Leaving Footprints

Overview

In this 45-minute session, Year 8 students explore the concept of kaitiakitanga, reflecting on their roles as leaders and caretakers of people and the environment. This lesson emphasises leadership beyond titles, highlighting responsibility, stewardship, and the impact of actions on the community and nature. Activities are designed to develop students’ understanding of their influence and encourage them to embody positive leadership through care and guardianship.

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Alignment to The New Zealand Curriculum

Learning Area: Health and Physical Education (HPE)

• Key Competencies:

• Managing Self: Students learn to take responsibility for their actions and behaviour as leaders and kaitiaki.

• Participating and Contributing: Encouraging students to actively engage with their community and environment as responsible leaders.

• Achievement Objectives (Year 7 and 8):

• Personal and Community Health:

• Understand how personal identity, including leadership roles, influences self and others’ well-being.

• Recognise strategies to support the wellbeing of others and the environment through responsible behaviours.

• Healthy Communities and Environments:

• Explore how people take action to care for their environment and others.

• Develop understanding of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) as a cultural concept and leadership practice without formal titles.

Curriculum Principles:

• Cultural diversity: Inclusion of tikanga Māori concepts such as kaitiakitanga supports identity and belonging.
• Coherence: Builds on prior lessons about preparation and leadership.
• Future focus: Developing leadership for sustainable future wellbeing.

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Describe what kaitiakitanga means as a form of leadership and responsibility beyond formal titles.
2. Reflect on their own impact as leaders and caretakers in school, community, or nature settings.
3. Identify actions they can take to support others and the environment through responsible leadership.

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up and Introduction (5 minutes)

• Activity: Quick group brainstorm—What does it mean to leave a "footprint" as a leader and caretaker?
• Capture responses on a whiteboard or chart paper.
• Teacher: Introduce the concept of kaitiakitanga — guardianship, especially as it relates to leadership and protecting the environment and people. Highlight leadership without needing titles.

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2. Exploring Kaitiakitanga Through Storytelling (10 minutes)

• Activity: Share a short, age-appropriate Māori story or parable about kaitiakitanga and leadership (could use a local iwi story or generic example).
• Pause for Discussion:
• What does the story teach about responsibility for others and nature?
• How do the characters show leadership?
• How is kaitiakitanga different from just being “in charge”?
• This connects with the Health Curriculum’s emphasis on cultural perspectives and community wellbeing.

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3. Group Reflection and Role Play (15 minutes)

• Setup: Students break into small groups (4–5 per group).
• Prompt: Think of a time when you or someone you know showed leadership by caring for others or the environment, without being the "boss."
• Task:
• Groups create a short role-play or scenario showing this type of leadership and responsibility through kaitiakitanga.
• Encourage focusing on actions and attitudes rather than titles or formal roles.
• Share: Each group performs their role-play or shares their reflections (2–3 groups).

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4. Personal Reflection and Commitment (10 minutes)

• Activity: Individual written reflection—students answer these prompts:
• What footprint do I want to leave on my community or environment?
• What leadership actions can I take this week to show kaitiakitanga?
• How will I help others feel cared for and supported?
• Encourage students to use Māori and English words for leadership, stewardship, and responsibility where they can.

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5. Closing and Whanaungatanga Circle (5 minutes)

• Form a circle for sharing one commitment or insight.
• Teacher reinforces that leadership is about caring and protecting, not just titles.
• End with a simple karakia or affirmation to honour their commitment to kaitiakitanga.

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Resources Needed

• Whiteboard or large paper and markers
• Printed or digital version of kaitiakitanga story/parables
• Paper and pens for reflections

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Assessment and Evidence of Learning

• Observation of student contributions in group discussions and role-plays demonstrating understanding of kaitiakitanga and leadership without title.
• Review of written reflections showing personal connection and meaningful commitments to responsible leadership.
• Informal oral sharing during whanaungatanga circle emphasizes key lesson messages and personal growth.

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Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters for reflective writing to support diverse learners.
• Foster peer support during group activities.
• Use bilingual vocabulary to support English language learners and build cultural knowledge.

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This lesson plan harnesses the cultural concept of kaitiakitanga to develop Year 8 students' understanding of leadership, responsibility, and impact aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum's Health and Physical Education learning area, focusing on personal and community wellbeing through stewardship and active participation.