Embracing Pacific values critical to supporting tamaiti in their transition from early childhood education to school

New research from Tātai Aho Rau CORE Education highlights that Pacific children's unique identities, languages, and cultures help support their transition from early learning services to school environments.

The research project addressed the barriers traditionally contributing to underachievement and low engagement among Pacific learners.

"Improving the transition to school for our Pacific tamaiti (children) was a key goal for this community-led research project," says Dr Hana O'Regan, Tumu Whakarae of Tātai Aho Rau Core Education. "Led by teachers and parents, and supported by Tātai Aho Rau researchers, we've created resources that are ready for schools and fanau (family) to use both in the classroom and at home." 

The Samoan saying Soso'o le fau ma le fau - to 'connect the fibre with another fibre' – guided the project, where the transition from early childhood education to school connects the fibres from one environment to the other, affirming a child's unique identities, languages, and cultures.

Soso'o le fau ma le fau forms part of the two-year Early Years research project in partnership with South Island funder Rātā Foundation.

"We want our children to know who they are, where they are from, and how they belong," says Dr O'Regan.

"We aspire for our children to thrive as citizens who actively contribute to our increasingly diverse society. If we can strengthen children's identity, languages, and cultures in early learning services and schools, our hopes and dreams will have a chance of succeeding."

The Early Years research project focuses on giving children the best possible start by bridging the gap between early childhood education and school. There are two other streams to the project; English medium (with a focus on new entrant kaiako) and kaupapa Māori (with a focus on whānau).

"All young people should have equitable access to education so that they are set up for future success," adds Rātā Foundation Chief Executive Leighton Evans.

"Tātai Aho Rau research is important because it focuses on developing and implementing culturally-responsive resources and practices, placing a child's unique identity at the heart of their transition between learning environments. This supports tamaiti to reach their full potential at school and empowers āiga and faia'oga (teachers) to play an active and engaged role in their journey, strengthening the communities around them."

"Our point of difference with this research project has always been to address systemic inequities. First, by acknowledging they exist, and second, by using our findings to inform recommendations we hope will mobilise faia'oga at all levels and in both sectors to effect transformational changes," says Leighton.

Four early childhood centres (Barnardos Hornby Pasifika Early Learning Centre, Lalaga Preschool, Tafesilafa'i Early Learning Centre, Kidsfirst Kindergarten Hoon Hay) and three primary schools (Te Māhuri Mānuka Hornby Primary School, Waltham School and Te Kōmanawa Rowley School) were involved in the Pacific medium project, with nine faia'oga researcher roles created.

Pacific metaphors and models were used throughout to support inclusive participation and open discussion, with the research focusing on children's perceptions, āiga experiences and the roles and responsibilities of teachers.

The research findings highlighted the importance of early learning centres, schools, and āiga working together to support a child's transition to school by bridging the gap between traditional teaching methodologies and Pacific culture.

It found that adopting a culturally-responsive approach through Pacific metaphors and models allowed learners to act as teachers and teachers as learners and encouraged the voices of those who are often silent to be heard. This approach positively impacted āīga engagement and their willingness to participate in group transition to school visits, which in turn influenced other aīga around them.

Jules May, Kowhai Team Leader at Te Kōmanawa Rowley School, says that participating in the project and working closely with Kidsfirst Hoon Hay and Lalaga Preschool has completely changed her understanding of tamaiti starting school.  

"Although I have been teaching for sixteen years, mostly in Year Two to Six, I participated in the project as a new entrant faia'oga.  I had the mindset of 'my class / my classroom' when each learning space is for our ākonga - it's their space.  It led to many questions, specifically, does the space I'm providing reflect the identity of my ākonga (students) - can they see themselves reflected in their space?"

Over the project, Jules worked closely with ECE faia'oga. She visited them regularly, making time to get to know ākonga transitioning to TKRS and giving them the time and space to build a relationship with Jules and through her to the kura.  

"The impact has been extremely positive, and the reciprocal relationships developed have deepened - I take our new entrant ākonga for regular visits twice a term to our neighbouring kindy - Kidsfirst Hoon Hay Kindergarten - and they bring their four-year-olds to visit our new entrant learning fale three times a term as well.  

"Our new entrant fale now looks similar to an ECE space - set up to help the transition from ECE to primary school be less stressful and have more familiarity, and help our wee ones feel more comfortable starting at kura."

"From day one, ensuring each tamaiti feels included, valued, and an essential part of our learning fanau/whānau is central to all my decision-making," says Jules.

"For tamaiti to thrive in education, it's important they can see themselves authentically reflected in their learning environment," says one of the project's lead researchers, Ruta McKenzie.

New entrant parent Fiaola Ah Kuoi participated in the Transition to School Research Project for Pasifika Tamaiti with her non-speaking five-year-old autistic son David. She says it was a learning experience for her family and the primary school where they enrolled David.

"It made a considerable difference enrolling David at a school which openly embraces and celebrates not only David's cultural identity as a Pasifika child but also his neurodiversity. Our chosen school needed to acknowledge and accept those two aspects, as you cannot separate them from who David is as a person," says Fiaola.

David's faia'oga and his āiga have a great relationship and are proactive in ensuring his cultural, neurodiversity, and spiritual needs are met.

"We recently celebrated Samoan Language Week, which consisted of students wearing traditional Samoan attire instead of school uniform, Samoan language lessons, cultural performances and ending the week sharing a traditional Samoan feast. There is also a Pasifika families group in the school community which meets monthly, that we are part of, so the school has embraced our culture and continues to support our Pasifika tamaiti to nurture their culture in the school environment," says Fiaola.

Resources have been created from the findings of this research and are available for all faia'oga to access and use.

'To effect systems-level change, we must continue to drive awareness of the free resources that exist to upskill and build capability in our schools to benefit our young Pacific learners and their āiga," says Ruta.