Te Ao Māori

At Ōpoutere School, we are deeply committed to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi by weaving its principles and the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa into our everyday school life. Our local curriculum acknowledges the Treaty's principles, ensuring all students have the opportunity to learn te reo Māori me ōna tikanga (the Māori language and its customs).
Our approach is guided by a culturally responsive and relational pedagogy. We create learning environments where power is shared between teachers and students, where culture is celebrated, and where learning is interactive and discussion-based. We aim to connect new learning to our students’ prior knowledge and cultural experiences. This is based on core principles:
Whanaungatanga: Building relationships of care and connection.
Kotahitanga: Sharing power and ensuring learners have equity and self-determination.
Whakapapa: Valuing culture and using students’ understanding as a basis for their identity and learning.
Ako: Making sense of the world through dialogue and interaction.

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Te Reo Māori
We believe students gain proficiency in Te Reo Māori when they are actively engaged in the language through authentic, meaningful contexts. At Ōpoutere School, this includes:
Kapa Haka: Learning through song, dance, and performance.
Adventure Learning: Using our outdoor environment to integrate language.
Kaitiaki Crew: Our environmental group uses Te Reo vocabulary and phrases.
Classroom Contexts: Te Reo is a natural part of daily lessons.
Kaiawhina Support: A dedicated staff member supports Te Reo learning in each classroom.
 

Kapa Haka
Kapa Haka is a fundamental and valued part of our curriculum. It helps our students, particularly Māori students, strengthen their links with their iwi, hapu, and whānau. This art form provides a unique way for students to express themselves and take pride in their culture and identity. Kapa Haka also fosters a sense of pride in our school, encourages whānau participation, and builds a strong sense of community.
We have two dedicated groups:
Tāne Mahuta: For our confident and disciplined students aged 8-13 who are passionate about learning Māori culture through performance.
Pūawai: For our youngest learners aged 5-7, who learn basic waiata and actions.
Our groups perform at several community festivals throughout the year, including the Coromandel Cultural Festival and Matariki Community Festival, and they compete at the Hauraki Festival every two years. Through these performances, we aim to grow pride in our students' personal identity, our school, and Māori culture, while developing their confidence and sense of belonging.