Top school makes te reo compulsory

[Richard Zane Smith]

the article says :

*"... te reo Maori teacher Lincoln Savage says the initiative aims to give
students an insight and perspective into te ao Maori (the Maori world)."
These are the future leaders of our country so improving the understanding
between our cultures can only be a good thing," he said.*

and...

"*When they go to university to do law and medicine there will be a Maori
component to those papers, so this work will give them a better perspective
of how to work with and treat Maori families."*
This approach is much more advanced than anything in the States or Canada.
The course is not necessarily to create fluent speakers, as it is to nurture
a fuller understanding of the indigenous *thinking ways *of Maori people
for those who choose to live on Maori islands...Aotearoa.

It's Native American Awareness Month here in Oklahoma,
and we are busy in the public school giving CRAM/CRASH courses
(in 40 to 20 minute sessions!) on our own different tribal heritages.
like giving each student a half kernel of wild rice and asking them how it
tastes.

Ok..., sure, it's a beginning, after years of suppression and stereotype
but its only creating a wonderful NDN classroom shelf that might be
left pretty much bare for the rest of the year for many schools
who do not offer or require Native Studies as part of the curriculum.

ske:noh
Richard Zane Smith






On Sun, Nov 21, 2010 at 7:36 PM, Peter J Keegan <pjkeeganwh at xtra.co.nz>wrote:

>  I know the teacher that has been hired to teach in that school. He has
> spent many years in Maori-medium schools, I think his partner still teaches
> in a Maori-medium school.
> Perhaps one day he may return to a Maori-medium school or continue his
> contribution to Maori-medium education in some way.
>
> Peter J Keegan
>
> On 19/11/2010 9:36 a.m., Keola Donaghy wrote:
>
> Aloha kākou, I thought that the timing of this article was interesting
> given our previous discussion:
>
>  "Te reo Maori is finding a home in one of the country's most prestigious
> schools. Earlier this year, exclusive Auckland private school King's
> College made te reo Maori a compulsory subject for all Year Nine students."
>
>  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10685323
>
>  Keola
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  On 2010 ʻOk. 26, at 16:57, Peter J Keegan wrote:
>
>  Aloha Keola,
>
> Personally, I also find calls for compulsory language instruction somewhat
> difficult to understand. New Zealand in recent decades did have compulsory
> language in many high schools, no guesses as to what happened. In the case
> of Maori, making Maori compulsory would have a negative effect on the
> Maori-medium education sector, which would lose Maori teachers to English
> medium schools that would offer better working conditions.
>
> Given the state of the New Zealand economy, and a government cutting back
> on education spending, the compulsory teaching of Maori is unlikely to make
> the discussion table.
>
> A hui hou (Pepeluali)
>
> Peter J Keegan
>
> (Auckland, NZ/Tamaki Makaurau, Aotearoa)
>
> On 27/10/2010 9:39 a.m., Keola Donaghy wrote:
>
> Interesting. Regarding his statement "People argued that making it
> compulsory would turn children off, but that theory had never been tested" -
> Prof. Reedy obviously hasn't spoken to anyone regarding compulsory Irish.
>
>  Keola
>
>   On 2010 ʻOk. 26, at 10:27, Phillip E Cash Cash wrote:
>
>  Hui looks at saving language
>
> Laurel Stowell | 27th October 2010
>
> Maori language ought to be compulsory in New Zealand schools, says
> Professor Tamati Reedy. That's his personal opinion. And those
> attending a series of hui on the future of the language are saying
> people ought to value it at least as highly as the country's native
> birds and plants.
>
> Access full article below:
>
> http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/local/news/hui-looks-at-saving-language/3927758/
>
>
>
>
>  ========================================================================
> Keola Donaghy
> Assistant Professor of Hawaiian Studies
> Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikolani             keola at leoki.uhh.hawaii.edu
> University of Hawai'i at Hilo           http://www2.hawaii.edu/~donaghy/<http://www2.hawaii.edu/%7Edonaghy/>
>
>  "Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam."  (Irish Gaelic saying)
> A country without its language is a country without its soul.
> ========================================================================
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> regards,
>
> Peter J Keegan
>
>
>
>
>
>  ========================================================================
> Keola Donaghy
> Assistant Professor of Hawaiian Studies
> Ka Haka 'Ula O Ke'elikolani             keola at leoki.uhh.hawaii.edu
> University of Hawai'i at Hilo           http://www2.hawaii.edu/~donaghy/<http://www2.hawaii.edu/%7Edonaghy/>
>
>  "Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam."  (Irish Gaelic saying)
> A country without its language is a country without its soul.
> ========================================================================
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> regards,
>
> Peter J Keegan
>
>
>


-- 
*

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

- Frederick Douglass
*
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