He Wāhi Āhurutanga

Overview

Students explore āhurutanga as the feeling of safety, belonging, care and respect created by people, actions and places. They apply this understanding during a guided school walk, then work collaboratively to redesign a space or routine so it strengthens āhurutanga for everyone.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify what āhurutanga looks, sounds and feels like.
• WALT notice how people, actions and physical features create safe and welcoming spaces.
• WALT use te reo Māori to discuss manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and āhurutanga.
• WALT suggest a practical change that supports belonging and respect for others.

Success criteria

• I can explain āhurutanga in my own words.
• I can identify people, actions and features that make a space feel safe and welcoming.
• I can listen respectfully and build on my group’s ideas.
• I can design a realistic change that helps more people experience āhurutanga.

Curriculum links

• Te Reo Māori introduction: noticing how language varies and how values such as manaakitanga and whanaungatanga shape behaviour and relationships.
• Te Reo Māori introduction: connecting language learning with identity, culture and the Māori worldview.
• Te Reo Māori introduction: weaving cultural knowledge into everyday learning so te reo Māori is understood as a living expression of identity and connection.
• Learning area structure: recognising that learners bring different levels of prior knowledge and experience to te reo Māori.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–6 min · Whakatau and hook. Teacher welcomes students, introduces the learning intention and uses the opening question and āhurutanga image to ask, “He aha te āhurutanga? What helps a person feel safe, accepted and able to be themselves?” Students silently think, then share one idea with a partner before contributing words or phrases to a class web. Establish that āhurutanga can be experienced in a place, through an interaction or within a group; it is not simply “being comfortable” and may look different for different people.

2. 6–13 min · Build shared understanding. Teacher uses the teaching slides on āhurutanga to introduce the three noticing lenses: ngā tāngata (people), ngā mahi (actions) and ngā āhuatanga o te wāhi (features of a place). Model examples such as a person greeting others, an action that includes someone, clear expectations, accessible seating, calm voices and a space where people can ask for help. Students sort examples orally into the three lenses and practise sentence frames: “He āhurutanga tēnei nā te mea…” and “Ka rongo au i te haumaru ina…”.

3. 13–16 min · Prepare for the walk. Teacher explains the walking route, partners and boundaries, and reminds students not to photograph, name or judge people. Distribute the āhurutanga observation and redesign worksheet and display the observation instructions and safety reminders. Students form groups of three, assign observer, recorder and speaker roles, and agree to move quietly, respect learning spaces and return immediately when signalled.

4. 16–27 min · Observe around school. Teacher guides groups through agreed school areas, pausing at three or four locations such as the library, playground, office entrance or classroom doorway. At each stop, prompt: “Who or what contributes to āhurutanga here? What actions help? What could make this feel safer or more welcoming for someone else?” Students record specific observations on the worksheet, including people, actions and physical features; they may also record a place or interaction that does not yet feel inclusive, without identifying individuals.

5. 27–39 min · Redesign for everyone. Teacher returns to the group redesign task and criteria and assigns each group one observed space or routine. Students use their notes to create a simple poster on the worksheet or paper showing: the current situation, one or two changes, who the changes support, and a short statement beginning “Ka whakapakari tēnei i te āhurutanga nā te mea…”. Circulate to question feasibility and inclusion: “How would a new student, a disabled person or someone feeling whakamā experience this change?” Groups prepare a 30-second explanation.

6. 39–45 min · Share and reflect. Teacher invites several groups to present and uses the plenary prompts to compare ideas: “What patterns did we notice?” and “Which changes could we make this week?” Students complete the final reflection on the personal reflection and exit response, naming one action they can take to help create āhurutanga in the classroom or school. Close with a brief acknowledgement of the class’s respectful listening and shared responsibility.

Resources

• the āhurutanga learning deck
• the āhurutanga observation and redesign worksheet
• Clipboards or firm writing surfaces
• Pencils and coloured pencils
• A3 paper or poster paper
• Markers
• Pre-planned school walking route
• Visible timer or signal for returning to class

Assessment

• Listen during the opening discussion and sentence-frame practice for students’ developing understanding of āhurutanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.
• During the walk and group task, check whether students record specific evidence and distinguish people, actions and place features.
• Assess each redesign using the success criteria: clear connection to āhurutanga, respectful collaboration, realistic change and consideration of different learners. Use the exit response to identify next teaching steps.

Differentiation

• Provide the sentence frames, the three observation lenses and a word bank with terms such as haumaru (safe), manaaki (care for), whakauru (include) and whakaute (respect).
• Allow students to draw, dictate or use brief bilingual notes; pair learners who need language support with a supportive partner and pre-teach pronunciation without requiring public speaking.
• Offer a quiet observation role or an alternative familiar space for students who find the walk overwhelming, and ensure the route is physically accessible.
• Extend confident groups by asking them to consider possible unintended effects, gather another person’s viewpoint and propose how the change could be reviewed after one week.