Te Kōhanga Reo o Atawhai

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 hapū me ngā iwi.

2. Te Horopaki

E tū pā tata ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Atawhai ki te moana o Taupō, ki te pūtake o te maunga o Tauhara. Kua raihanatia te kōhanga reo mō ngā mokopuna 35, me te tokoiwa o rātou kei raro i te rua o ngā tau te pakeke i te wā kotahi. E tū pā tata ana te kōhanga reo ki te kura tuatahi me te kura tuarua o Tauhara, me te kura takawaenga o Taupō. He tino hononga ō ngā whānau me ngā tamariki ki ngā hapū me te iwi o Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

I kitea ki te aromātai Mana Whakahaere a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i te Haratua o te tau 2022, he pai te whakahaeretanga o ngā whakaritenga ki te kōhanga reo, ā, i te tautokona te whakatutukitanga o ngā kaimahi i ō rātou tūranga. Ko te ako a ngā mokopuna, me te tupu tonu mā te whanaungatanga i āta whakawhāriki i te tūāpapa mō te āhua o ngā mahi whakahaere i te kōhanga reo.  

3. Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu mai o ngā mokopuna i tō rātou ngākau nuitanga ki te ako?

Ka kitea ki ngā mokopuna tō rātou harikoa, tō rātou ngākau nuitanga hoki, nā ā rātou wheako ako.  

4. Ngā Whakaaturanga – Mana Mokopuna

He whai wāhitanga mō ngā mokopuna ki te uru atu ki te tangongitanga o ngā wheako ako pārekareka. Ka kitea e rātou ngā tikanga me ngā kawa, i a rātou e whai wāhi atu ana ki ngā karakia, ngā mihi whakatau, me ngā mōteatea. Ka akiaki ngā kaimahi i ngā mokopuna ki te ārahi i ngā taumahi, pērā i ngā mihimihi, ngā waiata, me ngā karakia. Ka whakapuaki māhorahora ngā tuākana i te reo Māori, ā, ka kitea tō rātou māramatanga ki ngā kupu me ngā rerenga kōrero māmā. Ka kitea te māramatanga o ngā pēpi mā te āhua tonu o ō rātou kanohi, mā ō rātou reo ā-tinana hoki. Ka whai wāhi mātātoa atu ngā mokopuna ki ngā akoranga.

Ka waihanga ngā kaimahi i tētahi taiao ako e whakatairanga ana i te manaaki, te aroha, me te tiaki. Ka pou here aua uara i te iho o te whanaungatanga. Ka whakapuakihia e ngā tuākana te whakaute me te manaaki, i a rātou e taunekeneke ana ki ngā tēina. He maha ngā wā ka whakamihi, ka whakanui, ka whakakoia hoki ngā kaimahi i ngā whakatutukitanga o ngā mokopuna. Kei te harikoa, kei te mauritau hoki ngā mokopuna.

E ākina ana te tūhura haere o ngā mokopuna i tō rātou taiao ako. Ka poipoi ngā taumahi ako i te mahi ngātahi, i te mahi takitahi, i te ngohengohe hoki, ā, ka hāpai i te āheinga ki te whiriwhiri. E hāpaitia ana ngā whakaaro pohewa o ngā mokopuna, i a rātou e tūhura ana, e mahi auaha ana hoki. Kua whakaritea e ngā kaimahi ngā mahinga o ia rā, ā, e mōhiotia ana ngā whakawhitinga ngāwari. E whai painga ana, he pākiki hoki ngā mokopuna hei ākonga.  

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake 

Ko ngā take i tautuhia ai ki te pūrongo o mua mō te whakahaeretanga o ngā kaimahi, i whakatūturuhia i te haerenga ki te kōhanga reo. He rawaka ngā pūnaha a te whānau, kia pai ai te whakahaeretanga o ngā whakaritenga ki te kōhanga reo.  

5. Te Whakatau 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 haere tonu ngā mahi a te whānau ki te whakatairanga ngātahi i ngā whakaritenga pakari, hei whakapūmau tonu i ngā putanga e whai hua ana ki ngā mokopuna.

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

20 Pipiri, 2022

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. This report reflects their systems, operations and management practices. ERO reports provide important information for hapū and iwi.

2. Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Atawhai is located near Lake Taupō, below Mount Tauhara. It is licensed to cater for 35 mokopuna including nine aged under two years of age at any one time. The kōhanga reo is located close to Tauhara School and College, and Taupō Intermediate. Whānau and children have close connections to the hapū and iwi of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

The ERO May 2022 evaluation of Mana Whakahaere practices found the kōhanga reo operations were managed well and kaimahi were supported to carry out their roles. Mokopuna learning and continual growth through whanaungatanga provided the foundation for the way in which the kōhanga reo is managed.

3. Evaluation Focus

How well do mokopuna show they enjoy learning?

Mokopuna demonstrate happiness and enjoyment of their learning experiences.

4. Findings - Mana Mokopuna

 Mokopuna have opportunities to participate in a range of enjoyable learning experiences. They are exposed to tikanga and kawa as they participate in karakia, mihi whakatau and mōteatea. Kaimahi encourage mokopuna to lead activities such as mihimihi, waiata and karakia. Tuākana independently use te reo Māori, demonstrating their understanding of kupu and simple sentences. Pēpi show their understanding through their facial expressions and body language. Mokopuna are actively engaged in learning.

Kaimahi create a learning environment that promotes manaaki, aroha and tiaki. These values underpin the essence of whanaungatanga. Tuākana display respect and care as they interact with tēina. Kaimahi frequently praise, acknowledge, and affirm mokopuna achievements. Mokopuna appear happy and settled.

Mokopuna are encouraged to explore their learning environment. Learning activities foster co-operation, independence, flexibility and encourage freedom to make choices. Mokopuna are supported to use their imagination as they explore and be creative. Kaimahi have established daily routines and transitions are familiar and smooth. Mokopuna are positive and curious learners.

Key Next Steps

Matters identified in the previous report relating to personnel management were verified during the onsite visit. The whānau have sufficient systems in place to manage kōhanga reo operations well.

5. Assurance on Legal Requirement

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. Recommendations

ERO and the kōhanga reo whānau developed the following recommendation:

• that whānau continue to collectively enhance sound practises to maintain positive outcomes for mokopuna.

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

20 June 2022

7. Information about the Kōhanga Reo