Ngaa Kaahui Whetuu - Ngaa Kaiako

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Ko Te Amorangi ki mua

Ko Te Haapai Oo ki muri

Ko te ira whaanau ngaa kaihoe i teenei waka o ngaa hau e wha

Ko au to pouako, te kaihautu, te Matariki

Nei ko Ngaa Kaahui Whetuu

Turou Hawaiki!

A translation of our whakatauki through a student’s eyes:

Te Amorangi are the leaders; directing the waka; keeping Ngaa Kaahui Whetuu tuturu ki te kaupapa,

Te Haapai Oo are the kaihoe, the workers that uplift from behind and support the kaupapa,

This waka has travelled far and wide to receive kaihoe from all 4 winds.

I am the learner as well as the teacher, the leader, the guiding star,

This is Ngaa Kaahui Whetuu; The Clusters of Stars.

Return to me the gifts, the talents, the knowledge of our tuupuna from Hawaiiki!

Arie Dargaville

Ngaa Kaahui Whetuu - The Clusters of Stars

Dual Language Medium

It is hard for those of us who are monolingual to understand the benefits of bi and multilingualism. Research has been with us for decades highlighting the increased brain agility and nimbleness as well as the ability to better think outside the square, have superior problem solving skills and being able to develop areas of the brain that extend us in ways we mere monos cannot imagine.

One of Thames South’s recent developments includes the dual language unit called Ngaa Kaahui Whetuu which is about to start its tenth year with very able kaiako; Whaea Tineka Rhind, Whaea Jacky Armstrong and Whaea Janna.

Here students enter the unit aged 8 after having three years in the infants focusing on advancing their learning in their first language, English. The kaiako work their magic from there, delivering between 50 per cent to 80 per cent of the day in the target language and extending them in who they are as New Zealanders, their knowledge of Tikanga and kapa haka as well as all the other areas of the curriculum.