ℹ️ Mō Mātou About Te Kete Ako
"Whaowhia te kete mātauranga" - Fill the basket of knowledge
Our Mission | Tō Mātou Kaupapa
Te Kete Ako is a collection of high-quality educational resources for teachers and students in Aotearoa New Zealand. We are dedicated to honoring Te Ao Māori perspectives while providing curriculum-aligned, research-based teaching materials that empower educators and inspire learners.
Our name comes from the traditional concept of the kete (basket) - a vessel for gathering and carrying knowledge. Just as our tūpuna (ancestors) filled their kete with gathered resources, we aim to fill your teaching kete with meaningful, culturally-responsive educational materials.
Our Values | Ō Mātou Uara
🌿 Cultural Authenticity
We integrate mātauranga Māori authentically, not tokenistically. Our resources honor tikanga, te reo, and Māori worldviews as foundational to all learning.
📚 Research-Based Pedagogy
Our teaching approaches are grounded in academic research, from Freire's critical pedagogy to culturally responsive teaching practices.
🎯 Teacher-Centered Design
We create resources that save teachers time and energy. Everything is print-ready, curriculum-aligned, and ready to use immediately.
💚 Open & Accessible
Quality educational resources should be accessible to all teachers in Aotearoa. We're committed to keeping Te Kete Ako open and free.
What We Offer | Ā Mātou Rauemi
- 📚 8 Complete Unit Plans Comprehensive 4-10 week units covering Te Ao Māori, decolonized history, STEM, and contemporary issues. Each includes full lesson sequences, assessment tools, and cultural integration.
- 📖 66+ Individual Lesson Plans Ready-to-teach 60-75 minute lessons with clear learning objectives, scaffolded activities, and differentiation strategies.
- 📄 80+ Printable Handouts Print-optimized student materials including comprehension texts, skill-building activities, cultural resources, and video analysis guides.
- 🎮 Interactive Learning Games Engaging digital activities including Te Reo Māori Wordle, Spelling Bee, and literacy games that support classroom learning.
- 📋 100% NZ Curriculum Aligned Every resource is mapped to NZ Curriculum Achievement Objectives with explicit connections to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.
Our Approach | Tō Mātou Tikanga
Te Kete Ako is grounded in three interconnected pedagogical foundations:
1. Culturally Responsive Teaching
We recognize that all students bring cultural wealth to the classroom. Our resources honor diverse knowledge systems, center marginalized voices, and challenge deficit narratives about students and communities.
2. Critical Pedagogy
Following Freire, hooks, and other critical educators, we believe teaching is never neutral. Our resources encourage students to question power structures, recognize their own agency, and work toward justice.
3. Te Ao Māori as Foundation
Māori worldviews - whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga - are not add-ons but foundational principles. We integrate mātauranga Māori across all learning areas as legitimate, sophisticated knowledge systems.
For Teachers | Mō Ngā Kaiako
We know teaching is demanding, complex work. Te Kete Ako exists to support you with resources that:
- Save time - Ready-to-use materials, no reinventing the wheel
- Print beautifully - A4-optimized, professional formatting
- Align to curriculum - Explicit Achievement Objective connections
- Honor culture - Authentic Te Ao Māori integration
- Support differentiation - Scaffolding and extension built in
- Inspire engagement - Contemporary, relevant, student-centered
Join Our Community | Haere Mai
Te Kete Ako is built by teachers, for teachers. Create your free account to save resources, contribute feedback, and join our growing community of educators across Aotearoa.
"He kete kōrero, he kete mātauranga"
A basket of stories, a basket of knowledge