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Snapshot 6: Mel’s story

Two of the writers of this guide wrote this story to illustrate how crucially important it is to validate the identity, culture, values, beliefs, stories, and experiences of our students. We share it with their permission.

Mel’s story

Imagine a girl named Mel. She is six years old. She is in Mr Smith’s class. Every day she comes to school, excited about the new things that she will share and experience. While every day she brings her lunch, she also brings with her a kete. Her kete is full to the brim with her knowings, her values, her beliefs, her whakapapa, her stories, her languages, her culture and her wairua. Every day her kete sits next to her – untouched.

Time passes. Mel is thirteen. Her kete is much bigger now. It is even more full with her knowings, her values, her beliefs, her whakapapa, her stories, her languages, her culture and her wairua. Every day it sits under her desk – untouched. Mel wonders why her kete doesn’t belong in the classroom.

Whakataukī

Nau te rourou naku te rourou ka ora ai te iwi

With your food basket and with my food basket the people will be fed

How do we live out this whakataukī as we work with our students?

EVERYTHING we do in the classroom either validates or undermines our students’ growing sense of identity.

Last updated July 17, 2012



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