Kōwhiti Whakapae: A new early learning curriculum resource

Kōwhiti Whakapae is a curriculum resource designed to help early learning kaiako strengthen teaching practice and formative assessment.

What is Kōwhiti Whakapae?

Kōwhiti Whakapae is an online curriculum resource for early learning kaiako built on the foundations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Te Whāriki principles, the inclusion of all children and nurturing children’s identities, languages and cultures.

Tools and resources for early learning – Kōwhiti Whakapae(external link)

Kōwhiti Whakapae and its associated resources focus on ways to support children's progress in 3 learning areas:

  • social & emotional
  • oral language & literacy
  • maths.

The social and emotional area is available now, and the other 2 areas are expected to be available from August 2024.

How is Kōwhiti Whakapae connected to our other work?

Kōwhiti Whakapae suite of online resources  is designed to help kaiako strengthen teaching practice and formative assessment within the framework of Te Whāriki : He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa and supports children’s transition to school and kura.

He Pikorua Practice Framework

Kōwhiti Whakapae complements the structure and Te Tūāpapa approach of the He Pikorua Practice Framework.

Our practice framework – He Pikorua(external link)

  • Practices in Kōwhiti Whakapae support kaiako to lay the groundwork to strengthen teaching practice and improve learning and wellbeing outcomes for all children (aligning to Te Matua | Universal).
  • The practices and progressions do this by helping kaiako to notice, recognise and respond to children's capabilities (aligning to Te Kāhui | Targeted).
  • Noticing and recognising early also means more timely access to learning supports as needed and more tailored support (aligning to Te Arotahi | Tailored). 

Other education initiatives

Kōwhiti Whakapae also aligns closely to some of our other key initiatives:

  • the Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP)
  • the Early Learning Action Plan
  • Ka Hikitia – Ka Hāpaitia (the Māori Education Strategy)
  • the Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020–2030.

More information about all of those connections is available on Kōwhiti Whakapae.

The 'social & emotional' area of Kōwhiti Whakapae

The social & emotional area is available now for kaiako to explore and use.

In Kōwhiti Whakapae, social & emotional learning refers to the knowledge, skills and attitudes that children use in socially and culturally appropriate ways to form relationships, solve conflicts, express, and regulate emotions, adapt in new situations and overcome challenges.

Social & emotional learning is divided into 4 equally important areas.

Connected relationships and caring for others

Children’s ability to connect with family, friends, familiar and unfamiliar people in responsive and respectful ways, including engaging in social interactions that are reciprocal and uphold the mana of each person.

Emotional awareness, regulation, and spiritual connectedness

Children’s growing awareness, understanding and connection to their inner-selves and their wider social and spiritual worlds.

Agency and adaptability

For children in an education setting, agency means being able to make choices, set goals and plans, and follow through. Adaptability means that children are able to respond flexibly to different contexts and expectations, held both by others and themselves.

Social inclusion and action

Enacting social inclusion creates a context where everyone feels a sense of belonging and participation. Social action refers to the actions taken to look after and stand up for self, others, and the natural world.

Assessment examples and whānau guides related to social and emotional learning will also be available.

Kōwhiti Whakapae - Strengthening progress through practice

Transcript: Kōwhiti Whakapae - Strengthening progress though practice

­­­­(Background music throughout the video is soft guitar strumming and gentle melody. The animation visuals throughout use the weaving of flax of different shades of yellow and green, as a metaphor for the information. The background of the animation is a light cream colour.)

(Narrator starts and is a Māori wāhine with a clear and gentle voice.)

“Mā te ahurei o te tamaiti e ārahi i ā tātou mahi.

Let the uniqueness of the child guide our work.”

(Long rectangular shapes, representing strands of flax, filled with diverse photos of kaiako and children come into frame in a woven pattern and then move out of frame in a reverse movement.)

Each child’s unique learning journey is nurtured through strong bonds with whānau and

developed with the guidance of kaiako.

(A small green diamond shape appears representing a child. Rectangular shapes come into frame that build a weaving pattern representing the parent and grandparent to form a shape representing a family. Strands appear to the left of the family that represent teachers. The strands extend towards the edges of the screen and rotate moving outwards like a frame to reveal the home screen of the Kōwhiti Whakapae website.)

Kōwhiti Whakapae is an online resource to support your teaching practice as you weave opportunities for early learning for our mokopuna.

(The website scrolls down and then back up showing different sections of the website. The website design includes an image of a young girl and links to three focus areas: Social and emotional, Oral language and literacy, and Maths. The framing strands move inwards hiding the website design, then move apart and reveal the front cover of Te Whāriki, early childhood curriculum.)

Tested with the sector, Kōwhiti Whakapae will help you to realise the vision of Te Whāriki as you weave an inclusive curriculum.

(Extra flax strands move in from the edges of the frame to create a horizontal/vertical woven pattern that fills the frame and Te Whāriki cover fades out. The woven pattern moves out of frame to the left.)

It is built on the foundations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi; Te Whāriki principles; inclusion; and nurturing identity, language and culture.

(One-after-another sections of flax weave to match each foundation as it is spoken to form a W-shaped design.)

To strengthen your valuable work as kaiako, Kōwhiti Whakapae supports planning and formative assessment in three areas of learning: social and emotional, oral language and literacy, and maths.

(3 diamond-shaped photographs of kaiako and children appear in the centre of the frame and then disappear. The social and emotional icon (small green V shape) appears on the left of the frame with text reading ‘Social and emotional’ below it. The icon for Oral language and literacy (four green diamonds surrounding a diamond space) appears in the centre of the frame, with text reading ‘Oral language and literacy’ below it. The icon for Maths (like a green three-stepped bar graph) appears on the right of the frame, with text reading ‘Maths’ below. A strand from the central icon extends down to the left and the camera pans down diagonally to follow. The strand stops in the centre of the frame and forms a diamond shape representing a child.)

This resource will help you enrich the learning context for all ākonga.

(A pattern replicating the original design of the family and teachers expands to fill the screen.)

Support you to notice and recognise their capabilities.

(The pattern fades, leaving several green and yellow diamond-shapes.)

Respond to enhance children’s unique learning journeys over time

(These diamonds are replaced by green diamonds of different intensity scattered across the screen, representing a learning journey over time. The scene moves out of frame to the left.)

…building your skills as you add strands of knowledge to your practice.

(The diamonds disappear and the shape representing a teacher appears in the centre of the frame. The shape builds, expanding up and out then scrolls up forming the top of a mountain/maunga made of the flax strands. The background darkens to deep green as if night is falling. White diamond shapes representing children appear one by one as stars in the sky above the maunga.)

“He taonga te mokopuna, kia whāngaia, kia tipu, kia rea.

A child is a treasure, to be nurtured, to grow, to flourish”

(The central star expands to fill the frame with the cream background colour.)

Explore how Kōwhiti Whakapae can help you support each child’s unique learning journey.

(Text reading ‘Kōwhiti Whakapae’ appears centre at the top of the frame. Strands of flax begin to form the layers of a design representing the Kōwhiti Whakapae framework. The bottom strands are the W shape of the foundations. A text label is linked to the foundations with a thin line, reading ‘Foundations for Kōwhiti Whakapae’. Two darker green strands weave on above the foundations. A text label links to these strands, reading ‘Lay the groundwork’. A bright green strand weaves on above this with a text label reading ‘Notice, recognise and respond’. A final light green strand weaves on at the top of the design, with a text label reading ‘Child’s potential learning journey’.

All of the strands disappear and Te Poutāhū logo fades on in the centre of the frame. The music fades and the animation ends.)

Kōwhiti Whakapae – Mā te whakaharatau, ka whakapakari ake

Transcript: Kōwhiti Whakapae - Mā te whakaharatau, ka whakapakari ake

(Ko te puoro papamuri o te ataata, ka tangi mārire mai tētahi kitā me te rangi ngāwari. Mō te roanga o te kiriata, ka kitea i roto i ngā hākoritanga te raranga harakeke, ko ōna tae he kano kōwhaiwhai rerekē, he kano kākāriki rerekē, hei kawe i ngā ariā o te mōhiohio. Ko te papamuri e kitea ana i aua hākoritanga he tae kirīmi teatea.)

(Ka tīmata te kaikōrero, he wahine Māori, he mārama, he hūmārie tōna reo.)

“Mā te ahurei o te tamaiti e ārahi i ā tātou mahi.”

(Ka puta mai ētahi hanga tapawhā roa e whakaata ana i ngā whenu harakeke, e kī tonu ana i ngā momo whakaahua maha o ngā kaiako me ngā tamariki. Ka uru mai ki roto i te taitapa hei tauira raranga, kātahi ka nuku whakamuri atu i te taitapa.)

Ko tō ia tamaiti haerenga ahurei i runga i ngā ara mātauranga ka ahuria mā roto i ngā here torokaha ki tōna whānau, ā, ka āta whakawhanaketia e ōna kaiako.

(Ka puta mai tētahi hanga taimana, he kākāriki, he iti, hei tohu mō te tamaiti. Ka puta mai ki roto i te taitapa ētahi hanga tapawhā roa e waihanga ana i tētahi tauira raranga e whakaata ana i te matua me te tipuna, ā, ka ahu mai tētahi hanga e whakaata ana i te whānau. Ka puta ki te taha mauī o te whānau ētahi whenu hei tohu mō ngā kaiako. Ka totoro atu ngā whenu ki ngā tapa o te taitapa, ka huri whakawaho pēnei i tētahi anga kia whakaaturia ai te whārangi kāinga o te paetukutuku o Kōwhiti Whakapae.)

Ko Kōwhiti Whakapae tētahi rauemi tuihono hei tautoko i tāu mahi whakaako i a koe e raranga ana i ngā āhuatanga e whai wāhi ai ā tātou mokopuna ki te ako i ngā tau o te kōhungahungatanga.

(Ka panuku whakararo te paetukutuku, ā, ka hoki whakarunga e whakaaturia ai ngā wāhanga rerekē o te paetukutuku. Kei roto i te hoahoatanga o te paetukutuku he whakaahua nō tētahi kōhine me ngā hono ki ngā wāhi arotahi e toru: Te taha pāpori me te taha hinengaro, Te reo ā-waha me te reo ā-tuhi, me Te pāngarau. Ka neke whakaroto ngā whenu o te anga, ka huna i te hoahoatanga o te paetukutuku, kātahi ka wehe kia kitea te uhi mua o Te Whāriki, o te marautanga kōhungahunga.)

He mea whakamātautau a Kōwhiti Whakapae ki te taha o te rāngai mātauranga.  Ka āwhina a Kōwhiti Whakapae i a koe ki te whakatinana i te matawhānui o Te Whāriki i a koe e raranga ana i tētahi marau whakauruuru.

(Ka uru whakaroto ētehi whenu anō i ngā tapa o te taitapa, ka hanga ai i tētahi tauira raranga e takoto whakapae/poutū ana, kia kī katoa te anga, ā, ka pāitiiti atu te whakaahua o te uhi o Te Whāriki. Ka neke whakawaho te tauira raranga ki te taha mauī, ki waho i te taitapa.)

He mea waihanga tēnei ki ngā tūāpapa o Te Tiriti o Waitangi; ngā mātāpono o Te Whāriki; te whakauruurutanga; me te raupī i te tuakiri, i te reo me te ahurea.

(Ka kōrerotia ana ngā tūāpapa, ka raranga putuputu ētahi whenu harakeke hei whakaata i ia tūāpapa, ā, ka hangaia he hoahoa W .)

Kia whakakahangia ai tāu mahi whai tikanga, arā, tā te kaiako mahi, e tautoko ana a Kōwhiti Whakapae i te whakarite mahere me te aromatawai arataki i roto i ēnei wāhi e toru o te ako: te taha pāpori me te taha hinengaro, te reo ā-waha me te reo ā-tuhi, me te pāngarau.

(Ka puta ētahi whakaahua e toru o ngā kaiako me ngā tamariki, he taimana te hanga, ki waenga pū i te taitapa, kātahi ka ngaro. Ka puta ki te taha mauī o te taitapa te ata (he hanga V, he kākāriki, he iti) e tohu ana i te taha pāpori me te taha hinengaro, me ngā kupu ‘Te taha pāpori me te taha hinengaro’ kei raro. Ka puta ki waenga i te anga te ata mō Te reo ā-waha me te reo ā-tuhi (he taimana kākāriki e whā e karapoti ana i tētahi wāhi ātea, he taimana te hanga), me ngā kupu ‘Te reo ā-waha me te reo ā-tuhi' kei raro. Ka puta ki te taha matau o te taitapa te ata mō Te pāngarau (he pērā i te kauwhata pae e toru ōna kaupae), me te kupu ‘Te pāngarau’ kei raro. Ka toro whakararo tētahi whenu mai i te ata o waenga pū ki te taha mauī, ā, ka neke hauroki iho te tirohanga o te kāmera ki te whai i taua nekehanga. Ka tū te whenu ki waenga pū i te taitapa, ka hanga taimana ai hei tohu mō te tamaiti.)

Ka āwhina tēnei rauemi i a koe ki te whakahaumako i te horopaki akoranga mō ngā ākonga katoa.

(Ka roha tētahi tauira e rite ana ki te hoahoa tuatahi o te whānau me ngā kaiako, ā, ka kī te taitapa i taua hoahoa.)

Ka tautoko i a koe ki te kite, ki te mōhio ki ō rātou pūkenga.

(Ka pāitiiti haere te tauira, me te aha, kua waiho ētahi hanga taimana, he kākāriki, he kōwhai.)

Ka tautoko hoki i a koe ki te urupare kia whakapaingia ai te haerenga mātauranga ahurei o ia tamaiti i roto i te wā

(Ka whakakapia ēnei taimana ki ētahi taimana kākāriki, he rerekē te kitakita o ngā tae, kua marara i te mata hei tohu mō te haerenga ako i roto i te wā. Ka neke ki mauī taua whakaahua, ki waho o te taitapa.)

…me te whakapakari hoki i ōu ake pūkenga i a koe e rangitāmiro ana i ngā muka mātauranga ki tāu mahi.

(Ka ngaro ngā taimana, ā, ka puta ki waenga pū o te taitapa te hanga e tohu ana i te kaiako. Ka nui haere taua hanga, ka roha whakarunga, ka roha whakawaho, kātahi ka panuku ake hei tihi maunga, he mea hanga ki te whenu harakeke. Ka pōuri haere te papamuri kia kākāriki uriuri, pēnei i te pōnga o te ahipō. Ka puta putuputu mai ētahi taimana mā e tohu ana i ngā tamariki, hei whetū mō roto i te rangi o runga i te maunga.)

“He taonga te mokopuna, kia whāngaia, kia tipu, kia rea.”

(Ka roha te whetū o waenganui, ā, kī noa te taitapa i te tae kirīmi o te papamuri.)

Tūhuratia te āheinga o Kōwhiti Whakapae ki te āwhina i a koe ki te tautoko i ia tamaiti i tōna haerenga mātauranga ahurei.

(Ka puta ki waenga pū i te tapa o runga o te taitapa ngā kupu ‘Kōwhiti Whakapae’. Ka tīmata ngā whenu harakeke ki te hanga i ngā paparanga o tētahi hoahoa e tohu ana i te angamahi Kōwhiti Whakapae. Ko ngā muka o raro ko te hanga W o ngā tūāpapa. He tapanga kupu e honoa ana ki ngā tūāpapa ki tētahi rārangi rahirahi. Ko ngā kupu o te tapanga ko ‘Ngā Tūāpapa o Kōwhiti Whakapae’. He whenu kākāriki e rua, he uriuri ake te tae, e raranga tonu ana ki runga i ngā tūāpapa. E hono ana ki ēnei whenu tētahi tapanga kupu e mea ana 'Whakatakotoria te tūāpapa'. Ka raranga tonu tētahi muka kākāriki muramura ki runga i tēnei, he tapanga kupu tōna e kī ana ‘Kitea, mōhiotia, uruparengia’. Ko te whenu whakamutunga, he kārikitea, ka raranga tonu ki te tihi o te hoahoa, he tapanga kupu tōna e kī ana ‘Ko te haerenga mātauranga ka taea e te tamaiti’.

Ka ngaro ngā whenu katoa, ā, ka pupuke mai te waitohu o Te Poutāhū ki waenga pū o te taitapa. Ka tāromaroma te puoro, ka mutu te hākoritanga.)

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