title: Young women and leadership development: Co-constructing leadership learning in a New Zealand secondary school.

authors: McNae, Rachel Elizabeth

subjects: Leadership

abstract: Young women’s leadership is an area frequently overlooked in educational leadership development. When it is addressed, it is often done so from the perspective of adults resulting in planned learning opportunities being disconnected from the contexts in which young women lead. This thesis brings young women’s voices into educational leadership conversations and illustrates the importance of including their beliefs and understandings about leadership when developing an alternative approach to leadership development. This thesis describes a qualitative, collaborative action research study conducted between 2007 and 2008 with twelve Year Twelve female secondary school students from a Catholic Girls’ School. This research sought the perceptions and views these young women held about leadership in the secondary school context. The students were involved in co-constructing a leadership development programme (Revolution) with the researcher and participating in it. After the delivery of the leadership programme the students and the researcher evaluated both the programme and the process by which it came about. The questions that guided this research were: 1. What are young women’s beliefs about leadership and how are these influenced by contextual factors in their secondary school? 2. What would a leadership curriculum that was co-constructed through an adult/student partnership look like? 3. How effective is the process of co-construction in developing a youth leadership programme and how successful is the programme in developing leadership understanding? Within an action research framework youth-adult partnerships were formed that allowed the voices of the young women and the researcher to be included in the process of designing the leadership programme. The students and the researcher met regularly in the process of creating a collaborative learning community to share perceptions, create, participate in and reflect upon the leadership programme. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to ascertain the young women’s beliefs and perceptions about leadership as well as their preferred ways of learning, what content should be included in the programme and how the programme should be structured, both prior to participating in the programme and after completing the leadership programme. First, the perceptions and understandings about leadership that the young women held about leadership were addressed. The findings indicated that the school was a site of significant influence on the young women’s beliefs and understandings of leadership and the opportunities to develop and practice leadership. There was a wide range of beliefs about leadership ranging from very basic to highly complex and this influenced the process of co-constructing the leadership programme. The changes to these understandings were later explored after participating in the Revolution leadership programme and this process served as a means of evaluating the effectiveness of the leadership programme. Second, the process of co-construction that created the content and structure for the created leadership programme was examined. The findings indicated that co-construction was an effective way to create a relevant and authentic leadership programme for young women. It was also a highly complex process that required significant efforts to balance input and share ownership between the researcher and the young women. The co-constructed programme was different from programmes constructed by adults, was influenced by the school context and challenged the young women’s existing views of teaching and learning. Overall, both the co-construction process and the leadership programme itself enhanced the young women’s leadership understandings and feelings of ownership towards the learning process, and was enjoyable. This study adds to the sparse literature on young women and leadership as it provides details of how young women perceive and practice leadership in the secondary school. This research suggests that involving young women in designing their leadership learning experiences can help ensure the experiences are meaningful and relevant to the contexts in which they practice leadership.

text: Young women and leadership development: Co-constructing leadership learning in a New Zealand secondary school. Young women’s leadership is an area frequently overlooked in educational leadership development. When it is addressed, it is often done so from the perspective of adults resulting in planned learning opportunities being disconnected from the contexts in which young women lead. This thesis brings young women’s voices into educational leadership conversations and illustrates the importance of including their beliefs and understandings about leadership when developing an alternative approach to leadership development. This thesis describes a qualitative, collaborative action research study conducted between 2007 and 2008 with twelve Year Twelve female secondary school students from a Catholic Girls’ School. This research sought the perceptions and views these young women held about leadership in the secondary school context. The students were involved in co-constructing a leadership development programme (Revolution) with the researcher and participating in it. After the delivery of the leadership programme the students and the researcher evaluated both the programme and the process by which it came about. The questions that guided this research were: 1. What are young women’s beliefs about leadership and how are these influenced by contextual factors in their secondary school? 2. What would a leadership curriculum that was co-constructed through an adult/student partnership look like? 3. How effective is the process of co-construction in developing a youth leadership programme and how successful is the programme in developing leadership understanding? Within an action research framework youth-adult partnerships were formed that allowed the voices of the young women and the researcher to be included in the process of designing the leadership programme. The students and the researcher met regularly in the process of creating a collaborative learning community to share perceptions, create, participate in and reflect upon the leadership programme. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to ascertain the young women’s beliefs and perceptions about leadership as well as their preferred ways of learning, what content should be included in the programme and how the programme should be structured, both prior to participating in the programme and after completing the leadership programme. First, the perceptions and understandings about leadership that the young women held about leadership were addressed. The findings indicated that the school was a site of significant influence on the young women’s beliefs and understandings of leadership and the opportunities to develop and practice leadership. There was a wide range of beliefs about leadership ranging from very basic to highly complex and this influenced the process of co-constructing the leadership programme. The changes to these understandings were later explored after participating in the Revolution leadership programme and this process served as a means of evaluating the effectiveness of the leadership programme. Second, the process of co-construction that created the content and structure for the created leadership programme was examined. The findings indicated that co-construction was an effective way to create a relevant and authentic leadership programme for young women. It was also a highly complex process that required significant efforts to balance input and share ownership between the researcher and the young women. The co-constructed programme was different from programmes constructed by adults, was influenced by the school context and challenged the young women’s existing views of teaching and learning. Overall, both the co-construction process and the leadership programme itself enhanced the young women’s leadership understandings and feelings of ownership towards the learning process, and was enjoyable. This study adds to the sparse literature on young women and leadership as it provides details of how young women perceive and practice leadership in the secondary school. This research suggests that involving young women in designing their leadership learning experiences can help ensure the experiences are meaningful and relevant to the contexts in which they practice leadership.

year: 2011

title: Sterilisation and intellectually disabled people in New Zealand—still on the agenda?

authors: Hamilton, Carol

subjects: gender

abstract: Support through care and protection within a medical framework, rather than through the idea of independence within the least restrictive environment, continues to guide service provision for intellectually disabled people in the sexuality area. Past practices have included use of involuntary sterilisation. This article outlines the outcome of a search for information undertaken because of concerns that use of sterilisation-related procedures may remain embedded in contemporary approaches to sexuality support management. Verified instances of hysterectomy carried out between 1991 and 2001 were uncovered. Documents tabled at a Parliamentary Select Committee in 2003 expressing concerns about use in relation to young disabled girls were also found. Requests for sterilisation-related procedures exemplify how the right of all vulnerable citizens to full bodily integrity is currently adjudicated in New Zealand. It is suggested that further research is needed to pinpoint and address the underlying social customs through which requests for such procedures are negotiated and resolved.

text: Sterilisation and intellectually disabled people in New Zealand—still on the agenda? Support through care and protection within a medical framework, rather than through the idea of independence within the least restrictive environment, continues to guide service provision for intellectually disabled people in the sexuality area. Past practices have included use of involuntary sterilisation. This article outlines the outcome of a search for information undertaken because of concerns that use of sterilisation-related procedures may remain embedded in contemporary approaches to sexuality support management. Verified instances of hysterectomy carried out between 1991 and 2001 were uncovered. Documents tabled at a Parliamentary Select Committee in 2003 expressing concerns about use in relation to young disabled girls were also found. Requests for sterilisation-related procedures exemplify how the right of all vulnerable citizens to full bodily integrity is currently adjudicated in New Zealand. It is suggested that further research is needed to pinpoint and address the underlying social customs through which requests for such procedures are negotiated and resolved.

year: 2012

title: Ko ia tonu te rangatira o tana mauri: Ko te Mauritau hei tohu o te puāwaitanga o Te Aho Matua i te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae

authors: Angeli-Gordon, Joni Māramatanga

abstract: Ko te mauri te wāhanga wairua o te tangata e whakahihiri i te tinana me te tūhonohono nei i te wairua ki te kikokiko. Ko te mauri te wāhanga ora o te tangata, ā, i te roanga atu o te oranga o te tangata ka rerekē te tau o te mauri nā ngā awenga o tōna ao. Ko te Mauritau te wā e ita pai ana te wairua ki te kikokiko. Kua whai ngātahitanga ērā mea e rua. Kei tōna ito, ki te Mauritau te tangata, e wātea ana ia, kāhore ōna taumaha, ka mutu e tuwhera ana ia ki tōna ao. Ko tā Te Aho Matua, ka whakatō te mauri ki te tangata i te whakatōnga o te kākano ki te kōpū. Ko te Mauritau tētahi āhuatanga kāhore anō kia tino rangahau, ā, he iti noa ngā wā te kite atu ki te puna mātātuhi, heoi anō, ka rangona whānuitia ki Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae. Ko tā tēnei kaupapa rangahau, ko te Mauritau tētahi o ngā puāwaitanga matua o Te Aho Matua, ā, kua taupuhipuhi nei ki ngā whakaaro o rātou i whai wāhi nei ki tēnei kaupapa rangahau. Ko te manako nui o tēnei kaupapa rangahau ko te whakawhānui i te mōhioranga mō ngā hua o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori mā te ruku hōhonu ki te Mauritau i te whānau o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae.  

Kua whā tekau tau neke atu kua hipa mai i te orokotīmatanga o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori, otirā, te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae. Ko te tino take o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori ko te whakarauora reo me te whakarauora tikanga, heoi anō, he tini me te mano ngā angitutanga, ngā painga kua puta mai i ēnei kura tua atu i ēnei whāinga e rua. Ko Te Aho Matua te tūāpapa ā-mātāpono mō ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori e whakawhārikihia ngā uaratanga matua kia whakatutuki i ngā wawata nui, i ngā ōhākī nui ā kui mā, a koro mā mō te orangatonutanga o te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori. Ko tā tēnei kaupapa rangahau, ko te Mauritau tētahi āhuatanga i puāwai i ngā kura Aho Matua, ā, ka kitea rawatia tēnei puāwaitanga ki Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi. 

He Rangahau Kaupapa Māori tēnei, ā, i tārai i ngā tikanga me ngā tukanga o te kaupapa rangahau nei kia Māori te karawhiu. Ko Te Aho Matua me ōna uaratanga e tū hei pou whakawhirinaki i te Kaupapa Rangahau Māori. E rua ngā tukanga i whāia e te tuhikura nei, arā, ko te iāna me te puawānanga. Ko te iāna tētahi kupu mino nō Te Tai Tokerau mō te kōrero ōpaki, ā, kua iāna tahi ki ngā pakeke tokowhitu nō te whānau o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae. Ko te puawānanga he wānanga ki ngā ākonga tokowhitu o te reanga tuakana o te wharekura kia āta wherawhera i ngā āhuatanga o te Mauritau ki a rātou. I te whakaraupapatia ngā kōrero i puta mai i ngā iāna me te puawānanga mā ngā uaratanga o Te Aho Matua.

text: Ko ia tonu te rangatira o tana mauri: Ko te Mauritau hei tohu o te puāwaitanga o Te Aho Matua i te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae Ko te mauri te wāhanga wairua o te tangata e whakahihiri i te tinana me te tūhonohono nei i te wairua ki te kikokiko. Ko te mauri te wāhanga ora o te tangata, ā, i te roanga atu o te oranga o te tangata ka rerekē te tau o te mauri nā ngā awenga o tōna ao. Ko te Mauritau te wā e ita pai ana te wairua ki te kikokiko. Kua whai ngātahitanga ērā mea e rua. Kei tōna ito, ki te Mauritau te tangata, e wātea ana ia, kāhore ōna taumaha, ka mutu e tuwhera ana ia ki tōna ao. Ko tā Te Aho Matua, ka whakatō te mauri ki te tangata i te whakatōnga o te kākano ki te kōpū. Ko te Mauritau tētahi āhuatanga kāhore anō kia tino rangahau, ā, he iti noa ngā wā te kite atu ki te puna mātātuhi, heoi anō, ka rangona whānuitia ki Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae. Ko tā tēnei kaupapa rangahau, ko te Mauritau tētahi o ngā puāwaitanga matua o Te Aho Matua, ā, kua taupuhipuhi nei ki ngā whakaaro o rātou i whai wāhi nei ki tēnei kaupapa rangahau. Ko te manako nui o tēnei kaupapa rangahau ko te whakawhānui i te mōhioranga mō ngā hua o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori mā te ruku hōhonu ki te Mauritau i te whānau o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae.  

Kua whā tekau tau neke atu kua hipa mai i te orokotīmatanga o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori, otirā, te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae. Ko te tino take o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori ko te whakarauora reo me te whakarauora tikanga, heoi anō, he tini me te mano ngā angitutanga, ngā painga kua puta mai i ēnei kura tua atu i ēnei whāinga e rua. Ko Te Aho Matua te tūāpapa ā-mātāpono mō ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori e whakawhārikihia ngā uaratanga matua kia whakatutuki i ngā wawata nui, i ngā ōhākī nui ā kui mā, a koro mā mō te orangatonutanga o te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori. Ko tā tēnei kaupapa rangahau, ko te Mauritau tētahi āhuatanga i puāwai i ngā kura Aho Matua, ā, ka kitea rawatia tēnei puāwaitanga ki Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi. 

He Rangahau Kaupapa Māori tēnei, ā, i tārai i ngā tikanga me ngā tukanga o te kaupapa rangahau nei kia Māori te karawhiu. Ko Te Aho Matua me ōna uaratanga e tū hei pou whakawhirinaki i te Kaupapa Rangahau Māori. E rua ngā tukanga i whāia e te tuhikura nei, arā, ko te iāna me te puawānanga. Ko te iāna tētahi kupu mino nō Te Tai Tokerau mō te kōrero ōpaki, ā, kua iāna tahi ki ngā pakeke tokowhitu nō te whānau o Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi Marae. Ko te puawānanga he wānanga ki ngā ākonga tokowhitu o te reanga tuakana o te wharekura kia āta wherawhera i ngā āhuatanga o te Mauritau ki a rātou. I te whakaraupapatia ngā kōrero i puta mai i ngā iāna me te puawānanga mā ngā uaratanga o Te Aho Matua.

year: 2023