Team Leader - Leadership Advisor - Māori Medium

Papaki kau ana nga tai ki Mauao, e Koro te maunga whakairi kōrero tū mai rā

Ko te Awanui te moana, te putanga o te hā o Tangaroa e komuhumuhu ana ki te iwi

Kia tau, kia hora te marino, kia kotahi te au o te whakaaro nui ki te tangata,

Ko te reo mihi tēnei no te tāhuna o Rangataua, ngā tipua ngā kaitiaki o te puna o te aroha mutunga kore

Ko te wai uu o te tohora, he oranga ngākau, he oranga wairua, he oranga tangata

Ko Puti Gardiner tēnei e mihi ana

A teacher, a tumuaki, an eFellow and a Primary Science Teaching Fellow, Puti’s development as a leader of learning in her kura was shaped by her varied experiences. Her practice as an educator evolved through research, reflection and inquiry informed by a mātauranga Māori lens, within the concept of āta (teina pohatu).

This is expressed in her work with beginning principals in the following ways:

  • Āta wananga kia tika - research and reflection, via discourse and debate.
  • Āta kōrero - Working with beginning principals towards a vision of what they aspire to as be as leaders
  • Āta tohutohu – Identifying the opportunity within ‘creative tension’ as part of strong leadership, providing the impetus to move from the current reality to a vision for the future.
  • Āta whakamārama – Providing guidance for beginning principals to ensure focus on developing robust and quality leadership goals informed by professional inquiry and reflection.
  • Ako and Mātauranga Māori: learning in context; changing context and engaging in continuous and sustained learning.

Currently based in Tauranga, Puti is the Māori-medium specialist in the Leadership Advisory team. Her experience primarily encompasses KKM Te Aho Matua and she is also committed to the principles of Kura-a-Iwi. Her aim is to support beginning principals in Māori-medium kura to further develop their leadership. 


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