Haerenga (Journeys)

Haerenga (Journeys)

Haerenga provide rich opportunities for teaching and learning. They support a place-responsive approach, allowing ākonga to explore history, culture, community, and the environment while fostering meaningful connections with the places they travel through. Haerenga can be designed to be simple and low-cost, making use of local and readily available resources. They also offer ākonga the opportunity to be actively involved in the design process, enhancing their engagement and learning experience.

Planning a Haerenga

Here are some considerations that could assist you when planning a haerenga for your students. This resource is not intended to be prescriptive, and some aspects may not be relevant to your school and/or community. 

Haerenga Stories

Discover some of the haerenga (journeys) taking place in schools across Aotearoa. Five generous kaiako have shared their experiences with us, explaining how they integrate haerenga into their teaching and learning programmes - from early childhood education through to senior Outdoor Education courses. Each interview is between 10 and 20 minutes long, so take the time to explore these inspiring stories and ideas.

Jane Townsend – Nayland College

Jane shares information about a project she led a secondary school, enhancing the hauora of ākonga through culturally sustaining and place responsive pedagogies. 

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Connecting to place through te ao Māori

Context: Local curriculum, Te ao Māori

Type: Case study, Course design, Planning tool

Description: Video of Jane Townsend from Nayland College, exploring place connection through te ao Māori and haerenga.

Michelle Mathews – Otago Girls High School

Michelle shares the story of their haerenga that is based straight out of the school gate exploring and connecting with their local places and weaving in mātauranga Māori. It's a haerenga that is growing and developing every year as Michelle deepens her own knowledge around mātauranga Māori. 

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Otago Girls Senior Outdoor Education

Context: Local curriculum, Te ao Māori

Type: Case study, Course design, Planning tool

Description: Video of Michelle Mathews from Otago Girls, who leads the senior Outdoor Education haerenga experience.

Jarrod Clarke – Mt Maunganui College

Jarrod shares with us the story of their haerenga, and the changes they are looking at for 2022 to follow the path Mauao (Mt Maunagnui) took to get from the Hautere Forest to where he rests today. Jarrod also gives some advice on how to incorporate mātauranga Māori into a haerenga. 

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Mt Maunganui College

Context: Local curriculum, Te ao Māori

Type: Case study, Course design, Planning tool

Description: Video of Jarrod Clarke from Mt Maunganui College discussing senior Outdoor Education haerenga.

Gayle Croft – Tiaki Early Learning Centre

Tiaki Early Learning Centre has a vision to 'Walk Softly on the Earth'. They truly walk the walk with this vision and it is at the forefront of everything they do. Gayle (owner and kaiako) shares with us how they use pūrākau (Māori legends) as a vehicle for their learning and planning. By exploring pūrākau and visiting significant local places, the tamariki at Tiaki develop a connection to these places and understand their importance. Listen to the story of these tamariki following the footsteps of Ihenga, the great Te Arawa explorer. 

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Tiaki ELC - Learning through pūrākau

Context: Local curriculum, Te ao Māori

Type: Case study, Course design, Planning tool

Description: Video of Gayle Croft from Tiaki ELC, exploring learning and connection through pūrākau and haerenga.

Derrick Newton – Kristen School

Derrick shares about the Yr 9 Outdoor Education 'Less is More' haerenga based on the doorstep of Kristen School. He gives some tips for creating scavenger hunts using technology and tells us about the ins and outs of running an awesome camp within the school grounds.

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Kristen School, Yr 9 'Less is More' course design

Context: Local curriculum, Te ao Māori

Type: Case study, Course design, Planning tool

Description: Video of Derrick Newton from Kristen School, showcasing the Year 9 "Less is More" program.