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        DOP 5

DOP 5

5. Educators should plan, implement and evaluate curriculum for children in which:

(a) their health is promoted and emotional well-being nurtured; and they are kept safe from harm;

(b) connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed and extended; children know they have a place and feel comfortable with routines, customs and regular events; and children know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour;

(c) there are equitable opportunities for learning for each child, irrespective of gender, ability, age, ethnicity or background; children are affirmed as individuals; and children are encouraged to work with and alongside others;

(d) children develop verbal and non-verbal communication skills for a range of purposes; children experience the stories and symbols of their own and other cultures; and children discover and develop diferent ways to be creative and expressive;

(e) children's play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play is recognised; children gain confidence in and control of their bodies; children learn strategies for active exploration, thinking and reasoning; and children develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical and material worlds.

In the introduction to the revised DOPs, Te Whāriki is endorsed as an example of a quality curriculum. The goals of Te Whāriki’s five strands (Well-being, Belonging, Contribution, Communication, and Exploration) make up points (a) to (e) of DOP 5 above.

The curriculum that each early childhood service develops must be consistent with Te Whāriki.

Services will therefore be expected to be able to identify links between Te Whāriki and their curriculum and to demonstrate that none of their curriculum is inconsistent with Te Whāriki.

Pitopito Kōrero no. 12 (1996)

The curriculum of an early childhood service assists educators to promote children’s learning and development. It sets essential goals and defines learning outcomes and objectives that serve as the basis for planning, implementing, and valuating the service’s programme.

Educators may therefore develop:

a process for planning their service’s programme that ensures the achievement of curriculum goals and objectives;
strategies to implement the programme;
a system of evaluation that:
- is documented;
- determines whether learning outcomes have been achieved;
- is linked to further planning and implementation;
- leads to continual improvements in the programme.
A successful evaluation will determine whether the curriculum is enhancing and extending children’s:
- sense of self-worth, identity, confidence, and trust;
- motivation to learn and enjoyment of learning;
- understanding of themselves, their family/whānau, and the wider world;
- social skills in interacting with adults and other children;
- understanding and use of language for a range of purposes;
- use of symbolic, abstract, and creative thinking;
- knowledge and working theories of the world.
5. Educators should plan, implement and evaluate curriculum for children in which:

(a) their health is promoted and emotional well-being nurtured; and they are kept safe from harm;

Educators can achieve this by ensuring that their service’s curriculum:
- promotes children’s understanding of all aspects of health, including hygienic practices, self-help and self-care, healthy eating, and spiritual well-being;
- assists children to identify and express their feelings;
- provides children with strategies to understand and cope with their own and others’ emotions;
- provides children with language and strategies to enable them to become socially competent;
- encourages children to become independent – for example, through making their own decisions;
- provides opportunities for children to develop stable relationships through low staff turnover, sensitive grouping of children, and rostering staff with the needs of children in mind;
- supports the development of self-awareness, self-esteem, and trust;
- introduces children to strategies for self-protection, personal safety, and risk management, so that children can attempt challenges without fear of harm;
- develops children’s sense of responsibility for the safety and feelings of others.
Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Taha wairua (spiritual well-being), taha hinengaro (mental well-being), taha tinana (physical well-being), and taha whānau (social well-being) influence and support one another in the learning of tamariki Māori. Educators can recognise the importance of these concepts for the well-being of all children in their service.

Educators can also acknowledge the importance of spiritual dimensions and of the past, present, and future for Māori and their self-esteem. They can ensure that curriculum development and programme planning reflect a holistic approach and that the well-being of children is not assessed in isolation from the rest of their world.

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

Fiona is very upset at being left at a service without her father. She screams loudly and sobs, “I want my Daddy.” An educator picks Fiona up and carries her around, talking quietly to her all the time. Meanwhile, the service tries unsuccessfully to contact her father. After some time, Fiona begins to cry more softly, and the educator sits down at a table with the child on her knee. The educator begins an interesting and appropriate activity. After a while, Fiona, still giving little sobs, starts to join in. Later, Fiona stops crying and becomes absorbed in her play.

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu
- Infants are held in a calm and caring way. Educators combine hygienic practices with warm, nurturing relationships.
- Educators talk constantly to infants and use eye and full-face contact with each infant as often as possible. Infants are given every opportunity to watch and hear how language is produced.
- Educators are aware that many Māori and Pacific Islands children feel uncomfortable making eye contact when speaking to adults. Educators do not expect it or misinterpret avoidance of eye contact.
- Educators respond appropriately when children express themselves, helping them to understand their feelings and why they have them.
Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho
- How does our service enable children to develop trust in educators and a sense of security in their surroundings?
- How do we ensure that when responding to unacceptable behaviour, we do not demean children or damage their self-esteem?
- How well do we understand Māori concepts of health? How are we developing our understanding?
- What systems does our service use to ensure that the environment is safe and clean? How are these systems evaluated?
Recommended Reading
Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Ministry of Education. Te Whāriki, pp. 48–53.

5. Educators should plan, implement and evaluate curriculum for children in which:

(b) connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed and extended; children know they have a place and feel comfortable with routines, customs and regular events; and children know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour;

Educators can achieve this by ensuring that their service’s curriculum:
- respects and values children’s social relationships and cultural heritages;
- develops children’s understanding of the relationships between their family/whānau, the service, and the wider world;
- provides children with knowledge about historical, physical, cultural, and spiritual aspects of their local community;
- enables children to participate in the everyday activities of their local community;
- develops children’s understanding of routines, customs, and regular events within the service and in the wider community;
- assists children to develop self-control, negotiation skills, and strategies for coping with change;
- lays the foundation for children’s understandings about rules and fairness;
- encourages children to take responsibility for their actions;
- promotes respect for self and others.
Early childhood services are an integral part of society. They function as an extension of the home for children and their parents/whānau, and they integrate and transmit the values and expectations of New Zealand’s democratic society. For example, by attending a service and belonging to its group, children begin to understand the importance of groups
in society at large.

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Educators can:
- recognise Māori customs and rituals in programme planning;
- develop culturally sensitive routines in consultation with parents/whānau;
- acquire knowledge about their area’s environment and its spiritual significance to local iwi;
- consider festivals and regular events of local Māori when planning the curriculum;
- reflect the social world of Māori children by acknowledging the roles of whānau, hapū, iwi, and community in the service’s curriculum.
Scenarios
Ētahi Take

As part of planning to help Tama join in a group, an educator talks with Tama and other children on the outskirts of the group. The educator takes Tama’s hand, and together they join the group. The next day, with encouragement from the educator, Tama moves in and joins the group by himself. The educator continues to watch the situation and give encouragement where necessary.

Helen is carrying a paintbrush around, “painting” other children and trying to paint on their work. An educator stops her. Helen screams, kicks, and begins to throw objects, endangering herself and others. The educator gently but firmly removes her to quieten her and stop the unacceptable behaviour. The educator acknowledges Helen’s frustration and talks quietly about why she cannot paint other people or their work. Helen quietens. The educator brings her back to the painting area and stays alongside her while she begins to paint her own picture. Helen says proudly, “ Look! I can paint a picture all by myself!”

Educators at a service recognise the importance of children learning social competency skills through the service’s routines, such as mealtimes, toileting, and sleeping. They meet, discuss the routines, and set learning objectives for these times. Practices are changed, and routines become integral to the curriculum as enjoyable, social occasions.

Children are waiting their turn to go down the slide. Patsy pushes in ahead of the other children. Judy, an educator, quickly goes to Patsy and quietly but firmly takes her out of the queue. She kneels beside her and explains, “At kindergarten, we all take turns. That way, you and all the other children get to go down the slide safely, and no-one gets hurt.” Judy stays beside Patsy, shows her how the children are all taking turns, and encourages her to go and stand and wait her turn. Judy stands by, watches, and then praises Patsy for taking her turn and going down the slide safely.

A service ensures that parents and whànau feel welcome to observe and participate in the programme. Educators recognise that some parents come for companionship with other adults and that they will join in when they feel confident to do so. The service provides a suitable space for adults to meet and talk without disrupting the children’s learning.

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu
- Routines are integrated into the curriculum as important, social learning experiences.
- Educators are aware that a child’s name embodies the child’s sense of belonging and identity and that correct pronunciation of names is extremely important.
- Educators understand young children’s need for security and comfort and accept toys or special playthings from home.
- A consistent, caring educator is nearby to greet young children, especially infants and toddlers, when they wake from sleep.
- Educators meet with parents/whānau to discuss child management and positive ways of enabling children to grow into self-regulated adults.
- Management liaises with local tangata whenua and demonstrates respect for Papatuanuku (mother nature).
Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho
- What opportunities are there for the children in our service to go on outings or take part in cultural events?
- How do we recognise the special events and celebrations of children and their whānau in our curriculum?
- What are our procedures for dealing with disruptive behaviour?
- In what ways do our programmes and the environment of our service reflect the values embodied in Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
Recommended Reading
Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Carr, M. and H. May, eds. Implementing Te Whāriki: Te Whāriki Papers Two. Wellington: Institute for Early Childhood Studies, Victoria University; Hamilton: Department of Early Childhood Studies, University of Waikato, 1996.

Ministry of Education. Te Whāriki, pp. 54–63.

5. Educators should plan, implement and evaluate curriculum for children in which:

Educators can achieve this by ensuring that their service’s curriculum:

develops children’s ability to recognise and challenge discriminatory practices and behaviour;
establishes the basis for understanding fairness, justice, and diversity;
encourages positive perceptions of gender, ethnicity, and family background;
begins children’s understanding of their rights and those of others;
develops children’s sense of personal integrity and self-worth;
provides a climate that discourages hostility and aggression;
develops children’s skills in forming and maintaining positive relationships with others.

All children are special and have the right to learn through active participation with other children and adults in a wide range of experiences.

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Educators can:

recognise that different whānau, hapū and iwi vary in their views on the roles and significance of gender, ability, and age;
consult Māori about these issues and use their responses to support planning and implementation;
ensure that all records and communication affirm children as both individuals and members of whānau;
recognise that Māori children learn to respect their environment and to care for and work alongside others within a sociocultural framework.

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

Educators notice in their regular observations that some children are discriminating against other children. They make up an action song in which children identify the foods they like and dislike. The next day, they sing an action song that encourages the children to look at one another’s hair, eyes, lips, noses, and hands. They encourage the children to do handprints and compare the different marks their hands make. Throughout these times, the educators introduce and talk about sameness and difference.

Educators observe that Sally can read. She often reads to the dolls in her dramatic play. Educators encourage her to informally read stories aloud to other children. When an educator is reading to the children, she lets Sally read parts of the story.

Educators use sign language for the actions in children’s songs. When James, a severely hard-of-hearing child, joins the service, the children spontaneously use sign language to communicate with him.

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu

Management ensures that the size of groups encourages meaningful interactions among children and educators.
Management ensures that educators have time and opportunity to observe children.
Educators talk frequently to infants about what other children are doing, encouraging eye contact, watching facial expressions, and fostering communication skills by encouraging children to respond positively to infants’ overtures.
Educators encourage boys to interact frequently with adults.
Educators reinforce children’s involvement in learning experiences that help them develop initial reading skills.
There are enough adults and equipment, and facilities are suitably arranged, to enable children with special needs to participate fully.

Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

How is teamwork modelled by staff and management in our service?
In what ways do we encourage children of different ages to play together? What do they learn from this experience?
How do we respond when children are excluded by others?
How do we resolve aggressive incidents between children?
What kinds of things do children learn best from one another?
What processes do we use to identify how whànau, hapù, and iwi view gender roles, age, and ability? How are these views considered in curriculum planning?

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Educators can:

ensure the correct use of te reo across the curriculum and in suitable contexts;
make use of appropriate Màori methods of non-verbal communication;
include the history of local hapù and iwi in their service’s programmes, using a range of approaches, such as storytelling, songs, art, and movement;
ensure ready access to natural materials and resources as media for learning.

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

An educator and group of children gather a range of natural materials to complement the resources that children are able to use in creative and expressive activities. The educator and children talk while gathering, discussing the textures, colours, types, and locations of the materials they collect. Together, the children and educator place the newly gathered, natural materials around the service.

Mark has been wearing the bunny suit for most of the morning. When he takes it off, Latifa puts it on. Not long after, Mark comes to Latifa and asks, “Please can I wear the bunny suit?” Latifa replies, “No, you’ve had it on all morning, and I haven’t had it on long enough.” Mark accepts what Latifa says and goes off.

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu

Educators encourage children to initiate and sustain conversations with them that are longer than three turn-takings.
Educators use routines, especially mealtimes, hand washing, and toileting times, as opportunities for conversations with children.
Educators use and support children’s home language and communication styles.
Pacific Islands languages, art, dances, stories, legends, and chants are part of the service’s curriculum.
Management ensures that children have access to a wide variety of materials for use in creative and expressive arts and that they are given opportunities to experiment and combine them in new and different ways.

Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

What opportunities do children at our service have to talk with adults?
What strategies do we use to extend conversations with children?
What kinds of creative opportunities do we regularly offer? Which children engage in them, and what outcomes do they achieve?
How do our conversations with children extend their use of creative and expressive media?
How does our service help children to become aware that print conveys messages?
How do children hear and use mathematical and scientific ideas and terms in their play?
What opportunities are there for oral storytelling?

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Educators can:

support children’s development through cultural experiences that foster confidence and skill, such as the use of poi, tītorea and ti rākau (handgames), waiata, and haka;
recognise and learn from Màori approaches to making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material worlds;
learn from the respect of Māori kuia and kaumātua for the natural environment.

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

A service encourages children to help plan lunchtimes. The weather is getting colder, and the children suggest soup for lunch. Educators discuss with the children a recipe for vegetable soup, and each child decides on a vegetable to bring. The next day, educators ensure they have a reserve supply of vegetables for any child not able to bring one. Each child washes and slices their vegetable and puts it in the pot. During this time, the educators talk about the shape, texture, colour, volume, and taste of each vegetable and ask the children to predict how each vegetable will change when they are cooked together. Later, the children and educators sit down and enjoy eating the soup they have made together.

An educator uses a collection of gumboots in the porch area to guide children in a seriation game, sorting the boots into pairs, from smallest to largest.

An educator notices Angus trying to balance on a plastic cylinder pipe normally used for water play. He is standing beside the water trough and using the trough as a support for his balance. The educator crouches beside Angus and talks about what he is doing. With encouragement, Angus learns to balance on the pipe without holding on to the trough. He progresses from an initial three seconds to a final count of fifty seconds before he is satisfied with his balancing.

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu

The use of natural materials is promoted.
Children take little notice of the adults around them because they are so involved in their own learning.
Educators share with children their own feelings of not knowing, being uncertain, and wanting to know and model ways of finding answers.
Educators encourage toddlers to find out how things work by letting them do the actions while the educators provide the language.
Infants experience a variety of indoor and outdoor play spaces and such surfaces as smooth floors, carpet, grass, and sand.

Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

How do we encourage children to actively experiment and develop their own working theories? How does this contribute to their thinking and learning?
What opportunities are there in our service for children to change things and explore the consequences of these changes?
What opportunities are there for children to combine physical activities with music, language, and problem solving?
How do we evaluate whether we make a positive difference to the learning of children and parents/whànau at our service?

ECE Lead

DOP 5

Bicultural Approaches Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios Ētahi Take

Signposts Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios Ētahi Take

Signposts Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios Ētahi Take

Signposts Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios Ētahi Take

Signposts Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios Ētahi Take

Signposts Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading
Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading
Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading
Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading
Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina

Bicultural Approaches
Ētahi Ara Tikanga Rua

Scenarios
Ētahi Take

Signposts
Ētahi Tohu

Reflective Questions
He Pātai hei Whakaaro iho

Recommended Reading
Ngā Pukapuka Āwhina