![Hill St ECC kaiako and tamariki outside](https://akojournal.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/untitled-9733-Large-585x390.jpg)
Finding their tūrangawaewae
How early childhood centres are weaving past into present to grow tamariki to be confident in their identity and belonging.
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How early childhood centres are weaving past into present to grow tamariki to be confident in their identity and belonging.
AKO catches up with Api Nathan, deputy principal and Māori immersion strand leader at Otari School in Wellington, and hears how they supported immersion learning while the country was in lockdown.
Parents experienced a mix of emotions when their children returned to schools and centres at the end of Alert Level 3. Two kindergartens share their stories of transition with AKO.
Strong written language skills not only help students to cement and present their learning – some teachers are using creative writing to strengthen children’s sense of identity and build resilience.
Over the past 30 years, the demand for Māori immersion learning has increased, being a pivotal way to strengthen te reo Māori. What effect do immersion units have on mainstream schools and their communities?
A number of mainstream schools like Otari School can date their Māori immersion units back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, developing alongside the Kura Kaupapa Māori movement.
The importance of whānau and community doesn’t lessen just because a child starts school, but it can be hard for educators to maintain these strong connections once a child leaves early childhood education. Jane Blaikie and Jane Arthur talk to educators across the country about the challenges they face when trying to build bridges between the child and their community.
Student agency is changing the way children learn – enhancing local curricula and parent and student voice. It has particular relevance to individualising learning for children with additional needs.
One of the most important things for children with additional needs to be able to access the curricula and to thrive at school is having huge support behind them. That includes from the school and whānau communities and from school leaders, support staff, teachers and itinerant staff.
Inclusivity in ECE is increasingly seen as an opportunity to improve teaching practices and engage children’s learning.
Janice Jones, deputy principal at Karori West Normal School, says the most important thing about being a truly inclusive school, in which every child thrives, is that the whole school is in the waka together.