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

Similarly, Shani reflected on how phrases she put up on the wall enabled a
student teacher to use them effectively:
We felt very proud of ourselves as our own strategy is working. Our
intention was to use te reo Māori with children. When the student
teacher spontaneously said “Horoi o ringaringa” (wash hands) that
means the student teacher was learning too (Jl: Si. 2 nd week October).
Role modelling Tiriti-based practices was one of the aspects the team had
in their vision and when this occurred they were justifiably pleased. As well as
role modelling to students, teachers had wanted to lead the way for other areas of
the centre to also work in Tiriti-based ways, as can be seen in the following:
Sometimes we pass by teachers in other areas and we use Māori words,
say something in Māori and they are looking at us and we say we are
researching. We are trying it out. We alert them that is what we are
doing - practising bicultural, we are practising and …that is why we are
doing that (Tr: P, 7/11/08).
An effective way to learn new knowledge is to pass it on to others and the
growing confidence of the teachers in Case Study Three as they built on their
success was evident. Indeed, from the support Margaret received within the team
she was able to feel confident to continue with Tiriti-based curriculum while on
practicum in another centre:
I worked in another centre where speaking Māori wasn‟t practiced as a
whole centre. We sang waiata at morning tea, afternoon tea and lunch
time before the food was served. There was no greeting of children or
staff in Māori. I felt challenged to overcome my shyness and speak te reo
Māori at another centre without the support of my home-based centre (Jl,
M, 10/11/08.
It is clear Margaret‟s commitment to Tiriti-based curriculum empowered
her to take risks outside her own centre to implement the te reo Māori she knows. I
would describe this kind of behaviour as brave – it emanated from a strength-based
approach and enabled this teacher to extend her confidence.
However, despite the strategies and support described above, the teachers
in Case Study Three did experience some difficulties, both conceptually and
practically. This was particularly interesting as there has been debate in the
appreciative inquiry literature that this methodology may not allow problems to
surface (McNamee, 2003).
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