Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini. I come not with my own strengths but bring with me the gifts, talents, and strengths of my family, tribe, and ancestors.
Commemorating the Treaty of Waitangi
On Waitangi Day, 6th of February, we celebrate all the awesome things about our country and work to make things better and fairer between Māori and Pakeha. There are three main ideas in the Treaty of Waitangi (TOW):
Background…
The Government is committed to honouring the Crown’s commitments arising from Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It recognises both the tino rangatiratanga of Māori and the kawanatanga of the Crown in the design and delivery of the education system, and acknowledges the vital interest of whānau, hāpu, and iwi in the system’s effectiveness for Māori. The vision that underpins Te Whāriki (The New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum document) requires “a society that recognises Māori as tangata whenua, assumes a shared obligation for protecting Māori language and culture, and ensures that Māori are able to enjoy educational success as Māori" (Te Whāriki, page 6).
What does this look like at Magic Garden?
Social Justice at Magic Garden means to speak and act with kindness, tolerance, and fairness.
Brain research findings show that children can understand love and morality well before they are three, and that they are keen social scientists, able to see and understand the complex elements of being in relationship with others. With that in mind,
Teachers create an engaging environment where there are abundant opportunities to practice social responsibility and empathy for different perspectives.
Children have the right and responsibility to choose what to do and who with, space and time to explore and develop their own ideas, and to work collaboratively together in groups.
Adults support and coach children to be aware of their rights and learn to advocate for themselves and the rights of others.
Documentation is used in a way that allows children to see their own and others’ abilities in the world. Specifically, showing photos, books and stories of their positive social interactions grows children’s abilities to connect, which in turn builds their confidence and sense of belonging.
How do the Treaty of Waitangi principles come to life at Magic Garden...
Children in the Over Three Room worked together with their teachers to create their own Treaty covering
We do this by...
We show this by...
By supporting children with our Centre Treaty values we are providing an environment where children are:
Managing themselves and expressing their feelings and needs – te whakahua whakaaro.
Taking part in caring for this place – te manaaki i te taiao.
Understanding how things work here and adapting to change – te mārama ki te āhua o ngā whakahaere me te mōhio ki te panoni.
Showing respect for kaupapa, rules and the rights of others – te mahi whakaute.
Treating others fairly and including them in play – te ngākau makuru.
Using a range of strategies and skills to play and learn with others – te ngākau aroha.
Using a range of strategies for reasoning and problem solving – te hīraurau hopanga.
(Ministry of Education, 2017)