June 2025: Matariki Ideas and What is Inquiry?

 I've recently been made redundant and have a little spare time on my hands so decided I would restart the blog. Some of you may know me for my passion for inquiry-based learning or from my work supporting gifted and talented learners. I fully believe that inquiry-based learning is beneficial for all learners but especially so for gifted students who thrive on this open-ended curiosity-based approach. As Socrates reportedly said "Wisdom begins with wonder".

So, this blog will in some ways be similar to the newsletter I was posting to the Gifted and Talented mailing list but I am no longer linked to the MoE who paid me to look after that list. This gives me a little more freedom in what I post. So here we go.

Please follow me on Bluesky or join my FB group to be updated when I post and share with your colleagues. I'd love to hear in the comments if you think this is something you'll find valuable.

What's up this month?

Matariki

In Aotearoa New Zealand the Matariki holiday is on the closest Friday to the Tangaroa lunar period during the lunar month of Piripi, the first month in the Maramataka (Māori lunar calendar). In 2025 The Tangaroa lunar period falls between the 19th and 22nd of June so the public holiday is on June 20th.

Ideas

Note, these are starting points and hopefully will provoke curiosity and inquiry. Follow the lead of students and encourage them to ask questions. Post in the comments any ideas you have used with students.

• Explore what Matariki celebrations look like in different areas of Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Some iwi do not use the rising of Matariki as the start of the new lunar year. Explore why this is and the alternatives used. 
• How does Māori understanding of Matariki differ from Western understanding of the Pleiades?
• The Matariki constellation goes by many names in different countries and cultures.  Explore the traditions surrounding this constellation and dig into reasons for similarities and differences.
• Explore maramataka including its use in guiding planting, harvesting etc of crops. Explore how other cultures use lunar calendars and constellations in similar ways.
• Explore ways that Scratch or other coding platforms can be used by students to share their findings in the form of interactive games/activities. This is a simple example.
• Students could use Google sites or another web platform to share their findings.

Resources

• Kauwhata Reo MoE resources

• Education Gazette article (2023)

• Matariki Rauemi Resources

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Matariki resources

• Te Papa resources

• Science Learning Hub

• Matariki in the ancient world (check out their other Matariki resources as well).
  
  

Kōtui Ako VLN

Registrations for Kōtui Ako VLN semester 2 are now open (close June 18th).

Competitions and events

These can often be a motivator or an inquiry prompt. 
Note: some may have entry fees. Inclusion in this list is not an endorsement unless otherwise stated.
Please comment on your experience with these comps/events. 

• NZ Writers' College list of competitions
• Tournament of the Minds - entries close June 25th
• Graphic design competitions
• Future problem solving NZ - a lot of these have already started but some are available and there is a list of topics that could provide inspiration
• Dance NZ Made
• NZ Engineering Science Team Competition aimed at years 12 & 13. Entries open June 1st and close on July 25th. Competition August 2nd.
• Day One film challenge (previously Someday challenge) - for anyone under the age of 25 to make a short film about an issue they care about. Round 2 submission date 28th July.
• Play it Strange - songwriting (and performing) competition.
• NZ Chemistry Olympiad

Topic of the month

This section I will use to comment on an area of interest to me. If there is something you would like me to explore pop it in the comments. This month I briefly explore what inquiry-based learning is.

​Inquiry-based learning is a constructivist approach, in which students have ownership of their learning. It starts with exploration and questioning and leads to investigation into a worthy question, issue, problem or idea.
It involves asking questions, gathering and analysing information, generating solutions, making decisions, justifying conclusions and taking action.
(Based on definitions from Sharon Friesen and the Galileo Educational Network).

Inquiry is a disposition, not a process. One of our jobs as a teacher is to nurture and develop that disposition. I explore this further in this blogpost.
When using an inquiry approach to teaching and learning we guide learning. This involves making sure students have the skills and knowledge to be able to pose and research questions of all levels from low level to deep and rich.
If you need help on some of the skills learners need you can get free copies of my Information literacy skills stages 1- 3 (NZ curric. stage 1) and 2 - 4 (NZ curric. stages 2 - 3). I'll talk more about this in future posts.

Recommended resources

Inquiring Mind site - my own website - a few things need updating, I'm currently working on it but still has loads of info and resources.
My inquiring mind Fb group
Gifted & Talented Teachers Fb group
Pito Mata a suite of early learning resources to support kaiako of gifted learners. Aimed at ECE but has plenty that will be of interest to teachers of older ākonga, especially if you are teaching juniors.
Mānawatia te iho pūmanawa - tool to support kaiako in working in a holistic way with gifted tamariki.
Neurodiversity in NZ education
Mindplus
Education Hub
NZAGC
Pūtātara - NZ MoE site - supports schools and teachers to develop learning opportunities that are place-based, inquiry-led, and focused on participation for change.
About me and my online platforms (some are in the process of being updated now I have some spare time).

I'd love to hear from you with comments about anything related to inquiry-based learning or supporting gifted and talented learners and/or suggestions for things to include in this blog/newsletter.

N.B. I may sometimes use affiliate links but only where I genuinely believe the website or product is worthy of support.