Will Flavell

Will graduated from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts conjoint, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, and Master of Education. To add to the list of accolades, Will is also fluent in English, Te Reo and Japanese. After spending several years in the classroom as a teacher, Will now works for an education charity to ensure that Māori learners have better access to educational support and learning.

When Will learned of the government’s goal to have one million speakers of Te Reo in Aotearoa by 2040, he thought, “How can I help reach that goal?” He works closely with multiple schools to help establish a cohesive approach to teaching Te Reo Māori.

Will’s work supports mātauranga Māori (knowledge) across the curriculum and teaches the importance of bringing a Māori perspective into the classroom, no matter what the subject is. “It’s exciting to see there are changes to support Māori learners. Teachers can see that there are different perspectives and different ways to do things in the classroom,” says Will.

Will’s classroom skills are also utilised in his role as an Elected Member of a Local Board of Auckland Council. “My education played a role in helping young people use their voice about topics that impact them and their whanau. I can have a say on the issues that affect me and my whānau.”

Will pushed for and supported Auckland Transport to make announcements in both Te Reo Māori and English on Auckland buses and trains. He says, “it’s important to be exposed to Te Reo Māori outside of the classroom such as our public spaces, playgrounds, and community hubs.”

His advice to those who are thinking about teaching is, “have a passion for young people, and have a passion about your kaupapa (a subject) – if you can combine these two things, you can have an awesome teaching career".