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

I learnt a lot of Māori - like how to do the mihi, whakapapa. I was fully
confident when I passed as a graduate. I was confident (Tr: N,
24/10/08).
Shani had worked in early childhood for 8 years and during that time had
been exposed to te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. She was completing her final year of
the Diploma of Teaching:
I am using a lot of Māori phrases like horoi o ringaringa so children are
particularly absorbing what I do. So the first few days when I am using
horoi o ringaringa and we are all using it children do not know what I
am saying. But then we say that in Māori and then the same thing in
English then they know what it is. So automatically now when we horoi o
ringaringa I have seen some children are going to the wash basin so like
they have got the meaning wash hands (Tr: Si, 24/10/08).
She further added:
So when children know what I‟m saying they run to the wash basin, I
know they have got they have understood what I am saying and that
moment I am proud of myself (Tr: Si, 24/10/08).
Margaret had previously worked with Tiriti-based curriculum as a teacher
aide in a primary school, although there had been 5-year gap when she was not
involved in education (and therefore not with te reo Māori me ōna tikanga) before
she started in early childhood education. Margaret was in her first year of study for
the Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education):
… but the best time is when I put on a tape put on a waiata. Children
come straight to the area that I‟m in. I‟m not actually dancing the Māori
action but they‟re following me having fun with it (Tr: M, 24/20/08).
Chris H was studying at postgraduate level and one Tiriti-based practice
she shared occurred at a previous centre:
… the most effective thing is using Māori words to say good bye - like ka
kite. It was because one of the teachers was Māori and we also had some
Māori families, so [we were] using Māori language quite often (Tr: C,
24/10/08).
This sharing enabled everyone to make a connection to each other in
hearing the narratives of their most effective Tiriti-based practice, and it also
enabled them to be clear about each other‟s level of skills and confidence. What
was clear was that each person had a narrative from which they could build their
Tiriti-based knowledge, skills and confidence.
After sharing their stories of best practice the group completed the
discovery stage of appreciative inquiry by brainstorming common elements of their
collective best practice. This is the Dream stage of apppreciative inquiry, which is
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