Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa—a world first

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and the New Zealand Curriculum collectively make the national curriculum of New Zealand. This provision of a curriculum developed by indigenous educators specifically for indigenous students is the first in the world.

Since the launch of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa in 2008, CORE Education has had staff involved in the consultations, trials, research and facilitation with Māori medium teachers nationally. 

Two key objectives of the programme

The two key parts of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa unpacked by facilitators and teachers are:

• the development of a graduate profile, and then
• a curriculum that meets the specific needs of the students in each Māori medium setting.

Both require schools to engage with whānau, hapū and iwi. Initially this engagement is to seek the long-term aspirations for their children.

The facilitation programme in 2011

In 2011 there are 54 settings involved with CORE Education facilitators in in-depth programmes. These settings are both Māori and dual immersion, and include kura kaupapa Māori, wharekura, kura ā-iwi, and Māori medium classes in mainstream schools. The coverage extends from Northland to Dunedin.

Support strategies are mainly face-to-face, and facilitators work with teachers, principals, senior managers, Boards of Trustees, and whānau, hapū, and iwi.

In support of the facilitation programme, 10 digital stories and 10 snapshots from a range of Māori medium settings were developed in 2010 and early 2011 with the purpose of showcasing good practice.

The challenges once the programme is completed

There remains many challenges for teachers once the individual marau ā-kura are completed. Examination of Māori pedagogies in education, developing Māori-appropriate and exciting learning environments, and taking learning back to the Māori community are three of the challenges that present to all Māori medium settings in different ways.

Te Marautanga o Aotearoa provides an exciting pathway forward for learners and teachers. CORE Education is delighted to be a key part in the facilitation of this work.