Style of Care

Te Whāriki, NELP, Tapasa and adopted principles from the Cook Islands framework Te Kura Api’i Tamariki Pōtiki.

Through Te Whāriki, New Zealand’s standard early learning curriculum...

We provide a holistic approach to your child’s learning. This learning is steeped in Cook Islands culture, values, and heritage, knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and Tangata Whenua.

 

 

“Te Whāriki means ‘the woven mat’. Early learning services use the curriculum’s principles and strands to weave a learning programme for your child. Your child’s strengths and interests, all the things they learn as part of their family, and the early learning service or opportunities are woven together to contribute to your child’s unique learning story.

 

 

This story forms the beginning of your child’s early learning journey, to share with your family and whānau, other early learning services and eventually school. Your child’s early learning service will record and communicate your child’s learning story with you in different ways.” (Ministry of Education New Zealand, 2022).

 

 

Te Kura Api’i Tamariki Pōtiki is the approved curriculum for Early Learning Schools in the Cook Islands. It mirrors Te Whāriki’s curriculum, “designed to help children know who they are as individuals and as members of family, community and the country”. It recognises the importance of the Cook Islands Māori language, culture and identity, fostering cooperation, respect and care with linkages to the child’s Cook Islands roots physically and spiritually. It is for these reasons that Ta’i Tamaiti has adopted NELP, Tapasa and both Te Whāriki and Te Kura teaching principles below.

Principles & Learning Areas

Te Whāriki Principles:

  • Empowerment: Children will be empowered to learn and grow
  • Holistic development: Children learn and grow in a holistic way. Their intellectual, social, cultural, physical, emotional and spiritual learning is interwoven across all their experiences.
  • Family, Whānau and community: A child’s family, whānau and community are recognised as part of the learning experience.
  • Relationships: Children learn through positive relationships with people, places, and things.

Te Kura Api’i Tamariki Pōtiki Principles:

  • Te Reo Māori – Language: Recognition the Cook Islands Reo Māori is the indigenous language of the Cook Islands and is an integral part of a child’s identity.
  • Akono’anga – Values, customs, traditions, and spiritual beliefs: Values, attitudes and spiritual beliefs are a fundamental part of Cook Islands society.
  • Te Oire e te Iti tangata – Family and community: The wider world of family and community is an important part of learning in Early Childhood Education.
  • Piri’anga – Relationships: Children learn through responsive, warm, two-way relationships with people, places and things. 
Interwoven with these Principles are these learning areas:

Te Whāriki

  • Mana atua – wellbeing
  • Mana tangata – contribution
  • Mana whenua – belonging
  • Mana reo – communication
  • Mana aotūroa – exploration

Te Kura Api’i Tamariki Pōtiki learning areas:

  • Taku turanga vaevae – identity
  • Piri atu – involvement
  • Uiui marama – Inquiry
  • Apaipai karere – communication
  • Tauturu – contribution

For further reading:

 

 

 

Disclaimer: While we have interwoven the Cook Islands teaching principles of Te Kura Api’i Tamariki Pōtiki into our curriculum, Ta’i Tamaiti operates primarily on the New Zealand standard guidelines of Te Whāriki, NELP and Tapasa.

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