Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi

1 Te Horopaki

Ko Whaakirangi te wharepuni
Ko Ruamano me Waimahuru ngā kaitiaki
Ko Ngāti Matangirau te hapū
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu te iwi
Ko Awatere te awa
Ko Rakaipūtara te maunga

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi ki te marae o Whaakirangi, ki Te Kapu, e pātata atu ana ki Wairoa. Ka whai wāhi matua te marae ki te ako a ngā tamariki i te reo Māori, i ngā tikanga, me ngā kawa. Nō Ngāti Mātangirau te nuinga o ngā whānau.

Mai i te pūrongo o mua a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i te tau 2015, kua wehe atu ētahi tino mema o te whānau, pērā i tō rātou kuia i whai wāhi nui ki te kōhanga reo mō te wā roa. Heoi, kua haere tonu ngā mahi a te whānau ki te whakawhānui ake i ō rātou mōhiotanga me ō rātou āheinga, hei āta whakarite i te kounga o ngā putanga mō ā rātou tamariki.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Aromātai

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

Ka taunekeneke haere ngā tamariki ki tō rātou kōhanga reo, ki ngā wāhi katoa hoki o tō rātou marae, mā te ngākau titikaha, te whai māramatanga, me tō rātou noho mōhio.

Mana Whenua

E poipoia ana ngā ngākau titikaha o ngā tamariki. E whai pūtake ana ngā taunekeneke ki ngā tamariki katoa. Ka whakatauirahia ngā uara me ngā whakapono o te whānau e ngā pakeke. He pakari ngā taunekeneke a ngā tamariki ki te whānuitanga o ngā momo horopaki, pērā i tō rātou marae, i ngā tangihanga, i ngā pōhiri, i te ngahere, ā, i te urupā hoki. Ka arahina tā rātou kite, tā rātou whai anō hoki i ngā tikanga me ngā kawa i a rātou e whai wāhi atu ana ki ngā kaupapa i te marae. He uri katoa ngā tamariki nō Ngāti Mātangirau. He pakari ngā hononga ki waenga i te tuakana me te teina. He maha ngā wā ka rongo i ngā tamariki e kata ngātahi ana, ā, e waiata ana hoki i ngā wā ako, takitahi nei, takirōpū nei. Ka taunekeneke ngā tamariki ki tētahi taiao rangimārie, ngāwari hoki. Ka whai ngā kaimahi i ngā tamariki i a rātou e tūhura haere ana i ō rātou ngākau nuitanga. Ka whakawhiti kōrero rātou mā ngā huarahi whakamana, akiaki hoki. Kei te mauritau, kei te harakoa hoki ngā tamariki.

He mātātoa te whai wāhi atu a ngā tamariki ki te taiao o te hapori. Ka whakamaheretia ngā haerenga, ā, e hāpai ana aua haerenga i te tūhura haere a ngā tamariki i ngā pāmu me ngā ngahere o tō rātou hapori, ā, i tā rātou kite anō hoki i ngā kararehe. Ka whai wāhi atu ngā tamariki ki ngā kaupapa tiaki taiao o te hapori e whakarauora ana, e atawhai ana hoki i ō rātou awa. He mātātoa te tautoko o ō rātou whānau i te ako a ngā tamariki ki te kaitiakitanga. Ko te whakatupu me te tunu i te kai e whakapūmau ana i ā rātou akoranga. Ka kitea ngā ngākau titikaha o ngā tamariki ki tō rātou marae, tō rātou kōhanga reo, me tō rātou taiao māoriori.

Ka tākaro ngā tamariki ki tētahi taiao e whakaongaonga ana i ō rātou ngākau nuitanga me ō rātou whakawhanaketanga. Kua whakawhānui ake te whānau i ā rātou rauemi, kia whai wāhi mai ai hoki ngā momo taonga o te ao hurihuri nei, me ērā i tukuna iho mai ai. Kei te kounga kairangi aua rauemi, ā, e āta kapo atu ana i te ngana o ngā reanga katoa ki te ako. He ngāwari, he māia hoki te āhua o te whakawhiti haere a ngā tamariki ki roto, ki waho hoki. Ka tīpako haere rātou, mai i te whānuitanga o ngā momo taumahi ako. Ko ngā taumahi i whakamaheretia ai, e hāngai ana ki te whakamahinga a ngā tamariki i ō rātou tairongo katoa i a rātou e tūhura ana, e ako ana. Kua waihangatia ngā pakitara o roto kia tino pāhekoheko ai te āhua mā ngā tamariki. Ka taea e rātou te tīpako, te tākaro hoki i ngā whakaaturanga piripiri. He pārekareka ki ngā tamariki te whakamahi i ngā momo taonga Māori i roto i ngā akoranga, tae atu hoki ki ngā patu, ki ngā taiaha, ki ngā poi, ki ngā rākau, me ngā kākahu kapa haka. E whakaongaongatia ana te whakatau takitahi, takirōpū hoki o ngā tamariki i roto i ngā akoranga.

Ka rongo ngā tamariki i te reo Māori i te whānuitanga o ngā momo horopaki. Nā ngā wheako i te marae ka rongo ngā tamariki i te reo ōkawa o te reo Māori. E tau ana, e aro nui ana hoki ngā tamariki ki te whakamahinga a ngā kaimahi i te reo Māori. Ka ū ngā pakeke Ka rangona te aroha me te manaaki i roto i te reo o ngā kaimahi i ngā wā katoa. He pakari ngā tamariki ki te whai wāhi atu ki te whānuitanga o ngā momo waiata, karakia hoki o tēnei hapori. He pai te whakamahinga a ngā kaimahi i ngā waiata hei whakapakari ake ai i te mōhiotanga o ngā tamariki ki te reo, ki ngā hītori, me ngā taonga tuku iho. Ka āta whakapuaki rātou i ō rātou hiahia me ā rātou whiringa. E whanake ana ngā tamariki ki te kōrero i te reo Māori.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Ahakoa e whiwhi ana ngā tamariki i te hōhonutanga o ngā wheako hei whakapūmau i te reo Māori, he maha tonu ngā wā e whakautu kōrero ana rātou mā te reo Pākehā. Ko te whakapakari ake i te āheinga me ngā mōhiotanga o te whānau ki te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo tētahi āhuatanga e whakatakotohia ana ki te aronga rautaki. Kua tāutuhia hoki te reo Māori hei kaupapa matua a te whānau. Engari, kāhore anō te whānau kia whakawhanakehia ngā rautaki e whai hua ai ki te whakapiki ake i ngā whakautu kōrero a ngā tamariki mā te reo Māori, ā, i tā rātou ake kōrero i te reo Māori.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

E āta whakahaerehia ana te kōhanga reo hei painga mō ngā tamariki. Kua haere tonu ngā mahi a te whānau ki te whakapūmau me te whakapaipai i ngā mahi me ngā taumata o te whakahaeretanga. E nahanaha ana ngā meneti o ngā hui a te whānau, ā, e tohu ana i te hāngaitanga o ngā whakawhitinga kōrero ki ngā whāinga rautaki matua, tae atu ki te whakangungu a ngā kaimahi. Kua whakapaipaihia e te whānau tā rātou tūtohinga me ngā tauākī e pā ana ki ngā kaupapa here. Kua whakamahia Ngā Pou e Whā o te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo hei whakariterite i te tūtohinga a te whānau. He mārama te aronga ake ki ngā whāinga o Te Korowai me ngā paearu whai raihana o ngā kōhanga reo. Ko ngā whakapono, ngā tikanga, ngā kawa, me ngā taonga tuku iho o Ngāti Mātangirau e pou here ana i ngā mahi whakahaere katoa a te whānau.

E noho pūmau ana te arotake rāroto, me te aromātai. Whakamahia ai aua mōhiohio ki te whakamōhio, te whakamahere, me te whakaraupapa i ngā hanga e matea ana e ngā tamariki me te whānau. Ko te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo tētahi kaupapa e noho matua ana ki te whānau katoa. E tautokona ana te whānau e ngā mema o te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo, e tō rātou purapura hoki. He kaha te noho pūmau mai o ngā whānau me ngā kaimahi ki te kōhanga reo. Kei te piki tonu ngā taumata whakarite o ngā whakahaeretanga. Ko tētahi kaimahi, i roa nei e mahi ana ki te kōhanga reo, kua whiwhi i tana Tohu Whakapakari, ā, e tino hāpaitia ana ia ki tōna tūranga hou hei kaiako.

Ko ngā mea e matea ana me ngā ngākau nuitanga o ngā tamariki e noho pūmau ana ki ngā mahere o te hōtaka. Kua whakatakotohia te kiko o ngā mahere hei ārahi i te whakapuaki mai o te whānuitanga o ngā momo kaupapa. Ka whakamaheretia ngā taumahi hei poipoi i te whānuitanga o ngā momo reanga, ngā mea e matea ana, me ngā ngākau nuitanga o ngā tamariki. Kua whakahāngaitia aua taumahi ki ngā kaupapa i whakamaheretia ai i Te Whāriki a Te Kōhanga Reo. Ka puta ki ngā kaimahi me ngā tamariki ngā painga e pupū ake ana i te haerenga tonutanga o ngā mahi whakangungu a ngā kaimahi. Ko te angitu o ngā tamariki i roto i ngā akoranga e pou here ana i ngā mahere.

E tino mārama ana ngā kaimahi ki ngā tamariki, ā, e whakanuia ana hoki rātou mō ō rātou pūmanawa me tō rātou tupu. Ko te huarahi ako o ia tamaiti, o ia tamaiti ki te kōhanga reo e whakatakotohia ana ki tētahi kōnae. E mau ana ngā kōnae i te whānuitanga o ngā puna mōhiohio, tae atu hoki ki ngā whakaahua e tohu ana i te whai wāhi atu a ngā tamariki ki te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo kaupapa ako. Ka aro nui ngā kōnae ki te whai wāhi atu a ngā tamariki, ō rātou ngākau titikaha, me te whakawhanaketanga anō hoki o ō rātou mōhiotanga.

Whakamahi ai ngā kaimahi i ngā whakaaro huritao ki te hōtaka, i ngā tuhinga hoki o ngā mōhiohio aromātai hei whakamōhio i ngā mahere. Ka whakamahi rātou i aua mōhiohio ki te whakapai ake i te kounga o ā rātou whakaritenga me ngā putanga ki ngā tamariki.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Ahakoa kua whakahoungia te mahere rautaki a te whānau hei ārahi i te aronga o te tupu me te whakapaipai haere, he tokoiti tonu ngā tamariki kei te rārangi ingoa. Tokowhitu ngā tamariki i tēnei wā, ā, tokorima ngā tamariki e taetae mai ana i te nuinga o te wā. Ka kawea ngā tamariki e te pahiiti o te kōhanga reo. Kāhore anō te whānau kia tāutu i ngā rautaki hei whakapiki ake i te tatauranga tamariki o te kōhanga reo. E mōhio ana rātou he kaupapa matua tēnei mō meāke nei.

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 ngā taunakitanga e whai ake nei, arā, kia:

• whakawhanakehia ngā rautaki me ngā huarahi e whakapiki ake ai i te whakamahinga o ngā tamariki i te reo Māori
• whai whakaarohia ngā huarahi ka whakapiki ake i te tatauranga tamariki ki te rārangi ingoa.

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 Whaakirangi i roto i te toru o ngā tau.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

30 Whiringa ā-nuku, 2018

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

1 Context

Ko Whaakirangi te wharepuni
Ko Ruamano me Waimahuru ngā kaitiaki
Ko Matangirau te hapū
Ko Kahungunu te iwi
Ko Awatere te awa
Ko Rakaipūtara te maunga

Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi is based at Whaakirangi Marae, Frasertown near Wairoa. The marae is integral to children’s learning of te reo Maori, tikanga and kawa. Most whānau affiliate to Ngāti Matangirau.

Since the last ERO report, 2015, the whānau have lost some key whānau members, including their long-standing kuia. Despite this, the whānau have continued to broaden their knowledge and capability to ensure quality outcomes for their children.

2 The Evaluation Findings

How well do children show confidence as learners, within their surroundings?

Children interact in their kōhanga reo and marae surroundings with confidence, understanding and awareness.

Mana Whenua

Children’s confidence is nurtured. Interactions are meaningful for all children. Whānau values and beliefs are modelled by adults. Children confidently interact in a range of contexts. This includes their marae, tangihanga, pōhiri, the ngahere and urupā. They are guided to observe and follow tikanga and kawa when they participate in marae events. All children are uri of Ngāti Matangirau. Tuākana and tēina relationships are strong. Individuals are often heard laughing together, and singing waiata during independent and shared learning. Children interact in an environment that is peaceful and relaxing. Kaimahi follow children as they explore their interests. They communicate in ways that affirm and encourage. Children are settled and happy.

Children are actively engaged in the local environment. Planned haerenga let children regularly explore their local pāmu, kararehe and ngahere. Children participate in local conservation projects that restore and protect their local rivers. Their whānau actively support children to learn about kaitiakitanga. Growing food and experiencing cooking reinforces their learning. Children show confidence in their marae, kōhanga reo and natural environment.

Children play in an environment that stimulates their interests and development. The whānau has extended their resources to include contemporary and traditional types. These are of high quality and they promote high levels of interest from all ages. Children move between the indoors and outside with ease and confidence. They choose from a wide range of activities for learning. Planned activities are focused on children using all their senses to explore and learn. The indoor walls are designed to be highly interactive for children. They can select and play with velcro images. Children enjoy using the different taonga Māori for learning, including patu, taiaha, poi, rākau and kapa haka uniforms. Children are stimulated to make shared and independent decisions about learning.

Children hear te reo Māori in a range of contexts. Marae experiences expose children to formal use of te reo Māori. Children are familiar with and respond well to te reo Māori used by kaimahi. Te reo aroha and manaaki is used by adults all the time. Children confidently participate in a range of local waiata and karakia. Waiata is well used by kaimahi as an effective way to build children’s knowledge of the language, history and heritage. They communicate their needs and choices. Children are developing as speakers of te reo Māori.

Key Next Steps

While children receive rich experiences that reinforce te reo Maori, they often respond using English. Building whānau capability and knowledge of the kōhanga reo kaupapa is included in the strategic direction. Te reo Māori is included as a whānau priority. However, the whānau has not developed strategies that will effectively increase children’s responses and use of te reo Māori.

Planning and Evaluation

The kōhanga reo is well managed in the interests of children. The whānau have continued to sustain and refine management practices and standards. Regular whānau hui minutes show that discussions are aligned to key strategic goals including kaimahi training. The whānau have refined their Tūtohinga tikanga and policy statements. Ngā Pou e Whā of the kōhanga reo kaupapa has been used to organise the whānau tūtohinga. There is clear reference to Te Korowai goals and licensing criteria for kōhanga reo. Ngāti Matangirau beliefs, tikanga, kawa and heritage underpin whānau whakahaere practice.

Internal review and evaluation is firmly established. This information is regularly used to inform, plan and prioritise for the needs of children and whānau. The kōhanga reo kaupapa is a shared whānau priority. The whānau are supported by Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust (TKRNT) members, and their purapura. Whānau and kaimahi retention is strong. Management practice standards continue to be improved. A long standing kaimahi has graduated with the Tohu Whakapakari, and is well supported in her new role as kaiako.

Children’s needs and their interests are central to programme planning. Detailed plans are in place to guide the delivery of a wide range of kaupapa. There are planned activities for the different ages, needs and interests of children, aligned to planned kaupapa from Te Whāriki a Te Kōhanga Reo. Ongoing kaimahi training has positive impacts for kaimahi and children. Children’s success in learning underpins planning.

Children are well understood and recognised for their talents and growth by kaimahi. Each child’s learning journey while at kōhanga reo is recorded in kōnae. These contain a range of sources of information, including photos of children engaged in a wide variety of kaupapa learning. Kōnae give attention to children’s participation, confidence and knowledge development.

Kaimahi use regular programme reflection and documented evaluation information to inform planning. They use this information to improve the quality of their practice and quality outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

While the whānau strategic plan has been revised to guide the direction for growth and continued improvement, the roll remains low. There are 7 children enrolled and 5 that attend regularly. A kōhanga reo van provides transportation for children. The whānau have not identified strategies to increase the number of children. They recognise that this is a key priority going forward.

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 whānau developed the following recommendations:

• develop strategies and techniques that increase children’s use of te reo Māori

• consider ways to increase the roll.

When is ERO likely to evaluate the kōhanga reo again?

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

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

30 October 2018

Information about the Kōhanga Reo

Te Aromātai

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi i te marae tonu o Whaakirangi pātata atu ki Frasertown, kei Wairoa. Kei te whakatinana ngā tamariki i te kaha o tō rātou hononga ki tō rātou kōhanga reo, ki te marae me te whānau. Ko tō rātou ora te poutokomanawa o ngā whakahaere a te whānau. Ka ako ngā tamariki i tētehi taiao e whakaū ana i tō rātou ahurea Māori.

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

1 Te Horopaki

Ko Whaakirangi te wharepuni

Ko Ruamano me Waimahuru ngā kaitiaki

Ko Matangirau te hapū

Ko Kahungunu te iwi

Ko Awatere te awa

Ko Rakaiputara te maunga.

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi i te marae tonu o Whaakirangi pātata atu ki Frasertown, kei Wairoa. E karopotia ana te kōhanga reo e ngā whenua kua taiepatia e kī tonu ana i ngā momo kararehe me ngā mōkai pāmu. He pai te manaakitia o te whenua me te taiao ako-o-roto, arā, he āhurutanga mō ngā tamariki.

E tautokotia ana te whānau e te kuia mōrehu, e ētehi kaimahi hoki kua roa e noho ana i te kōhanga reo. Ahakoa he tokoiti noa i te rēhita, he rite tonu tā te whānau whakarato i ngā kaupapa ako hihiko e mārō ai te hono o ngā tamariki ki tō rātou tuakiritanga me tō rātou tūrangawaewae.

2 Ngā Whakaaturanga o te Arotake

He pēwhea rawa te pai o tā ngā tamariki whakatinana i tō rātou hononga ki tō rātou kōhanga reo?

Kei te whakatinana ngā tamariki i te kaha o tō rātou hononga ki ō rātou whānau, ki te kōhanga reo me te marae.

Mana Whenua

He pai te manaakitia o te ora o ngā tamariki e ngā kaimahi, e te kuia, e ngā mema hoki o te whānau. He hīkaka ngā tamariki i te wā ka tae atu rātou ki te kōhanga reo, ā, he māia hoki tā rātou whakamārama ki ngā kaimahi ō rātou hiahia. He mārō ngā hononga i waenganui i ngā tamariki me ngā kaimahi. He whai take tā ngā kaimahi whakahāngai kaupapa e whai pānga ana ki ngā tini hiahia o ngā tamariki. He maha tonu ngā wā ka ngahau, ka katakata hoki ngā mātua me ngā tamariki. E tau ana ngā tamariki.

E korikori ana ngā tamriki i roto i tō rātou taiao ako. He māia tā ngā tamariki whakatōmene i ngā āhuatanga o te marae, tae atu ki te whenua. Ka mātakitakina ngā tikanga me ngā kawa i a rātou ka whai wāhi atu ki ngā kaupapa i te marae. Ka eke ngā tamariki i te waka haere, ā, ka ako rātou ki te manaaki i te aotūroa me te taiao kikokiko. He pai te māheretia o te taiao o te kōhanga reo, ā, tae ana ki te whānuitanga o ngā kaupapa mō roto, mō waho hoki e whakakorikori ana i te ako a ngā tamariki. He pai ki ngā tamariki te whakatōmene.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

Kāore i te tino whai mana ngā whakawhitingā kōrero i waenganui i ngā kaimahi me ngā tamariki. E warea ana ngā tamariki ki te whakatōmene, engari ka mahue tā rātou whai wāhi atu ki ngā rautaki whakapiki reo a ngā kaimahi. Kāore i te tino rangona ngā kōrerorero me ngā wānangatanga ki ngā tamariki mō ngā kaupapa me ngā akoranga. Ka mahue i ngā tamariki te wā kia pakari kē atu.

Te Whakamahere me te Aromātai

He pai te whakahaeretia o te kōhanga reo e ngā kaimahi me te whānau. Tū ana ngā hui ia te marama ki te pūrongo i te tū me ngā whakahaere a te kōhanga reo. He kaha te aro ki te whakapai ake i te pakari o ngā kaimahi, i ngā tohu mātauranga me ngā tikanga mahi mā roto mai i ngā whakapakaritanga a Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust (TKRNT). He whai mana te whakatutukinga o ngā hiahia o ngā tamariki i roto i ēnei āhuatanga.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka Whai Ake

He ngoikore ētehi āhuatanga o ngā māheretanga hōtaka. Kei te ngaro ngā kōiriiritanga mō te āhua o tā ngā kaimahi manaaki i te whānuitanga o ngā hiahia me ngā kōingo ako o ngā tamariki. Kāore ngā arotakenga o te hōtaka i te whai whakaaro ki ngā hiahia ako o ia tamaiti. Kāore ngā kaimahi i te whakamahi i ngā kōrero nei e tino nikoniko ai a rātou tikanga mahi.

Kāore ngā tamariki i te tino whakaarotia i roto i ngā whakanikotanga mō ngā rā e heke mai ana. Kāore he rautaki e rite tonu ana te pūrongotia. Kāore i te whānau tētehi ara whiriwhri i tā rātou koke ki te whakatutuki i ngā kaupapa rautaki whakahirahira.

3 Te Whakataunga a te Kōhanga Reo ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te arotake, 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

Nā Te Tari Arotake me te whānau ngā taunakitanga e whai ake nei i whakawhanake:

• Whakapakaritia ngā arotakenga whaiaro
• Whakamomonatia te pakari o ngā kaimahi ki te whakawhānui i ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki.

Te Whakarāpopototanga

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi i te marae tonu o Whaakirangi pātata atu ki Frasertown, kei Wairoa. Kei te whakatinana ngā tamariki i te kaha o tō rātou hononga ki tō rātou kōhanga reo, ki te marae me te whānau. Ko tō rātou ora te poutokomanawa o ngā whakahaere a te whānau. Ka ako ngā tamariki i tētehi taiao e whakaū ana i tō rātou ahurea Māori.

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

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

Lynda Pura-Watson

Kaiurungi Whakaturuki Arotake Māori

20 Whiringa-ā-rangi, 2015

Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te kōhanga reo

Evaluation

Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi is at Whaakirangi Marae, near Frasertown, Wairoa. Children show a strong sense of belonging to the kōhanga reo, marae and whānau. Their wellbeing is at heart of whānau practice. Children learn in surroundings that reinforces their cultural heritage.

The next ERO review of Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi will be in three years.

1 Context

Ko Whaakirangi te wharepuni

Ko Ruamano me Waimahuru ngā kaitiaki

Ko Matangirau te hapū

Ko Kahungunu te iwi

Ko Awatere te awa

Ko Rakaiputara te maunga.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi is at Whaakirangi Marae, near Frasertown in Wairoa. Wide open paddocks with farm animals and pets surround the kōhanga reo. The kōhanga reo grounds and indoor learning environments are kept in good repair and are welcoming for children.

The whānau are supported by the kuia and some kaimahi who have had a long association with the kōhanga reo. While the roll is currently small, kaimahi and whānau continue to provide stimulating learning activities that affirm their children’s sense of identity and belonging.

2 The Review Findings

How well do children show their sense of belonging to their kōhanga reo?

Children show they have a strong sense of belonging to their whānau, kōhanga reo and marae.

Mana Whenua

Children’s wellbeing is nurtured well by kaimahi, the kuia and whānau members. Children are excited when they arrive at kōhanga reo and confidently let kaimahi know what they want. There are strong bonds between children and kaimahi. Kaimahi effectively adapt activities to respond to the changing needs of children. Children often have fun and laugh with adults. Children are content.

Children are stimulated by their learning environment. Children confidently explore the marae surroundings including the whenua. They observe tikanga and kawa when they participate in marae events. Children go on excursions and they learn how to care for the natural and physical environment. The kōhanga reo environment is well designed and includes a range of indoor and outdoor activities that stimulate children’s learning. Children enjoy exploring.

Key Next Steps

Conversations between kaimahi and children are underutilised. Children are busy exploring however, they miss out on language extension opportunities from kaimahi. Sustained conversations with children about their activities and learning are rare. Children miss opportunities to be extended.

Planning and Evaluation

Kaimahi and whānau manage the kōhanga reo well. Monthly hui are held to report on the overall performance and business of the kōhanga reo. There is a strong focus on developing kaimahi capability, qualifications and practice through Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust (TKRNT) training. Children’s interests are effectively met in these areas.

Key Next Steps

Some aspects of programme planning are limited. Plans lack clear detail about how kaimahi respond to the diverse learning needs and interests of children. Programme review does not highlight the individual learning needs of children. Kaimahi do not use this information to improve their practice in significant ways.

Long term improvements for children are not well considered. Regular strategic reporting does not occur. Whānau have no clear way to measure how they are progressing towards their strategic progress priorities.

3 Whānau Management Assurance on Compliance Areas

During the review, 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 whānau developed the following recommendations:

• improve self-review
• increase kaimahi capability to extend children’s learning.

Conclusion

Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi is at Whaakirangi Marae, near Frasertown, Wairoa. Children show a strong sense of belonging to the kōhanga reo, marae and whānau. Their wellbeing is at heart of whānau practice. Children learn in surroundings that reinforces their cultural heritage.

When is ERO likely to review the kōhanga reo again?

The next ERO review of Te Kōhanga Reo o Whaakirangi will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Māori

20 November 2015

Information about the Kōhanga Reo