Weaving Te Whāriki for our children

Lyn Wright

Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens Annual Conference

Monday 11 July 2016

Hello

Kiaora

Talofa lava

Kiaorana

Fakaalofa

Malo e lelei

Maloni

Talofa

Nisabulavinaka

Minglaba Hola

Iaorana

HaloolaketaMauri

Sabaidee

Namaste

Tuia I rungaTuia I raro

Tuia I wahoTuia I roto

Tuia te here tangataKa rongo to pōKa rongo to ao

Haumi e Hui e

Tāiki e!

Bind our emotions and thoughts

Our behaviours and actions

New ideas and knowledge

Old ideas and the knowledge we already have

With the guidance of our ancestors, of our mentors

From the past

From the present

To enable us to join together

And grow

Let us come together and agree.

Weaving songWeave, weave, weave us together,Weave us together in unity and love.Weave, weave, weave us together,Weave us together, together in love.

We are many textures, we are many colours, Each one different from the other.But we are entwined in one another in one great tapestry

Weave, weave, weave us together,Weave us together in unity and love.Weave, weave, weave us together,Weave us together, together in love.

Why Te Whāriki?

• Te Whāriki is 20 years old this year

• Te Whāriki is the Aotearoa New Zealand early childhood curriculum for all ece service types

• We want everyone in WMK to know about Te Whāriki and how it is relevant for them

An early childhood whāriki is made up of..

The sum total of the experiences, activites, and events,

whether direct or indirect,

that occur within an environment that is designed to foster children’s learning and development

What this means

•Every person who crosses paths with children –or does things that affect people who cross paths with children in their every day lives

• Is part of that child’s curriculum – their whāriki

That is all of you

Sum total of the experiences, activities and events, whether direct or indirect

So what learning and growing does Te Whāriki want for children?

To be competent and confident learners and communicators

healthy in mind, body and spirit

secure in their sense of belonging

and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society

What does Te Whāriki say about how this learning and growing happens?

Principles:Empowerment - WhakamanaHolistic Development - KotahitangaFamily and Community – Whānau TangataRelationships – Ngā Hononga

Wellbeing – Mana Atua health and well-being of child are protected and nurtured

Belonging – Mana Whenuachildren and their families feel a sense of belonging

Contribution – Mana Tangataopportunites for learning are equitable, and each child’s contribution is valued

Communication – Mana Reothe languages and symbols of their own and other cultures are promoted and respected

Exploration – Mana Aotūroathe child learns through active exploration of the environment

Empowerment – Whakamana– nurturing the mana of the child

•Making choices about their own learning

• Respected and valued as individuals – full of potential, powerful, emotional and spiritual being

•Accepted unconditionally

Holistic Development – KotahitangaWhat children experience reflects the holisitc way they learn and grow

•Learning by doing things that are meaningful, relevant and for a purpose – not just to gain skills and knowledge

•Learning is woven together

•How you feel influences how and what you learn – consistent warm relationships

Family and community – Whānau TangataThe wider world of family and community is integral to children’s curriculum •Children do not exist in isolation – families and communities are part of children’s lives

•Build on what children bring – they are not empty vessels

•Developing and valuing a strong cultural identity

Roles

Relationships

Rituals

Roles

Relationships

Rituals

Roles

Relationships

Rituals

Roles

Relationships

Rituals

Relationships – Ngā HonongaChildren learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places and things•Making sense (learning) by doing – and interacting

with people, places and things

•Appropriate and interestting play materials that children can change and interact with

•Adults provide encouragement, warmth, acceptance, challenges, connections • – they WATCH and LISTEN