What is Happening for Gifted Students in Kura Kaupapa Māori?
This question was posed to a number of kura kaupapa Māori teachers and whānau and a variety of strategies were described. Given the relatively small role numbers in most kura kaupapa Māori and the commitment to whānau-based education, mixed age classes are the norm. This practice enables gifted students to be extended within the regular class programme by grouping them with older students. One teacher explained:
Motu (year 8) works with the year 10 maths group because he is quite capable of doing maths at that level. Te Rina has excellent language skills so in the Olympic Games Unit I am planning, she will be doing the tuakana activities.
In cultural activities the organisation of kura kaupapa Māori also allows for the natural extension of gifted students:
We have a girl who has just come from kohanga reo and you just know she is going to be the kapa haka queen. She is doing the double long poi no problem while the other five year olds poi are flying around the room! When we perform she stands in the front row with all the double poi girls, it doesn't matter if she is half their size.
Another strategy that was described by a number of teachers is illustrated in this quote:
If a child displays a special ability in a curriculum area which is not already a part of the school programme, we will work to provide the opportunity to cultivate that ability within the school programme or by enrolment in other classes, schools or wānanga.
Enrolment in wānanga classes is a popular choice for those kura who have ready access to them. Examples of students participating in computer, carving, hapū and iwi studies and weaving and design classes were all cited. One of the students enrolled in computer and carving classes explained:
I usually go to the computer room at the wānanga after school. If I get stuck, there is always someone there to help and sometimes I do the helping. I go to the carving room during school sometimes, just wander in and watch what the others are doing or work on something of my own. Everybody knows me so that's good.
The use of tohunga is another popular method of catering for gifted students. These mentors are usually drawn from the kura kaupapa whānau or the wider Māori community. As one particpant explained:
Once a particular talent is identified we look for someone within the whānau who can take the child under their wing and nurture that talent. Their job is to encourage and teach. The whānau member can come into the kura and work with this child and maybe others, or perhaps the child will go out of the kura to work with that person. This can be in school time, after school or at the weekend. It doesn't really matter. It depends on what is most appropriate and what opportunities arise.
Another frequently mentioned strategy is the practice of giving extra responsibility to the gifted students in their particular area of strength. This gives them the opportunity to develop that talent and to share it with others. This "development through service" demonstrates one aspect of the Māori concept of giftedness discussed in the chapter on gifted and talented Māori children in McAlpine & Moltzen's book "Gifted and Talented: New Zealand Perspectives" (ERDC Press).
What we did with Mere, was put her in charge of a production. Heta kept an eye on her but essentially she created the whole show – wrote the script and waiata, made up the actions, taught them to the other kids, and organised the practices. It was massive. The show was performed for the whānau and they were blown away.
A final strategy that was mentioned is the setting of a standard of excellence that all pupils are encouraged to strive for:
We had Tama come in to take carving with the class. He is an expert and set a very high standard. He had to give most kids a lot of help to achieve that standard but Teina managed it with very little guidance.
This setting of high standards was also mentioned in relation to working with individuals:
The genius becomes the standard and we pitch the programme to that child's standard. In order to maintain the standard we look for staff that can deliver or guide the delivery at that level. We are loath to accept mediocrity.
A sincere thank you is extended to teachers, parents, whānau and students who contributed the information above. People from the following kura were involved:
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamatā,
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Mana Tamariki,
Te Kura o Whakatupuranga Ruamano.