Nau mai ki tenei wiki Kōrero. This time last year we were preparing to return to work after the rāhui, opening our kindergartens and our two Association Offices, as well returning to some sort of normality with our community work. It is hard to believe a year has gone by. While we are carrying on life fairly much as was normal it is still important to remain Covid vigilant! One of the things to continue doing in your kindergarten is to remind visitors to scan in using your Covid QR code. Your codes may have become tatty so feel free to photo copy them and have them replaced if necessary. Ma tini ma mano ka rapa te whai, Many hands make light work, unity is strength. Jane 
Senior Teacher Update Kia ora koutou katoa, Induction and Mentoring Programme 2021 This term we are offering a ZOOM workshop for all new Mentors, “An Introduction to Educative Mentoring”. This ZOOM workshop explores some key ideas around Educative Mentoring, and what it means to provide effective educative mentoring based on the NZ Teaching Council’s resource. It is a really useful workshop for anyone who is a new mentor for a Kaiako working through our WMK Induction and Mentoring programme (or anyone that would like a refresher😊). It will also provide an opportunity to meet other new mentors working across He Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens. Please enrol through Tūhonohono and then you will be able to access the ZOOM link. Please contact Lynette if you have any questions. We are also planning for our next seminar on 16 July for all kaiako engaging in our Induction and Mentoring Programme. Please put this in your diaries now and we will let you know more details over the next few weeks. Professional Growth Cycle The HWM Professional Growth Cycle has now been shared with you all. If you have questions about this new way of working let your Senior Teacher know, and we can support you. You will also find on the Teachers Toolbox the WMK Professional Growth Cycle 2021 Plan. Within this plan there are word versions of the Quality Practice Templates (within the Timatanga section). Storypark planning templates for the QPT’s are also available in each kindergartens planning section - and there is a choice of either one template for all the Standards, or individual templates for each Standard. The Teaching Council are also holding more live zoom webinars in the coming weeks as well as giving access to recorded webinars, you can access both here. Head Teacher Meetings Term 2- Te Manawa The Senior Teaching team were excited to release the 3rd Edition at the recent Regional Meetings, and we appreciate the feedback from you at these meetings. Currently the Te Manawa Team are designing the PLD for term two and this edition includes the preparation for Term 2’s Head Teacher meetings. Click on the following for more information: Head Teacher Meeting Te Manawa PLD Te Manawa PLD Sessions 2021 Social Competency Strategy 2021 Thank you to all the contributions to the review of our Social Competency Strategy and supporting documents. The working document for teams has been reviewed and additional guidelines for kaiako when managing extreme behaviours is complete. You can now access the Social Competency Policy and Guidelines for Managing Extreme Behaviours here. Our Social Competency Strategy now reflects the key messages in He Māpuna te Tamaiti -Supporting Social and Emotional Competence in Early Learning; makes stronger connections to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the key principles of Te Whāriki 2017. You are now able to revisit and review your team Social Competency Procedures using the Strategy and guidelines as your reference points. Each teaching team will develop a social competence procedure outlining how they implement criteria into their programme. Your procedure, and practice, will be inclusive, culturally responsive and reflect a learning focused culture. The criteria and reflective questions will prompt you to consider how you build respectful and reciprocal professional relationships with whānau and how those relationships inform what is valued and viewed as social competence and appropriate behaviour in your kindergarten. It is important that your procedure authentically reflects the shared values of your team, whānau and community. You can access the documents and other resources in the Teachers Toolbox Teachers Toolbox Social Competency Plan. Reviewing and Planning for the Future The Senior Teachers have just returned from a busy two day hui where we worked with Facilitator Clare Wells on the role of the Senior Teacher. As you know, with Sharon Coulton ( leader of the Senior teacher team ) leaving we don’t currently have a Team Leader, so this has given us an opportunity to review our roles and look at how we might be more creative in our approach. We discussed what was strong about the Senior Teacher service and what we thought could change. All of this was in relation to being more responsive and how we might use our combined skills to further strengthen teaching and learning across the Association. We will be continuing this work throughout May and June, and will keep you updated about our progress – exciting times!
Finance Update 2021/22 Budgets Thanks to all those who have submitted your 2021/22 budget templates already. A reminder that these are due to the Association tomorrow so that they are available for review by management early next week. For those that have still to complete their budget templates please email them to Brendon. Term 2 Whānau Contribution Requests Your families may be starting to ask about Term 2 requests for Whānau Contributions. Feel free to let them know that these will be emailed out tomorrow. Hard copies will also be delivered to kindergartens for distribution through “child pockets” next week. 2020/21 Donation Tax Certificates 31 March 2021 Donation Tax Certificates were emailed to families on 30 April 2021. These summarise all whānau contributions and other donations made to Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. Any queries about the tax certificates can be emailed here.
Giveaway Day Una Williams Kindergarten (Wairarapa) are holding a Giveaway Day on the 22 May from 9am to 12pm.
If you have any items that you would like to donate, please drop these off to Una Williams as soon as possible. They have lots of room to hold these until the Giveaway Day. Una Williams are looking for donations of clothing, toys, books, toiletries, sheets, blankets, shoes, nappies, curtains, heaters and small furniture etc. Unfortunately, they cannot accept electronics such as TV’s or computers. Your donations will be greatly appreciated.
Government Announces Move Towards Pay Parity For All ECE Teachers Yesterday the government announced increased funding for early childhood centres outside the state sector, if they agree to pay the first six steps of the Kindergarten Collective Agreement. The Ministry of Education suggests it could mean pay increases of up to 17 per cent for some teachers. This represents a significant step towards pay parity across the sector. Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens welcomed the move, with a press release delivered through our collective organisation, Kindergartens Aotearoa. The Kindergartens have called for a national collective agreement for all teachers outside the state sector, to ensure appropriate pay and conditions for all teachers. Yesterday’s announcement will be followed by more details in the budget next week. 
Minister Hopkins after his announcement yesterday.
Teachers Recognised As Leaders Of Change In New Campaign - Unteach Racism
The Teaching Council today launches a campaign that gives teachers the tools and support to identify, confront and dismantle racism.
Unteach Racism is for teachers and education leaders, it’s opt-in and not intended to be taught
to students.
It acknowledges their position to lead change and make a difference for children and young people facing prejudice and bias based on ethnicity.
An app and a website with online resources is available to support teachers and education leaders to grow their own knowledge and understanding of racism. It includes advice for teachers to self reflect and gives advice for having frank, open conversations about racism with colleagues. No individual data will be collected.
Unteach Racism is built on the Human Rights Commission’s Give Nothing to Racism campaign, is research-based with advice from teachers, leaders and academics, and features celebrated film-maker Taika Waititi, who is also featured in the nation-wide Give Nothing to Racism campaign.
Waititi invites teachers to ‘unteach racism’ in a video where he tells the story of 8-year-old Taika being taught harsh lessons by society while at school. Young Waititi was accused of sniffing glue, stealing lunches with low expectations of his academic ability, particularly in English language – but it was twoteachers who convinced him society was wrong.
Waititi invites teachers to join the movement, “As teachers you have the real-life ability to make a
difference for kids in the face of racism... You have the power to unteach racism. Will you?”
Teaching Council chief executive Lesley Hoskin says addressing racism is a journey the entire country is on. It’s not only an educational issue, but in schools, kura and early childhood education centres bias and prejudice will either be confirmed, or it will be challenged.
“This isn’t new ground for teachers. Many teachers are already doing so much to celebrate diversity and ensure children and young people feel they belong and are valued – crucial factors for success. Unteach Racism builds on, and supports, this work,” Hoskin says.
“This campaign is in three parts – identify, confront and dismantle racism.
“We start with identify and confront. It might feel scary or uncomfortable at times but it’s incredibly important teachers have the support to learn about this difficult subject.
“Dismantle will follow later; it will be developed again in collaboration with experts and the teaching profession. We will add to and adjust along the way – we are all learning about this together.”
The campaign supports teachers to continue to grow in their Code of Professional Responsibility | Ngā Tikanga Matatika commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, social justice, respecting diversity of learners, affirming Māori learners as tangata whenua, and promoting and protecting principles of human rights.
Unteach Racism uses an interactive app, a dedicated website with resources and an exclusive teachers only online platform for teachers to have conversations about racism. It is optional for teachers and not intended to be taught to students. Students will be the beneficiaries of the change, through teachers adjusting their practice.
“Unteach Racism is a ripple in the wider efforts to dismantle racism in Aotearoa. But it’s these ripples that build a current of change, which in time, I hope will sweep away the prejudices that exist in our society,” Hoskin says.
Watch Taika Waititi’s unteach racism story
Watch Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon speak with Teaching Council chief executive
Lesley Hoskin about anti-racism campaigns in Aotearoa New Zealand
Watch Teaching Council chief executive Lesley Hoskin explain why Unteach Racism was created
Board News - Iona To'omaga Iona To’omaga who teaches at Moira Gallagher Kindergarten in Porirua says he has learned a lot from being on the board of Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens. Iona is one of two staff representatives, and he is elected for a two-year term. He says when he first came onto the board, it was difficult to get used to the language, and to be confident enough to speak up, but it is important that the board gets the perspective from kindergarten staff. Iona says he can also add a Pacific perspective which is important. “We need someone there to be the voice of the Pacific people.” He says while some board members have strong professional backgrounds in law or finance, everyone has a contribution to make and the board members are welcoming and have a down-to- earth attitude. Iona says he has more appreciation of the depth of the work done by Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens now. Although working in Porirua he knew about services such as the home-based programme Etu Ao, and the Whānau Ora contracts, he only knew about them at a surface level, not what was happening on the ground. Iona says his board work reinforces his teaching job, and the importance of early childhood education to society. He also says the opportunity of being on the board has opened his eyes to the possibility of taking other leadership roles. “I’m not naturally confident but I’m definitely keen to be doing more of this stuff in the future.” He encourages others to stand for the board, and says it would be great to have more Pacific people. Congratulations! The Finance Team had cause for celebration this week as they lunched with Yan prior to her upcoming wedding. The team, along with the rest of us in the office, are so excited for Yan and her partner Steven, congratulations!!!  
Graduation Congratulations! We had let you know in a previous edition of the Kōrero that Matt and Rangi, from our last YMen cohort, had completed their ECE studies. Here they are at their graduation ceremony this week, congrats to them both. 
Previous Kōrero Editions If you are wanting to access previous editions of the Kōrero you can find them at www.wmkindergartens.org.nz/archive or you can click here. It is a good idea to save this link as an icon on your desktop.
Thank you for taking the time to read Kōrero. Don't forget to check out some of the stories listed down the side menu. Just click between the stories of use the Kōrero bar to come back to this page. | 
