Te Kōhanga Reo o Whanaungatanga

1 Te Horopaki

E whakahaerehia ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Whanaungatanga i ētahi whare i rīhi ai te whānau, i te papa o mua o Richmond Park School, ki Melville, i Kirikiriroa. Nō Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga te whenua. Kei te haere tonu ngā whakawhitinga kōrero e pā ana ki te āhua o te noho ki waenga i Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga me te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa ngā tamariki e whakaatu i tō rātou ngākau titikaha hei ākonga?

E whanake ana ngā tamariki i ō rātou ngākau titikaha me tō rātou āheinga ki te ako ngātahi, me te ako anō hoki ki te taha o ētahi atu.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

E ako ana ngā tamariki mā ngā huarahi auaha e whai pūtake ana. E āhei ana ngā tamariki ki te tūhura i tō rātou ao mā ngā kaupapa mahi toi, ngā pakiwaitara, me tā rātou ake kōkiri i te tākaro. Ka noho ngā kaimahi ki te taha o ngā tamariki i a rātou e mahi ana, hei whakapuaki i ngā kupu Māori me ngā whakamāramatanga anō hoki e tika ana, ā, e hāpai ana tēnei i te whakawhanaketanga reo o ngā tamariki. Ka whakarato rātou i ngā whai wāhitanga o ia rā mō ngā tamariki ki te whakapuaki i ō rātou pepeha, te waiata i ngā wai, me te taki anō hoki i ngā karakia me ngā pao o te takiwā nei. E wātea ana ki ngā tamariki tētahi wāhi o waho e mau nei i te maha o ngā rauemi, ā, e poipoi ana i tō rātou whakawhanaketanga ā-tinana. E whanake ana te ngākau titikaha o ngā tamariki hei ākonga.

Kua whakaritea te taiao hei hāpai i ngā tamariki ki te manaaki i tō rātou kōhanga reo. Ka whai ngā tamariki i ngā tohutohu e whakaratohia ana e ngā kaimahi mō te tiaki i ngā rauemi me ngā wāhi ako. Ka ū ngā kaimahi ki te riterite o te hōtaka, puta noa i te rā. He ngāwari te whakawhitiwhiti o ngā tamariki ki ngā tūmomo taumahi ako me ngā mahinga. Ka akiaki ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki ki te hora i ngā tēpu kai, me te whakapai haere a muri atu. Ka kōkiri ngā tamariki tuākana i a rātou anō. E mōhio ana ngā tamariki ki ngā tūmanako katoa e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru, ā, ka whāia anō hoki e rātou. E mōhio ana ngā tamariki nō rātou te kōhanga reo.

Ka rongo ngā tamariki i te manaaki, te aro nui, me te tautoko i roto i ō rātou hononga. Ka whakatauirahia i roto i ngā mahi, ko ngā tikanga e pā ana ki te aroha me te tautoko. Ka āta whakamihia ngā mahi angitu a ngā tamariki e ngā kaimahi. Ka whakanuia ngā tamariki mō tēnā e mōhiotia ana e rātou, me ō rātou pūmanawa. Ka rongo ngā tamariki i ngā kīanga me te tangi o te reo Māori e whakakoia ana, ā, e hāpai ana hoki i ētahi atu. Ka āta whakarite ngā kaimahi kia nui ngā whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te mahi ngātahi me te tākaro ngātahi. Kua āta tuituia te hōtaka, ā, nā tēnei ka whai whakaaro nui ngā tamariki tuākana ki ngā tamariki tēina i a rātou e tākaro ana. He mauritau te āhua o ngā tamariki, ā, ka kitea hoki tō rātou tūmāia i roto i ō rātou hononga ki ētahi atu.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Me titiro ki te āheinga o te whānau i roto i te reo Māori. He tokomaha ngā mātua e mea ana, he pai ki a rātou te whakawhanaketanga o te reo Māori i roto i ā rātou tamariki, me te tautoko e whakaratohia ana e ngā kaimahi ki a rātou. Engari, e ai ki te whānau, kāhore te reo Māori e rere tonu ana mō ngā tamariki i roto i ngā kāinga. E tino akiaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga kia whakaritea e te whānau ngā mahi ka hāpai i a rātou ki te whakatupu tonu i ō rātou āheinga i roto i te reo Māori. Ka piki ake te mōhiotanga, te whakamahinga anō hoki o ngā tamariki i te reo Māori, i te wā e rere māoriori ana te reo Māori ki tua atu i te kōhanga reo, otirā, i roto anō hoki i ngā kāinga.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

Ko te whakawhanaketanga o te katoa o te tamaiti kei te pūtake o ngā mahi whakahaere ki te kōhanga reo. Kei waenga i te whānau ētahi noa o rātou e taetae pūmau ana ki ngā hui i ia te wā. Ko ngā whakataunga a te whānau, ko tā rātou whai wāhi atu hoki e noho matua ana ki ngā whakawhitinga kōrero. Ka aroturukitia te nuinga o ngā wāhanga o te kōhanga reo. E arotake ana te whānau i ā rātou kaupapa rautaki matua, hei hāpai i te tupu tonu me te whakapai tonu o ngā whakahaeretanga. Ka whai wāhi taua tūāhuatanga ki te whakapai ake i ā rātou whakaritenga hei painga mō ngā tamariki.

Ka āta whakamaheretia te ako a ngā tamariki. Ka whakamahere ngātahi ngā kaimahi puta noa i te tau, ki te whakarato i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo wheako akoranga e whai pūtake ana. E tino māramahia ana, e tino whakamahia ana hoki aua mahere, hei ārahi, hei whakamōhio hoki i ngā whakaritenga a ngā kaimahi. Ka āta kitea ki ngā mahere, ko te aronga nui ki te whakawhanaketanga me te whakamahi tonutanga i te reo Māori.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kei te mārama ngā kaimahi i te arotake hōtaka. Engari, kua tae ki te wā kia whakaarohia e rātou, me pēhea te whakawhanake ake anō i te aromātai ka hāngai pū ai ki te whakapai ake i te hōtaka akoranga me ngā whakaritenga a ngā kaimahi. He mea nui kia tuhi ngā kaimahi i ngā whakawhitinga kōrero e tohu ana i tēnā i whai hua ai, i tēnā kīhai i whai hua ai, ā, i ngā āhuatanga anō hoki hei whakarerekē mō muri atu. Mā tēnā, ka whiwhi ngā tamariki i ngā akoranga e āta whakahāngaitia ai ki ō rātou matea ako.

Kāhore te ako, te ahu whakamua rānei a ngā tamariki e aroturukitia ana. I roto i ngā tau kua pahure ake nei, he tūmanako kia pūrongotia e ētahi o ngā mātua ngā pūmanawa o te kōhungahunga, tae atu ki te whanonga, te āhua o te tuhi ā-ringa, me te ara pū reo Pākehā, ahakoa he kōhanga reo kē tēnei. Nā tēnei, kīhai ngā kaimahi i hiahia ki te pūrongo, te tuhi rānei i te kiko o ngā akoranga a ia tamaiti, i ō rātou whakawhanaketanga hoki. Kua tae ki te wā kia arotake te whānau i te tukanga whakauru, a, kia whakapakari ake hoki rātou i te aronga o ia whānau ki te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo me ngā tūmanako e pā ana ki ā rātou tamariki.

Ahakoa te rōpū iti o te whānau e tautoko ana i te kōhanga reo, he torutoru noa tēnei ki te whakapūmau me te rōnaki i ngā āhuatanga whakahaere i roto i te tari, ā, i te kōhanga reo anō hoki i ia rā. E mahi ana te kaiako i te nuinga o aua wāhanga. Kua tae ki te wā, kia whai whakaaro te whānau, me pēhea te whakamāmā ake i te nui o ngā mahi a te kaiako.

Me titiro wawe ki te āhua o te wāhi me ngā rauhanga o te kōhanga reo. Tērā ētahi wāhanga o te whare hei whakatikatika wawe. E whakawhāiti ana te wāhi matua o te kōhanga reo i ngā tū mahi, nā te whānui o ngā tūmomo kaupapa ka whakatutukihia ki te wāhi nei, pērā i te kai, te moe, me te ako. Kua tae ki te wā, kia arotakengia e te whānau te kirimini noho whare, hei tāutu i te tautoko e tika ana ki te whakawhanake tonu i te wāhi nei. He hua mō ngā tamariki, inā e poipoi ana te wāhi i tō rātou atawhai, tō rātou hauora, tō rātou noho haumaru, me ō rātou matea ako.

3 Te Whakatau a te Whānau ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te aromātai, 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 tutuki i te whānau o te kōhanga reo ngā herenga ā-ture, me tahuri rātou ki te:

• whakarite i te whakatinanatanga o ngā kaimahi i tētahi tukanga ka aromatawai i te ako me te ahu whakamua a ngā tamariki, kia whakaratohia ai te pai o ngā wheako ako ki ngā tamariki
  [R43 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; C1-13 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• āta whakarite i te rawaka o ngā whare, ngā rawa, me ngā rauhanga e āta tiakina ana mō ngā tamariki, ā, kia whai pānga matua te āhua o aua whare ki te atawhai me te mātauranga e tika ana mō ngā tamariki kōhanga reo.
  [R45 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; PF1-38 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:

• toro atu te whānau ki te tino ārahitanga, te tautoko wawe anō hoki o te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo, ki te whakatutuki i ngā take e pā ana ki ngā whare me te papa, me te whakapiki ake i te whai wāhi mai o te whānau ki te whakahaeretanga o tō rātou kōhanga reo.

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

Ka aromātai anō Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i Te Kōhanga Reo o Whanaungatanga i roto ngā tau e rua.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

07 Pipiri, 2018

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Whanaungatanga is operating in leased buildings that are part of the former Richmond Park School site in Melville, Hamilton. This property is owned by the Ministry of Education (MOE). There are ongoing discussions about the status of occupancy between the MOE and Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children show they are confident learners?

Children are developing in their confidence and ability to learn with and alongside others.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children learn through creative and meaningful ways. Children are able to explore their world through art-based activities, stories and independent play. Kaimahi sit alongside children as they work to provide appropriate Māori words and descriptions to assist children’s language development. They provide daily opportunities for all children to share their pepeha, sing waiata, and recite karakia and local pao. Children have access to an outdoor area that is well resourced to cater for their physical development. Children are developing confidence as learners.

The environment is organised to support children to care for their kōhanga reo. Children follow instructions provided by kaimahi related to the care of resources and learning spaces. Kaimahi maintain consistency in the programme throughout the day. Children transition smoothly between learning activities and routines. Kaimahi encourage children to set up for kai and tidy up after. The older children are self-managing. Children are familiar and follow all expectations around health and safety. Children know that the kōhanga reo belongs to them.

Children experience caring, responsive and supportive relationships. Tikanga related to aroha and tautoko are modelled in practice. Kaimahi openly affirm children’s successes. Children feel valued for what they know and can achieve. Children hear te reo Māori phrases and intonations that are affirming and supportive of others. Kaimahi ensure that children have many opportunities to work and play together. The integrated nature of the programme ensures that the older children are mindful that there are younger children to consider as engage in play. Children appear settled and show confidence in their connections with others.

Key Next Steps

Whānau capability in te reo Māori requires attention. Many parents report they are pleased with their children’s development of te reo Māori and the support they receive from kaimahi. However, according to the whānau children have no continuity of te reo Māori in the home. ERO strongly encourage whānau to put in place practices to support them to grow their te reo Māori capacity. Children’s knowledge and use of te reo Māori will increase when the language is normalised in the home as well as kōhanga reo.

Planning and Evaluation

Children’s holistic development is at the heart of kōhanga reo management. There are a small number of dedicated whānau who attend hui on a regular basis. Whānau decision making and involvement is at the centre of discussions. Most areas of the kōhanga reo are monitored. The whānau is reviewing their key strategic priorities to support the ongoing growth and improvements of the operations to benefit children. They understand the need to provide kaimahi with professional development. This will assist in improving their practice to benefit children.

Children’s learning is well planned. Kaimahi plan collaboratively throughout the year to provide a range of purposeful learning experiences. These plans are well understood and used effectively to guide and inform kaimahi practice. The emphasis on the development and ongoing use of te reo Māori is evident in planning.

Key Next Steps

Kaimahi understand programme evaluation. However, it is time to consider how they can further develop evaluation that focuses on improving the learning programme and kaimahi practices. It is important that kaimahi record discussions about what worked, what didn’t work and what can be done differently next time. Children will experience learning that is best tailored to fit their learning needs.

Children’s learning and progress is not monitored. Over recent years there has been an expectation of some parents to report on early childhood based dispositions, including behaviour, hand writing and the English alphabet despite the fact that this is a kōhanga reo. Consequently, kaimahi have steered away from reporting and recording detailed learning and development of each child. It is time for whānau to review the induction process and place a greater emphasis on every whānau to understand the kaupapa of kōhanga reo and the expectations for their children.

While there are a small number of whānau who support the kōhanga reo, this is not sufficient to maintain and sustain areas of administration and daily operations. The kaiako oversees many of these areas. It is time for whānau to consider ways to ease the workload on the kaiako.

The property and facilities of the kōhanga reo requires attention. There are some parts of the building that need maintenance carried out urgently. The main area is restrictive given that it serves multiple purposes such as eating, sleeping and learning. It is time for the whānau to review the occupancy agreement to identify what support is needed to develop the property. Children will benefit from premises that cater for their care, health, safety and learning needs.

3 Whānau Management Assurance on Compliance Areas

During the evaluation, 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 kaimahi implement a process to assess children’s learning and progress in order to provide positive learning experiences for children
  [Regulation 43 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; C1-13 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• ensure that children are provided with adequate and well-maintained premises, property and facilities that is fit for full purpose for kōhanga reo children’s care and education.
  [R45 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; PF1-38 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:

• the whānau seek clear direction and urgent support from TKRNT to address issues relating to the property and facilities and increase whānau participation in the management of their kōhanga reo.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Whanaungatanga will be within two years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

7 June 2018

Information about the Kōhanga Reo