Early Years (ECE)

Talanoa Mai: Pacific early learning services engaging online

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Kathryn O'Connell-Sutherland

Tapena sou ōso mo lau malaga.
Prepare yourself a gift for your travels.

This Samoan proverb asks people to prepare for the road ahead. It highlights the importance of honouring, respecting and sharing the gifts of life’s journey. Aupito William Sio, Minister of Pacific Peoples, used this proverb recently in an interview with Radio New Zealand noting its appropriateness for our current times as a way to help Pacific peoples of Aotearoa contribute to ‘Rebuilding Together’.

In this blog I look at what preparedness means for the early learning sector, and in particular Pacific kaiako, in a world impacted by Covid-19. How can we still learn together and share our stories when we are not physically together?

Sections are:
A dramatic introduction to learning online
Our team flipped its learning model
What matters? Inspiration online with a focus on spirituality, resilience and wellbeing
Highlights and kaiako feedback
Vahevahe – one service shares their story
Using cultural models as a framework for connecting online
Resources to support leaders, kaiako and parents in online learning
What I’ve learned about these experiences
Nofo ‘a Kainga – a poem by the late Siosifa Pau’uvale
Come and join the Early Years team at uLearn 20!

A dramatic introduction to learning online

Online learning became part of the landscape for early learning services in a rather dramatic way in 2017 through a professional learning programme funded by the Ministry of Education. The programme supported the implementation of the updated curriculum Te Whāriki (2017). This was one of the first times that learning had been offered online in this way – and we all had to learn fast to get up to speed! It included 100 live webinars on Zoom (with over 13,000 participants and, to date, 74,022 views of the recordings).

This meant that many of us were already well prepared for the online learning journey brought about by Covid-19.

Three years on our landscape has again shifted dramatically. Online learning is no longer a new approach but a way of life as we navigate lockdowns and alert levels. While many kaiako tell us that they prefer the collaborative and collective nature of face to face learning, including our Pacific colleagues, we’ve all had to adapt and mobilise our teams to learn together online.

“The number of Pacific leaders and teachers using online platforms to engage in professional learning increased during the lockdown. They have developed confidence in using online platforms to connect with others.” (Facilitator)

Our team flipped its learning model

The CORE Early Years team has been fortunate to engage with kaiako across the country who have been implementing Tapasā, the cultural competencies framework this year. Like many other groups, we have needed to shift all our professional learning engagements online. Our facilitators had to adapt to online delivery. We’ve been used to face to face fono and relied on visits to early learning services to support practice. Our team strengthened our online mentoring strategies as an effective way to support leaders.

These intense experiences have allowed us to learn so much from colleagues in Pacific early learning services and mainstream services about facilitating learning online that matters, and that makes a difference. We would love to share some of these insights with you through this blog.

What matters? Inspiration online with a focus on spirituality, resilience and wellbeing

“Pacific wellness …planning to keep everyone safe and strong with their emotional and spiritual wellness during the most arduous legs of our post Covid-19 journey.” (Aupito William Sio)

During Alert Level 1 we supported Auckland Pacific early learning services with a programme funded by the Ministry of Education. The ‘recovery and resilience’ programme was facilitated as an online experience and included a combination of inspirational speakers, community and church ministers, a session on wellbeing and space for kaiako and leaders to share practical examples of their learning and connecting from home.

To connect in a meaningful way online we wanted to maintain the values we would normally express in face to face fono. For us this meant a strong focus on identities, languages and cultures as well as weaving together well-being and spirituality. We started our sessions with blessings from community leaders and church ministers which supported cultural locatedness – a key competency of Tapasā. This prepared us well to come together, share our gifts and most importantly have some fun while learning about resilience strategies through drawing, singing and listening to others. Although challenged, we realised anything was possible and many of our pedagogical practices could be transferred to online including mindfulness, poetry and reflection. One of our facilitators commented on the importance of joy, connection and creating inspiration, hope and optimism.

“Quite deep relationships can be created on-line” (Participant)

“We could really talk like we were face to face” (Participant)

CORE facilitator Ara Simmons reflected on her experience supporting wellbeing.

“Having a series of experiences as opposed to workshops was an initial step in focusing us in on the purpose of gathering together with a variety of Pacifika communities in the ECE sector. Having the opportunity in creating such an experience that placed spirituality front and centre of wellbeing was unique as there often is not such an opportunity in education. Really homing in on the purpose enabled me to let go of a traditional workshop format and offer a more connected feel of fellowship where individuals could connect to their own wellbeing and express this in both verbal and non-verbal ways.”

Another inspirational speaker was Jason Tiatia. Jason encouraged us to look to our past, before reimagining learning that is relevant to the lives of Pacific learners, and to reimagine success as a collective.

“Recreating familiar environments, and contexts that nurture collaboration, culture and language will lead to a greater sense of belonging and improved wellbeing.”

Highlights and kaiako feedback

For some kaiako online learning offered a more personalised approach, which they liked. Others commented on the benefits for the environment and family life with less travel and that the timing of the PLD suited being in their own homes. The opportunity to hear from different people across the country and the collective wisdom of the group was a highlight and many enjoyed sharing ideas and gaining insight into how other services were coping.

“The importance of looking after our Body, Mind & Spirit for our work.”

“Learnt some awesome calming techniques that we could use with tamariki”

“Less travel, better for the environment, people can be in the comforts of their own home. Early shifts in ECCs – don’t have to wait around for meetings”

“In terms of getting connection, getting the participants to draw on a map of the islands (a Zoom tool), where they were from”

Vahevahe – one service shares their story

“[the sharing by Jeanne] of their Akoteu journey before and during Covid-19 [was] invaluable” (Participant)

CORE facilitator, Lorraine Pauuvale-Paea, talked with Jeanne Pauuvale Teisina about Akoteu Kato Kakala – a Tongan early learning service – about their story of online engagement. Jeanne shared that “Connectedness was more crucial than any other time in the history of the service’s operation”. It was important for their community to foreground tauhi Vaa (relationships) in unprecedented times. How do we take care of the Vaa to ensure it is stronger and connected during Covid-19? This was a guiding question for the teaching team. The centre manager commented that they saw great examples of effective leadership during times of uncertainty, crisis and change. Lessons and examples were shared with each other online for all to learn from. At Akoteu, kaiako shared how they used the ‘mana’ of Te Whāriki (2017) to guide them in their calling to connect with tamariki and whānau. Kaiako did this by sharing visual displays of the curriculum in action through children learning from home.

“Ko e ‘ui mei he ate- the absence of the children at the centre yet connected through online made their presence known and valuable contributing to the langa ngāue (building success) of AKK” (Centre Manager)

Used with permission from Lorraine Pau’uvale-Paea.

Using cultural models as a framework for connecting online

“By bringing in cultural models, it increases buy-in, because people feel the connection and understand it implicitly. It speaks to them” (Kaiako)

“Deepen our own learning and understandings about concepts that relates and reflect our sense of reality” (Kaiako)

An important focus in our PLD programmes is unpacking different cultural models as authentic and empowering ways to align Pacific values with leadership, governance and curriculum. Services share models that fit their world view and that connect to their philosophy and local curriculum. These models and practices became useful guides to navigate the challenges of Covid-19, to engage fanau, communicate online and provide learning for children and connect with teams. An example of this are the four baskets of knowledge; Le Tofa (knowledge), Le Pule (governance), Le Tautua (service) and Le Va Fealoa’i (relationships) which have been used as a guide to support online engagement.

Resources to support leaders, kaiako and parents in online learning

During lockdown leaders and kaiako focused on their own professional practice by accessing online resources and downloadable workshops, including from Te Whāriki Online. An example is the Spotlight on Practice – Pacific voices in Te Whāriki. Services also shared their experiences about engaging with families during lockdown and contributed to the development of videos and stories for the sector in the Learning from Home series funded by the Ministry of Education such as Let’s imagine.

lets-image — Screenshot of Let’s Imagine video, Ministry of Education

CORE facilitator Ruta McKenzie talks about the importance of authenticity that reflects four elements of talanoa- talanoa alofa, talanoa mafana, talanoa malie and talanoa fa’aaloalo. These elements demonstrate caring, warmth, humour and respect. We asked participants what helped and what we need to consider when facilitating online learning.

Here are some of our tips and strategies based on kaiako feedback and our sense making:

Go in ahead of time to check links and to practice using Zoom
Set up rituals for beginning and end (e.g. music on arrival)
Be culturally responsive – have a Pacific facilitator
Check in with everyone before you get underway
Identity the hosts within the online group
Have someone on standby for technical support – a helpdesk email or phone number
Make it a fun experience – with singing and laughter
Provide time and space for talking and sharing
Silence is ok when reflecting, stretching and drawing
Use grid view to see each other – even at times during the presentation
Use the chat box for sharing ideas and sharing resources. Have a person who looks after and
monitors the chat box – acknowledge contributions, invite questions
Use break out rooms with a facilitator in each room
Dual facilitation is important
Encourage whole teams to engage in online mentoring

We all need to work hard to design inclusive learning experiences by being open to feedback and willing to adapt and try new things. We need to invite the indigenous knowledge of others and strive to make a difference so that online learning can be a positive and rewarding experience for all.

What I’ve learned about these experiences

What stands out to me about learning online is the importance of starting well. This means having space to validate individual world views, focus on connection, and create a culture of sharing and reflection. It’s a bit different to being face to face but thinking about time differently is important and shifting your mindset to see the possibilities and benefits. There is still a pedagogy to consider – be intentional in building relational trust so everyone can contribute. Think critically about how you invite participation with careful preparation, clear guidelines, use of breakouts, drawing, using the chat and using home languages. We need to work hard to shift the power imbalance, and realise that less is more! Some information is best communicated via other channels – handouts, links, emails. The time together online is a taonga – it’s about the people, the dialogue and the collective.

This poem by the late Siosifa Pau’uvale Nofo ‘a Kainga is about what binds us together – it’s the interrelationships that connect us.

Nofo ‘a Kainga – a poem by the late Siosifa Pau’uvale

Tulou moe talamalu ‘o e fonua
Kau lave ki he fa’unga ‘o e nofo ‘a kainga
‘oku kamata he ‘uluaki matu’a
Moe fua hona manava ko hona fakakoloa’
Koe famili eni ‘o e Tamai ‘a e ma’uanga tala’
Ke ne tala e tapu’ mo e ngaahi ngofua’
Tauhi ‘a e faka’apa’apa mo e loto ‘ofa
Talangofua’ moe tauhi vaa’.
‘A e ngaue mateaki’ moe mamahi’i me’a’
‘Isa na’a ngalo e ngaahi felave’i ki tu’a’
‘A e famili ne tupu ai si’i fa’e ‘ofa’
Pehee ki he Tamai mo hono hu’unga’.
Koeni ‘a e pule’anga ‘o e nofo ‘a kainga’

Ko hai ‘oku ‘a’ana e tala fatongia fakakatoa
He hoko ha me’a fakamamahi pe fakafiefia’
‘I he siakale ‘o e nofo ‘a kainga’.
Ke matu’otu’a fakatoto ‘o e tupu’anga’
Seuke he ‘ikai ngalo e ngaahi matakali ‘iloa
Ne punakaki mei he ongo ‘uluaki fa’unga’
Pea toki tatuku ki he ngaahi ha’a
Ko hono taki ‘a e ‘ulumotu’a’.
‘Io koe mape ia ‘o e nofo ‘a e Tonga’.
‘Oku siakale ‘uluaki kihe ‘uluaki faa’.
Ko e famili, kainga, matakali moe ngaahi ha’a’
‘Oku maau, ‘oku melino pea tolonga ‘o laulau to’utangata’.
Malo fau e fatu moe langa hota fonua’
‘Oua ‘e felakaaki he siakale tupu’a
Nofo ki he ‘uluaki fa’unga tala’
Ko ia e ma’uma’uluta’anga e Tonga’

Come and join the Early Years team at uLearn20!

CORE Education’s annual conference for educators, uLearn, is moving online this year. Kaiako from early learning services throughout Aotearoa are warmly invited to join CORE’s Early Years team to carry on the conversation started in this blog by Kathryn O’Connell-Sutherland.

Reimaging, reaffirming and recreating with Jason Tiatia

Jason Tiatia is one of CORE’s activators at uLearn20! Jason will be talking about designing learning environments that enhance success for Pacific learners by putting learners and their āiga at the centre of the design.

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Growing shared leadership and bicultural understandings through whakataukī

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Kathryn O'Connell-Sutherland

This blog is my story and shares some of my learning and views of leadership and about being a Tiriti partner as I navigate and make sense of the relationships, experiences and opportunities that present themselves.

Leadership can be about action, practice and being present in the moment. Many things come to mind when recalling stories of leadership in action; about being careful and deliberate and understanding that leadership requires decision making, courage and collective efforts. Pōhatu’s (1994) philosophy of Āta (“with care” and “with deliberation”) emphasises relationships and offers guidance and balance around purpose, influence and people. Āta is a philosophy embedded in Mātauranga Māori and part of a Māori world view.

The principles of Āta provide a cultural base for reflective deliberation ensuring the spiritual, emotional and intellectual levels of the education process are valued and respected. (Forsyth & Kung, 2007)

Taking care and being responsible is a constant dialogue and dance when engaging in bicultural practice. It’s a lifelong commitment and the learning happens in unexpected ways that reveal themselves at opportune times. Navigating this space with care, deep respect and reflective deliberation has supported my leadership practice.

Key responsibilities of leadership are to deeply know one’s own identity and to support others in their professional growth, creating space for their reflection, feedback and world views. As Pākehā, this also requires role modelling, advocacy and learning to walk alongside tangata whenua as a Tiriti partner. Mindful of the importance of cultural integrity, it matters to honour and valid indigenous knowledge by creating space. Understanding that everyone and everything has a whakapapa is important learning that can be enriched by reciprocity through trusting relationships.

The power of whakataukī to shape thinking and learning

Embracing Te Ao Māori as a learner and Tiriti partner can make us feel vulnerable, an example is advocating for tikanga practice whilst trying not to trample on the mana of others. One aspect of pedagogy Māori that brings inspiration is the depth and insight captured in the meaning of whakataukī (proverbs). Each whakataukī is a gift and hearing them spoken on marae and in whaikōrero (speeches) connected to the kaupapa feels like a real privilege.

Whakataukī are embedded with mātauranga and have been passed down through many generations. (Te Whāriki Whakatauki cards)

Ruru, Roche and Waitoki’s (2017) research explores the balance between Māori women’s leadership and wellbeing. Using whakataukī as overarching themes for their analysis they found that “whakataukī describe unique aspects of leadership and wellbeing from a Māori worldview. Themes include humility, collectiveness, courage, future orientations and positivity”.

The following whakataukī used in their research is about service, supporting others and harvesting an idea as an opportunity to develop a pathway for future generations (Ruru et al, 2017).

Piki kau ake te whakāro pai, hauhake tōnu iho:
When a good thought springs up, it is harvested, a good idea should be used immediately.

One particular story of leadership in action I recall is an interaction with leaders and kaiako in an early years setting, who were exploring whakataukī. As their facilitator my role was to notice, reflect, and support their professional growth and leadership in the design and implementation of their local curriculum. This example was about strengthening bicultural understandings through authentic engagement with whānau.

At the kindergarten I noticed that the teaching team had really connected with the book Mauri Ora – wisdom from the Māori world (Alsop & Kupenga, 2016). They were exploring the different proverbs and values in relation to their teaching. I could see they were thinking deeply about meaning as a way to support their developing understanding of Te Ao Māori. They began to unpack individual whakataukī and use them in their teaching staff room for reflection and inspiration. This was evident in their conversations and documentation.

Reflecting on this practice I noticed the depth of their engagement and a shift in kaupapa – the nature of their conversations was changing and enriched. I suggested that they could share the words and images out in the kindergarten where parents and whānau could see. They could even consider putting their book, Mauri Ora, close to where parents arrive or often spend time such as where children’s lunch boxes or bags are put away.

Returning to the kindergarten several weeks later, one of the first things that greeted me was the book of whakataukī open, and displayed alongside where parents and whānau sign in. Kaiako shared with me that not long after building up the practice of choosing a whakataukī for each day and sharing it with parents, families and whānau, a young parent, (a dad who was Māori) initiated taking on this leadership role in the kindergarten. Each morning, he would quietly come in, look through the book, choose a whakataukī, display it for other parents and whānau and talk to the teaching team about his understanding and interpretation of the whakataukī.

As an expression of authentic and shared leadership, this emerging practice became a routine. It was a wonderful way to demonstrate the concept of ako, the shared role of teaching and learning and maximising the gifts and contributions of whānau.

Kaiako then shared what they did with this gift. Each morning the teaching team and tamariki sat together, shared stories and talked about the day ahead. They took the whakataukī, chosen by the parent, and shared it with tamariki, talking about the meaning, and asking the children what they thought and understood. For example by breaking down the values of manaakitanga they could connect it to what children could see, feel and hear in the learning setting. Kaiako would ask tamariki “What do you notice?” “What does manaakitanga look like for you?”. In this way the whakataukī started to reflect in the programme.

I often reflect on the impact of that one action.

Enacting a bicultural curriculum requires understanding the significance of whakapapa as a taonga in Te Ao Māori. We have responsibilities and obligations to champion equity, use te reo Māori with correct pronunciation, and to create leadership opportunities for tamariki to share, learn about and connect with Te Ao Māori including from whānau (Ministry of Education, 2017).

Leadership is not about having answers and obtaining knowledge – it’s about conversations, reflection and creating space to hear and respect the legacies of others. This story highlights the importance of partnerships, relational trust and the opportunities for shared learning when designing a local curriculum through genuine engagement with whānau and conversations with tamariki mokopuna.

To affirm whakataukī is to accept the indigeneity of a Māori/iwi lens and invites the receiver to align their thought processes to this. This is biculturalism in its truest sense as one worldview interacts with another on the same level. Each Tiriti partner has equal status, their individual mana remains intact and intertwines to co-construct a collective understanding.(Te Whāriki Whakatauki cards)

This series of cards (image above) represent the whakataukī in the early years curriculum Te Whāriki. They are available to download from Te Whāriki Online and are a great resource to support leadership practice through conversations and critical reflection.

Download the whakataukī cards >

Grow your leadership with resources, workshops and courses >

References

Alsop, P. & Kupenga, T. (2016). Mauri ora – wisdom from the Māori world. Potton & Burton

Forsyth, H. and Kung, N. (2007). Āta: A Philosophy for Relational Teaching. New Zealand Journal of Education Studies, 42 (1/2), 5-15.

Ministry of Education Te Tāhuhu o Te Mātauranga (2017). Te Whāriki He whāriki mātauranga mō nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, NZ

Ruru, S., Roche, M., & Waitoki, W. (2017). Māori women’s perspectives of leadership and wellbeing. Journal Of Indigenous Wellbeing – Te Mauri – Pimatisiwin, 2(1). Retrieved 17 July 2020, from https://journalindigenouswellbeing.com/media/2018/07/64.51.M%C4%81ori-women%E2%80%99s-perspectives-of-leadership-and-wellbeing.pdf.

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Te Whāriki at home: strategies for supporting young children’s learning

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Kathryn O'Connell-Sutherland

By Kathryn O’Connell-Sutherland

He whāriki hei whakamana i te mokopuna, hei kawe i ngā wawata
A whāriki that empowers the child and carries our aspirations

When Aotearoa went into lockdown I began thinking about our tamariki mokopuna and how we can support their learning in the home. I wondered what might already be available for teachers/kaiako and parents/whānau. This led me straight to Te Whāriki – the early years curriculum. I re-read the document and explored the many resources available for teachers at Te Whāriki Online. This blog shares some of my thoughts and insights in the following areas:

Three big ideas
The environment and resources
PLAY matters!
Learning in everyday moments
The role of the adult
Strategies for guiding behaviour

In each section you’ll find some reflective questions to explore.

Three big ideas to make sense of Te Whāriki at home

Te Whāriki has a vision that all children are competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.

What might this look like at home?

Here are some things to think about first:

Mana and rights
An integrated curriculum
Holistic development

Mana and rights – what does it look like, feel like and sound like?

The concept of mana is overarching and central to understanding – making sense of – all components of Te Whāriki. The idea of mana invites us to embrace a te Ao Māori worldview. Having conversations with tangata whenua and local iwi alongside sharing personal thinking and reflections is an appropriate approach to learning more about mana. Tame Iti shares his own personal story Mana: The power in knowing who you are that highlights the importance of identity, language and culture as central to our sense of mana. Dr Rose Pere (1997) describes mana as respect, acquired knowledge, control, intrinsic value, dignity and influence and Hirini Moko Mead (2003) states that all children are born with it and notes that it can never be taken away as it is part of a person’s whakapapa.

Left: Tāwhirikura’s first taste at the table with Koro. Right: Harry is introduced to his Samoan culture at a young age. — Left: Tāwhirikura’s first taste at the table with Koro. Right: Harry is immersed in his Samoan culture.

Building on this idea of mana is the concept of rights (agency) where children are able to create and act on their own ideas. In a previous CORE blog Dr Sarah Te One discusses the importance of genuinely listening and then acting on children’s voices. Grasping these ideas is fundamental to the vision of Te Whāriki. For some this may be a shift in how you see children in the home. Are they littlies in the background to be occupied, or communicators and decision makers with valid views and opinions?

What might be some of the ways that you see, understand and uphold mana?

An integrated approach to learning/curriculum

Te Whāriki describes the curriculum as “all the experiences, activities and events, both direct and indirect …”. This means seeing the learning opportunities in everyday moments and routines. It’s important to provide a balance for young children in the home by having some structure and also embracing natural and spontaneous events as they evolve. Adults can enhance the learning in daily routines and help make connections. Consider the science teaching and learning in explaining ‘droplets’ to naturally curious children, and the early maths concepts as you establish ‘2-metre distancing’ when out walking in the neighbourhood. These are two great examples of understanding with meaning and purpose in an integrated way.

How do you integrate different learning areas into your daily interactions?

Holistic development

In line with an integrated approach the overall view of learning and development in Te Whāriki is about the unity and connectedness of the whole child. Te Ao Māori perspectives on development have shaped this view. Te Whare Tapa Whā is a health model that takes into account cognitive (hinengaro), physical (tinana), emotional (whatumanawa), spiritual (wairua) dimensions or pou. They are equally important to supporting the wellbeing of the child especially at this time. Tapping in to children’s feelings, senses and memories is one way to create this balance. Some further examples are combining work and learning with yoga, mindfulness, drawing, colouring, fresh air, laughter and the importance of connection with others. For me, running ticks all of these boxes!

Reflecting on Te Whare Tapa Whā, where is this visible in the flow of your days? What pou are you most focused on? Are there any gaps?

The environment and resources

The home is a familiar and predictable space making it an ideal playground full of rich, authentic resources and cultural tools. Invest in some redesign and co-design with children. Time spent now with a focus on the environment is like adding another adult to your home! In fact, it’s often referred to as the third teacher. You could set up quiet spaces, areas for construction and art. Complementary to the physical space is the rich array of existing resources already at hand. Often referred to as ‘loose parts’, ‘treasure baskets’ and ‘heuristic play’, everyday objects are ideal (like things found in the garden, the garage, the kitchen and beyond). Natural open-ended resources invite curiosity and inquiry. Making resources readily accessible supports children’s creativity. Recycling is a perfect example of resources already in the home. You may like to explore Art ideas from the Tiny Studio by Dr Lisa Terreni – videos one, two and three.

Photos with permission from Lorraine Pau’uvale-Paea (left), Glenda Albon (middle) and Ruta McKenzie (right) — Left: Holakitu’akolo Paea. Middle: Charlotte and Madeline Turner. Right: Lily Tasi Lee.

Your home – a community of practice – is a resource made up of special cultural rituals, daily routines and values. The neighbourhood is also part of this. Your home and neighbourhood combined are the local curriculum. It’s about focusing on the things that take place at home – the interactions, practices and contributions of others. While out walking in the neighbourhood you can take an interest and explore those around you, their homes and special places in your local community. Perhaps a project noticing what has changed, and inviting children to draw and map their experiences with a who’s who of the neighbourhood! The stories of the people, the history and the land in the local area can be explored when out walking and talking.

What are some of the rituals and special practices in your family?
Who are the people in your neighbourhood?
What are the significant landmarks, place names and cultural stories?
What do children know about and notice around their neighbourhood?

PLAY matters!

In play a child behaves beyond his [sic] average age, above his [sic] daily behaviour and as though he [sic] were a head taller than himself [sic] (Vygotsky, 1978, p 102).

Play is where they process, express and make sense of their world. Watching older siblings ‘schooling’ and parents/caregivers ‘as workers’ in the home with the establishment of workstations and tools for online meetings is great learning! Rather than worrying and focusing on keeping younger children quiet or busy/occupied, perhaps give them a workstation, and encourage them to make their own ‘home office’ (with sheets, blankets and recycled boxes) or laptops with lego! Children’s ways of coping with change can be worked through by re-enacting what they see, hear and interpret. They might even call a meeting with their Sylvanian people to ‘flatten the curve’ or save jobs! They pick up new words and use them in their own play contexts. For us adults this gives clues as to what they might be thinking, feeling and learning. In play, adults can observe, initiate or follow along – taking on different roles and play characters helps to connect and relate. It can also add complexity and stimulate children’s imagination and cognitive development. Try not to ask questions – it can stifle their flow and creativity. Giving children opportunities to revisit and build on their ideas over time means resisting the challenge to pack away and tidy up their play structures!

What play are you noticing at home?

Photo with permission from Emma and Rita O’Connell — Rita O’Connell’s Sylvanian people at work!

Learning in everyday moments

Here are some examples of learning from the curriculum that can also develop and be supported at home through routines, interactions and everyday living.

Over time and with guidance and encouragement, children become increasingly capable of:

Managing themselves and expressing their feelings and needs.
Understanding how things work here and adapting to change.
Showing respect for kaupapa, rules and the rights of others.
Recognising and appreciating their own ability to learn.
Expressing their feelings and ideas using a wide range of materials and modes.
Playing, imagining, inventing and experimenting.

(Ministry of Education, 2017)

In what ways can you support these learning outcomes at your place?
What examples do you have of learning in everyday moments?
What is some of the learning that is valued in your home?

The adults’ role – noticing, recognising and responding to the learning

The term ‘kaiako’ refers to all of us who have responsibility for the care and education of young children. It’s about the reciprocal nature of teaching and learning (ako). We’ve covered some key areas in the curriculum and shared some tips for parents/caregivers – such as being mindful of not asking too many questions, leaving children’s play structures set up and giving children opportunities to make decisions. There are some other things you can do to enhance their learning. Playcentre are whānau-led early learning services (see link below) that embrace the role of kaiako and use a range of strategies to notice, recognise and respond to their children’s learning and play. Some parents and whānau record their observations/wonderings and develop plans and maps to help support them. This is an example of kaiako having an active role in responding to the learning they see happening.

Photos with permission from Glenda Albon (left) and Emma O’Connell (right) — Left: Oakley Albon and Right: Edith O’Connell

What role might the adult have in each of these examples?

Pausing to observe and record can widen the possibilities of how you might support children’s play ideas such as joining in, adding props, making resources available and commenting on what you see. Home-based early learning services maximise opportunities for learning from everyday living in the home. Professor Carmen Dalli (see video link below) suggests creating mind maps using three key areas – relationships, daily tasks and community – to support home-based learning. You could use mapping to draw up a weekly plan like this:

Examples of mapping ideas from Playcentre and Home-based Spotlights on Te Whāriki Online (see links below).

What could you record to support your child in the areas of relationships, daily tasks and community?

Behaviour: navigating your way through challenging times

All behaviour in young children can be viewed as:

a learning opportunity
communication
an expression of feelings

Your response matters! Managing your own emotional state is the goal.

Strategies for guiding behaviour.

Te Whāriki emphasises our role as adults in supporting children’s social and emotional competence. When your buttons are pushed the challenge is to step back and reflect on what is happening. Ask yourself what you know about your child’s characteristics, temperament, the wider context and circumstances including your own stress and then, choose your response. Moments of frustration for adults are learning opportunities for children and they need lots of reassurance and time to practice as they learn ā tonā wā (in their own time).

Photo with permission from Glenda Albon — Arlen Albon

The major difference between the brain of a young child and that of an adult is that the child’s brain is far more impressionable. This difference, known as plasticity, has both a positive and a negative side: the brain of a young child is more receptive to learning and to enriching influences, but it is also more vulnerable. (Ministry of Education, 2017, p 64)

Children are precious (taonga) and have rights; the right to be, the right to become, the right to enjoy and the right to choose. Links below include strategies and resources on self management and regulation and social and oral language. Tips from speech language therapist, Dr Jane Carroll, reinforce the importance of modelling specific vocabulary, asking fewer questions and making more comments. Other ideas include supporting children to learn by naming, describing and explaining emotions. For example; “you are feeling frustrated” or “when I feel frustrated, my body feels tight”.

Giving children feedback and lots of opportunities to succeed is really important and enhances their mana.

Final messages

We each have an immense responsibility to look after our young children. Our strength and ability as parents/caregivers, whānau, teachers and leaders to reflect on and think critically about ourselves and our emotions, talents and frustrations helps us navigate and prepare well to support young children’s learning especially in unfamiliar circumstances. Seeing the learning in everyday moments and approaching challenges together ‘as learners’ can take the pressure off.

In acknowledgement of the tamariki mokopuna of our wider Early Years whānau who are included in this blog; Hineuru Tāwhirikura Te One Robinson, Harry Otineru Lee, Rita and Edith O’Connell, Holakitu’akolo Paea, Charlotte and Madeline Turner, Lily Tasi Lee, Arlen and Oakley Albon.

And the words of Dame Whina Cooper (1975):

Take care of our children. Take care of what they hear. Take care of what they see. Take care of what they feel. For how the children grow. So will be the shape of Aotearoa.

References

Mead, Hirini Moko (2003). Tikanga Māori – Living by Māori values. Huia Publishers, Wellington, New Zealand.
Ministry of Education Te Tāhuhu o Te Mātauranga (2017). Te Whāriki He whāriki mātauranga mō nga mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, NZ
Pere, Dr Rangimarie Turuki (1997). Te Wheke – A celebration of infinite wisdom. Ao Ako Global Learning NZ Ltd, Wellington, New Zealand
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind and Society. USA: Harvard University Press.

For more information
Mana: The power in knowing who you are
The concept of mana mokopuna Office of the Children’s Commissioner (www.occ.org)

Art ideas from the Tiny Studio using recycled materials by Dr Lisa Terreni:

Links to strategies and resources for teachers and parents from Te Whāriki Online:

Te Whāriki – Support for Whānau
Te Whāriki – Support for Kaiako
Self management and regulation
Spotlights:

Playcentre – Whānau-led early childhood education service
Home-based early childhood education (Professor Carmen Dalli )
Social language and oral language (speech language therapist, Dr Jane Carroll)

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Children’s agency, a champion, and a model for advocacy

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Sarah Te One

When I first heard the word “agency” applied to children, I naively thought that it must refer to child actors. Well, in a way it does, but not in the way I thought. Agency is a word I struggled with. For a long time I found it hard to use – do you grant agency? Allow agency? Provide scope for agency? Deny agency? Is agency the same as choice? Is it voice?

For me, the concept of agency for children makes most sense when thought about in terms of children’s rights (no surprises there), and in particular, their rights to express an opinion. All too often though, the one right which talks about children’s entitlement to a point of view, Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, is taken out of context. In this blog, I want to put some context around children’s rights to a voice, to be consulted, informed and to express their point of view and their right to say “No, I don’t want to tell you”. I also want to talk about champions – specifically my child’s right hero – Professor Laura Lundy.

Two big ideas – agency and voice

At the moment, there is an unprecedented interest in two big ideas – child agency and child voice. Both these ideas are about children’s rights to participate in all decisions that affect them – their Article 12 rights – the ones most often quoted when it comes to voice. However, unfortunately, the other Articles about children’s rights to a point of view are less well known. These, arguably, concern the ‘agency’ part. Agency is about the ability of the child to actively influence their environment – as a learner, a player, singer, an artist – whatever – and for children, voice is the way they exercise their agency.

But, and it’s a big but, because voice means much, much more than just listening to children. For example, in the table below are all the rights in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – the Children’s Convention which, in theory, should support children to take part in matters that concern them.

Articles that support children’s rights to express a point of view

12 Children have the right to say what they think should happen when adults are making decisions that affect them, and to have their opinions taken into account.

13 Children have the right to get and to share information, as long as the information is not damaging to them or others.

14 Children have the right to think and believe what they want, and to practice their religion, as long as they are not stopping other people from enjoying their rights. Parents should guide children in these matters.

15 Children have the right to meet together and to join groups and organisations, as long as this does not stop other people from enjoying their rights.

16 Children have the right to privacy. The law should protect them from attacks against their way of life, their good name, their families, and their homes

(Adapted from Unicef NZ (2011) For each and every child. He taonga tonu te tamariki. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media. Available from https://www.unicef.org.nz/teaching-resources)

What facilitates a rights-based learning setting? What constrains it?

In my work at CORE, across the early years, primary and the secondary sector, I have heard many kaiako equate agency with voice and in so doing, assume that voice means children’s participation rights are fulfilled. But are they? Scratch the surface and you reveal some really interesting assumptions that I think are worth questioning. This is where my hero, and internationally renowned children’s champion, makes her entrance.

Children’s champion and a model for advocacy

In 2007, Laura Lundy wrote one of the most widely cited articles about children’s participation rights – “Voice is not enough: Conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child “. Like many child rights advocates, she was concerned that equating children’s agency to voice was limiting. She started asking questions like “where do you listen to children?” and, “who is listening to children?” and, “once you have heard from children, what are you going to do about it?” (Lundy 2007).

Her intention was to broaden the adult assumption that listening to the child’s voice is one-dimensional and to do this she identified four spheres, elements, aspects, as a way to deeply understand (first stage of CORE’s theory of Action He Ariā Kōkirikiri) what it takes to really listen to what children have to say.

Source: https://www.tusla.ie/uploads/content/Laura_Lundy_Slides.pdf

This model has been used by some of us at CORE. I think it has enormous potential as an advocacy tool for all learners, (no matter the shoe size), and that includes us as kaiako, as facilitators of learning, and as researchers. The main point here is that children’s agency consists of more than one element – all the participation rights need to be considered to authentically hear what children have to say. To make this a reality for all children, we need to be advocates (and champions too). Part of our role as professionals is to advocate for socially just outcomes and, as Judge Becroft, our current Children’s Commissioner and chief advocate for children once observed: the Children’s Convention offers “unequivocal international commitment to protect, nurture and further the interests of what is potentially one of the most marginalised and abused groups in our community – our children”. Sobering thoughts.

Be an advocate

The education sector is not alone when it comes to genuinely respecting children’s rights to say what they think, see, and feel. The roll out of the Child Wellbeing Strategy promotes a joined-up approach to the way government plans and resources services for children. That strategy foregrounds a child-rights approach. In education, we have extraordinary potential to enact these rights every day, and for each and every child. And we do. But, maybe we can do better? As Laura Lundy says, we have made huge progress with space, voice and audience, but the influence sphere is still hitting barriers. Therein lies a challenge for us: What more could we do? How can we advocate for sustained support for children’s rights to be heard across our sector and beyond?

If not you, who? If not now, when?

Listen to Sarah’s podcast discussion about learner agency here.

For more information about children’s rights visit:

Education matters to me https://www.occ.org.nz/publications/reports/education-matters-to-me-key-insights/

Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa (NB – this website has not been updated to reflect the new name for the organisation so don’t be confused by landing on Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa. The website houses the latest reports and submissions about children’s rights.)

References

Lundy, L. (2007). ‘Voice’ is not enough: conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Educational Research Journal. Vol 33 (6) 947-942
Unicef NZ (2011) For each and every child. He taonga tonu te tamariki. Wellington, NZ: Learning Media. Available from https://www.unicef.org.nz/teaching-resources

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Weird, why wouldn’t they ask me? — Understanding children’s rights

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Sarah Te One

For quite a while now I have been interested in children’s rights and how they can support our work with children and young people. Years ago, when I first told people I was doing my doctorate about children’s rights, I was surprised by how many reacted with comments like, “What about our rights as the adults?” or, “Children today have too many rights”. Why such a reaction, I wondered? So, I started to think about what difference knowing about children’s rights would it make to us in our work with and for children? The best place to start answering these questions is to ask the children themselves, which is one of the most important rights — children have a voice and we, the adults, need to listen and, beyond that, consider what they say, which is different to doing what they want.

This was brought home to me when I worked in a multidisciplinary team on developing a children’s submission about the Vulnerable Children’s Act. We went into early childhood services, schools, visited youth justice centres, child and protection units, and youth groups up and down the country.

The overwhelming messages from children were:

whānau and friends were really important
that they often felt that teachers, social workers, and other professionals who work with children talked about them without talking with them.

They wanted to be asked about things that affected them, like school rules, and they hated it when people made decisions about them without asking them what they thought. The one thing that this did was undermine trust. And trusting relationships are what it is all about, especially in education.

While most children really like school, they were very vocal about what it felt like when a teacher didn’t like them. We can all relate to comments like, “It’s not fair when the whole class is blamed because of what one person did”. And, when the adults are making plans for a child, lots of children’s feelings can be summed up in the following comment: “Ask me if you want to know what I think. It’s weird, why wouldn’t they ask me?” One of the most powerful comments from a young person in care was, “Don’t just listen, do something.”

The place to start finding out about children’s rights is the Children’s Convention published by the United Nations. This is a typical UN document. The language is formal and not that easy to understand at first. Like most human rights documents, it represents a compromise of ideals between the east and the west, between the first world and third world countries. When it first came out in 1989, it quickly became the most widely signed and ratified human rights treaty. There are only two countries in the world that haven’t signed-up: Somalia, because they have not been able to form a government; and, the United States of America, because it believes granting children social, political, economic, and cultural rights would undermine their Constitution.

A Bit about the Children’s Convention

The Children’s Convention is based on four general principles that apply to all children, all the time:

Non-discrimination — their rights to be protected from all forms of discrimination, regardless of their parents’/guardians’ race, colour, ethnic, or social origin (Article 2).
Best interests — their right to have their best interests as the primary consideration in all actions (administrative and legislative) that affect them (Article 3).
Their right to life, survival, and development to reach their full potential (Article 6)
Children’s views — their right to express their views in all matters that affect them (Article 12).

The general principle articles apply across all of the other articles in the Children’s Convention, which cover all aspects of children’s lives (for example, there are rights about education, recreation, cultural identity, healthcare to name a few). To complement the general principles are articles about governments’ responsibilities to implement the Children’s Convention “to the maximum extent of available resources (Article 4)”. Referred to as the general measures of implementation, these articles provide guidelines for governments to ensure compliance with the Children’s Convention in an ongoing, progressive manner.

How does the Children’s Convention work?

Every five years or so, our government is expected to report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UN Committee) on compliance with the Children’s Convention. As part of the same process, the UN Committee hears from the non-government organisations (NGOs), and children and young people themselves. They want to know what it is really like for them:

at home
in their early childhood services and at school
in their communities
at work.

The last reporting cycle was completed in 2016. At the time, the NGO story was not particularly pretty. Children were worried about child abuse, child poverty, homelessness, and discrimination, especially for Māori children and children who belong to a minority group. Here are some of the comments they wanted our government to think about:

“Poverty (as an issue to address), because children are going to school and they can’t learn if they haven’t had breakfast or lunch.” MAX, 12

“My brain structure is part of who I am, so why is my disability invisible? You wouldn’t tell a kid with cancer to “toughen up”, why would you say that to me? Why would you take advantage of the fact that I have panic attacks when people start shouting? Why would you deny me my support tools in class? Why am I ashamed?” CAITLIN, 18

“If I could, I would remove the wealth gap and make sure all schools (facilities, teachers, environment) were of a high standard, eliminate prejudice, make streets safer so children could walk to and from school, and support parent relationships so they never have to be raised in broken homes. If I could.” DUNCAN, 16

Governments had made little or no progress despite clear recommendations from the UN Committee, and in 2016, they were clear, very clear, during the formal, face-to-face hearing with our government officials (from the previous Government), that this was not OK.

So, what can we do?

When faced with such seemingly complicated issues all at once, it is hard to decide how to broker solutions. That said, the climate at the moment is very focused on child-centred practices, and there are genuine attempts to put the Children’s Convention into legislation. We have a courageous Children’s Commissioner who is not afraid of promoting children’s rights. While this is something to celebrate, the general lack of awareness about what the principle articles mean and how these play out in our day-to-day practices is still of concern. There are two recommendations that the UN Committee made that, I think, are a good place to start:

Awareness and training about the Children’s Convention
In general, there is a lack of awareness about children’s rights and what they mean. The Children’s Convention is widely misunderstood and, therefore, its potential to support improving children’s lives remains untapped. The UN Committee has, since 1995, recommended awareness raising and training in the public service and in civil society. It is especially needed for adults who work with and for children.

Listening to children and take their views into account
When it comes to respecting children’s views, the UN Committee recommended that our government develop toolkits for public consultation on national policy development which, as a matter of course, consult with children in a genuine, and realistic way.

Two final points

For the last part of this blog I want to highlight a couple of points:

that children’s rights are indivisible and interdependent
that the Children’s Convention to be part of the conversation —especially in education.

Chidren’s rights are indivisible and interdependent

The rights in the Children’s Convention cover all areas of all children’s lives. In a way, we can use a well-known early childhood education curriculum metaphor of a whāriki to visualise how the principal articles, the general measures of implementation and the articles about health, education, welfare etc, are interwoven. That means that even though we can highlight one type of rights — say, children’s rights to have a say about matters that affect them — we also need to consider the other rights at the same time.

For example, when inviting children to participate in, say, what they would like to find out about, I like to ask myself:

‘How are the best interests of the child being served by my questions?
Am I genuinely inclusive (non-discriminatory)?
Do my actions support children’s development?’
And, when I ask children for their point of view, whose agenda am I pursuing?

That doesn’t mean I’m right or wrong. As the grown-up, I have some clear advantages — I know more, and I have some influence over my life. But, I also have responsibilities to ensure that children’s rights can be realised, and this means that even if the choice is not really a choice, I can explain why. For example, going to school regularly, learning to get along with others, and understanding our history, matters. At the same time, children, too, have responsibilities. Rights don’t ever come without these.

Children’s Convention to be part of the conversation

I want to advocate for the Children’s Convention to be part of the conversation, especially in education. We are already on the way here with a lot of research now focused on children’s agency, or their ability to influence their own experiences. The trick here, though, is to ask about the context in which ‘agency’ takes effect. Where, for example, does the power really lie? Unless we think about how power relations play out in classrooms and in early childhood services, we fail to fully consider the big picture of children’s lives. Very often, asking children to contribute is based on an assumption that if they have a say, they will feel they have a stake in the outcome. Offering children a choice needs to be real. So the good part is that children are asked; the not-so-good part is that the child’s rights to not participate, or to more information, or to privacy, or to deciding who and where and when to talk to others, are often overlooked.

Therein lies a genuine human rights dilemma – rights, including children’s rights — are aspirational, and how they are enacted depends on the situation. We need to remember that children’s rights are about real issues that affect them. That means we always need to think about how we get better at understanding children’s rights and how we can use these to enhance their wellbeing.

A highly respected child rights leader, Professor Michael Freeman, once described rights as like arms and legs — children are born with rights; they are not privileges to be earned or taken away. They exist. He also said that the most important right is to respect the rights of others — a good place to begin and to end this blog.

Challenge: Why are you asking children to join in? How are you inviting their participation? Please add your comments below — be a part of the conversation.

References:
UNICEF/Save the Children (2016). Our voices. Our rights. Supplementary Paper submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved from https://daks2k3a4ib2z.cloudfront.net/59bef78dd0c4540001fa1706/5a28b1fa5a27480001dee695_OurRightsOurVoices.pdf

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