Stop
When I first started at my centre the staff members greeted me in Maori and as I began settling in to the centre I started to notice that they actually implemented a lot of Tikanga Maori which I thought was quite amazing. I noticed how the children know not to sit on a table because the staff really emphasized that “tables are for food and not for bottoms”. I also noticed how children took their shoes off when they came inside and put them back on when they went outside. Children were also not allowed to run and yell inside and all this is quite similar to a Marae. The staff also greet children as well as each other in Maori and also when letting a child know that they are doing a great job by saying “Ka pai!” We also say prayer in Maori and sing songs.
Think
I think my centre has been very successful because the children know what the different Maori phrases mean and why they shouldn’t sit in a table and so on. The children recognise and acknowledge Maori language and respect the rules that are associated with Tikanga Maori. I think staff, families and the community all play a vital role in the success of how Tikanga Maori is implemented because they all need to play an equal part in keeping Tikanga Maori within the centre, their homes and their communities.
Change
I have learnt a lot from my centre and I have no doubt that I will be able to take what I’ve learnt from them into a new centre. I probably wouldn’t make any changes but at least I know how Tikanga Maori is implemented within a centre successfully and if I come across a centre that does not do this then I am well prepared.
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