Standard 1 is at the heart of all teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand. It requires teachers to understand and honour the obligations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, reflected in every aspect of professional practice — from curriculum design to relationships with ākonga, whānau, and hapū.
Volume: Cylinders, Pyramids & Compound Shapes
Opens with whakatauki, progresses through animated geometry, scaffolded worked examples, a common-mistakes analysis, and a chilli-level exit ticket (Medium → Spicy → Extra Hot). Fully interactive — keyboard and click navigation.
A formal peer observation (Kaitautoko: Kevin Hoy) rated my practice against the Hikairo Schema's Cultural Responsiveness domain. Huataki (deliberate, positive beginnings), Ihi (high expectations, warm-demander tone), and consistent supportive language were all rated A — evidence noted included greeting learners individually and connecting with those arriving late. Whanaungatanga was rated B, with a recommendation to circulate and connect at learner level earlier in the lesson.
Full observation on Standard 4.
Tukutuku — Geometry of Pattern
Opens with the whakatauki "Ka mua, ka muri." Uses tukutuku panels (poutama, kaokao, niho taniwha, roimata toroa) as the context for learning lines of symmetry, rotational symmetry, and the three transformation types. Includes a design challenge asking students to create their own tukutuku-inspired pattern using mathematical transformations.
Wharenui — Measurement & Scale
Uses the structure of a wharenui as the context for perimeter, area of composite shapes, scale drawings, and rafter length via Pythagoras. Opens with "He whare tāngata, he whare kōrero." The Codebreaker task asks students to optimise a wharenui design for a given floor area, finding which dimensions minimise roofing material.
Waka Hourua — Bearings & Navigation
Uses waka hourua Pacific navigation as the context for three-figure bearings, back bearings, and bearing + distance problems. Opens with "Whāia te iti kahurāngi..." The Codebreaker models a real navigation scenario where drift across a multi-day voyage must be corrected — requiring students to generalise a formula for bearing error.
A formal check-in observation recorded a student saying "Mr Gee knows me." — genuine relationship with each ākonga as a person, not just as a maths student, is part of how I try to honour partnership day to day, alongside the more visible te reo and tikanga practices above. Full observation on Standard 4.
- How does my teaching reflect the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
- In what ways is te reo Māori present and valued in my classroom?
- How do I build genuine relationships with whānau Māori to support ākonga?
- What am I still learning about tikanga Māori and how does that shape my practice?
Opening with a Mihi — and why it matters in a maths classroom
At the start of my first lesson with each class I open with a mihi: "Tēnā koutou katoa. Ko Ewan Gee tōku ingoa. Ko kaiako pāngarau ahau. Nō Ōtautahi ahau." I then invite ākonga to respond or share their own mihimihi if they choose. This establishes the tone from day one.
Initially I was nervous — te reo Māori is not my first language and I was aware I might make mistakes. I made that transparency visible to the class, and what happened surprised me: several ākonga helped me with my pronunciation, and one student — who rarely speaks in class — confidently offered their own mihi unprompted. That moment made clear that this practice was doing something beyond language alone. It created space for ākonga to be seen in their full identity, not just as mathematics learners.
The whakatauki used to open my cylinder lesson — "Tē tōia, tē haumatia" — was chosen because it genuinely connected to the mathematics. Students are not accustomed to maths lessons beginning with te ao Māori perspectives. The whakatauki created a brief, meaningful pause before the learning began, and several ākonga referred back to it during the lesson when describing their method. That felt significant and worth repeating.
What I am still developing: my te reo is limited and I rely on the same few phrases. I want to expand this and have enrolled in a beginner te reo evening class this term. I am also conscious that using te reo Māori without genuinely engaging with tikanga Māori more broadly would be superficial — so this remains an area of active, honest growth for me.