This qualification has been designed to prepare teaching graduates with the skills to adapt to a changing education environment within the early childhood education sector. It has been designed to enhance and advance the knowledge and skills of early learning education practitioners in their professional careers. The qualification embraces and develops the student's current knowledge of te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori by engaging in authentic partnerships with tangata whenua and mana whenua in Aotearoa. It will raise the student's awareness, understanding and knowing of inclusion, multiculturalism, additional needs, refugees, new immigrants, age, gender and the anti-bias curriculum.

This qualification is intentional and purposeful to advance and extend early childhood education teachers. Graduates from this qualification integrate theory with practice and practice with theory. They will investigate, research and explore challenges, issues of social justice in early childhood education settings and evaluate various solutions. All graduates will meet the requirements of the Graduating Teacher Standards: Aotearoa/New Zealand (Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, 2019).

1. Intentional Teachers - use their professional judgement to apply broad pedagogical knowledge and a deep understanding of a subject content and curricula to facilitate children's learning and development.
2. Bicultural Teachers - implement a tikanga Māori approach to their work with learners, using Te Tiriti o Waitangi to guide their practice, drawing on the aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi.
3. Ethical Teachers - critically aware of their surroundings (including political) and know what to do and when to act. They are alert and responsive to the changes in their environment, using this knowledge to advocate for social justice.
4. Relational Teachers - skilled in communication and collaboration, and are aware and respectful of others. They have a deep understanding of their own identity and uphold the mana of all they work with.
5. Learning Teachers - demonstrate the disposition to be ongoing learners, committed to the sector and to their own personal and professional development. They are curious, creative and courageous beginning teachers. They are reflective, adaptive and work
ready.
6. Sustainable Teachers - focus on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. They are conscious of sustaining the environment as well as their own well-being and that of others.
7. Values-based Teachers - live and demonstrate the values of Toi Ohomai (manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, toitutanga and kotahitanga) in all their interactions with others.

Graduates of the Tohu Paerua o te Whakaako i te Mātauranga Kōhungahunga: Master of Teaching Early Childhood Education will be eligible for entry to other Postgraduate studies or a Doctoral degree (Entry requirements of the provider Institution will apply).

Entry to the Tohu Paerua o te Whakaako i te Mātauranga Kōhungahunga: Master of Teaching Early Childhood Education programme, including English language and academic requirements, will be in accordance with the criteria specified in the Toi Ohomai Regulatory Framework, and any additional criteria specified below.
Detailed Requirements
* Bachelor's degree at level 7 consisting of at least 360 credits*; or
* Bachelor Honours degree at level 8 consisting of at least 480 credits*; or
* Master's degree at level 9 consisting of at least 240 credits *; or
* A Teaching Council approved Diploma in Teaching (L7) (Primary or ECE)
* Candidates will be required to pass a literacy test.
* Candidates will be required to pass a numeracy test.