1 Jun 2015

A tiny rural school goes global

From Here Now, 7:06 pm on 1 June 2015

1200 sushi rolls

Greeting visitors from China

The kaupapa is multicultural and global

Principal Pembroke Peraniko Bird

Visiting Mandarin Language Assistants based in Rotorua region

Toddlers join in Chinese and Japanese action songs

Proud parents watch on

The community gathered

Cherished tamariki

Nunchucku demonstration

Cherished tamariki

Junior student

Xiaoqing Yang holding the jianzi, Chinese hacky-sack

Jianzi, Chinese hacky-sack

Kweiyi teaches Mandarin

Learning Mandarin, Ba-ba is father

Midori Tanaka, teaching Japanese for five years

Dumplings, team effort

Mum's recipe, black fungus, bamboo shoot - yum

School caretaker in charge of Chinese soup

Watching the expert

Parent pleased with his effort

MLA shows parent how to make Chinese dumplings

Caretaker can cook

Waiting for kai time

Lining up for kai

Sushi, 1200 rolls for everyone

Small school, big dreams

Hug from the resident MLA

Whaea Hine Anderson leads poroporoake

Visionary leader, Principal Pembroke Peraniko Bird and guests

"We might be small, but we dream big!" - Principal Pembroke (Peraniko) Bird, Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake O Tawhiuau

A tiny rural school in Murupara in the Bay of Plenty is going global. An hour from Rotorua, the school in Murupara township has a total immersion approach to learning te reo Māori, Mandarin and Japanese.

With their Mandarin and Japanese teachers and a group of Mandarin language assistants, they are looking to produce the next generation of global citizens, all under the leadership of their visionary principal.

Lynda Chanwai-Earle travels to Murupara to join in as they celebrate their special Culture Day and to meet this little school with big dreams.

Listen 29:58

Add to playlist

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

This documentary is the 30 minute version of the Voices programme broadcast on 18 May 2015.