This article is a position paper, based on, and supported by, the extensive literature on the topic of Maori underachievement in education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It places emphasis on what underachieving Maori students need to reach their full potential and ways in which educationalists can assist. I am of mixed heritage raised amongst three world views--Dalmatian, Maori and Pakeha. I have been fortunate in being exposed to a wide spectrum of environments and cultures, and therefore see, and am seen, through these associated lenses. My involvement in Aotearoa New Zealand education, as both teacher and student, has also provided me with the insight to learn and teach using both Pakeha and Maori approaches. I do not claim that the position I take in this paper is the accepted view of all on Maori underachievement; rather, it is the result of my personal experiences which is also backed by evidence from research literature. The paper argues that effective relationships between home and school, teacher and student, together with a constructivist, cooperative, collaborative approach in the classroom can improve Maori students' achievements and enable them to reach their full potential. It calls for further research focused on Maori students' underachievement to ensure their aspirations are considered and acted upon.