The Revised DOPs in relation to Te Korowai
Te Korowai evolved from two internal 1983 documents2 of Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust. It was signed in 1995 and is the charter between the Trust Board and the Ministry of Education. This charter is also deemed to contain the DOPs.
As the umbrella organisation, Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust acts as guardian of the kōhanga reo kaupapa (philosophy). In turn, through the tūtohinga (charter), all kōhangareo whānau (family) pledge a commitment to the Trust Board to abide by the guiding principles set out in Te Korowai.
Te Korowai is the “cloak” that warms the kaupapa of kōhanga reo. Within the document are the principles, special goals, and whakatauākī (special sayings) established by Māori elders. Te Korowai also gives suggestions for good practice and recommends people and resources for the kōhanga whānau to access.
The kōhanga whānau need to continuously refer to Te Korowai because it guides them in the decision making, management, and operation of kōhanga reo. All other supporting documents for kōhanga whānau are also available from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust.
Te Korowai has four guiding principles:
- total immersion in te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and āhuatanga Māori;
- whānau decision making, management, and responsibility;
- accountability;
- the health and well-being of the mokopuna and the whānau.
In the following sections, these four principles are discussed in relation to the three major divisions of the DOPs.
Learning and Development
This division of the DOPs has links with principles one, three, and four of Te Korowai:
- total immersion in te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and āhuatanga Māori;
- accountability (for the standard of te reo Māori in the learning and development of mokopuna and the whānau);
- the health and well-being of the mokopuna and the whānau.
For kōhanga reo, the learning and development of mokopuna (young children) and the whànau are integral to the revitalisation of te reo Māori. This is achieved by planning and implementing seminars, workshops, and courses for the whānau. Assessing and evaluating the learning outcomes for mokopuna and the whānau are essential to ensure that ongoing learning occurs and strengthens the whole whānau.
Learning for Mokopuna
The foundation for learning programmes for mokopuna in kōhanga reo is Te Whāriki, the Ministry of Education’s curriculum for early childhood education, published in 1996.3 Part B of Te Whāriki defines learning outcomes for
mokopuna and sets out the ways in which the principles and strands of the curriculum can be put into practice in the kōhanga. It is this Māori section of Te Whāriki that is most relevant to kōhanga reo.
Learning programmes for mokopuna adhere to the guiding principles of Te Whāriki and take into consideration Māori human development theory,4 as symbolised by the poutama (the woven, stepped design on tukutuku panels). The programmes also draw on the belief that all things, both animate and inanimate, are interconnected, which leads to a deep respect for the life-force of the universe.
These cultural and spiritual dimensions of kòhanga reo programmes reflect Vygotsky’s theories on children’s learning within a social context.5
Learning for Whānau
Learning for the kōhanga reo whānau takes place through seminars, through sharing information, through informal discussions, and through courses that lead to qualifications. The kōhanga reo movement encourages whānau individuals to continuously upskill for the good of the whole whānau, the mokopuna, and the language.
From the expression “learning is lifelong”, whānau understand that learning is continuous and strengthens and develops individual whānau members, who, in turn, contribute to the kōhanga whānau as a whole.
In whānau-based learning, individual members receive guided support from the whānau and offer guided support to the whānau. Seminars and hui are very important learning contexts for Māori, where collective sharing of information, debate, and discussion can occur. Individual kōhanga members are then responsible for sharing this information with those of the kōhanga whānau who could not attend.
Communication and Consultation
This division of the DOPs has links with principles one, two, and three of Te Korowai:
- total immersion in te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and āhuatanga Māori;
- whānau decision making, management, and responsibility;
- accountability.
All whānau are responsible for ensuring that te reo Māori is the only language spoken in kōhanga reo and that it is of a high standard.
Whānau individuals are responsible for including one another in managing and operating their kōhanga reo. This involves listening to and talking with one another so that wise decisions are made for the benefit of the mokopuna and themselves.
Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust and kōhanga reo whānau are responsible for communicating clearly and consulting with each other.
Operation and Administration
This division of the DOPs has links with principles two, three, and four of Te Korowai:
- whānau decision making, management, and responsibility;
- accountability;
- the health and well-being of the mokopuna and the whānau.
The operation and administration of each kōhanga reo is the responsibility of the whole whānau under the stewardship of Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board. The Trust Board and the kōhanga reo whānau administer the kaupapa to ensure the safety and well-being of the mokopuna and the whànau and to ensure the survival of te reo Māori.
The kōhanga reo whānau members are responsible for upskilling themselves so that they can make good decisions in operating and managing the kōhanga reo under the kaupapa. Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board acts as the guardian to ensure that this occurs.
Te Whakahounga o te Tauāki o ngā Mahi me ngā Paetae e Wawatatia ana e Pā ana ki Te Korowai
I tipu ake a Te Korowai i ngā tuhinga e rua6 mai i roto i Te Poari Matua o te Kōhanga Reo. I hainatia i te tau 1995, ā, ko ia nei te tūtohinga i waenganui i Te Poari Matua me Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga. I meinga, kei roto i tēnei tūtohinga Te Tauāki o ngā Mahi me ngā Paetae e Wawatatia ana (TTMPW).
Nōtemea ko tēnei te rōpū whakahaere hōrapa, tū ai Te Poari Matua o te Kōhanga Reo hei kaitiaki mō te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo. Ko ngā whānau katoa o te kōhanga reo, e kī taurangi ana ka herea rātou e te tūtohinga ki Te Poari Matua, kia noho pono ki ngā tikanga ārahi e takoto ana i roto i Te Korowai.
Ko Te Korowai te “kākahu” mā reira e whakamahana te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo. Kei roto i tēnei tuhinga ngā tikanga, ngā whāinga roa me ngā whakatauāki nā ngā kaumātua i whakatau. Hōmaitia ai hoki e Te Korowai ētahi whakataunaki mō ngā whakaritenga pai, ā, e tūtohu ana hoki i ngā tāngata me ngā rauemi hei whai wāhitanga atu mā te whānau o te kōhanga.
E tika ana me rite tonu te tirotiro a te whānau ki Te Korowai, nōtemea mā konei te whānau e ārahi ki te whakatakoto whakaaro, te whakahaere me te whakamahi i te kōhanga reo. Kei te wātea katoa mai ngā tuhinga tautoko mō ngā whānau o te kōhanga i Te Poari Matua o te Kōhanga Reo.
E whā ngā tikanga ārahi a Te Korowai:
- rumakina katoatia ai ngā mahi, ngā tikanga Māori me ngā āhuatanga Māori, ki roto i te reo Māori anake i ngā wā katoa;
- kei a te whānau te tikanga, arā, ngā whakahaere, ngā whakanekeneke me ngā tikanga;
- kia tika, kia pono;
- te waioratanga me te oranga o ngā mokopuna me te whānau.
E whiriwhiria ana te pānga o ēnei tikanga whāinga e whā ki ngā wehewehenga matua o ngā TTMPW i roto i ngā wāhanga e whai ake nei.
Te Akoranga me te Whakatipuranga
He hononga o tēnei wāhanga o ngā TTMPW ki ngā tikanga whāinga tuatahi, tuatoru, me te tuawhā o Te Korowai:
- rumakina katoatia ai ngā mahi, ngā tikanga Māori me ngā āhuatanga Māori, ki roto i te reo Māori anake i ngā wā katoa;
- kia tika, kia pono (mō ngā paerewa o te reo Māori i roto i te akoranga me te whakatipuranga o te mokopuna me te whānau);
- te waioratanga me te oranga o ngā mokopuna me te whānau.
Ko te mea teitei rawa ki te kōhanga reo, ko te akoranga me te whakatipuranga o ngā mokopuna me te whānau, mō te mātua whakarite ka whakaoratia ake anō te reo. Mā te whakamahere me te whakatinana i ngā hui me ngā kura mō te whànau e taea ai tēnei. E tino whai tikanga ana te aro matawai me te aro mātai i ngā hua o ngā akoranga o ngā mokopuna me te whānau, kia mōhiotia ai e haere tonu ana te akoranga, ā, e whakapakaritia ana te katoa o te whānau.
Ngā Akoranga mā ngā Mokopuna
Ko te tūapapa mō te hōtaka akoranga mō ngā mokopuna o roto i te kōhanga reo ko Te Whāriki, te marautanga a Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga mō te mātauranga kōhungahunga i whakaputaina i te tau 1996.7 Ko te wāhanga B o Te Whāriki e tāutu ana i ngā putanga ako mō ngā mokopuna, ā, e whakatakoto ana hoki i ngā āhuatanga mā reira ngā tikanga whāinga me ngā whenu o te marautanga e taea ai te whakarite i roto i te kōhanga. Ko te wāhanga Māori o Te Whāriki te wāhi e tino hāngai ana ki te kōhanga reo.
E tino mau ana ngā hōtaka akoranga mō ngā mokopuna ki ngā tikanga whāinga ārahi a Te Whāriki me te whai whakaaro hoki ki te ariā whakatipuranga Māori,8 e whakatauiratia rā e te poutama. Ka mau anō hoki rātou ki te whakapono, arā, ko ngā mea katoa, ahakoa whakahauora, ahakoa popoho rānei, he hononga kei waenganui i tētahi ki tētahi, e arataki atu ana ki te whakaū i te mauri o te ao nui mārama.
Mā ēnei ahu tikanga, ahu wairua hoki o ngā marautanga a te kōhanga, e whakaata mai ngā ariā a Vygotsky i runga i ngā akoranga a ngā tamariki i roto i te horopaki pāpori.9
Ngā Akoranga mā te Whānau
Taka ai ngā akoranga a te whānau o te kōhanga reo mā roto i te hui, te whakarato mōhiohio, te whakawhitiwhiti kōrero ōpaki me te whakauru atu ki ētahi kura mā reira ràtou e ārahi ki ngā tohu mātauranga. Whakahauhautia ai ngā tāngata takitahi o te whānau kia rite tonu te whakapai ake i o rātou pūkenga hei painga mō te katoa o te whānau, ngā mokopuna me te reo.
E matatau ana te whānau, mai i te tauāki, “ka mau tonu te akoranga, ā, mate noa”, he pūmau te haere a te akoranga, ā, mā konei e whakapakari, e whakatipu ake ngā tāngata takitahi o te whānau, ā, ka tahuri hoki ràtou ki te āwhina i te katoa o te kōhanga.
I roto i te akoranga ko te papa ko te whānau, whiwhi ai ia tāngata takitahi o te whānau i te tautoko ārahi mai i te whānau, ā, ka whakahoki atu hoki he tautoko ārahi ki te whānau. He horopaki akoranga whai tikanga mō te Māori te hui, ā, i reira ka whakaratohia-ā-rōpū ngā mōhiohio, ngā whakawhitiwhiti kōrero me te matapaki hoki. Kei ngā tangata takitahi o te kōhanga te kawenga mō te whakarato i ēnei mōhiohio ki ērā o te whānau o te kōhanga kāore i tae mai.
Te Whakawhitiwhiti Kōrero me te Kōrerorero Whānui
He hononga tō tēnei wehenga o nga TTMPW ki ngā tikanga whāinga tuatahi, tuarua, tuatoru hoki o Te Korowai:
- rumakina katoatia ai ngā mahi, ngā tikanga Māori me ngā āhuatanga Māori, ki roto i te reo Māori anake i ngā wā katoa;
- kei te whānau te tikanga, ārā, ngā whakahaere, ngā whakanekeneke me ngā tikanga;
- kia tika, kia pono.
Kei a te katoa o te whānau te kawenga mō te whakaū ko te reo Māori anake te reo e kōrerotia ana i roto i te kōhanga reo, ā, kua eke taua reo ki ngā paerewa tiketike.
Kei a ia tangata takitahi te kawenga mō te whakauru atu tētahi i tētahi ki roto i te whakahaerenga me te mahinga o tō rātou kōhanga reo. Whai pānga atu ai tēnei ki te whakarongo me te kōrero tētahi ki tētahi kia meatia ai he whakataunga mātau hei painga mō ngā mokopuna me rātou anō hoki.
Kei a Te Poari Matua o te Kōhanga Reo te kawenga mō te āta whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro mārama me te uiui tētahi ki tētahi.
Te Mahinga me te Whakahaerenga
He hononga tō tēnei wehenga o nga TTMPW ki ngā tikanga whāinga tuarua, tuatoru, tuawhā hoki o Te Korowai:
- kei te whānau te tikanga, arā, ngā whakahaere, ngā whakanekeneke me ngā tikanga;
- kia tika, kia pono;
- te waioratanga me te oranga o ngā mokopuna me te whānau.
Kei a te katoa o te whānau o ia kōhanga reo te kawenga mō te mahinga me te whakahaerenga o taua kōhanga i raro i te mana whakahaere o Te Poari Matua o te Kōhanga Reo. Ko Te Poari rāua ko te whānau o te kōhanga reo ki te whakahaere tika i te kaupapa kia whakaritea ai te waiora me te oranga o ngā mokopuna, te whānau me te oranga tonu o te reo Māori.
Kei ngā mema o te whānau o te kōhanga te kawenga mō te whakapai ake i o rātou pukenga kia taea ai te mahi he whakataunga mātua mō te mahinga me te whakahaerenga o te kōhanga reo i raro i te kaupapa. Noho ai Te Poari Matua o te Kōhanga Reo hei kaitiaki kia whakaritea ai ka tutuki tēnei.
Footnotes
2 Peka Matua (the “red book”) and Whānau-based Learning (the “blue book”).
3 The development of Te Whāriki began in 1991, with Dr Tamati Reedy and Tilly Reedy representing Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust on the advisory group. As members of that team, they consulted nationally with the kōhanga whānau. The final version of Te Whāriki was underpinned by a Māori cultural framework that laid the foundation for a uniquely New Zealand curriculum.
4 See A. Royal-Tangaere, Learning Māori Together: Kōhanga Reo and Home (Wellington: New Zealand Council of Educational Research, 1997).
5 L. Vygotsky, Mind in Society: the Development of Higher Psychological Processes (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1978).
6 Peka Matua (te “pukapuka whero”) me Te Akoranga ko te Whānau te Papa (te “pukapuka kikorangi”).
7 I whakatinanatia a Te Whāriki i te tau 1991, ā ko Tākuta Tamati Reedy raua ko Tilly Reedy ngā māngai mō Te Poari Matua o te Kōhanga Reo i runga i te rōpū tohutohu.Nōtemea he mema rāua nō taua rōpū, ka kōrerorero whānui rāua ki ngā whānau kōhanga puta noa i te motu, ā, he mea hanga te marautanga whakamutunga i runga i tā rāua anga huinga whakaaro me tā te Māori titiro.
8 Me titiro ki a A. Royal-Tangaere, Learning Māori Together: Kōhanga Reo and Home (Wellington: New Zealand Council of Educational Research, 1997).
9 L. Vygotsky, Mind in Society: the Development of Higher Psychological Processes (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1978).