A mother is urging parents to keep a close eye on their children's schooling after learning that her son's teacher had low expectations of him.
Ailsa Moeroa Pehi. Photo: SUPPLIED
Ailsa Moeroa Pehi responded to a survey, written by Hana Turner, which found some teachers blame Maori pupils and their families for a lack of success in the classroom.
She said although her son was achieving at his mainstream primary school, his teacher treated him differently because she said he was Maori and because she was a solo parent.
He was no longer attending school there, but she said at the time, during a parent-teacher interview, the non-Maori teacher spoke down to her because she was a solo parent.
After that meeting she decided to keep an eye on her son by becoming a volunteer, and helped to clean at the school, which led to her becoming a teacher aide.
Ailsa Moeroa Pehi of Ngapuhi, Ngati Kuri, Ngati Awa and Te Rarawa descent said she was able to gauge the measurement of success and failures and how Maori and Pacific children reacted to that.
