Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui - Hayden Priest

School: Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui

Host: Ian Ruru, Mahaki Iwi Trust 

Region: Turanganui-a-Kiwa/Gisborne

“Ahakoa ko wai koe ka taea e koe, ahakoa nō hea koe he uri koe nā Māui.”

“No matter who you are you can accomplish anything, no matter where you are from, you derive from Maui.”

This proverbial saying expressed in Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui, which it has an inspirational effect on students and staff as it reminds them of the huge feats they can overcome in life, similar to Maui who overcame the phenomenal challenges that stood before him in his time.

E rewa ake ana te ihi me te wana o ēnei kupu i roto i a Hayden, he tauira ia e kōkiri ana i tana tau tuatahi i te kōhi nei e kī ana ko te Student Teaching Leadership Programme (STLP). Ko tana whakapae, mā te urunga ki tēnei kōhi, ka arahina pai ia, kia riro i a ia ngā hua me ngā pūkenga hei tautoko i tana tūnga kaiako pūtaiao i rō kura, nā reira ko te tirohanga whānui o tōna kura he whanake he whakakaha hoki i te āhuatanga ako o te pūtaiao ki ngā tauira katoa, me te whakamahi rautaki kia mau, kia ito ai ngā tauira nei ki ngā akoranga. Mā te hāpai i te kaupapa nei ka whai wāhi a Hayden ki te ruku ki te whakaū i a ia ki te puku o te mahi pūtaiao kia whai wheako ia i raro i te ringa ārahi o ngā mātanga pūtaiao, ā, ka mutu ka whakahoki atu i ana mōhiotanga ki tōna kura, kia mārama pai me aha rātou kia tutuki pai ai te whainga whānui o tō rātou  ake kura. Ko tētahi painga anō ko te whanaungatanga pai o ngā mahi a te kōhi nei ki ngā hiahia o te kura.

E rima tau te roanga o Hayden e whakaako ana ki rō kura tuatahi, ā, he maha ngā tūmomo tauira kua whakaakona e ia mai i ngā marau, ngā taumata, me ngā hononga ahurea rerekē. He tangata pūrangiaho ia ki te reo Māori, ngā kawa me ngā tikanga. Ā, waihoki, e tino kai ngākau nui ana ia ki te Pūtaiao. Ko ētahi o ōna whakatutukinga i roto i ngā tau mō tēnei kaupapa, ko te whai tohu mō te uru atu hei tauira i te Sir Paul Callaghan Alumni science academy, I whai tohu hoki ia i roto kōhi mō te whakatipu i ngā tini a Tangaroa, arā, te Aquaculture. Hei tāpiri atu i riro i a ia tōna tohu Kairuku arā te PADI open water diver.

Mō te nohonga ā-kura kua piri tahi a Hayden ki te tīma rangahau o te Māhaki Iwi trust i raro i te ringa arahi o Ian Ruru, he aromatawai, he whakarauora i te mauri o ngā wai tīpuna te aronga o te mahi. Ka whakawhanake anō nei te māramatanga o Hayden ki te taputapu, te taonga nei ko te mauri.compass he taputapu tēnei i waihangatia e Ian kia mōhio te tangata me pēhea te aromatawai i te mauri o ngā wai, kia kite ai he aha hoki he rongoa hei whakaora i te mauri nei. Nā reira ka ako hoki a Hayden me pēhea te whakahaere i taua rauemi.  Hei āpitihanga, ka rukuhia e ia ngā kōrero tawhito a te māori, ngā tikanga, ngā mahinga kai, ā, tae ki ngā pūnaha o te mātauranga māori hoki mō ngā awa, ngā roto, ngā moana. Ko ngā raraunga ka tōpu atu ki te kamupehe Mauri kia mārama pai ngā kitenga. He maha atu anō ngā mahi whakamātau wai arā, te whakamātautau i ngā rauropi Tuna, te ine i te pH, te pāmahana o te wai, te hāora i te wai, ērā mea katoa. E ai ki a ia ko ēnei pūkenga ka mau i a ia mō āke tonu,

I te mutunga o te nōhanga a kura nei, ka whakahokia a Hayden i ngā pūkenga ki te kura, ki te akomanga whakamahi ai ki reira. kia pūawai ake te Kaupapa whānui nei o te pūtaiao ki roto hoki i tōna kura, hei oranga mō rātou me te hāpori whānui, tau hoki ki te Taiao, te Āo tūroa.

E ai ki a Hayden, nōnā te maringa nui kua whai wāhi ia ki tēnei kōhi whakahirahira, ā, e mōhio ana hoki ia ka tino kounga ngā pūkenga ka akona e ia, me ngā wheako ka riro. I te kōhi nei o te STLP.  

Drawing from this inspiration, Hayden a first year participant teacher in the Science Teaching Leadership Programme (STLP), is certain that through his involvement he will obtain positive leadership and guidance. This will be beneficial in equipping him with the appropriate skills to support him to drive the vision and teaching of science in his school. The wider picture of his school is to develop and enhance the effectiveness of the teaching of science while engaging all of its students. Hayden’s participation in the programme provides the opportunity to gain the experience first hand, in the field under the guidance of science professionals. This will enable the vision of the school to be realised and become attainable. The science contexts of the school and wider school community parallel the areas of study that Hayden is immersing himself within the programme, and supports the focus of mātauranga māori aspects of the learning and teaching.

Hayden has 5 years primary and intermediate teaching experience. During this time he has taught students from a wide range of subjects, year levels, and cultural backgrounds. He has an in-depth understanding of the Māori Language, Māori customs and culture, and is passionate about pūtaiao science. He has also completed courses such as the Sir Paul Callaghan Alumni science academy course and has two aquaculture national certificates levels 3 in the seafood strand and abalone farming. Hayden also has a background in Diving and is a PADI certified open water diver.

Hayden has been hosted by Ian Ruru of the Mahaki Trust Iwi Research Team, and has been involved in a wide range of activities including, participating in environmental programmes, attending council and DHB meetings, historical site excursions and field trips, water testing and monitoring, and fish stock monitoring. He has also taken part in the implementation of The Mauri Compass, an innovative tool and framework used to assess the decline in the mauri or life-force of rivers and other water bodies.

The Mauri compass is used to analyse holistically gathered data pertinent to the rivers past and present state, which then helps to gauge and inform community groups of remedial actions needed to restore the mauri of that river or waterbody.

Hayden's placement experience has enriched his scientific knowledge base, and he knows it will enable him the confidence and skills to teach and lead science effectively on his return to school. One highlight for Hayden was his participation in an out of town science excursion, where he and his host attended a programme based on valuing indigenous tribal culture and their relationship with the natural world. This programme enabled him the opportunity to make deeper connections to the environment, by allowing the wisdom and truth of our natural environment to interact with him, immersing him in the surroundings of nature and providing him with an experiential learning opportunity. This, he believes, is a vital factor that has helped immensely in raising his awareness on the traditional practices and processes of kaitiakitanga conservation, or stewardship of the environment.

The Science Teaching Leadership Programme has been an amazing opportunity for Hayden in terms of his professional learning and development. He has developed an understanding of how he can improve his leadership skills, and has identified his strengths and ways on how he can use these qualities to support his role in becoming an effective leader. He has learned a great deal of information and knowledge that he is sure will be beneficial to him in further fostering and building his ability to lead.

He is looking forward to returning to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui to use his new knowledge and skills to support the development of the science curriculum.

He would like to acknowledge Ian Ruru and the Mahaki Trust team, as well as his school TKKM o NUAM and the Royal Society Te Apārangi for their support and investment in him.