Ministry of Education research indicates that the inclusion of culture and te reo
Māori in teaching can help improve Māori student education. If students can find
the links between what is being taught and the relevance to their own lives then
information will be easier to retain. Research has also shown that environmental
education provides relevant learning that can connect students to their world.
Māori indigenous knowledge (IK) and environmental education (EE) share many
commonalities. One such similarity is the relationship between tangata (people)
and nature. While the sometimes destructive nature of this relationship has lead to
global environmental issues, this study explores the combination of IK and EE to
enhance Māori student engagement and achievement in a mainstream primary
school.
An intervention unit based on harakeke was designed delivered in a Year 5/6
boys' only class in a suburban mainstream primary school, over a 10 week period.
The environmental and socio-cultural significance of harakeke enabled a range of
kaupapa (themes) to be included in the unit. This included; eeling and how to
make and use a hinaki (eel/fish trap), karakia (prayer) and the relevance when
harvesting kai (food) and resources. Each kaupapa also provided the opportunity
for students to increase their te reo Māori vocabulary, with the introduction of
kaupapa specific words. The Māori kaupapa also enabled the students to view EE
from a Māori perspective, including the introduction of rahui - a form of
conservation.
The findings indicated that the incorporation of a Māori kaupapa strengthened
student engagement, improved student use of te reo Māori, improved the selfesteem
and confidence for some students, increased students' awareness of
harakeke and the value and versatility of the plant, and increased their awareness
from a Māori perspective on sustainable harvesting.
Bringing Māori kaupapa into the classroom allowed the classroom teacher, who
was Māori, the opportunity to share her own lived experiences of IK, as these are
passed down from generation to generation, and people are born into them. The
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familiarity of whanau offered the teacher the opportunity to bring this concept into
the classroom and teach values that could flow into all curriculum areas while
strengthening relationships between the teacher and student, student and student
and teacher and student whanau.
This study has shown that both IK and EE, while each complex in their own right,
have the ability to provide a holistic curriculum approach that can lead to
engagement and achievement by Māori students in a mainstream school.
