Maukatere Mana: “Take care of this place, take care of each other, take care of ourselves”.

Introducing the Maukatere Centre, their vision is not about standing alone and doing their own thing. Maukatere is part of you, and part of your kura. They strive to be part of our community, and to not just be in it!

The Maukatere way is to embed every partnership school's own local curriculum into their own, ensuring programming is linked with each school's views and values, they strive to have everyone heading in the same direction, together. Each morning is started with embracing the partnership schools whakatauki, helping to make the connection that the learning at Maukatere is part of each student’s school experience. Creating these deeper links of belonging support them to feel safe and familiar. Taking the time to build relationships with the students gives them confidence to take risks and expand their horizons.

Maukatere gives students the opportunity to apply learning to real life experiences. For example, geometry comes to life when they have to consider the best use of resources and how shapes fit together.

The Maukatere Centre is an amazing new building, with impressive resourcing, a calm learning atmosphere with a busy but focused environment while being attentive to communication and embracing routines, but the best part... is the people that you find within.. 

Talented and invested teachers who take on the role as not “experts” but facilitators of learning. They teach across all areas, designing units together that focus on giving students choice and agency in their journey, whilst collaborating with partnership schools to develop and implement an in-depth curriculum for all our students. How lucky are they? How lucky are we?

The support and input of partnership teachers that come to be part of the students learning experience is invaluable. We all know the saying, we are stronger together. This strong partnership and collaboration with each partnership school complements and reinforces the values, culture and the learning opportunities that Maukatere can provide for our learners. 

In other words, all of us — teachers, staff, parents working together to build a strong foundation makes a big difference in the lives of our students.

Community links and partnerships do not flourish overnight. However this journey has begun at Maukatere....