Te Whāriki - He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa Early childhood curriculum

Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa Early childhood curriculum (Te Whāriki)sets out the curriculum to be used in New Zealand early childhood education (ECE) settings and provides guidance for its implementation.Underpinning Te Whāriki is the vision that children arecompetent and confident learners andcommunicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.He purapura i ruia mai i Rangiātea e kore e ngaro.A seed sown in Rangiātea will never be lost.

Introduction

In Māori tradition the child was a valued member of the Māori worlds before conception, before birth, and before time. They began their journey in Rangiātea, homeland of the gods. Born into this world, they were nurtured like a precious seed to ensure their survival and inculcated with an understanding of their own importance.Reedy (2013) Located in Aotearoa New Zealand, this vision implies a society that recognises Māori astangata whenua, assumes a shared obligationfor protecting Māori language and culture, and ensures that Māori are able to enjoy educational success as Māori.Each child is on a unique journey. They comeinto the world eager to learn and into family,whānau or ‘aiga that have high hopes for them. Teachers, educators and kaiako in ECE settings work together in partnership with the family to realise these hopes.

Attached to this article is the Te Whāriki 2017 curriculum document and the questions asked at the end of each goal, answered by the kaiako about what Te Whāriki 2017 looks like at Nōku Te Ao - highlighting our priorities for our whānau - Te Reo me ōna Tikanga Māori, Mahi Whakauka and our tamariki learning how to own their worlds.