Te Ara Ki Te Reo Ki Kuirau

1 Te Aromātai i te Ratonga

He pēhea te tūnga o Te Ara ki te Reo ki Kuirau ki te whakatairanga i te pai o ngā putanga ako mō ngā tamariki?

Ko ngā kitenga a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga e whai pānga ana ki te whānuitanga o tēnei whakataunga, kua whakarāpopotongia ki raro iho nei.

He Whakamārama

Ko Te Ara ki te Reo ki Kuirau tētahi whare kōhungahunga rumaki reo Māori ki Rotorua, ā, e kāwanatia ana e tētahi Tarahiti Ohaoha. Ka whakarato te whare kōhungahunga i tētahi wāhi mō te ako i te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Kua waihangatia te hōtaka hei akiaki i te kōkiri a te tamaiti i āna ake akoranga. E whakapono ana te whānau ka ako ngā tamariki mā te tākaro. E hiahia ana te whānau kia whanake ngā tamariki hei tangata māia, hei tangata mātau hoki.

Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Arotake

He pārekareka ki ngā tamariki te taetae mai ki te whare kōhungahunga i ia rā. He pai ngā hononga o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou hoa, ō rātou kaiako, me tō rātou whānau. Ka hāpai, ka atawhai hoki ngā tamariki tuākana i ngā tamariki tēina me ngā pēpi, ā, ka whakauru i a rātou ki ā rātou tākaro. Ka tākaro ngātahi ngā tamariki, ā, ka kitea tō rātou aroha, tō rātou manaaki, tō rātou awhi hoki. He māia ngā tamariki, ā, ka kite i a rātou e tū takitahi ana i a rātou e ako ana, e tākaro ana hoki.

He pakari te nuinga o ngā tamariki ki te kōrero i te reo Māori. Ka taea e rātou ō rātou whakaaro te whakapuaki ki waenga i a rātou anō, ki ngā kaiako, ā, ki te whānau hoki. He auaha tā rātou whakamahinga i te reo. He pakari ngā tamariki ki te waiata i ngā waiata me ngā hīmene, me te taki i ngā karakia me te mihimihi. Ka whakamahi rātou i te reo e tika ana mō ngā wā ōpaki me ngā wā ōkawa. I ētahi wā, ka aroturuki ngā tamariki i te whakamahinga o ō rātou hoa i te reo Māori, ā, ka hāpai tētahi i tētahi. Ka whakamanahia te reo Māori, ā, he māoriori te rere o te reo, puta noa i te whare kōhungahunga. He māhorahora te kōrero a ngā tamariki i te reo Māori.

He pārekareka ki ngā tamariki te ako. Ka tino hāpaitia rātou, ā, ka whai wāhi nui rātou ki ngā wheako akoranga. Ka whakarato ngā kaiako i ngā taumahi e mau nei i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo hōhonutanga, ā, e kapo ake ana hoki i ngā ngākau nuitanga o ngā tamariki. Haereere ai ngā tamariki puta noa i te whare kōhungahunga, ā, ka whakatau rātou i ā rātou ake whiringa ako. Kua waihangatia te hōtaka hei hāpai i ngā ngākau nuitanga me ngā matea ako o ngā tamariki, ā, ka hāngai hoki ki Te Whāriki, ki Te Hekenga nui o Te Arawa Waka, ā, ki te ao Māori hoki. Kua āta whakawhanakehia te hōtaka e hāpai ana i te whakawhiti o ngā tamariki tuākana ki te kura. He ākonga mātau, he ākonga pakari hoki ngā tamariki.

Ka kite i te tū pakari, te tūmāia hoki o ngā tamariki. He mahana te taiao o te whare kōhungahunga, ā, ka poipoi i ngā tamariki. Ka hāpai ngā kaiako i ngā tamariki katoa ki te whai i ngā tikanga Māori, ngā mahinga, me ngā taumahi. Ka whakamihi ngā kaiako me te whānau i ngā whakamātau a ngā tamariki, ā, ka whakamana i ā rātou whakapuakitanga. He ngāwari ngā mahinga a ngā tamariki, he tau hoki, ā, ka hāngai ki ia tamaiti, hei whakatutuki i ō rātou reanga me ō rātou āheinga. E wātea ana ngā pēpi ki te whakahoahoa atu ki ngā tamariki puta noa i te rā, ā, kei a rātou hoki ō rātou ake wā tākaro me ō rātou ake wā whakatā. Ka akiaki te whānau me ngā kaiako i ngā tamariki ki te whai wāhi mai ki ngā mahi whakapaipai. Ka tū takitahi ngā tamariki, ka manaaki i ētahi atu, i tō rātou taiao hoki.

He nui ngā tūmanako o te whānau kia whiwhi ngā tamariki i te atawhai me te mātauranga o te kounga kairangi i a rātou e noho ana ki te whare kōhungahunga. Ko te tirohanga matua a ngā kaitiaki i tēnei wā, ko te hāpai i ngā tamariki kia pakari ai tō rātou aronga tuakiri me tō rātou mātau ki te reo Māori, ā, kia āta rite ia ki te haere ki te kura.

Ka whakatinana ngā kaiako me te whānau i te whakaute me te whakawhirinaki o tētahi ki tētahi. Ka whakapuaki te whānau i ō rātou whakaaro, ā, ka whai wāhi rātou ki te whakawhanaketanga o te whare kōhungahunga. E mōhio ana rātou, ko te āhuareka o ngā kaiako e whai pānga nui ana ki te tau pai o ngā tamariki i ia rā. Ka whai hua te whakakotahi i te whānau ki tēnei whare kōhungahunga, ā, e whai pānga nui ana te pai o tēnei hononga ngātahi ki te mauritau, te harikoa hoki o ngā tamariki.

Ka āta whakamahia te aromātai hōtaka hei whakamōhio i ngā whakapaitanga mā ngā tamariki. He mārama ngā whāinga ā te whānau me ngā kaiako mō te ako me te waiora o ngā tamariki. He auau ngā pūrongo e pā ana ki te hōtaka o ia rā. Ka aro wawe te whānau ki ngā whai wāhitanga, ngā take, me ngā āwangawanga ka pupū ake. Ka tino whai hua te aromātai o roto, ā, he painga mō ngā tamariki me ō rātou whānau.

He pakari ngā kaiako hei kaiārahi ngaio. He mārama, he hōhonu hoki tō rātou māramatanga ki te pūtake me te hua o te aromatawai, te whakamahere, me te aromātai. Ka whakamahere ngātahi ngā kaiako me te whānau. Ka whakahōhonu ake rātou i ngā mōhiotanga kē o ngā tamariki, ā, ka whakawhānui i ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. Ka whakaemi ngā kaiako i te whānuitanga o ngā mōhiohio e pā ana ki tēnā e ākona ana e ngā tamariki. Ka whakamahi rātou i aua mōhiohio hei pūrongo i te ahu whakamua o ia tamaiti, me ngā huarahi ako ka whāia tonuhia. He pārekareka ki ngā tamariki te pānui me te whakapuaki i ā rātou paki ako ki te taha o ō rātou mātua.

Ka ārahi ngātahi te whānau. Ka whakamahi ngā kaiako, te whānau, me ngā kaumātua i ō rātou pūkenga, ō rātou mātanga hoki hei hāpai i te kounga kairangi o ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. Ka whai wāhi te katoa ki te whakatau i ngā whakaritenga, te whakamahere, me te aroturuki. Ko te ārahi ngātahi me te whai huatanga o ngā whakaritenga whakahaere e whai pānga nui ana ki ngā painga e pupū ake ana mō ngā tamariki.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kāhore anō ngā arohaehae kaimahi kia oti. Kāhore ngā mōhiohio arohaehae e whakamahia ana hei whakamōhio i ngā whāinga o te whakawhanaketanga ngaio, hei hāpai rānei i te whakapaitanga ake o ngā whakaritenga ngaio.

He whāiti te aromātai o roto. Ahakoa he mahere ā-tau, kāhore anō kia ōkawa te pūrongo, te aroturuki, te whakatakoto haere rānei o ngā mahi i whakatutukihia ai. Ko te pūrongo i te ahu whakamua me ngā hua ka puta i ngā kaupapa matua ā-tau, ka whakatakoto ki te whānau ngā tino mōhiohio ka hāpai i ā rātou mahi ake ki te tautoko i ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki me ō rātou ngākau nuitanga.

Te Whakatau a te Whakahaeretanga ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te arotake, i whakamātauhia e te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha o te ratonga 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 ratonga mātauranga kōhungahunga 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.

Te Taunakitanga

Kia arotakengia, kia whakatinanahia hoki te pūnaha arohaehae.

Kia whakapai ake i te pūrongo me te aroturuki i te mahere ā-tau.

Te Whakarāpopototanga

Ko Te Ara ki te Reo ki Kuirau tētahi whare kōhungahunga rumaki reo Māori ki Rotorua. He pai te tūnga o te whare kōhungahunga ki te whakatairanga i ngā putanga ako mā ngā tamariki. Ka ngākau nui ngā tamariki ki te noho ki te whare kōhungahunga, ā, he pakari tā rātou kōrero i te reo Māori. He nui ngā tūmanako o te whānau kia whiwhi ā rātou tamariki i te atawhai me te mātauranga o te kounga kairangi ki te whare kōhungahunga. 

Te arotake ka whai ake

Hei ā hea Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga arotake anō ai i te whare kōhungahunga rumaki reo Māori?

Ka arotake anō Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i Te Ara ki te Reo ki Kuirau i roto i ngā tau e toru.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

24 Poutū-te-rangi, 2016

1 Evaluation of the Service

How well placed is TeAra Ki Te Reo Ki Kuirau to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Te Ara Ki Te Reo Ki Kuirau is a total immersion Māori early childhood centre in Rotorua and is governed by a Charitable Trust. The centre provides an environment for learning te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. The programme is designed to encourage child-centre learning. Whānau believe that children learn through play. Whānau want children to develop as confident and competent individuals.

The Review Findings

Children enjoy coming to the centre each day. Children have positive relationships with their peers, teachers and whānau. The older children are supportive and affectionate towards younger children and babies and include them in their play. Children play cooperatively and display aroha, manaaki and awhi. Children are confident and display independence as they learn and play.

Most children are confident speakers of te reo Māori. They can express their ideas with each other, teachers and whānau. They are creative with language. Children confidently sing waiata, hīmene, recite karakia and mihimihi. They use language that is appropriate for informal and formal settings. There are times when children monitor each other’s use of te reo Māori and provide guidance. Te reo Māori is valued and flows naturally in the centre. Children speak te reo Māori spontaneously.

Children enjoy learning. They are well supported and engaged in learning experiences. Teachers provide activities that range in complexity and capture children’s interests. Children move freely and make choices about their own learning. The programme is designed to support children’s interests and learning needs, and reflects Te Whāriki, Te Hekenga nui o Te Arawa Waka and te ao Māori. There is a well-developed programme that supports the transition to school of older children. Children are competent, capable learners.

Children show that they are self-assured and confident. The centre environment is warm and nurturing. Teachers support all children to follow tikanga Māori practices, routines and activities. Teachers and whānau praise children’s efforts and value their contributions. Children’s routines are flexible, familiar, individualised to meet their ages and abilities. The babies are free to mingle with other children throughout the day and have their own play and rest times. Whānau and teachers encourage children to share in tidying up. Children are independent, care for others and their environment.

Whānau have high expectations that their children will receive high quality care and education while at the centre. The current focus of trustees is on supporting children to have a strong sense of their identity, competence in te reo Māori and being well prepared for school.

Teachers and whānau demonstrate mutual respect and trust. Whānau share their views and contribute to the development of the centre. They recognise that the positive demeanour of teachers plays a vital role in the settling of children each day. Whānau are successfully included in the centre and this successful partnership leads to relaxed and content children.

Programme evaluation is used well to inform improvements for children. Whānau and teachers have clear goals for children’s learning and wellbeing. There is regular reporting about the daily programme. Whānau respond to emerging opportunities, issues and concerns promptly. Internal evaluation is highly effective and benefits children and their whānau.

Teachers are capable professional leaders. They have a clear, in-depth understanding of the purpose and value of assessment, planning and evaluation. Teachers and whānau plan together. They build on children’s prior knowledge and extend children’s learning. Teachers gather a range of information about what children learn. They use this information to report on each child’s progress and their next steps in learning. Children enjoy reading and sharing their learning stories with their parents.

Leadership is shared with whānau. Teachers, whānau and kaumātua use their skills and expertise to support high quality learning for children. All contribute to decision making, planning and monitoring. Collective leadership and effective management practices contribute to positive outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

Teacher appraisals are incomplete. Appraisal information is not used to inform professional development goals or contribute to improved professional practice.

Internal evaluation is limited. While there is an annual plan there is no formal reporting, monitoring and recording of completed tasks. Reporting on the progress and successes of annual priorities provides whānau with important information to inform their immediate actions to support children’s learning and interests.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

During the review, ERO looked at the service’s 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 early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Recommendation

Review and implement the appraisal system.

Improve reporting and monitoring of the annual plan.

Conclusion

Te Ara Ki Te Reo Ki Kuirau is a total immersion Māori early childhood centre in Rotorua. The service is well placed to promote learning outcomes for children. Children enjoy coming to the centre and they are confident speakers of te reo Māori. Whānau have high expectations that their children will receive high quality care and education while at the centre.

Next Review

When is ERO likely to review the immersion centre again?

The next ERO review of Te Ara Ki Te Reo Ki Kuirau will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori 

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

3 General Information about Immersion Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

ERO’s overarching question for an immersion early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the framework Ngā Pou Here:

Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children.

Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children.

Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children.

Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.

Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.

ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.

A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.

For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years

• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years

• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years

• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.