Over the last few weeks, we’ve been sharing stories of different Reo Journeys from members of our wonderful kura. Today it is a Lower School teacher to share with us the story of his Reo Journey. Geoff Heath is our Class 6 teacher, school dad, talented musician and dedicated bee keeper. Hope you enjoy reading Geoff’s account of what inspired and moved him to take up the challenge of learning a new language. Maybe it will encourage you to start your own journey!

Hope you’ve had a chance this week to read about the 50th anniversary of the Māori Language Petition, or to take part in a Māori Language moment as we celebrated Māori Language Week in NZ. 

Ko Geoff Heath tōku ingoa

As with many, my Te Reo journey started with some sporadic lessons in primary school, followed by next to nothing for the next 20 years!

I guess my Te Reo journey really started as I trained to become a teacher. But before I started training, one of the more memorable moments (unfortunately) was when I told my lawyer what I was doing. He was very encouraging, saying that we needed more male teachers, the pay had improved and would continue to improve and that I would just need to put up with Te Reo and the bits about the Treaty of Waitangi. He said, it was just something I would have to do and that once I had got through all, I would be fine!

I can’t remember what my reply was, but the discomfort has reverberated ever since. I hold the view that the deep, rich, inclusive and holistic world view that is intertwined with learning Te Reo, is an opportunity for me and our society. I personally feel uplifted by learning it and that the changes I make in my everyday life, make me a better person.

2022 has marked a turning point in my Te Reo journey – after a number of years (where I myself have put it off as there were too many other things to do). I decided to enrol in a Te Reo course and took the chance that any balls I dropped would be bouncy ones. (At school we talk about having to juggle many different types of balls – some that bounce and some that smash when you drop them).

I have found that my horribly mono lingual brain has, despite feeling like it is going to explode after class, is starting to enjoy the work and I even feel a sense of loss when I fail to find time to do my home practice each day.

Now that I have taken the plunge, new words and phrases are emerging around the dinner table and in the classroom. My confidence to have a go is building. I also enjoy reading the Te Reo greetings and farewells that people write – often sending me diving for the dictionary to figure out new words - but that's learning!

While progress is slow and steady, learning new vocabulary, sentence structures and the like is fast becoming one of my fun things to do and think about.

Kia pai tō rā whakatā

Geoff