PLEASE SHARE THIS MAGAZINE! If you know anyone who would like to read the interesting and informative articles in Swings & Roundabouts, pass it on! ISSN 1179-688X (Print) • ISSN 1179-7517 (Online) PO Box 5649, Lambton Quay, Wellington 6145 SPRING 2022 2022 ECC CONFERENCE: GROWING TOGETHER EMBRACING A LIVING TREATY IN ECE GAIA (EARTH) FOREST PRESCHOOL: LEAVING THE PLANET IN SAFER HANDS THAN OURS… NAVIGATING BIG FEELINGS
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Inside this issue... Editor Trudi Sutcliffe Editorial Enquiries publications@ecc.org.nz Advertising Enquiries Catherine Norton Waterford Press Ltd PO Box 37346, Christchurch, New Zealand. Phone: 03 983 5526 Email: catherine@waterfordpress.co.nz www.waterfordpress.co.nz Production Co-ordinator Luke Lynch Content Co-ordinator Patti Brown Graphic Designer Liki Udam & Anton Gray Subscription Enquiries Early Childhood Council PO Box 5649, Lambton Quay, Wellington 6145 Phone: 0800 742 742 Email: admin@ecc.org.nz www.ecc.org.nz DISCLAIMER: A cancellation fee of 25% may be charged if the booking is cancelled after the sales cut off date. Your Media Consultant will be able to provide that information if you are not aware of it. Applications for advertising in Swings & Roundabouts will be considered from the following: 1) Early childhood centres and/or their associated management groups that are members of the Early Childhood Council. 2) Trade and service suppliers to the early childhood industry. 3) Government and not-for-profit organisations. Please note: Some industries may be restricted due to exclusive arrangements with the Early Childhood Council. Please note: We do not accept advertisements for staff vacancies. All advertising content is at the sole discretion of the editor. All advertising will be at the rates determined by Waterford Press Ltd. Swings & Roundabouts is produced by the Early Childhood Council and is sent free of charge to all independent early childhood centres in New Zealand. The information contained in Swings & Roundabouts is of a general nature only. Readers should not act on the basis of the information it contains without seeking advice for their own specific circumstances. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the view of the Early Childhood Council Incorporated. All content in this magazine is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the editor. Swings & Roundabouts is published quarterly for the Early Childhood Council by Waterford Press Ltd. 7 FROM THE EDITOR 8 CEO’S MESSAGE 10 ECC UPDATE 12 SO YOU KNOW 16 EMBRACING A LIVING TREATY IN ECE 18 THE REVITALISATION OF TE REO MĀORI 20 2022 ECC CONFERENCE – WHAT TO EXPECT 22 THE ULTIMATE CONFERENCE CHECKLIST 24 ECC CONFERENCE PROGRAMME 26 PROFILING GAIA (EARTH) FOREST PRESCHOOL 32 NAVIGATING BIG FEELINGS 34 TURNING UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS INTO RAVING FANS 36 ECC MEMBER BENEFIT SCHEME 40 RESOURCE REVIEWS September 2022 { 5 }
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FROM THE EDITOR As many of you read this you may be preparing to head to the ECC Conference or even be at the ECC Conference, if so, nau mai, haere mai. Further information about the conference can be found from page 20. If you couldn’t make it to conference this year, don’t despair, keep an eye out in the Summer issue of Swings & Roundabouts for an update on next year’s conference … In September there is an extra emphasis on encouraging all New Zealanders to korero te reo Māori, with Te wiki o te reo Māori and Mahuru (September) Māori where you can set your own challenge to speak te reo Māori for the month - some people do it at home, some at work, some choose a particular time during the day while others speak it all day every day. Goals can be simple as starting with greetings or farewells for beginner learners of te reo Māori. Make sure you read the article, Embracing a Living Treaty in Early Childhood Education, on page 16. This offers readers some useful and practical ways to embrace the treaty within your centre and teaching. This month is the perfect time to reflect on your commitment to te Tiriti within your teaching and overall centre planning. Further resource ideas to support your learning te reo Māori can be found on page 18. If you are thinking of setting up your own early learning centre, or thinking of a reboot, or just feel like being inspired by some forward thinking innovators, make sure you read the article, Gaia (Earth) Forest Preschool, Leaving the planet in safer hands than ours… on page 26. We’d love to share more of these inspirational stories. If you think you have a journey within your ECE career that would inspire others from opening a centre, training to be a teacher, to broadening your career or what you offer within your service contact me at publications@ecc.org.nz for more info. We like to share positive ECE management and teaching stories to inspire and inform our readers. The article, Helping little people navigate BIG feelings on page 32 is a must-read in ways we support young children regulate their feelings! Most early learning centres have suffered a parent complaining about part of the centre’s service or care for their child at some stage. How to turn unhappy customers into raving fans! on page 32 offers a CLEAR approach along with the reminder that sometimes these complaints can alert us to a problem that others just walked away from and left without communicating the ‘why’! If you are an ECC member or considering becoming a member, head to page 34 for the ECC Member Benefit Scheme directory. These preferred suppliers provide ECC members with the opportunity to save dollars through discounted rates and high quality consultation. Thank you to all our spring contributors. Ngā mihi Trudi Sutcliffe Editor Whāia te iti kahurangi. Pursue what is important. Is your cook going on holiday? Need some help? Delivered to your door – over 35 tasty meal options daily Childcare Centre Meal Service – easy to oven-heat meal trays Catering to allergen & cultural needs Use full-time, part-time, or casual EnquiriesWelcome – price competitive rates www.kidicater.co.nz Available nationwide to deliverable locations September 2022 { 7 }
MESSAGE CEO's People will be reading this issue as they head into the ECC’s Annual Conference at the Napier War Memorial – I hope all things are going according to plan and gatherings can still happen. We planned the conference at the height of COVID-19 in 2021. I remember proposing that ECC select a venue in Auckland because it would be a lot easier for more people to get there. At that time, a large gathering in Auckland was not really appealing to anybody – least of all the Aucklanders I spoke to. It is funny how much can change in such a short time. As Chief Executive I am in contact with centre managers every day – at some point everyone gets confronted by difficult or challenging issues that may be outside their control or comfort zone. Sometimes people just need to double-check something to ensure they are on the right track. Our organisation has so many great people working so hard every day. The ability to run a centre is a very high capability and intensive responsibility: with the complexities of regulation and funding, not to mention the actual management job in terms of supporting, developing and leading a high-performance teaching team, and the wider centre operations that many take for granted. As the seasons change, and with COVID-19 infection levels receding (but a new variant in the pipeline – again!) we will be seeing a couple of things. The social impact from placing New Zealand into a disruptive series of lockdowns will start to be unwound. It will become clearer whether the patterns of low attendance in early learning start to improve. If not, intervention will be required. Increasing participation rates in New Zealand was a key objective when I started out in the Education Ministry in 2010. I recall the Briefing to the Incoming Minister advised that participation was nearly sorted and that the next great challenge for ECE would be raising quality. However, as recently as July 2022, early learning registered an all-time low attendance rate of 50% (aside from other lows during actual lockdowns). What is keeping children away from early learning now? Some parents remain hesitant – this hasn’t changed since 2021 but maybe it isn’t improving either. A legacy of the COVID Protection Framework will be the recommendation that parents should keep their children home where they can. That word “should” was a mistake when it was used and got removed quite quickly. It created an awkward sense of guilt for those who felt comfortable that attendance was safe. But the correct “old” Government advice was actually “parents/caregivers who can supervise their children at home are encouraged to do so” [my emphasis]. In the last round of COVID Protection Framework changes this advice changed and is now: “all children can attend according to their normal attendance pattern, eg. education and care centre Mon-Wed, playcentre on Thursday and playgroup on Friday”. Nobody ever did get through to parents with clear advice about the risks and benefits of attending ECE during the pandemic. The work the ECC did with the team of health professionals was very useful I think – where we presented the research about the health risks to young children. The Statement of Public Health Objectives in Early Learning can be found here, https://www.ecc.org.nz/ publicresources. This led to valuable work that is seeing ECC support better ventilation in centres. But with ECC’s limited reach it only got to early learning centres – and not all of them would have appreciated its usefulness or significance. And at the time centres were being jolted by other changes that would have seemed more urgent so I completely understand if that passed many by. People react more strongly when you try to take something away. So the introduction of tough restrictions (like lockdowns) meant families and centres had to adjust their behaviours – and do so on the government’s timelines. But the same thing does not happen when you relax them. People don’t feel the same compulsion to comply. Where the advice to parents changed to encourage them to resume their normal attendance – did any parent actually get that memo? I don’t think so. ECC monitored no advice or publicity from the government on that change. Parents do not monitor the Ministry's website. It is a rather fundamental matter and while ECC can be clear about it to centres – how do centres get parents to poke their heads back in their door to hear their advice? I know there are many early learning centres that have successfully September 2022 { 8 }
reached out to their communities to draw them back in. I feel passionately about the idea that everybody should have access to quality early learning. Some children stand to benefit significantly more from attendance in quality ECE than others. But many of those children are at higher risk of missing out. Unfortunately, if you read our Swings & Roundabouts Winter issue, fees are being increased. A big driver of this is the government funding approach for Pay Parity. ECC has been doing a lot of work about Pay Parity and recently took a bold new step of convening an online hui to tell parents and caregivers about the issue. Town hall-style meetings with centre managers are also happening. For some families the ability to find early learning with very low or no fees could fast be becoming unobtainable. ECC analysis is showing that without a separate revenue stream, the government funding will no longer be sufficient to continue to viably operate many smaller and community-based early learning centres. This will lead to some centres closing. With the pressure on centres set to increase further in January 2023 with Extended Pay Parity. Pay Parity funding rates are more advantageous if the teaching team is less experienced. Teaching teams that are above average in terms of overall experience in that team will require higher salaries to be paid than the average-based government funding allowance provided to that centre. This is not sustainable. Something has got to give. Raising fees to fill the shortfall between Pay Parity funding and the increased costs will allow centres to continue to operate. But I ask you, who are the children who may miss out on quality early learning because of this, and is that a risk we should be willing to take? Funding conditions can be great at driving behaviours (they can be even more effective than compulsion through laws like the COVID protections were). So funding conditions that encourage centres to employ lesser experienced teachers are also worrying for further reasons I think. They are not the kind of policies that ECC will support. And if they are removed quickly they won’t do lasting damage. Our organisation values quality early learning – and the gains that have been made over the years are really precious. There is a sense in our sector that every significant improvement was really hardwon, and that in contrast it could be a lot easier to lose them. We also need to urgently address the salary/wages and conditions for ECE teachers. We hope the Teacher Pay Equity Claim will provide a solution to that problem and in the meantime many of us thought Pay Parity would help to progress towards it. Pay Parity and Pay Equity are not one and the same things. But the natural order would suggest that we will need to have centres to employ teachers, so we can’t afford to lose the centres due to Pay Parity before the dividends from Pay Equity can even be realised. Putting aside the obvious need to refine and make changes to Pay Parity, how Pay Parity and Pay Equity come together as policies is a matter the Government is still working on. Ngā mihi Simon At the beginning of August the ECC shared with families during an online hui why centres were feeling the pinch and how many were feeling handtied between delivering quality ECE and fair fees for their families. September 2022 { 9 }
ECC Update PAY EQUITY CLAIM UPDATE Those of you who the ECC is representing in the Pay Equity claim process should have received the Ngā Whenu Raranga document from the ECE steering group. This document describes the process needed to commence the pay equity investigation. The ECE Steering Group also held two Ngā Whenu Raranga webinars in the last week of July. If you didn’t attend a recording can be found here, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVGp79lAS2E. A special webinar for employers the ECC represent also took place on 31 August with NZEI. While we are a long way off a settlement (potentially years), the ECC is dedicated to ensuring the investigation process is complete and scoped properly so it can be started. The Pay Equity claim involves the investigation of qualified and unqualified teacher wages/salary rates and conditions. The ECC has been closely involved in the development of Ngā Whenu Raranga and have attended all meetings, providing feedback and ensuring we are comfortable with the overall approach being taken. Please contact the ECC if you have any questions surrounding the Pay Equity claim. The ECC will continue to share what insights we can and try to give you opportunities to get your head around what's happening so we can ensure the employers ECC represents are bestpositioned. POLICE VETTING SERVICE UPDATE ECC has been getting numerous requests for assistance on Police vetting service delays. As staff sickness in Winter surged, centres have been forced to urgently find additional staff to ensure they meet ratios and other requirements. Before employing new staff a Police vet should be completed and assessed as clear. In some cases the time centre management spends waiting for the Police vets means fewer children can attend that service – this is how tight staffing has become for many. The Police don’t provide an urgent service as standard, but there is an urgent service option available through the Ministry of Education. Information about it is available on the education.govt.nz website (Google search: “urgent police vet moe”). ECC has been working with both the Police and Ministry of Education on the need to improve the response times on the vetting service. We wrote to the Minister of Education about the matter in July. In a recent ECC consultation we asked members about their experience with the Police vetting service (sample size=77). To the question, “How satisfied are you with the police vetting regime on a scale of 1 to 100?” the average satisfaction score was 57%. And to the question, “How reliable is the processing time for police vetting based on your recent experience on a scale of 1 to 100?” the average satisfaction score was 44%. Police are mostly delivering the vetting service on the set timelines, however the pressure on staffing is heightened and the need for a faster and more responsive service is clearly strong. Sadly, government does not often respond quickly to developing issues and Winter and the surge of staff sickness may recede before any response can be delivered. ECC UPDATE Nau mai, haere mai The Early Childhood Council (ECC) warmly welcomes the following early learning centres that recently joined the ECC: ● Ohope Beach Montessori Preschool, Ōhope ● Aubrey Early Learning Centre, Auckland ● Love and Joy Early Learning Centre, Auckland ● The Tree House Early Learning, Nelson ● Play Learn Grow Early Childcare, Auckland ● Newstead Country Preschool, Hamilton NETWORK MANAGEMENT QUERY Every week members call or email the ECC seeking help with various issues, and at the same time the Ministry responds to issues we raised sometimes many weeks prior – this is like a cycle. One top issue has been on the network management. The Ministry has clarified that only complete applications received before 1 February 2023 will be eligible for the transition process (applicants for a licence where the transition process does not apply will be subject to the new pre-licence step). This responded to questions from ECC about whether an application missing some of the documentation would qualify or not. For example, if a lift is required to obtain building code or other compliance then it would not be possible to apply if the lift was incomplete. However, if local government compliance could be obtained without the lift and a further application could be made subsequently then so long as all documentation can be provided – the application should be considered complete. There appears to be further delays with the release of the Ministry's online network analysis tool. September 2022 { 10 }
TEACHER E-LEARNING VIDEOS E-Learning videos are 30 - 45 minutes long and provide a brief introduction to key elements of the topic. In some cases, they provide an excellent introduction for you to then attend an intensive two-hour in-depth zoom workshop. These short videos are also a great opportunity and starting point for team discussions in planning or professional development meetings. When you purchase an E-Learning video, you will receive a link that will expire after 1 week. Topics on offer include: ● Your Local Curriculum: “What matters here?” ● Learning Stories and the Principles of Assessment ● Teacher Certification, Appraisal, and the ECC’s Blue Book Folder ● Transition & Continuity of Learning ● Physical Health & Movement in ECE ● Early Literacy in ECE Prices ● ECC Members: $40+gst ● Non-members: $60+gst To buy or find out more information, go to www.ecc.org.nz/e-learningvideos ECC INCIDENT REGISTER Looking for a comprehensive incident register? Try the ECC's Incident Register for only $25.00. The incident register has been designed with detachable pages to specifically record all relevant and required incident information. It is tailored for early childhood education centres, offering a comprehensive and auditable record. Offer: Order 10 or more Incident Registers and receive 10% off the total cost of your order. Please note for orders of 10 or above additional postage costs will apply. To order incident registers, go to www.ecc.org.nz/shop Facilitated by Katina Beauchamp, ECC Senior Policy Advisor ONLINE WORKSHOPS FOR TEACHERS Early Childhood Council For more information and bookings visit: ecc.org.nz/events THE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH CYCLE 18 November THE ROLE OF LEARNING STORIES IN ASSESSMENT, PLANNING AND EVALUATION LIMITED SPACES! $65+GST for ECC members $95+GST for Non Members 25 November CHILD PROTECTION IN ECE 30 September INQUIRIES, ASSESSMENT, SELFREVIEW, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL EVALUATION IN ECE NGĀ PAEREWA - THE STANDARDS FOR THE TEACHING PROFESSION 11 November 4 November September 2022 { 11 }
TE MAHAU Te Mahau is a part of Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | The Ministry of Education and is the new name for what has previously been referred to as an Education Service Agency (ESA). The formal establishment of Te Mahau, and subsequent changes to Te Tāhuhu | The Ministry took effect on 4 October 2021. Te Mahau provides services and support for schools, kura and early learning services including current services such as learning support and education advice and regulation functions. The creation of Te Mahau signals a shift in how the Ministry will work with and for the education sector, whānau, and ākonga | students. Te Mahau will also deliver new supports and services to schools and early learning services in stages over time and subject to Budget decisions. You will also find COVID-19 Advice and Guidance on Te Mahau website. To find out more go to, https:// temahau.govt.nz NEW ‘NAVIGATOR’ SERVICE To support early learning services and teachers located overseas who are interested in moving to Aotearoa, The Minsitry have established a new ‘navigator’ service. The service is designed to provide a personal support service to assist you with navigating the steps in the recruitment process. The service is not designed to provide immigration advice. Navigators are available Monday to Friday, 9am– 4.30pm by phone on 0800 165 225 or +64 4463 8466 or via email at teacher.supply@education. govt.nz. GOLD STAR PROGRAMME Gold Star is an online wellbeing programme hosted by EAP Services where you can access e-learning modules, self-tests, and webinars. All staff in early learning services (including kōhanga reo, kindergartens, playcentres and home-based services) are eligible to access the Gold Star programme free of charge. To register go here, https://v2.chameleoncreator. com/preview/eap/gold-star-programmeinformation GPS URGE WORKPLACES TO EASE EMPLOYEE'S MEDICAL CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS The College of GPs has warned that requests for medical certificates are adding to the pressure on already-stretched general practices. They believe that employers should consider waiving the requirement for certificates or look at extending the usual period they require from three days to seven to help ease the impact. Business New Zealand employment relations policy manager Paul MacKay said employers had a legal right to ask for a medical certificate after three days of illness but they understood that doctors were under pressure. To read more go to https://www.rnz.co.nz/ news/national/469835/ gps-urge-workplaces-toease-employee-s-medicalcertificate-requirements YOU SO KNOW September 2022 { 12 }
MANAGING ILLNESS IN YOUR CENTRE The Ministry of Health has put a range of information together to support schools and early learning manage the impacts of winter illnesses and COVID-19 which the Ministry. From this information the Ministry have pulled the key messages for parents, caregivers and whānau into one document which you may wish to send to your community (if you wish to access this document go to https://bulletins.education. govt.nz/bulletin/he-p%C4%81nuik%C5%8Dhungahunga/issue/update-4august-2022/date/2022-08-04 ). Some key messages included: ● Healthy young children can have up to 8 to 12 colds or upper respiratory tract infections each year. These are a normal part of childhood. ● A child should stay at home if they appear unwell or if they develop any of these symptoms: new runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, they are off their food and drink or show signs of feeling miserable. ● If a child has been unwell with an illness other than COVID-19, they can return to their early learning service 24 hours after they have significantly improved and are behaving/eating normally. ● If a child still has a runny nose or dry cough without any other symptoms such as a fever, vomiting or diarrhoea, they are unlikely to be infectious and could be considered well enough to attend their early learning service. ● It is a good idea to encourage children to play outdoors – they just need to be dressed warmly during the winter months! ● Being outdoors helps to boost children’s immune systems through exposure to fresh air and enables them to make vitamin D from exposure to the sun. THE NEW ZEALAND BOOK AWARDS FOR CHILDREN WINNERS See nzbookawards.nz for the full list of winners. A book described as a taonga for this generation and the next, written and illustrated by one of the country’s most lauded authors, was crowned the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year at the 2022 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes by multi-awardwinning author Gavin Bishop was praised by the judges for its sense of magic and the way it validates matauranga and te ao Māori truths. As well as taking out the highest accolade in children’s publishing, Atua also won the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction and the Russell Clark Award for Illustration. While Atua took out the lion’s share of the prizes, it was a cheeky lion who impressed the judges when it came to the Picture Book Award, which went to Lion Guards the Cake by Ruth Paul. The judges loved the masterfully blended words and images, calling it confident storytelling of the highest calibre. While the standard and beautiful flow of reo in I Waho, i te Moana, translated from Yvonne Morrison’s text by Pānia Papa and illustrated by Jenny Cooper, saw it awarded the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for te reo Māori. September 2022 { 13 }
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THE TREATY WAS SIGNED IN 1840 - SO WHY IS IT STILL RELEVANT IN AOTEAROA TODAY? Understanding our past is essential in informing our future. In the early 1800s there was huge commercial interest in land and natural resources here, and therefore also a need to protect people and properties, offset potential foreign threats, and establish a peaceful nation. Aotearoa New Zealand was at the end of a long list of colonised lands by the British and there was mounting pressure that a fair and reasonable treaty should be established (Orange, 2020; Wright 2021). However, harsh realities in industrial Britain meant Aotearoa New Zealand was a sought-after refuge for thousands of new migrants wanting a better life. This in turn disrupted what was said to be a well-intended treaty that sought cultural freedoms and opportunities for fair trade. Within two decades of signing the Treaty, British culture and English language overpowered and marginalised Māori with wide-ranging and complex consequences (Warren et al., 2017). In ECE, we now have an important role to play in addressing the injustices and inequities experienced by Māori communities both in our past and still today. WHAT ARE THE TREATY ARTICLES AND WHY SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT THESE? First Article focused on what the British Crown was promised (English – sovereignty; Māori - kawanatanga/governorship). Second Article focused on what Māori were promised (English – possession; Māori - tino rangatiratanga/chiefly authority and selfdetermination …of all properties, resources and things of value). Third article focused on the assurance that Māori received the same rights and thereby the same advantages of the British people who were to call Aotearoa New Zealand their home. Te Tiriti o Waitangi is essentially an agreement to ensure that both parties attained their agreed-upon rights and promises and it is as binding today as it was in 1840. As teachers, we are Treaty partners representing the government established over 180 years ago. To authentically honour the Treaty agreement with its intended spirit, is both our responsibility and our privilege. WHAT ARE THE TREATY PRINCIPLES AND WHY DO WE NEED THEM? The Māori version conveyed a sharing of power, whereas the English version implied a transfer of power, essentially two differing versions. Therefore, to view the Treaty in good faith and to interpret it as a whole, Treaty principles (including partnership, active protection, participation, reciprocity, redress, and equity) have been established by recent governments and the Waitangi Tribunal to apply to past and continuing grievances and ongoing social and political issues, in order to restore the Treaty relationship (Orange, 2020). WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT WAYS THAT WE CAN EMBRACE A LIVING TREATY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION? ● Commit to Language Planning: Centre-wide initiatives, positively supported by leadership and progressed through planning and goal setting are required to revitalise te reo Māori. To shift positive aspirations into action, planning is crucial to engage more intentionally and support processes of review and evaluation. Use this link for language planning information, tools and templates. https://en.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/language-planning Opportunities include – Regularly planning and evaluating new kupu (words), rerenga kōrero (sentences, phrases), waiata (songs), pūrākau, pakiwaitara (legends, stories), labelling centre items in te reo Māori, and encouraging kōrero (speech, talk) naturally in the context of children’s play and conversations. ● Expand on Māori cultural knowledge: Value the people, resources, and professional development opportunities available to your team to learn about Māori cultural values, traditions and practices, and thoughtfully integrate increasing understandings throughout your centre policies, routines, rituals, and curriculum practices. Opportunities include – Learning about and adhering to tikanga Māori (cultural values, dispositions, practices) and Tātaiako competencies, recognising each child’s mana and wairua (uniqueness, sacredness, spirituality), authentically sharing karakia and pepeha (prayer-blessings, introductions), encouraging EMBRACING A LIVING TREATY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION BY TRISH THOMAS Te Tiriti o Waitangi has significant importance to our work in early childhood education as emphasised in Te Whāriki and Our Code, Our Standards. This brief article aims to provide some reminders about its evolving relevance in 2022 and our ongoing commitment to being a Treaty Partner in education. September 2022 { 16 }
tuakana-teina and manaakitanga (older-younger, collective responsibility, respect, kindness and care for each other), and appreciating and engaging in toi ataata and kapa haka (Māori visual arts, Māori cultural performance). ● Read and engage in Aotearoa history: Currently schools are teaching our nation’s history as a formal part of their curriculum. This presents ECE teachers with a pedagogical challenge in how we can also teach Aotearoa history in ethical, creative, and accurate ways. Opportunities include – Reading library books and home-made board stories involving historical importance such as early navigations to Aotearoa; early hunting, fishing, cooking and foodstoring methods; the architecture of whare (buildings) and design of waka (canoe); learning about respected leaders, artists and role-models; and exploring Te Tiriti o Waitangi connections to your centre community and place. Use this link for resource information https://www.archives.govt.nz/discover-our-stories/the-treaty-ofwaitangi ● Connect with local people and places: Prioritise place-based education (PBE) to authentically support a sense of belonging and sustainability in your local community. PBE involves nurturing children’s “love of their environment, of the place where they are living, of its social history, of the bio-diversity that exists there, and of the way in which people have responded and continue to respond to the natural and social environments” (Penetito, 2009, p. 16). Opportunities include – Learning about local intergenerational knowledge, narratives and whakapapa relationships; visiting and talking about important natural features such as mountains, rivers, bush, lakes and beaches, leading to ecological consciousness through hands-on physical, emotional and spiritual experiences; visiting marae and local places where tamariki can learn from elders, encouraging intergenerational relationships; inviting visitors to the centre to share their stories; and engaging in community events so that all tamariki and whānau have opportunities to feel connected to the wider community and to each other. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Trish Thomas has a background of teaching in the Aotearoa New Zealand early childhood sector, followed by 20+ years in early childhood teacher education with New Zealand Tertiary College. Trish’s teaching experience and research interests include culturally responsive early childhood education, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, child and family advocacy, and issues around equity and social justice. REFERENCE LIST Orange, C. (2020). The Treaty of Waitangi. Te Tiriti o Waitangi. An illustrated history. Bridget Williams Books. Penetito, W. (2009). Place-based education: Catering for curriculum, culture and community. New Zealand Annual Review of Education, 18, 5-29. Warren, T., Forster, M., & Tawhai, V. (2017). Tangata whenua: Māori, identity and belonging. In T. Cain, E. Kahu & R. Shaw (Eds.), Tūrangawaewae identity & belonging in Aotearoa New Zealand (pp. 53-69). Massey University Press. Wright. M. (2021). Waitangi. A living treaty. Bateman Publishing. September 2022 { 17 }
Te reo Māori became an official language in its own country 35-years-ago this August and the battle for its survival has yet to be won says the Māori Language Commission. “The battle for te reo Māori has been fought in communities across Aotearoa, from our smallest towns to our biggest cities. In 1987 some warned that making te reo an official language would divide New Zealanders but 35-years later, te reo is something that unites us,” said Professor Rawinia Higgins, Māori Language Commissioner. “From the 1 million people who joined us for our Māori Language Moments, to the thousands singing our anthem in te reo at All Black tests and the hundreds taking part in total immersion kura reo every weekend: te reo is part of our national identity as New Zealanders and connects us all to this place we call home.” “For Māori New Zealanders, te reo is an integral part of our identity. It tells the story of our families and links us forever to our ancestors and to Aotearoa. The battle for its survival is part of the story of every Māori family.” Today also marks the 35th birthday of the Māori Language Commission, which opened its doors when the Māori Language Act became law. Professor Higgins said Stats NZ data released this month revealed some exciting developments: ● Almost 1 in 4 Māori New Zealanders now speak te reo as a first language, while 34 per cent of Māori New Zealanders can speak te reo fairly well. ● Young New Zealanders are leading the way in te reo proficiency, with around 40 per cent of those aged 15-34 able to speak more than a few words or phrases. ● 3 in 5 New Zealanders think te reo should be a core subject in primary schools. “But the battle is not over: we need 1 million speakers of te reo by 2040 to safeguard our language for future generations. Those babies born today will be the first adult generation of speakers in 2040, the countdown is on.” 50-years-ago in 1972 the Māori Language Petition, calling on the government to protect te reo and teach it in schools, was presented to parliament. That day, the 14th September became Māori Language Day and later Māori Language Week. For the past two years at the moment the petition was presented, 12pm on the 14th September: more than 1 million New Zealanders have stopped to celebrate the Māori Language Moment. This year the Māori Language Moment is 12pm Wednesday 14th September 2022. Te wiki o te reo Māori: Kia kaha te reo Māori: Monday 12th September – Sunday 18th September 2022 RESOURCES TO SUPPORT YOUR LEARNING OF TE REO MĀORI One strategy as an early learning centre for Te wiki o te reo Māori could be setting time with your team to create a language plan as Trish Thomas shares in the previous article, Embracing a Living Treaty in Early Childhood Education, ‘shift positive aspirations into action’. There are many options and opportunities to learn te reo Māori within Aotearoa/New Zealand. First, check what is available in your own community/city/region such as your local polytechnics, your local Te Wānanga o Aotearoa; and if Te Ahu o te Reo Māori is being offered close to you this is a great option for teachers, https://kauwhatareo. govt.nz/mi/resource/te-ahu-o-te-reomaori-2/ THE REVITALISATION OF TE REO MĀORI: Online or App resources ● https://www.reomaori.co.nz/ ● http://www.tewhanake.maori.nz/ ● http://www.tokureo.maori.nz/index. html ● https://kupu.maori.nz/ ● https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/ international/where-can-i-study/ study-online/toromai/toromai_ home.cfm ● Kia kaha te reo Māori Facebook page ● Panga: te reo Māori Wordle ● https://www.maoritelevision.com (and now an app). Ōpaki is a great option for language learnng ● Tipu Te Reo Māori app ● Te Aka Māori Dictionary, https://maoridictionary.co.nz Useful books include: ● Māori Made Easy series by Scotty Morrison ● Te Reo Māori: The Basics Explained by David Karena-Holmes ● A Māori Word a Day and A Māori Phrase a Day both by Hemi Kelly (also has a fantastic Facebook/ Instagram and podcast) ● He Iti te Kupu: Māori Metaphors and Similes by Hona Black Informative podcasts: ● Taringa (Te Wānanga o Aotearoa) ● Everyday Māori (Hemi Kelly) THE BATTLE FOR ITS SURVIVAL September 2022 { 18 }
2022 ECC CONFERENCE GROWING NAPIER 16 & 17 September ART DECO THEME GALA DINNER For more information Visit the ECC website www.ecc.org.nz Full Registration Full registration includes full access to the ECC Conference on Friday 16 & Saturday 17 September. (Centre Tours and Gala Dinner are sold separately) ECC Members - $550 GST exclusive Non-members - $825 GST exclusive Saturday Registration Registration access for Saturday 17 September only. (Centre Tours and Gala Dinner are sold separately) ECC Members - $300 GST exclusive Non-members - $450 GST exclusive A collaborative approach to success in early childhood education in New Zealand TAKE TIME AWAY FROM THE BUSINESS TO RECONNECT WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS, AND TO INVEST IN YOUR TEAM’S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. Exciting line up of KEYNOTE SPEAKERS PLUS WORKSHOPS, GALA DINNER AND CENTRE TOURS TOGETHER
PREMIUM SPONSOR: Discover by Xplor offers enterprise software solutions to childcare centres, assisting with centre administration, documentation, parent engagement, occupancy, and waitlists. The cloud-based platform is an all-in-one software solution that seamlessly simplifies compliance, increases parent engagement, and delivers the best educational experience possible. WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AT THE 2022 ECC CONFERENCE? This year’s theme is ‘Growing Together’, acknowledging the important role of teamwork and collaboration within the early learning sector. For those lucky to have booked the now SOLD OUT centre tours you won’t come away disappointed. What a treat to have the opportunity to visit other centres, other than your own, to inspire, while travelling on the famous Napier Art Deco buses! For those attending on the Friday you will have an opportunity to listen to a diverse line up of inspirational keynote speakers from Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i on inclusivity and diversity; Kathryn Berkett discussing neurodiversity; and Childspace founders Toni and Robin Christie advocating for respectful teaching. The ECC Conference is the only early childhood event the Minister of Education Chris Hipkins has announced for the year – you won’t want to miss hearing what’s next for the early childhood sector! Plus meet and listen to the ECC’s CEO Simon Laube who touches on how the ECC seeks to grow and strengthen centres now and in the future. One of the major issues facing the education sector is the teacher supply crisis. The panel discussion on Friday will deliberate this issue and how we best mitigate this ever increasing problem! Panellists include representatives from the Ministry of Education, Te Rito Maioha, NZEI and others. Then in the evening let your hair down at the gala dinner. Listen to Wellington Paranormal’s Karen O’Leary as dinner speaker and dance to live music. Bring your best beads and feathers, there is a prize for best dressed! Then on Saturday the planned workshops will cover an extensive range of issues and topics to meet the diverse needs of all attendees including pay parity, compliance, innovation and leadership as well as a range of teacher focused workshops. These workshops are designed to provide you with a year’s worth of professional development in one day! You will leave conference with a clear path to success leading into the busy end of the year. You will also won’t want to miss the final plenary wrap-up if you want to be in to win some major prizes including a SHARP 60" Android TV, a two night holiday package in Queenstown (donated by Barker Childcare sales), $500 worth of products from Bizz-e bee, $300 OfficeMax voucher, plus much more … THIS EVENT HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: September 2022 { 20 }
THE ULTIMATE CONFERENCE CHECKLIST Is your centre taking advantage of these great benefits? Save money with great pricing on everything your centre needs including: • Art Supplies • Teaching Resources • STEAM • ECE Furniture • Hygiene & Cleaning • PPE & Safety Products • First Aid and of course, Stationery Save time, place fewer orders and receive fewer deliveries and invoices to process Shop your way online, phone or email Email us at ecc@officemax.co.nz to open an account or to link your existing OfficeMax account to this offer. Terms and conditions officemax.co.nz/prices Terms and conditions officemax.co.nz/delivery As the saying goes, timing is everything. If your cash flow could do with a breather, we can help Would amagic beanbehandy right now? 0800 777 559 childcarefinance.co.nz No giants. Just trusted cashflow support for childcare centres. EXPERT support from childcare centre specialists 60% Early access of up to of your next bulk funding payment Advances available in multiples of $5,000 NO FIXED term contracts Same day approvals; minimal paperwork Fast-track your next bulk fundingpayment PRE-CONFERENCE ● Register for the ECC AGM on Friday (ECC members only) ● Buy your ‘Art Deco Gala Dinner’ ticket ● Hire or create your winning best dressed get-up for the ‘Art Deco Gala Dinner’ ● Pack your prize winning getup! ● Set some conference goals What are you hoping to take away from conference? ● Research your chosen workshop presenters ● Plan some possible questions for each workshop ● Practise the waiata, Tūtira mai ngā iwi DURING CONFERENCE ● Meet the friendly ECC team at the registration desk ● If you haven't yet registered for the ECC AGM on Friday 16 see the helpful staff at the registration desk ● Do you know where the breakout rooms are? ● Kei whea ngā wharepaku? ● Taken note of all emergency exits? ● Have you spent time chatting to the very knowledgeable & friendly exhibitors today? ● Silenced your cellphone while in session? Better still, turn it off – give yourself a mini-break ● How many new people have you met today? One person? Tau ke! Two? Ka mau te wehi! Three? Ko koe tonu a runga! ● Have you received all your passport stamps from each exhibitor? ● Are you in to win – made time to be at the final plenary wrap-up? AFTER CONFERENCE ● Read through and organise your notes ● Formulate your notes into a presentation to share with colleagues ● Make SMART goals for your centre or teaching practice from what you’ve learnt at conference ● Need more information? Start researching further workshops/books/ articles/websites ... September 2022 { 22 }
Are you drowning in compliance paperwork? 1Place Childcare is a digital compliance platform, replacing paper-based checklists and incident forms with mobile tools that help childcare organisations meet their quality, health and safety and external compliance obligations. The 1Place system is used for: • child/employee incident forms • open/close checks • health and safety • food safety • transport/property compliance 0800 175 223 hello@1placechildcare.com 1placechildcare.com M355722-1Place-Quarter Page advert-v1.indd 1 1/08/22 12:06 PM More enquiries. Less admin. Kakapo Creek Children’s Garden Mairangi Bay, Auckland 7:30am - 5:30pm All Day Education and Care SafetyNest is health, safety and compliance cloud-based software system. Designed specifically for New Zealand Early Childcare Education Centres. • Illness Register • Parent Reports • Checklists • Medicine Register • Risk Register • Incident and Injury Reporting • eLearning and Policy Management • Customisable Reporting Tools Keeping kids safe & centres compliant – with minimal fuss contact@safetynest.co.nz Phone: +64 3 669 0609 www.safetynest.co.nz September 2022 { 23 }
TIME (TBC) SESSIONS 7.30am Registration Desk and Trade Exhibition open 8.45am Opening, housekeeping information Mihi Whakatau 9.30am – 10.30am ECC’s vision for growth Simon Laube - ECC Chief Executive 10.30am – 11.00am MORNING TEA 11.00am – 11.45am Hon Chris Hipkins - Minister of Education 11.45am – 12.30am Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i - winner of the diversity category in the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards 12.30pm – 1.30pm LUNCH 1.30pm – 2.45pm Teacher Supply Panel Discussion Introduction from the Minister of Education’s Youth Advisory Group. Panel comprises: Ministry of Education, Immigration New Zealand, ECC, Te Rito Maioha, NZEI and others. 2.45pm – 3.30pm Toni and Robin Christie – Respectful people, places and things The New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki, refers to “people, places and things” as the learning context for young children. This keynote will inspire participants to examine closer their own ideas about respectful ways of being, aesthetic and functional environments, and resources appropriate for living, loving and learning in early childhood. 3.30pm – 4.00pm AFTERNOON TEA 4.00pm – 5.00pm Kathryn Berkett - What is neurodiversity We hear this word more and more, and it can be frightening at times, wondering how we do our best for those we may not fully understand. In this session we will unpack, in a neurophysiological way, what neurodiversity is. We will talk about how to understand, support and extend those who are being identified as neurodiverse? Knowledge will help our confidence and help us work in a more biologically responsive way with our tamariki. 5.00pm ECC AGM - members only 7.30pm – till late GALA DINNER EVENT Please Note: that the Registration Desk will be open from Thursday 2pm until 6pm. Centre Tours on the art deco buses are leaving 6pm Thursday 15 September for people arriving into Napier the day before the conference opens. ECC CONFERENCE PLENARY PROGRAMME FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER September 2022 { 24 }
7.30am Registration Desk and Trade Exhibition open TIME WORKSHOPS - CHOOSE FROM FIVE STREAMS: Curriculum Running the business Agencies Innovation Teams and leadership 8.30am – 10.00am Continuity of Care Facebook for Business ERO's focus on the NELP Duties and responsibilities of ECE employers under the Health & Safety at Work Act 2015 Personality profiling as a team and management tool Ali Porteous and Marcia Knight Jodine McIntyre, Social Smarty Sandra Collins, ERO Nicholas Matzopoulos, Safety ‘n Action Ltd David Trim, David Trim and Associates 10.00am – 10.30am MORNING TEA 10.30am – 12.00pm Supporting children who have experienced trauma Recent regulatory changes you should know about Championing Emotional Competence Reducing workload and utilising the tools at hand What is neurodiversity Melody Stuckey Sue Kurtovich & Katina Beauchamp, ECC Gwen Davitt, Te Rito Maioha Emma Black, SafetyNest Ltd Kathryn Berkett, ENGAGE Training 12.00pm – 1.00pm LUNCH 1.00pm – 2.30pm Introduction to Te Ahu o te reo Māori and Mā te Ahu ka Rea Supporting your board to be the best they can be Professional Growth Cycle – Professional Growth that makes a difference Wellbeing and selfcare for adults in early childhood education Providing the right conditions for your team to succeed: a supportive workplace culture Kingi Kiriona, Te Waipounamu Teinakore and Rawinia Paringatai, Tupu Ora Megan Thorn, Exult Jayne Franklin & Simon Cottle, Teaching Council Frances Van Dillon, Onward Consultants Dr Christina Egan Marnell 2.30pm – 3.00pm AFTERNOON TEA 3.00pm – 4.30pm Rituals Financial Management for ECE centres Licensing Marketing: Attracting the right families and staff Strength, courage & wisdom: a valuesbased approach to leadership Becky Gray & Josh Allen, Childspace Lonnie Parker & Sue Kurtovich, ECC & Mark Salmon, Rubiix Accountants Ministry of Education Kathryn McGarvey, The Meaningful Marketing Company Toni Christie, Childspace 4.30pm – 5.30pm FINAL PLENARY IN THE MAIN PLENARY ROOM (BALLROOM) ● Introduction of new ECC Executive ● Announcement of 2023 ECC Conference ● Major prize draw Ends 5.30pm ECC CONFERENCE PLENARY PROGRAMME SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER September 2022 { 25 }
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