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An Auckland Girls Grammar School Samoan language teacher and a non-Pasifika music teacher collaborated on a consensus approach to see which cultural identifiers applied to Pasifika students they taught mutually. The Samoan language teacher acknowledges the value of having a process to identify gifted and talented Pasifika students, providing another avenue or lens to view how Pasifika learners can translate their particular strengths into classroom learning and achievement.
Transcript
Transcript
One of the reasons why I drive towards excellence is for my parents. And I hope that all the things that I do, all the things I try and achieve, can be a testament to all their hard work and the times of adversity they’ve been through.
Well, firstly, I’m one of the head girls at AGS, and not only am I a representative for the students at AGS, but especially the pacific island population. There are lots of stereotypes regarding pacific islanders and I want to be a positive representation, and we have a lot of potential to achieve great things. My role as Head Girl, we are constantly on the run and we’re always needed everywhere. You know, one teacher wants you for this reason, and another teacher wants you for this reason, and you know, we go and promote the school, and we try and be positive representatives of AGS, and also when it comes to Pacific Island meetings, I’m always the one called upon to walk with parents, or to just be a presence, a positive presence to other students, and I guess, all my peers.
Something big I have learned at AGS is that no matter what comes your way, if things don’t go your way, if things don’t turn out the way you want them to it’s just always getting back up and stay motivated. I don’t mean to sound so clichéd, but that school motto, “Per Angusta Ad Augusta,” “Through Trials, Triumph,” and I hold that really close to my heart, cause whenever I find myself in situations that I’d rather not be in, I find myself, you know, trying to find some sort of way to motivate myself and especially my parents always being there for me, and friends at school as well. You always there’s support or a form of, I guess, drive, so that you can always keep moving forward and I think that’s something I learned from AGS and home, is that just keep moving forward, and never giving up.