During the Making a Mark inquiry, students explored the history, significance, and meanings behind tukutuku panels. They were given the opportunity to design and create their own tukutuku panel to tell a story of their choice.
Before they could start, students needed to develop practical stitching skills so that they could independently bring their stories to life (and so I wouldn’t end up doing all the stitching for them!).
The challenge for me was figuring out how to teach stitching techniques to a group of Year 3 and 4 students with little or no experience using a needle and thread.
I gathered knowledge and guidance from teachers Briana Te Whare and Tayla Nicolson, who had previously taught tukutuku art. Their experience was with older Year 5 and 6 students, so I needed to adapt the process for younger learners.
I decided to start with a sampler, a smaller version of a tukutuku panel featuring larger stitches. For their sampler, students chose a traditional tukutuku symbol to recreate. My goal was to teach the key skills and uncover potential challenges before students began their storytelling panels.
To begin, students used a hammer and nail to punch holes into a laminated card, preparing it for stitching.
This led to the first challenge: confusion over the number of holes required in the grid.
I thought if I had two cross’s meeting, I had to have two sets of holes in each corner. But I learnt you could use the same hole more than once.
Mistakes turned into learning opportunities, and it was easy enough to make a new grid and try again.
Next came needle threading. I quickly realised that if students couldn’t learn this skill, my time would be spent doing it for them!
I learnt to poke a thin folded strip of paper through the eye of the needle. Then we opened the paper loop, put our wool through it, and pulled the paper back through. Like magic, the needle was threaded. It took me a few goes to get it right.
Riley and Lily became such quick stitchers that they turned into expert helpers
I helped lots of people thread their needles and cut thin strips of paper for others because some found it tricky to get the right shape
Students also had to decide whether to stitch with a single or double thread - each with its pros and cons. A double thread kept the needle from unthreading and was harder to pull through the holes.
Benji-Rose discovered a clever solution: she stitched with a single thread and tied a small knot to stop it from slipping out.
Some students found that too many crosses in their design made stitching difficult.
I ripped my panel in a couple of places when I was pulling the wool through. You need to be gentle if you’re using a hole more than once. Cindy helped me tape my panel up—I thought I might have to start again
Mason faced a similar challenge
On my last staircase I ripped my background, but I managed to fix it with tape.
Knots, loops, and running out of thread were common sampler challenges.
We had to make sure we stitched in and out through the laminated card. Some of us got loops on the side of our panels
I got a lot of knots in my stitches, Mrs Sprague helped me fix them.
You had to stop stitching before you ran out of thread so you could knot it off.
Some students became so absorbed in the process that they forgot to follow their original design!
Xavier even added a creative twist, layering stitches on his final cross to give it a three-dimensional effect.
Reflecting on the process, the best part of making the tukutuku sampler was that students could begin creating right away. The sampler provided a practical, hands-on entry point to the art form, students were proud of their work and eager to begin their “real” tukutuku panels.
I learnt how to thread a needle. At first it was hard, but I got better each time.
I didn’t know how to tie a knot, but now it is easy.
I learnt that stitching takes time, and you have to concentrate so your stitches go in the right place,
Sometimes my thread got tangled, but I figured out how to fix it and keep going.
The tukutuku sampler motivated and empowered students, equipping them with both the confidence and skills to tell their own stories through this traditional art form.
Benji-Rose, McKenzie, and Riley were among the first students to begin working on their larger storytelling panel. They applied the skills they had gained from the Tukuktuku sampler, which allowed them to work with confidence and independence.
Every child deserves a classroom where they feel valued and well liked by their teacher. This is a goal of mine as it makes a safe place for students to learn and grow. While I enjoy all areas of teaching and learning, mathematics is a particular passion. Supporting students to make connections between mathematical ideas and identify patterns and rules in our number system gets me very excited.
In my classroom students are encouraged to be brave, cooperative, and open to learning. It is a safe place to take a risk. Reflection is important, along with the celebration of student success.
When not at school, time spent mountain biking and exercising my energetic dog keeps me fit for a busy classroom. Helping students learn and develop is at the centre of everything I do and I am happy to continue this journey at Wairakei Primary School.
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