Achievement Challenge Two: Aotearoa New Zealand History
Shared narratives that inspire Tūrangawaewae (belonging) for learning
Overall Goal
To explore how God has moved in Aotearoa New Zealand, by partnering with mana whenua and the church to feed into a localised curriculum[i], including the teaching of accurate historical narratives[ii], which enhances student Tūrangawaewae and learning outcomes.
Background & Rationale
Research highlights increased ability for people to learn when they have a sense of Tūrangawaewae/belonging, through a connection to the people, place and faith of their learning communities (Berryman & Eley, 2017[i];Elder, 2019[ii]; Hari, 2018[iii]). Some of the deeper meanings of Tūrangawaewae are:
Tū – Stand, establish
Ranga – to weave
Tūranga – position, foundation, stance
Waewae – Walk out/feet
From a Christian perspective, these words could be interpreted as:
“weaving our stories into God’s big story as a foundation for our learning”.
This Achievement challenge provides a unique and timely invitation for teachers across the CENCOL to weave local and personal narratives into the curriculum for all our students from ECE to Tertiary with a shared language and understanding.
The narratives of the whenua/land and Tāngata/people at the global, national and local levels (Waitaha/Canterbury) strengthen this sense of Tūrangawaewae/belonging. González, Moll, & Amanti (2005[iv]) state that “students do better in education when: what and how they learn reflects and positively reinforces where they come from”. Developing an appreciation of the historical narratives for our kāhui ako directly aligns with the 2020 government mandate of compulsory New Zealand history in the curriculum[v]. From 2016 Matauraka Mahaanui [that represent mana whenua[vi] for the Waitaha/Canterbury area], have released regional documents/cultural narratives giving a Ngāi Tahu perspective of the wider Ōtautahi/Christchurch area.
Additionally, one of the Ministry of Education (MOE) new national priorities for professional learning and development in 2020 focuses on local curriculum design[vii] which will support and embrace this Achievement Challenge. The recently passed Education and Training Act, 2020 (which replaces the 1989 Act) aims to give greater prominence and effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi at both a national and individual school level.
Under the new Act, School Boards from the beginning of 2021 have new objectives relating to Te Tiriti o Waitangi including “emphasising the importance of local history and practices through the curriculum; improving the teaching of te reo and tikanga Māori and contributing to the Crown’s duty to actively protect tino rangatiratanga rights”[viii].
Given the government mandate and a shared understanding of belonging inspiring learning it is, therefore, timely to research and collate a historical narrative for the CENCOL alongside our key partner Matauraka Mahaanui (MM[ix]). Anecdotal evidence has shown that individual schools have varying levels of understanding of their historical narratives and the way these connect to the national stories of Aotearoa New Zealand.
