Te Kōhanga Reo o Kaitoki

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

Ko Ruahine te maunga
Ko Manawatū te awa
Ko Rīpeka te whare
Ko Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua te whenua
Ko Kaitoki te kōhanga reo 

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Kaitoki ki te marae o Kaitoki, ki Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua. Kua tapaina te ingoa o te tipuna o te whenua, arā, ko Rīpeka, ki te whare o te kōhanga reo. He manawa whakahī hoki ō ngā hapū me te iwi o Kaitoki, ki te whakapuaki i ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kaitiaki o tō rātou awa me tō rātou rohe, arā, i ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te taniwha e kīia nei, ko Peketahi.  

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakapuaki mai o ngā mokopuna i ō rātou hononga ki ētahi atu?

Ka whakapuaki ngā mokopuna i ō rātou hononga ki ētahi atu, mā ō rātou hononga, mā ā rātou wheako ako ki te taha o ō rātou hoa.  

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

Ka riro i ngā mokopuna ngā hononga e whai pūtake ana ki te taha o ētahi atu, ki tētahi wāhi e āta whakamana ana i te whanaungatanga. Ka whakatauira ngā kaimahi i te aroha me te manaaki i roto i ō rātou hononga ki ngā mokopuna. Ka akiaki rātou i ngā mokopuna ki te ārahi i ngā waiata, ngā karakia, me ngā pepeha. Ka taea e ngā tuākana ō rātou pepeha te taki mā te kore whai wāhi mai o ngā kaiako. Ka waiata tākare, ka waiata ngātahi ngā mokopuna me ngā kaimahi. Ka mātakitaki, ka whakarongo, ka tāwhai hoki ngā tēina i ngā kaiako me ngā tuākana. Ka tino ngākau nui ngā mokopuna ki te mahi rākau e kīia nei ko pākura, ā, he kaupapa tēnei ka arotahi ki te whakawhanake i te reretahi o te ringa me te karu. Ka noho mauritau ngā mokopuna i roto i ā rātou mahinga o ia rā, me ngā taunekeneke ki te taha o ētahi atu.

He tino puna mātauranga te kuia e hāpai ana i te kōhanga reo, ā, ka ārahi ōna mōhiotanga kāmehameha i te hōtaka akoranga. Kua waihangatia e ia tētahi hōtaka e whakatairanga ana i ngā atua wahine e whai pānga motuhake ana ki te kōhanga reo nei. E tino tautokona ana ngā mokopuna e mau ana i ngā matea ako ake, kia pārekareka ai te hōtaka ki a rātou. Ko ētahi o ngā kīanga e rangona ana, ko te “noho tika, noho pai” me te “tau ki raro, tatari”, ā, koia hoki ētahi tikanga a te marae e whakamahia ana hei hāpai i ngā mokopuna. E kitea ana ngā mokopuna hei rangatira o āpōpō, hei kaiārahi ā tōna wā o ngā whaikōrero me ngā karanga. Ka whakawhanake ngā mokopuna i ngā tino hononga, i a rātou e taunekeneke māia ana ki waenga i a rātou anō.

Ko te reo Māori tētahi aronga matua i te kōhanga reo. E wawata ana te whānau kia pouherea ngā wheako ako katoa ki te reo Māori me ōna tikanga. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo rautaki e whakawhanake ai i ngā mokopuna ki te kōrero i te reo Māori. Ko ētahi o aua rautaki, ko te whakatauira, te tāruarua, te whāngai kupu, te whakamihi, te tohutohu, me te patapatai. He nui ngā rauemi i te kōhanga reo, ā, ka whakarato i te tangongitanga o ngā taumahi ako reo e āta ngana ana i ngā mokopuna. Ka whai hua ngā mokopuna nā te whai aronga o te whakaako i te reo Māori me ōna tikanga.

E rumakina ana ngā mokopuna ki tētahi hōtaka e kaha aro nui ana ki te whanaungatanga. Ko te manaaki me te awhi ngā uara matua e pou here ana i te hōtaka. He ngākau titikaha ō te whānau ki te whakapuaki i ō rātou whakaaro me te whai wāhi atu ki te kaupapa. Hui ai ngā kaimahi i ia te wā ki te whakawhiti kōrero e pā ana ki te hōtaka akoranga. E hāngai ana ngā mahere ā-wāhanga me ngā mahere ā-wiki ki ngā kaupeka o te tau, ā, ka hono hoki ki ngā atua Māori. Kua āta whakatakotohia te hōtaka kia whai wāhi mai ngā nekehanga e hāpai ana i te whakawhanaketanga o te hinengaro me te tinana, i ngā oro, i ngā rangi, ā, i ngā mōhiotanga hoki ki te taha wairua. Ka āta whakatakotohia ngā kōnae mokopuna. Ka kitea hoki ki ngā mātai mokopuna, ko te ako a ngā mokopuna me te ahu whakamua i roto i te roanga o te wā. Ka tuhia te aromātai hōtaka, ā, ka tautuhi i tēnā e whakapai ake ai i ngā putanga. E arotahi ana ngā kaimahi ki te whakamahine i tā rātou whakaritenga, hei whakatairanga ake i te waiora o ngā mokopuna me tā rātou ako.

Kei te whānau ngā pūnaha whai hua i āta whakaritea ai, hei whakahaere i ngā whakaritenga o te kōhanga reo. Tū ai ngā hui ā-whānau i ia te wā. E mōhio ana te whānau ki ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga, ā, ka āta toro atu ki ngā pūmanawa ake o tēnā me tēnā. Kua whakatutukihia te arotake o ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga. Kua whakatakotohia ngā rēhita e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru. E whai kiko ana ngā tuhinga katoa e pā ana ki ngā kaimahi, ā, ka hāngai hoki ki ngā herenga ā-ture o te wā. Ka whakatutukihia ngā take kaimahi, ā, ka whai wāhi hoki ko ngā arohaehae e hāpai ai i te whakawhanaketanga ngaio e whakapakari ana i ngā mōhiotanga me ngā pūkenga o ngā kaimahi. E whakatakoto ana te tūtohinga i ngā hītori me ngā whakaahua, ngā kaupapa whakahirahira hoki, mai i te whakatuwheratanga o te kōhanga reo i te tau 1985. Ka whakapuaki te whānau i tō rātou aroha mō tō rātou kōhanga reo, nā te tū ki te manawa tonu o tō rātou tohu whenua, tae atu hoki ki tō rātou tino kaitiaki a Peketahi, te taniwha o te awa. Ka rima ngā tau o ngā mokopuna, ka whakawhiti atu rātou ki Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua, ā, ka āta poipoi te whānau i tō rātou tino hononga ki te kura. Ko te waiora o ngā mokopuna kei te pūtake o ngā whakataunga a te whānau.  

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake 

E ai ki te whānau, e tika ana kia whakapakarihia te whai wāhi mai o te whānau, ā, nā ngā pēhitanga o te KOWHEORI-19, tē taea e rātou te hui tahi, kanohi ki te kanohi. Kua tae ki te wā ki te āta whakahāngai i te titiro ki te whakawhanaungatanga hei painga mō ngā mokopuna, ngā kaimahi, me te whānau katoa, kia āhei ai ngā whānau ki te tūhonohono anō whai muri i ngā tauwhatinga a te KOWHEORI-19, mai i te tau 2020. Ka whai hua ngā mokopuna i te wā ka tūhonohono tahi anō te whānau, ā, ka paihere anōtia te whanaungatanga.  

5 Te Whakatau a te Whānau o te Kōhanga Reo 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:

• rapu huarahi te whānau ki te whakapūmau i ngā hononga kaha, ngā hononga tautoko, hei whakamauru i te whai pānga o te KOWHEORI-19 ki ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki.  

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

10 Hereturikōkā, 2022

7 Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te Kōhanga Reo

Te tūwāhi	Kei Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua
Te tau a te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga	55151
Te tau tohu o Te Kōhanga Reo	08G028
Te tūmomo whare	He kōhanga reo
Te raihana	Ngā Ture Mātauranga (Ratonga Kōhungahunga) 2008
Te tokomaha mō te raihana	25, kia tokowaru ki raro i te rua o ngā tau
Te tokomaha kei runga i te rārangi ingoa	23, tokorima kei raro i te rua o ngā tau
Ngā hononga ā-iwi	Māori 23
Te wā i te kōhanga reo te rōpū arotake	Pipiri 2022
Te wā o tēnei pūrongo	10 Hereturikōkā 2022
Ngā pūrongo o mua a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga	Arotake Mātauranga, Haratua 2018; Arotake Tāpiri, Kohi-tātea 2015; Arotake Mātauranga, Whiringa-ā-nuku 2012

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. ERO reports provide important information for hapū and iwi.

2 Context

Ko Ruahine te maunga
Ko Manawatū te awa
Ko Rīpeka te whare
Ko Tāmaki-nui-ā-Rua te whenua
Ko Kaitoki te kōhanga reo

Te Kōhanga Reo o Kaitoki is based on the Marae o Kaitoki in Dannevirke. The kōhanga reo whare is named after the tīpuna of the whenua, ‘Rīpeka’. The hapū and iwi of Kaitoki also take great pride in telling stories about the kaitiaki of their river and the rohe, who is a taniwha by the name of Peketahi.

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do mokopuna express their connections to others?

Mokopuna express their connections to others through their relationships and the learning experiences they have with their peers.

4 Findings

Mokopuna experience meaningful relationships with others in an environment where whanaungatanga is highly valued. Kaimahi model aroha and manaaki in their relationships with mokopuna. They encourage mokopuna to lead waiata, karakia and pepehā. Tuākana are able to recite their pepehā without kaiako support. Mokopuna and kaimahi sing waiata together with enthusiasm. Teina watch, listen and mimic kaiako and tuākana. Mokopuna especially love the mahi rākau called pākura, which focuses on developing hand and eye co-ordination. Mokopuna are settled in their daily routines and interactions with others.

The kuia that supports the kōhanga reo has valuable knowledge that guides the learning programme. She has created a programme that promotes atua wahine unique to this kōhanga reo. Mokopuna with additional learning needs are well supported to enjoy the programme. "Noho tika, noho pai" "tau ki raro, tatari" are phrases heard and are tikanga of the marae that are used to support mokopuna. Mokopuna are viewed as future rangatira and leaders in whaikōrero and karanga. Mokopuna develop strong connections as they confidently interact with each other.

Te reo Māori is a priority for the kōhanga reo. Whānau aspire for te reo Māori me ōna tikanga to underpin all learning experiences. Kaimahi use a variety of strategies to develop mokopuna as speakers of te reo Māori. Strategies include modelling, repetition, prompting, praise, instructions and questioning. The kōhanga reo is well resourced and provides a range of engaging language learning activities. Mokopuna benefit from a focused approach to teaching te reo Māori me ōna tikanga.

Mokopuna are immersed in a programme that places a strong emphasis on whanaungatanga. Manaaki and awhi are core values that underpin the programme. Whānau are confident to contribute their ideas and be involved. Kaimahi meet regularly to discuss the learning programme. Term and weekly planning aligns to the seasons and link to atua Māori. The programme is intentionally structured to include movement to support brain and body development, sound, harmony, and developing spiritual awareness. Kōnae mokopuna are well presented. Mātai mokopuna also show mokopuna learning and progress over time. Programme evaluation is documented and identifies what is needed to further improve outcomes. Kaimahi are focused on refining their practice to enhance the wellbeing and learning of mokopuna.

The whānau have well organised and efficient systems in place to manage the operations of the kōhanga reo. Hui whānau are held regularly. Whānau know their roles and responsibilities and utilise each other’s strengths. A review of policies and procedures has been completed. Health and safety registers are in place. All personnel documentation is detailed and aligns to current legislation. Personnel matters are attended to and includes appraisal that leads to professional development that builds kaimahi knowledge and skills. The Tūtohinga is a documentation of their history and includes photos and significant events dating back to the kōhanga reo opening in 1985. Whānau express loving their kōhanga reo because it sits at the heart of their tohu whenua including the beloved kaitiaki Peketahi the taniwha of the river. Mokopuna transition to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tamaki-nui-ā-rua when they turn five and the whānau nurture their close relationship with the kura. Mokopuna wellbeing is at the heart of whānau decision making. 

Key Next Steps

Whānau expressed the need to strengthen whānau engagement due to the impact of COVID-19, they have not been able to have kanohi ki te kanohi hui. It is now time to invest in whakawhanaungatanga for all mokopuna, kaimahi and whānau to re-engage whānau after being disrupted by COVID-19 since 2020. Mokopuna will benefit when whānau are re-connected and close relationships restored.

5 Kōhanga Whānau Assurance on Legal Requirements

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 Recommendation

ERO and the kōhanga reo whānau developed the following recommendation:

• the whānau find ways to maintain strong and supportive relationships and minimise the impact of Covid-19 on tamariki learning.

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

10 August 2022

7 Information about the Kōhanga Reo

Location	Dannervirke
Ministry of Education profile number	55151
Kōhanga Reo Identification Number	08G028
Licence type	Te Kōhanga Reo
Licensed under	Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for	25 children, including up to 8 aged under 2
Service roll	23 children, including 5 aged under 2
Ethnic composition	Māori 23
Review team on site	June 2022
Date of this report	10 August 2022
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review, May 2018; Supplementary Review,   January 2015; Education Review, October 2012