Te Whāriki Bicultural ECE Curriculum

The national curriculum for Early Childhood Education in NZ is called Te Whāriki, which means The Woven Mat. The curriculum is made of interwoven parts, just like the mats. All of the parts intertwine and support each other, and all are needed for the whole to be strong and complete. Makes sense for an ECE curriculum, I think.

Māori have always made woven mats like this one out of harakeke (flax), and they are used for many different things. They are sturdy and relatively waterproof, and can be made with different patterns and styles.

This picture shows the four principals that form the foundation of Te Whāriki, and the five strands that come from them and shape our curriculum, planning, and interactions with children. They are all interwoven, forming the whāriki (mat).

I love Te Whāriki. I need to continue to learn more about it, and will probably need to do so for the rest of my time teaching in NZ, however long that may be. But it already feels very natural to me, because it is an official curriculum that finally acknowledges what teachers have known for a long time: Child are whole beings, not cut-and-paste entities to be picked apart and analyzed in separate boxes. Teachers know this, but it's hard to measure, hard to demonstrate, and hard to put into an overall curriculum with enough structure to support teachers in making effective decisions. I am not saying that Te Whāriki is perfect, and I'm not even saying that there aren't thing about other curriculum frameworks I miss, but I am saying that I love it and feel privileged to have it as a tool to guide my teaching. 

I'll give you the short description of teach principal and strand, from the Te Whāriki text. Perhaps this is too much information for the 99% of you reading who are not ECE teachers, but I am going to post it anyway, because all of us should care about children. Plus, it's interesting.

If you'd like the highlights version, I would suggest reading the last bullet point of each section, labeled 'Sub-goal example.' They are the most specific, so not as helpful for an overall view, but they are wonderful peeks into the philosophy. There are lots of sub-goals for each goal, which would be too much, otherwise I would have included them all. I have bolded and underlined them, because they show most clearly what I love about Te Whāriki.

As you read, notice that none of the principals, strands, or goals (the bullet points) indicated that children should know their ABCs, be able to draw a complete circle, be able to balance on one foot for 10 seconds, have a 200-word vocabulary, etc. The teachers here are very proud that NZ has moved away from this kind of "checklist" system, as they call it, and into more holistic practice. Te Whāriki looks at the child's health, adjustment, and happiness as the important things. This is not to say that we, as teachers, don't voice our concerns when we see a child who is struggling with fine motor development, pre-reading skills, etc., but the holistic focus allows us to see that and provide support in a whole-child context.

The four Principals are:

Empowerment - The early childhood curriculum empowers the child to learn and grow.

Holistic Development - The early childhood curriculum reflects the holistic way children learn and grow.

Family and Community - The wider world of family and community is an integral part of the early childhood curriculum.

Relationships - Children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places, and things.

The five Strands are:

Well-Being - The health and well-being of the child are protected and nurtured.

Children experience and environment where:

• their health is promoted;
• their emotional well-being is nurtured;
• they are kept safe from harm.
• Sub-goal example: Child develop a sense of personal worth, and knowledge that person worth does not depend on today's behaviour or ability. (Note from me: I love this because it is describing the importance of unconditional positive regard, which is a fundamental part of attachment).

Belonging - Children and their families feel a sense of belonging.

Children and their families experience an environment where:

• connecting links with the family and the wider world are affirmed and extended;
• they know that they have a place;
• they feel comfortable with the routines, customs, and regular events;
• they know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour.
• Sub-goal example: Children develop knowledge about the features of the area of physical and/or spiritual significance to the local community, such as the local river or mountain. (Note from me: This is extremely important to Māori philosophy - people and the land are connected, and the physical place where you come from is part of who you are).

Contribution - Opportunities for learning are equitable, and each child's contribution is valued.

Children experience an environment where:

• there are equitable opportunities for learning, irrespective of gender, ability, age, ethnicity, or background;
• they are affirmed as individuals;
• they are encourage to learn with and alongside others.
• Sub-goal example: Children develop the ability to recognize discriminatory practices and behaviour and to respond appropriately. (Note from me: Yes, they're 2, 3, 4 years old, and yet, they can and do stand up for what is right, when we give them the space and respect to do so).

Communication - The languages and symbols of their own and other cultures are promoted and protected.

Children experience an environment where:

• they develop non-verbal communication skills for a range of purposes;
• they develop verbal communication skills for a range of purposes;
• they experience the stories and symbols of their own and other cultures;
• they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive.
• Sub-goal example: Children develop an expectation that words and books can amuse, delight, comfort, illuminate, inform, and excite. (Note from me: Reading is the best!)

Exploration - The child learns through active exploration of the environment.
Children experience an environment where:

• their play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play is recognized;
• they gain confidence in and control of their bodies;
• the learn strategies for active exploration, thinking, and reasoning;
• they develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material worlds.
• Sub-goal example: Children develop a perception of themselves as "explorers" - competent, confident learnings who ask questions and make discoveries. (Note from me: Children are so ready to believe this, and so good at living it, when we support them).

There is much more to Te Whāriki than the principals, strands, and goals, but they are the parts that I have worked with the most, so that's what I've focused on. 

If you're interested in reading further, you can download the entire document (in PDF form) here: http://education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Early-Childhood/te-whariki.pdf