Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Hau e Whā

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Hau e Whā ki te taha o te marae o Ngā Hau e Whā, ki Waihōpai. Koia nei tētahi o ngā kōhanga reo kua roa rawa nei e whakahaerehia ana ki Te Waipounamu. E paihere ana te whānau o tēnei wā i ngā tino hononga ki tō rātou marae me ngā kaumātua i whai wāhi ai ki te kōhanga reo i mua. E whakamana ana taua aronga i te ū pūmau ki te whakarauoratanga o te reo Māori mō ngā whakatupuranga kei te heke mai.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te māramatanga o ngā tamariki ki ngā tikanga Māori?

E whakawhanake ana ngā tamariki i tō rātou māramatanga ki ngā tikanga Māori.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

E ako ana ngā tamariki i te whakahirahiratanga o ngā hononga e manaaki tangata ana. Ka whakapūmau ngā kaimahi i te manaaki me te tiaki ki waenga i ngā tamariki me ētahi atu. E tino whakatairangatia ana te whanaungatanga e te whānau. Ka whakaute ngā tamariki i ngā pakeke me ō rātou hoa. Ka whakamihi, ka whakanui hoki ngā kaimahi i ngā mātua i a rātou e kawe mai ana i ā rātou tamariki ki te kōhanga reo i ngā ata. Ki tā te whānau tirohanga, ko te mea nui, ko te manaaki me te aroha e tautāwhitia ana ā rātou tamariki. Ka akiaki ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki tuākana ki te manaaki i ngā pēpi. He pārekareka ki ngā tuākana tā rātou whai wāhi nui ki te tautoko i ō rātou tēina. Ka āta whakarite ngā kaimahi kia toro atu te manaakitanga ki tō rātou taiao ako. Ka tiaki ngā tamariki i ngā rauemi e whakamahia ai. He tautoko tō ngā taunekeneke a ngā tamariki ki ētahi atu.

E ako ana ngā tamariki i ngā reo mā ngā huarahi e hāpai ana i a rātou. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo rautaki e whai wāhi atu ana ki te whakapakari i ngā mōhiotanga o ngā tamariki ki te reo Māori me te Reo Rotarota o Aotearoa. Ko ngā waiata, ngā poi, ngā waiata tawhito, te akiaki, te whāngai kupu, me te patapatai ētahi o ngā rautaki e whakamahia ana e ngā kaimahi hei whakawhānui ake i te puna kupu reo Māori o ngā tamariki. Ka taea e ngā tamariki ngā kōrero te whakautu mā ngā rerenga kōrero popoto rānei, mā te kupu kotahi rānei, mā te tohu ā-tinana rānei. Ka whakatauirahia e ngā kaimahi te reo rotarota i ngā tamariki e tākaro ana. Ka whakamahi rātou i te reo rotarota hei whakapuaki i ngā kupu Māori. Ka pupū ake te reo rotarota i ngā wā māhorahora me ngā wāhanga ōkawa hoki o te rā. E hāpai ana te tāruarua i te ako a ngā tamariki i ngā reo e rua, i runga anō i te wā e tika ana mō rātou. E whakawhanake ana ngā tamariki i tō rātou māramatanga me tā rātou whakamahinga o te reo Māori me te reo rotarota.

Ka whai wāhi atu ngā tamariki ki ngā akoranga e akiaki ana i te taha tūhura. Ka whakarato ngā kaimahi i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo taumahi e whakawātea ana i ngā tamariki ki te whakatau i ā rātou ake whiringa me te whai i ō rātou ake ngākau nuitanga. I aua wā, ka aro atu ngā tamariki tuākana ki ā rātou mahi mō ngā wā roroa. Ka tuitui atu ngā kaimahi i ngā akoranga, puta noa i ngā mahinga o ia rā. Ka toro atu rātou ki ngā tamariki kia whakawhitiwhiti kōrero mō ngā āhuatanga e ngākau nuitia ana e rātou ngā tamariki, tae atu hoki ki ētahi atu kaupapa i ngā wā kai. Ka kitea te tupu haere o te ngākau titikaha me te āheinga o ngā tamariki ki te kōkiri me te ārahi i ētahi āhuatanga o te hōtaka akoranga. Ka kitea tō rātou mauritau i a rātou e kawe ake ana i ngā momo tūranga me ngā momo kawenga mahi. Kei te tākare ngā tamariki ki te ako.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kua tāutuhia e te whānau, e tika ana kia whakapiki ake rātou i tō rātou māramatanga me tā rātou whakamahinga i te reo Māori. Kua tae ki te wā kia whai whakaaro te whānau ki ngā rautaki e hāpai ai i te tūmāia me te mātau o te katoa ki te reo Māori. Kei te māramahia e rātou, ko tō rātou tautoko i ngā tamariki ki ō rātou kāinga ka whai wāhi nui anō hoki ki te ako me te eke angitu tonu o ā rātou tamariki i roto i te reo Māori.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

Kua aro atu ngā mahi a te whānau ki te whakapūmau i ngā tino pūnaha whakahaere ki te kōhanga reo. Kei te tūtohinga te nuinga o ngā tukanga e tika ana kia whakaaro nuitia ai te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki. He kaha te tae ā-tinana mai ki ngā hui ā-whānau. E tohu ana tēnei i te whai wāhi nui mai o te whānau ki te aronga o te kōhanga reo mō ā rātou tamariki. Ka whakawhārikihia te wā mō te whānau ki te whakawhiti kōrero e pā ana ki te ahu whakamua me ngā whakawhanaketanga. Ka pūrongo rātou i te tupu me te whakapaitanga ake o ētahi o ngā wāhanga matua o ngā whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo.

Ka whakamaheretia, ka whakaaro nuitia hoki te ako a ngā tamariki. Ka kitea ki te kiko o te hōtaka akoranga te aronga mārama ki tēnā i tāutuhia ai e te whānau hei akoranga matua mā ngā tamariki. Ka kitea hoki te whakaarotanga ake ki ngā ngākau nuitanga me ngā āheinga o ngā tamariki i roto i te whakamahere hōtaka. Ko te aromātai tētahi wāhanga o te angamahi whakamahere. Ka whakamahia taua angamahi e ngā kaimahi hei kōrero mō tēnā i whai hua ai ki ngā ākonga, ā, hei tāutu hoki i ngā āhuatanga ki te whakarerekē kia piki tonu ake ai te ako.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Ko ngā mahi aromatawai o tēnei wā tētahi āhuatanga hei arotake ake. He uaua ki te tātari i te ako me te ahu whakamua a ngā tamariki. Me mahi ngātahi ngā kaimahi me te whānau ki te whakarite i ngā huarahi ka taea e rātou te whakatutuki, hei kapo atu i tēnā e ākona ana e ngā tamariki, ā, i tō rātou whakawhanaketanga anō hoki i roto i te roanga o te tau.

Tērā ētahi wāhanga o ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau me te arotake o roto hei whakapakari ake. Ahakoa kua tāutuhia e te whānau ngā kaupapa matua ki tā rātou mahere rautaki o tō rātou kōhanga reo, kāhore he mahere mahi hei āta whakatau i te whakatutukitanga o aua whāinga, ā, hei aroturuki hoki i tā rātou ahu whakamua. E ai ki te whānau me ngā kaimahi, tērā ētahi wāhanga o te tukanga arohaehae kāhore anō kia āta whakawhanakehia. He mea nui kia whakarite te whānau i tētahi tukanga arohaehae ka tāutu i ngā tino wāhanga o ngā whakaritenga o ngā kaimahi hei hāpai ake.

Me titiro wawe ki ētahi āhuatanga o ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru. Ko ētahi o aua āhuatanga, ko te whakahou ake i ngā tukanga e pā ana ki te hōneatanga ohorere inā he ahi, ko te whakatinana i ngā akoako hōneatanga i ia te wā, me te āta whakatau i te tika o ngā taiapa kia noho tonu ai ngā tamariki ki te wāhi tonu o te kōhanga reo. Me whakatutuki hoki te whānau i te tukanga kia arowhaingia ngā kaimahi e ngā pirihimana, ā, me āta whakarite kia hāngai ai te āhua o aua mahi ki te Ture Oranga Tamariki 2014. Tē taea e te whānau te noho whakatau ki te whakaaro kua āta whakarite katoatia ngā tukanga e whai pānga ana ki te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki me ngā kaimahi.

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.

Tērā ētahi āhuatanga o te raihana e noho tāwēwē tonu ana, hei whakatutukihia e te whānau. E ai ki a rātou, kei te mahi rātou ki te taha o ngā kaimahi ā-rohe o te tari o te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo me te whānau o te marae ki te whakatutuki i aua tū āhuatanga. Me āta whakarite te whānau kia:

• whakatakotohia ki ngā whare, ko te rautaki hōneatanga ohorere inā he ahi, ā, kia whakamanahia taua rautaki e te ratonga patu ahi o Aotearoa
  [R46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS4 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• tāpareparetia tō rātou wāhi mahi o waho ki ngā hanganga rānei, ki ngā taiapa me ngā kēti rānei i waihangatia ai kia kore ai ngā tamariki e puta poka noa atu i te kōhanga reo me te kore mōhio o rātou ngā pakeke e whāngai ana i te mātauranga me te atawhai
  [R45 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; PF13 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• noho mōhio ngā pakeke o te kōhanga reo ki ngā akoako hōneatanga ohorere e tika ana, ā, kia whakatutukihia, kia tuhia, kia aromātaihia hoki aua hōneatanga e kōkirihia ana ki te taha o ngā tamariki i ia toru marama, i mua noa atu rānei i taua wā.
  [R46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS8 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• arowhaingia te haumaru o ngā kaimahi katoa e whai wāhi atu ana ki ngā tamariki, i runga i ngā tikanga e whakatakotohia ana ki te Ture Oranga Tamariki 2014, tae atu hoki ki ngā mahi arowhai a ngā pirihimana.
  [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 Te Taunakitanga

I whakawhanakehia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga me te whānau o te kōhanga reo te taunakitanga e whai ake nei, arā, kia:

• whakatutuki haere te whānau i ngā whakaritenga matua katoa i tāutuhia ai ki tēnei pūrongo a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, tae atu hoki ki ngā mahi kia tutuki ai i a rātou ngā herenga ā-ture.

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 Ngā Hau e Whā i roto ngā tau e rua.

Charles Rolleston Toka ā-nuku

23 Kohitātea, 2019

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Hau e Whā is situated next to Ngā Hau e Whā marae in Invercargill. This is one of the longest-operating kōhanga reo in Te Waipounamu. The current whānau are forging strong partnerships with their marae and former kaumātua of the kōhanga reo. This acknowledges the commitment to the revitalisation of te reo Māori for future generations.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children understand tikanga Māori?

Children are developing their understanding of tikanga Māori.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children learn the importance of caring relationships. Kaimahi reinforce manaaki and tiaki amongst children and others. Whanaungatanga is promoted well by whānau. Children are respectful of adults and their peers. Kaimahi welcome and acknowledge parents as they drop their children off in the morning. Whānau identify that the care and love their children receive is paramount. Kaimahi encourage the older children to care for the babies. Tuākana enjoy the role they play as they support their tēina. Kaimahi ensure the concept of care is also afforded to their learning environment. Children use resources with care. Children are supportive in their interactions with others.

Children learn languages in supportive ways. Kaimahi use a range of strategies to help build children’s knowledge of te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. Waiata, poi, traditional waiata, prompts, cues and questions are strategies kaimahi use to increase children’s vocabulary in te reo Māori. Children are able to respond in short sentences, single-word replies or the use of body language. Sign language is modelled by kaimahi as children play. They use signing to express kupu Māori. Signing is used in both spontaneous situations and formal parts of the day. Repetition assists children to learn both languages at a pace that is right for them. Children are developing their understanding and use of te reo Māori and sign language.

Children participate in learning where exploration is encouraged. Kaimahi provide a range of activities where children are able to make choices and follow their interests. During these times, older children spend long periods focused on their work. Kaimahi incorporate learning throughout the daily routines. They engage children in conversations about things that interest them as well as other topics during kai time. Children show growing confidence and ability to initiate and take the lead in aspects of the learning programme. They appear self-assured as they take on more roles and responsibilities. Children are enthusiastic learners.

Key Next Steps

The whānau have identified the need to increase their understanding and use of te reo Māori. It is time for the whānau to consider strategies to assist everyone to become confident and competent in te reo Māori. They understand that their children’s language learning and success also depends on the support they provide in the home.

Planning and Evaluation

The whānau have worked on maintaining strong management systems in the kōhanga reo. The charter includes most of the procedures that are required to ensure children’s health and safety are well considered. There is a high level of attendance at whānau hui. This shows strong involvement by whānau in the direction of the kōhanga reo for their children. There is dedicated time for whānau to discuss progress and developments. They report on growth and improvement of some key areas of kōhanga reo operations.

Children’s learning is planned and considered. The content of the learning programme reflects a clear focus on what whānau has identified as important for children to learn. Children’s interests and abilities are reflected in programme planning. Evaluation is part of the planning framework. This is used by kaimahi to talk about what went well for learners, and where modifications can be made to enhance learning.

Key Next Steps

Current assessment practices require further review. It is difficult to gauge children’s learning and progress. Kaimahi and whānau should work together to establish manageable ways to capture what children are learning and their development over the year.

There are areas of whānau management and internal review that can be strengthened. Although the whānau have identified priorities in their strategic plan for their kōhanga reo, there is no action plan to ensure these goals are achieved and to monitor their progress. Whānau and kaimahi report that aspects of the appraisal process are not well developed. It is important that whānau establish an appraisal process that will identify specific aspects of kaimahi practice that require support.

Some health and safety practices require immediate attention. These include updating their fire evacuation procedures, implementing regular emergency drills and ensuring there is adequate fencing to keep children within the boundaries of the kōhanga reo. The whānau must also carry out police vetting checks and ensure employment conditions align with the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014. The whānau cannot be assured that all health and safety procedures for children and staff are well established.

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.

There are some outstanding licensing conditions to be met by the whānau. They report that they are working with their local kaimahi from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust and marae whānau to address these conditions. The whānau must ensure that:

• the premises has a current Fire Evacuation Scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service
  [R46 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS4 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• their outdoor activity space is enclosed by structures and/or fences and gates designed to ensure that children are not able to leave the premises without the knowledge of adults providing education and care
  [R45 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; PF13 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• adults providing education and care are familiar with relevant emergency drills and carry out, record and evaluate these with children at least every three months
  [R46 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS8 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Vulnerable Children Act 2014, including police vetting.
  [R47 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA7 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 work through all key next steps, including actions required for compliance, identified in this ERO report.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Hau e Whā will be within two years.

Charles Rolleston Toka ā-nuku

23 January 2019

Information about the Kōhanga Reo