In 1980, I trained to be a teacher at Christchurch teachers college and one subject I chose as part of my specialist learning was te reo Māori. Our tutor was Bill Hohepa.
Early in 1981, he took us all to Lake Rotoiti where we stayed in a camp for the full experience of language and culture. During the long drive up, I travelled with my friend Aroha Reiriti Crofts. On the way she trained me to lead a Haka Pōwhiri.
During my time with Bill, I learnt waiata and tikanga. I also learnt Taniko and how to weave a tukutuku panel.
Another memory I have of Aroha was being taken to an event with the Christchurch Māori women’s welfare league, where I learnt to weave harakeke and learnt tikanga around the use of flax. In my third year at teachers college I completed a practicum at the Christchurch museum where I taught Māori history. In the museum I was introduced to Māori carvings and learnt the symbols on a Poutama.
Those early memories of learning helped me as a teacher in Catholic schools where the Treaty of Waitangi was actively taught as part of the Catholic curriculum. I also taught singing and often focussed on waiata and dancing with my children.
Over the past decade I have taught at Newmarket school where each year we celebrate Matariki and each year we make a hakari to share with our families. This includes harvesting our gardens to make winter soup out of the vegetables. A few times I made Rēwena bread with the children. Some years we have come together as a whole school and taught Māori crafts and Matariki activities.
This year 2023, I chose to be a Co lead with Steve From ANI, in our Kāhui Ako for Te Ao Māori. One goal in our initiative is embedding NELP 3 Priority 5: -incorporating te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into everyday activities. Steve regularly reminds me about whanaungatanga and ensures that we continually and actively plan for making connections during our mahi with teachers.
As a school we have always brought in an outside teacher to teach te reo Māori. This year we have Elena. At the beginning of this year, Elena, Steve and I enrolled in Te Ahu o te reo Māori. We felt the fear and jumped right into level 4 te reo Māori where learning is 50/50.
One of the key principles of Māori is whanaungatanga and one way of doing this is by making connections. My first online session my tutor is Te Mihinga Forbes. Te Mihinga has supported me several times behind scenes digitally with my use of te reo Māori. in addition she agreed to write a chapter for the EdBookNZ project. Her subject was Manaakitanga. I was super excited to reconnect with her on the course.
As a school we have carried out professional learning around many curriculum areas. Our teachers are currently learning Te Reo Māori with Elena. As a teacher of language, I am conscious that the best strategy to learn a language is immersion and the best way of achieving this is by teaching it. Therefore Elena continues to benefit and grow her te reo Māori learning by actively teaching the language. We will soon carry out the Taku Reo survey developed by NZCER with our students and this will help guide us as a school as to identify where to next.
As a primary school teacher, we are trained to teach any curriculum level and any subject. If we are unsure of what we do then we learn. The best strategy of learning is teaching. Māori was made an official language of New Zealand under the Maori Language Act 1987.
I look forward to our teachers picking up the wero and actively learning te reo Māori. The thirty minutes each week learning alongside the children is not nearly enough to embed NELP 3 Priority 5: –incorporating te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into everyday activities. The government is actively doing their part by providing free professional learning for te reo Māori and tikanga. It is up to schools to do their part and take advantage of the learning for all their teachers.
Incorporating te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into everyday activities will be embedded when our teachers actively teach it. In order for this to happen, professionally learning the language via Te ahu o te Reo and professionally learning tikanga is the pathway forward.
Remember when schools used to have ICT teachers or STEAM teachers.
I look forward to the day when Matariki week happens every day and tikanga is embedded daily. I look forward to when Te wiki o te reo Māori happens every day and our Māori language is embedded in our daily class teaching.
My suggestions to those of you teaching in New Zealand Schools.
Actively learn Te Reo Māori by joing a course such as Te Ahu o te Reo Māori.
Learn Tikanga through TWoA.
Look for opportunities to attend community events that highlight te reo Māori. One recent example was attending the recent PPTA Hui held in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Another is with Matariki coming up, check out what is happening in your area and join in.
Learn to say blessings in te reo Māori such as saying the school karakia daily.
Learn to say some whakatauki.
Listen to Taringa Daily a fabulous podcast that highlights Kupu, Iwi of the week, Waiata, Kiwaha, tikanga and Once upon a Taima. The hour long sessions are like listening into a conversation.
Encourage your children to join Kapa Haka and even better if you also attend.
Learn waiata. There are heaps on youtube,. Start with the waiata that your local Rohe sing.
Find out who provide Kohanga Reo in your area and go for a visit.
Actively support your teachers who are willing to learn and have a go.
Links that I have found useful.
Download and install KŌRA MBIE
Join the waitlist for Te Ahu o te Reo Māori.
Sonya @VanSchaijik 
[…] year I undertook Te Ahu o Te Reo Māori course and have just completed and passed Level […]
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