Kaitiakitanga is guardianship of the land, air, and sea. Being a kaitiaki or guardian is a key value in early childhood education and an important part of an early childhood curriculum.
Chanel and her team at Country Kids draw on the concept of turangawaewae (their ‘place to stand’) to engage children to be kaitiaki of their place. They describe how weaving this value into their curriculum provides children with opportunities to explore and appreciate their natural environment. Their care of a worm farm is a powerful example of this. The teachers describe how caring for and maintaining this resource enables children to engage in science and learn how to protect and nurture their place.
A glossary of the te reo Māori terms can be found below the video.
Glossary
Kaitiakitanga: guardianship and protection
Kaupapa: a principle or policy
Papatūānuku: the land, Mother Earth
Turangawaewae: a place where one has the right to stand
