The ASSEN/NZHTA resource “HE PĀ HARAKEKE” was conceptualised in 2022 by Kaiārahi Māori Kārena Ngata to support the implementation of Te Ao Tangata. HPH has since been refined by the ASSEN and NZHTA teams who believe it has the potential to be useful in implementing the broader change programme in the refreshed curriculum. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike 4.0 International License. PLEASE MAKE A COPY AND SAVE TO YOUR DRIVE.

HE PĀ HARAKEKE

A socio-ecological

process to support transformative change in education for a thriving Aotearoa New Zealand.

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He Pā Harakeke

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Unuhia te rito o te harakeke kei whea te kōmako e kō?

Whakatairangitia –

rere ki uta, rere ki tai;

Ui mai koe ki ahau

He aha te mea nui o te ao?

Māku e kī atu, he tangata,

he tangata, he tangata!

A New Zealand Bellbird in New Zealand. Sid Mosdell from New Zealand Creative Commons Attribution 2.0

Ko te whakatau-aki

Meri Ngāroto, Nō Te Aupōuri.

He Pā Harakeke

Remove the heart of the flax bush and where will the bellbird sing?

It will mill around, it will fly inland, it will fly seawards.

If you ask me ‘What is the greatest thing in the world?’

I will reply, ‘It is people, it is people, it is people!’

Ko te whakatau-aki

Meri Ngāroto Nō Te Aupōuri

INTERPRETING THE MESSAGE:

For me this whakatauaki is about the importance of place, interrelatedness and connectedness. It speaks to the protection and nurturing of our up and coming generations and the interdependent relationships they have with their environment and the environmental systems around them which are paramount to the holistic wellbeing of humanity. It also speaks to me about the interconnected nature of Mātauranga ā-Iwi and other indigenous knowledge systems.

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He Pā Harakeke (HPH) was designed as a metaphor to conceptualise both the complexity and the coherency of the multiple research based elements required to support transformative change when implementing the refreshed Social Sciences curriculum. Kārena Ngata, 2023.

KŌRARI /Flower stalk

• Learning Journey

(PĀ) HARAKEKE /

Whole plant(ation)

- Broader learning community

KĀKANO / Seeds - Inspiring new inquiry, continuity of learning

PAKIAKA/ Root System

- Theories, Ethics and Principles

PUĀWAI / Flowers

Learning products / output

WHENUA / Land - Localised learning, tūrangawaewae,

environment

RITO / Central shoot - Learner

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ĀWHI RITO / Supporting Leaves - Parents, Guardians, Whānau, Kaiako

HAENGA WHAKAWHITI / Cross pollination - Integrated learning, connected curriculum

TĪPUNA / Outer leaves - Experts

eg Tangata Whenua, Mentors

TUAKA / Spine of Leaf

- Te Tiriti o Waitangi

He Pā Harakeke

TIKANGA / Practices

• Culturally Responsive &

Sustaining Pedagogies

The WHENUA needs to have been

nourished so that is its in a state capable of

generating growth. The PAKIAKA, or root system

needs to be extensive to support the entire plant. The

leaves are parallel-sided with a central TUAKA, or spine,

providing structure in the middle. The outer leaves of the fan are the TĪPUNA (ancestors), the inner leaves are the Parents or ĀWHI RITO. The most inner leaf is the RITO, or Pepe (Baby). Our TIKANGA dictates that when you harvest harakeke, only the Tīpuna are cut as the Ahwi Rito are essential to protect the Rito. If the Rito perishes, so does the whole PĀ HARAKEKE, because the parts of the plant are interdependent, not only on each other but also on the environment for survival. From the centre of the fan, the KŌRARI grows up to five metres tall. The PUĀWAI, or flowers are designed to attract pollinators such as the Bellbird (Kōmako). It is their presence that ensures the HAENGA WHAKAWHITI, needed to fertilise and create the harakeke KĀKANO (seeds). The seed pods are shaken by the winds, the seeds released and they drop to the soil to germinate, contributing

To the development of a PĀ HARAKEKE,

a thriving community.

KŌRARI /Flower stalk

• Learning Journey

(PĀ) HARAKEKE /

Whole plant(ation)

- Broader learning community

KĀKANO / Seeds - Inspiring new inquiry, continuity of learning

PAKIAKA/ Root System

- Theories, Ethics and Principles

PUĀWAI / Flowers

Learning products / output

WHENUA / Land - Localised learning, tūrangawaewae,

environment

RITO / Central shoot - Learner

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ĀWHI RITO / Supporting Leaves - Parents, Guardians, Whānau, Kaiako

HAENGA WHAKAWHITI / Cross pollination - Integrated learning, connected curriculum

TĪPUNA / Outer leaves - Experts

eg Tangata Whenua, Mentors

TUAKA / Spine of Leaf

- Te Tiriti o Waitangi

He Pā Harakeke - THE METAPHOR

TIKANGA / Practices

• Culturally Responsive &

Sustaining Pedagogies

Kia āta titiro:_

Unpacking He Pā Harakeke

NGOHE AKO - IN SMALL GROUPS, CHOOSE 2-3 WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH THE ONE ELEMENT YOU ARE ALLOCATED (7MINS):

• Paraphrase THE ELEMENT’S SUMMARY.
• CONSTRUCT A FURTHER PROVOCATIVE PĀTAI THAT IS RELEVANT TO YOUR CONTEXT. BE DELIBERATELY DISRUPTIVE.
• Connect THE ELEMENT WITH ONE OR TWO OTHER ELEMENTS OF HE PĀ HARAKEKE OR WITH TUAKA SPECIFICALLY.
• Exemplify THE ELEMENT IN YOUR CONTEXT IE:

“WHAT DOES/MIGHT THIS LOOK LIKE FOR OUR CLASSROOM/ SCHOOL / KĀHUI AKO?”

• PRESENT ONE OR MORE OF THE ABOVE TO GROUP (3 MINS).

This could be about:

Designing a local curriculum that is unique and responsive to the priorities, preferences, and issues of your community and your people. MoE

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Prompting questions might include:

• How do we ensure that the full extent of the New Zealand Curriculum is expressed in our local curriculum?
• How do we work with our school community to get some shared understandings about the teaching and learning we would like at our school?
• What stories are told about the people, events, and changes that are important to people in this area?
• How will our curriculum explore our place and our relationship with it?

WHENUA / Land -

Local contexts, tūrangawaewae, learning environment

This could be about: Embedding Kaupapa Māori Ethics & Principles, Critical Theories and Socio-Cultural Theories in our practice. Critical theory perspectives challenge disparities, injustices, inequalities and perceived norms.” MoE

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Prompting questions might include:

• What texts shall we look at that will provide rich basis for analysing inclusion, exclusion, and representation?
• How might my/our backgrounds – spiritual beliefs, ethnicity, gender, interests, abilities, socio–economic circumstances – be shaping this practice?
• How is the unique history and worldview of ākonga whānau – connections to maunga, awa, wāhi tapu, constellations, culture, and history – represented in the (learning) artefacts and curriculum?

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PAKIAKA/ Root System -

Theoretical underpinnings, guiding ethics and principles

This could be about:

“The Treaty of Waitangi principle calls for schools to understand and honour Treaty principles in all actions and decision making. It is about making our country’s bicultural foundations evident in school policies, organisation, physical spaces, whānau and community engagement, and classroom planning and assessment.” MoE

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Prompting questions might include:

• How does our local curriculum reflect local tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori?
• How are we implementing Ka Hikitia / Ka Hāpaitia in our school?
• How might we embed our TIriti commitment? What challenges might we encounter and how might we respond?
• How do we ensure classroom learning helps students understand Te Tiriti o Waitangi – its past, present, and future – and helps them live the treaty as citizens of Aotearoa?

TUAKA / Spine of Leaf -

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

This could be about:

Our understanding that “a culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogical approach values and builds upon the knowledge, values, languages, cultures, identities, whānau, communities, lived experiences, and whakapapa of ākonga”. MoE

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Prompting questions might include:

• Whose ways of knowing, being, and doing are valued in this practice/decision?
• How do we actively redistribute power and status among all members of the learning community?
• What teaching approaches enhance outcomes for diverse learners in the social sciences curriculum domain?
• How will we support ākonga in acquiring the language and literacies of The New Zealand Curriculum …while maintaining and strengthening their heritage languages?

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TIKANGA / Cultural practices -

Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Pedagogies (CRSP)

This could be about:

How “...students demonstrate competence in a range of ways and progress at different rates. A key role of the teacher is to really get to know their students, so that they can help them to recognise their competencies, demonstrate their strengths, and work towards their aspirations.” MoE

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Prompting questions might include:

• How do I encourage each student to participate in learning?
• How do I acknowledge each student’s strengths and support their development?
• How do I use a growing knowledge of my students to make connections to their prior learning and enhance the relevance of new learning?
• How does my teaching impact on my students?

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RITO / Central shoot -

Learner

This could be about:

How engagement increases when school leaders… are committed to working in partnership with the parents and whānau of all students.

MOE

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Prompting questions might include:

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• How do we support strong engagement conditions of whānau?
• In what ways are families/whānau able to determine how they will participate in and contribute to our school?
• How do we develop School conditions that support parents, whānau, and students to be active partners in learning?

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ĀWHI RITO / Supporting leaves -

Parents, Guardians, Whānau, Kaiako

This could be about:

How involving whānau, hapū, iwi and other local community entities can bring in-school and out-of-school learning together to support valued outcomes for rangatahi.

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Prompting questions might include:

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• How is the body of knowledge that sits within our Māori and Pasifika communities acknowledged and represented in our school?
• How do/can the goals and aspirations of the school align with those of the whānau, hapū iwi and Pasifika Communities? What will it take to get a more aligned approach? What benefits might this bring?

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TĪPUNA / Outer leaves -

Experts, Tangata Whenua, Mentors

This could be about:

“Our community engagement principle isn't just about holding regular whānau hui or having an open door policy. The community engagement principle calls for schools to build productive partnerships with parents, whānau, hapū, and iwi to engage their support and ensure that teaching and learning meets the needs, interests, and talents of their children.” MoE

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Prompting questions might include:

●We know there are amazing people doing amazing things in our community. How do we better connect our students to these learning opportunities?

● How can we support interactions and connections between students and their whānau with supporting people and agencies outside of the school?

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PĀ HARAKEKE Whole plant(ation)

Broader learning community

This could be about:

Design learning to meet the diverse and variable needs of all students in your classroom.

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Prompting questions might include:

• How can I incorporate UDL Principles into my classroom learning?
• How will we use our knowledge about our students to design learning opportunities that are authentic and relevant to their lives?
• How can we design challenging, rigorous learning opportunities for our students that will help them progress and be successful?
• Can all our students answer the following questions: What are you learning? Why are you learning it? How well are you doing? Where do you need to go next?

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KŌRARI /Flower stalk -

Learning journey

This could be about:

How Curriculum progressions emphasise where a student is on their learning journey and the progress they are making, rather than whether they have achieved (passed or failed) a standard.

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Prompting questions might include:

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• How well does effective “of the moment” assessment for learning underpin teaching and learning in our school?
• How well can we locate a student’s performance across the breadth of the curriculum and along a continuum of curriculum levels?
• How are student agency and assessment capability being grown across the school?
• What tools might we design to strengthen how we notice, recognise, and respond to ākonga learning in our programmes.

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PUĀWAI / Flowers -

Learning product / output

This could be about:

where subjects are viewed as interconnected rather than isolated from one another. “All learning should make use of the natural connections that exist between learning areas” (MoE, 2007,p. 16).

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Prompting questions might include:

• How do we integrate the principles, values, key competencies, and learning areas in our classroom programmes?
• How do we support ākonga to make connections, transfer, and apply new knowledge between new learning and across contexts?

HAENGA WHAKAWHITI/ Cross-pollination

Integrated learning, connected curriculum

This could be about:

How we can enrich learning opportunities by ensuring coherence and continuity of learning for ākonga, both over the years and across settings (e.g. schools, kura, clusters, Kāhui Ako and early childhood centres). MoE

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Prompting questions might include:

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• How do we provide clear learning pathways across the learning areas and the curriculum levels?
• How do we think learning is carried forward from schooling into other aspects of life?
• How will this learning support ākonga to deal with future focussed issues such as those linked to sustainability, globalisation, citizenship and enterprise?

KĀKANO / Seeds - Inspiring new inquiry,

continuity of learning and sustainability.

“Keep your eyes on the Prize”

MLK

He Pā Harakeke: supporting transformative educational change for a thriving Aotearoa.

The ASSEN/NZHTA resource “HE PĀ HARAKEKE” was conceptualised in 2022 by Kaiārahi Māori Kārena Ngata to support the implementation of the refreshed Social Sciences Curriculum -

Te Ao Tangata.

​

HPH has since been refined by the ASSEN and NZHTA teams who believe it has the potential to be useful in supporting the implementation of the broader refreshed national curriculum.

​

To find out more about HPH please contact ASSEN or NZHTA or email kngata@rghs.school.nz

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This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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“Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata.”

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We invite you to find out more about the Rautāwhiri He Pā Harakeke Pilot Programme Want to kōrero? Contact Kārena: kngata@rghs.school.nz. Please type “He Pā Harakeke” in the subject line.

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TE KURA TAIAO / RAUTĀWHIRI COLLABORATION

manaaki mauri