Learnings of a Teacher

As part of Maori language week I have really made myself use as much Te Reo as I can/know around our akonga. Each morning we have talked about Te Reo and the fact it is Maori language week. We have tried to introduce a new phase or word. This has built on form our phase of the week we started up earlier in the year. A goal now is to continue momentum and continue to use Te Reo within the kete. I still seem to have burst of it, but have not yet got to the point where it is total in grained in our programme. Have looked at using the Kupu app, which is very useful for identifying different nouns.

As part of our Science Development Plan there is a direct goal around cultural responsiveness. This goal is about connecting with local iwi and gaining a cultural perspective on science. This is a vital link to make if we want to encourage place based learning. When making this goal we discussed how it is important to make connections with the past and how cultures have gone about explaining things. Maori culture has plenty to offer science. Maori over time discovered useful plants that help fight against infection and heal cuts. Kawa Kawa and Koromiko were commonly used in Maori medicine. Maori would of over time gone through a form of scientific investigation, observing, testing and gather evidence, evaluating evidence and critiquing it. Allowing them to recognise plants that could help them. As teacher we need to recognise these efforts form the pass and other cultures including it into our own science curriculum.