Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Rākau Kowhai o Ngā Tamariki

1 He Kupu Arataki

Kua mahi ngātahi Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, ngā whānau, ngā kaiārahi, ngā kaimahi me ngā hapori ki te whakawhanake i ngā tirohanga aromātai e whai wāhi nui ai ki te hāpai i te kawenga takohanga me te whakapaitanga, ki te tautuhi i te ahu whakamua, ā, ki te whakapakari ake hoki i te āheinga ki te aromātai. Ka whakarato ngā pūrongo a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga i ngā mōhiohio mātuatua mā ngā hapū me ngā iwi.

2 Te Horopaki

“Mai i te tipu o te rākau, ka tipu hoki ngā mokopuna”

E tū ana Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Rākau Kōwhai o Ngā Tamariki ki Waihōpai. Ka whakatinanahia ngā tikanga whakaaro o te hāhi Rātana i te kōhanga reo. Kua roa nei te kuia e whai wāhi atu ana ki te kōhanga reo, ā, kei te poipoi tonu ia i te aroha me te manaakitanga ki ngā mokopuna. Kua mahi ngātahi te whānau ki te whakatū i te papa tākaro mō ngā mokopuna.  

3 Te Aronga o te Aromātai

He pēhea rawa te whakapuaki mai o ngā mokopuna i tō rātou māramatanga ki tuakiri mā te reo Māori me ngā tikanga Māori?

Ka kitea ki ngā mokopuna tō rātou māramatanga ki a rātou anō, ki ō rātou hononga hoki mā ā rātou wheako ako.

4 Ngā Whakaaturanga

Ka whakarato ngā kaimahi i ngā wheako ako e poipoi ana i te tuakiri o ngā mokopuna. Ka aro nui te hōtaka ki te whakapapa, ā, ka toro atu ki ngā mōhiotanga e pā ana ki te ao tūroa. Ka hāpai ngā kaimahi i te ako a ngā mokopuna i ō rātou hononga ki tō rātou maunga, ki tō rātou awa, ki tō rātou tuakiritanga, me ngā tāngata e noho whakahirahira ana ki ō rātou nā ao. He ngākau titikaha ō ngā mokopuna tuākana ki te tū takitahi me te taki i ō rātou pepeha. Ka mātakitaki ngā pēpi i ngā kaimahi me ō rātou tuākana, ā, ka tāwhai i ā rātou mahi. Ka toro atu ngā kaimahi ki te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo huarahi e hāpai ai i ngā mokopuna ki te whakapakari i tō rātou māramatanga me tā rātou whakamahinga o te reo Māori. Ko ētahi o aua rautaki, ko te whakawhiti kōrero, ko te patapatai, ko te whāngai kupu, me te tohutohu. Ko te taki i ngā karakia, ngā mihimihi, me ngā whakapapa e whakapuaki ana i ngā hanganga reo ki ngā mokopuna. Kei te pakari ngā tuākana ki te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero mā te reo Māori. Ka taea e rātou ngā whakawhitinga kōrero te kōkiri ki te taha o ētahi atu. Ka whakapuaki ngā pēpi i tō rātou māramatanga ki te reo Māori mā te āhua o ō rātou kanohi me tō rātou reo ā-tinana. Ka whai wāhi matua te hāhi Rātana ki te hōtaka akoranga o ia rā. Ka whakatauira ngā kaimahi i ngā mātāpono o te Māramatanga me te Mōrehutanga. E hāpaitia ana te taki a ngā mokopuna i te whakamoemiti, hei whakatairanga ake i tō rātou motuhake hei mokopuna o te hāhi. Ka whakawhiti kōrero ngā kaimahi ki ngā mokopuna mā te reo ngāwari, mā te mauritau. Ka kitea ki ngā mokopuna te pakari o tō rātou aronga toi whenuatanga.

Ka whakarato ngā kaimahi i te whānuitanga o ngā whai wāhitanga me ngā wheako, kia āhei ai ngā mokopuna ki te tūhura. He muramura, he hihiri hoki te taiao o roto, ā, kua kapi ngā pakitara ki te whānuitanga o ngā tūmomo whakaaturanga. E wātea ana, he muramura hoki te tangongitanga o ngā rauemi mā ngā mokopuna, i a rātou e kōkiri ana i tā rātou ake ako. He ngāwari te whakawhitiwhiti haere a ngā mokopuna, puta noa i te kōhanga reo. Kei ngā pēpi tō rātou ake wāhi ako. Ka taea e rātou te tīpako, mai i ngā kohinga rauemi, i runga tonu i ō rātou ake hiahia. Ka hāpai ngā kaimahi i te ako a ngā mokopuna i tō rātou hononga ki te taiao mā ngā atua Māori. He ngākau titikaha ō ngā mokopuna ki ō rātou horopaki o te ao Māori.

Kua whakatakotohia ngā tukanga e pā ana ki te whakamahere me te aromatawai. Kua whakawhanakehia e ngā kaimahi ngā mahere ā-tau, ā-wāhanga, ā-wiki, o ia rā hoki, hei ārahi i ngā kaimahi, ā, hei āta whakatau i te whai aronga me te whai pūtaketanga o te hōtaka akoranga. He hononga pū o ngā mahere ki Te Whāriki a Te Kōhanga Reo, ā, kua whakatakotohia ngā kaupapa whānui, ngā kaupapa whāiti, ngā putanga ako, me ngā rauemi e tika ana mō te whakatinanatanga o ngā akoranga. Kua kapohia te ako a ngā mokopuna ki ngā kōnae mokopuna. E wātea ana aua kōnae ki ngā whānau, ā, kei te whakarato i ngā mōhiohio e hāngai ana ki te ako me te ahu whakamua a te tamaiti, i roto i te roanga o te wā. E whiwhi ana ngā mokopuna i ngā akoranga e poipoi ana i te mātauranga Māori.

E whai hua ana ngā pūnaha me ngā tukanga a te whānau mō te whakahaeretanga o ngā whakaritenga ki te kōhanga reo. E whakatakoto ana te tūtohinga i te aronga me te ārahitanga mō te whānau. Ka whai wāhi hoki ki taua tuhinga, ko te hītori o te kōhanga reo, me tōna hononga ki te hāhi Rātana. Arotakengia ai i ia te wā, ko ngā kaupapa here me ngā tukanga e pā ana ki te hauora me te haumaru, ā, ka whai pānga anō hoki ērā ki ngā herenga ā-ture o tēnei wā. Kua whakamōhiotia te mahere rautaki ki Te Ara Tūāpae. Ka hāngai hoki ki te tirohanga me ngā wawata o te whānau, tae atu ki ngā kaupapa matua e tohu ana i te rōnakitanga. Ka ārahi te mahere ā-tau i ngā mahi whakahaere matua i te tari, ā, i ngā wā hoki e tika ana kia whakatutukihia aua mahi. Ka aroturuki, ka pūrongo hoki te kaiwhakahaere i te ahu whakamua. E whakahaerehia ana ngā take kaimahi kia whai hua. Kua whakatakotohia ngā arohaehae, ā, ka arotahi ki te whakawhanaketanga o ngā mōhiotanga me ngā pūkenga o ngā kaimahi, hei mātanga tautoko. Ka whakahaere te whānau i ngā whakaritenga mā te aronga ki ngā mokopuna.

Ngā Whakaritenga Matua ka whai ake 

Ahakoa ngā whakaaturanga papai o ngā whakaritenga, he mahi tonu ki te whakapakari ake i te aromātai hōtaka.

5 Te Whakatau a te Whānau o te Kōhanga Reo ki ngā Wāhanga Tautukunga

I te wā o te arotake, i tirohia e Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga ngā pūnaha ki te whakahaere i ngā wāhanga e whai ake nei, arā, ki:

• te haumaru ā-whatumanawa, tae atu ki te ārahi mauritau me te ārai tamariki

• te haumaru ā-tinana, tae atu ki te mātakitaki tamariki, ngā whakaritenga whakamoe, ngā aituā, te whāngai rongoā; me ngā kaupapa here, ngā tukanga hoki mō ngā haerenga whakawaho

• te tū tika o ngā kaimahi, tae atu ki te tika o ngā tohu mātauranga, ngā mahi arowhai a ngā pirihimana, me te tatauranga ki waenga i te kaiako me te tamaiti 

• ngā whakaritenga ohotata me ngā tikanga ohotata e pā ana ki te rū whenua, te ahi, te waipuke, te tai āniwhaniwha, me te mate urutā.

Hei whakatutuki i ngā herenga ā-ture, me tahuri rātou ki te:

• whakarite i te tukanga ka aromātai i te whai huatanga o te hōtaka akoranga

[R43 Ture Mātauranga (Kōhungahunga) 2008; C1 Paearu Raihana mō ngā Kōhanga Reo kei raro i te maru o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo 2008]

6 Te Taunakitanga

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

• mahi te whānau ki te taha o te tari ā-rohe o Te Poari Matua o Ngā Kōhanga Reo, kia whai tautoko rātou ki te whakapakari i te aromātai hōtaka.

Rita Walker
Toka ā Nuku Whakakapi
Te Uepū-a-Motu – Māori Services

19 Whiringa ā-nuku, 2022

7 Ngā kōrero e pā ana ki te Kōhanga Reo

Te tūwāhi	Kei Waihōpai
Te tau a te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga	90311
Te tau tohu o Te Kōhanga Reo	10D019
Te tūmomo whare	He kōhanga reo
Te raihana	Ngā Ture Mātauranga (Ratonga Kōhungahunga) 2008
Te tokomaha mō te raihana	25, kia tokowaru ki raro i te rua o ngā tau
Te tokomaha kei runga i te rārangi ingoa	18, tokowaru kei raro i te rua o ngā tau
Ngā hononga ā-iwi	Māori 15, Kuki Airani 3, Iwi kē 3
Te wā i te kōhanga reo te rōpū arotake	Here-turi-kōkā 2022
Te wā o tēnei pūrongo	19 Whiringa ā-nuku, 2022
Ngā pūrongo o mua a Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga	Arotake Mātauranga, Here-turi-kōkā 2019; Arotake Mātauranga, Paenga-whāwhā 2016; Arotake Mātauranga, Hui-tanguru 2014

1 Introduction

The Education Review Office (ERO) in collaboration with whānau, leaders, kaimahi and their communities develop evaluation insights that foster accountability and improvement, identify progress and build evaluation capability. ERO reports provide important information for hapū and iwi.

2 Context

“Mai i te tipu o te rākau, ka tipu hoki ngā mokopuna”

Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Rākau Kowhai o Ngā Tamariki is located in Invercargill. The Hāhī Rātana philosophies are practiced in the kōhanga reo. A long serving kuia continues to foster aroha and manaakitanga to mokopuna. Whānau have worked together to complete building the playground for mokopuna. 

3 Evaluation Focus

How well do mokopuna express their understanding of identity through te reo Māori and tikanga Māori?

Mokopuna demonstrate their understanding of who they are and how they belong through their learning experiences.

4 Findings

Kaimahi provide learning experiences that nurture mokopuna identity. The programme places a strong emphasis on whakapapa and draws on knowledge related to the natural world. Kaimahi support mokopuna to learn about their connections to their maunga, awa, tuākiritanga and significant people in their lives. Older mokopuna confidently recite pēpeha without assistance. Pēpi observe kaimahi and their tuākana and mimic their actions. Kaimahi draw on a range of ways to support mokopuna to build their understanding and use of te reo Māori. These include conversations, questions, prompts and instructions. Reciting karakia, mihimihi and whakapapa introduces mokopuna to language structures. Tuakana are confident communicators of te reo Māori. They are able to initiate conversations with others. Pēpi express their understanding of te reo Māori through their facial expressions and body language. Te Hāhī Rātana is an integral part of the daily learning programme. Kaimahi model principles of Māramatanga and Mōrehutanga. Mokopuna are supported to recite whakamoemiti to enhance their uniqueness as mokopuna o te hāhī. Kaimahi communicate with mokopuna in a soft and calm manner. Mokopuna, show they have a strong sense of belonging. 

Kaimahi provide a range of opportunities and experiences for mokopuna to explore. The indoor environment is colourful and vibrant with a range of displays that cover the walls. A variety of resources are accessible and inviting for mokopuna as they initiate their own learning. Mokopuna move through their kōhanga reo with ease. Pepi have their own learning space. They are able to select from a collection of resources when and if they choose. Kaimahi support mokopuna to learn about their relationship with nature through ngā atua Māori. Mokopuna are confident in their te ao Māori settings.

Planning and assessment processes are in place. Kaimahi have developed a year, term, weekly and daily plans to guide kaimahi and ensure the learning programme is focussed and purposeful. Planning has clear links to Te Whāriki a Te Kōhanga Reo and includes kaupapa whānui and kaupapa whāiti, learning outcomes and resources for implementation. Mokopuna learning is captured in kōnae mokopuna. These are accessible to whānau and provide information that highlights individual learning and progress over time.  Mokopuna experience learning that fosters mātauranga Māori.

The whānau have efficient systems and processes in place to manage the kōhanga reo operations. The Tūtohinga provides direction and clear guidance for whānau. This includes the history of the kōhanga reo and the relationship to the Hāhī Rātana. Health and safety policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and reflect current legislation. The strategic plan is informed by Te Ara Tūāpae. This includes the vision and aspirations of whānau and priorities that reflect sustainability. The annual plan guides key administrative management tasks and when these are to be met. The kaiwhakahaere monitors and reports on progress.  Personnel matters are managed effectively. Appraisals are in place and focus on developing kaimahi knowledge and skills to be supportive practitioners. Whānau manage the operations with a focus on mokopuna.

Key Next Steps

While there are good examples of practice, there is more work to be done to strengthen programme evaluation. 

5 Kōhanga Whānau Assurance on Legal Requirements

During the evaluation, ERO looked at systems for managing the following areas:

• emotional safety including positive guidance and child protection

• physical safety including supervision, sleep procedures, accidents, medication, excursion policy and procedures

• suitable staffing including appropriate qualifications, police vetting, ratios

• emergency procedures and practices for earthquakes, fire, flood, tsunami and pandemic.

To meet compliance requirements, they must: 

• establish a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning programme.
  [7 Regulation 43 Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008; C1 Licensing Criteria for Kōhanga Reo affiliated with Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust 2008].  

6 Recommendation

ERO and the kōhanga reo whānau developed the following recommendation:

• that whānau work alongside the district office for support to strengthen programme evaluation.

Rita Walker
Acting Toka-ā-Nuku – Director
Te Uepū ā-Motu – Māori Review Services

19 October 2022

7 Information about the Kura/Kōhanga Reo

Location	Invercargill
Ministry of Education profile number	90311
Kōhanga Reo Identification Number	10D019
Licence type	Te Kōhanga Reo
Licensed under	Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for	25 children, including up to 8 aged under 2
Kōhanga Reo roll	21 children, including up to 8 aged under 2
Ethnic composition	Māori 15, Cook Island Māori 3, Other 3
Review team on site	August 2022
Date of this report	19 October 2022
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review, August 2019; Education Review, April 2016; Education Review, February 2014