Overview:
Tātai Angitu is a preferred supplier of Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO) 1 programmes in partnership with the Ministry of Education and early childhood education (ECE) services. Our team have been delivering tailored and responsive professional learning and development (PLD) solutions in the SELO space for almost a decade.
Kaitakawaenga have extensive networks and experience working alongside ECE services in different National regions. They each have a sound pedagogical knowledge base complemented by andragogical skills which support each service to reach identified areas for improvement. Foundational values and strategies Kaitakawaenga use to design and deliver a SELO 1 programme include:
- Pae Ako – Professional and reciprocal teaching and learning relationships
- Pae Manaaki – A strengths-based approach upholding respect, humility and a supportive lens
- Pae Wānanga – Engaging in robust discussion, active and participatory learning, sharing knowledge and understandings welcoming different world views and ensuring time for deliberation and processing
- Pae Tika – Using ethical, fair and equitable practices, upholding the mana and integrity of people, places and things
- Pae Whakahaere – Facilitating a shared leaderhsip style to increase capabilities and hold high expectations for growth and transformation
- Pae Whānau – Critical reflection on facilitation practices and content to ensure tamariki and whānau wellbeing remain at the heart of each programme
Collaboratively, kaitakawaenga provide customised PLD to match with the unique context and core needs of each ECE service. Expected outcomes of a SELO 1 programme position kaitakawaenga to best support teachers, kaiako and/or educators to improve their teaching and professional practice so that they can confidently:
- review and design their local curriculum to improve their practices;
- make intentional curriculum decisions;
- use knowledge gained from assessment to make teaching and learning more effective to enhance curriculum implementation;
- strengthen governance and management practices and meet licensing requirements;
- explore the avenues to authentically reflect the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa/New Zealand and equitably embed the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in their teaching practice;
- make meaningful change in their professional life with personalised coaching and mentoring;
- develop collective wellbeing in their setting; and
- provide quality learning outcomes with tamariki.
Attitudinal changes, shifts in teacher knowledge and practice are measured through a holistic lens involving wānanga, discussions, aromatawai, teacher reflection, rubric evaluation and documented internal evaluation processes of inquiry.
Delivery model:
Tātai Angitu prefers to use a blended model of delivery where kaitakawaenga visit services and use online platforms to invest in teaching and learning opportunities. Research and analysis of feedback from SELO programmes confirm further social benefits of kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) and the flexibility of participating in online workshops. Having access to a personalised online Moodle platform – NetworkED, has been a huge bonus, especially when faced with a pandemic and all PLD was transferred online.
A point of difference in SELO PLD with Tātai Angitu is the initial whakawhanaungatanga visit to an early learning service, where valuing connections and establishing sustainable, trusting relationships with the whole ECE team is fundamental, living on past the contracted PLD experience.
Teacher/kaiako voice:
From one service, after a month, having completing three visits and their first workshop, one kaiako fed back:
“I just wanted to say thanks so much. I really enjoy listening to you and have learnt so much from you already. Because of you, I can feel my confidence develop more and more and I am enjoying speaking Māori more.”
Tautoko Example – A local curriculum focus:
To further tautoko kaiako in their review and design of their local curriculum, the following summative feedback evolved from a workshop that included informative feedback and feed forward from observations made in the centre. Their next step will be a review of their philosophy which will ensure the voices of staff, whānau aspirations and the learning that is valued in their service is current and reflected through both a teaching and learning lens.
This aims to increase kaiako confidence in articulating their local curriculum.
Contact us at SELO@massey.ac.nz for more information.