Kei te Ako a Arahia Arahia is Learning
Teachers Notes
Storyline / Kiko
This story is about a Māori girl who is learning different skills at school – but especially how to speak Māori to her koro (grandfather).
Achievement objectives / Whāinga paetae
Students should be able to:
1.2 introduce others
2.5 communicate feelings
3.1 communicate about routines
Learning context / Kaupapa
This story relates to the topic of Taku akomanga/My classroom/ (Unit 2) in He Reo Tupu He Reo Ora.
Assessment / Aromatawai
The learning intentions and success criteria
below will help determine students’ progress.
The format of the rubrics is similar to that in
He Reo Tupu, He Reo Ora, allowing for student
self-assessment, as well as assessment by:
other students (tuākana and tēina)
teachers
whānau (as a way of engaging families and promoting a partnership between home
and school).
The three tohu/symbols in the rubrics indicate different steps of learning, as depicted in this poutama pattern.
Cultural knowledge / Tikanga re AKO
Ako means to teach and also to learn so there is a reciprocal relationship.
Embracing the principle of ako enables teachers to create a learning environment where each student feels that their contribution is valued and they can participate to their full potential.
Ako includes building productive relationships such as teacher/students, student/student, teacher/whānau – where everyone is empowered to learn with and from each other.
This also includes tuakana/teina relationships in the classroom where both parties are learning from each other. This Māori proverb highlights this reciprocity:
Mā te tuakana, ka totika te teina.
Mā te teina. ka totika te tuakana.
From the older sibling, the younger one learns the right way to do things.
From the younger sibling, the older one learns to be tolerant.
Ako is particularly relevant in the context of English-medium primary schools, where the teachers are not necessarily experts in te reo, but are open to learning from others (including students and whānau). This includes the need to know where students come from and build on their cultural capital (i.e., culture counts).
Other words containing ‘ako’ are:
kaiako (teacher), ākonga (student), akomanga (classroom), akoranga (educational course), ākona (the command for ‘learn!’ e.g., Ākona te reo Māori = Learn Māori!)
Ako is one of the cultural competencies in Tātaiako, i.e., taking responsibility for one’s own learning as teachers, and that of Māori learners. (See Ako and PTC 4, 6, 8, 12.)