Swim lessons in Te Reo Māori take off in Rotorua

For some young students of Rotorua Lakes Swim School there has recently been another choice added to their options for swim lessons, in what language they will be taught.

For many years the swim school has received requests from Kohanga’s and Kura Kaupapa’s to offer swim lessons in Te Reo Māori, however due to a lack of fluent instructors it had not been possible.

Now, thanks to the addition of staff fluent in te Reo, the swim school has been able to provide this option.

Between the three swim teachers fluent in te Reo two of them teach in the schools programme, including some of the after school lessons they teach, while one preschool swim teacher delivers lessons to their Kohanga’s.

All other instructors at Rotorua Lakes Swim School are also encouraged to give it a go and use basic te Reo in their lessons too.

They have print outs available to display on the swim teacher’s poolside boards to help them out with basic words and phrases. There are also plenty of children at the swim school in Rotorua who are quite happy to correct or help when they get it wrong!

While the swim school have only recently been able to offer lessons in te Reo, they have long embraced the language and culture as part of their teaching.

The swim school are guided by the saying “Te Puna Pārera Maunu” – The pool (school) of floating ducks, that learn and develop through our pathways.

This is a literal translation and Rotorua Lakes Swim School feel that it describes their swimmers aquatic journeys well. Pārera Maunu is an old Māori phrase used to describe someone that needs further development.

As a Gold Quality Swim school Rotorua Lakes Swim School is also supportive of Kiwi Swim Safe, support Gateway students to complete the SNZ Swim Teacher Award and run internal SNZ Swim Teacher Award courses.

Rotorua Lakes Swim School also runs the ‘Unison Lake Safety Programme’. This initiative is in partnership with Rotorua Lakes Council, Rotorua Aquatic Centre and Rotorua Lakes Swim School with the principal sponsor Unison – “The Powerlines People”.

The Unison Lake Safety Programme has been designed to equip children with the key elements of aquatic awareness and lake safety ensuring that they have adequate lake safety survival skills, whilst having fun in, on and around the lakes of Rotorua. This programme has been delivered to schools within Rotorua for over eight years!