NCEA – the National Certificate of Education, is still a mystery to many of us, but researcher Lisa Davies has a message for whānau who want to help their rangatahi achieve well.

Lisa was the lead researcher on new research commissioned by Te Puni Kōkiri to find out what motivates Māori boys to achieve in education.

Using intense interviews with Year 12 boys, their teachers, and their whānau, the research explores the differences in the motivation and engagement of high and low achieving rangatahi.

The research has provided lots of information that Te Puni Kōkiri will be using to work with other government agencies and schools to improve outcomes for Māori, but for Kōkiri, Lisa has used the findings to develop some tips for whānau to help their rangatahi achieve (see opposite page).

“Whānau want the best for their rangatahi. What we don’t often realise is how important we all are to making that happen and the little things we can do that boost their motivation.

“For almost all the boys we talked to, the biggest motivator for them was the educational experience of their whānau - both the good and bad experiences.”

“My dad dropped out when he was 15 … 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.” [Extract from Report]

Lisa says throughout the research there were examples of whānau making a difference to the motivation, regardless of how well they had achieved themselves.

Te Puni Kōkiri Whānau and Social Policy Director Patsie Karauria says in commissioning the research, Te Puni Kōkiri wanted to identify practical options for supporting an improvement in Māori boys’ education outcomes.

“We are very grateful to the boys, their whānau, teachers and schools for sharing their experiences with us. Their input has been invaluable,” Patsie says.

“When we shared the findings with colleagues from other government agencies, we could all see the potential to use these findings to work together to enable rangatahi, whānau and schools to increase Māori educational success.”

"No matter what your education experience was, your input can make a difference to how well your rangatahi achieve." TEN TIPS FOR WHĀNAU ACTION TO HELP YOUR BOYS DO WELL IN NCEA

Positive Thoughts

TIP 1 Encourage and motivate your boys. Talk about your own experiences in education (both good and bad). Hearing of those experiences can boost their motivation to succeed. Boys are also motivated by the experience of siblings and wider whānau (such as cousins, aunties and uncles).

TIP 2 Build confidence and self-belief. Talk to him about how confident he feels in his ability to achieve. If his confidence is low, try to find out why and talk to his teachers about how they can better support him.

TIP 3 Check he understands how NCEA works. Many boys said they worked out too late in the year what they needed to do to achieve NCEA. NCEA is tricky to understand. While teachers often thought the boys knew how NCEA worked, the boys themselves didn’t back that up. If you have doubts about your boy’s understanding of what he has to do, then talk to the school about it. If you want more information about NCEA go to: www.Māorifuturemakers.com/ncea-in-a-nutshell

Positive Behaviour

TIP 4 Encourage your boy to ‘switch on’ from Term 1. Boys need to achieve 80 credits to pass Level 1. They can begin to achieve these from Term 1 by completing assignments and passing tests in class. Boys who rely on exams in Term 4 to get their credits will struggle to achieve all 80 credits. Consistent effort throughout the year is the key to success.

TIP 5 Make sure he is at school. Every day counts at this level. Boys who miss too many days miss important information and struggle to catch up. Many regretted the days they had missed.

TIP 6 Make sure he has the right equipment. This can range from the basics like pens, pencils and exercise books through to advanced calculators and art supplies. If there are financial difficulties in paying for this, approach the school to see if a solution can be found.

TIP 7 Tell him to ask for help. Boys fear asking for help because they don’t want to look dumb. If you notice a rangatahi is struggling, encourage him to discuss it with his teacher, or even contact the teacher yourself.

TIP 8 Help him manage distractions and encourage studying at home. X-box and other computer gaming are motivation guzzlers. Too much competitive sports can also be a distraction. Help them to balance school, social and sporting activities.

Collaboration and Communication

TIP 9 Work with the school. Make contact with your boy’s school whānau – the form teacher, subject teachers, the principal, the sports coach. Many teachers are starting to work more closely with whānau (often communicating through texts and emails etc.) and it works well. But don’t be afraid to make the first move.

TIP 10 Talk to other whānau. You will be surprised at how many of them have similar challenges to you and how much help you can be to each other by sharing your experiences and things that have worked well.

Tips derived from Māori Boys Motivation and Engagement in NCEA Level 1 (Kaipuke Research November 2013). Full report available at www.tpk.govt.nz