Te Kōhanga Reo o Ruātoki

Te Aromātai

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki ki te whāruarua o Rūātoki. Ka whiwhi ngā tamariki i tētahi hōtaka akoranga whakahihiri, hōtaka akoranga ātaahua hoki, ā, e whakapuakina katoatia ana mā te reo Māori. He pai te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo hei painga mō ngā tamariki. He harikoa, he tau hoki ngā tamariki, ā, e tino atawhaitia ana hoki.

Ka arotake anō Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki i roto i te toru o ngā tau.

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki ki te whāruarua o Rūātoki. Ko te whai huatanga o ngā mahi whakahaere ki te kōhanga reo e āta whakarite ana i te noho pūmau a ngā tamariki ki te pūtake o ngā mahi i ngā wā katoa. Ka whai hua ngā tamariki nā te aro nui o te hōtaka e poipoi ana i ō rātou matea me ō rātou ngākaunuitanga. Ka whakarato ngā kaumātua o te hapori nei i te hōhonutanga o te hononga ki te reo ā-iwi me te ahurea o tēnei whāruarua o Tūhoe. Nā ngā hononga kaha ki Te Kura o Rūātoki i pūmau ai ngā huarahi ako e mana nei, e pupuri tonu nei ki tō rātou reo, ki tō rātou iwitanga me ngā kōrero o Tūhoe.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Arotake

He pēhea rawa tā ngā tamariki whakaatu i te poipoitanga o tō rātou waiora me tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga hei ākonga?

Ka whakaatuhia e ngā tamariki te kaha poipoitanga o tō rātou waiora me tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga hei ākonga.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Ka whai wāhi ngā tamariki ki tētahi hōtaka akoranga e kōkirihia ana ki ngā tākaro. E tino tautokona ana, e tino ākina ana hoki rātou ki te whiriwhiri i ā rātou ake whai wāhitanga ako. Ka āta whakarite ngā kaimahi i te aro nui o te hōtaka akoranga ki ngā matea me ngā ngākaunuitanga ō ngā tamariki. Ka hāpai te taiao nei i ngā tamariki ki te tākaro me te ako ki roto, ki waho hoki, i runga anō i te āhua o te huarere. Ka whakaongaonga, ka whakawero anō hoki ngā taumahi. E āhei ana ngā tamariki ki te whakamātau i ngā huarahi mahi hou, me te tātari, te mahi rapanga hoki. Ka taea e rātou te mahi takitahi, te mahi takirōpū rānei. Ka mahi ngātahi, ka tākaro ngātahi hoki ngā tuākana me ngā tēina. He pai te whakariterite i ngā tuākana ki te whakawhiti atu ki te kura o te hapori nei. E whakawhanake ana ngā tamariki hei ākonga tūmāia ka kōkiri i āna ake akoranga.

Ka rumakina ngā tamariki ki tētahi taiao o te reo Māori. Ka āta whakarite te whānau kia whakaratohia e ngā tāngata reo taketake, pērā i ngā kaumātua, te kounga kairangi, te whānuitanga hoki o te reo Māori. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā akoranga kē a ngā tamariki hei whakatairanga ake i tō rātou reo. Kei te hōtaka o ia rā te whai wāhitanga auau mō ngā tamariki ki te ārahi i ngā karakia, ngā waiata, me ngā mihimihi. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo rautaki, hei whakawhanake, hei whakawhānui hoki i te reo o ngā tamariki, pērā i te tāruarua, te pātai i ngā pātai whānui, me te akiaki i ngā tamariki ki te whakapuaki i ō rātou whakaaro me ō rātou kare ā-roto. Ka taunekeneke ngā tamariki ki waenga i a rātou anō, ki te kaiako hoki mā te reo Māori. He pārekareka ki ngā tamariki te whakapuaki kōrero, te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero anō hoki mā te reo Māori.

Ka whai pānga matua te whanaungatanga ki te kōhanga reo. He ratarata, he pai hoki ngā hononga ki waenga i te whānau o te kōhanga reo. Ka whakakoia ngā hōtaka akoranga i te tuakiri o ngā tamariki hei Tūhoe. He manaakitanga, he aroha anō hoki tō ngā taunekeneke ki waenga i ngā kaiako me ngā tamariki. He mārie ngā kaiako, ā, ka whakatau i te whanonga pai mā ngā huarahi e āta whakamana tonu ana i ngā tamariki i ngā wā katoa. Ka whakatauirahia e ngā kaimahi me te whānau te whakaute mō rātou ake, mō ētahi atu anō hoki. E mōhio ana ngā tamariki ki a rātou anō, ki tō rātou tūrangawaewae hoki.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

He pai te whakaritenga o ngā mahere mō ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki, ā, ka whai hua anō hoki. He matawhānui ngā mahere, ā, ka whakatakotohia hoki te ārahitanga mārama, te aronga mārama hoki mā ngā kaimahi. Ka whai wāhi te whānau ki te tukanga whakamahere e hāpai ana i te mahi ngātahi. Ka tāutuhia te ahu whakamua o te ako a ngā tamariki. E whanake ana ngā pūkete o ngā mahi a ngā tamariki. Tū ai ngā hui ā-whānau i ia te wā, ā, he pai te tae ā-tinana atu. He mārama, he mārohirohi hoki ngā pūrongo, ā, e āta whakaritea ana kia pūrongotia ngā āhuatanga matua o ngā whakahaeretanga ki te kōhanga reo. Ka whai hua te whakahaeretanga me te pūrongo i ngā pūtea. Kua whakatakotohia tētahi huarahi mō ngā tuākana e whakawhiti ana i te kōhanga reo ki te kura. Mā tēnei, he ngāwari noa te rere haere o te reo Māori. Ko ngā tamariki kei te pūtake o ngā tukanga whakataunga ki te kōhanga reo.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kāhore anō kia oti te mahere rautaki. Ahakoa he mārama te aronga me te whai pūtake a te whānau, kāhore i a rātou tētahi mahere rautaki mō te pae tawhiti, i tētahi mahere mahi ā-tau hoki hei hāpai i tā rātou tāutu i ngā kaupapa matua ā-tau, ā, i tā rātou aroturuki anō hoki i te ahu whakamua.

Kua oti ngā arohaehae mō ngā kaimahi katoa, tae atu ki te arohaehae whaiaro me te arohaehae o waho. Engari kāhore ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi me ngā mahi matua o te wā e hāngai ana ki ngā āheinga i whakatakotohia ai ki ngā arohaehae. Kāhore ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi me ngā kirimana e hāngai ana ki ngā āheinga arohaehae, hei āta whakamārama, hei āta whakatakoto anō hoki i te aronga mā ngā kaimahi i roto i ngā whai wāhitanga o te whakawhanaketanga ngaio.

3 Te Whakataunga a te Whānau ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te arotake, i whakamātauhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha o te kōhanga reo ki te whakahaere i ngā āhuatanga i raro iho nei e whai pānga nui ana ki te waiora o ngā tamariki:

• te haumaru whatumanawa (tāpiri atu ko te ārahi mauritau, ko te ārai tamariki)
• te haumaru ā-tinana (tāpiri atu ko te mātakitaki tamariki; ko ngā whakaritenga whakamoe; ko ngā aituā; ko te whāngai rongoā; ko ngā whakaritenga akuaku; ko ngā kaupapa here me ngā tikanga haerenga whakawaho)
• te tū tika o ngā kaimahi (tae atu ki ngā taumata tohu mātauranga; te arowhai a ngā pirihimana; ngā rēhitatanga kaiako; me te tatauranga ki waenga i te kaiako me te tamaiti)
• ngā whakaritenga, tikanga hōneatanga e pā ana ki te ahi me te rū whenua.

Ko te tikanga, ka whakatairanga ngā kōhanga reo katoa i te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki, me te arotake anō hoki i ia te wā i tā rātou whakatutukitanga i ngā herenga ā-ture.

4 Te Taunakitanga

I whakawhanakehia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me te whānau o te kōhanga reo te taunakitanga e whai ake nei, arā:

• kia whakatutukihia i ia te wā te arowhai e pā ana ki te moe, i runga anō i ngā tikanga o te kaupapa here.

Te Whakarāpopototanga

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki ki te whāruarua o Rūātoki. Ka whiwhi ngā tamariki i tētahi hōtaka akoranga whakahihiri, hōtaka akoranga ātaahua hoki, ā, e whakapuakina katoatia ana mā te reo Māori. He pai te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo hei painga mō ngā tamariki. He harikoa, he tau hoki ngā tamariki, ā, e tino atawhaitia ana hoki.

Hei ā hea Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga arotake anō ai i te kōhanga reo?

Ka arotake anō Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki i roto i te toru o ngā tau.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

29 Here-turi-kōkā, 2016

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

Evaluation

Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki is in the Rūātoki Valley. Children receive an exciting and engaging learning programme delivered entirely in te reo Māori. The kōhanga reo is well managed in the best interests of children. Children are happy, content and well cared for.

The next ERO review of Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki will be in three years.

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki is in the settlement of Rūātoki. Effective management of the kōhanga reo ensures that children are the focus at all times. Children benefit from a highly responsive programme that caters to their needs and interests. Local kaumātua provide a rich and deep connection to the local Tuhoe dialect and culture. Strong links with Te Kura o Rūātoki ensures children have learning pathways in place where their reo, cultural capital and Tuhoe knowledge is valued and maintained.

2 The Review Findings

How well do children demonstrate that their wellbeing and belonging as learners is nurtured?

Children demonstrate that their wellbeing and belonging as learners is well nurtured.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children experience a play driven learning programme. They are well supported and encouraged to select their own learning opportunities. Kaimahi ensure that the learning programme is responsive to the needs and interests of the children. The environment supports children to play and learn indoors and outdoors depending on the weather. Activities are stimulating and challenging. Children are able to try new ways of doing things, experiment and solve problems. They can work on their own or with others. Tuakana and teina work and play together. Tuakana are well prepared for the transition to the local kura. Children are developing as independent and confident learners.

Children are immersed in a te reo Māori environment. Whānau ensure that native speakers including kaumātua provide the children with high quality models and examples of te reo Māori. Kaimahi use children’s prior learning to enhance their language. The daily programme offers regular opportunity for children to lead karakia, waiata and mihimihi. Kaimahi use a range of strategies to develop and extend children’s language such as repetition, asking open ended questions and encouraging children to share their thoughts and feelings. Children interact with each other and their kaiako in te reo Māori. Children enjoy speaking and being spoken to in te reo Māori.

Whanaungatanga is a key feature of the kōhanga reo. Relationships amongst the kōhanga whānau are friendly and positive. Learning programmes affirm children’s identity as Tuhoe. Interactions between the kaiako and children are caring and loving. Kaiako are calm and deal with inappropriate behaviour in supportive ways ensuring the children’s mana is kept intact at all times. Respect for oneself and for others is role modelled by both kaimahi and whānau. Children know who they are and where they are from.

Planning and Evaluation

Planning for children’s learning is well organised and effective. Plans are comprehensive and give kaimahi clear guidance and direction. Whānau participate in an open and collaborative planning process. Children’s learning progress is identified. Profiles of children’s work are developing. Whānau hold regular meetings that are well attended. Clear, concise reporting ensures that key aspects of the kōhanga reo operations are reported. Financial management and reporting is effective. A transition plan is in place for tuakana leaving the kōhanga reo to go to the local kura. This ensures a seamless continuation of te reo Māori. Children are at the heart of decision making processes at the kōhanga reo.

Key Next Steps

The strategic plan is incomplete. Whilst the whānau have a clear sense of direction and purpose they do not have a long term strategic plan and an annual action plan to assist them to identify annual priorities and monitor progress.

Appraisals including both self-appraisal and external appraisal have been completed for all staff. However current job descriptions and core tasks do not link to appraisal competencies. Job descriptions and contracts do not align with appraisal competencies to provide kaimahi with clarity and direction regarding professional development opportunities.

3 Whānau Management Assurance on Compliance Areas

During the review, ERO looked at the kōhanga reo systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All kōhanga reo are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

4 Recommendation

ERO and the Kōhanga Reo whānau developed the following recommendation:

• Ensure that regular sleep checks are undertaken in accordance with policy

Conclusion

Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki is in the Rūātoki Valley. Children receive an exciting and engaging learning programme delivered entirely in te reo Māori. The kōhanga reo is well managed in the best interests of children. Children are happy, content and well cared for.

When is ERO likely to review the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO review of Te Kōhanga Reo o Rūātoki will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

29 August 2016 

Information about the Kōhanga Reo