Creative ID: 233
Available throughout the North Island.
My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)
My teaching and research is situated in the context of investigating the role that arts education plays in deepening understanding of the intangible components of embodied knowing as it manifests as ‘being.’ The research is situated in Māori and indigenous perspectives that regards knowledge as a holistic mind, body, and soul phenomena. I have presented at national and international conferences and published with national and international scholars in an endeavor to transform current educational philosophy and pedagogy that focus on outcomes, economy and linear skill based learning and pay little attention to the beings. As the National Coordinator Nga Toi, I designed and implemented a MoE professional development contract based on the implementation of the Māori arts curriculum in Māori immersion schooling throughout New Zealand.
My track record of experience and success - or the track record of experience and success of the creative or artist that I will partner with
I have worked in area of the Māori arts in Education for the past 20 years. The roles I have facilitated in this area include classroom teaching in both Māori and English medium settings; workshops and conference presentations for teachers; teaching teacher trainee students in both Māori and English medium settings and presenting research to audiences constituting of predominantly university lecturers and classroom teachers. My research (Masters and PhD) investigated the role that arts education plays in deepening understanding of the intangible components of embodied knowing as it manifests as ‘being.
I have been responsible for the (collaborative) design and implementation of whole school community performances usually focused on a Maori story from the local Iwi or rohe (place-based). Some of the projects have had a research component running alongside them. I have completed a Dip Teach, MEd in Education and has a current Certificate in Teaching.
Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes
I have been a teacher in both English in Māori medium settings. Over the last two decades I have presented numerous Māori arts-based workshops to teachers and educators throughout New Zealand. For English-medium educators the workshops have mostly been based on supporting teachers to use the Māori arts as a vehicle to be culturally responsive to Māori students. In Māori immersion settings the workshops are mostly based on expanding the diversity of contexts in which Māori performing arts may look and occur. I am presently teaching in the Māori performing arts with students from 5 year old to 18 year old.
Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice
The Māori arts are embedded in the aesthetic dimensions of te wairua (spirituality), te mana (respect), te ihi (essential force), te wana (authority), te wehi (awe) and te mauri (life force). These dimensions allow the space for full self-expression within the arts.
In terms of being a reflective arts practitioner, I am on-goingly interested in the space that allows these aesthetic dimensions to come forth. Do we (as teachers) recognise these dimensions and provide the space for them to come forth? Arts is not only about developing the knowledge and skills necessary to do the art but also about the accessing these aesthetic dimensions. I am also interested in the intersection between the arts and culturally responsive practice.
I adhere that culturally responsive practice is best taught as an embodied phenomena and the arts are a vehicle that allows for the embodiment of concepts. Where learning about being culturally responsive it is not so much about what we know but more about who we are being. I have the experience to be able to support teachers to be practitioners who are able to embrace and teach to the ideas.