supporting tiriti-based curriculum delivery in mainstream early ...

Prior to the research, staff had participated in several bicultural workshops
and four of the six teachers continued to study to gain early childhood or higher
qualifications, all of which included a bicultural component. There was a strong
emphasises on whānau and family contributions throughout the programme and
parents contributed to their children‟s learning stories 1 children‟s profiles, and
family and grandparent days. The centre philosophy was underpinned by
encouraging and facilitating child-initiated and child-directed play as opposed to
teacher directed activities. Children, therefore, were encouraged to freely select
their play experiences from the large variety of resources available. Teachers,
therefore, waited for children to initiate conversations and activities in every area
of the curriculum. To this end environment and resources were still being
developed to support Tiriti-based curriculum.
Brainstorming their ideal bicultural curriculum occurred at the start of the
research. Teachers articulated that awareness, attitude and willingness were
essential as they took responsibility for developing their knowledge. Recognising
the culture and language of Māori was important, as was building appropriate
resources.
Following the construction of their vision a preliminary evaluation of their
Tiriti-based curriculum practices was undertaken by the teachers. They did this by
completing a stock-take of resources and the environment for Tiriti-based artefacts;
and investigating for examples of Tiriti-based curriculum. The stock-take showed
that teachers considered Tiriti-based curriculum had been initiated in all areas and
that supporting resources were being developed. Both the teachers and I observed
that within the environment there were signs in te reo Māori. There were also
words of waiata displayed around the centre, and books of waiata and tapes were
available to assist teachers and children to sing.
One wall displayed a poster of food with labels in te reo Māori and there
were several photographs of the children making Māori bread with one of the
Māori parents. Māori artefacts were available such as shells, flax, and kumara
plants. There were also puzzles and books with Māori themes, dark-skinned dolls,
1 Learning stories are observations and assessments of children‟s learning, which are usually written in
narrative form and illustrated by photographs (Carr et al., 2000).
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