Mā te titiro, ka kite;
Mā te kite, ka rongo;
Mā te rongo, ka mōhio;
Mā te mōhio, ka mārama;
Mā te mārama, ka matau;
Mā te matau, ka ora!
Adaptation of this whakataukī by Ruiha Epiha
Away School Visits
The observations I have made so far have really impacted my practise as a beginner kaiako. I have absolutely loved sitting with my tuākana and tungāne who have so kindly allowed me to be amongst them and their kura whānau. Anō te pai, anō te ahuareka o te noho tahi a ngā tēina me ngā tuākana i runga i te whakaaro kotahi!
Below are my own reflections and observations of each kura visit.
Kura #1 | Ōtāhuhu College – Observation of the manaakitanga and whakairo work Tā Jay is doing with his ākonga in an English-medium secondary kura.
Kura #2 | Tāmaki Primary – Observation of the kaupapa Māori Whaea Lee-Ann is spearheading in her bilingual unit named Te Puna Wairua at one of our feeder schools.
Kura #3 | Aorere College – Observation of Whaea Waitonga and the heart-work she is doing with her ākonga Māori in an English-medium secondary school.
Kura #4 | Te Rangihakahaka – A special character school in the heart of Rotorua where I was able to observe and listen to their iwi-centred curriculum, values, and frameworks.
Kura #5 | Howick College – On this visit I was able to observe and kōrero with Whaea Eleanor, who like myself is a solo orchestra building her Māori department up. I was also able to observe Ms. G Santosuosso teach French to her Year 10 class.
Kura #6 | Ruapōtaka Marae – Observations of how Matua Haven and Matua Tūmanako teaches ngā mahi ā-Rēhia and mau rākau to my senior Te Reo Māori ākonga at Te Whare Piringa.
Kura #7 | Sacred Heart College – Observation of the creative and wairua work Matua Ben does with all his Māori and Te Reo Māori ākonga.
Kura #8 | Manurewa High School – Observation of Te Reo Māori with Whaea Ngahuia, and Spanish with Mrs. Sime.
Kura #9 | Pakuranga College – Observation of Whaea Bex and the amazing mahi she does with her junior ākonga.
Kura #10 | Te Ahu o te Reo Māori – I have been attending wānanga reo on zoom with fluent te reo speaking kaiako from Te Taitokerau, to observe how they teach online and what rauemi and strategies they use to teach a higher level of te reo Māori to us ākonga.
Kura #11 | Selwyn College – This visit to our sister school was special as I was able to observe Whaea Whī, an ika a Whiro and champion of tikanga, te reo, and te tiriti partnership in her kura. My intention was to be a listening ear, and to form a sustainable relationship, but to also see how she teaches and what she prefers to use to teach her ākonga.
Kura #12 | TBC –
Kura #13 | TBC –
Kura #14 | TBC –
Kura #15 | TBC –
Te Kōpaki a Ruiha Epiha 