Exploring how Te Whāriki and the New Zealand Curriculum prepare children and students for an Art of Living

Abstract

This qualitative study looked at Wilhelm Schmid’s concept of the Art of Living (AoL) in relation to the current New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and Te Whāriki. The methodology included a brief content analysis of both Te Whāriki and the NZC in relation to relevant knowledge areas and skills for the development of an AoL, as well as interviews of three participants to provide empirical data. From the participant data, four key themes emerged: support from parents; need for practical aspects within the curriculum(s); post-secondary school guidance; and positive working experiences. The overall findings suggest that Te Whāriki places a large emphasis on the relationships between kaiako, whānau and tamariki, relating to theme one. It was also found that the NZC could provide more opportunities for practical life skills to be included in the curriculum, as well as providing clearer instruction on how to implement effective careers education and other knowledge areas and thinking skills relevant for students to develop their own art of living.