Parents eager to learn te reo

Tyson Ashby, from Hikurangi School, is one of the students in the kura’s total Maori immersion classroom — the students in the class have inspired their parents to pick up te reo Maori. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Parents of students at a Northland school are being inspired by their tamariki to learn te reo Maori.

When Hikurangi School's first total Maori immersion classroom opened in February some students could not speak a word of te reo but after spending five months learning in an environment where only te reo Maori is spoken, they are bringing the language into their homes.

Maori Language Week

"It's been a lot of hard work but the pay off has been great. Last term we had a hui for our whanau just so they could see their tamariki's progress and they were so proud," said teacher Terynne Mills-Barber.

"They couldn't believe their children had the confidence to stand in front of a whole heap of people and deliver their pepeha and waiata."

After seeing their children confidently speak te reo Maori, Ms Mills-Barber said parents were eager to learn the language so they could speak to their children at home.

"They want to learn now because their children are overtaking them. They ask 'what can we learn at home so we can korero Maori?' so I send them home bits of conversational pieces they can say," said Ms Mills-Barber.

This week is Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori and the theme is Whangaihia te reo Maori ki nga matua - encouraging the language development of parents who can pass te reo Maori to their children. Ms Mills-Barber said with only two of the students in the class from Maori-speaking homes it was often the tamariki passing the language to the parents but said the kaupapa was important.

"They need that support from home, if they see their parents speaking it they will know they value it. There's a big buy in - all the kids' parents turned up to the hui we held."

Ms Mills-Barber said the students had progressed well.

"Their confidence has grown. Some of them had behaviour management issues in other classes but with their tikanga they've developed some respect and leadership they might not have participated in class last year but with tikanga they want to get up and lead everything."

Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori runs until Sunday.