At Te Whare Wānanga or Waitaha | A senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury (UC) in the School of Māori and Indigenous Studies, Dr Borell (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is a huge rugby league fan, dedicated coach and proud father of two boys, one of whom is two years old. who sometimes spends time at the office.
Dr. Borell is passionate about making teaching interactive and inclusive, and his approach is to instill in his students the same enthusiasm he feels for his areas of research, which include Indigenous masculinity, sports policy , as well as sport and education.
“My approach is to just continue to enjoy teaching, because if students see someone up front loving what they do and having fun, then they will be interested in the classes and want to be there and learn.” I just try to be authentically myself and give students as much of myself as possible,” he says.
Dr. Borell was just awarded a 2023 UC Teaching Medal, the university’s highest honor for teaching excellence.
He had never planned to become a career academic, but researching and becoming a lecturer in the School of Māori and Indigenous Studies and the Bachelor of Sports Coaching was an opportunity to integrate all of his interests , including sport, community, family and culture. .
“I can be the same person at work as I am outside of work. At the start of a talk, I might talk about how the Warriors played this weekend and engage in a way that isn’t just reading a slide. If I’m passionate about something, I’m not going to hide it. I feel like I can synergize everything I do and all my interests align with my work.
He is part of the coaching team for the Eastern Eagles’ first men’s rugby league team and his research has focused on Māori contributions to rugby league as well as Polynesian experiences of the sport. His next research topic will explore the experiences of family members of rugby league athletes who travel overseas to play.
He says he’s grateful to be able to study what he loves. “Everything is fortuitous; Rugby league and academia aren’t really known for being good friends, but it’s really cool to be able to bring them together and we’re seeing more of a focus on rugby league in the rugby space. learning.
Māori voices
Dr Borell is currently developing a new bespoke Māori sporting practice paper which will form part of a te ao Māori focused specialization for the Bachelor of Sport introduced from 2025, which he describes as an exciting development. “It’s such a part of these kids’ lifestyles that it makes sense to reflect that in the course content.”
He began studying at UC in 2002 and teaching there in 2008, 15 years ago. He obtained a master’s degree in 2013 and a doctorate in 2022. He feels so integrated into the institution that he even got married on campus, on a lawn a stone’s throw from his office. “It’s a real home for me,” he says.
Dr Borell is a past winner of the University of Canterbury Students’ Association Speaker of the Year awards, winning Faculty of Arts Speaker of the Year and General Speaker of the year in 2021 and 2022. He felt very emotional during the award ceremony. , he says. “For someone who teaches the way I teach – it’s always student-centered – to have this recognition is huge. »
Its aim is to encourage critical thinking and develop students’ ability to engage with whakaaro Māori (Māori perspectives).
“If I’m lecturing about racism, privilege or diversity, I do it in a way that’s sensitive while remaining engaging, and if I can throw in a few jokes, that helps too,” he says.
It emphasizes community engagement and theory supported by practical experience and often invites key contacts into the classroom to speak to students about their real-world experiences. It’s something he’s also engaged in outside of UC, as co-founder of the Kutt Kollective in Wainoni, Christchurch, which offers leadership and fitness classes to high school students using models kaupapa Māori. Kutt Kollective places groups of young people on kī o rahi (a Māori ball sport) teams and helps them develop their hauora (well-being), fitness and life skills.
Although Dr. Borell prefers not to think of himself as a role model, he is excited to be a mentor to others. “I was a bit of a mischievous child at school. If my role as a speaker shows young people coming out of high school who have that sneaky little glint in their eyes, that they can thrive in this space, that they can take strange, winding roads and still end up here, then I am so delighted.
News from the University of Canterbury
Do electric car batteries explode? Should I care about my BMI? Get the facts you really want to know. Listen now.
