Staff at BestStart Willowpark Rd early childhood centre have now completed the Te Ara Whakamana Self-Directed Online Training in Early Childhood course, and are experiencing outstanding outcomes. The photos below show tamariki choosing to freely engage with Atua, pūrākau, waiata, art and the activities that surround them. Nannies and whānau feel that their identity and culture are truly valued, ahakoa ko wai, nō hea/ no matter where they are from. We offer our congratulations to the brilliant staff and Tumuaki for creating such an environment.
Susan and Nigel are excited to be presenting Te Ara Whakamana at this year’s World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference in Education held on 16-20 November 2025 at the Aotea Centre, Auckland.
We hope to see you there – please come and make yourselves known to us so we can connect.
We’re proud to share that Susan Ngawati Osborne and Nigel Marshall, co-founders of Te Ara Whakamana: Mana Enhancement Model, will be presenting at the upcoming NATINA Conference 2025.
Ako Solutionz tumuaki Susan Ngawati Osborne and Te Ara Wakamana director Nigel Marshall.
Pūrākau, the rich stories of Māori origins, are a key tool in fostering positive communication and relationships within Te Ara Whakamana: Mana Enhancement, a tool designed by Ako Solutionz. Schools across the motu have adapted this framework, demonstrating the power of meaningful interactions and storytelling.
Masterton Primary School is using innovative frameworks to foster positive communication, relationships, and a strong sense of identity among its ākonga with a ‘mana wheel’ tool.
Central to this shift is Te Ara Whakamana: Mana Enhancement, rooted in Māori cultural principles, which helps schools nurture and enhance the mana (core value) of ākonga and kaimahi.
Tumuaki Gene Bartlett says Te Ara Whakamana has been crucial for advancing the school’s social and emotional literacy.
“We’ve been a Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) school for many years, but it lacks the cultural responsiveness we need. Te Ara Whakamana will be PB4L for our school.”
By integrating pūrākau, ākonga and kaimahi connect with and embrace the different sides of kaitiaki (guardians) to develop mutual understanding and meaningful interactions.
Deputy principal Jo Lennox says, “The mana wheel shows the duality of kaitiaki. They have their positive and negative sides, and we reward students for showing the positive traits. Gene developed the taiaha in the centre of the mana wheel to help students express their feelings.”
I highly recommend these books by Russell Bishop which very clearly present the rationale and evidence behind culturally responsive practice, the positive impact relationships within a school setting have on learning and attendance, collaboration between teachers and school leaders at a systems level, and the critical importance of culture.
It puts out the challenge for us as educators to review our teaching methods and ways of engaging students that surely match our most fundamental goals as educators.
It is heartening to see that Te Ara Whakamana aligns well with much of what Russell Bishop is saying in these important books: culturally centred, strengths based, agentic approach with strong Mana Teams and distributed leadership to ensure robust implementation for long term sustainable and equitable outcomes.
There are also many salient lessons on key aspects of training, implementation, thinking and leading from a systems level, and how politics can either support this knowledge and research, or sadly, ignore and fail to support and provide resourcing.
Nigel Marshall, Ako Solutionz Director
About us
Te Ara Whakamana is a tool designed by: Ako Solutionz Plans and Strategies for Positive Change.
We are excited to introduce our new Te Ara Whakamana facilitators! They bring a wealth of knowledge across the education and social services sectors, and a strong committment to the Te Ara Whakamana kaupapa.
Simone Poi
Ngati Porou, Ngapuhi BA Leisure Studies (University of Waikato)Post Graduate Diploma in Sports and Leisure Studies (University of Waikato)National Certificate in Adult Education (Level 5)New Zealand Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Level 5)New Zealand Certificate in Outdoor Recreation (Aquatics) (Level 4)
Simone has enjoyed working in Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education, offering skills and knowledge in Sports, Outdoor Recreation, Kapa Haka and Te Ao Māori. Privileged to work with and represent whanau, hapu, hapori Maori, and Iwi within a Maori Health organisation and a Iwi organisation. Has been working with rangatahi at Matapuna Training Centre since 2014, as a tutor, a lead tutor and part-time tutor reliever. Also works part-time for the Bush Kura as a Senior Instructor and Project Operations Administrator.
Simone has implemented Te Ara Whakamana since 2015 with various age groups from diverse backgrounds within education and outside of an education environment, with rich and rewarding outcomes for participants and myself as an educator. The learning that comes from implementing Te Ara Whakamana is humbling, encourages one to be reflective of practice, participant centred, culturally appropriate, inclusive to all, rewarding, provides solution focused strategies for participants that can be used over their lifetime.
Shenita Prasad
Post Graduate Diploma in Education Leadership, Bachelor of Arts, (University of Auckland) Diploma in Teaching and Teacher-Librarianship (Auckland College of Education)
Shenita’s education career spans 29 years, including 21 years at Arahoe School where she has also served as part of the senior leadership team. During her time at Arahoe School, she has led Curriculum design and coordination, including working collaboratively on acceleration learning initiatives and reviewing school charter, and strategic vision.
Shenita is a proud Pasifika woman, educator and Wayfinder, and her Fijian-Indian-Tongan whakapapa allows her to walk in many worlds. She is a student-centred leader who places akonga at the heart and centre of learning conversations and decision-making. She is passionate about social justice and creating equity for vulnerable and marginalised groups.
Since the introduction of Te Ara Whakamana to her kura in 2017, Shenita has viewed this relationship-based kaupapa through the lens of curriculum. Her leadership with curriculum has had her integrate Te Ara Whakamana into the design and plan of culturally responsive programming. She believes it is critical that akonga are reflected in, and that akonga can see themselves, a school’s curriculum.
Olivia Martin
Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu kī te Wairoa Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) Masters in Māori and Indigenous Studies (in progress)
Olivia has worked as a researcher with Ihi Research for two years, and has worked with a range of different services and agencies in the Health, Social, Education and Justice systems. Previously Olivia worked in therapeutic care and Education for Stand for Children. She has recently began as a facilitator for Te Ara Whakamana, and is passionate about increasing knowledge and visibility of pre-colonial understandings of Education, ways of being and Parenting.
Rochelle Burns
Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary) BSc Microbiology
Rochelle has been teaching in the Wellington area for 19 years, both in Porirua and Te Awakairangi ki Uta. As he tangata Tiriti, Rochelle works to ensure tikanga, Te Reo and kaupapa Māori are uplifted in her classroom and in the professional spaces she supports. Te Ara Whakamana has played a major part in guiding this cultural lens. Rochelle has been strengthening her knowledge and understanding of this kaupapa since 2020 and is able to provide a practical classroom approach to establishing the model.
About us
Te Ara Whakamana is a tool designed by: Ako Solutionz Plans and Strategies for Positive Change.
Stories are the fabric of our existence, intertwining the threads of memory, imagination, and experience into a tapestry as diverse as humanity itself. In this thought-provoking piece, Francesca Baker delves into the heart of why stories matter, exploring their power to connect us, to heal us, and to shape the very essence of our being. From the tales told around ancient fires to the narratives that unfold across today’s digital landscapes, stories are our companions through the journey of life. Join us as we unravel the profound impact they hold!
Read the great article below written by Francesca Baker on Why Stories Matter.
Tīhei Mauri Ora, ka nui te mihi miharo ki te whānau o te Kura Melville Primary.
We wish to extend a big thank you to the Tumuaki, Bronwyn Haitana, her Boards of Trustees, Kaiako/teachers and staff, ākonga/students and their whānau/families who attended the Te Ara Whakamana Whānau training day on Thursday the 17th of November.
Callum Sanders and I were both grateful for the preparation, the welcome, and the manaakitanga shown by all that made the day run smoothly and enabled korero/conversation to flow. Although the day was wet, whanau came out across two sessions and gave whole-heartedly to the kaupapa/process.
Over the two separate sessions, participants received an overview of the Te Ara Whakamana model and a break breakdown of each of the Atua narrative and the role each play within the model itself. Most importantly, a deeper understanding of why Melville Primary school is utilizing Te Ara Whakamana as a transformational tool to support positive outcomes in learning and relationships across their school community was explained.
To cap off the day, whānau participants were able to practice the model on one another. Opportunities to ask questions and be supported throughout the process was provided along with resources each participant could take home and reference throughout the sessions.
Having had the opportunity to walk alongside you all, we are confident that there are now whānau advocates for the kaupapa of Te Ara Whakamana, spreading the word among you all and generating excitement.
Kia kaha koutou ma. Mauri Ora. Pia Harre, Kaihuawaere / Facilitator
About us
Te Ara Whakamana is a tool designed by: Ako Solutionz Plans and Strategies for Positive Change.
When kura/schools set out on their Te Ara Whakamana journeys, passion, creativity, deep reflection, and innovations often occur. This has been the case at Oaklynn Special School in New Lynn, Auckland in their Rangatahi Unit.
Led by the Tumuaki, Louise Doyle and guided by Head Teachers, Donna and Jonathon, they worked collaboratively with several of the Rangatahi ākonga/young students to create an incredible peace of art representing the Te Ara Whakamana Atua and narrative and weaving in the whakapapa and region of their wonderful school, Oaklynn.
Using the mana/strengths of their Rangatahi, they have created an art piece that now graces the wall of an entrance into their school that sits about two meters in diameter. A stunning eye-catching piece that captures their mana/uniqueness, their āhua/character as a school and community, and the ara/journey they are taking together. You should all feel very proud of your creative efforts. Ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou kātoa. Mauri Ora.
Pia Harré, Ako Solutionz Kaihuawaere / Facilitator
About us
Te Ara Whakamana is a tool designed by: Ako Solutionz Plans and Strategies for Positive Change.
