Te Whāriki – Teaching & Learning Research Initiative

Inquiring minds, meaningful responses: Children’s interests, inquiries, and working theories

Introduction: Research rationale and aims In keeping with the spirit, aims, and principles of the Teaching and Learning research Initiative (TLRI) programme, the following whakataukī has guided our research project: Ma te mahi ka mohio, ma te mahi ka marama, ma te mahi ka matatau. Through practice comes knowledge, through knowledge comes understanding, through understanding comes expertise. Our project has been grounded in the realities and complexities of teaching practice, and the fundamental partnership between teachers and their families and communities. Many early childhood settings in Aotearoa New Zealand follow the advice of Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996) and use children’s interests as a source of curriculum decision making. Earlier

Te Puawaitanga: Partnerships with tamariki and whānau in bicultural early childhood care and education

Dedication This report is dedicated to the memory of Fred Kana, our dear friend and colleague. Moe mai rā, e hoa. 1. Contexts for the research Whakawhanaungatanga, Tiriti-based partnership, and narrative methodologies This project has extended upon knowledges gained from a previous Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) research project, Whakawhanaungatanga—Partnerships in Bicultural Development in Early Childhood Care and Education (the Whakawhanaungatanga project) (Ritchie & Rau, 2006), which focused on identifying strategies used by early childhood educators, professional development providers, teacher educators, and an iwi education initiative. This kaupapa is consistent with the bicultural mandate contained within key regulatory and curriculum statements. These include the Ministry of Education’s Desirable Objectives and