Te Kōhanga Reo o Kaikaapo

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Kaikaapo ki te marae o Pariroa, ki Pātea. Kua tata eke ki te toru tekau o ngā tau nō te whakaaetanga mai o te hapū me te iwi kia whakatūngia te kōhanga reo. He tātai whakapapa tō te nuinga o ngā tamariki o te kōhanga reo ki a Ngāti Ruanui. Me rapu tautoko te whānau kia pai ake ai te kounga o ngā mahi whakahaere o te kōhanga reo, me ngā tino painga mō ngā tamariki.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa ngā tamariki e whakaatu i tō rātou māramatanga ki tō rātou tuakiri?

Ka kitea ki ngā tamariki tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga ki tō rātou kōhanga reo me tō rātou marae.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

E whai wāhi ana ngā tamariki ki te reo o te iwi me ā rātou tikanga tuku iho. E whakamahi ana ngā kaiako i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo rautaki e akiaki ana i ngā tamariki ki te whakapuaki i te reo Māori. Ko te kōwaiwai pakitara rahi o te wāhi ako, he tohu ataata e hāpai ai i te whakawhanaketanga o te reo o ngā tamariki. Ka poipoi te whānau i te hononga me te mōhiotanga o ngā tamariki ki te mauri o te whenua. Ko tētahi āhuatanga whakaharahara o tēnei takiwā, ko te manga e pā tata atu ana ki te kōhanga reo, me ngā tūāhuatanga motuhake o te wai, otirā, i tōna whakahirahiratanga ki te tangata whenua. E whakapūmau tonuhia ana ngā tikanga e pā ana ki te wai, tae atu hoki ki te reo. Ko te whai wāhi atu ki te marae i ia te rā e whakapakari ana i ngā ngākau titikaha o ngā tamariki ki te tū hei kaitiaki o te whenua ā tōna wā. E whanake ana te ngākau titikaha o ngā tamariki ki te kōrero i te reo Māori.

E ako ana ngā tamariki i ngā kōrero me ngā hītori a tō rātou iwi, tō rātou hapū, me ō rātou whānau. Ko tētahi āhuatanga nui ki te whānau, ko te mōhio o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou tuakiri me ō rātou tūrangawaewae. He mea nui ki te whānau te noho mōhio, te whakapūmautanga hoki o ngā tamariki i ō rātou tūhonotanga ki te iwi. Kei te hōtaka akoranga ngā whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te ako mā ngā mōteatea, ngā karakia, me ngā waiata. Ko tētahi āhuatanga auau o ngā wheako a ngā tamariki, ko tā rātou whai wāhi atu ki ngā kaupapa o te hapori me tā rātou toro atu ki ngā wāhi whakahirahira. Ka rongo ngā tamariki i tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga ki tō rātou kōhanga reo me tō rātou marae.

Ka tūhura ngā tamariki i tō rātou hapori me te ao whānui. Ki tā te whānau titiro, ko te marae o Pariroa kei te pūtake o ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki, heoi anō rā, ka whakatairanga anō hoki rātou i ngā wheako ako ki tua atu i te marae mā ngā tamariki. Ka hāpai hoki ngā kaimahi i taua wawata mā te āta whakarite kia taetae atu ngā tamariki ki ngā tino huihuinga o te iwi, tae atu hoki ki ngā kaupapa whakanui ki te pā o Rātana. Nā ngā haerenga ki tāwāhi kua puta ake ngā whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te whai wāhi atu ki ētahi atu ahurea me ētahi atu reo. Kei te tupu te māramatanga o ngā tamariki ki tō rātou tū ki te ao whānui.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

E tino hāpaitia ana te tuakiri o ngā tamariki e te whānau, ā, he tino hononga ā-whakapapa ki waenga i a rātou. Ka mahi ngātahi rātou ki te whakatau i ngā whakaritenga e whai pānga ana ki te ako a ngā tamariki, me tō rātou waiora, tō rātou noho haumaru hoki. Tū ai ngā hui i ia te wā, ā, he mārama ngā tūmanako mō ngā pūrongo a te kaiako me te kaitiaki pūtea. Kei te rongo ngā tamariki i te aroha me te manaaki.

E whakapūmau ana te hōtaka akoranga i ngā hononga o ngā tamariki ki te marae o Pariroa me te hapori. Ka mahi ngātahi ngā kaimahi ki te tāutu i ngā wheako ako e whai horopaki ana ki tō rātou hapori me tō rātou taiao. E arotahi ana te kaiako ki te whakapakari ake i te āheinga me te rōnakitanga, mā te ārahi i ngā kaimahi. Kua whakawhanake ngā kaimahi i tā rātou ake tukanga aromatawai e tohu ana ki ngā mātua te āhua o te ahu whakamua o ngā tamariki i roto i ngā akoranga. Kei te tino mōhio rātou ki ngā tamariki. E kapo atu ana ngā aromatawai i ngā whanonga hou me ngā pūkenga e whakawhanakehia ana e ngā tamariki. Ka ngākau nui ngā tamariki ki te ako.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Me whakapakari te whānau i ngā tukanga e pā ana ki te arotake whaiaro. He maha ngā wāhanga o te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo hei tirohanga ake kia whai hua ai ngā mahi a te whānau ki te whakatutuki haere i ō rātou wawata me ā rātou herenga ā-ture. Kāhore te tūtohinga – tae atu hoki ki te mahere rautaki me te mahere ā-tau - e hāngai ana ki te wā, ā, kāhore hoki e whai pānga ana ki ngā wawata o te whānau o tēnei wā. Kāhore ngā kaupapa here e hāngai ana ki ngā āhuatanga o ngā herenga ā-ture nō nā noa nei i whakarerekēhia ai. He take tonu ki te kounga o ngā meneti, me te whakatakotoranga, te putu hoki o ngā mauhanga. Kāhore i te tino tuhi, kāhore rānei e putu ana ki te kōhanga reo, ko ngā putanga a ngā whakataunga a te whānau. He iti noa te māramatanga o te whānau ki ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga mahi kia whai hua ai tā rātou whakahaere i te kōhanga reo.

Me titiro ki te whakahaeretanga o ngā kaimahi. Ahakoa he tuhinga tūranga mahi, he kirimana mahi hoki ā ngā kaimahi, kāhore anō kia whakahaerehia te tukanga arohaehae mā ngā kaimahi, hei whakakoia i ō rātou pūmanawa ake, hei tāutu i ngā wāhanga ki te whakawhanake tonu, ā, hei whakamahere mō te tautoko ngaio e tika ana. Ka whakatairangatia te kounga o ngā whakaritenga a ngā kaimahi mā te haere tonu o ngā mahi arohaehae i ia te wā.

E tautoko ana te kaiako i ngā kaimahi kia whai māramatanga ai rātou ki te tukanga o te whakamahere me te aromatawai. E tohu ana ngā tuhinga i whakarato ai ki Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, e tika ana kia whiwhi ngā kaimahi i te tautoko o waho kua āta whakahāngaitia ki te whakapiki i tō rātou māramatanga ki Te Whāriki me Ngā Pou e Whā, me tā rātou whakamahere i tētahi hōtaka akoranga e whai pānga ana ki aua tuhinga matua e rua. He ōpaki kē te aromātai i te hōtaka. Kāhore ngā kaimahi e tuhi ana i ā rātou whakawhitinga kōrero e pā ana ki te hōtaka akoranga me ngā whakapai tonutanga.

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 tētahi tukanga arotake whaiaro ka haere tonu i ia te wā, hei hāpai i te kōhanga reo ki te whakapūmau me te whakapai ake i te kounga o ngā whakaritenga mā ngā tamariki
  [R47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA6 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• arotake me te whakahou ake i ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga, hei āta whakarite i te whakatutukitanga me te whakapūmautanga o ngā rautaki e pā ana ki te ārai i te tamaiti, me te whakahaere tika i te whanonga, hei painga mō te waiora ā-whatumanawa, ā-tinana hoki o ngā tamariki katoa
  [R46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS1-33 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakarite i tētahi mahere ā-tau ka ārahi i ngā whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo 
  [R47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA8 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakapau kaha ki te whakarato ki ngā kaimahi katoa e mahi ana, e whai wāhi ana rānei ki te kōhanga reo, te rawaka o te tautoko ngaio, o ngā whai wāhitanga whakawhanaketanga ngaio, me ngā rauemi mā tētahi tukanga arohaehae e tika ana.
  [R47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA7 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]

4 Ngā Taunakitanga

E taunaki ana Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, kia toro atu te whānau ki te tautoko o te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo ki te:

• whakapiki ake i te mōhiotanga o te whānau ki ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga mahi e pā ana ki te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo
• arotake me te whakahou ake i tā rātou tūtohinga, te mahere rautaki, te mahere ā-tau, me ngā kaupapa here
• whakapakari i ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te arotake whaiaro
• ārahi i ngā mahi ā ngā kaimahi ki te whakatairanga ake i ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te whakamahere me te aromātai hōtaka.

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 Kaikaapo i roto i te kotahi tau.

Charles Rolleston Toka ā-nuku

11 Poutūterangi, 2019

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Kaikaapo is located at Pariroa Marae in Pātea. The kōhanga reo was established almost thirty years ago with the consent of the hapū and iwi. Most of the children that attend the kōhanga reo have whakapapa links to Ngāti Ruanui. The whānau need support to improve the quality of kōhanga reo management and to improve outcomes for children.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children show understanding of their identity?

Children show a sense of belonging to their kōhanga reo and marae.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children experience the language and practices of the iwi. Kaiako use a range of strategies to encourage children to use te reo Māori. The large mural in the learning space provides visual cues to support the development of children’s language. The whānau foster children’s connection and knowledge about the spiritual heart of the land. The special characteristics of the water in a stream near the kōhanga reo and its importance to local people is a unique feature of this area. The practices associated with the water including the language are still maintained. The daily interactions on the marae increases children’s confidence as future caretakers of the land. Children are developing confidence to speak te reo Māori.

Children learn about the stories and histories of their iwi, hapū and whānau. It is important to whānau that children know who they are and where they come from. The whānau recognise the importance of children knowing and maintaining the various connections within the iwi. The learning programme provides opportunities for children to learn through mōteatea, karakia and waiata. Participation in local events and visits to places of significance are a regular feature of children’s experiences. Children feel that they belong to their kōhanga reo and marae.

Children explore their community and the wider world. While the whānau know that Pariroa Marae is the focal point of learning for children, they also promote learning experiences for children beyond their marae. Kaimahi support this aspiration by ensuring children attend significant iwi events including Rātana Pā celebrations. Overseas travel has provided opportunities for children to experience other cultures and languages. Children have a growing understanding about their place in the wider world.

Planning and Evaluation

Children’s identity is well supported by the whānau who have strong whakapapa links. They work together to make decisions about children’s learning, wellbeing and safety. Meetings are held regularly and there are clear expectations in place for reporting from the kaiako and treasurer. Children know they are loved and cared for.

The learning programme reinforces children’s connections to Pariroa Marae and the local area. Kaimahi work collectively to identify learning experiences that are relevant to their local context and environment. The kaiako is focussed on building capability and sustainability by guiding kaimahi. Kaimahi have developed their own assessment process that shows parents what progress children are making in their learning. They know the children well. Assessments capture new behaviours and skills children are developing. Children enjoy learning.

Key Next Steps

The whānau need to strengthen self-review processes. There are several areas of kōhanga reo management that require attention so that the whānau can work effectively towards their aspirations and meet their legal responsibilities. The charter, including strategic and annual planning, is out-dated and does not reflect the aspirations of the current whānau. Policies do not reflect recent changes in legislation. The quality of minutes, record keeping and storage continues to be a concern. The outcomes of whānau decisions are not well documented and filed onsite. The whānau have limited understanding of their roles and responsibilities to effectively manage the kōhanga reo.

Personnel management requires attention. While kaimahi have job descriptions and employment contracts in place, the appraisal process for staff has not been carried out to affirm their individual strengths, identify areas for development and plan for relevant professional support. The quality of kaimahi practice would be enhanced through ongoing appraisals.

The kaiako is supporting kaimahi to understand the process of planning and assessment. Documents provided to ERO show that kaimahi require focused external support to increase their understanding about Te Whāriki and Ngā Pou e Whā, and to plan a learning programme that reflects these two key documents. Programme evaluation occurs informally. Kaimahi do not document their discussions relating to the learning programme and ongoing improvements.

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:

• establish an ongoing process of self-review to help maintain and improve the quality of practice for children
  [Regulation 47 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA6 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• review and update policies and procedures to ensure that appropriate child protection and behaviour management strategies are met and maintained for the emotional and physical wellbeing of all children
  [Regulation 46 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS1-33 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• establish an annual plan to guide the operations of the kōhanga reo
  [Regulation 47 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA8 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]
• take all reasonable steps to provide staff employed or engaged in the service with adequate professional support, professional development opportunities, and resources through an appropriate appraisal process.
  [Regulation 47 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA7 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

4 Recommendations

ERO recommends that the whānau seek support from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust to:

• improve whānau knowledge of their roles and responsibilities to manage the kōhanga reo
• review and update their charter, strategic plan, annual plan, and policies
• strengthen self-review practices
• guide kaimahi to enhance planning and programme evaluation practices.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Kaikaapo will be within one year.

Charles Rolleston Toka ā-nuku

11 March 2019

Information about the Kōhanga Reo