26/11/2024
I Today’s math class turned into an unexpected cultural adventure! Teaching in a small emirate in the UAE, most of my Grade 7 boys are local Emirati students. When they came in today, they were buzzing with questions.
“Have you seen the video of the girl from New Zealand tearing up the paper?” one of them asked.
I realised they’d seen the powerful haka performed by a young New Zealander that had recently gone viral. As we talked, I explained that this was a traditional Maori war dance (easiest way to explain to limited english speakers), meant to convey deep emotion and strength. We discussed her intense expressions and how her eyes blazed with focus—it fascinated them.
They were captivated. “Why was she doing it? Can we learn it too?” they asked, eager to understand more about Maori culture.
It was incredible to see their curiosity spark from a simple video clip, and they left the lesson wanting to dive deeper into a culture halfway across the world. It’s amazing how one moment can bridge cultures so far apart—New Zealand’s impact reaching young minds in a small classroom on the other side of the world.
Then we had a math test haha
