Dunedin Rudolf Steiner School

At kindergarten rhythm is seen as crucial for protecting the life forces (etheric) of the child, which could be considered as similar to the concept of mauri, the child's energetic life force. Secure daily, weekly, monthly rhythms and smooth transitions with a comfortable flow between, harmonise the physiological needs and learning processes of children. As teachers we strive to find a continuous balance between breathing in and breathing out throughout the session. Breathing out being times of free imaginative play and movement while breathing in are times for more restful activities like morning tea and listening to a story. Daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal rhythms are an essential part of our early childhood curriculum and provide children with a sense of security and connection with the world. Increasing rhythm at home is one of the best ways to both simplify and calm home life for children.
Warmly,
The Kindy Kaiako

SCHOOL- KIOKIO PĀNUI
Kia ora koutou!
We have had a beautiful start to term three in class Kiokio, keeping the fire stoked and enjoying these crisp winter days.
We are doing a Form Drawing main lesson and are enjoying exploring variations of spirals through the story of a kōwhai seed and its journey to germination. We are going to start propagating some this week and will be nurturing them over the term.
We have also been exploring the classroom and school through measurement – looking at ancient modes and how this has shifted over time to standard forms of measurement.
The garden is flourishing with cauliflower and we are currently brainstorming for recipes we might make with them all – any ideas/recipes kōreromai!
On Monday the 3rd of August we are doing our Lantern walk through the Woodhaugh Gardens. The lanterns are coming along beautifully and excitement is building as they are nearing completion.
Kia mahana whānau mā! Bec

Special Character Thoughts: The Temperaments
This term we will be exploring the four temperaments; the sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic child. Each temperament comes with its own characteristics and ways of being in the world and it falls to the parents, teachers and other adults in the child’s life to understand and work with the child accordingly. This work is particularly important in the early years for a child’s life as it is in about the 10th year when the temperaments even out and become less distinguishable. Until then, all four temperaments are present in the child but one is usually more prominent than the other three.
Recognising a child’s temperament allows us to relate to them in a way, that allows the child to feel held so they can access the work in an environment and with an approach that they understand. This includes understanding which temperaments work well together, how learning should be presented to be accessible to the child and how to speak to the child’s temperament through the arts and with the emotional background.

Kindergarten Manager position
We are a well-established Steiner Kindergarten set in the beautiful grounds of the Dunedin Steiner School. The kindergarten has three rooms for children aged 3 to 6 years of age and a playgroup for younger children and their parents.
This is an exciting time for the kindergarten and school with plans for growth and the development of new kindergarten buildings on the site. The manager will have teaching hours in the kindergarten and also be a part of the wider school management team. The person must be an ECE registered teacher who is eligible to work in NZ. A commitment to working with the Steiner special character is essential.
The Kindergarten would consider applications from individuals who would like to job-share the role.
Please read the job description on the noticeboard of our website.
Applications close 3pm, Friday, 31st July 2026.
Please send the application form, your CV and a cover letter, outlining your skills, experience and how you relate to our special character to: [email protected] Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Text by Te Aorere Pewhairangi

“People know Matariki as the mark of the new year. But it’s also a well-being check. Matariki is the Goddess of well-being, who married Rehua the God of healing. They have eight children. Each reflecting a different aspect of health.

Pōhutukawa is the star of those who have passed on. She asks how we’re carrying our grief and whether we’ve made peace with our emotions.

The earth star, the forest star, the freshwater star, the ocean star are the stars of the food we harvest. They ask whether we’re nourishing our bodies and caring for the environment.

The rain star and the wind star are the weather stars. They remind us that some things sit beyond our control. The question isn’t whether storms will come but how we respond when they do.

Then there is Hiwa-i-te-rangi, the star of hopes and dreams. She asks whether in a tough world we are still looking forward.

Māori health isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, social, environmental, and spiritual.

When all eight children are in balance at the start of the year it’s called Te P**i o Matariki. It’s not a cure, it’s a check in with the mother of well-being."

Kindergarten will not open today until 10am due to flooding. We will assess if a 10am start is safe.

MATARIKI
Children and staff are enjoying singing one of our Matariki waiata which celebrates the stars. You may find it coming home with your child, even with some actions to accompany the stars.

Waitī, Waitā,
Waipuna a rangi,
Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi,
Ururangi e,

Koinei ngā tamariki o Matariki
Ngā whetū e pīataata i te rangi e.

And of course there are two other stars (whetū) in the cluster
Pōhutukawa and Hiwa-i-te-rangi

Thank you to all our kindergarten whānau who came to join our spiral walk last week and helped to hold a mood of quiet reverence for the children. It was a beautiful evening. The children enjoyed recreating their spiral experience with the greenery outside the following day.
Next week we will celebrate Matariki with the children within our session on Wednesday 1st July. We will cook and share baked potato and kumara around a fire outside, with waiata and a special Te Ao Māori creation puppet story afterwards.
Wishing you all a restful time over the coming holidays and look forward to seeing everyone next term,
Warmly,
The Kindy Kaiako

E mihi ana mātou ki a koutou katoa,
Over the past term, our tamariki have been building an impressive repertoire of waiata during our Kapa Haka sessions. It has been wonderful to see their confidence, enthusiasm, and expanding understanding of Te Ao Māori.
In Class Kea and Class Miro, our focus has been on strengthening the tuakana-teina relationship. This provides opportunities for our older tamariki in Kea to guide and support their younger peers through shared learning experiences and cultural leadership. Together, they have also begun participating in a range of kēmu Māori, including Tākaro and Wharewhare.
These kēmu create meaningful opportunities for tamariki to use and hear te reo Māori in a natural and engaging way. Across all our akomanga, we continue to encourage the use of te reo and place a strong emphasis on developing clear and confident whakahua (pronunciation).
In Class Kiokio, a new favourite kēmu is Hari i te Whare (“Harry in the House”), which we enjoy alongside learning new waiata. This game supports our learning of pepeha, helping tamariki become familiar with concepts such as their waka, iwi, maunga, and other important connections to identity and belonging through actions and movement.
Class Kākāpō has been busy practising their collection of waiata, while also learning a new waiata each week. Our newest waiata is a karakia, providing another way to deepen our understanding and use of te reo Māori beyond singing alone. We are fortunate to have many talented and confident tamariki in this class who have embraced to perform solos and lead their Kapa Haka rōpū. Ka mau te wehi!
We are looking forward to sharing some of our waiata with you during our upcoming Matariki celebrations and celebrating this special time together as a school community.
Mānawatia a Matariki, Korina Ellison
“Ka ara mai a Matariki, ka ara mai a Puaka, ka mānawatia a Puaka, ka mānawatia a Matariki.”