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Building A Community of Involvement

The document outlines a teacher's plan to build a community of involvement between the school and local community. Key aspects of the plan include: 1) Incorporating Maori principles like whakawhanaungatanga and whanau to establish relationships and see the community as an extended family. 2) Taking a participatory and collaborative approach to involve stakeholders like students, families, teachers, and the wider community in decision making. 3) Proposing initiatives like reading workshops, a grandparent's day, open days, and sports events to bring the community onto the school grounds and engage families. 4) Reflecting on successes and areas for improvement, such as some parents struggling with

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Clair Pihema
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104 views

Building A Community of Involvement

The document outlines a teacher's plan to build a community of involvement between the school and local community. Key aspects of the plan include: 1) Incorporating Maori principles like whakawhanaungatanga and whanau to establish relationships and see the community as an extended family. 2) Taking a participatory and collaborative approach to involve stakeholders like students, families, teachers, and the wider community in decision making. 3) Proposing initiatives like reading workshops, a grandparent's day, open days, and sports events to bring the community onto the school grounds and engage families. 4) Reflecting on successes and areas for improvement, such as some parents struggling with

Uploaded by

Clair Pihema
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Clair Harrison Term 3 2014

Building a Community of Involvement


Setting the scene
Teachers are interested in supporting the schools long-term goals, as
indicated in previous ERO reports, of establishing positive relationships in
the community. The teachers recognise that there have been several
attempts to establish close bonds with the community. Teachers feel as
though more could be done however the local community is at times
unresponsive to initiatives. The teachers are interested in a Collective and
Collaborative Action Approach to addressing the aforementioned
concerned, and wish to take Active Roles in establishing and maintaining
this process.
Goal
Create a Community of Involvement by
incorporating principles of Te Ao Maori.
Key Understandings
Whakawhanaungatanga: process of
establishing relationships, relating well
to others.
Whanau: Is translated as family, but its
meaning takes on a greater complexity
than this. Like most aspects to Te Ao
Maori it is holistic in nature and inclusive
of physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions and is centred on
Whakapapa. It is multi-faceted, flexible and dynamic.

School Obligations

Clair Harrison Term 3 2014

Rationale
In order to build a community of
inclusion it is important to make
connections directly with (potential)
members. There must be a shared
basis of inclusion and a desire
towards inclusion, which is fostered
through rangatiratanga
(autonomy).
The role of whanau and its
members (especially grandparents)
is central to Maori society and
supports the concept of the child as
being at the centre. It is similar to
Bronfennbrenners Embedded
systems.

A Participatory Approach
In order to address areas of concern and issues it is important to function
under a collaborative model and approach. A community is made up of
members and under a democratic approach to problem solving members
function as participants and key stake holders in the decision making
process.
Key stake holders include:

Students
Whanau
Teachers
Principal
Board of Trustees
Wider Community

Clair Harrison Term 3 2014

Not unusual to the school setting and social sector, varied levels of
participation and responsibility will arise in the current situation. Similarly
leadership roles will be pre-determined in order to promote positive
change. Of importance to note, there is a history of dissonance between
the school and local community. It is recognised that forming and
maintaining relationships will take time and effort, to promote collective
growth. There will be times when regression may occur; this is a normal
part of the process.
Limitations
It is recognised that participation can be a contentious field to navigate.
The choice to participate is only seen as effective when participants have
the opportunity to opt in or opt out and there voice is valued within
the community and part of the decision making process.
Due to the history of the dialogue between the local community and the
school, it may be decided that remedial action is an important step in
initiating change.

Proposed Plan of Action


Analyse
Some children
struggle to complete
homework and
reading tasks
especially
Include Whanau in a
positive format
reaching a wide range
of the community

Act
A Teacher and the Principal
led reading workshops for
parents

Reflect
Of the parents confirmed
to attend the workshops
few did. Those that
attended

Organise a Grandparents
Day Term 3:
Key speakers (children) to
be involved
Children to do a very short
performance

The teachers organised a


matariki festival. Some
parents struggled with
their children being the
agents. This is something
to note in the following

Clair Harrison Term 3 2014

There is reluctance by
some parents and
whanau to enter the
school community

Organise morning Tea


Organise an Open Day in
Term 4 for current members
and prospective Students:
Sausage Sizzle
Classroom exhibitions
Fun Activities
Organise a School Parents
vs. Kids Sports Day

Conflict and
communication
amongst parents and
whanau regularly
effects the daily
running of the school

Work alongside Intensive


wraparound to work with
whanau and the community
to uplift the experiences of
the tamariki most in need.

year.
The children were thrilled
to have their extended
whanau included in their
daily school experience. It
was beautiful to receive
feedback from very happy
parents
This emerged naturally on
the Room 4 Lasange night

I spent a significant
amount of time in after
school meetings and
working with caregivers to
support learners at risk, as
well as within the broader
Ngati Hine Framework.

Kids Involvement

Grandparents Morning Tea


Room 4 Dinner
Kids vs. Parents Sports Day
Parents vs. Kids Debate
Open Day
Beach Day
o Sand castle competition
o Sausage sizzle
o Parents
o Cricket
o Volleyball
Disco

Classroom Initiatives
Analyse
A minority of parents
do not always attend
meetings or report
evenings
4

Act
Create opportunities for
parents to come into the
classroom:
Open Class

Reflect
The children have been
asked to invite their
parents in for mentoring
opportunitites. For our

Clair Harrison Term 3 2014

Class Dinner

Class Dinner / Room 4


students cook parents

first exhibition we had an


excellent turnout of 8
parents.

The children were really


excited to create a menu
for their whanau.

The learners have come


such a long way to not
only work together as a
team but to execute a
huge task. They made me
so proud when they, all on
their own, organised a
thank you speech for the
teacher (me ).

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