Chalk-Face Confessions: The Narratives of Six Māori Teachers Working in Eurocentric Primary and Secondary Schools in Canterbury

Abstract

This article draws on data from a research study (Torepe, 2011) that investigated the lived experiences of six Māori teachers who had recently graduated from the Ho aka Pounamu (Graduate Diploma in Immersion and Bilingual Teaching) course at the
University of Canterbury. The primary objective of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences and various challenges confronting this group of experienced Māori teachers working in English-medium, state-funded schools. This
article discusses the key themes that emerged in the participants accounts of their teaching experiences. This article describes the qualitative research methodology that was underpinned by a Kaupapa Māori narrative research philosophy. Most notably,
these themes draw close attention to Padilla’s (1994) concept of cultural taxation.