Why Identity Matters

As schools start back for the year and tamariki settle back into the school-year routines, Waitangi Day arrives on our calendars for a purpose, a pause point. A chance to reflect on who we are, how we live together in Aotearoa, and what kind of environments we are creating for our children.

It’s also a reminder, especially for those in education and STEM, that learning is never solely about content, it is about identity, belonging, and helping tamariki see themselves as capable contributors to their whānau, hapū, iwi, rohe (region), and te ao whānui (beyond).

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is often talked about within our unique history, but it continues to shape how we think about equity, belonging and responsibility today. One way of understanding Te Tiriti in education is through its provisions, including kāwanatanga (how we govern and organise systems), rangatiratanga (recognising authority and mātauranga), ōritetanga (equity and fairness), and wairuatanga (our values, wairua, and wellbeing).

In schools, this means creating spaces where unique ways of knowing are respected, where tamariki and taitamariki feel they belong, and where learning reflects the world they live in – making it relevant to our environment and context that we exist in.

Our identity as Aotearoa is complex and multilayered. It is shaped by tangata whenuatanga, waves of migration, and by the relationships we continue to build with one other in our multicultural country. Our young people carry this complexity with them into classrooms every day, and vice versa, back to their kāinga (homes).

Identity can’t be left at the school gate – we know it shapes how young people, and how we all now, participate everyday. It shapes how confident they feel, and whether they see learning, including STEM, as something that’s ‘for them.’

Most importantly, and overlooked, is the fact that identity is for everyone. Research reminds us that when identity is only talked about for some learners, others are left without a sense of place. As Amundsen (2018) points out, many Pākehā grow up seeing themselves as ‘cultureless’ or ‘normal’, which can lead to disengagement when conversations about Te Tiriti or colonisation arise. Supporting positive Pākehā identity is one often forgotten but integral part of reducing identity ‘discomfort.’

Decades of New Zealand research show that positive identity is strongly linked to engagement and success at school, in standing tall – Kia mau, kia ū.

Bishop and Berryman’s (2006, 2009, 2014) extensive research in inclusive education alongside Māori highlights that when learners feel respected, understood and believed in, they are more willing to participate in their learning. Teachers who build strong relationships and honour students’ identities create classrooms where learners feel capable and proud in their learning.

Melinda Webber’s (2008, 2012, 2021) literature and research echoes this. She highlights that young people with a strong sense of who they are culturally, socially and personally, are more resilient, more confident, and connected to school. Identity can act as an anchor to support tamariki, especially ākonga Māori, to navigate challenges and forsee positive futures for themselves.

Amundsen (2018) adds another layer, reminding us that positive identity is not about avoiding hard conversations. For Pākehā learners, developing a healthy sense of identity involves understanding history, acknowledging responsibility, and feeling empowered to contribute to decolonisation rather than stepping back from it.

The good news is that fostering positive identity doesn’t require a separate programme or extra workload, instead it is more-so a mindshift change to intertwine into everyday learning.

At school, this can look like:

• making identity exploration a normal part of the curriculum for all learners.
• valuing different knowledge systems shared from diverse cultures and celebrating mātauranga Māori as our traditional ways of knowing.
• using local contexts and real-world inspiration so learning feels connected, meaningful, and achievable.
• holding high expectations for every learner, while building strong, respectful relationships.

When tamariki see themselves reflected in what they learn, and when they see that who they are matters, they are more likely to engage, collaborate, and persist – I can be it when I see it.

Identity goes beyond the four walls of the classroom. Whānau play an integral role in shaping how young people see themselves; they are looking to their siblings or caregivers to form an understanding of their collective and individual identities.

At home, fostering positive identity can be as simple as:

• talking about family stories and journeys
• encouraging curiosity about culture, place, space, and history
• showing pride in learning, effort and problem-solving
• supporting children to ask questions and share ideas, even when the answers aren’t clear

Research in Aotearoa shows that when home and school messages align, when children feel supported in who they are across both spaces, confidence and engagement grow.

When we talk about 21st century skills such as creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, communication and adaptability, identity sits as a foundation for them all.

Tamariki are more willing to:

• think creatively when they feel safe to express themselves
• collaborate when they feel they belong
• problem-solve when they believe they are capable
• engage with STEM when they can see a place for themselves in the future

Science and STEM learning are about shaping confident thinkers who can work with others to address complex challenges. Therefore, supporting positive identity helps tamariki see themselves not just as learners, but as future scientists, innovators, kaitiaki and gamechangers.

As Waitangi Day approaches and the school year begins, we have an opportunity to think differently about learning. By paying attention to identity as the foundation for where we stand, our tūrangawaewae, we can strengthen inclusion towards decolonisation, honour Te Tiriti, and support young people to develop the skills and confidence they’ll need for the future.

Kaiya Cherrington

Amundsen, D. (2018). Decolonisation through reconciliation: The role of Pākehā identity. MAI Journal: A New Zealand Journal of Indigenous Scholarship, 7(2), 139–154.

Bishop, R., & Berryman, M. (2006). Culture speaks: Cultural relationships and classroom learning. Huia Publishers.

Bishop, R., & Berryman, M. (2009). The Te Kotahitanga Effective Teaching Profile. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 2, 27–34

Bishop, R., Berryman, M., & Wearmouth, J. (2014). Te Kotahitanga: Towards effective education reform for indigenous and other minoritised students. Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER Press.

Highfield, C., & Webber, M. (2021). Mana Ūkaipō: Enhancing Māori engagement through pedagogies of connection and belonging. Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI). Wellington, New Zealand.

Webber, M. (2008). Walking the space between: Identity and Māori/Pākehā. Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER Press.

Webber, M. (2012). Identity matters: Racial-ethnic identity and Māori students. Set: Research Information for Teachers, 2, 20–27.