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Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Preschoolers are naturals at te reo

By Rebecca Savory
Bay of Plenty Times·
31 Jul, 2015 12:37 AM2 mins to read

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Te reo is part of everyday life at the Children's Garden Preschool and Childcare Centre. Alice-Mae Spence, left, Lachlan Willoughby, Cooper Simpson, teacher Aimee Willoughby, Nash Rolls, Kanade Sutoyo and Ariana-Mei Harris. Photo / George Novak

Te reo is part of everyday life at the Children's Garden Preschool and Childcare Centre. Alice-Mae Spence, left, Lachlan Willoughby, Cooper Simpson, teacher Aimee Willoughby, Nash Rolls, Kanade Sutoyo and Ariana-Mei Harris. Photo / George Novak

Te reo Maori is part of everyday life at the Children's Garden Preschool and Childcare centre.

Make sure to wear your potae on your head on a sunny day and always horoi o ringa ringa after going to the toilet.

Use your reo ata when you are inside.

Early childhood teacher Aimee Willoughby said the staff and children used at least 10-15 te reo Maori words and phrases every day and a karakia was said before every meal.

"We have a new phrase we learn every month," she said. The teachers tried to pick phrases they would commonly use in the centre and would make that their focus for the next four weeks.

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The kids even had a few te reo Maori songs in their repertoire that they would sing most days.

A group favourite was Tirama Tirama, Nga Whetu - Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.

The kids loved it and picked up the language easily, she said.

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"We've had a couple of parents come in saying, 'they're saying this at home, what does it mean?'."

Some children had even started saying their karakia before they ate at home, Mrs Willoughby said.

The teachers started including their monthly phrases in the centre newsletter and hoped parents would join in.

Te reo had become a real focus for the centre in the past two years, she said.

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"It's our culture. I think it's really important and it's a national language."

It was great to learn it as a group as it boosted everyone's confidence and encouraged everyone to get involved, she said.

A helpful guide
Potae = Hat
Horoi o ringa ringa = Wash your hands
Reo ata = Quiet voices
Haere mai ki te whariki = Come to the mat
Titiro ki ahau = Look at me
Karakia = Prayer

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