2002 development of Kei Tua o Te Pae

2003 phase one of the development began – Ministry of Education and University of Waikato – working with Maori immersion centres

2005 phase two of the development began – Developing a philosophy or kaupapa

Those involved were kaumatua, professionals in ECE, practitioners, writers group, Ministry of Education and Learning Media

2007 submitted to Learning Media: Named Te Whatu Pokeka

2009 September launched at the University of Waikato.

Critical Theory :

Founded upon Marxist/socialist understandings

Transformation required to expose, confront and challenge disparities, injustices and inequalities - empowering people to liberate themselves from these structures.

Challenging hegemony as a way of thinking – when oppressed groups take on dominant group thinking and ideas uncritically and as `common- sense’, even though those ideas may in fact be counter-productive ****

Constructivism/Socio-cultural Theory:

• Knowledge is validated through located and specific social constructions of the world

• Linked with reflecting and expressing identity

• From a constructivist perspective there is no one truth that can be generalized across all communities rather there are multiple ‘truths’.

(Being Maori - being Maori )

Maori immersion

Centres with a bicultural philosophy

50% Maori children in auraki Programmes

76% Maori children in auraki programmes

30% Maori children in auraki programmes

•The Maori child was to remain the focus of the work

• All views and ideas which emerged from this work were valid

•Māori knowledge would be privileged

• Process based on subjectivity.

Story telling

Kupu whakarite / Metaphors

Whakatauaki / whakatauki

Literature by Maori and indigenous writers

Began with a blank sheet of paper

Ta Blueprint, image, representation, impression - whakapapa

ama balance, stability, consistency

ariki Chiefly status, devine being

tama Derivative of tama-nui-te-ra, an atua depicted by the sun

riki young shoot connected to a root system; a metaphor for whakapapa

Moko patterns, imprint, recurring theme, history

and traditions - whakapapa

oko vessel, container, storage place

kopu cavity, opening, women’s womb – birth;

kopu a Papatuanuku - death

pu young shoot , early stages of growth, attached to a root system - whakapapa

puna source of life, source of knowledge, origins - whakapapa

“he kakano ahau i ruia mai i Rangiatea. E kore au e ngaro”

“I am a seed sown in the great Rangiatea. Because of

this, I will never be lost”

• Whakapapa

• They were spiritual, sensitive, responsive and intelligent beings

Te timatangako te koreko te pona te po ka puta ko te kukuneko te pupukeko te hihiriKo te maharako te manakoka puta ki te whei aoki te ao marama

Potential

evolution

The child has potential.

Clarity

the child learns and grows

The Maori child reconciles new ideas with what they already know. They understand

Within this tauparapara lay the foundation for kaupapa Maori assessment

Potential the Maori child has potential. They come with prior knowledge

The child knows. mohiotanga, matauranga maramatanga

evolution the Maori child develops and grows within their culture. They learn new things. Satisfaction joy and delight is an affirmation of new understandings.

The child has a way of being –mana, wairua, mauri.

clarity The Maori child is learning and discovering new things, problem solving, obtaining new understandings. Achieving success

Adults extend on what children already know. Planning, implementation and evaluation is an educators ways of doing

Te Kore

The Creation: The void, the nothingness

Conception and birthing: The womb

The learning child: A repository of old and

new knowledge’s

Te Po

The Creation: Darkness, stirring

Conception and Birthing: A child is conceived

The learning child: A thought is planted

Te Kukune

The Creation: A tightening,

stretching

Conception and Birthing:

Tightening, constriction, stretching

The learning child: Exploration,

searching, probing

Te pupuke

The Creation: Intensity, patterns of energy

Conception and Birthing: Pulsating,

patterns of energy are regular

The learning child: Intense desire to

know, the need for more information

Te hihiri

The creation: Energy, urgency, dramatic

departure is played out

Conception and birthing: Patterns of regularity,

energy is created by the baby, urgency. A child

is born

The learning child: Complexity of learning, new

knowledge

Te mahara

The creation: Apprehension, feeling of

unease, tension

Conception and birthing: Apprehension, trauma

as a result of separation

The learning child: Frustration, tension,

contention as child strives to learn new things

Te manako

The creation: Yearning, desire to be

reunited

Conception and birthing: Desire for

security and bonding

The learning child: Support in the acquisition of new

knowledge is required

Te ao marama

The creation: World of light brings new

knowledge, insights

Conception and Birthing: Birthing brings

new meanings, new beginnings and

understandings

The learning child: Negotiation, discovery of

new knowledge and understandings,

empowerment

The Image of the Child

• Ira Atua: Essence of

the Gods

• Ira Wairua: Essence

of the ancestors

• Ira Tangata:

Essence of both

mother and father

Te Tamaiiti

Links to the

gods and

creation of

the world

Links to

mother

and

father

Links to

ancestors

that have

passed on

Te Ira

Wairua

Te Ira

Atua

Te Ira

Tangata

The sources of mana,

mauri, tapu, wairua

The ideas and processes which emerge from the tauparapara

and all the discussions are articulated to make clear

associations to concepts of growing and learning. It is

therefore considered that these children are born complete,

with a ways of knowing: Ngā mohiotanga / matauranga /

maramatanga which has been influenced by her/his history in

time, space and place.

The key ideas formulated from the tauparapara creates an

image of the Māori child. The child in its journey through to

conception is adorned with her/his own mana (potential and

spiritual power); mauri (living essence) and wairua (spiritual

self) inherited from it’s ancestors, from the spirit world of atua.

These beliefs link to the notion that a child has a way of being:

Te ahuatanga o te tamaiiti.

Key concepts of tīkanga Whakaako or teaching and learning within

a Māori context promotes that tīkanga Māori be a basis for all

learning contexts. This describes the role adults play in the

learning and teaching of Māori children or ways of doing: Tikanga

whakaako.

Key Messages from te Tauparapara