Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa

1 He Kupu Arataki

Kua mahi ngātahi Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, ngā whānau, ngā kaiārahi, ngā kaimahi me ngā hapori ki te whakawhanake i ngā tirohanga aromātai e whai wāhi nui ai ki te hāpai i te kawenga takohanga me te whakapaitanga, ki te tautuhi i te ahu whakamua, ā, ki te whakapakari ake hoki i te āheinga ki te aromātai. Ka whakarato ngā pūrongo a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i ngā mōhiohio mātuatua mā ngā whānau, ngā hapū, me ngā iwi.

2 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa ki ngā papa o te kura o Rotokawa, i Rotorua. Kua whai wāhi mātātoa te nuinga o ngā whānau ki te kōhanga reo, mai i tōna whakatūnga i te tau 1984. I te tau 2019, i riro i te whānau te tohu kairangi a te Pirimia mō te whakaako me te ako. Kua riro i ngā kaiako tokowhā o te kōhanga reo ā rātou Tohu Mātauranga Whakapakari Tino Rangatiratanga.  

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai a ngā mokopuna i tā rātou rite, tō rātou pakari hoki ki te whai wāhi nui atu ki te ao Māori, ki tua atu hoki? 

He ngākau titikaha tō te mokopuna, ka kōkiri hoki i tāna ake ako, ā, e rite ana, e pakari ana hoki ki te whai wāhi nui atu ki te ao Māori, ki tua atu hoki.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

E rumakina ana ngā mokopuna ki tētahi taiao e whakatairanga ana i te tū takitahi me te whai māramatanga o te mokopuna ki te ao Māori. E whiwhi ana ngā mokopuna i ngā akoranga whai kounga, ā, kua āta whakatōngia Te Whāriki a Te Kōhanga Reo. He matatau ngā kaimahi, ngā manu pīrere, me ngā kaumātua ki te reo Māori, ā, e tū ana hei tino tauira mō ngā mokopuna. Ka whai hua tā rātou whakatinana rautaki, ka whakatō hoki i te reo hou e whakatairanga ana, e whakawhānui ana hoki i te āheinga o ngā mokopuna i roto i te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori. Ka tū takitahi ngā tuākana ki te ārahi i ngā kaupapa ōkawa, pērā i te whakatau manuhiri. He ngākau titikaha ō rātou ki te taki i ngā karakia, ngā tauparapara, ngā mihimihi, me ngā pepeha. Ka whakatinana ngā pēpi me ngā tēina i tō rātou māramatanga mā te reo ā-tinana, mā te kanohi anō hoki, me ngā oro. Kei te tākare ngā mokopuna i a rātou e ako ana i ngā ariā o te ao Māori, pērā i ngā hononga ki waenga i te tangata me ngā tini āhuatanga katoa o te ao māoriori. Ka poipoi, ka matapopore hoki ngā kaimahi i te kiritau o ngā mokopuna mā te whakamana me te whakamihi i ia te wā. He ngākau titikaha ō ngā mokopuna ki te ako i roto i ō rātou horopaki o te ao Māori.

Ka rongo ngā mokopuna i te aumārie, i te aroha, i te whai pūtaketanga hoki o te whanaungatanga. Ka āta whakapuaki ngā kaimahi me te whānau i te tirohanga me te pūtake o te kōhanga reo, hei whakaaweawe i te papai o ngā hononga me te kounga o ngā wheako ako o ngā mokopuna. Ka whakakotahi, ka tautoko hoki ngā tuākana i ō rātou tēina, ā, ka whakatauira i te whakaute, te aroha, me te atawhai tūturu. Ka tino whakaongaongatia ngā mokopuna i roto i ā rātou akoranga, mā roto mai i tētahi kōhanga reo kua āta whakaritea, ā, e mau ana hoki i te pai o ngā rauemi. He auaha ngā kaimahi, ā, ka mahi ngātahi ki te whakarato i te tangongitanga o ngā taumahi mā ngā mokopuna, hei whakatairanga i te pākiki, te whakatewhatewha, me te auaha. Ka poipoi taua tūāhuatanga i te māramatanga me te maioha o ngā mokopuna ki te ao Māori mā te tūhura, mā te whakahura i te taiao, mā te waiata, ā, mā te mahi toi hoki. Kua āta whakaritea ngā mahinga me ngā tūmanako, ā, kua taunga ki ngā mokopuna. Ka kitea te taha pākiki o ngā mokopuna mō tō rātou taiao, mō te tangata, mō ngā wāhi hoki. He ngākau titikaha ō rātou ki te whakaatu i tō rātou māramatanga, i a rātou e whai wāhi nui ana ki te taiao, ā, ki ētahi atu hoki.

Ka whakatakoto ngātahi ngā kaimahi me te whānau i tētahi hōtaka akoranga whai hua e aro nui ana ki ngā matea o ngā mokopuna. Kua whakawhanakehia e rātou tētahi kōkiritanga motuhake mō te whakamahere me te aromatawai, e kīia nei ko ‘Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho’, e tuitui tahi ai i Te Whāriki a Te Kōhanga Reo, i ngā ngākau nuitanga o ngā mokopuna, me ngā wawata o te whānau. He taputapu whakamahere, aromatawai hoki mā te wānanga, ā, ka hāpai i te whakatakotoranga o tētahi hōtaka akoranga tūturu e mau ana i ngā tikanga tuku iho, ā, kua pou herea hoki ki te whanaungatanga. Ka whakapuaki ngātahi, ka tautuhi ngātahi ngā kaimahi me te whānau i ngā whāinga me ngā huarahi e kapo atu ai i ngā huarahi ako me ngā whakatutukitanga o ngā mokopuna. Mai i te whakatinanatanga o ‘Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho’, kua whai wāhi atu te whānau me ngā kaimahi ki ngā rangahau whānui e whai wāhi nui ai ki te whakaaweawe i te ako a ngā mokopuna, ki tua atu rawa i Te Waiariki. He tino mātanga, he tautōhito hoki ngā kaimahi. Whakaaro huritao ai ngā kaimahi mō ā rātou ake whakaritenga, mā te arotake i te whai huatanga o te hōtaka akoranga. Kei ngā whakawhitinga kōrero i tuhia ai, ko ngā whakaaturanga mōhiohio mō te kounga me te whai huatanga o te hōtaka akoranga, ā, ka tautuhi hoki i ētahi atu whakapaitanga. E whiwhi ana ngā mokopuna i tētahi hōtaka akoranga whakaongaonga o te kounga kairangi e poipoi ana, e whāngai ana hoki i te mātauranga Māori.

Kei te kawe tonu te whānau i ā rātou haepapa, hei whakaū i te whai huatanga o ngā mahi whakahaere i te kōhanga reo. He auaha rātou, ā, ka noho ngākau nui ki te poipoi i te reo Māori, ki te whakatupu i te ārahitanga, me te whakatō i ngā uara o te ao Māori mō ngā whakatupuranga kei te heke mai. He pakari, he nahanaha hoki ngā tukanga aromātai o roto i whakatakotohia ai. Ka āta whakatau te whānau i te whakahaeretanga me te pūrongo atu o ngā take whakahaere matua. Tū ai ngā hui ā-whānau i ia te wā. E whai kiko ana ngā meneti matawhānui o ngā hui. Ka hāngai ngā whakawhitinga kōrero ki ngā kaupapa o te kōhanga reo, ki ngā whakahaeretanga, me te ako a ngā mokopuna. He mātātoa te whai wāhi atu a te whānau ki ngā whakataunga. E hāngai ana ngā take o te hauora me te haumaru ki ngā herenga ā-ture o tēnei wā, ā, ka arotakengia i ia te wā. Ka whakamōhiotia te mahere rautaki ki Te Ara Tūāpae. Kei ngā whāinga pae tawhiti, ko te whakatōpūtanga o ngā wawata o te whānau kia rumakina ngā mokopuna ki te ao Māori, nā konā tō rātou ahurea, tō rātou tuakiri, me tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga e noho mātua rā. Pūrongotia ai i ia te wā, ko ngā kaupapa rautaki matua me ngā take whakahaere ā-tau. He pai te whakahaeretanga a te whānau i ngā take kaimahi. He whai wāhitanga i ia te wā mō ngā kaimahi ki te whanake pūkenga tonu mā te whakawhanaketanga ngaio. Ko ngā mokopuna kei te pūtake o ngā mahi whakahaere ngātahi a te whānau.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake 

Ahakoa kua whakatōngia ngā whakaritenga pūmau ki ngā wāhanga katoa o ngā whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo, e mōhio ana te whānau he mea nui anō hoki tā rātou whai tonu i ngā tūāhuatanga auaha me te hiranga. E poipoia ana ngā mokopuna nā te aronga o te whānau ki tā rātou ako me tō rātou atawhai.

5 Te Whakatau a te Whānau o te Kōhanga Reo ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te arotake, i tirohia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha ki te whakahaere i ngā wāhanga e whai ake nei, arā, ki:

• te haumaru ā-whatumanawa, tae atu ki te ārahi mauritau me te ārai tamariki

• te haumaru ā-tinana, tae atu ki te mātakitaki tamariki, ngā whakaritenga whakamoe, ngā aituā, te whāngai rongoā; me ngā kaupapa here, ngā tukanga hoki mō ngā haerenga whakawaho

• te tū tika o ngā kaimahi, tae atu ki te tika o ngā tohu mātauranga, ngā mahi arowhai a ngā pirihimana, me te tatauranga ki waenga i te kaiako me te tamaiti 

• ngā whakaritenga ohotata me ngā tikanga ohotata e pā ana ki te rū whenua, te ahi, te waipuke, te tai āniwhaniwha, me te mate urutā.

6 Te Taunakitanga

I whakawhanakehia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me te whānau o te kōhanga reo te taunakitanga e whai ake nei, arā, kia whakarahi tonu te whānau i ngā whakaritenga pakari o te aromātai o roto, hei whakatairanga ake tonu i te kounga o te ako, me ngā putanga ki ngā mokopuna.

Darcy Te Hau
Toka ā Nuku
Te Uepū-a-Motu – Māori Services

28 Pipiri, 2023

7 Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Introduction

The Education Review Office (ERO) in collaboration with whānau, leaders, kaimahi and their communities develop evaluation insights that foster accountability and improvement, identify progress and build evaluation capability. ERO’s reports provide important information for whānau, hapū and iwi.

2 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo ki Rotokawa is situated on the grounds of Rotokawa school in Rotorua. Most whānau have been actively involved since their establishment in 1984. In 2019, whānau were the recipients of the Prime Ministers ‘Excellence in Teaching and Learning’ award. The whānau have four kaiako who hold Te Tohu Matauranga Tino Rangatiratanga Whakapakari.

3 Evaluation Focus

How effectively do mokopuna show they are ready and capable of contributing to te ao Māori and beyond?

Mokopuna are confident and independent learners that are ready and capable of contributing to te ao Māori and beyond.

5 Findings

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Mokopuna are immersed in an environment that promotes independence and growth in their understanding of te ao Māori. They experience quality learning where Te Whāriki a Te Kōhanga Reo is strongly embedded. Kaimahi, kōhanga reo graduants and kaumātua are fluent speakers of te reo Maori and are strong language models for mokopuna. They effectively apply strategies and embed new language that promotes and extends mokopuna ability in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori. Tuākana stand unassisted to lead formal practices such as whakatau manuhiri. They confidently recite karakia, tauparapara, mihimihi and pepehā. Pēpi and teina demonstrate their understanding through body language, facial expressions and sounds. Mokopuna are enthusiastic as they learn the concepts of te ao Māori, such as relationships between people and all living and things. Kaimahi nurture and cherish mokopuna self-esteem through positive affirmation and regular praise. Mokopuna are confident learners in their te ao Māori settings. 

Mokopuna experience harmonious, loving and meaningful relationships. Kaimahi and whānau clearly express the kōhanga reo vision and purpose to influence positive relationships and quality learning experiences for mokopuna. Tuākana are inclusive, supportive of their teina and model respect, aroha and genuine care. Mokopuna are highly stimulated in their learning in a well organised resourceful kōhanga reo. Kaimahi are creative and work collaboratively to provide an extensive range of activities for mokopuna that promotes curiosity, investigation and creativity. This fosters mokopuna understanding and appreciation of te ao Māori through exploration, discovery of nature, waiata, and mahi toi. Routines and expectations are well-established and predictable for mokopuna. Mokopuna show curiosity of their surroundings, people and places. They confidently display their understanding as they positively engage with the taiao and others.

Kaimahi and whānau collectively co-construct an effective learning programme that is responsive to the needs of mokopuna. They have developed a unique planning and assessment initiative ‘Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho’ that inter-weaves Te Whāriki ā Te Kōhanga reo, mokopuna interests and the aspirations of whānau. This wānanga based planning and assessment tool supports the structuring of an authentic learning programme that embeds traditional practices underpinned by whanaungatanga. Kaimahi and whānau collectively share and identify goals and pathways that capture mokopuna learning journeys and achievements. Since implementing ‘Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho’, whānau and kaimahi have engaged in extensive research that has potential to influence mokopuna learning on a scale well beyond Te Waiariki. Kaimahi are highly skilled and experienced. Kaimahi regularly reflect on their respective practices by reviewing the effectiveness of the learning programme. Documented discussions include informed findings about the quality and effectiveness of the learning programme and identifies further improvements. Mokopuna experience a high quality and stimulating learning programme that fosters and nurtures matauranga Māori. 

Whānau continue to uphold their responsibilities to sustain effective management of kōhanga reo operations. They are innovative and dedicated to nurturing te reo Māori, growing leadership and embedding te ao Māōri values for future generations. Robust systematic internal evaluation processes are in place. Whānau ensure key operational matters are consistently managed and reported. Whānau hui are held regularly. Hui minutes are detailed and informative. Discussions include kōhanga reo kaupapa, operations and mokopuna learning. Whānau actively share in decision making. Health and safety matters align with current legislative requirements and regularly reviewed. The strategic plan is informed by Te Ara Tūāpae. The long term goals include the collective aspirations of whānau for mokopuna to be immersed in te ao Māori where their culture, identity and belonging are a priority. Strategic priorities and annual operational matters are regularly reported. Personnel matters are effectively managed by whānau. Kaimahi are provided regular opportunities to continuously upskill through ongoing professional development. Mokopuna are at the centre of collective whānau management. 

Key Next Steps

While there are sustained embedded practices across all areas of kōhanga reo operations, whānau acknowledge that it is important that they continue to look at ways to further innovate and strive for excellence. Mokopuna are nurtured by whānau focussed on their learning and care. 

5 Kōhanga Whānau Assurance on Legal Requirements

During the evaluation, ERO looked at systems for managing the following areas:

• emotional safety including positive guidance and child protection

• physical safety including supervision, sleep procedures, accidents, medication, excursion policy and procedures

• suitable staffing including appropriate qualifications, police vetting, ratios

• emergency procedures and practices for earthquakes, fire, flood, tsunami and pandemic.

6 Recommendation

ERO and the Kōhanga reo whānau developed the following recommendation that whānau continue to increase sound internal evaluation practices to further enhance quality learning and outcomes for mokopuna. 

Darcy Te Hau
Toka-ā-Nuku – Director
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services

28 June 2023

7 Information about the kōhanga reo