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Kaiwhakaako Māori

Kaiwhakaako Māori

Kaiwhakaako Māori teach in te reo Māori at primary and secondary schools.

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Secondary education

A tertiary entrance qualification is required to enter further training. Te reo Māori is required, unless you are already a fluent speaker.

Study fields

Study levels

  • Bachelor's degree
  • Master's degree and above

Useful experience

Useful experience for kaiwhakaako Māori includes:

  • work with Māori
  • Māori language courses
  • marae work
  • work with young people
  • counselling
  • work with people with disabilities
  • community work.

What you will do

Kaiwhakaako Māori may do some or all of the following:

  • plan, prepare and teach programmes for primary or secondary students
  • set and mark assignments and tests
  • assess students' work
  • record children's progress and write reports
  • help children develop social skills and behaviours
  • meet with parents, whānau or caregivers
  • attend departmental and staff meetings
  • take part in or organise extracurricular activities such as sport, camps or drama
  • keep up to date with curriculum changes and assessment methods
  • maintain regular contact with local iwi, marae and community groups.

Skills and knowledge

Kaiwhakaako Māori need to have:

  • knowledge of Māori language and culture
  • teaching skills, and knowledge of different teaching methods and learning styles
  • up-to-date knowledge of the curriculum
  • assessment and planning skills
  • classroom management skills, including an understanding of behaviour management.
Pay

Kaiwhakaako Māori usually earn

$55K-$103K

per year

Job opportunities
Good
Chances of getting a job as a kaiwhakaako Māori are good due to a shortage of workers.
Length of training
3-4
years of training required.

Industry

Education

Kaiwhakaako Māori teach in te reo Māori at primary and secondary schools.

Similar jobs in this industry

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for kaiwhakaako Māori vary depending on the type and level of school.

For primary teaching at kura kaupapa Māori (Māori medium schools)

You need to be fluent in te reo Māori, and have one of the following:

  • a three-year Bachelor of Education (Teaching) or equivalent
  • a degree plus a one-year Graduate Diploma of Teaching
  • a four-year conjoint degree that combines study in teaching subjects with teacher training.

For secondary teaching of te reo Māori at English medium schools

You need one of the following:

  • a degree in Māori followed by a one-year Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary)
  • a combined Māori degree and secondary teaching qualification.

For secondary teaching at Māori medium or bilingual schools

You need to be fluent in te reo Māori, and have one of the following:

  • a specialist subject degree followed by a one-year Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary)
  • a combined specialist subject degree and secondary teaching qualification.

Registration

You need to be registered with the Teaching Council of New Zealand Matatū Aotearoa.

Targeted scholarships for kaiwhakaako Māori

Scholarships are offered by the Government to encourage people to:

  • train as teachers of te reo Māori at secondary school level
  • train as Māori medium teachers.

The Vulnerable Children Act 2014 means that if you have certain serious convictions, you can’t be employed in a role where you are responsible for, or work alone with children.

Chances of getting a job

Demand for kaiwhakaako Māori

There is growing demand for kaiwhakaako Māori in primary and secondary schools, because more students are attending kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori (Māori medium early learning centres and schools).

There is a particular shortage of kaiwhakaako Māori in rural and low socio-economic areas. 

As a result two kaiwhakaako Māori roles appear on  appears on Immigration New Zealand's Green List:

  • Kaiako Kura Kaupapa Māori – Māori-medium Primary School Teacher
  • Pouako Kura Kaupapa Māori – Māori-medium Primary School Senior Teacher

This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled kaiwhakaako Māori from overseas to work in New Zealand.

Most kaiwhakaako Māori work at state schools

State schools are the biggest employers of kaiwhakaako Māori. Kaiwhakaako also work at private and state-integrated schools, such as Catholic schools.

Find out more about training

Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand Matatū Aotearoa
(04) 471 0852 - enquiries@teachingcouncil.nz - www.teachingcouncil.nz
TeachNZ
0800 165 225 - teachnz.admin@education.govt.nz - www.teachnz.govt.nz

Progression and specialisations

Kaiwhakaako Māori may progress to become senior teachers or heads of department, or move into management roles, such as assistant or deputy principal, or principal.

Kaiwhakaako Māori may also progress to jobs in areas such as:

  • teaching trainee teachers in tertiary institutions
  • research and policy
  • businesses such as publishing, writing and professional development training.

Working conditions

Kaiwhakaako Māori:

  • work regular school hours, but often work additional hours to plan lessons, assess work or attend meetings
  • may be involved in extracurricular activities during lunchtimes, weekends and school holidays or after school
  • work in offices, classrooms and marae, and sometimes at locations such as school camps 
  • may travel nationally to attend conferences and courses.

Useful personal qualities

Kaiwhakaako Māori need to be:

  • skilled at communicating with students and adults from a range of backgrounds
  • organised and good at solving problems
  • friendly, supportive, and good at listening
  • positive, enthusiastic and able to motivate children
  • creative, adaptable and resourceful.

Industry

Education

Kaiwhakaako Māori teach in te reo Māori at primary and secondary schools.

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