Activity 7: My interdisciplinary connection map

After reading the Class Notes, create a blog post where you first draw a map which demonstrates your current and potential interdisciplinary connections. You can choose to create your map with a digital tool (for example: bubbl.us, coggle, popplet.com...) or draw with pen and paper and submit a picture to the portal.

Identify two of the potential connections from your map as your near future goal(s). Then critically discuss the benefits and challenges of working in a more interdisciplinary environment.

Goal 1: My passion is te reo māori and tikanga māori, I love to walk talk breathe tikanga and kaupapa māori. As a former student of my primary school I feel I need to bring and implement my knowledge to the next generation. So my goal is to feed our next generation in the language that I was taught at primary school. To uphold the strong traditions of our school culture and generate relationships and partnerships with wider whānau of our region.

Goal 2: My next goal is to consistently create innovative ways to stimulate my practice that best fits myself and my students. Introducing technology and Ipads to our classroom have proved to be successful, the ipads enhances learning activities and disciplines. Consistent reflection and readings will represent the avenue that will produce the outcome to stimulate my practice.

Critically discuss the benefits and challenges of working in a more interdisciplinary environment

Jacobs (1989) defines an interdisciplinary curriculum as "a knowledge view and curriculum approach that consciously applies methodology and language from more than one discipline to examine a central theme, issue, problem, topic, or experience" (p. 8). Te Aho Matua the founding documents of kura kaupapa māori is driven by interdisciplinary connections and how discipilnes meet. Māori theories are articulated by the same being and can interrelate and link with more than other theories. Interdisciplinary connections are evident with kura kaupapa māori as we protect and nurture the knowledge passed down. 

Marsden, Maori (1988) The Natural World and Natural Resources: Maori Value Systems and Perspectives, in Resource Management Law Reform, Vol. 29A. Ministry for the Environment, Wellington Mead, H. (1998). The Development of Wananga: Politics and Vision., Sound Recording, the University of Auckland, Auckland Mead, H. (2003). Tikanga Maori: Living by Maori Values. Huia Publishers, Wellington Mikaere, Ani (1995) The Balance Destroyed: The Consequences for Maori Women of the Colonisation of Tikanga Maori, Unpublished Master of Jurisprudence thesis, University of Waikato, Hamilton