Student health and wellbeing

In January 2005, during my induction into Te Kotahitanga, I was challenged to consider my role, as a non-Māori teacher, in addressing the disparities that exist for Māori within our education system. Thus began my learning about, and through, a culturally responsive pedagogy of relations.

Media headlines ensure that we are constantly reminded of the presence of bullying in our schools. This article draws on responses to a national survey on barriers to student learning. The strategies that primary and secondary schools that responded are implementing to address bullying are discussed in relation to the approach known as “health promoting schools”—an approach that is internationally recognised for its effectiveness in addressing mental health issues in schools.

This article looks at restorative practices as a tool to reduce bullying in schools and emphasises the importance of healing broken relationships, particularly between students causing harm and their teachers and peers who are harmed.