Paia Taani, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Whare, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Uenukukōpako
Earlier this year Paia Taani, one of Te Tumu’s staff members published an article based on the research undertaken for her master’s degree which investigated teacher preparedness to teach te reo Māori speaking children in mainstream primary schools. Some of her key findings included an awareness of how language and culture impact on identity and educational outcomes. Although participants acknowledged the absolute necessity that te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are included in all aspects of the education setting, they also reported that tikanga Māori is a more comfortable space to be in than te reo Māori as there were clear connections to their own values.
Four key themes emerged from the findings which Paia promotes in the article as key factors for teacher readiness to teach reo Māori speaking children. These are: Kia rite (be prepared), Kia hono (be connected); Kia tātatiako (be culturally competent and responsive) and, Kia whakauruuru (be integrative). This article discusses those four factors listed above and implications for tamariki, their whānau, teachers and ITE providers. You can find the link to her article here, published in the New Zealand Journal of Teachers’ Work, June 2023.
https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/teachers-work/article/view/362
Paia will be presenting on this kaupapa next week, at the New Zealand Association for Research in Education Conference in Palmerston North.
