Māpura: Gifted Ākonga

The Māpura initiative is a support package that will provide a range of additional learning opportunities designed to meet the diverse gifts and exceptional talents of Māori and Pasifika gifted learners, including their social and emotional needs. Māpura takes a pūmanawa | tāleni centered approach to the desired outcome of Māori and Pasifika ākonga, identified as gifted, enjoying and achieving education success as Māori and Pasifika; and to assist all ākonga to experience and recognise their pūmanawa success associated with identified needs.

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Māpura PLD will:

• Upskill one teacher from each selected school or kura. Teachers/kaiako will be provided with support materials, resources, and training,
• Help communicate, and consult with whānau, and the school community to develop a shared understanding of giftedness for Māori and Pasifika for their community
• Work together with the school community to ensure that the curriculum is rich, meaningful, and tailored to the unique needs and talents of gifted Māori and Pasifika learners.   
• Enable schools and kura to continue to develop awareness of the particular social and emotional characteristics of Māori and Pasifika gifted ākonga and promote their holistic wellbeing.  ‍

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As a result of participation in the Māpura programme, we expect that: 

1. Māori and Pasifika Gifted learners will begin to report improvements in their emotional/social and overall well-being as well as having their learning needs met. 
2. Gifted learners who are Māori and Pasifika begin to report that they are supported as Māori or as Pasifika.
3. Parents, communities and whānau are empowered to make positive decisions about learning options for their gifted tamariki 
4. Schools and kura use tools and planning resources to improve their in-setting responsiveness to Māori and Pasifika gifted learners  
5. Teachers and kaiako in schools and kura better understand the kinds of learning opportunities they can design with and for their Māori and Pasifika gifted learners.

Targeted supports will be delivered in a range of  ways according to the Pūmanawa Mokopuna Māori and Pasifika framework:

• In-person one day wānanga for lead kaiako of selected schools and kura, in Te Tai Tokerau (Northland), on August 20th, and in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), on August 21st. The event in Te Tai Tokerau (Northland) will be held in room C106 at The University of Auckland Whangarei campus, at 13 Alexander Street, Whangārei 0110, from 9.30am-3.30pm. The Tāmaki Makaurau event will be held at Manurewa Sports Centre, 180 Weymouth Road, Manurewa, Auckland 2102, between 9.30am-3.30pm. (Morning tea and lunch will be provided).

• Cluster hui series, including online learning clusters, for lead kaiako of selected schools and kura
• A range of digital resources for schools and kura. This support is available for up to 500 kaiako across Aotearoa

This is PLD fully-funded by the Ministry of Education.