Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kotahitanga

1 Te Horopaki

‘Ko Puputahitanga te maunga, ko Wairoro te awa, ko Tokareireia te puke, ko Te Kotahitanga te marae, ko Ngāti Whakaeke te hapū, ko Ngāpuhi te iwi.’ 

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kotahitanga ki runga i te marae o Kotahitanga, ki Kaikohe. He hononga ā-whakapapa ki waenga i te whānau, ā, he hononga anō hoki tō rātou ki te whenua. Ko te hāhi Rātana te hāhi o te whānau me ngā tamariki. Kua pā ki ngā kaimahi me te whānau te ngarotanga atu o ngā tino rangatira ki te kōhanga reo. E hāpai ana ngā uaratanga o te kotahitanga me te whanaungatanga ki te whakahaumanu me te hiki anō i te wairua o te whānau. Ka kitea Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira, puta noa i te kōhanga reo.

2  Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Arotake

He pēhea rawa ngā tamariki e whakaatu i te whanaungatanga?

Ka kitea te tino whakatinanatanga o ngā tamariki i te whanaungatanga, mā ō rātou hononga me ā rātou taunekeneke ki ētahi atu.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira 

E mōhio ana ngā tamariki ki ō rātou hononga ki te hāhi me tō rātou ahurea. Ko te whanaungatanga me ngā atua Māori e whai pānga nui ana ki te hōtaka akoranga. He mātātoa te whai wāhi atu a ngā tamariki ki ngā karakia me ngā waiata. Ka ako rātou i ō rātou whakapapa mā te taki i ō rātou pepeha. Ko te hononga ki waenga i te tuakana me te teina e whai pānga matua ana ki te hōtaka akoranga. E noho pūmau ana ngā kaimahi ki te whakarato i tētahi wāhi e rongo ai ngā tamariki i te haumaru. Ka hāpai ngā kaimahi i te whakawhirinaki atu a ngā tamariki ki ētahi atu, me tā rātou whai wāhi atu ki te whakawhanaungatanga. He hāneanea, he mauritau hoki ngā tamariki hei ākonga.

E ako ana ngā tamariki ki te kōrero i te reo Māori. Ka whakapūmau ngā kaimahi i tētahi wāhi rumaki e hāpai ana i te whakawhanaketanga reo o ngā tamariki. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā rautaki reo e tika ana hei hāpai i ngā tamariki e mau ana i te iti noa o te reo. Ka whakamahi rātou i ngā pātai hei whakawhānui ake i ngā whakaaro o ngā tamariki. He ngāwari, he mauritau hoki te aronga o ngā kaimahi i a rātou e mahi ana ki te taha o ngā tamariki. E tupu ake ana te mōhiotanga o ngā tamariki ki te whakamahi tika i te reo Māori. E whanake ana ngā tamariki ki te kōrero i te reo Māori.

Kua tau ngā tamariki ki tō rātou wāhi ako. Ka whai wāhi atu rātou ki te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo wheako akoranga. E ākina ana ngā tamariki tuākana kia whakamahi i ngā rauemi mā ngā huarahi auaha e whai pūtake ana. He whai wāhitanga anō hoki mō rātou puta noa i te rā, ki te ārahi i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo karakia, ngā pepeha, me ngā waiata. Mā te whai wāhi atu ki ngā kaupapa me ngā huihuinga i te marae, ka kite ngā tamariki i te whakatinanatanga o ngā kawa me ngā tikanga. Ka whakaritea anō hoki ētahi wā mō ngā tamariki ki te tūhura i ō rātou ake ngākau nuitanga. I aua wā, e āta whai wāhi nui ana ngā tamariki ki ngā akoranga. He ākonga pakari ngā tamariki.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kua tae ki te wā, kia whai whakaaro ngā kaimahi ki ngā huarahi ka poipoi i ngā matea o ngā pēpi. Ahakoa he whānui ngā tūmomo rauemi e noho wātea ana ki ngā pēpi, kāhore te hōtaka akoranga e ngohengohe ana, hei hāpai i tō rātou āhua ako. Kāhore te hōtaka o tēnei wā e whakaongaonga ana i ngā pēpi.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai 

E ārahi ana te ako a ngā tamariki i ngā mahere hōtaka. Ko te whanaungatanga me te whakatairanga i ngā hononga ētahi āhuatanga matua o ngā mahi whakamahere. Kei ngā mahere a ngā kaimahi ngā rauemi e whai pānga ana ki ngā taumahi ako. Nā tō rātou māramatanga pai, tō rātou mōhiotanga pai hoki ki ngā tamariki, he ngohengohe te whakapuakitanga o te hōtaka. E mōhio ana ngā kaimahi, e tika ana kia whakapaingia ngā tuhinga e pā ana ki te whakamahere hōtaka. Ka whai whakaaro ki te ako a ia tamaiti.

E whanake ana ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te aromatawai. Ka whakaemi ngā kaimahi i ngā tauira mahi a ngā tamariki, mā ngā whakaahua e kapo atu ana i te huarahi ako. Ka mātakitaki te whānau i ā rātou tamariki e ako ana, ā, ka whai wāhi atu hoki ki ngā pūkete e pā ana ki te ahu whakamua o ia tamaiti. Ka whakapuaki ngā tamariki i ā rātou akoranga ki te taha o te whānau. Ka whakamahia aua mōhiohio hei aroturuki, hei whakamōhio hoki i ngā mahere. He pai te whakamōhio i te whānau mō te ako a ā rātou tamariki, me tā rātou ahu whakamua.

Kua whakaritea e te whānau tētahi tirohanga rautaki. Ko te kaupapa matua, ko te tūhono anō me te whakapakari hoki i ngā hononga ki ngā mema o te whānau me te hapori ki tua atu i te kōhanga reo. Ki tō rātou whakaaro, ko te whakawhanaketanga o te whānau, te hapū, me te iwi i ngā whenua e tū ai te kōhanga reo, ka whakapakari i taua hononga. E arotahi ana te whānau ki te whakamahere mō te tauatanga. Ka āta whakatau tēnei i te noho pūmau o te whakawhanake tonutanga o te kōhanga reo ā meāke nei.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Me whakapakari te aromātai hōtaka. Hui ai ngā kaimahi i ia te wā, engari me tahuri ki te whakatau me te whakatakoto i ngā whakaritenga matua e tika ana ki te hāpai i te whakapuakitanga. Kāhore he tukanga ki te aroturuki i te whai huatanga o te hōtaka akoranga. Ka whai hua ngā tamariki mā tētahi hōtaka e hāngai ana i ngā wā katoa ki ō rātou matea ako.

He rerekē te āhua o ngā tūmomo whakaritenga ki te aromātai o roto. Ahakoa e mōhio ana te whānau he mea nui te arotake whaiaro, kāhore he tuhinga e tohu ana i taua āhuatanga. Kāhore anō ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga kia whakahoungia. Kāhore anō kia whakatutukihia te arohaehae ā-tau o ngā kaimahi. Kāhore he meneti mō ngā hui ā-whānau i tū ai i tēnei tau. Nā tēnei āhuatanga, kāhore he pūrongo e pā ana ki ngā āhuatanga matua o ngā whakaritenga me ngā whakahaeretanga a te whānau. He mea nui kia whakaritea e te whānau tētahi tukanga ka aroturuki i te whakapaitanga ake me te ahu whakamua, puta noa i te kōhanga reo.

3 Te Whakatau 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. 

I tāutuhia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā wāhanga kāhore e tutuki ana e ai ki te ture. Kia whakatutukihia e te whānau o te kōhanga reo āna herenga ā-ture, me tahuri rātou ki te:

• whakarite i te tū ā-tau o ngā mahi ki te arohaehae i ngā kaimahi, ā, kia tika anō hoki te poipoi o te kōhanga reo i ngā kaimahi i roto i ngā wāhanga e pā ana ki te whakawhanaketanga ngaio me te hāpai ngaio
  [R 46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA 7 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008] 

• whakarite kia tika ai te pāmahana o te wai mō ngā tamariki, ā, kia kaua e piki ake rawa i te pāmahana i whakataungia ai
  [R 46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS 14 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008] 

• whakarite i te whakatakotoranga o tētahi mahere ā-tau ka aroturuki i te ahu whakamua o ngā wāhanga matua o ngā whakahaeretanga.
  [R 46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA 8 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008] 

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 whakaritea tētahi tukanga e pā ana ki te aromātai o roto. 

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 Te Kotahitanga i roto i te toru o ngā tau. 

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori 

15 Haratua, 2017

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo 

1 Context

‘Ko Puputahitanga te maunga, ko Wairoro te awa, ko Tokareireia te puke, ko Te Kotahitanga te marae, ko Ngāti Whakaeke te hapū, ko Ngāpuhi te iwi.’ 

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Kotahitanga is located on Kotahitanga Marae in Kaikohe. The whānau have whakapapa connections to each other and to the whenua. Rātana is the religion practiced by the whānau and children. Kaimahi and whānau have experienced great loss of prominent leaders to the kōhanga reo. The values of kotahitanga and whanaungatanga are helping to revitalise and lift the whānau spirit. Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira is visible throughout the kōhanga reo.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children demonstrate whanaungatanga?

Children demonstrate expressions of whanaungatanga very well through their relationships and interactions with others.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children are aware of their church and cultural connections. Whanaungatanga and atua Māori is an integral part of the learning programme. Children actively participate in karakia and waiata. They learn about their whakapapa through reciting their pepeha. Tuakana, teina relationships are an integral part of the learning programme. Kaimahi are committed to provide an environment where children feel safe. Kaimahi support children to be trusting of others and to enjoy positive relationships. Children are comfortable and secure learners.

Children are learning to speak te reo Māori. Kaimahi maintain an immersion environment to support children’s language development. Kaimahi use appropriate language strategies to support children with little reo. They use questions to extend children’s thinking. Kaimahi have a relaxed and open approach when working with children. Children are growing in their awareness of the correct use of te reo Māori. Children are developing as speakers of te reo Māori.

Children are familiar with their learning environment. They engage in a range of learning experiences. Older children are encouraged to use resources in creative and meaningful ways. They are also provided opportunities throughout the day to lead various karakia, pepeha and waiata.  Participating in activities and occasions on the marae provide children opportunities to observe kawa and tikanga in action. Times are set aside for children to explore their own interests. During these time children are deeply engaged in learning. Children are confident learners.

Key Next Steps

It is time for kaimahi to consider ways in which to cater for the needs of babies.  Although there are a variety of resources for babies to access, the learning programme it does not provide flexibility to accommodate the ways in which they learn.  The current programme lacks stimulation for babies.

Planning and Evaluation

Children’s learning guides programme planning.  Whanaungatanga and enhancing relationships are key elements to planning. Kaimahi planning includes resources for learning activities. They understand and know the children well enough to be flexible with programme delivery. Kaimahi do acknowledge the need to improve programme planning records. Individual learning is considered.

Assessment practices are developing. Kaimahi gather samples of children work by, using photos to capture the learning process. Whānau observe their children learning and contribute individual records of their progress. Children share their learning with whānau. This information is used monitored and informs planning. Whānau are well informed of their children’s learning and progress

Whānau have in place a strategic vision. The priority is to reconnect and strengthen links to whānau members and the community outside of the kōhanga reo. They believe that whānau, hapū and iwi development on the land where the kōhanga reo is situated will strengthen this connection. The whānau are focused on succession planning. This ensures that the future development of the kōhanga reo is sustainable.

Key Next Steps

Programme evaluation needs to be strengthened. Kaimahi meet regularly, however decisions and next steps to improve delivery requires action. There is no mechanism in place to monitor the effectiveness of the learning programme. Children will benefit from a programme that constantly reflects their learning needs.

Internal evaluation practices is variable. Although whānau are aware of the importance of self-review, there are no records in place to reflect this. Policies and procedures have not been updated. Annual appraisal of kaimahi has not occured. There are no minutes from any of the whānau hui held this year. Because of this, there is no evidence of reports around key aspects of whānau operations and management. It is important that whānau establish a process to monitor improvement and progress across the kōhanga reo.

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.

ERO identified areas of non-compliance. In order for the kōhanga reo whānau to meet compliance requirements they need to:

• ensure that kaimahi are appraised annually and that they are managed appropriately by the kōhanga reo for areas of professional development and support
  [R46 Education (Early Childhood Services] Regulations 2008; GMA 7 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008
• ensure that the water is at the right temperature for children and that it doesn’t exceed the regulated requirement
  [R46 Education (Early Childhood Services] Regulations 2008; HS 14 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• ensure there is an annual plan is in place to monitor the progress of key aspects of operations.
  [R46 Education (Early Childhood Services] Regulations 2008; GMA 8 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

4 Recommendation

ERO and the Kōhanga Reo whānau developed the following recommendation to establish a process for internal evaluation.

When is ERO likely to review the kōhanga reo again?

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

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori 

15 May 2017

Information about the Kōhanga Reo