Humanities Dept

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Humanities Dept

Humanities Dept

Humanities Department courses are drawn from the Social Sciences Learning Area of the New Zealand Curriculum. An understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand’s bicultural heritage and multi-cultural society is central to this learning area. Students explore how societies work and how they themselves can
participate and take action as critical, informed, and responsible citizens who contribute to their local, national, and global communities. They learn about human experiences and identities, values, beliefs, cultures, decision-making, structures and social action in the contexts of time, place, environment and scarcity of resources.

The Whakatauki for the Social Science Learning Area is:

Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao, Maku e ki atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata!

Ask me what is the greatest thing in the world, and I will reply – It is people, it is people, it is people!

The Junior Curriculum:

Social Studies (Tikanga ā Iwi – ‘the way of the people) is the study of people and society in different times and places.

In Social Studies in Years 9 and 10 we aim to develop students’ skills and understanding of a range of aspects of society, culture, economics and the environment within and beyond Aotearoa New Zealand. A wide range of concepts and contexts are studied in our classes.

In the Year 9 course, students learn about migration, economic decisions, cultural interaction and government. The focus for Year 10 is on the unique bicultural nature of New Zealand society that derives from Te Tiriti o Waitangi, resources and sustainability, human rights, and the world of work.

A key question we hope students will ask themselves by the end of their two-year programme in Social Studies is:

I orea te tuatara ka patu ki waho?

‘What do we want our world to be?’

Social Studies in Years 9 and 10 establish a foundation for the separate Social Science disciplines offered in the senior school.

The Senior Curriculum:

In the Senior School we offer Geography (Matawhenua) and History (Hītori) at NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3; and Tourism (Tāpoi) at Levels 2 and 3. There are many other Social Science subjects which can be studied via distance learning, and we aim to support students studying in this way as much as possible.

Geography (Matawhenua) explores regional, national and global settings and the interaction between physical and cultural (human) environments.

In History (Hītori) students investigate the significance of historical events, people and places through interpreting resources, examining concepts and exploring perspectives.

Tourism (Tāpoi) involves learning about the travel industry in a domestic and international context and gaining an insight into the knowledge and skills required to pursue a career in the tourism sector.

In all our senior subject disciplines, students develop research, critical thinking, and verbal and written communication skills.

Courses flow chart

List of Department Staff

Jacqueline Christie-Cumming (HOD) Jacqui.christiecumming@buller.ac.nz

Isaac Jeffries Isaac.jeffries@buller.ac.nz
Ashmita Darshani ashmita.darshani@buller.ac.nz