Te Whāriki, Early Childhood Education
Curriculum – New Zealand
Te Whāriki Overview
Te Whāriki is the New Zealand early childhood education curriculum first introduced in 1996, updated in 2017. Te Whariki is underpinned by a vision for children who are competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society.
New Zealand’s Te Whāriki is a progressive and cogent document that uses examples to set expectations for early educators. The document has a strong focus on:
- well-being and learning,
- age-appropriate content,
- tolerance and respect for cultural values and diversity, and
- values consistent with upcoming school needs.
Educator Assessment
And so New Zealand early educators use narratives – learning stories — rather than testing, to assess the progress of each child. Careful observations are combined with what is called reflective practice, to build a picture of a child. In this way assessment and play can integrate.
NZ Curriculum Principles
1. Empowerment
The early childhood curriculum reflects the holistic way children learn and grow.
The early childhood curriculum reflects the holistic way children learn and grow.
The wider world of family and community is an integral part of the early childhood curriculum.
Children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places, and things.
Educators are encouraged to use those goals to reflect on and interpret the experiences of early learners. The framework clearly unpacks these goals, drawing out questions such as ‘what does it mean’ so educators can reflect and interpret, then suggesting possible next steps for planning and taking action.
Strands and Associated Goals
Strand 1. Well-being – nurture and protect the health and well-being of the child.
Goals: Children experience an environment that promotes health, nurtures their emotional well-being and they are safe.
Strand 2. Belonging – children and their families feel a sense of belonging.
Goals : Children and their families experience an environment where: connecting with 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; and they know the limits and boundaries of acceptable behavior.
Stand 3: Contribution – opportunities for learning are equitable, and each child’s contribution is valued.
Goals: Children experience an environment where: there are equitable opportunities for learning, irrespective of gender, ability, age, ethnicity, or background; they are affirmed as individuals; and they are encouraged to learn with and alongside others.
Strand 4: Communication – the languages and symbols of their own and other cultures are promoted and protected.
Goals: 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; and they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive.
Strand 5: Exploration – the child learns through active exploration of the environment.
Goals: Children experience an environment where: their play is valued as meaningful learning and the importance of spontaneous play is understood; they gain confidence in and control of their bodies; they learn strategies for active exploration, thinking, and reasoning; and they develop working theories for making sense of the natural, social, physical, and material worlds.
Understanding the Te Whariki Approach
Margaret Carr and Wendy Lee are two leading New Zealand educators, and collaborators in the development of Educa. Margaret Carr wrote Learning Stories: Constructing Learner Identities in Early Education. Both are in demand worldwide for their insights into early education.
You can purchase this book on Amazon here.
Resources
An interesting review of how services are using Te Whariki was completed by the OECD in 2012. It outlines curriculum strengths and weaknesses, and reports on studies tracking how educators are using the curriculum day to day.
Te Whariki is preloaded into the Educa early childhood software platform, with different version linking at the Goals, Learning Outcomes and Examples level of the framework. There is also the Samoan version.