Tikanga Maori

Stop

Tikanga Maori is implemented in many ways in the centre I volunteer at. Firstly, children are not to run indoors at any time; running is for outside and inside it is to be strictly walking. No running inside is also something that the teachers do as they play significant roles in each of the children’s life’s that come to the centre leading the children to imitate and learn from what they see the teachers do. At my centre which is a Samoan based Day-care, children are encouraged to sing Maori songs at mat time and also to perform Maori dances, the young boys always take great pride in performing the Haka. The centre staff make sure infants are never put on tables and neither is it acceptable for the toddlers and young children to sit or stand on them.

Think

I think that the centre has been quite successful with implementing Tikanga Maori as most children are aware of it and are following what is being expected of them. Teachers not running indoors is setting an example for the children, it lets them understand that it is inappropriate to run around inside and so the children do not do it either. A few teachers do choose to look past the occasional child that decides he would prefer to run through the building then walk but then the manager or head supervisor stops them and asks that they walk. If there are emergencies such as a child falling over and hurting themselves on a hard object, a teacher will usually run to aid the situation.  At the centre it is inappropriate for a child to be sitting or standing on a table as that is where food for them is placed and also where the food is eaten, it would be disrespectful to place such things as dirty feet on them. The attitudes of the staff at the centre and also those of the parents of the children that attend the centre have helped in making the implementation of Tikanga Maori successful. They encourage children to explore the Maori culture and customs as they believe that the children need to be exposed to a multicultural environment, they teach the children to respect the place in which they are being taught in.

Change

Ways that I could implement Tikanga Maori in my centre is by introducing the children to more customs, exposing them to Maori festivals and celebrating them with the children. Costumes and props could be brought in to the centre so children can experiment and practise dances with the costumes on.

"New Zealand is the home of Maori language and culture: curriculum in early childhood settings should promote te reo and nga tikanga Maori, making them visable and affirming their value for children from all cultural backgrounds". (Ministry of Education, 1996, p 42)

Relationships with Children

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I found that I established and maintained relationships with the children at me centre in basically the same way as I did with the staff, although it was a lot more easier. When I first went into the centre there was a group of children that ran to me and asked about who I am and what my name was. A few children thought that my mummy and daddy had dropped me off just like their parents had done and that I would spend the whole day there with them playing and learning. They asked me my name and how old I was and if my parents had gone to work that’s why I was left there. I introduced myself to all the children and told them why I was there so they so they knew who I was. There were some children that I had difficulties at first connecting with but through the help of teachers and other children, communicating with them was made easy. Another way I established relationships with the children is by asking children if I could play with them and talking to them when they looked like they needed someone to talk to.

Think

I think because I was somebody who was new and different, somebody the children hadn’t seen before it helped with establishing my relationship with a few them. They all would’ve entered into the centre not knowing what was going on and why they were there without their parents, they made friends with those around which helped with giving them a sense of belonging. Because I was new I think the children knew what it was like so they wanted connect with me and be my friend. Alot of the children only spoke Samoan which made communicating with them hard, if they needed something I wasn’t able to make out what it was. The children that do speak English have helped me out a lot; they translate what another child is saying so I can understand. The children thought it was strange at first that I couldn’t speak the way they did or understand them, but once I told them that I was of a different background, they accepted it and would help me out whenever I needed them. I think because I ask for help with translating, the children that can’t speak English feel that even though I can’t speak to them in what they know and understand they can still come to me if they need anything. They feel that I make an effort and this has been great with maintaining relationships with them. Sometimes when children came into the centre in the morning they would bring or wear something that was their favourite, they would come running to me to tell me all about what they had on and why they liked it so much. It made me happy when they did had because it felt like I was someone very close to them, someone had they could share things with. I also got a sense of belonging when the children asked me to join in with the games that they were playing with one another, they would hold my hand and walk me to where they were playing and ask me to act out a character of their choice. I think that overall I was very successful with establishing and maintaining relationships with the children at my centre.

Change

In the future I think to better establish and maintain relationships with the children at any centre that I work at, I should get more involved with them. Be more hands on with activities and organise things myself, things that the children will really be interested in.

Relationships with Staff

Stop

I established and maintained relationships with the staff at the centre I volunteer at which is a Samoan based centre in Papatoetoe by firstly introducing myself. The first day that I started at the centre I made an effort to meet all the stuff that were there and tell them a little about myself so that they became familiar with who I was. Every day that I go in to do my hours I make sure to greet the staff with a smile and ask how they are doing, the staff always reply with enthusiasm. Throughout the time that I am there I keep a positive attitude and behave in a professional manner. I ask the teachers if there are any things in particular that they would like done from me and try to help out whenever possible. I use my own initiative and if teachers are busy, I set up activities, get the children ready for meal time by helping them to wash their hands and clean up before sitting at the table and also by feeding them and getting them ready for nap time.

Think

I think that because I have gone into the centre everyday with a behaviour which is helpful and an attitude which is positive, I have been very successful with maintaining relationships with the staff. They have gotten to know me and the person I am very well. The way that they greet me with a smile and include me in their everyday conversations with one another gives me sense of belonging. All members of the staff feel comfortable enough around me to talk about personal matters or things that may be on their mind, they trust me not to gossip. There is sometimes a barrier because they speak Samoan the majority of the time but if there is something important that I need to know about then they translate and explain to me. The staff always ask me about how I am going with the course and if there is anything they can do to help me out. They ask my opinion on things and if I thought an activity was interesting and what was good about it. I think that because they know what kind of person I am and they have seen how I am with the children they feel comfortable with leaving me alone with them for a while in case of emergencies. When there is a shortage of teachers or if a staff member is running a bit late then I am usually put in charge of a small group of toddlers until something can be arranged.

Change

Changes I can make to better establish and maintain relationships  with the staff at my Early Childhood setting is that rather than waiting to be told what to do or ask if I should set up an activity, if I know something is coming up on their daily routine then I could set it up myself. I should ask the teachers if I could lead activities such as play dough time or mat time with the help of a teacher.