Kaiako facilitate tuakana–teina relationships and ensure that mokopuna have opportunities to manaaki and take responsibility for others.
tuakana–teina; mokopuna; manaaki
•Cultural concept — preserved verbatim
Observe whether the child: Kaiako facilitate tuakana–teina relationships and ensure that mokopuna have opportunities to manaaki and take responsibility for others.
What it looks like
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Emerging
Just starting
Kaiako begin to make room for feelings and trusted support, but choices, refusal, or adaptation are not yet consistently available.
What you might see
An adult models one step with a tuakana-teina helper role; children copy the model without adapting it yet.
A brief invitation uses timer; children use the materials briefly and then drift away.
During waiting, comfort, conflict, or settling, a tuakana-teina opportunity is visible, yet children mostly observe rather than shape the next move.
Expected
On track
Kaiako connect feelings and trusted support to an everyday moment, observe child responses, and adjust words, pace, or materials immediately.
What you might see
A child’s signal changes how tuakana-teina support is arranged or how help is offered.
The adult invites a question or idea before adding more instruction.
The adult notices how children handle a feeling, preference, or need and changes the pace immediately.
Exceeding
Going further
Adults use the immediate observation to deepen feelings and trusted support, inviting comparison, repair, responsibility, or a new manageable challenge.
What you might see
Children repair a problem in waiting, comfort, conflict, or settling before adults take control.
Kaiako invite comparison, responsibility, or reflection from the children.
Children transfer the practice to a peer while adults stay nearby and responsive.
Try this at home
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
Create a low-pressure waiting, comfort, conflict, or settling situation. Look for body cues, spoken cues, material choices, or peer-facing actions around a feeling, preference, or need.
Let another person make the first move; watch whether the child joins, resists, negotiates, or repairs the interaction.
Where this comes from
The dataset source and any supporting developmental research.
Ministry of Education. (2017). Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa: Early childhood curriculum.
The bicultural early childhood curriculum of Aotearoa New Zealand. Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga (NZ Ministry of Education), 2017 revision.