Te Kōhanga Reo o Mangawhero Te Whare Pōtiki

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Mangawhero Te Whare Pōtiki ki Whanganui. E whakarato ana te kōhanga reo i te atawhai me te mātauranga ki ngā tamariki kei raro i te rua o ngā tau. Ko ngā tamariki kua pakeke ake i te rua o ngā tau, ka poipoia kētia i Te Kōhanga Reo o Mangawhero, e tū ana ki te taha. He wāhi tākaro o waho mō ngā kōhanga reo e rua. Ka ū te whānau ki ō rātou tino hononga ki ngā iwi o Whanganui.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakaatu o ngā tamariki i te whanaungatanga?

E āta whakatinanahia ana e ngā tamariki te whanaungatanga ki ā rātou taunekeneke ki waenga i a rātou anō, ā, ki ngā pakeke hoki.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Kei te rongo ngā tamariki i te manaakitanga. Ka āta whakarite ngā kaimahi kia tau ai te wairua harikoakoa ki te wāhi ako nei. Ka whakatairanga, ka whakatauira hoki rātou i te āhua o te whanonga pai. E whakatinana ana hoki ngā tamariki i aua uara i roto i te noho whakaute o tētahi ki tētahi. Ko ngā mahinga me ngā whakaritenga i whakawhanakehia ai e ngā kaimahi, e tautāwhitia ana ngā tamariki ki te korowai aroha. Ko ngā awhiawhi me te whakangahau e whakamāmā ana i ngā tamariki ina e noho rangirua ana. Ka manaakitia ngā pēpi ki te aroha, ā, ka tau wawe rātou. Kei te mōhiotia, kei te māramahia e ngā tamariki ngā tūmanako o ngā kaimahi. Ka tākaro ngātahi ngā tuākana, ngā tēina me ngā pōtiki ki tō rātou papa tākaro wāteatea, ā, i ngā wā karakia me ngā wā waiata. Ka whakapuaki ngā tamariki i te aroha ki waenga i rātou anō.

E ako ana ngā tamariki ki tētahi taiao e whakanui ana i ngā whakapapa. Kei te tino mōhio ngā kaimahi ki ngā tamariki me ngā whānau. Ka akiaki rātou i ngā whānau ki te rangahau i ō rātou pepeha, hei whakapuakitanga i ngā wā ako ōkawa hei rōpū. Ka poipoi ngā kaimahi i ngā mōhiotanga o ngā tamariki ki ngā kōrero tuku iho me ngā tino pouwhenua e noho whakahirahira ana ki ngā iwi o Whanganui. Ka rongo ngā tamariki i ngā koroua e taki ana i ngā whakapapa, ā, ka mārama haere rātou ki te whakahirahiratanga o ngā tātai whakapapa e tūhonohono ana i ngā whānau. Ka haere ngā tamariki ki ngā hui, ka rongo rātou i ngā ingoa o ngā tūpuna e waiatatia ana e rātou ki ngā pātere. Kei te whakawhanakehia te māramatanga o ngā tamariki ki ō rātou tuakiri.

Ka rangona e ngā tamariki te reo Māori. Ka whāngai kupu ngā kaimahi hei akiaki i ngā tamariki ki te whakautu kōrero mā te ngākau titikaha, ka whakatauira hoki rātou i te reo, ā, ka poipoi rātou i te whakamahinga o ngā tamariki i te reo Māori mā ngā karakia, ngā waiata, me ngā mōteatea. Ka whakatauira rātou i te mita o Whanganui. Ko te āta rongo i te reo ake o ngā kuia me ngā koroua i ia te wā, e whakahōhonu ana i te reo o ngā tamariki. Ko ngā oro me ngā kōrerorero a ngā pēpi e tohua ana hei āhuatanga o te whakawhanaketanga reo. Kei te tākare ake ngā tēina, ā, ka whakamahi rātou i ngā kupu māmā i a rātou e whakawhānui ake ana i ā rātou puna kupu. He tika te aro atu a ngā kaimahi ki ngā pēpi me ngā tamariki e whakamātau ana i te reo. E whanake ana te pakari o ngā tamariki ki te kōrero i te reo Māori.

Ka noho ngātahi ngā tamariki ki te tākaro, te tohatoha, me te ako. Ka whakarato ngā kaimahi i te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo rauemi, ngā tūmomo taputapu, me ngā tūmomo wāhi hei tūhuratanga mā ngā tamariki. Ka ngākau nui ngā tamariki ki te tākaro ngātahi i a rātou e tūhura ana i te wāhi o waho. Ko ngā māra huawhenua me ngā māra putiputi he wāhi hei keri, hei hongihongi, hei tūhura hoki. Ka whai wā ki te tākaro takitahi me te tākaro takirōpū. Ka whiriwhiri ngā tamariki i te tini o ngā rauemi e wero ana i ngā tairongo, i te taha auaha, ā, i te taha tinana hoki o ngā tamariki. Kua whakatakotohia ngā taputapu tākaro hei whakapakari i ngā pūkenga ā-tinana, ā, hei akiaki i ngā tamariki ki te tūmāia me te whakamātau. Ko ngā haereere i te takiwā e whakaongaonga ana i te pākiki o ngā tamariki ki tō rātou hapori whānui. Kei te pākiki ngā tamariki i tō rātou taiao.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

Ka mahi ngātahi ki te whakahaere i te tari. Ka whakatutuki haere tētahi rōpū kaiwhakahaere tari i ngā whakahaeretanga o ia rā ki ngā kōhanga reo e rua. E āta hāpaitia ana te whakahaeretanga o ngā kaimahi e te whānau. Ko te kaupapa here me ngā tukanga e pā ana ki te arohaehae, e āta hāpai ana i ngā kaimahi ki te whakapai ake. Kua whakatakotohia ngā rehita e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru. E āta whakamōhiotia ana ngā mātua ina he aituā, he maiki rānei e whai pānga ana ki ā rātou ake tamariki.

Ko ngā ngākau nuitanga me ngā matea o ngā tamariki te aronga o ngā mahere. Ka whakamahere ngātahi ngā kaimahi katoa o ngā kōhanga reo e rua i ngā wāhanga o ia tau. Ka whai whakaaro nui ngā kaimahi ki ngā tini huarahi ako o ngā tamariki. E arahina ngā wheako akoranga a ngā tamariki ki ngā mahere i whakahāngaitia ai ki ngā pēpi, ki ngā tēina, ā, ki ngā tuākana hoki. Ka tāutuhia ngā taumahi ā-reanga, ā-whakawhanaketanga hoki mō ia rōpū. Ka ngākau nui ngā tamariki ki ā rātou akoranga.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Me whakapakari ake i te mōhiotanga o ngā kaimahi ki te aromatawai me te aromātai. Ko te māramatanga ngātahi ki aua tukanga ka hāpai tonu i te ahu whakamua a ngā tamariki me tō rātou whakawhanaketanga.

Ahakoa te whai wāhitanga mō te whānau ki te whakatau whakaaro mō ngā whakaritenga me ngā whakahaeretanga, kāhore rātou e whakatutuki ana i tā rātou kawenga ki te taetae atu ki ngā hui ā-whānau. He nui ngā take e pēnei ana ngā mātua me ngā whānau, tae atu hoki ki te ukiuki o ā rātou nā mahi. E tika ana i nāianei kia rapua e te whānau te rongoā e whakatutuki ai i ā rātou kawenga ki tō rātou whānau me te kōhanga reo. Ka whai hua ngā tamariki nā te whai wāhi atu a te whānau ki ngā whakataunga.

Nō mua mai te whānau i whakatutuki ai i ngā whakaritenga kia arohaehaengia ngā kaimahi e ngā pirihimana, engari kāhore aua whakatutukitanga e hāngai ana ki tēnei wā tonu. Kua tawhito rawa ngā taipitopito kōrero e pā ana ki ngā mahi arowhai a ngā pirihimana i ngā kaimahi. Ko tā te Children’s Act o te tau 2014 e whakatau ai, me whakaoti te whānau i ngā whakaritenga kia arowhaingia ngā kaimahi katoa e ngā pirihimana i mua i tā rātou tīmatanga mahi ki te taha o ngā tamariki. E ata whakarite ana hoki kia whakahoungia, kia arowhaingia hoki aua mōhiohio i ia toru tau.

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 kia arowhaingia e ngā pirihimana ngā kaimahi katoa e mahi ki te taha o ngā tamariki i ia te wā, ā, kia whakahoungia aua mōhiohio i ia toru tau.
  [Children’s Act 2014, R47 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; GMA9 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]

4 Ngā Taunakitanga

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

• whakapakarihia e ngā kaimahi tō rātou māramatanga me tō rātou mōhiotanga ki te aromatawai, me te aromātai hōtaka
• rapua e te whānau te huarahi e whakatau ai i te whai wāhi atu a te whānau ki te whakaritenga me te whakahaeretanga o te kōhanga reo.

5 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 Mangawhero Te Whare Pōtiki i roto i te toru o ngā tau.

Gloria Takuira

Toka ā-nuku Whakakapi

18 Hakihea, 2019

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Te Kōhanga Reo o Mangawhero te Whare Pōtiki is in Whanganui. It provides care and education for children under two years of age. Children over two years attend Te Kōhanga Reo o Mangawhero, which is next door. The kōhanga reo share an outdoor play area. The whānau maintain strong links to the iwi of Whanganui.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children demonstrate whanaungatanga?

Children positively demonstrate whanaungatanga in their interactions with each other and with adults.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children experience manaakitanga. Kaimahi ensure the environment is a happy place. They promote and model positive behaviours. Children reflect these values in their respect for each other. Kaimahi have developed routines and practices that embrace children in a cocoon of aroha. Hugs, cuddles and fun ease children’s upsets. Pēpi receive loving care and settle quickly. Children know and understand the expectations of kaimahi. Tuakana, teina and pēpi play together in the shared spacious playground and at combined karakia and waiata times. Children show love toward each other.

Children learn in an environment that celebrates whakapapa. Kaimahi know the children and whānau well. They encourage whānau to research their pepeha for children to use at formal group times. Kaimahi foster children’s knowledge about significant Whanganui stories and landmarks. Children hear koroua recite whakapapa and begin to understand the importance of knowing about family connections. When children go to formal hui, they hear the names of the tupuna that they sing about in pātere. Children are developing their understanding of knowing who they are.

Children are exposed to te reo Māori. Kaimahi use prompts to encourage children to respond with confidence, they model the language, and foster children’s use of te reo Māori in karakia, waiata and mōteatea. They model the mita of Whanganui. Regular exposure to the formal reo of kuia and koroua embellishes children’s reo. Babies’ babbles, coos and squeals are recognised as their language development. Teina are more exuberant and use simple kupu as they grow their vocabulary. Kaimahi respond appropriately to babies and children’s language attempts. Children are developing as confident speakers of te reo Māori.

Children play, share and learn together. Kaimahi provide a range and variety of resources, equipment and settings for children to explore. Children play happily together when exploring the outdoor environment. Vegetable and flower gardens are places to dig, smell and explore. There are options for independent and group play. Children choose between a variety of resources to challenge sensory, creative and physical needs. Play equipment is set up to build physical challenges and encourage children to be courageous and have a go. Walks around the neighbourhood stimulate children’s curiosity in their wider community. Children are curious in their environment.

Planning and Evaluation

Administrative duties are collective. A team of administrators see to the daily operations of both kōhanga reo. Personnel management is well supported by the whānau. The appraisal policy and procedures support kaimahi improvement. Health and safety registers are in place. Parents are well informed about any accidents or incidents involving their child.

Children’s interests and needs are a focus for planning. Kaimahi, from both kōhanga reo, plan each term together. Kaimahi recognise children learn differently. Separate plans for pēpi, teina and tuakana guide children’s learning experiences. Age and developmental specific activities are identified for each roopū. Children enjoy their learning.

Key Next Steps

There is a need to strengthen kaimahi knowledge about assessment and evaluation. A collective understanding of both processes will continue to support children’s progress and development.

Whilst whānau have an opportunity to contribute to decision making for operations and management, they are yet to meet their responsibilities to attend whānau hui. There are a range of reasons for this, including full time working families. The need has arisen for whānau to find a solution that will adequately meet their responsibilities to their whānau and the kōhanga reo.

Although whānau have previously police vetted kaimahi, this is not current. Police vetting information of kaimahi is out dated. The Children’s Act 2014 requires whānau to complete police vetting of all kaimahi working with children before they start working with children. It also stipulates the updating and rechecking of this information every three years.

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:

• ensure all kaimahi and staff working with children are police vetted regularly and this information is updated every three years.
  [Children’s Act 2015, R47 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, (GMA9) Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008]

4 Recommendations

ERO and the Kōhanga Reo whānau developed the following recommendations:

• kaimahi strengthen understanding and knowledge about assessment and programme evaluation
• whānau seek a solution to ensuring the participation of whānau in the management and operation of the kōhanga reo.

5 When is ERO likely to evaluation the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO evaluation of Te Kōhanga Reo o Mangawhero Te Whare Pōtiki will be in three years.

Gloria Takuira

Acting Toka ā-nuku

18 December 2019

Information about the Kōhanga Reo