their rangatahi and more often than Trident High School and Rongotai College emerged not, were collaborating with teachers to encourage as schools that had been working strategically achievement. Whänau of non-achievers were less over a period of time to increase their capacity actively involved on a day to day basis and had to engage rangatahi and whänau and in turn
34. Census data shows that in 2006 only half (50%) of Mäori whänau had access to internet. For Mäori one-parent whänau the figure was 29.5%. Further, some 6% of whänau did not have access to internet, landline or a cell phone.
IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH FINDINGS lift achievement of rangatahi. They had sought engage with the leadership team about: the key to understand the factors contributing to low issues affecting Mäori achievement within their Mäori achievement and then put in place a school context; potential approaches to lifting combination of policies/initiatives to drive change. rangatahi achievement based on the findings of These schools viewed lifting Mäori achievement the research; and the approaches taken by other as an iterative process rather than something schools in the research. requiring one off solutions/interventions. Whilst Finally, the principals/liaison people from each of open to external ideas about how to lift Mäori the schools that participated in the research, all achievement, these schools considered that the expressed an interest in hearing about what other solutions to Mäori achievement needed to come 96 schools were doing to lift Mäori achievement. from within the school. Te Puni Kökiri could usefully facilitate a process In these two schools, there were early signs that where those working to lift the achievement this process of change was achieving positive of rangatahi can share their experiences and results. One option would be for Te Puni Kökiri ideas about what works and what doesn’t. While to work with the schools to undertake action documented sources provide a useful reference research to capture the approach that the schools point, a specific event (or series of events) where have taken to lifting organisational capacity and schools could share experiences and exchange capture the lessons learnt. Subject to the approval ideas about what works and what doesn’t, is likely of the schools, this innovation and good practice to be more effective in supporting the lifting of could then be promulgated among other schools. organisational capacity. Online forum may also It could also potentially add value to the host offer some potential in this regard. schools by systematically capturing information about the impact of the change. 9.3 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL FOCUS AREAS FOR POLICY The purpose of the action research would be to INTERVENTION better understand how leadership within schools can lift organisational capacity to be effective A summary of the potential focus areas for for Mäori students. The types of key research intervention and potential actions that Te Puni questions that could guide this process would be: Kökiri could take to enhance the motivation, engagement and achievement of rangatahi is − How did the school approach the issue of low provided in Table 7 (page 97). achievement of some Mäori students? − How have they defined the issue of low Mäori achievement? Who led/participated in the process and what was the outcome? − What initiatives/approaches have they put in place to lift achievement? − How successful these have been? − What would they do differently? − What are the next steps?
Te Puni Kökiri could also support action research in one or two schools where the achievement rates of rangatahi are low. The role of the action researcher in these schools would be to
34. Census data shows that in 2006 only half (50%) of Mäori whänau had access to internet. For Mäori one-parent whänau the figure was 29.5%. Further, some 6% of whänau did not have access to internet, landline or a cell phone.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA TABLE 7 - OPTIONS FOR ENHANCING THE ENGAGEMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT OF RANGATAHI IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
Focus on the intervention Target groups Potential actions
Increasing exposure to the range High flyers • Develop strategies that: of future education, training and Quiet achievers − promote increased access by rangatahi to careers advice career options. Over-confidents − encourage rangatahi to carefully consider their subject options Strugglers/vulnerables − raise awareness of rangatahi about sources of information on career options such as the Mäori Future Makers website and NZQA resources. • Undertake further quantitative research into the subject choices of rangatahi and their impact on future pathways. 97 Increasing levels of understanding Quiet achievers • Consider initiatives/resources to improve rangatahi and whänau of NCEA by rangatahi and Over-confidents understanding whänau Strugglers/vulnerables of NCEA. The key messages to emphasise are the importance of: − rangatahi “switching on” at the beginning of the year − internal assessments − subject choices for future options.
Lifting literacy Strugglers/vulnerables • Undertake further research into the extent to which literacy impedes the achievement of rangatahi in secondary school by: − analysing National Standards data from Years 6 and 8 to examine the relative literacy levels of rangatahi. • Consider the feasibility of piloting an IT based literacy intervention with: − rangatahi in Years 5/6 and 9/10 by − participants in the research who have low literacy.
“Wrap around” support for Strugglers/vulnerables • Approach Rosehill College to further explore the Kaimanaaki programme and rangatahi the extent to which the learnings could be shared with other schools.
Increasing access to equipment Quiet achievers • Explore options for ensuring rangatahi: and resources Over-confidents − have access to equipment and resources to require to support learning Strugglers/vulnerables and achievement. − health issues that have the potential to impede learning are detected and addressed.
Initiatives to accelerate Over-confidents • Approach Trident High School to further explore the Te Timatanga Hou model achievement Strugglers/vulnerables and the extent to which it offers learnings for other secondary schools.
Increasing collaboration Quiet achievers • Consider options for increasing whänau access to technology that facilitates: with whänau Over-confidents − increased communication and collaboration between teachers Strugglers/vulnerables and whänau communication − rangatahi access to the internet to support their study management.
Capturing effective models School capability • Document the approach that schools who have some success in lifting Mäori of change achievement are taking to lift organisational capacity and the lessons learnt. • Subject to the approval of the schools, share this innovation and good practice among other schools. • Undertake action research in schools that are seeking support to lift Mäori achievement.
IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH FINDINGS REFERENCES
98 Davies, L. (2012). Evaluation of the Early Outcomes of Ngä Kooti Rangatahi. Unpublished report. Ministry of Justice, Wellington, New Zealand.
Martin, J. (2002). Motivation and Academic resilience: Developing a model of student enhancement, Australian Journal of Education, Volume 14.
Martin, J. (2003). Boys and Motivation, Australian Education Researcher, Volume 13, Number 3.
New Zealand Qualifications Authority. (n.d.).NCEA and the Whänau. Retrieved from: www.nzqa.govt.nz/ qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/understanding-ncea/ncea-and-the-whanau/
New Zealand Qualifications Authority. (n.d.).How NCEA Works. Retrieved from: www.nzqa.govt.nz/ qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/understanding-ncea/how-ncea-works/
New Zealand Qualifications Authority. (n.d.).Factsheet # 7: Internal and external assessment in NCEA. Retrieved from: www.nzqa.govt.nz/qualifications-standards/qualifications/ncea/understanding-ncea/the- facts/factsheet-7/
Rosehill College. (2009). Tutor Manual and School Safety Procedures. Retrieved from: www.rosehill- college.co.nz/DataStore/Pages/PAGE_51/Docs/Documents/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20Tutor%20 Manual%20.pdf
Smith, L. (1999). Decolonising Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. Zed Books, London and Otago University Press, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Te Puni Kökiri. (2012). Mäori Youth in Education and Employment, Fact Sheet 022-2012. Te Puni Kökiri, Wellington, New Zealand.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA APPENDIX A THE MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT WHEEL
Martin (2002) developed a model of student including their belief in the value of school, 99 motivation that is presented as a Student learning focus, planning, study management and Motivation Wheel. The model reflects the persistence. Boys rated significantly higher than thoughts, feelings and behaviours underlying girls in the motivation guzzlers of self-sabotage/ academic engagement at school. It separates handicapping. However girls rated significantly motivation into factors that reflect and enhance higher than boys in anxiety. motivation (referred to as boosters) and those Martin (2003) also presented findings from that reflect reduced motivation (referred to as a qualitative study into boys’ perceptions of guzzlers). Boosters include a student’s self- motivating teachers and motivating pedagogy. He belief; learning focus; value placed on schooling; identified the following features of effective and persistence; study management and planning. motivating pedagogy: a good relationship between Guzzlers include: anxiety, uncertain control, failure student and teachers; the teacher’s enjoyment avoidance and self-sabotage. of working with young people; providing boys Martin (2003) drew on the model to quantitatively with choices and input into the lessons; making explore key gender differences in motivation. schoolwork interesting and relevant; providing The study found that girls scored significantly variety in content and methods; and respecting higher than boys on the motivation boosters boys’ opinions and perspectives.
35. Based on data collected from 3,773 Australian high school students. APPENDIX B RANGATAHI INTERVIEW GUIDE
1. INTRODUCTION 5. EXPERIENCE OF NCEA/NCEA 100 As we have said in the Information Sheet, the purpose of RESULTS the research is to better understand how Mäori boys can be supported to do well in school. We are talking to some boys 5.1 Can you remember how many credits you achieved like you who have just completed Year 11. We will also be talking for NCEA? to some whänau and some teachers. In total, we will visit eight 5.2 Can you remember how you felt when you found out schools around New Zealand and interview around 50 boys, 50 your result? whänau and 25 teachers. Before we start, do you have any questions? 5.3 Can you remember how your parents felt/reacted when they found out your result? 2. BACKGROUND/CONTEXT 6. UNDERSTANDING OF NCEA 2.1 Tell us a bit about yourself – for example: number of siblings, sports/interests. [Prompt: indicators of strength 6.1 Looking back to the beginning of last year; on a scale of of cultural identity, for example: knowledge of iwi/marae; 1-5, how well do you think you understood NCEA and participation in kapa haka or waka ama.] what you were required to do to pass Level 1? 2.2 How do you spend your time outside of school? What − 1 = no understanding at all of NCEA requirements, and kinds of things do you like to do? − 5 = full understanding of NCEA requirements. [Probe 3. SCHOOL CONTEXT which aspects of NCEA rangatahi do/don’t understand.] On a scale of 1-5, how well do you think your whänau 3.1 Give us three words to describe: understood NCEA and what you were required to do to − how you feel/what you like about school. pass Level 1?
− anything you don’t like about school. − 1 = no understanding at all of NCEA requirements, and
3.2 Tell us about what subjects you took last year. − 5 = full understanding of NCEA requirements . − What was your favourite subject? Why? 7. PREPARATIONS FOR NCEA − What subject did you like the least? Why? 7.1 When you were preparing for Level 1 did you learn about: 4. STUDENT CONFIDENCE AND − study skills? If so, when? From whom? What skills do you use? MOTIVATION − exam techniques? If so, when? What are they? As part of this research we are really interested to learn about how boys’ confidence, motivation and self-management 7.2 Thinking about last year, how did you go about organising contribute to their success at school. yourself for assessments and exams?
4.1 Thinking about last year, when you were doing Level 1 − How did you approach homework/study? Did it work NCEA: well? [Probe: setting (lunchtime/home; challenges); planning/scheduling; time allocation; self- On a scale of 1-5, how motivated were you to achieve management.] Level 1? − Can you remember if you used any tools to help you − 1 = not at all motivated to pass NCEA, and prepare for your exams? [Prompt: subject revision books; Youtube; internet.] − 5 = highly motivated to pass Level 1. − Did you have access to computer/internet at home? Did − What was your biggest motivation? you use it for study?
− What was your biggest distraction? 7.3 Have you ever received any learning support? [Prompts: for − Did anyone else affect your motivation to achieve example for literacy/numeracy; or through school/private Level 1(positively or negatively)? [Prompt: for example, tutoring?] peers; teachers; mentors? What did they say or do? What impact did it have?] On a scale of 1-5, how confident were you that you would achieve Level 1?
− 1 = not at all confident in your ability to pass NCEA, and
− 5 = highly confident in your ability to pass Level 1.
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 8. ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES AND 11. IMPACT OF WHÄNAU ON 101 EFFORT MOTIVATION 8.1 On a scale of 1-5, how much effort did you put into: 11.1 Is there anything that your parents or whänau did internal assessments (tests and assignments throughout (positively or negatively) that affected your motivation for the year); mock exams; final exams? Level 1?
− 1 = very little effort, and − What about your confidence in your ability to pass?
− 5 = lots of effort. 11.2 Are there ways that your whänau could support you in the future to focus on your learning/increase your motivation 8.2 What results did you get across the different assessment at school? types? 11.3 Do you share your school reports with your whänau?
9. LEARNING ENGAGEMENT AND 11.4 Do your whänau come to parent/teacher interviews? MOTIVATION 12. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 9.1 Tell us about a subject you did well in for Level 1. 12.1 What motivated you to go back to school this year? − What was the subject? 12.2 Did anyone influence your decision to come back to − Why do you think you did well? What things helped school? Who? How? you to do well? 12.3 How do you feel about [name] returning to school this − How did you feel? How did your whänau react? year? Why?
− If you had to narrow it down – what were the three key 12.4 Has anything changed about the way you approach school things that helped you achieve? this year [Prompts: behaviour; attitude?] 9.2 Tell us about a subject you struggled in or did not do well 12.5 What do you see as the benefits of achieving NCEA in for Level 1. qualifications:
− What was the subject? − for [name]?
− Why do you think you didn’t do so well? [Probe for − for you whänau? learning/social barriers.] 12.6 Have you ever talked to anyone about careers advice? − When you got stuck, what did you do? Did you seek help? [Probe the extent to which they persisted with the 12.7 Do you have any plans for the future? Where do you see task versus giving up.] yourself in five years time?
− If you had to narrow it down – what were the three key 12.8 What would help you to get where you want to be? things that stopped you achieving?
− Are there things that could have helped you do better?
9.3 From your perspective, when it comes to achieving Level THANK YOU AND CLOSE 1, is being Mäori an advantage, a disadvantage, or does it make no difference at all? [Probe for examples.] 10. IMPACT OF TEACHERS ON MOTIVATION 10.1 Did your teachers do anything to support you to pass Level 1?
10.2 Are there things that your teachers did that helped you focus on your learning/increase your motivation for Level 1?
10.3 Are there ways that your teachers could support you in the future to focus on your learning/increase your motivation at school? RANGATAHI SCALE 1 MOTIVATION, CONFIDENCE AND UNDERSTANDING
102
1. HOW MOTIVATED WERE YOU TO ACHIEVE LEVEL 1? 1 2 3 4 5
I was neither I wasn’t at all I wasn’t very I was very I was highly motivated or motivated motivated motivated motivated unmotivated
2. HOW CONFIDENT WERE YOU THAT YOU WOULD ACHIEVE LEVEL 1? 1 2 3 4 5 I was neither I wasn’t at all I was wasn’t very I was very I was highly confident or confident confident confident confident unconfident
3. HOW WELL DO YOU THINK YOU UNDERSTOOD NCEA AND WHAT THEY WERE REQUIRED TO DO TO PASS LEVEL 1? 1 2 3 4 5
I had some I didn’t I understood I understood a lot I fully understood understanding of understand NCEA NCEA a little about NCEA NCEA NCEA
4. HOW WELL DO YOU THINK YOUR WHÄNAU UNDERSTOOD NCEA AND WHAT YOU WERE REQUIRED TO DO TO PASS LEVEL 1? 1 2 3 4 5
They had some They didn’t They understood They understood They fully understanding of understand NCEA NCEA a little a lot about NCEA understood NCEA NCEA
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA RANGATAHI SCALE 2 PREPARATION FOR NCEA
103
5. HOW MUCH EFFORT DID YOU PUT INTO HOMEWORK?? 1 2 3 4 5
No effort A little effort Some effort A lot of effort 100% effort
6. HOW MUCH EFFORT DID YOU PUT INTO INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS? 1 2 3 4 5
No effort A little effort Some effort A lot of effort 100% effort
7. HOW MUCH EFFORT DID YOU PUT INTO MOCK/PRACTICE EXAMS? 1 2 3 4 5
No effort A little effort Some effort A lot of effort 100% effort
8. HOW MUCH EFFORT DID YOU PUT INTO FINAL EXAMS?? 1 2 3 4 5
No effort A little effort Some effort A lot of effort 100% effort APPENDIX C TEACHER INTERVIEW GUIDE
1. INTRODUCTION 3.8 What did you observe about their ability to: 104 As we have said in the Information Sheet, the purpose of − self-manage? [Prompt: that is, their ability to plan and the research is to better understand how Mäori boys can be organise themselves for assessments?] supported to do well in school. − persist? [Prompt: that is, how did they cope when they Our focus is on how boys motivate and manage themselves and found things difficult?] how whänau and teachers can support Mäori boys to achieve well at secondary school. 4. BOYS WHO DIDN’T PASS LEVEL 1 We are also interested in the experience of boys and their Now, thinking about [the boys] who didn’t pass Level 1 last year; whänau of NCEA Level 1 and the extent to which they have from your perspective: thought about their futures. 4.1 Did they demonstrate any characteristics that contributed We are talking to some teachers who have taught Year 11 boys in to them not attaining Level 1? 2012. We will also be talking to those boys who are now in Year 12 and their whänau. In total, we will visit eight schools around 4.2 Thinking about those three boys, how motivated do you New Zealand and interview around 50 boys, 50 whänau and 25 think they were to achieve Level 1? teachers. 4.3 Do you think anyone else affected their motivation Before we start, do you have any questions? (positively or negatively)? [Prompt: for example, peers; teachers; mentors?] What did they say or do? What impact 2. BACKGROUND/CONTEXT did it have? 4.4 Did they encounter any obstacles? Did they do things 2.1 Tell us a bit about yourself – for example: how long have to try to overcome them? Did others around them help? you been teaching at this school; what subjects do you [Prompt: for example, peers; whänau?] teach? [Prompt: ask the teacher if they have taught two to three of the six boys that you have/will interview (preferably 4.5 Is there anything that you did to try to support and one that did and one that didn’t pass)]. motivate them to achieve Level 1? 3. BOYS WHO PASSED LEVEL 1 4.6 What did you observe about their ability to: − self-manage? [Prompt: that is, their ability to plan and 3.1 Thinking about [the boys] who passed Level 1 last year – organise themselves for assessments?] from your perspective, did they demonstrate any special characteristics that would have helped them to attain − persist? [Prompt: that is, how did they cope when they Level 1? found things difficult?]
3.2 Thinking about [the boys] who passed – how motivated do you think they were to achieve Level 1? 5. IMPACT OF TEACHING PRACTICE
3.3 Do you think anyone else affected their motivation ON MOTIVATION (positively or negatively)? [Prompt: for example, peers; 5.1 Tell us about a time when you have successfully engaged a teachers; mentors?] What did they say or do? What impact Mäori boy in a subject area. did it have? − What was the subject? 3.4 Did they encounter any obstacles? How did they overcome them? Did others around them help (for example, peers or − What teaching strategies did you use to engage them? whänau?) What worked well?
3.5 Is there anything that you did to try to support and − Would you do anything different? motivate them to achieve Level 1? 5.2 Can you tell us about a time when you had difficulty 3.6 From your experience, do you find that Mäori boys are any engaging a Mäori boy? more or less motivated than other boys? − What was the subject? 3.7 Thinking about those same boys how confident do you think they were that they would achieve Level 1? − What do you think were the obstacles to engaging them? − From your experience, do you find that Mäori boys are any more or less confident in their learning abilities − In hindsight would you have tried anything different as than other boys? their teacher?
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 6. PREPARATION FOR LEVEL 1 9. IMPACT OF TEACHERS ON 105 6.1 Thinking about these two groups of boys, did you notice WHÄNAU ENGAGEMENT any differences: 9.1 How important do you think teacher-whänau relationships − in their level of understanding of what they were are in contributing to Mäori boys’ success in Level 1? required to do to pass Level 1? 9.2 Thinking about these boys – did you have a time last year − in how they approached internals, mock exams and when you successfully engaged with their whänau about final exams? their learning outcomes?
6.2 Thinking about last year: − What did you do?
− did you provide them with or suggest any tools to help − What worked well? them prepare for their exams? [Prompt: subject revision books; Youtube; internet?] − Would you do anything differently? 7. FACTORS THAT HINDER 10. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE ACHIEVEMENT 10.1 Thinking about [name boys] do you know if they have any plans for the future? 7.1 To what extent do the following issues impact on the engagement and achievement of Mäori boys?: 10.2 Do you know if they have received any advice or taken steps to plan for their future? − Literacy/numeracy
− Learning difficulties (for example, dyslexia; dyspraxia, 11. SCHOOL BASED INITIATIVES TO delayed development) IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR MÄORI − Poor attendance BOYS − Behavioural issues 11.1 How much influence do you think your school exerts over − Social circumstances (for example, whänau issues) a Mäori student’s potential to succeed?
− Health related issues (for example, hearing or sight 11.2 Does your school have any specific initiatives in place to issues/substance abuse issues/offending) enhance the engagement and achievement of Mäori boys?
− Other − What is the initiative?
7.2 Of all the possible issues above, which three do you think − What is working well? have the biggest impact on Mäori boys’ engagement and − What are the challenges? motivation? 11.3 Do you have any ideas about potential initiatives that 8. IMPACT OF IDENTITY ON could enhance the engagement and achievement of Mäori boys? MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVEMENT 8.1 From your perspective, when it comes to achieving well at school, is being Mäori an advantage, a disadvantage, or does it make no difference at all? THANK YOU AND CLOSE APPENDIX D WHÄNAU INTERVIEW GUIDE
1. INTRODUCTION 4. NCEA RESULTS 106 As we have said in the Information Sheet, the purpose of 4.1 Can you remember how many credits they achieved for the research is to better understand how Mäori boys can be NCEA? [Prompt: pass/not pass; number of credits achieved supported to do well in school. out of 80]. We are very interested in motivation: how boys motivate 4.2 Can you remember how [name] felt when they found out themselves and how whänau and teachers can help to motivate their result? Year 11 boys. We are also interested in the experience of boys and their whänau of NCEA Level 1 and the extent to which they 4.3 Can you remember how you felt when you found out have thought about their futures. their result?
We are talking to some whänau of Mäori boys who have just − Did you do anything to recognise their achievements? completed Year 11. We are also going to be talking to some boys If so what? themselves and some teachers. Before we start, do you have any − Were there any consequences for poor results? questions about the research or the interview? 4.4 [If relevant]: were there any signals throughout that they 2. BACKGROUND/CONTEXT may be struggling? [Prompt: school reports; parent teacher interviews; teacher contact]. 2.1 Tell us a bit about your child – for example, number of siblings, sports and interests… 5. WHÄNAU UNDERSTANDING AND 2.2 How do they spend their time outside of school? What EXPERIENCE OF NCEA PROCESS kinds of things do they like to do? 5.1 Looking back to the beginning of last year: on a scale of 3. WHÄNAU PERCEPTIONS OF 1-5, how well do you think [name] understood NCEA, and what they were required to do to pass Level 1? STUDENT CONFIDENCE/SELF- − 1 = no understanding in their ability to pass NCEA, and BELIEF AND MOTIVATION − 5 = full understanding in their ability to pass Level 1. As part of this research we are very interested to learn about is how boys’ confidence, self-belief and motivation contribute to [Probe which aspects of NCEA whänau do/don’t their success at school. understand.] 3.1 Thinking about [name] last year, when he was doing Level 6. ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES AND 1 NCEA: on a scale of 1-5, how motivated do you think [name] was to achieve NCEA? PREPARATION − 1 = not at all motivated to pass NCEA, and 6.1 On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate how much effort [name] put into: homework; internal assessments (tests − 5 = highly motivated to pass Level 1. and assignments throughout the year); mock exams; − What do you think was their biggest motivation? final exams?
− What was their biggest distraction? Do you think anyone − 1 = very little effort, and else affected their motivation (positively or negatively)? − 5 = lots of effort. [Prompt: for example, peers; teachers; mentors?] What did they say or do? What impact did it have? 7. IMPACT OF IDENTITY − Is there anything that you or others in your whänau did to try to support and motivate them to achieve 7.1 From your perspective, when it comes to achieving well Level 1 NCEA? at school, is being Mäori an advantage, a disadvantage, or does it make no difference at all? 3.2 On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate [name’s] confidence in their ability to achieve Level 1? 8. LITERACY/NUMERACY/STUDY − 1 = not at all confident in their ability to pass NCEA, and SKILLS − 5 = highly confident in their ability to pass Level 1. 8.1 Has [name] ever received any learning support? [Prompts: for example, through school/private tutoring?] 8.2 Do you know if they have ever learnt about:
− study skills? If so, when? From who? What skills do they use?
− exam tehnniques?
TE PUNI KÖKIRI MÄORI BOYS MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN LEVEL 1 NCEA 8.3 Thinking about last year: 10. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 107 − how did they approach homework/study? Did it work 10.1 What do you think motivated [name] to go back to school well? [Prompt: setting (lunchtime/home, challenges); this year? planning/scheduling; time allocation.] 10.2 Do you think anyone influenced their decision to come − Can you remember if they used any tools to help them back to school? Who? How? prepare for their exams? [Prompt: subject revision books; Youtube; internet?] 10.3 How do you feel about [name] returning to school this year? Why? − Did they have access to computer/internet at home? Did they use it for study? 10.4 What do you see as the benefits of achieving NCEA qualifications:
9. IMPACT OF TEACHERS ON − for [name]?
WHÄNAU ENGAGEMENT − for your whänau? 9.1 Based on your experience, can you think of a teacher who you had contact with last year about [name] that you 11. MOTIVATION AND ATTITUDES TO found really good to deal with? YEAR 12 − Can you remember what you went to see them about? 11.1 It’s early days; but have you noticed a difference in their − What did they say or do that made you feel positively motivation levels or attitudes towards school? about the interaction? 11.2 Based on your experience of last year, will you do anything − Was there a good outcome from the interaction? differently this year to support [name] to achieve NCEA Level 1/2? 9.2 Based on your experience, can you think of a teacher who you had contact with last year about [name] that you found not so good to deal with? 12. PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
− Can you remember what you went to see them about? 12.1 Do you know if [name] has any plans for the future? [Prompts: education/training/employment?] − Can you tell us as little bit about them? [Prompt: personal characteristics]. 12.2 Do you have any ideas about what would help them to achieve this? − What did they say or do that made you feel negatively about the interaction? 12.3 Do you know if they have ever talked to anyone about future study or career options? − Was there a good outcome from the interaction? 12.4 Have you seen any of these resources? [Prompt: 9.3 In hindsight, was there anything they could have said or interviewer to show participant NZQA/CNZ resources; done differently to make the interaction more positive? provide a brief overview of resources and suggest who they could talk to for further information]. 9.4 Apart from your individual subject teachers, is there anyone else at school that you have interacted with regarding [name]? Tell us about the experience. [Prompts: form teacher; careers advisor; sports/activities coach – THANK YOU AND CLOSE repeat questions above.] GLOSSARY
Hapü Sub-tribe Hui Gathering Iwi Tribe Kaha Strength; energy Kaimanaaki Mäori Student Support Staff Kapa haka Mäori cultural performance Karakia Prayer Kaumätua Elder Kaupapa Mäori research Research approach based on Mäori values and principles Kei te pai That’s fine Köhanga Reo Early childhood te reo Mäori immersion centre Körero Speak; talk Kura Kaupapa Te Reo Mäori immersion school Koro Elder man; grandfather Kotahitanga Unity Mahi Work Mana Prestige; status; authority Manaakitanga Hospitality; kindness Mänu Körero National secondary school speech contest Mätauranga Mäori Traditional Mäori knowledge Matua Parent; uncle; adult Rangatahi Youth; young person Rohe Territory or boundary of tribal groups Tangi Funeral ceremony Tä Moko Traditional Mäori tattoo Teina Younger siblings Te Ao Mäori The Mäori world Te Reo The Mäori Language Te Kotahitanga A professional development programme designed to support teachers to improve Mäori students’ learning and achievement Tuakana Older brother Waka Abbreviation for waka ama – outrigger canoe Whänau Family ©Te PuniKökiri2006ISBN: 978-0-478-34536-0Hakihea2013/Dec 2013 person relyingontheinformationcontainedinthispublication. any by indirectly or directly suffered losses any for Kökiri Puni Te by assumed is liability No publication. this onrely not and matters particular on advice independent seek to advised are Readers guaranteed. be cannot has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, because the information is generalised, its accuracy DISCLAIMER cover of this publication (left to right). We wish you all the best for your 2014 school year. Troyto you thank – mihi Ngä Para, Kahura Kaneand Moke, featurewho Bridewell theon The information contained in this publication is for general information only.information general for is publication this in contained effortinformation every The While
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