Te Heti Te Kohanga Reo

1 Te Horopaki

E tū ana Te Heti Te Kōhanga Reo ki Castlecliff, i Whanganui. Kua piki ake te tatauranga tamariki, ā, kua whakatūngia ētahi atu whare ki te wāhi nei. Ahakoa kua rītaia te kuia i āna mahi hei kaiako, e ārahi tonu ana, e hāpai tonu ana hoki ia i te whakaratonga o te whānau i tētahi kōhanga reo haumaru e poipoi ana i ngā tamariki. He mātātoa te whai wāhi atu o ngā mema o te whānau ki tō rātou hapori. E mōhio ana te whānau, e tika ana kia whakapakarihia, kia whakawhānuihia hoki ō rātou āheinga i roto i te reo Māori, hei hāpai ake i te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo me ā rātou tamariki.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

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

He pakari te whakatinanatanga o ngā tamariki i te whanaungatanga ki tō rātou kōhanga reo.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Ka tūmāia, ka whai wāhi nui hoki ngā tamariki ki ngā āhuatanga katoa, puta noa i te hōtaka akoranga. Ka whakamana, ka tautoko hoki ngā kaimahi i ngā pūmanawa ake o ia tamaiti. Ka āta whakamahi rātou i ngā tino rautaki e whakarite ana i te whai wāhi atu a ngā tamariki katoa ki te hōtaka, ā, ka whakariterite anō hoki i ētahi atu whai wāhitanga mō ngā tamariki ki te whiriwhiri i ngā tūmomo taumahi e whai pānga ana ki ō rātou ngākau nuitanga. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā rautaki e whakamihi ana, e whakanui ana hoki, hei whakatairanga ake i te tūmāia, te whakawhirinaki, me te waiora. He harikoa, he ngana hoki ngā tamariki ki te ako.

E mōhio ana ngā tamariki ki tō rātou tuakiri me tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga. Ka whai wāhi atu rātou ki ngā tino kaupapa a te iwi me te hapori, pērā i te whakanuitanga o Pākaitore me te kapa haka. Ka whakaatuhia ngā pepeha o ngā tamariki i ngā pakitara, i ā rātou pūkete hoki. Ka āta whakarite ngā kaimahi i te ātaahua me te haumaru o te taiao o te kōhanga reo mō ngā tamariki me te whānau. Kua whakaritea, kua whakapūmautia hoki e te kuia te tino hononga ki te hapori whānui. He haumaru, he mauritau anō hoki ngā tamariki.

Ka rongo ngā tamariki i ngā taunekeneke papai. Ka whakapūmau ngā kaimahi i ngā tūmanako me ngā mahinga e whakatairanga ana i te whanonga pai. Ka whakatauira rātou i ngā hononga manaaki, tautoko hoki, me ngā whakawhitinga kōrero ka whai hua. Ka tākaro takitahi, ka tākaro takirōpū hoki ngā tamariki. E tino tautokona ana te ako a ngā pēpi i te māia me te kōkiri i a rātou anō, mā te tūhura haere me te whai wāhi atu. He mauritau te āhua o ngā tamariki i ō rātou hononga ki ētahi atu.

Ka ako ngā tamariki i te reo Māori ki tētahi wāhi e hāpai ana i a rātou. Ka rongo ngā tamariki i ngā tohutohu mā te reo Māori, ā, he pai tā rātou aro atu. Ahakoa he pai kē atu ki te nuinga o ngā tamariki te whakawhiti kōrero mā te reo Pākehā, e āhei ana ngā tamariki tuākana ki te tāwhai i ngā kupu me ngā rerenga kōrero māmā. Ka hāpai ngā karakia me ngā waiata i te whakawhanaketanga reo o ngā tamariki. Ka ārahi ngā kaimahi hou i ō rātou hoa mahi me te whānau i roto i te reo Māori me ngā tikanga. Ka whai wāhi atu ngā kaimahi katoa ki ngā taumahi e whakapiki ake ai i tō rātou mōhiotanga me ō rātou āheinga i roto i te reo. Ka kitea te māramatanga o ngā tamariki i te reo Māori.

Ka whakamahi ngā tamariki i ngā taonga māoriori, hei āhuatanga anō hoki o ā rātou akoranga. Ka hāngai ngā taumahi toi me ngā whakaaturanga i ngā pakitara ki te taiao māoriori me te pā tata o te kōhanga reo ki te moana. Ka whakarato ngā kaimahi i ngā taonga māoriori ki ngā tamariki, pērā i te pakepaketai me tātāhoata. He māra hua whenua kei te taha o te kōhanga reo, ā, he kai ka puta mā ngā tamariki me ō rātou whānau. E tino tautokona ana te ako a ngā tamariki i te ao e noho nei rātou.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

Ka mahi ngātahi ngā mema o te whānau hei āta whakarite i ngā putanga papai mō ngā tamariki. Ka ārahi ngā mahere rautaki i ngā whakahaeretanga katoa o te kōhanga reo. Ko ngā mahere ā-tau me ngā mahi aroturuki i runga i te āhua o te aronga rautaki, ka whakamōhio i ngā whakaritenga whakawhanaketanga ka whai ake. E mōhio ana te rōpū whakahaere, e tika ana kia whakapiki ake te whai wāhi atu a te whānau ki ngā reanga katoa o ngā mahi whakataunga. He pai te whakaritenga me te whakahaeretanga o ngā pūnaha whakahaere tari, tae atu ki te hauora me te haumaru. He mārama te aroturuki me te pūrongo i ngā āhuatanga e pā ana ki ngā pūtea me ngā kaimahi. Ka arowhaingia ngā kaimahi katoa e ngā pirihimana, ā, ka whakatutukingia anō hoki ngā mahi arohaehae i ia te wā. Kei te tū auau te arotake whaiaro puta noa i ngā wāhanga whakahaere katoa, ā, e hāpai ana tēnei tū āhuatanga i ngā whakawhanaketanga papai ka whai ake. E whiwhi ana ngā tamariki i ngā hua ka puta i tētahi taiao ako pai i āta whakaritea ai.

E whiwhi ana ngā tamariki i ngā painga o ngā mahi whakamahere, aromatawai hoki e whai hua ana. He mahere ā ngā kaimahi mō te pae tata me te pae tawhiti, ā, kua whakatakotohia anō hoki i konei ngā kaupapa whānui, ngā kaupapa whāiti, me ngā putanga ako. Ka whakarato te kaiako i te ārahitanga ngaio me te tautoko ngaio ki ngā kaimahi. E tika ana ngā hōtaka akoranga mō ia rōpū reanga. Kua āta whakaritea te wāhi, ā, he nui hoki ngā rauemi. Ka whakamahi ngā kaimahi i ngā pūkete matihiko, pepa hoki hei aru i ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. Kei roto hoki i aua pūkete, ko ngā tauira mahi, ko ngā āhuatanga i ākona ai e rātou, me ngā kupu hou. He pai ki ngā whānau te whakapā atu ki ngā akoranga a ā rātou tamariki mā ngā whakaahua. Ka whai wāhi nui ngā tamariki ki ngā akoranga.

Ka whakatairangatia ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki mā te aromātai hōtaka e whai hua ana. He tukanga tā ngā kaimahi mō te aromātai hōtaka. Ka kōrero rātou i tēnā e whai hua ana ki ngā tamariki, me ngā āhuatanga hoki hei whakarerekē, kia āta whiwhi ai ngā tamariki i ngā painga. E haere tonu ana i ia te wā, ko ngā kōrerorero e pā ana ki ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki. Ka whakatakotohia ngā whakawhitinga kōrero ōkawa i ngā meneti e pā ana ki ngā hui kaimahi. E whakatutukihia ana ngā matea ako o ngā tamariki.

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 Te Taunakitanga

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

• whakawhanakehia ngā rautaki ka whakapakari ake i ngā pūkenga reo Māori o te whānau.

Hei ā hea Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga aromātai anō ai i te kōhanga reo?

Ka aromātai anō Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i Te Heti Te Kōhanga Reo i roto i te toru o ngā tau.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

05 Mahuru, 2017 

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo 

1 Context

Te Heti Te Kōhanga Reo is in Castlecliff, Whanganui. The roll has increased and buildings have been added to the complex. The former kuia/kaiako has retired but continues to guide and support the whānau to provide a safe and nurturing kōhanga reo. The whānau are active members of their local community. The whānau acknowledge the need to strengthen and increase their personal capabilities in te reo Māori in order to support the kaupapa of te kōhanga reo and their children.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children demonstrate whanaungatanga?

Children demonstrate whanaungatanga confidently in their kōhanga reo environment.

Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira

Children are confident and willing participants throughout the learning programme. Kaimahi value and support individual differences. They use deliberate strategies to ensure all children can participate in the programme including creating more opportunities for children to choose activities based on their interests. Kaimahi use praise and positive strategies to promote confidence, trust and a sense of wellbeing. Children are happy and engaged learners.

Children know who they are and where they are from. They participate in significant iwi and community events such as Pakaitore celebrations and kapa haka. Children’s pepeha are displayed on the walls and in their portfolios. Kaimahi ensure the kōhanga reo environment is inviting and safe for children and whānau. The kuia has established and maintained a strong connection with the wider community. Children are safe and settled.

Children experience positive interactions. Kaimahi reinforce expectations and routines that promote positive behaviour. They model caring and supportive relationships and positive communications. Children play on their own and in groups. Babies are well supported to learn confidence and independence through exploration and experience. Children are secure in their relationships with others.

Children learn te reo Māori in a supportive environment. Children hear and respond positively to instructions in te reo Māori. While most children prefer to communicate in English, older children are able to mimic words and simple sentences. Karakia and waiata support children’s language development. New kaimahi provide guidance and leadership to their colleagues and whānau in te reo Māori and tikanga. All kaimahi participate in activities to increase their language knowledge and abilities. Children demonstrate an understanding of te reo Māori.

Children use natural resources as part of their learning. Art activities and wall displays reflect the natural environment and the close proximity of the kōhanga reo to the sea. Kaimahi provide natural resources such as driftwood and pumice for children. A vegetable garden next to the kōhanga reo also provides food for children and their whānau. Children are well supported to learn about the world around them.

Planning and Evaluation

Whānau members work together to ensure positive outcomes for children. Strategic planning guides all kōhanga reo operations. Annual planning and monitoring against the strategic direction informs next steps for development. The management team recognise the need to increase whānau participation in all levels of decision making. Administration systems including health and safety are well organised and managed. Financial and personnel monitoring and reporting are clear and transparent. All kaimahi are police vetted and provided with regular appraisal. Regular self-review across all areas of operations contributes to positive future developments. Children benefit from a positive, well organised learning environment.

Children experience the benefits of effective planning and assessment. Kaimahi have long term and short term planning in place which includes kaupapa whānui, kaupapa whāiti and learning outcomes. The kaiako provides professional leadership and support for kaimahi. Learning programmes are appropriate for each age group. The environment is organised and well resourced. Kaimahi use digital and paper based portfolios to track children’s learning. These include samples of work, what they have learned and new words. Whānau enjoy being able to access their children’s learning through photos. Children are engaged in learning.

Children’s learning is enhanced through effective programme evaluation. Kaimahi have a process for programme evaluation. They discuss what’s working for children, and what changes they need to make to ensure they get the best outcomes for children. Informal conversations about children’s learning are ongoing. Formal conversations are recorded in kaimahi hui minutes. Children’s learning needs are met.

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 Recommendation

ERO and the Kōhanga Reo whānau developed the following recommendation:

• Develop strategies to build the capability of whānau in te reo Māori.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

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

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

5 September 2017 

Information about the Kōhanga Reo