Te Kaupeka Ako | UC Faculty of Education P奴kenga Matua | Senior Lecturer Kay-Lee Jones (Te Wh膩nau a Kai, Te Aitanga a M膩haki, Ng膩ti Porou), says the new programme will help address a shortage of reo M膩ori speaking teachers and equip new teachers with knowledge of local stories and histories within Waitaha Canterbury.
鈥淥ur goal is to introduce a pathway that provides opportunities for trainee teachers to increase their competency and confidence to k艒rero [speak] M膩ori and to teach in te reo M膩ori, as well as embedding tikanga M膩ori and m膩tauranga M膩ori throughout their practice.
鈥淭here is a shortage of quality reo-speaking teachers across Aotearoa, but it鈥檚 even more dire in Te Waipounamu [South Island] where there is a real need for M膩ori teacher education.鈥
Graduates will be qualified to teach in M膩ori medium and English medium schools and early childhood centres.
UC Faculty of Education P奴kenga | Lecturer Jody Hohaia (K膩i Tahu, Raukawa, Tainui) says at present many kai膩whina (support staff) and kai膩rahi i te reo (support staff fluent in te reo M膩ori) working in early childhood centres and schools do not have a recognised teaching qualification.
The new programme will give them an opportunity to study towards a teaching degree while allowing them to remain in paid employment.听 听
鈥淥ur goal is for this new programme to create a pathway where they can see a future in education, and they can learn while working and supporting their wh膩nau. It鈥檚 accessible for people who need an income while they鈥檙e studying. It offers a field-based option where their on-their-job experiences are recognised as part of the course.鈥
Hohaia says each applicant for the programme will have a hui (meeting) on entry, accompanied by their wh膩nau, and an individualised approach will be developed depending on their strengths, needs, aspirations and experience.
鈥淭here will be a discussion about what their pathway could look like. For those who have a big heart for te reo M膩ori me 艒na tikanga [customs], but are still developing fluency, there is a pathway for them.鈥
Jones adds that the M膩tauranga M膩ori pathway will recognise those who enter the programme with high proficiency in te reo M膩ori and knowledge of tikanga.
鈥淭hese taonga (treasures) of te reo M膩ori me 艒na tikanga are highly valuable and sought-after skills and will be recognised at entry.鈥
The new Ako | Bachelor of Teaching and Learning degree encompasses three separate programmes. One provides a qualification in Early Childhood teaching, one in Primary teaching and the third strand is M膩tauranga M膩ori for Early Childhood and Primary teaching.
Jones says the new approach allows for the interweaving of M膩ori and Western knowledge streams into the course design for all three Bachelor of Teaching and Learning programmes.
鈥淭his speaks to bicultural commitments we hold for the future of education in Aotearoa鈥.
Te reo M膩ori me 艒na tikanga and M膩ori values are woven through all three pathways, but the M膩tauranga M膩ori programme will prioritise M膩ori knowledges, local cultural narratives, te maramataka (the M膩ori lunar calendar) and te taiao (the environment) while extending confidence and competence to teach in and through te reo M膩ori.
The third and final year of the M膩tauranga M膩ori degree programme will be taught mainly in reo rumaki (full immersion) and the first two years will be reo rua (bilingual) delivery.
- The new Ako | Bachelor of Teaching and Learning degree will be launched in 2023. Full-time and part-time study options will be available for all programmes. The Early Childhood and Primary Education programmes will have on-campus delivery and distance learning options, while the M膩tauranga M膩ori programme will be offered online, with immersive learning opportunities for students such as being hosted at a local marae to learn the histories and stories of mana whenua.
