Pepeha

Ko Rangitimau te maunga

Ko Ruamahunga te awa

Ko Takitimu te waka

Ko Wairarapa te roto

Ko Te Ore Ore te marae

Ko Ngati Hamua te hapu

Ko Ngati Kahungunu te iwi

just

Not a parent programme

Whakawhanaungatangain action

Building Partnerships withwhānau Māori

Whanāu Business

Opened in February 2008

Community Trust Board of 4 appointed members and

4 elected members from our whānau group

30 children, up to 8 under 2s

Operate between 9.00am and 3.00pm

Majority of children attending are Māori

5 qualified registered teachers

2 fluent in te reo Māori, 1 potter

Receive equity funding – low socioeconomic population

Parent Educator Programme with

9 parent educators

KTA Philosophy

This is a place where the mana of every person is recognized, acknowledged and cared for.

This is a safe place, where calm and peacefulness reside. Love and care are the first language of this place.

Love builds people, builds whānau and is the pathway for us all to acceptance, understanding and unity.

My question:

How does our parent educator programme support partnerships with whānau Māori that contributes to success for tamariki Māori and in what ways can we improve it?

Research process

Literature review – building partnerships with whānau Māori in an early childhood environment - whakawhanaungatanga

Interviews with three current participants and three parents who have left

Documentation gathered from parent educator meetings

Questionnaires completed by staff

Focus group meeting

Final Report

Literature review –Whakawhanaungatanga

Process of establishing relationships, relating well to others – Moorfield, 2003-2015

An approach to developing partnerships with whānau Māori in support of their children’s learning

Tikanga

Relationship

Tiriti o Waitangi -Partnership

Te Whāriki -Bicultural

KaupapaMāori – being

Māori

Tikanga –Right/Value

Tiriti o Waitangi

To have an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi

Know your own cultural identity

Engage in experiences of indigenous values

Recognise the dual heritage of our tamariki

Be familiar with the principles of the Treaty

Te Whāriki – A Bicultural Curriculum

Develop competence and ability to deliver Māori content responsibly and responsively

Professional development

Working knowledge of te reo Māori

Develop cultural competences – Tātaiako, Te Whatu Pōkeka

Seek support of experts

Kaupapa Māori

The Māori way of doing things

Within education Mason Durie expresses Kaupapa Māori as “the way people are taught and the practice of teaching”

“whānau business”

“the role of the educator to work with whānau”

Te reo me ōna tikanga Māori Principles that manifest kaupapa Māori

Whakawhanaungatanga Manaakitanga

Wairuatanga Kotahitanga

Whakapapa Ako

Rangatiratanga Tuakana/teina

Celebrating and living te ao Māori through the principles of tikanga and te reo Māori

I like working with the kids when its mat time…its good to have them get up and hear them do their mihi, I get a hit from that, every single kid that gets up and does that I’m like wohoo, yeah like I reckon that is cool the mat time with the kids, I enjoy it too as a parent and the teachers, yeah its just awesome seeing your tamariki get up there and just try their hardest - Lana

Whakawhanaungatanga

A whakawhanaungatanga approach will

“enhance provision of programmes that are both culturally responsive and culturally validating for Māori children and their whānau” thereby supporting positive identity and outcomes.

“It will engage participation of whānau Māori in authentic and meaningful ways, and it is a recognition of the universal rights of the child and indigenous peoples to their culture (Ritchie & Rau, 2006)

Rights and Ethics

Attitude toward change (away from the historic tendency of Pākeha to assume power and control with the relationship)

Acknowledging the rights of individuals

Creating an ethical society – founded in respectful relationships

Using collaborative dialogue to promote a shared vision of how people treat each other (Ritchie & Rau)

Ongoing Welcome

Building a sense of belonging

A sense of community

Greeting

Creating spaces for adults

Time – to talk and listen

Delpit asserts “…a very special kind of listening, listening that requires not only open eyes and ears but open hearts and minds”

Enacting principles of tikanga such as manaakitanga

Hospitality, generosity, kindness, support, caring, sharing food, cuppa

Wairuatanga – through karakia and mihi

Critical reflection and being open to change are consistent

with good practice and professional responsibility (NZTC)

and supported by the cultural competencies for teachers

of Māori learners (Tātaiako)

Sustaining commitment

Beyond professional responsibility to social justice

Ethical, honourable and right

Respect, honour, responsibility, concern, obligation, encouragement, support, wairua, mauri, aroha, manaaki, te reo Māori

A shared philosophy

Team commitment

Management support

Policy development

A whakawhanaungatanga approach means that early childhood educators

embrace a professional responsibility

to actively create an environment and ethos that incorporates Māori language, values and cultural practices

in order that Māori families feel welcome and comfortable, a sense of belonging, eventually empowering them to contribute some of their knowledges and skills within that early childhood setting.

(Colbung, Clover, Rau, Ritchie, 2007)

Conclusion of my review findings Focussed on tikanga of whakawhanaungatanga

Develop knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Have authentic and meaningful experiences of Māori culture

Professional responsibility to implement a bicultural curriculum through a commitment and attitude of openness including a willingness to learn te reo Māori me ōna tikanga

To be a learner, develop a humble posture of learning and a relationship of collaboration with more knowing others

KTA Parent Educator Programme

Our parent educator programme

Started May 2011 8 participants invited to join (we now have 9) Agreement of engagement 3 hours employment per week Voluntary attendance at weekly workshop Police vet check Children enrolled at time of working/workshop Facilitated by Lead Educator

Strengths-based approach Valuing funds of knowledge Tikanga – manaaki, ako, kotahitanga, wairua Using the language of virtues Positive guidance strategies Responsive to needs and interests of group Resource making Guest speakers including staff

Some outcomes

One person left to study nursing

One person became a teacher aid (now training to be a teacher)

One person employed full time at the centre

Two people started online training for the Level 4 Certificate of Early Childhood

One person is employed as the reliever cook (now has full time cook position)

2 of the original group are still involved

26 people have been involved to date

Received grants from local district Council and Trust in support of programme

Parent voice

Interviews with three participants currently involved and three who have left

One interview to be completed

… changing lives

Lana’s story

“… sitting in a circle with everyone and talking about strategies and situations that our kids or other kids, that we get in to sticky problems with, and we can kind of talk to everyone about them and get some advice back too”

“…for me its like a weekly dose of learning”

“… the teachers will help me…they’ll come and just example and then I might have a turn later on”

“… getting in to these situations where I kind of don’t know what to do but I’m like, I’m here now and this is how, we’ll find a way of getting there”

“Having the programme is like the theory to the practice”

“Mum gave me to my sister for most of my baby years and she kind of brought me up on what she knew, and she was still bringing up herself at the same time, so I was like here, there and everywhere and it wasn’t like good and that’s not what I’m going to do for Aroha”

“I was like I don’t want her... like, I looked at her like, nah I can’t do this like I doubted myself”

“not many people see it as a hard job, it is, it definitely is!”

“its not so direct”

“the stopping and thinking for me gets me a long way with Aroha”

“cos I didn’t know any of that, there’s so much I’ve learnt from two years that I’ve been here that I didn’t know literally at all, it makes me think if I didn’t come here and put my girl here I wonder where we would be, I wonder how our environment would be at the moment, kind of would we still be here, so it’s made me look at a bigger picture when I first came back with her and I thank my sister too heaps”

“our family is not quite good at understanding kids”

“I kind of got up and just let it rip like what’s your problem he’s only ...blah blah blah don’t pick on my nephew if you want to pick on him you can pick on me like he’s only a baby like kind of thing .. kind of upset me and it just made me think like is that how you fellas treated our cousins back then is that the reason why they are the way they are, kind of thing, is this why our family isnt so supportive”

“...my Mum’s like its alright daughter sit down and I was like no he’s not picking on my nephew that’s my moko you should be sticking up for him too”

“I’m glad that I’m in this environment and I’ve gotton the knowledge that I need for my kids and my girls good kids and all of that so that stops that kind of ...you know right there that border line, that’s gone out we no longer use those tactics no more mate”

“I told him Auntie don’t got much but Auntie will love you and care for you until whenever you want to kind of latch away from Auntie and go out and be on your own but at the moment I will be here for you if you need me nephew, if you want to talk to me or if you’re in a sticky situation and you dont want to go to your Mum – I’ll probably tell your Mum but...”

“At least you came and told us neph and youre safe and we can help you kind of thing and he’s kind of like yeah Auntie yup and I’m looking I’m like I got you and if you got me I got you”

“I’m like get in this car and all his mates are like Oh you’re off home Tony and hes like Oh yeah my Aunties taking me home now – yeah you’re meant to be home ages ago boy and I feel like I’m a cop cos I personally go look for him...”

“I’d love to go back to school and just catch up on a bit of English writing and maths and reading …cos you know even the basics can get you somewhere”

Mere’s journey

“It’s like a second home, feeling comfortable there … what we say stays, we can talk about anything – it’s just given me more confidence, not just towards my kids but others…”

“Being part of the group helps me to identify goals for my child, whoever does their portfolio, to sort of working with them as well, that’s good, we’re kind of on the same page”

“sharing information with other parents “I said there’s other courses for parents while your kids are at KTA, you can find a bit of time for yourself..”

“Even though I’m not there, like I just drop the girls, often I see a parent like kind of having difficulties and I just like kind of chuck a tip (laughing)”

“More role plays”

“I think we’re lucky cos I don’t know any other crèche that does that, have parents more involved in the centre and just working alongside with their children and having regular weekly meetings, get togethers – I was like why don’t they all have that. Maybe more parents would be more understanding and more involved”

“I was more prepared …I was helping her when I was working on the floor with her just identifying her name and just simple things and what they do at school”

“I’m still thinking about my goals like how to extend that…education support worker, teacher aide – maybe get someone in to talk about that”

Maia’s journey

“I feel that everyone at the centre became like a second family and I miss them so much I miss everyone”

“…getting to know the teachers really well”

“Learning how to deal with issues with the kids, problem solving, cos it helped me at home too, having the tools to come home and use that”

“…doing the activities with the kids, like I did baking and made gloop and all that sort of stuff, things that I’ve never done before, messy play, I use to be scared of that, scared of messy play with the kids but now yeah its not an issue anymore – I never use to let my older children do messy play, never, I didn’t want them ever getting dirty, yeah, I’m a lot more relaxed with the two younger ones – I wish I could go back and start all over again with the older ones – I didn’t really know how to play with them”

“I’ve learnt that the best thing you can spend on your kids is time cos I didn’t really see my parents much cos they were always working”

“I’ve learnt to communicate with my kids whereas before I just thought kids didn’t really understand and you don’t need to tell them if you’re feeling sad but now I do tell them how I’m feeling – they can feel when you’re sad – I remember when I use to see my Mum sad and it use to break my heart, I wish she could tell me”

“Its really helped me just be a better Mum, a lot more patient and to recognise the good things… I do feel more confident as a Mum”

“..its made Dana and Coral open up a lot more they’ve both become leaders in their kapa haka groups”

“...she’s seen me do a few things too and yeah its helped her”

“...Coral you are a lot more confident than I was, yeah, cos when I had to do the karanga at the marae it was so scary but I got through it”

“I’m a lot more involved, I know that’s important cos I know how much I missed it”

“I go to all the parent teacher interviews and help with fundraising when I can”

“Mum I hope you have a good day at work, I’m really proud of you”

“I don’t think I would have got this job if I didn’t start off at KTA, I wouldn’t have been confident enough to even apply for the job having no experience, so the experience at KTA helped heaps!”

“So I’m trying to climb the ladder get up there and keep studying and do some more courses…”

“I’d like to get into a catering business, do something like that”

COI Te Kōpae Piripono Research

We believe that whānau is the springboard and safety net and without whānau the individual is adrift.

We strengthen the child by strengthening the whānau and this requires a deeper and broader level of care and attention than is traditionally provided by early childhood facilities.

All Māori children are entitled to this level of care.

(Tamati, 2008)

What is becoming clear is that our parent educator programme through a whakawhanaungatanga approach is supporting success for tamariki Māori by ensuring that their education is

Whānau Business

Thank You