I have emigrated to NZ over 23 yrs ago. I am still at the same school and LOVE it! When I arrived here, the 2 Maori teachers would sing and speak Maori (always Maori, English, Maori). That's how I learnt many phrases. I have a head like a sieve, so can't remember well, however, over the years, our school has always been open to promoting Maori. I have been taking the Y7 for Te Reo (2019, 2020) - only doing the school pepeha, our moteatea and a karakia. I've taught our, mainly P I students the way I would learn & remember. I've taught it alongside the English meaning. My experience is of kids saying the karakia with zero meaning or understanding. I don't like ticking boxes for the sake of it. Now, I listen to Maori on TV and there are so many more words that i understand, getting the gist of what they're saying. The English sub-titles help. We teach the meaning of our carvings, & the history of our school (Maori version). Being a history student and coming from a highly politicised country, i push the Treaty too, because there's too much lit-service paid, . . . however, that's another issue.
