Te Reo Maori
What is Te Reo Māori at Te Kāreti o Wiremu Koroneho?
Te Reo and Tikanga Māori are intertwined in a learning journey that provides students with an insight into Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) and various Māori world views. There are a range of courses which are appropriate to students learning levels and responsive to their needs. The insights and experiences that students gain as they learn the language will enrich and broaden their understandings of the uniqueness of Te Ao Māori. As students compare Tikanga Māori with other cultures in Aotearoa and the wider world, they will develop an understanding of the central roles that language, culture, values, places and heritage play in shaping identity, and in giving direction and meaning to life. They come to understand that culture shapes the way people think and behave, and begin to appreciate the value of cultural diversity.
These understandings can lead students to think about their own cultural identity and their personal place in the world. It is important for all students to feel a sense of identity and belonging. For our students, the enhanced sense of connection to a rich cultural heritage can be deeply empowering and meaningful. Durie (2003) argues that education should enable Māori to live and learn as Māori, this also means preparing Māori to interact with Te Ao Māori and more.
Te Reo offers pathways through which students can move in order to achieve to the level/outcome they require for career and tertiary entry. Students are encouraged to appreciate and enjoy contexts in all their forms – visual/written/oral texts as all texts are equally valued. The school values Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga and Hirangatanga are promoted and modelled in the selection of texts offered, and the range of rich language activities students engage in such as writing, reading, speaking and listening.
Ko tōu reo, Your voice,
Ko tōku reo, My voice,
Te tuakiri tangata. Is an expression of identity.
Tīhei uriuri, tīhei nakonako. May our descendants live on and our hopes be fulfilled.
Links to the WCC Strategic Plan
To achieve responsive outcomes for all students, the department:
- Acknowledges the importance of writing and the literacy skills for successful student outcomes. These skills are therefore directly taught and developed with meaningful feedback and feed forward.
To achieve responsive systems and processes, the department:
- Monitors, analyses and evaluates student achievement data to reflect on and review programme delivery. Aims explicitly to improve Māori achievement through deliberate acts of teaching.
- Annually reviews all programmes to find better outcomes for students (in particular, raise Māori achievement). This review process is used to inform the following year’s goals and action plans.
To achieve responsive learning opportunities, the department:
- Presents students with opportunities to engage with and develop the key competencies in diverse contexts.
- Attempts to offer real and relevant curriculum challenges by co-construction of research topics and contexts studied. Making connections to the lives of students and their prior knowledge means that learning contexts and activities are relevant and valued by students.
- Provides a range of standards and contexts for students to choose to better their learning needs.
- Offers e-learning opportunities where possible. Our whare ako (learning space) has chrome books for student use as well as access to the ICT room and library.
To achieve responsive relationships, the department:
- Embraces the school Restorative Justice System and Kia Eke Panuku practices to enable positive relationships and critical dialogue.
- Develops, where necessary, individualised learning programmes to meet students’ unique requirements and needs. The assessments tasks are negotiated with the students to suit their interests/desires/needs and prior knowledge thus allowing for a more flexible and individually negotiated curriculum.
