Te Kōhanga Reo o Whāia Te Mātauranga

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Whāia Te Mātauranga ki ngā papa o te kura o Sutton Park, ki Māngere ki te rāwhiti. Ko te nuinga o ngā kaimahi, he ākonga o mua i poipoia ki te mātauranga o te kōhanga reo me te kura kaupapa Māori. Nō nā tata tonu nei te whānau i hoki anō ai ki tō rātou whare, whai muri i te whakatutukitanga o ngā mahi whakahouanga. Kua pā ki te whānau ētahi wero i roto i ā rātou mahi ki te whakatakoto i ngā pūnaha e whai hua ai ki te whakahaere i te kōhanga reo.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa ngā tamariki e whakaatu i ō rātou ngākau titikaha hei ākonga?

Ka kitea ki ngā tamariki ō rātou ngākau titikaha hei ākonga, mā ā rātou mahi me ā rātou tākaro.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Ka rongo ngā tamariki i te mārie, te atawhai, me te aroha i tō rātou taiao. Ka ahu mai ngā whakaritenga a ngā kaimahi i ngā tikanga Māori. He ngāwari, he tautāwhi, he whakakoia hoki rātou ki ngā tamariki. Awhiawhi ai ngā kaimahi me ngā tamariki i ia te wā. Ka whakakoia ngā mihi me ngā kupu akiaki i ngā whakamātau me ngā mahi angitu a ngā tamariki. Nā ngā taunekeneke a ngā tamariki ki ō rātou hoa, ka pupū ake te ngahau me te katakata. He whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki tuākana ki te ārahi i ngā tūmomo taumahi me te whakatau haere i ā rātou whiringa e whai pānga ana ki ngā kaupapa ako. Ka kitea hoki tō rātou manaakitanga me tō rātou whai whakaarotanga nui ki ngā tamariki tēina me ngā pēpi. He mārama ngā tūmanako o ngā kaimahi mō te whanonga e tika ana mā ngā tamariki. Ka kitea te manaaki me te whakawhirinaki o ngā tamariki i roto i ō rātou hononga ki ētahi atu ki te kōhanga reo.

E ako ana ngā tamariki ki tētahi taiao e poipoi ana i tō rātou tū Māori. Ka ārahi, ka whakatairanga hoki ngā kaimahi i te aronga toi whenuatanga o ngā tamariki ki te kōhanga reo. Ka āta whakaatuhia ngā pepeha o ngā tamariki. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā mahi ā-ringa hei akiaki i ngā tamariki, i a rātou e whakapuaki ana i ō rātou pepeha ki te minenga. Ka taea e ngā tamariki tuākana ō rātou pepeha te taki mā te iti noa o te whai wāhi mai o ngā kaimahi. He whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te uru atu ki ngā pōhiri me ngā whakatau. Ka mātakitaki rātou i ngā tikanga me ngā kawa e whakatinanahia ana, i ngā kaimahi me te whānau e whakatutuki haere ana i ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga hei tangata whenua. Ka kitea ki ngā tamariki tō rātou mōhio ki ngā tikanga e pā ana ki te whakatau manuhiri ki te kōhanga reo. E whanake ana te māramatanga o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou tātai whakapapa me ō rātou tūrangawaewae.

E āta hāpaitia ana te ako a ngā tamariki i te reo Māori. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo rautaki e whakapakari ake ana i ngā puna kupu a ngā tamariki, ā, i tō rātou tūmāia hoki ki te kōrero i te reo Māori. Ko ētahi o aua rautaki, ko te waiata, ko ngā whakawhitinga kōrero, tae atu hoki ki te patapatai, te rotarota, me te tāruarua. He tino pai te tū o ngā kaimahi hei tauira reo, ā, ka kitea hoki tō rātou ngākau nuitanga ki te reo Māori. Ka whai wāhi atu hoki ngā mema o te whānau ki te hāpai i te whakatauira mai o te reo Māori i ngā wā ka taea e rātou. Kei te tākare te whai wāhi atu a ngā tamariki ki ngā waiata me te kapa haka. He pakari ngā tamariki tuākana ki te whakapuaki i ngā whakawhitinga kōrero ki te taha o ētahi atu. Ka whakahoki kōrero ngā tamariki tēina mā te kupu kotahi, mā ngā kīanga poto hoki, ā, ka kōrerorero ngā pēpi mā te āhua o ō rātou kanohi me te reo ā-tinana. Kei te mārama ngā tamariki i tēnā e kōrerohia ana, ā, i tēnā hoki e pātaihia ana. Kei te whanake te pakari o ngā tamariki ki te whakapuaki whakaaro mā te reo Māori.

Ka ngākau nui ngā tamariki ki te korikori tinana me te whakawero i ō rātou hinengaro. Kua whakaritea e te whānau me ngā kaimahi tētahi taiao wāteatea e whakaongaonga ana, e noho wāteatea ana hoki, ā, e mau nei ana hoki i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo rauemi. Kei te tākare, kei te hihiri hoki ngā kaimahi hei tauira mō ngā tamariki. Ka taea e ngā tamariki ō rātou ngākau nuitanga te whai. Ka whai wāhi atu rātou ki ngā taumahi e whai pānga ana ki te hīraurau hopanga, ā, ka toro atu hoki rātou ki ngā āhuatanga hou. Ko ngā taumahi ako ōkawa e hāpai ana i te ako a ngā tamariki i ngā tūāhua, ngā tae, me ngā nama. Ka ngākau nui rātou ki te waiata me te kanikani. Ahakoa i te kati te wāhi o waho i te wā o tēnei arotake nā te haere tonutanga o ngā whakahouanga, i āta whakaritea e ngā kaimahi kia whānui tonu ngā wāhi o roto mō ngā akoranga me te tākaro a ngā tamariki. Kei te mātātoa ngā tamariki hei ākonga.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

Kua whakatakotohia ngā whakaritenga ki te whakamahere i te hōtaka me te aromatawai. Ka whakamahere ngātahi ngā kaimahi. Ahakoa kotahi te mahere hōtaka mō te kōhanga reo katoa, ka whakatinana ngā kaimahi i taua hōtaka i runga anō i te āhua o ngā reanga me ngā matea ako o ngā tūmomo rōpū tamariki. Ka whakaatuhia ngā mahere kia āhei ai ngā whānau ki te kite i tēnā e ākona ana e ā rātou tamariki. Ko ngā pūkete te tūmomo aromatawai matua. He hononga pū ki waenga i ngā tuhinga aromatawai me ngā mahere hōtaka. Ka āta whakaarohia ngā akoranga me te ahu whakamua a ngā tamariki.

E whanake ana te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo. He hiahia tō ngā mema o te whānau kia whakatakotohia ngā tukanga e āta whakarite ai i te whakatutukitanga o ngā mahi matua katoa i te wā e tika ana. Nō nā tata tonu tētahi heamana hou i whakatūngia ai. Nō nā noa nei hoki ngā kawenga matua i tohaina ai, kia pīkau tahi ai rātou i ngā mahi. Kua whakatakotohia ngā tuhinga e pā ana ki ngā kaimahi, ā, kua oti ngā arohaehae. E ahu whakamua ana te whānau kia ngātahi ake ai, kia whai hua ake ai ngā mahi whakahaere ki te kōhanga reo.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Ko te whai wāhi atu a te whānau, ko tā rātou whakatutuki haere i ngā mahi ki te kōhanga reo ētahi āhuatanga hei whakapakari tonu. Kāhore ngā hui ā-whānau e tū auau ana i ia te wā. Nā tēnā, kāhore hoki he pūrongo, kāhore hoki te katoa e whai wāhi atu ana ki ngā whakataunga. He mea nui kia mārama te whānau ki ō rātou tūranga me ā rātou kawenga ki te whakahaere i ngā whakaritenga ki tō rātou kōhanga reo, hei hāpai i te rōnaki tonutanga me te whanake tonutanga o te kōhanga reo.

Me titiro ki te aromātai o roto. Me arotake i te tūtohinga me ngā kaupapa here, ngā tukanga hoki o te hauora me te haumaru, kia hāngai ai ēnei ki Te Ture Oranga Tamariki o 2014. Kāhore anō kia whakatutukihia te arowhai a ngā pirihimana i ngā kaimahi katoa. He mea nui te āta whakarite i te hāngaitanga o ngā tuhinga me ngā whakahaeretanga ki ngā herenga ā-ture o te wā. Kāhore anō kia whakaritea tētahi pūnaha ki te arowhai i ngā āhuatanga mōrearea. Tē taea te hauora me te haumaru o ngā tamariki te whakatūturu ki te kōhanga reo.

Kāhore anō kia whakawhanakehia, kāhore anō hoki kia whakatinanahia tētahi mahere ā-tau. Kua tae ki te wā kia whakaritea e te whānau tētahi pūnaha kia tutuki ngā mahi matua o te tari i roto i te wā e tika ana. Mā tēnā, ka mārama anō hoki te aronga o ngā mahi e pūrongo ana, e whakapūmau ana hoki i ngā whakahaeretanga.

Me hāpai ake i te aromātai hōtaka. Ahakoa e hui ana ngā kaimahi i ia te wā, he uaua ki te tātari i ngā mahi e aroturuki ana i te kounga o te hōtaka. Me hāpai ake i ngā kaimahi ki te whakapiki ake i tō rātou māramatanga me tā rātou whakatinanatanga o te aromātai hōtaka, hei āhuatanga tonu o te whakarite ngaio i ia te wā. Ka hāpai anō hoki tēnei i a rātou ki te aroturuki i te whai huatanga o te hōtaka ki te whakatutuki i ngā matea o ngā tamariki katoa.

Ahakoa kua tāutu ngā whāinga rautaki i ngā kaupapa matua i te kōhanga reo, kāhore he mahere mahi hei ārahi i te whānau ki te whakatutuki i aua kaupapa matua, ā, ki te aroturuki hoki i tā rātou ahu whakamua. Ka whakahāngai ake tētahi mahere mahi i te titiro ki ngā mahi e tika ana hei whai atu, kia tutuki ā rātou kaupapa rautaki matua.

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 te tukanga o te arotake whaiaro, o te aromātai o roto rānei ka haere tonu i ia te wā, e hāpai ai 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]
• āta whakarite i te arowhai a ngā kaimahi katoa e whai wāhi atu ana ki ngā tamariki, i runga anō i ngā herenga ā-ture o Te Ture Oranga Tamariki o 2014
  [R47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA7A Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• āta whakarite i te whakatutukitanga o ngā mahi arowhai i ia rā, ki ngā taputapu, te wāhi, me ngā rauhanga, mō ngā āhuatanga pea e noho mōrearea ana ki ngā tamariki
  [R46 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; HS12 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]
• whakatakoto i tētahi mahere ā-tau e ārahi ai i ngā whakahaeretanga ki 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]

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:

• toro atu ki te tautoko o te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo ki te whakatutuki i ngā whakaritenga matua me ngā herenga ā-ture i tāutuhia ai ki tēnei pūrongo hei whai atu.

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 Whāia Te Mātauranga i roto ngā tau e rua.

Charles Rolleston

Toka ā-nuku

14 Pipiri, 2019

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Whāia Te Mātauranga is located on the grounds of Sutton Park School in Māngere East. Most of the kaimahi team are graduates from kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori. The whānau have recently moved back into their premises following renovations. The whānau are facing some challenges in establishing effective systems to manage kōhanga reo operations.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children show confidence as learners?

Children show they are confident learners through their work and play.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children experience a calm, warm and loving environment. Kaimahi practice is based on tikanga Māori. They are gentle, affectionate and affirming towards the children. Cuddles are a common practice amongst kaimahi and children. Praise and encouragement affirm children’s efforts and successes. Children’s interactions with their friends result in fun and laughter. Older children have opportunities to lead different activities and make decisions related to kaupapa ako. They also show care and concern for the younger children and babies. Kaimahi have clear expectations of children’s behaviour. Children show care and trust in their relationships with others in the kōhanga reo.

Children learn in an environment where their identity as Māori is fostered. Kaimahi guide and enhance children’s sense of belonging in the kōhanga reo. Children’s pepeha are well displayed. Kaimahi use hand actions to prompt children as they share their pepeha with everyone. Older children can recite their pepeha with very little support. Children have opportunities to participate in pōhiri and whakatau. They observe tikanga and kawa in action as kaimahi and whānau carry out their roles and responsibilities as tangata whenua. Children demonstrate that they are familiar how to welcome manuhiri into the kōhanga reo. Children are developing an understanding of how, where and who they belong to.

Children are well supported to learn te reo Māori. Kaimahi use a range of strategies to build children’s vocabulary and confidence to speak te reo Māori. These strategies include singing, discussions, questioning, rotarota and repetition. Kaimahi provide good language models and display a passion for te reo Māori. Whānau members also help to model the use of te reo Māori where they can. Children participate eagerly in waiata and kapa haka. Older children confidently initiate conversations with others. Younger children use one-word responses and short phrases while babies communicate using facial expressions and body language. Children understand what is being said and asked. Children are developing as active speakers of te reo Māori.

Children enjoy being physically and mentally active. The whānau and kaimahi have established a stimulating, spacious, colourful environment with an extensive range of resources. Kaimahi are enthusiastic and energetic role models for the children. Children are able to follow their interests. They participate in activities that involve problem solving and trying out new things. Formal learning activities enable children to learn about shapes, colours and numbers. They enjoy singing and movement associated with waiata. Although the outdoor area was closed at the time of this review due to ongoing renovations, kaimahi ensured there was sufficient space indoors for children’s play and learning. Children are active learners.

Planning and Evaluation

Programme planning and assessment practices are in place. Kaimahi plan together. While there is one programme plan across the entire kōhanga reo, kaimahi implement the programme appropriate to the ages and learning needs of different groups of children. Plans are displayed to allow whānau to view what their children are learning. Profiles are the main form of assessment. There is a direct link between assessment entries and programme planning. Children’s learning and progress is well considered.

The management of kōhanga reo operations is developing. Whānau members are keen for processes to be put in place to ensure that all key tasks are managed in a timely manner. A new chairperson was recently elected. Recent delegation of key responsibilities ensures that the workload is shared. Personnel documentation is in place and appraisals have been completed. The whānau are working toward a more cohesive and efficient way to manage kōhanga reo business.

Key Next Steps

Whānau participation and attendance to kōhanga reo business requires strengthening. Whānau hui are not held regularly. Consequently, reporting and collective decision-making does not occur. It is important that whānau understand their roles and responsibilities in managing the operations of their kōhanga reo to support the sustainability and future development of the kōhanga reo.

Internal evaluation requires attention. The charter and specific health and safety policies and procedures require reviewing to align with the Children’s Act 2014. Police vetting is still to be carried out for all kaimahi. It is important to ensure documents and operations are consistent with current legislative requirements. A system for hazard checks has yet to be established. The health and safety of children cannot be assured.

An annual plan has not been developed and implemented. It is time for whānau to establish a system that will ensure key administration tasks are completed within a timely manner. This will provide clear directions for the reporting and maintenance of operations.

Programme evaluation needs further work. While kaimahi meet regularly, it is difficult to gauge how the quality of the programme is monitored. Support is required for kaimahi to increase their understanding and implementation of programme evaluation as part of regular professional practice. This will assist them to monitor how well the programme is meeting the needs of all children.

While strategic goals have identified priorities for the kōhanga reo, there is no action plan to guide whānau to achieve these priorities and monitor their progress. An action plan will provide more focus for the work that is required to achieve their strategic priorities.

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 or internal evaluation 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]

• ensure all staff who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014
  [Regulation 47 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; GMA7A Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

• ensure equipment, premises and facilities are checked daily for hazards that may harm children
  [Regulation 46 (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; HS12 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]

4 Recommendation

ERO and the Kōhanga Reo whānau developed the following recommendations:

• seek support from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust to address the key next steps and areas for compliance identified in this report.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Whāia Te Mātauranga will be within two years.

Charles Rolleston

Toka ā-nuku

14 June 2019

Information about the Kōhanga Reo