How About Nurturing Mana? We've Tried Everything Else.

In almost every one of my twenty-two years in teaching, there has been discussion and focus on Maori achievement. The term, by it's very intention infers that there is concern regarding non-achievement of Maori students. We have focused on 'the brown tail' with intensive teaching, testing, monitoring and analysis of results. Over the period of my teaching career this extra focus on teaching, data collection, analysis and hypothesising has produced generally minor shifts in achievement. Even the advent of teaching with 1-1 digital devices, although in it's fledgling stages, appears to have minimal impact on Maori achievement data.


I have also yet to experience, or been informed of an effective curriculum guide (for non-speakers of Maori) for the teaching and learning of Te Reo Maori in schools. 
Here we have an official language of our country (let's be honest and call it the original language) and yet there is no way yet of officially incorporating it into the curriculum. 
I have recently begun encouraging my students, representing a range of Pasifika culture to converse with each other in their first languages. A few are excited by this and are beginning to do so. An unexpected spinoff is that one of these students already demonstrates a more confident approach to sharing her learning, including incorporating Te Reo Maori translation.

Upon deeper reflection:

1. With Tikanga and Reo intertwined, shouldn't the structured teaching, learning, use, and therefore honouring of Te Reo me ona Tikanga Maori in schools provide disenfranchised Maori students with a stronger sense of self, thus increasing their mana?

2. Would it not be a logical consequence that those students who are more aware of who they are, and confident in their place be willing to take risks and contribute more as students, causing an increase in achievement levels?

3. If this is as simple as it sounds, can someone please direct me to a resource that enables me to teach Te Reo me on Tikanga Maori effectively? 
    
It would provide teachers throughout Aotearoa with a genuine tool, which I believe is vital to helping our students succeed.