Principle 3:

Aromatawai is focused on teacher competence and confidence.

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The Way I Will Implement This Principle In The Classroom:

As a teacher I need to have an understanding of my own identity and the importance and responsibility of my role as a teacher. To be knowledgeable, kind and helpful but also to make sure I set boundaries and am organised in my personal life so I have energy to teach competently and with confidence. I will teach and "show [Māori learners] how to learn" (Education Council, 2011) by learning myself, modelling, and through personal growth in and outside of the classroom. I will also show that I "enjoy learning from [them] too" (Education Council, 2011).

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An Example of How I Implemented Principle 3:

For one lesson I taught, in preparation to teach the lesson on 'Trying', I also answered the questions myself, that I later asked the ākonga in class in order to do some self-reflection and positive thinking. 

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The questions in my 'Trying' Lesson Plan were: 

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'Think of an event in your life that upset you very much for a while but ultimately stopped bothering you?" quote from Martha Beck

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1. What have you learned from that situation?

2. What are some positives that have come from that situation?

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Principle 4:

Aromatawai is focused on teacher inclinations and dispositions.

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The Way I Will Implement This Principle In The Classroom:

As a teacher I need to make sure I have a fair and consistent approach. I will do my best to be aware of the situations and relationships in the classroom and to respond with fairness and consistency. I will [tell ākonga] that we are both responsible for how well [they] do – we both get to celebrate when [they] do well, or have to try harder if [they] don’t!" (Education Council, 2011).

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An Example of How I Implemented Principle 4:

I bumped into an ākonga who is Māori in between classes, she and I have been developing a connection in one of the Year 11 Art classes. In Week 1, she confided in me, sharing that she had some choices to make or she might be suspended from School, she was on a ‘Yellow Card’ to help to keep her on track. I encouraged her and genuinely expressed how she was doing well in the Art Classes. When I saw her in the corridor during Week 2 she said happily that she had been taken off a Yellow Card. I was so happy for her, we hugged in the corridor.

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Principle 5:

Aromatawai is authentic.

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The Way I Will Implement This Principle In The Classroom:

As a teacher I will be genuine and authentic in my approaches and will "[let the student] and [their] peers know when [they're] doing well" (Education Council, 2011).

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An Example of How I Implemented Principle 5:

In my interactions with ākonga, I have been so impressed with how respectful and genuine they are when I reach out to make an authentic connection. 

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There is an ākonga who is Māori in one of the Year 11 Art classes (different from another Māori ākonga who I have mentioned above in Principle 7), she had been away and was behind in her work but when I had high expectations of her and asked if she wanted to work hard to catch up with the rest of the class she was enthusiastic and did a great job at putting in an honest effort to produce a good result. I was so proud of her, on my last day of Practicum 1A, I wouldn't see that class so I left a note on her papier mache alebrije creature with some encouraging words regarding the effort she put in over the past week or so. 

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Principle 6:

Aromatawai captures tamaiti, whānau, hapū, community voice.

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The Way I Will Implement This Principle In The Classroom:

As a teacher I will be genuinely interested in Māori tikanga and their whānau to develop the learner. I will "[know] what works for [akonga] and [their] learning" (Education Council, 2011).

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An Example of How I Implemented Principle 6:

On Practicum 1, the School has what they call a 'Waiata Wednesday' for staff. On the 1st May 2024, the first Wednesday of Practicum 1A, the kaiako at the School who is Māori addressed the morning staff meeting and asked, 'what is it you wish to do?' and 'what kind of waiata do you want?' for Waiata Wednesday's. He suggested that if anyone is interested in learning how to create a pepeha, they could do that. The Māori kaiako shared with the kaiako at the morning staff meeting, if you have a pepeha, they can take it wherever they go and share it where they feel a relationship or would like to build a relationship with that environment. He taught us all to say, 'kia pai tō rā | have a nice day'.

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On Wednesday 8 May 2024, Week 2 of Practicum 1A, at a morning Staff Briefing we all learnt the first part of a waiata in Māori – Te Ahu ā Tūranga, this was fun. I remember this waiata from when I was at Primary School.