Tui Award

Kia ora koutou,

Inspired by professional development in November 2019 with Sir Mason Durie in Waitangi, where he discussed acknowledgement of tamariki and their potential.  This really resonated with me and inspired me to take this into my own learning and teaching inquiry.  

“Unleashing potential does not necessarily mean having all the insights and knowledge to realise latent strengths but it does mean recognising inherent talents and skills and taking steps to launch a journey where they can find full expression” Mason Durie (2006) .

This, in turn, led to a discussion as a teaching team on how we acknowledge and recognise important social skills that children are showing at Mairtown Kindergarten? 

Sometimes we see these small moments throughout our day and try to acknowledge these, but how could we promote these positive moments as a collective? 

We believe it is important to be able to acknowledge the small moments - tamariki potential (“mana moments” - Roimata McFarlane), through the promotion of guiding values from te ao Māori worldview.  

By supporting and recognising when tamariki are fostering caring and respectful relationships with each other and our environment through these guiding values.  Creating an environment where learning and development are inclusive and responsive for all tamariki Māori and non-Maori to benefit (Mcfarlane & Mcfarlane et.al 2013) . 

“Teachers can find different ways they can expose the children in their centres to the use of te reo Māori in a range of different ways, given that “creativity – unique and divergent ways of exploring and thinking - is innate to human development” (Wanerman, 2013, p.130). It is within this context that teachers can creatively build on their own ideas to find ways to incorporate tikanga and te reo Māori into their daily practice within the context of learning environments within Aotearoa/New Zealand.” (R Chaffey, M Conole, M Harrington, 2017).
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We have an amazing rangatiratanga stamp - which carries much mana when received. This is an recognition which our tamariki aspire to and is highly regarded by the tamariki and teachers as an important award to receive at kindergarten. This acknowledges our leaders at kindergarten and we have a few. But sometimes understandably it takes a while to become a receiver of this stamp, as the leadership skills are refined and developed over time for some of our tamariki at kindergarten. 

 

 Special moments, taking the time to read a book! 

Looking after someone who has hurt themselves 

 Letting friends know they are included!

Sharing with our friends our creations.

As parents and educators, I believe that we are continually learning alongside our children and that we have our own potential to inspire, relationships, kindness, curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. 

This is where the idea of the ‘Tui Award’ came to fruition. As a collaboration. Being able to acknowledge children's potential and empowering children to connect meaningfully to their most authentic selves and their gifts as human beings (Wright, 2020).   

At the beginning of the week, we would share with the tamariki at our whānau time what value the teaching team would be looking for.  Tamariki that were identified as showing values would receive a tui award. 

Some of the values were were looking for have been:

  Mahi tahi- Working together

  Manaakitanga - Kindness/generosity

  Kaitiakitanga - Guardianship

      Hauora - Health & Well-being

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

We would then share the “Moment” that a teacher had observed, (which could be over an extended period of time) or been part of why the receiver was receiving the tui award -Often these awards are coming directly from their heart, their being, themselves through the engagement and encounters and relationships they are having with others, acknowledgement of these small but so special moments.

In my first observation and recipient of a Tui Award had shown manaakitanga which came straight from her heart - showing aroha and supporting growing relationships with others.  

It seemed just as we introduced the Tui Award, Covid19 lockdown was imposed and we headed into lock-down.  Our own Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urging New Zealanders to " be strong and be kind".    Upon returning to kindergarten after 7 weeks away due to the Covid19 restrictions, our kindergarten tamariki have all been settling back into kindergarten happily.  One thing that has stood out for me has been the fact the manaakitanga - kindness of our tamariki to each other has been so heart-warming and amazing!

MAHI TAHI / TEAM WORK!!! 

Tamariki at Mairtown have continued the kindness to others at kindergarten. As 2020 proves to be a year of many global issues. The importance of all these (mahi tahi, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and hauora) values has never been more of priority.

I have no doubt that our Tui Awards, now acknowledge tamariki and their potential and all those small “mana moments” that support tamariki in their social development skills which are crucial to their learning and development.

He aroha whakatō

He aroha puta mai

If kindness is sown

Then kindness you shall receive

Ngā mihi

Sarah