AT THE HEART OF TE RITO TOI is the understanding that education needs to help learners make sense of the present and imagine better futures. After crises, education must as a first priority help learners safely explore the changed world in which they live.
“The arts are the bridge to a better future.”
The stories, concerns and questions children have should be addressed in classrooms. Based on international research confirming the central role of the arts in meaning making and the renewing of hope, Te Rito Toi positions the arts at the centre of childrens’ return to education after crises.
Grounded in Papatūānuku, Te Rito Toi is at the centre and soul of healing. Even amongst the chaos of seasonal transitions, elemental effects and changes, the rito remains strong as the heart of the kōrari (harakeke).
-Professor Peter O’Connor
