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As a new manager you’ve implemented
quite a few changes what brought around
the changes?
Suggestions from ERO and a general need to
get documentation updated and consistent.
What were the changes?
Making internal evaluation and teacher
registration more streamlined, easier to
follow and implement. Changing a lot of the
inside environment to reflect our natural
philosophy. Also adjusting our planning so
that it is more individually based. Including
kaiako and owners more to create a
more shared leadership model, as well as
reflecting our whānau philosophy.
Biggest rewards from the changes?
Our kaiako have so much knowledge
about documentation, they have full and
meaningful discussions around internal
evaluations that are ongoing and also relate
to their teacher registration. They are
excited to and regularly get involved with
outside agencies and take part in a variety
of professional learning. The learning is
more individually focused, so we are meeting
more of our tamariki needs. We have happy
and confident tamariki and in turn happy
whānau.
Any challenges? If yes, how did you work
through them?
Sometimes a challenge for privately owned
or standalone centres means gathering
and interpreting all the information and
documentation ourselves. Developing our
own formats etc, which can sometimes
be time consuming but worthwhile in the
end. To help with this I have become part
of a network of managers and owners in
similar positions so we can offer one another
support. We have also recently joined our
local kahui ako or community of learning
group, He Waka Eke Noa which has been
wonderful for making connections not only
within early childhood but also across new
entrant and primary.
December 2017
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