A Visit from Pat Snedden

Last Friday the 2016 MDTA were blessed to have a visit from Pat Snedden, the Executive Chair of the Manaiakalani Education Trust. His korero was short but it had such a humbling and motivating impact on each and every person in our cohort. Pat shared a brief amount of New Zealand History which gave massive insight into the disabling effects of the displacement of Māori land. 

This disabling effect has been generational and has affected our learners. As teachers, we are here because we care. More importantly, as educators in Tamaki, it is our job to enable learners, the citizens of today and tomorrow, to be able to articulate their wants and their needs, to be able to identify what those are, and most importantly, give them the skills they need to be heard. We need to give them the skills of communication. 

Pat made a really crucial point in saying that we educators are not starting from the bottom. There have been many teachers before us who have had the courage to seek change, to make a difference for the Tamariki of Tamaki. It is important that we do not get caught up in our egos but rather, realise that we are here to serve the learners and not only that; we need to have the humility to realise that we also serve those teachers who came before us and all those who have fought so hard to change the educational experience of Māori and Pasifika children.