Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whaanui

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whaanui ki Rāhui Pōkeka. Kei roto Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whaanui i te kāhui o Te Waahi Whaanui. Whai muri i te pūrongo o mua a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, kua piki ake te tatauranga tamariki ki te kōhanga reo. Nō nā tata tonu nei te whānau i tūhono atu ai ki Takitini, he kāhui tēnei o ētahi kōhanga reo e mahi ngātahi ana ki te whakahiato i ā rātou rauemi, hei āta whakatau i ngā painga mō ngā tamariki. E ākina ana te whakawhiti atu a ngā tamariki ki Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa ngā tamariki e whakaatu i ō rātou ngākau titikaha ki ō rātou whakapapa?

Ka kitea ki ngā tamariki ō rātou ngākau titikaha ki ō rātou whakapapa.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

E rumakina ana ngā tamariki ki te reo Māori e tautuhi ana i te whakapapa. He whai wāhitanga mō rātou ki te whakapuaki i ō rātou pepeha i ia rā. Ka whāngai kupu ngā kaimahi, ka mahi ā-ringa hoki rātou hei hāpai i te ako a ngā tamariki i ō rātou ake whakapapa, me te whakapapa anō hoki o te Kāhui Ariki. Kei ngā pakitara anō hoki ngā tohu e hāpai ana i te ako a ngā tamariki i ō rātou whakapapa. E tīmata ana ngā tamariki ki te kōrero i te reo Māori.

E ako ana ngā tamariki i ō rātou hononga ā-iwi ki ētahi atu. E whakarato ana ngā kaimahi i te hōhonutanga o ngā wheako akoranga e whai pānga ana ki ngā hītori o Waikato. Ka whakamahi rātou i ngā aronga e āta ārahi ana i ngā tamariki hei rōpū kotahi, ā, i ia tamaiti hoki. Ka whakamahi ngā tamariki tuākana i ngā pao, ā, ka ārahi hoki rātou i ngā karakia o te Pai Mārire. E tupu ana te mōhiotanga o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou hononga ki a Waikato. E ako ana ngā tamariki ki te whakamahi i ngā tikanga o Waikato, puta noa i ā rātou mahinga o ia rā.

Kua whakahonohono ngā tamariki ki ētahi atu mā te whakaute me te tauutuutu. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ō rātou mōhiotanga ki ia tamaiti, ki ō rātou whānau hoki, ki te āta tūhonohono whakawhirinaki atu ki ngā tamariki. E whakanuia ngā tamariki tuākana mō ā rātou taonga pūmanawa, ā, he kaiārahi rātou i ngā wā ōkawa o te hōtaka akoranga. Ka whakamihia hoki te whanonga pai. Ka awhitia, ka arohaina hoki ngā pēpi. He mauritau te āhua o ngā tamariki ki tō rātou kōhanga reo.

E uru atu ana ngā tamariki ki ngā tūmomo kaupapa e whakatairanga ana i tā rātou whai wāhi atu ki Waikato whānui. Ka āta whakarite ngā kaimahi, kia tae atu ngā tamariki ki ngā tino kaupapa whakahirahira o Waikato, pērā i ngā poukai, te Koroneihana, me ētahi atu tūmomo huihuinga. Ka tae atu hoki ngā tamariki ki ngā marae me ngā kōhanga reo o te takiwā, hei āhuatanga tonu o te whakawhanaungatanga. E ākina ana te tuku mihi a ngā tamariki ki ō rātou whanaunga i a rātou e whakawhiti atu ana i te taha o te urupā. E tupu ana te mōhiotanga o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou hononga ki a Waikato.

Ka tūhura ngā tamariki i ngā taiao o roto, o waho hoki. Ka whakarato ngā kaimahi i ngā whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te mahi takitahi, takirōpū hoki. He maha ngā tūmomo taumahi e hāpai ana i ngā pūkenga kōiri whāiti me ngā pūkenga kōiri whānui o ngā tamariki. He whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te whiriwhiri i ā rātou ake taumahi me te whai i ō rātou ake ngākau nuitanga. Ka whakamahi rātou i ngā rauemi i whakaritea ai e ngā kaimahi hei whakatairanga ake i tā rātou ako. Ka whai whakaaro ngā tamariki ki a rātou anō, ki ētahi atu hoki i tō rātou taiao.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

E whai hua ana ngā tamariki nā ngā hōtaka akoranga i āta whakamaheretia ai. Ka whakamahere ngātahi ngā kaiako mō te pae tawhiti me ngā wāhanga, ki te taha o ngā kōhanga reo o Takitini. Ka waihanga rātou i ngā mahere e hāngai pū ana ki ngā tamariki tonu o tō rātou kōhanga reo. Ka tāutuhia ngā putanga ako ake i runga anō i te āhua o ngā tūmomo rōpū tamariki. Ka tāutu ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki e mau ana i ngā matea ake, ā, ka whakarato i ngā wheako akoranga e tika ana mō rātou.

E whakahaere ana te whānau i te kōhanga reo hei painga mō ngā tamariki. E whakatakoto ana te tūtohinga i te aronga o ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. Ko te nuinga o ngā tukanga mō te waiora o ngā tamariki me tō rātou atawhai, e hāngai pū ana ki ngā herenga ā-ture. Kei roto i ngā tuhinga e pā ana ki ngā kaimahi, ko ngā kirimana, ngā tuhinga tūranga mahi, ngā mahi arowhai a ngā pirihimana, me ngā mahi ki te arohaehae i ngā kaimahi. E whakaaro nuitia ana te waiora o ngā tamariki.

Kua whakatakotohia e te whānau ngā whāinga me ngā kaupapa matua o meāke nei, ki te taha o tō rātou kāhui kōhanga reo. Kua oti ngā tuhinga e pā ana ki Te Ara Tūāpae me te mahere rautaki. Pūrongotia ai i ia te wā ki ngā hui ā-whānau, kō ngā āhuatanga katoa e whai pānga ana ki ngā mahi whakahaere a te whānau. E mōhio ana te whānau, e tika ana kia āta whakatau rātou i te rōnaki o ngā mahi whakahaere ki te kōhanga reo, ā, ko te hono atu ki te kāhui o Takitini tētahi āhuatanga e hāpai ake ana i taua tūāhuatanga. Ka taea e ngā tamariki me ō rātou whānau te whakatūturu te whakaaro mō te rōnakitanga o tō rātou kōhanga reo i roto i te wā kei te heke tonu mai.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

E whanake ana ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te aromatawai me te aromātai. Kāhore te aromatawai me ngā pūkete a ngā tamariki e arotahi ana ki ngā tamariki me tā rātou ahu whakamua. He iti noa te ārahi i ngā kaimahi mō te pūtake o te aromatawai me ngā pūkete a ia tamaiti. Ahakoa ka whakawhiti kōrero ngā kaimahi mō te hōtaka akoranga, ā, ka tuhi hoki i aua whakaaturanga, kāhore rātou e āta arotahi pū ana ki te arotake i te kounga o ngā taumahi ako me ngā wheako ako a ngā tamariki.

Tērā ētahi take whakahaere a te whānau hei whakawhanake ake. Me arotake, me whakahou ake te whānau i ngā kaupapa here, hei āta whakarite i te hāngaitanga o te katoa ki ngā herenga ā-ture o tēnei wā. Ko te whakatutuki haere i aua herenga ka whakapakari ake anō hoki i ngā tukanga whakahaere i te kōhanga reo.

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.

4 Ngā Taunakitanga

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

• whakapakarihia ngā whakaritenga e pā ana ki te aromatawai me te aromātai
• whakahoungia ngā kaupapa here kia hāngai pū ai ki ngā herenga ā-ture o te wā.

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 Te Whaanui i roto i te toru o ngā tau.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

28 Pipiri, 2018

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whaanui is in Huntly. Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whaanui is in the network of Te Waahi Whaanui. Since the previous ERO report, the kōhanga reo roll has increased. The whānau has recently joined with Takitini, a group of kōhanga reo working together to pool resources and ensure outcomes for children. Children are encouraged to attend Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children show confidence in their whakapapa?

Children show confidence in their whakapapa.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children are immersed in te reo Māori that defines whakapapa. They are given opportunities to share their pepeha every day. Kaimahi use word and hand prompts to support children’s learning about their own whakapapa and that of the Kāhui Ariki. The walls provide visual cues to support children’s learning about their whakapapa. Children are beginning speakers of te reo Māori.

Children learn about their iwi connections to others. Kaimahi provide rich learning experiences based on knowledge of Waikato history. They use approaches that positively guide children as a group and as individuals. Older children use pao and lead Pai Mārire karakia. Children are growing an awareness of their connections to Waikato. Children are learning to use tikanga specific to Waikato throughout their daily routines.

Children have established respectful and reciprocal relationships with others. Kaimahi use their knowledge of the child and their whānau to build trusting connections with children. Older children are acknowledged for the taonga they bring, and are leaders during the formal times of the learning programme. Positive behaviour is recognised. Babies are cuddled and loved. Children appear settled in their kōhanga reo.

Children experience opportunities that enhance their their contribution to Waikato whānui. Kaimahi ensure children attend important kaupapa in Waikato such as poukai, koroneihana and other celebrations. Children visit local marae and other kōhanga reo as part of whakawhanaungatanga. Children are encouraged to mihi to their whanaunga as they walk past their urupā. Children are growing an awareness of their connections to Waikato.

Children explore the indoor and outdoor environments. Kaimahi provide opportunities for children to work independently and in groups. There is a range of activities that support children with their fine motor and large motor skills. Children have opportunities to choose their own activities and follow their interests. They use resources prepared by kaimahi to enhance their learning. Children are aware of themselves and others in their environment.

Planning and Evaluation

Children benefit from well-planned learning programmes. Kaiako collectively plan long term and termly plans with the other kōhanga reo in Takitini. They craft planning to suit the children in their individual kōhanga reo. Specific learning outcomes are determined according to the different groups of children. Kaimahi identify children with additional needs and provide appropriate learning experiences for them.

The whānau manage the kōhanga reo in the best interests of the children. The charter sets the direction for children’s learning. Most procedures for the wellbeing and care of children are aligned with regulations. Kaimahi employment documentation includes employment contracts, job descriptions, police vetting and staff appraisal. Children’s wellbeing is well considered.

The whānau has set goals and future priorities with their collective of kōhanga reo. Te Ara Tūāpae and the strategic plan are complete. There is regular reporting to whānau hui on all aspects of whānau operations. The whānau is aware of the need to ensure the management of the kōhanga reo is sustainable, and joining with the Takitini collective is a step to support this. Children and their whānau can be assured that the future of their kōhanga reo is secure.

Key Next Steps

Assessment and evaluation practices are developing. Assessment and children’s profile books do not focus on children and their progress. There is little guidance for kaimahi about the purpose of assessment and individual profiles. While kaimahi discuss the learning programme and record these findings, they do not adequately focus on reviewing the quality of children’s learning activities and experiences.

There are whānau management matters that need further development. The whānau must review and update policies to ensure these are all aligned to current legislative requirements. Addressing these requirements will strengthen the kōhanga reo management processes.

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.

4 Recommendations

ERO and the Kōhanga Reo whānau developed the following recommendations:

• strengthen assessment and evaluation practices
• update policy to align with current legislation.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Whaanui will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

28 June 2018

Information about the Kōhanga Reo