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

media exposure…It‟s got to be bigger than us, it‟s got to be a national effort” (p.
234). There is, however, room for optimism. The Sunday Star Times reported that
during the 2007 Māori Language Week, Television New Zealand had over 1,000
affirmative reactions and only 23 complaints for te reo Māori being used in public
broadcasting` ("Phenomenal response to te reo surprises all," 2007, p. A5).
Typically up to that point, some 200 positive responses only had been noted
(Jenkin, 2009).
In order to make a sustained and profound contribution to social equity
and justice in Aotearoa New Zealand it is imperative to start Tiriti-based education
at an early age. Early childhood teachers are well situated to do this but they need
to have courage. They must say within their teams; “Let‟s do it. We can do it!”
But they also must be humble enough and set aside fears in order to determine what
partnership and co-construction with Māori really means as theory in practice,
rather than espoused theory in use (Argyris & Schön, 1974). Theory in practice
which emphasises action development for each centre is necessary, therefore, in
order to effectively plan together so that collaborative development occurs.
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