HE KUPU RUARUA
From bushmen to educators
Nä Puawai Swindells-Wallace
P
Nä Puawai Swindells-Wallace te whakaahua
apatoa kaiako, who spend most of their time in the forests with tauira, are taking their teaching to a higher level by introducing literacy and numeracy learning into their programmes. Adam Wharehinga, who has taught cable logging for Te Wänanga o Aotearoa for the past six years, says that the Learning Progressions Framework (called He Whakapahuhu Kahukura) made him realise how important it is that kaiako help their tauira develop better reading, writing and mathematics skills. “At first we weren’t sure what we were getting into,” Adam says. But the kaiako soon realised the value of the skills. “We’re not just bushman teaching others how to work in the bush - we’re much more than that.” Adam is striving to help tauira appreciate the value of literacy and numeracy. He says many of his tauira have “failed” in the school system and have had negative or no experience with written assessments. “We have a responsibility to ensure that when tauira sit down to complete their unit standards they understand what it is we are asking them to do,” Adam says. Papatoa kaiako are now boosting the confidence of their tauira and encouraging them to embrace education at all levels. Adam says he can relate to his tauira, many of whom have grown up without a strong, male role model. And it helps that he’s had 15 years in the bush as well as six years in the armed forces. Papatoa graduate Adrian Chambers, who is taught by Adam and now has a National
Back row left to right: Papatoa tauira Maata Mahauariki, Shane Edwards, Jeremiah Boyce, Joshua Boyce, Norwaven Waru, Adrian Chambers, Tua Hekenui. Front: Kaiako Adam Wharehinga.
Certificate in Cable Logging (Level 3), is grateful for Adam’s approach. “He’s the best teacher I’ve ever had,” Adrian says. In February this year, Te Wänanga o Aotearoa hosted an adult literacy and numeracy symposium called Te Pae Ako – Supporting Tauira Learning Journeys towards Distant Horizons. Adam and Terry Barber, another Papatoa kaiako, were asked to speak at the conference. Adam says it was an opportunity to explain the Papatoa programme and the different needs of their tauira. One hundred and twenty kaimahi from Te Wänanga o Aotearoa received specialised adult literacy and numeracy education training last year. The Papatoa kaiako were the first to be assessed towards the National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education (Vocational) as part of this training.
Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education training continues This year, about 80 kaiako will receive adult literacy and numeracy education training through He Whakapahuhu Kahukura. This training will teach kaiako how to weave literacy and numeracy into their teaching practice to increase the skills of their tauira while enrolled on level 1-3 vocational programmes. Literacy encompasses reading, writing, speaking and listening, while numeracy covers making sense of numbers to solve problems, measuring and interpreting shape and space and statistics. More than 200 kaimahi will have completed this training by next year.
HE KUPU RUARUA
HÓTOKE Winter 2011
KA MÍHARO
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