The critical role of the educative mentor as a leader to support the retention of beginning teachers in Māori-medium schools

Abstract

Educational leadership in schools is multifaceted and variously impacts on the school context and vice versa. One aspect of leadership in the schooling sector is educative mentoring. Drawing on theories of the important place of indigeneity in Maori-medium education, we examine Te Whatu Kura, an induction and mentoring learning programme. Teacher educative mentoring programmes potentially serve two important purposes: beginning teachers are provided with strong mentoring support at the beginning of their careers, and more experienced teachers receive recognition and support to be more effective mentors. The major aim of Te Whatu Kura is to address the significant retention issue of beginning teachers in the Maori-medium sector by focusing on supporting educative mentors as leaders to guide their beginning teachers to full teacher certification. Approximately 70% of beginning teachers in Maori-medium schools will leave that workforce in the first three years of their career. This has a long-term negative impact on schools' ability to deliver quality education. Data so far, shows the programme outcomes are very positive.