Home
/
te poutāhū curriculum centre early learning update

Te Poutāhū Curriculum Centre Early Learning Update
November 2022

09 November 2022
Home
/
te poutāhū curriculum centre early learning update

Te Poutāhū Curriculum Centre Early Learning Update

November 2022
FOREWORD
Message

Mihi

Kua mahuta mai rā a Māhurukiterangi
Hoki mai rā e te pīpīwharauroa
Hoki mai rā e te koekoeā
Hoki mai rā e te rau o Hinerauwhārangi
Kōanga nui, Kōanga roa
Aroaro ā-manu, Aroaro mahana
Nau mai, haere atu tāku karere
Te karere a Te Poutāhū
Ki runga ki te mata o te whenua
Tīhei Mauriora!

Māhurukiterangi rises at dawn
Return shining cuckoo 
Return long-tailed cuckoo
Life returns to the forest and vegetation
A great and long Spring is here
Birds return with the warmth
Welcome also my message and depart
The message from Te Poutāhū
Moving over the face of the land
It breathes, it lives!

Welcome to the Te Poutāhū Curriculum Centre Early Learning Update

Kia ora koutou,  

In this issue of our curriculum update, we cover the role of the Curriculum Advisory Group and how it is working across all pathways including early learning, with Te Poutāhū to strengthen curriculum leadership.

There is also an update on the consultation on expanding the legal curriculum framework for early learning, to include the goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki.

As part of ongoing work to develop Kōwhiti Whakapae as a resource to help strengthen formative assessment and teaching practice, there are details of upcoming webinars to find out more.

In addition, there are details of resources being made available on Te Whāriki Online. These include videos showing experiences of using Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories to inform local curriculum.


Ellen MacGregor-Reid
Hautū (Deputy Secretary)
Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre


curriculum.newsletter@education.govt.nz

Curriculum Advisory Group: Strengthening Curriculum Leadership

The Curriculum Advisory Group (CAG) is helping strengthen our national curriculum leadership.

Made up of 14 curriculum experts, the CAG is one of the ways we are partnering with the sector, seeking fresh perspectives and advice about how tamariki, educators and learning services experience our curriculum system.

The CAG draws on innovative research and on-the-ground knowledge for its mahi. Its advice represents the interests of all parts of the education system, from early learning to senior secondary (including NCEA) in both Māori and English-medium.

Having taken the time to establish their kaupapa over 2022 and as they begin to set their priorities, the CAG is now transforming discussion into action. This includes the beginning of a work programme and the establishment of working groups.

To find out more, including key messages from previous hui, emerging priorities and the terms of reference, visit our website:

Curriculum Advisory Group – Ministry of Education

Gazetting Te Whāriki

We have finished consultation on expanding the legal curriculum framework for early learning to include the goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki. It currently includes only the principles and strands.

The proposal to include the goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki within the legal curriculum framework was well supported in the survey responses, written submissions received and online hui.

While some respondents raised having more compliance requirements and the potential to narrow local curriculum, for most this change made sense as they are already implementing the full framework of Te Whāriki. Many kaiako believed that this change would provide clarity of expectations and help improve consistency in the quality of local curricula across the sector.

There was even stronger support for including te ao Māori interpretations. Many kaiako expressed how useful these interpretations would be in helping them reflect the bicultural foundations of Te Whāriki in local curricula and strengthening bicultural practice.

We are advising the Minister of Education based on this consultation feedback and will provide further updates once decisions have been made.

To read a detailed summary of the feedback, visit our website:

Gazetting Te Whāriki: Public consultation update – Ministry of Education

Kōwhiti Whakapae: A resource to strengthen progress through practice

We are continuing to develop Kōwhiti Whakapae in response to feedback from the initial trial, working with the sector to revise the structure, content and language. We intend to move to an online approach that is easier to use and provides more opportunity to layer information, including links to a range of support information and examples.

We have re-established and expanded the initial 2019 Sector Reference Group to support the current revision and the continuation of this work, including the development of the further two tools in the Kōwhiti Whakapae suite - oral language and literacy, and maths.

Alongside this work we are beginning to scope a literacy teaching and learning guide as a deeper-dive into practice that, together with Kōwhiti Whakapae, will form part of the Common Practice Model for the Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy.

How can you be involved?

During November we will be holding two public webinars, and we hope you will join to find out more. These public webinars are intended to provide an overview and a forum to hear from more people in the sector about what would be of most value in helping kaiako to weave a rich and responsive curriculum for all children.

These webinars will be held on Monday 14 November (7–8pm) and Tuesday 15 November (6–7pm). Register and find out more here:

Kōwhiti Whakapae: Strengthening tamariki progress through kaiako practice  – Eventbrite

Just a reminder that the Evaluation and PLD reports on the initial trial are on the Education Counts website.

Kōwhiti Whakapae – Educations Counts

Support for gifted children

The Ministry and CORE Education have recently delivered an online programme for kaiako on supporting giftedness in early learning called Pito Mata – Realising Potential. This programme was underpinned by the bicultural framing of Te Whāriki and recognised that language culture and identity is core to understanding and responding to giftedness. It comprised three webinars and follow up mentoring sessions which looked at:

  • te ao Māori views of giftedness
  • the characteristics of giftedness
  • validating and acknowledging emotions
  • facilitating friendships
  • encouraging resilience
  • recognising different thinking processes. 

Feedback from participants indicated a significant shift in their thinking regarding notions of giftedness. 

Stories of practice to guide kaiako understanding will be available on Te Whāriki Online shortly and watch this space for more opportunities for professional learning on this kaupapa.

Te Kōrerorero: Hei kōrerorero ki te kāinga! Talking Together, Learning in the Home

Te Kōrerorero: Hei kōrerorero ki te kāinga (Talking Together, Learning in the Home) is a whānau companion resource to the Talking Together, Te Kōrerorero resource for kaiako. It provides practical and effective ways to foster oral language development in the home environment. Our primary message to whānau is talk! Talk with your child often, and in everyday situations. Talk in the languages you are most comfortable speaking and use simple strategies to support and expand your child’s oral language learning.

The resource includes:

  • a bilingual poster
  • a pamphlet with information to support oral language learning 
  • a series of five short, animated videos that illustrate key strategies.

You can scan the QR code on the poster or pamphlet to find the videos and it will be available on Te Whāriki Online later this month.

The pamphlet has been produced in English, te reo Māori and ten pacific languages including Gagana Tokelau and te reo Māori kūki ‘Āirani.

Posters and videos are currently available in English and te reo Māori. To further support our Pacific whānau we have also produced the videos in Gagana Sāmoa and Lea Faka Tonga and these will be available soon.

Posters and pamphlets can be downloaded and printed from Te Whāriki Online or copies ordered from the Down the Back of the Chair website.  This resource is the first in the Hei kōrerorero ki te kāinga – Learning in the Home series.

Down the Back of the Chair – Login

What’s new on Te Whāriki Online

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories videos

There are two new videos that show early learning experiences of using Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories (ANZH) to inform their local curriculum. We have also included some ideas you could incorporate into your practice.

  • Imagine Childcare discuss their centre’s journey to discover more about their history of the area. Collaborating with whānau, tamariki and the wider community, including mana whenua, they capture and shape a story of their local area into a book to read with tamariki.
  • Pukeatua Kindergarten reflect on how stories connect people to places. Through relationships in their community, they were able to explore local Māori histories with support from their local marae, through te pepehā o Wainuiomata and through knowing the history of place names and how they connect to their area.

Find these videos and more information about ANZH on Te Whāriki Online by visiting our website:

Te Whāriki and Aotearoa New Zealand's histories – TKI

National Education & Learning Priorities (NELP) 

We are pleased to share our dedicated NELP page on Te Whāriki Online for early learning.  It provides support and resources to help kaiako and licensed early learning services understand the national education and learning priorities through the lens of Te Whāriki and includes helpful links to the licensing criteria.

National Education and Learning Priorities and Te Whāriki | Te Whāriki Online: TKI

Internal evaluation for early learning 

Check out the updated Internal Evaluation page. One centre shares a story of their innovative approach to internal evaluation at a time when they needed a morale boost, and a focus on building the strengths of their community. Their approach involved the whole team and listening to whānau, which created positive outcomes as well as a sense of achievement for all. You might find some useful inspiration for your own team.

Internal evaluation our way: Te Whāriki Online – TKI
 

Introducing Tāhūrangi

Introducing Tāhūrangi:  Name and whakapapa 

Tāhūrangi, formerly known as the Online Curriculum Hub, will be the new online digital home for curriculum resources and materials. It will replace Te Kete Ipurangi (TKI) and further enhance Kauwhata Reo and Te Whāriki Online.

The name Tāhūrangi was gifted by Dr Wayne Ngata to reflect the aspirations that we are seeking to achieve through our new curriculum platform (previously the Online Curriculum Hub – working title).  

Tāhū, often referred to as Tāhūhū, is the central ridgepole that runs the length of a wharenui. This pole is important within any whare, it not only holds it up but depicts the whakapapa of those who descend from it.  Its use within the name is also a reflection of Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, ensuring that people understand that the new curriculum platform is a taonga the Ministry of Education is responsible for.   

Rangi, referring to ipurangi, is the term used to describe knowledge that sits within the sky (often referred to as information in ‘the cloud’). Rangi is also recognised as Ranginui – the Atua who takes care of everything across the sky.

We are very proud of the name that has been gifted to us and look forward to sharing more curriculum learning and teaching opportunities and resources with you all through our online portal.  

Next steps 

We are working towards a release of Tāhūrangi mid-2023. Tāhūrangi will deliver an online platform that supports the learning and teaching across all curricula in Aotearoa, providing easier, faster and personalised access to quality curriculum content.  

All education professionals will be able to log into Tāhūrangi through their existing (or new) education sector log-in (ESL) without any further permissions needing to be added. All you need is your username and password to access exciting educator specific features and functions.  

How can I get involved? 
Several user experience workshops will be occurring across the regions in early-mid 2023.

To register your interest in participating in one of the Tāhūrangi workshops, please email us at tāhūrangi@education.govt.nz, and we will be in touch early December with further details.  

New curriculum and assessment programme website tool

We know there is a need to show the key milestones across the national curriculum and assessment programmes, including how they align and when they are scheduled to happen.

You will be able to find information relating to the implementation of Te Whāriki.

A new interactive website tool will help provide these details, including an overview of the opportunities for engagement. It also contains information that includes stand-alone and combined timelines with supporting information currently until 2026.

Alongside the regular Curriculum newsletters, the website tool will help improve how we communicate to the sector the long-term plan for the programmes.

Visit the website tool and let us know what you think:

Curriculum and Assessment Programme Timelines – Ministry of Education

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori – Learn, Embrace, Inspire

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori aims to strengthen te reo Māori capacity and capability in the education sector to ensure we are equipped to give ākonga the best education journeys possible.  

It is a fees-free programme available throughout the country, catering to all reo Māori competency levels.  

The programme is open to school and kura leaders, kaiako, and support staff, as well as whānau. 

For more information, visit the Kauwhata Reo website: 

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori – Kauwhata Reo

For any enquiries, contact:

TeReo.MaoriGroup@education.govt.nz

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori - ki te hoe!