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Thursday, 20 September 2018 | 1 Issue 4 | Thursday, 20 September 2018

Education Future Central Focus

The early years Exploring early childhood and primary education How important is the transition between early childhood and school?

Why playtime matters more than you think

Informs. Inspires. Educates. | EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Thursday, 20 September 2018 | 3

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Contents Editor’s note

6: Mindfulness in Practice

7: Hold the phone – communication between school and home

his issue of EducationCentral FutureFocus is all about the early years, spanning early childhood education right through to Year 8. With my own two children smack-bang in the middle of their primary school years, I’m well aware of how busy this particular stage of life can be. From balancing homework with extracurricular activities, to making sense of school reports, to understanding the role of technology in learning, there is much to get your head around as a parent of a young child. As such, in this issue we haven’t shied away from asking the questions every parent wants to know: Why are good transitions in and out of primary school so important? What does it mean to be ‘school ready’ and how can parents help? Is playtime important? Schools have changed dramatically since ‘our day’. And so we take a peek at the debates surrounding modern learning environments, including the ergonomic effects on our children’s developing bodies. With digital technology being a major part of modern learning, we look at the pros and cons of tech in early childhood education.We also look at whether our schools are meeting the needs of our children with special educational needs. Remember, you can find these articles and more on EducationCentral.co.nz, one of New Zealand’s leading education sites.

Jude Barback Editor, EducationCentral.co.nz The next issue of EducationCentral FutureFocus will be published on 25 October.

4: How can you help your child succeed?

5: Preschoolers and technology

10: Learning on beanbags

11: The value of learning in the early years

12: Smooth transitions

13: Girls can’t achieve unless they’re nurtured and happy

14: Play is learning: why playtime matters more than you think

15: Life after National Standards

Editor

Commercial Manager

Jude Barback P 07 542 3013 E judith.barback@nzme.co.nz

Fiona Reid E fiona.reid@nzme.co.nz

Education Media Specialist

Production Manager

Jill Parker P 04 915 9798 E jill.parker@nzme.co.nz

Aaron Morey E aaron.morey@nzme.co.nz

An NZME custom publication | 2018

EducationCentral FutureFocus is a multi-platform guide for school leavers, parents, adult learners and influencers. A New Zealand Herald publication, EC FutureFocus has a print run of 80,000 copies and is inserted into the Northern Advocate, Bay of Plenty Times, Daily Post, Hawkes Bay Today, Wanganui Chronicle as well as the NZ Herald, attracting a combined average issue readership of 525,000 Monday–Friday readers.

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How can you help your

child succeed? Parents of children with complex needs can vastly improve their children’s chances of educational success. By Anna Clements.

f you feel as though your school is not well equipped to support your child’s special educational needs (SEN), you’re probably right. According to international research, disadvantaged students fare considerably worse in the New Zealand education system than those lucky enough to be born in many other countries. Countless numbers of parents can testify to this. Online support groups are swamped with messages from parents at their wits’ end as they wrestle with a school system that is not designed or funded for children who learn differently. “Our nine-year-old has very complex needs and was treated very poorly at school,” says Lisa, a mother of five in Wellington. “He was stood down six times in one term and we were left feeling they had given up on him. On one occasion, the principal lost his cool and tipped a cup of water over [our son’s] head. Lisa’s son is intellectually disabled, has autism and two genetic disorders, but was turned down for comprehensive funding known as ORS (Ongoing Resourcing Scheme) because he was judged to be ‘too advanced’. At nine, he was working at the level expected of a five-year-old, a year better than required to qualify. “It’s absolutely ridiculous, and it’s incredibly frustrating that we’re having to battle so hard for this child who really needs help. I think it should be a lot easier for parents to access help for their children,” says Lisa. Kāpiti parent Shelley Harris shares Lisa’s frustration. “We have struggles with my daughter [14] who has conductive hearing loss and auditory processing disorder (APD). Because she has APD, she is always excluded from any help. Like most deaf students in New Zealand, she cannot access sign language, despite the fact it is an official language of our country. This is sheer discrimination and a breach of their human rights. “As it is, you have to put your child into a school environment with teachers who are not necessarily skilled to work with special needs students and you have to hope that they are invested in your child. “Her school is very good, probably because I made a lot of noise about her. If I was a mum who left it to the school, I think her outcomes might be very different. “It’s not an equal or fair chance in education for children like her. All the systems involved in their lives are broken.” These stories are echoed throughout the communities of Aotearoa. There is a profound sense of exclusion and injustice experienced by many families whose children do not fit into mainstream education.

Stellar schools doing great work But there are flecks of light beaming through the darkness. Some schools, such as Greerton Village School in Tauranga, are doing magnificent work with children who have special educational needs. Greerton is a mainstream primary with a roll of 415 students. Of those, 25 students – or

six per cent – are ORS-funded, compared with one per cent nationally. A further 15 students are funded for additional support, making Greerton something of an anomaly. Erika Harvey drives her daughter, Piper, across town to Greerton because of its stellar reputation. “Greerton is absolutely amazing. The special needs children are included in everything mainstream and the staff are absolutely committed to helping them progress. The teacher aides are like nurses: they even change feeding pegs and teach toileting.” Piper is seven and has been diagnosed with nonverbal autism. Before starting at Greerton, she did not speak and could only express her unhappiness by screaming and through violence. At times she would smash her head against concrete and attack those around her. But in the space of two years, Piper’s progress has been such that she is learning to speak and even performed a karakia in front of a crowd at a recent public event. “I can’t speak highly enough about our experience with my daughter’s school,” says Erika. “Support has been outstanding. She feels liked and included, and she thinks everyone is her friend. She has made drastic improvements from being fully supported in an inclusive education system, and as much as she learns at school and from other students, they also learn from her and understand that we are all different, but all special in our own ways.”

Power in Numbers support group Buoyed by the support provided at Greerton, Erika has set up ‘Power in Numbers’, a group of parent advocates striving for equity in education and a funding model that supports it. “I never realised how hard it was for kids with SEN or behavioural problems; it’s really heartbreaking. Parents need to arm themselves with knowledge and processes they need to follow for success in equity and inclusion at their local school.” First of all, says Erika, parents should educate themselves about their rights within the New Zealand education system. Then they will know what they can and cannot rightfully expect. Parents who feel that their child is being excluded or treated unfairly at school are advised to nominate a support person to attend school meetings with them, as this relieves a lot of the stress and anxiety. Erika says the ideal support person is a parent who has been down the SEN route before. If this approach is unsuccessful, Erika advises parents firstly to request, in writing, a copy of the school’s complaints policy. Secondly, ensure that all communication is received in writing and follows the procedure outlined by the school. After following this procedure, if parents feel things have not been addressed appropriately, they should connect with Power in Numbers on Facebook or make contact with Youth Law for free legal advice. Erika points to Section 8 of the Education Act which guarantees rights to special education,

and Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities as evidence that the state is obligated to assist with applications for funding assistance, ORS, and must take reasonable steps to accommodate the education needs of disabled people. In simple terms, this means that the school and Ministry should be creating solutions so that children who need additional support in school are able to access education. Failure to do so amounts to discrimination and violates a child’s rights to a quality and inclusive education; this is a legal violation even if funding doesn’t allow it to happen. Back in Wellington, Lisa has removed her son from the school where the principal tipped water over his head and he is now happy at a different school where his teacher is kind and understanding. “His new school is incredibly welcoming and his teacher is very patient,” she says. “They take time to understand how he ticks, and don’t expect him to work in the same way as other kids. “The difference in him is monumental. He’s made a friend and even had a sleepover. At his last school, he didn’t have any friends and other families talked very negatively about us as a family. But now he’s happy to go to school, he feels liked and everyone says hello and hugs him.”

“It’s not an equal or fair chance in education for children like her. All the systems involved in their lives are broken.”

“Parents need to arm themselves with knowledge and processes they need to follow for success in equity and inclusion at their local school.” Apply early for funding Lisa has learnt another big lesson – to apply for ORS funding early. Her younger son has similarly complex needs and, at four, has been approved for ORS. This means that funding is guaranteed for his entire time at school, and that he will follow a curriculum individually tailored to his needs. Why the difference in funding for the brothers? Says Lisa, “It’s all about timing. If you apply for funding before they start school, you have a much better chance of success.”

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Preschoolers and technology How much digital technology should children be exposed to in their early childhood education years? By Sara Carbery.

hildren born this decade are undeniably digital natives; the iPad and smartphone are as familiar to them as pencils and paper were to their parents in their childhood years. Statistics from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study illustrates just how ubiquitous media use is in the preschool years. Over threequarters of four-year-olds in the study were using electronic media other than television on a ‘usual weekday’. When added to time spent watching TV, these children were in front of a screen an average of 2.1 hours per day, as reported by their mothers, up from 1.6 hours when they were two. Although there are rules around screen time for most of these children, this figure exceeds Ministry of Health guidelines, which advocate no screen time at all for under-twos and a limit of one hour per day for children aged two to five. These guidelines align with recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which maintain, “…multiple developmental and health concerns continue to exist for young children using all forms of digital media to excess”. So what are parents and teachers to do when faced with this kind of information on the one hand and urgings on the other about the need to equip children for the 21st century? In the face of government policies promoting the integrated use of digital technologies in learning and a belief they can support language development and mathematical thinking, many early childhood education (ECE) centres are incorporating digital devices, such as iPads, into learning. “Technology is all around children,” says Clare Wells, chief executive of New Zealand Kindergartens. “It’s a prominent feature in their lives every day so it’s not surprising technology is also used at kindergarten.” She says children use technology in kindergartens as a tool to explore and make sense of their world – perhaps to research an area of interest with a teacher or to develop their knowledge and understanding. Devices are also used to build skills and dispositions, says Wells, with children engaging

In a survey conducted at the University of Auckland in 2016, only one in three ECE services (35 per cent) had a written physical activity policy to guide staff in planning and implementing activities for children.

in online activities that encourage concentration or perseverance or show them how to deal with emergencies and difficult situations. “Teachers use their professional judgement and provide a range of opportunities and experiences for children to progress their learning, one of which will be through the use of technology.”

One of the main downsides of children spending too much time on devices is that they miss out on valuable time spent doing these things, says O’Neill. “Young children, in particular, need interaction with another human being, not a screen.”

Bucking the trend

But before you beat yourself up about handing your three-year-old your iPad for 15 minutes while you make a phone call, O’Neill says there’s a big difference between this kind of use and children spending a few hours a day in front of a screen. “Like most things in child development, the amount of time matters.” Time spent in physical activity can also be compromised if too much time is spent in front of a screen, reports a 2016 University of Auckland study, which suggests ECE services could be doing more to monitor screen use and encourage children to be active. PhD student Sarah Gerritsen found that children watched television ‘daily’ in two per cent of the centres she surveyed, and ‘weekly’ in 11 per cent, and used computers every day in 11 per cent and weekly in 22 per cent. Only 35 per cent of the centres had a written physical activity policy, and no centres had policies addressing screen use. An advocate for the use of technology in education, primary school teacher Anna Tollestrup believes technology can play “a huge role” in enhancing learning and engaging children, particularly boys. She says digital learning isn’t just about putting a device in front of a child and pushing the on button. “There are hours spent behind the scenes searching for the right technology for the desired outcome.” Anna believes engaging children with technology in the early years of primary school helps prepare them for a fast-paced online world. “Not only do we teach the fundamental skills … but coding, robotics and film making, the process of making something move. We do that from [the age of] five because it is fun, engaging and a necessary skill in tomorrow’s future-focused classrooms.” However, Charlotte disagrees that children need to be exposed to digital technology at an early age to become proficient users. Using her 17-year-old sister and her friends as examples, she says, “They’re insanely technologically savvy and yet they were definitely not exposed to [devices] in ECE or primary. “The use of devices will always come easily; it’s not like acquiring a second language where exposure from birth is the easiest way to learn.”

Mindful of the fact most children spend time on devices at home, some centres such as The Cottage Kindergarten in Waimauku have chosen to be screenfree. The private kindergarten, which has a clear philosophy focused on learning through play, recently surveyed parents to ensure a screen-free centre was what they wanted. “A lot of professional learning is coming out around the use of technology and we were beginning to wonder if we were in the Dark Ages,” says managing teacher Sara Stewart. “But pretty much 100 per cent of parents said ‘no, [we don’t want devices]; that’s why we come to you’.” While Playcentre doesn’t have a policy on the use of technology, most centres choose to be screen-free, with sessions focused on child-led free play. Charlotte Thynne has a PhD in neurophysiology and attends Playcentre in Nelson with her daughters. She believes children learn best when they have the time and the space to explore their environment and interact with adults and children when they want to. “I think that, in a way, a device leads the child, with flashing things to be pressed and commands to be followed … it is almost the antithesis of child-led learning,” says Thynne. In her opinion, digital devices in ECE “offer no benefits for children at best and are damaging at worse”. Devices are also limited by the fact they can only stimulate two of the senses – sight and sound – “and over-stimulate them at that”. “Children want to experience and learn through all their senses, as we see in Playcentre when they eat the sand or the slime, smear it up their arms and mix up potions from the garden to be sniffed and observed,” she says. Keryn O’Neill, senior researcher at Brainwave Trust Aotearoa, agrees that children don’t need devices in the early years for brain development and learning. “Technology is changing, but what children need hasn’t changed,” she says. “Unstructured free play, real everyday experiences, interacting with adults, talking and playing with other children, that’s how children learn best.”

Amount of time matters

6 | Thursday, 20 September 2018

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Mindfulness in Practice I

n a tree-lined street just minutes from downtown Auckland, a group of keen learners practise the peaceful philosophy of mindfulness. (Except this isn’t a group of stressed-out city workers, squeezing in a session along with their lunchtime smoothie and muffin.) They are children aged just three to five years, pausing for a moment of calm. These inquisitive, fun-loving children are fortunate to attend Ficino Preschool, which focuses on experiential learning and a philosophically inspired education. With more than 5,000 different childcare and preschool facilities in New Zealand, Ficino Preschool is proud to be unique. The Mt Eden preschool’s holistic curriculum balances the spiritual, social, emotional, intellectual and physical needs of each child. They are encouraged to experience each moment through play, and to love and care for each other and the environment. The Preschool teachers bring a range of skills that include dance, art, music, yoga and science that add an extra dimension to the children’s daily experiences. These, together with numeracy and literacy, are woven

through the fabric of their daily learning in a way that encourages the children’s focus, participation and engagement. Ficino Preschool has created a haven for young children to grow in selfbelief and confidence where they are encouraged to experience and practise new skills. Self-awareness and mindfulness techniques like ‘the Pause’ provide welcome pockets of calm in a stimulating day. This unique preschool is so close to central Auckland, just a couple of minutes from the North-Western and Southern motorway on-ramps, and the Khyber Pass off-ramp, making the preschool convenient for morning drop offs. Next door is ‘big sister’, Ficino School, which caters for boys and girls Years 1-8. Treating others with respect and courtesy is part of everyday life at Ficino Preschool. What parent wouldn’t want that? The Ficino Preschool welcomes children of all cultures, faiths and religions. To arrange a visit and find out more – www.ficino.school.nz/preschool facebook.com/ficino.preschool

Thursday, 20 September 2018 | 7

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Hold the phone –

communication between school and home Have we seen an end to the printed school newsletter, phoning in absences and relying on children to ferry permission forms between parents and teachers? Soumya Bhamidipati looks at the technology aiming to streamline communication between parents and schools.

ith changes in technology and increased access to devices, many schools are now turning away from relying on the more ‘classic’ methods of communication. What parent hasn’t experienced the frustrations of forgotten permission slips, lost notices and the general niggling feeling that the stray piece of paper at the bottom of a school bag may have been important? Emma Hatton’s three-year-old son Freddy attends daycare, while her six-year-old daughter Sienna is at primary school. Freddy’s daycare uses the Storypark app to communicate with parents. Hatton receives notifications when a ‘story’ about Freddy has been uploaded and can then view, comment on and share the story. The app helps her know what Freddy has been doing during the day and allows her to build on this when he gets home. “If I know they went out searching for bugs, I might read him a bedtime story about bugs. This could prompt him to recall what he learned or saw or enjoyed about the bug hunt, or ask questions he hadn’t thought of earlier.” Sienna’s school does not communicate through an app; however, this does not create any issues for Hatton. “I make sure to touch base with her teacher at least once a week during pick-up or drop-off and we can talk about anything that might be going on. My daughter’s six so she can articulate any issues she’s having as well. No matter what platform you have, as long as you’re engaging, it works pretty well.”

A double-edged sword? Newer technology can facilitate reliable and timely transmission, a two-way communication stream and saving time at both ends of the wire. However, some feel it makes communication between schools and parents more complicated than necessary. Alicia Harris’s children’s primary and secondary schools both use an online portal to communicate with parents. She says the idea is good – in theory. “It’s like a one-stop-shop for everything I need and should know, but it puts the responsibility of communication in the parents’ hands rather than the school. You know, ‘I put it on the portal…’. I have so many portals and apps and passwords though and once you have kids at different schools there's a whole new portal to remember and access,” she says. “I'm just so overrun with information and questions and payments and requests that I just check out from time to time. I am sure this has happened all through the ages before technology connected us.” Harris would prefer the schools used Facebook a little better for communication, but says the issue may be as much about the fatigue of parenting and working as it is about schools’ communication methods. “Neither of them really do, but I wonder if that's because that's how I have got used to receiving my information. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a portal that multiple schools

could use? I could use one login and have access to both kids – this probably already exists!” The biggest provider of school-related communication apps in New Zealand, School Apps, began five years ago when a Hawke's Bay school approached a development agency to create a communication tool. Another app, Skool Loop, was created by Kaikoura-based parent Sharlene Barnes after her son introduced her to the existence of smartphone apps in 2012. “Getting permission forms back to teachers is no longer the paper trail it used to be. All you need to do is sign the form with a swipe of your finger and it will electronically notify your child’s school or teacher that they are allowed to go on that field trip – the form for which your child may have lost to the abyss of the backpack a week ago,” says Barnes. With different schools adopting different channels to suit their communities, perhaps we are in a transition stage between old and new communication methods between schools and parents. So is it time to cut the cord? Maybe hold the phone on that one.

Make your child’s first step into education a joyful one! ficino.school.nz/preschool

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3 – 5 year olds | Esplanade Road, Mt Eden

New Zealand has a drowning problem Water is an intrinsic part of life in New Zealand. From the waka that Water is an intrinsic part of life in New Zealand. From the waka that first crossed the ocean to Aotearoa to our childhood memories of first crossed the ocean to Aotearoa to our childhood memories of endless summer holidays at the beach. It is part of our identity. We endless summer holidays at the beach. It is part of our identity. We are surrounded by it. We live in it. It sustains us and energises us. are surrounded by it. We live in it. It sustains us and energises us.

ecreation in, on and around ecreation in, on and around the water is part of life for the water is part of life for millions of people in this millions of people in this country. As an island nation, country. As an island nation, our beaches, rivers and lakes are our beaches, rivers and lakes are some of the most magnificent in the some of the most magnificent in the world. A moderate climate, accessible world. A moderate climate, accessible waterways and public and residential waterways and public and residential pools provide ample opportunities for pools provide ample opportunities for Kiwis, immigrants and tourists alike Kiwis, immigrants and tourists alike to recreate and participate in water to recreate and participate in water sports and activities and go boating and sports and activities and go boating and fishing year round. fishing year round. With any water comes risk and sadly With any water comes risk and sadly every year far too many people lose every year far too many people lose their lives or are injured in, on or around their lives or are injured in, on or around the water. The tragedy is that most the water. The tragedy is that most drownings and injuries are preventable. drownings and injuries are preventable. Preventable drowning fatalities are Preventable drowning fatalities are where water where water

safety sector intervention could have safety sector intervention could have had an influence (for example where the had an influence (for example where the victim was boating, swimming, diving) victim was boating, swimming, diving) and water safety education and activity and water safety education and activity

In 2017 there were 92 In 2017 there were 92 preventable drowning fatalities. preventable drowning fatalities. could have prevented the death. could have prevented the death. 2017 was a tragic year for toddlers 2017 was a tragic year for toddlers and babies with seven infants fatally and babies with seven infants fatally drowning compared to three the drowning compared to three the previous year. previous year.

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five of those fatalities were in home five of those fatalities were in home pools. And at the other end of the age pools. And at the other end of the age spectrum fatalities almost doubled with spectrum fatalities almost doubled with 16 over 65 year olds losing their lives. 16 over 65 year olds losing their lives. This is equal to the number of fatalities This is equal to the number of fatalities in the 15 – 24 year age group. in the 15 – 24 year age group. Immersion incidents, where the Immersion incidents, where the victims had no intention of being in the victims had no intention of being in the water, is the largest cause of drowning water, is the largest cause of drowning followed by those who simply went for a followed by those who simply went for a swim which ended in tragedy. swim which ended in tragedy. Research* shows thatwhile drowning Research* shows thatwhile drowning is recognised as a problem by 84 percent is recognised as a problem by 84 percent of New Zealanders, (fifth behind child of New Zealanders, (fifth behind child abuse, domestic violence, road safety abuse, domestic violence, road safety and bullying) the reality is drowning and bullying) the reality is drowning is the leading cause of recreational is the leading cause of recreational death, the second highest cause of death, the second highest cause of death for 1 – 24 year olds** and the third death for 1 – 24 year olds** and the third

highest cause of accidental death in highest cause of accidental death in New Zealand. New Zealand. Our drowning rate per 100,000 of Our drowning rate per 100,000 of population is twice that of Australia population is twice that of Australia and four times that of the UK. This is and four times that of the UK. This is an issue that requires urgent attention an issue that requires urgent attention

Drowning is the leading cause Drowning is the leading cause of recreational death. of recreational death. and action. Water Safety New Zealand and action. Water Safety New Zealand believes the best way to tackle our believes the best way to tackle our drowning problem is through education. drowning problem is through education. * WSNZ Attitudes and Behaviour survey * WSNZ Attitudes and Behaviour survey 2018 2018 ** Child and Youth Mortality report ** Child and Youth Mortality report Committee: 13th data report 2012-16 Committee: 13th data report 2012-16

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EARLY EARLY CHILDHOOD CHILDHOOD EDUCATION EDUCATION

Supervision is the key to keeping Supervision is the key to keeping babies and toddlers safe when it babies and toddlers safe when it comes to water. Always comes to water. Always keep them within arm’s keep them within arm’s reach when in, on reach when in, on or around water. It or around water. It takes less than a minute for a takes less than a minute for a child to drown. child to drown. If you’re in a group of people, If you’re in a group of people, ensure you have an active ensure you have an active

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8 ways to keep babies and toddlers water safe supervision roster so you supervision roster so you know who is watching the know who is watching the children at all times. Make children at all times. Make sure older children don’t sure older children don’t have to take responsibility for have to take responsibility for younger children. younger children. Bathmats – We Bathmats – We work with work with Plunket to supply Plunket to supply bathmats to new bathmats to new

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parents to keep our toddlers and babies parents to keep our toddlers and babies safe at bath time. The bathmats stop safe at bath time. The bathmats stop your child from slipping and reinforce your child from slipping and reinforce the message that you should NEVER the message that you should NEVER leave your baby or toddler unsupervised leave your baby or toddler unsupervised in the bath even to answer the phone. in the bath even to answer the phone. Distraction. Distraction. Mobile Mobile phones and social phones and social media can be a distraction media can be a distraction when you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be watching children and keeping them watching children and keeping them safe around water. Put your phone away. safe around water. Put your phone away. Never take your eyes off babies and Never take your eyes off babies and toddlers around water. toddlers around water. Lifejackets – These are essential Lifejackets – These are essential especially on boats. Make sure especially on boats. Make sure it fits correctly and has a crotch strap it fits correctly and has a crotch strap otherwise it may be useless. These could otherwise it may be useless. These could be worn anytime around be worn anytime around water as accidental water as accidental immersions are immersions are a leading cause a leading cause of preventable of preventable drowning fatalities drowning fatalities in New Zealand. in New Zealand.

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Identify water hazards in and Identify water hazards in and around your home around your home and ensure and ensure your children your children can’t reach can’t reach them. Always them. Always empty and store empty and store paddling pools and water containers paddling pools and water containers after use and ensure you have a safely after use and ensure you have a safely fenced play area. fenced play area. Teach your Teach your children children water safety behaviour water safety behaviour from as soon as they are old enough to from as soon as they are old enough to understand, things like: ‘Never go near understand, things like: ‘Never go near the water unless you’re with a grown up’ the water unless you’re with a grown up’ Support your child to have Support your child to have enjoyable and positive early enjoyable and positive early experiences around water experiences around water and help them to learn and help them to learn water safety skills when water safety skills when they are old enough. they are old enough. Many councils now Many councils now offer free pool time offer free pool time for under-fives. for under-fives. Make the most of it. Make the most of it.

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pool. Schools can decide how they pool. Schools can decide how they teach their students Water Skills For teach their students Water Skills For Life. It is easier to teach than technical Life. It is easier to teach than technical swimming and fun to learn. swimming and fun to learn. Swimming New Zealand work with Swimming New Zealand work with swim teachers and schools to help swim teachers and schools to help them deliver authentic water skills them deliver authentic water skills learning experiences for students learning experiences for students across a wide and diverse range of across a wide and diverse range of abilities, ages and cultures. abilities, ages and cultures. Corporate partner The Warehouse Corporate partner The Warehouse and funding from NZ Lotteries Grants and funding from NZ Lotteries Grants Board supports the work being done Board supports the work being done to lift the levels of aquatic education in to lift the levels of aquatic education in New Zealand’s schools and turn around New Zealand’s schools and turn around the country’s high drowning toll. The the country’s high drowning toll. The Warehouse also supports the initiative Warehouse also supports the initiative with in-store fundraising so more with in-store fundraising so more children will have access to these crucial children will have access to these crucial water safety skills. water safety skills. Education through Water Skills Education through Water Skills for Life is expected to bring about a for Life is expected to bring about a fundamental culture change around fundamental culture change around water safety in New Zealand. water safety in New Zealand.

Kids Kids learn learn water water safety. safety. As well as a series of skills As wellinasthe a series learnt pool, of it’sskills always a learnt in the pool, it’s always a good time to learn water safety good time to learn water safety and awareness skills in the and awareness in the classroom or atskills home. classroom or at home. Kids learn: Kids learn:

• What an emergency in, on or • What anthe emergency in, like on or around water looks around the water looks like • The water safety code • The water safety code • Water risks at home, on the farm • Water at home, the farm and in risks and around theonpool and in and around the pool • Water risks at the beach, river and • Water lake risks at the beach, river and lake • Water risks swimming, boating and • Water swimming, playingrisks in the water boating and playing in the water • Who to call for help and how • Who to call for help and how • How to recognise hypothermia and • How totreat recognise how to it. hypothermia and how to treat it. Test what you know at Test what you know at watersafety.org.nz/wai watersafety.org.nz/wai

Learn more at Learn more at watersafety.org.nz/forlife watersafety.org.nz/forlife

Skills taught in the water, either Skills in thetaught pool orinatthe thewater, either in the pool or at the beach, river or lake. beach, river or lake. • Getting in and out of • Getting in and out of the water the water • Going under • Going under the water the water • Floating, • Floating, sculling and sculling treadingand water treading water • Rolling in the water • Rolling in the water • Emergency training such as • Emergency as with floating andtraining signallysuch for help, floating and signally for help, with and without a lifejacket and without a lifejacket • Moving through the water. • Moving through the water.

Ask your teacher about Ask your teacher about Water Skills for Life Water Skills for Life

SUPPORTED BY SUPPORTED BY

Kids Kids have have fun fun and and learn learn water water safety safety For For children children in in years years 1-8 1-8 at at school school Ask Ask about about it it watersafety.org.nz/forlife watersafety.org.nz/forlife

The The water water safety safety code code

Make your home

water safe.

• Make your home water safe by removing • Make your home water safe by removing or isolating all potential water hazards or isolating all potential water hazards • Pool fencing/barriers are mandatory and • Pool fencing/barriers are mandatory and must be inspected every three years. Your must be inspected every three years. Your local council will enforce this and will issue local council will enforce this and will issue infringement and/or fix notices if required infringement and/or fix notices if required • Safety covers must be used as barriers for • Safety covers must be used as barriers for spa pools and hot tubs spa pools and hot tubs Join the movement and pledge to actively Join the movement and pledge to actively keep your children safe around water. keep your children safe around water. watersafety.org.nz watersafety.org.nz

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

The Water Safety Code consists of four simple rules to remember each time The Water Safety Code consists of four simple rules to remember each time you venture near the water. It serves as a great starting point for planning a you venture near the water. It serves as a great starting point for planning a safe aquatic adventure. safe aquatic adventure.

Be prepared Be prepared • • • • • •

Protector Aluminium, Protector Aluminium, providers of aluminium providers of aluminium and glass pool fencing and glass pool fencing and G8 pool fence and G8 pool fence latches are providing latches are providing valuable funding and valuable funding and inkind support to water inkind support to water safety campaigns safety campaigns in the home and in in the home and in New Zealand schools. New Zealand schools. Products available Products available exclusively at Bunnings. exclusively at Bunnings.

Water Safety New Zealand is registered with Charity Services with registration number CC33799. Water Safety New Zealand is registered with Charity Services with registration number CC33799.

Learn water safety skills. Learn water safety skills. Set rules for safe play in the water. Set rules for safe play in the water. Always use safe and correct Always use safe and correct equipment and know the weather equipment and know the weather and water conditions before you and water conditions before you get in. get in.

Watch out for Watch out forothers yourself and yourself and others

• Always pay close attention to • Always pay close attention to children you are supervising when children you are supervising when in or near water. in or near water. • Swim with others and in areas • Swim with others and in areas where lifeguards are present. where lifeguards are present.

Be aware of Be of theaware dangers the dangers

• Enter shallow and unknown water • Enter shallow and unknown water feet first and obey all safety signs feet first and obey all safety signs and warning flags. and warning flags. • DO NOT enter the water after • DO NOT enter the water after drinking alcohol. drinking alcohol.

Know your limits Know your limits

• Challenge yourself within your • Challenge yourself within your physical limits and experience. physical limits and experience. • Learn safe ways of rescuing others • Learn safe ways of rescuing others without putting yourself in danger. without putting yourself in danger.

10 | Thursday, 20 September 2018

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Learning on beanbags Are innovative learning environments really the way forward? By Rachel Helyer Donaldson.

hen Kia King’s second son started school last year, she was shocked at the difference between his modern, open-plan classroom – in which one space was shared by two teachers and 36 children – and his older brother’s traditional new entrants’ classroom two and a half years earlier. “Straightaway I could see how much more nurturing, caring and kind [the traditional classroom] had been. This modern learning environment wasn’t a very warm welcome, and you couldn’t make it a warm welcome because there were too many little people.” A massive transformation has taken place in education this decade, as increasingly schools ditch traditional single classrooms – with rows of desks and a teacher doing most of the talking – for innovative learning environments (ILEs).

The Ministry of Education estimates it spent $747.7 million on 19 new ILE schools between 2013 and 2017.

What are innovative learning environments?

The term ‘ILE’ refers to “the complete physical, social and educational context in which learning occurs”, rather than just a type of classroom, says Ministry head of education infrastructure service Kim Shannon. The idea is that flexible, open-plan spaces are conducive to ‘21st century learning’ – much of it student-led, inquiry-based and collaborative. Ideally, teachers work in teams, and children work with the teacher who best suits their learning needs in ‘hubs’ that range from 50 to 300 (in the case of Christchurch’s Haeata Community Centre) students. There’s a lot more technology in class, and a variety of furniture, including beanbags and lily pads (vinyl soft seats), and far fewer tables and chairs. According to a 2017 study by the University of Melbourne, ILE learning takes place in about one-third of New Zealand primary settings. The Ministry estimates it spent $747.7 million on 19 new ILE schools between 2013 and 2017. But there are deep divisions over how successful these classrooms are, and whether enough evidence exists to support such a big change. ILE supporters argue that ‘21st century learners’ need to be resilient, lifelong students who can, as a 2009 UK study puts it, “think and work in teams and be flexible, adaptable and creative”.

All schools must follow the national curriculum, but it is up to each school to determine the best teaching and learning approaches for its students, says Shannon.

Concerns with modern learning approaches Not all parents are happy when their local school embraces ILE-style education. Some are concerned about the psychological and physical impact of electronic devices, including sleep and vision issues, loss of handwriting skills and musculoskeletal effects.

“Why are we trying to get rid of the human touch? What kids want and need is more attention. Instead of building all these classrooms and [money spent on] digital immersion, they could have spent it on teachers.” There’s also a simple lack of chairs, which parents say can lead to problems. Lucy’s* son, in Year 4, has suffered severe headaches since moving to an ILE last year. These occur when he sits on the floor or in a beanbag, regardless of whether he is using a device or pen and paper. The school dismissed her concerns, she says. Others worry that huge numbers of children and open-plan acoustics can be overwhelming, particularly for introverts and students with learning difficulties. Matthew* is trying to find a non-ILE intermediate for his son who has mild ADHD and dyslexia. “He works best when given direct, plain instructions and allowed a

quiet place to work without distraction.” A teacher at one of New Zealand’s largest secondary schools, Matthew says that open-plan classrooms are “too noisy, too chaotic” for all children and that there is “little to no evidence” for them. He says they also require at least two teachers who work well together and who “can engage and monitor every student, in a group of 60-plus, at all times, to keep them on task. I don’t see any positives”. By this year, Kia King’s eldest son had gone from being a carefree child who loved school to “a stressed eight-year-old who would end up in tears each week due to having to self-manage his workload via a massive to-do list”. Some 80 per cent of his learning was online, King estimates, using Google or interactive learning apps like Mathletics, Skoolbo and Banqer. “He’s committed practically nothing to long-term memory and he’s nearly nine. He was doing 1,000 points of Mathletics a week, but he had no idea what three per cent of 100 was.” Parents who are concerned their children’s learning needs are not being met in an ILE have little choice but to find another school – often not an easy option. King took her sons out of school in May. They are now on a two-year waiting list for a Christian school with traditional-style classrooms of 25 children. For now, she feels she has no option but to homeschool. King is 35. But, she says, anyone who raises concerns about the emphasis on digital learning is called “a luddite, old-fashioned and told you need to get with the times”. Yet plenty agree with her concerns, it seems: her Facebook page My Child is Not a Guinea Pig has more than 600 followers. “Why are we trying to get rid of the human touch? What kids want and need is more attention. Instead of building all these classrooms and [money spent on] digital immersion, they could have spent it on teachers.”

*Names have been changed to protect privacy

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Thursday, 20 September 2018 | 11

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The value of learning in the early years Why some experts say a playbased curriculum in early years education is the most effective way to support your child’s lifelong learning journey.

ack’s dad recently commented that every time he went to pick Jack up from his preschool, he was playing. What was going on?! He was surprised that Jack hadn’t learned to read or write yet – he was starting school soon and he was worried that he was going to be slow to develop which would then put him behind in class! Jack’s dad was repeating a common mistaken belief – that preschool children are just having fun until they start school, without any ’real’ learning taking place. He was also falling into the trap of thinking that to get ahead, Jack would need to read and write before starting school. In fact, the opposite is true. In the early years play is what young children’s brains are hard-wired for, that’s how they learn the skills that they’ll draw on for the rest of their lives. Through play, children learn social skills, creative expression, resilience, focus, risk-taking, thinking and problem-solving skills – much of which is the foundation from which all formal learning will be based. Research shows that the more opportunities children have to learn through a play-based curriculum in the early years, the better the future results in formal education. Some experts believe that preschool children who experience a high amount of formal learning can be disadvantaged, simply because their self-expressed play

time is less. Further, they argue that the early years are the most vital in a person’s learning journey, and that this is where parents should focus their resources – even more so than university. Jack’s dad wondered what value Jack’s teachers were adding to Jack’s learning. To him, the teachers were simply keeping the children at Jack’s centre entertained and safe. In fact, qualified early childhood teachers have three-year degrees and are skilled in provoking meaningful learning through play, extending on children’s interests with the view to supporting them to develop new knowledge, skills and provide opportunities to help them reflect on ‘how they learn’. Jack’s teachers are guided in their work by the world-renowned New Zealand Early Childhood curriculum ‘Te Whariki’, which focuses on all aspects of Jack’s development and learning including his wellbeing and sense of place and belonging in the world. Perhaps terms such as ‘childcare’ and ‘daycare’ haven’t helped Jack’s dad with his perception that the early childhood sector is a kind of holding place or babysitting service until school. Many teachers now prefer to describe their centre as an ‘early learning centre’ as a more accurate description, reflecting their expertise and focus on every child as they learn those vital skills that will support them for the rest of their lives. Jack’s dad saw Jack as ‘just playing’ when in fact something extraordinary was happening for Jack. He was engaged in the most powerful learning – through play. Jack was actively learning about the world around him, growing in selfconfidence, self-expression, creativity, focus, and resilience. Jack’s teachers were supporting him with the skills he needs to go on to be the awesome scientist, builder or lawyer he will become in his later life. Now that’s more than Jack’s dad could ever hope for.

Clair Edgeler, BestStart Education and Care

12 | Thursday, 20 September 2018

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Smooth transitions

“The kids step up to a much larger position of responsibility in the school community. It’s a notable transition with homework expectations and leadership opportunities.”

What does it take to make a good transition from early childhood education to school, and from primary to intermediate or secondary school? By Rachel Helyer Donaldson.

s George’s fifth birthday approached, in March, his mum Megan assumed he would be pretty relaxed about starting school. The third child, he’d spent a lot of time there already, accompanying his two older siblings on drop-offs and pick-ups. His kindergarten had helped him prepare by encouraging independence and talking about school. So she was surprised when George became “very nervous”, she says. “He displayed a fair bit of anxiety leading up to it, lots of tears and trouble getting to sleep at night.” Things resolved after the second of two school visits – “interestingly, the one where I didn’t stay!” George’s teacher put him at ease with a calm and positive classroom environment. He could now enjoy his last week of kindy, including his ‘happy last day’ ceremony, and looked forward to starting school. This year, George’s 12-year-old brother Max also started senior school, in Year 7. Although Max was not going to a completely new school, the transition is definitely seen as a big step, Megan says. “The kids step up to a much larger position of responsibility in the school community. It’s a notable transition with homework expectations and leadership opportunities.” While very different, starting primary school and moving on to intermediate (or secondary school, if primary goes up to Year 8) are two massive milestones in a child’s life. As Kahli Oliveira, a Year 1 team leader at Mt Albert’s Gladstone Primary School, who has also taught intermediate children for eight years in Gisborne, puts it: new entrants’ classes are “the beginning of it all” while intermediate is “a time of transformation, when children tend to grow up”. The New Zealand Curriculum describes those middle school years as “a time of great change for learners as they move from childhood to adolescence”. Most of these children also transition between different school settings.

What does ‘school ready’ mean? For five-year-olds turning up on their first day of school, there is no expectation to know how to read or write. ‘School ready’ children can manage themselves and their belongings, says Nicky Edwards, a new entrants’ teacher at Halswell School in Christchurch. This includes being able to go to the toilet on their own, blow their own noses and follow a simple routine, like getting their reading book and water bottle out at the start of the day, or packing their bag at the end. Social skills, like knowing how to share, take turns and ask an adult for help, are also useful, she adds. Gladstone Primary School fosters a ‘can-do’ attitude among its new entrants, says Oliveira.

“It’s the ability to try something new without it being too scary, or overwhelming or thinking that it’s not the right way to do things. Just knowing that teachers and parents have got your back; we’re there to help them but we’re not going to do it for them.” Basic literacy and numeracy skills are useful but not essential, says Edwards. “We test early in a fun environment and teach from where the children are at.” But, she adds, if a child is developmentally ready to learn, “then they really take off when they are exposed to this learning when they start school”. A significant Australian study, Starting School, observes that schools need to be ready for children, not the other way around. Gladstone, which has a diverse ethnic community and wide-ranging learning needs, follows a similar philosophy, says Oliveira.

“We want those little people to believe in themselves. Enjoying school is paramount.” “Some children are really ready to start school; some would rather be playing with the blocks and in the sandpit. As Year 0 and 1 teachers, we have to be responsive and tailor our programmes to meet those needs. Each child makes individual progress, no matter where they start.” It’s worth remembering you can choose to start a child any time up to a year later, when they turn six. “Children who are ‘not school ready’ tend to need a lot of support to manage their day,” says Edwards. But, she adds, “they can really enjoy being in the school environment, particularly if it has a playbased environment”.

Getting ready to start school Families can help a child before they start school by visiting outside school hours to have a play and get familiar with the environment, says Edwards. Having positive conversations about starting school and encouraging self-management skills, such as packing and carrying their own bags, all help too. “Our contributing ECEs [early childhood education centres] are brilliant and prepare the children well,” she adds.

Both teachers agree that pre-school visits are crucial. Halswell offers three visits while Gladstone provides between four and six. Parents stay initially with the child, but there are children-only visits too, as well as information sessions for the adults. If new entrants feel a strong connection between home and school, they feel safe and they’re going to learn, says Oliveira. “We want those little people to believe in themselves. Enjoying school is paramount.”

Starting intermediate or secondary school Adolescents starting at intermediate have different challenges. They’re no longer the self-assured, Year 6 ‘big kids’ at primary, but Year 7 newbies. Along with the sheer number of new students all starting at the same time, the other major difference, says Glenfield Intermediate principal Mark Whitford, is “the social, emotional and physiological changes that young adolescents experience during this time”. A successful transition is essential to ensure there is no negative impact on learning, he says. The key is “building a positive rapport and relationship with the learner and family as soon as possible, and providing a variety of opportunities to visit the intermediate”. Connections with local primary schools are also crucial, he adds. As early as Term 2, Year 6 students from the local primaries spend a day at Glenfield meeting teachers and trying out different classes. There are open evenings, an outing to see Glenfield’s school production, and other special events. Whitfield urges families to take up any chances they can to visit the intermediate. “Parents can also help by celebrating the transition as an important stepping-stone into the next phase of education. The more positive parents are, the more likely the children are to be positive about the move.”

How can parents help their child with starting school? yy Attend school visits prior to starting. yy Visit school after school hours for a play to get familiar with the environment. yy Have positive chats about starting school. yy Encourage self-management, like looking after belongings. yy Don’t stress too much about literacy and numeracy at this stage.

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Thursday, 20 September 2018 | 13

Advertorial

Girls can’t achieve unless they’re nurtured and happy St Cuthbert’s College’s successful homeroom approach helps new Year 7 students feel like they are joining one big happy family.

ear 10 student Rebecca Fala has been a student at St Cuthbert’s College in Auckland since New Entrants. However, she well remembers the excitement of Year 7 when the “old girls” – the existing students – were joined by a new intake of students from other primary schools. “St Cuthbert’s is like a home away from home, so meeting all those new girls was quite nerve-racking at first,” recalls Rebecca. “But we quickly gained new friendships.” Rebecca credits St Cuthbert’s Year 7 homeroom system for helping to establish those friendships. New girls are carefully buddied with “old girls” and they are placed together in a homeroom. The homeroom teacher takes the class for English, social studies and health in an effort to really get to know the girls as they find their feet in Year 7. “Having the same teacher for those three subjects is really good because they get to learn how you learn as a person – good if you’re quite a visual learner, for example,” says Rebecca.

Key point of difference Principal Justine Mahon says St Cuthbert’s homeroom approach has been a key point of difference for many decades. “At a school like St Cuthbert’s, which has a long and proud history, there is a great feeling of connection, and the girls who have been at St Cuthbert’s have a large part in helping integrate the new girls into this special culture.”

Olivia Gillingham, Lily Klisser Holroyd, Sophia Elvidge, Chloe Wiersma looking at the screen in their Year 7 homeroom.

Justine says a huge amount of time is spent by teachers prior to the school year commencing to ensure the best buddy match possible for each of the incoming girls. “They come in on Day 1; their desks are all labelled and they’re sitting beside their buddy, with their lockers nearby. They come into a room that feels really personal to them already, even though they haven’t yet been to this school.” Year 7 homeroom dean Sue Elgar says the homeroom approach allows teachers to really get to know the girls and their families. The teachers work with students and parents to help balance homework with family commitments and extracurricular activities. “Sometimes girls come in and want to join everything you can do at St Cuthbert’s from the first year, because there are so many opportunities,” says Sue. “So we help them manage that with a three-year plan so they don’t over-commit. We work together really closely with their families and the girls so they can make the most of their time here and develop that increasing sense of independence.”

Pastoral care crucial to success Justine says that Year 7 is a critical time for students’ physical and emotional development. “It’s the beginning of early adolescence so they’re undergoing such major change. It’s really important that as they make the transition into this section of education, we take the time to make them feel special, that we take the stress out of it.”

Justine points to evidence that shows that transitions have to be very carefully handled. “There is research to show that at this crucial stage of early adolescence you shouldn’t have too many transitions, too many entrances and exits. The girls come in and they feel integrated. They know that they’re going to be here for seven years – that is deeply settling for them, and actually better for them.”

“It’s that feeling of being connected to one another and feeling accepted that enables them to relax and learn.”

Justine says that while St Cuthbert’s is well known for its academic success, it has always viewed pastoral care as incredibly important too. “Girls can’t achieve unless they’re being nurtured and they’re happy – they can’t concentrate,” she says. “We know that when parents send their daughter to St Cuthbert’s, they want us to know who she is. They want us to actually enjoy getting to know what her strengths are. That focus continues all the way through. “It’s that feeling of being connected to one another and feeling accepted that enables them to relax and learn.”

14 | Thursday, 20 September 2018

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

Play is learning: why playtime matters more than you think It’s quite normal to worry whether your nearly fiveyear-old is ‘school ready’. Yet when the evidence is considered, it is apparent there is no better preparation for learning than play. By Anna Clements.

quick browse through the websites of preschools in high socioeconomic areas provides insight into the priorities of New Zealand’s middle-class parents. “Children who settle into school easily are the ones who have attended a quality early learning centre with a professional school readiness programme,” claims one. “Our routine is structured similarly to a school routine so that children transition easily to a school day structure. Children will gain skills in early reading and writing in our literacy-rich teaching practice,” says another. Some school preparation programmes go further, one pitching a comprehensive worksheet system to parents of preschoolers. “These worksheets are carefully designed to take students from counting up to advanced maths.”

Early years care in Finland is highly subsidised to ensure accessibility to all children. At age five, 75 per cent of Finnish children are in daycare and by six, the uptake is 98 per cent.

Anyone reading such claims and learning of the waiting lists attached to enrolment in these programmes can be forgiven for feeling anxious about doing enough to prepare their child for school. Often, the feelings of anxiety continue long past the new entrant stage into the junior school years, with some parents seeking private tutors to promote ‘proper learning’ outside of school. It may come as a surprise, therefore, to learn that probably the best thing you can do for your child’s education is to ensure they get plenty of playtime.

Play IS learning Play isn’t some sort of soft approach before the ‘real’ learning begins, says early childhood education expert Viv Shearsby. Play is learning, children are the experts – and all teachers should provide playtime every day. “We know young children are expert learners. They are hardwired to do this, and recent advances in brain development research now showcases the importance of this. It is particularly vigorous in the first three to five years. Creative or divergent thinking sits at 98 per cent for those under five, but evidence clearly shows the decline of this consistently throughout childhood with a massive reduction in creative thinking processes by exit of the school context.” Bearing this in mind, it is unsurprising to learn that in Finland, whose state school system has sat at the top of Europe’s rankings for the past 16 years, the groundwork for good school performance begins with play-based learning in early childhood centres. In Finnish daycare centres, designed for children up to age seven, the main purpose is the promotion of health and wellbeing of the child. Children are taught how to develop good social habits such as making friends and maintaining personal hygiene, and at least 90 minutes a day is devoted to physical activity outside. Nevertheless, play is taken very seriously because it provides children with vital skills in how to learn. By engaging in ‘free play’ and teacher-directed play, children develop skills in paying attention, persevering,

concentrating and solving problems, qualities that are considered stronger predictors of academic success than the age at which a child learns to read. “When children have opportunities to play at length and be involved with others in investigating possibilities and developing hypotheses, they try things out. They have little fear of failure, and through ongoing and recurring experiences they secure brain synapses that form the framework of their learned knowledge. Over time their competence increases, and with this they develop confidence in their capability. Play allows children to be relaxed and work creatively, revisit experiences, solve problems, engage with others and discover an endlessly new world,” says Shearsby. Early years care in Finland is highly subsidised to ensure accessibility to all children. At age five, 75 per cent of Finnish children are in daycare and by six, the uptake is 98 per cent. There is no academic focus, and no formal instruction of maths, reading or writing. Instead the goal is ensuring that the children are happy and responsible. Many New Zealand-based child advocates believe it should be a similar system here. While the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki, is highly regarded internationally, transition-to-school programmes are less successful and the difference between preschool and primary environments much more pronounced. As it is, many children’s experience of starting school in New Zealand is punctuated by the shock of bells, rules and spending long periods of time sitting down.

One school’s experience with play-based learning However, some schools in New Zealand are adopting Play-Based Learning (PBL) – with very positive results. Kaimai School, a small rural primary school near Tauranga, introduced PBL at the beginning of 2018. Dane Robertson, the school’s former principal who initiated its transition to PBL, says the first noticeable

Thursday, 20 September 2018 | 15

EducationCentral.co.nz/FutureFocus

change was improvement of social interactions between children. “The children began to solve their own problems and fewer would come to me with small issues; they began to self-police their own behaviour.” In the classroom, teachers reported that children were better engaged in reading, writing, and maths groups, and were more confident to give things a go. Indeed, risk-taking is central to healthy child development and to this end Kaimai raised $130,000 to finance a skate park, an investment that Robertson says quickly paid dividends. Within a term, children were observed to develop confidence, patience, perseverance, calculated risk taking, and resilience. “All these personality traits are hugely important in adulthood, and the only way this can be achieved is to offer these experiences for children in a controlled environment.” Students are allowed to play bullrush, climb trees and make huts, and plans are afoot to build a wooden barn for storage of tyres, scaffolding planks and wooden climbing boxes. There is also a wish list of items such as a mud kitchen and a fire pit. Kaimai’s change in approach came about after Robertson read of schools in Colorado where schooling had been reduced to four days a week because of a funding crisis. Astonishingly the impact on the children’s achievement had been positive, it was thought because children were able to be involved in play of their choice on the fifth day. Less school led to better results. Reading this prompted Robertson to revisit the work of Swiss psychologist and child development expert, Jean Piaget. Piaget's theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called ‘genetic epistemology’, and some of his research led to the belief that every interaction establishes cognitive

“The children began to solve their own problems and fewer would come to me with small issues, they began to self-police their own behaviour.”

structure in children. This is said to be especially important in the classroom environment. In 2017, Kaimai staff had professional development with the Brainwave Trust and Nathan Mikaere-Wallis which focused on neuroscience and how the brain works. They learned that at about age seven, the longitudinal fissure (the area where the left and right hemispheres join) strengthens and each hemisphere starts to take on a more dominant role. This is when the brain becomes far more receptive to higher order tasks such as reading, writing, and maths. Following that, there was professional development with teacher and author Pennie Brownlee, and Longworth Education. At Kaimai, junior classes still have the focus of reading, writing, and maths, but follow-up activities have often been replaced with free play. The teacher will put out invitations or ‘provocations’, that are openended starting points for play. Ideally, the items set up for play are natural materials, allowing students to link with nature and use their imaginations; an example being that a plastic apple in a play kitchen will only be played with as an apple, whilst a pinecone could be an apple, an egg or a bottle of tomato sauce. “My findings are that Play-Based Learning is not something that a teacher just does; rather, it is a pedagogical approach to teaching, it is a philosophy

that can be backed up through neuroscience, educational theorists and research,” says Robertson. The school’s approach is to look at the whole student. “We fell down the rabbit hole of focusing on students who were struggling in reading, writing, and maths. Late last year we realised we had not looked carefully at the whole student, as we had students who in the areas of reading, writing, and maths were at, or mostly beyond, their expected levels but had huge social gaps.” Students’ academic progress is still a focus, but teachers also consider where they are at with regards to cognitive stages. “Play is an easy way for teachers to observe the key competencies in real situations, which are student-led and student-focused.” Kaimai is now investigating what PBL looks like in middle and senior classes with students participating in inquiry projects known as DIY. Teaching is focused on the process rather than the product, and inquiry time is treated more like play. They are mindful of the definition of play as defined by eminent Boston psychologist, Peter Gray: “Play by definition, is, first and foremost, an activity that is self-chosen and self-directed. It is an activity that you are always free to quit. Activities that are chosen by teachers and directed or evaluated by teachers, is not play.

Life after National Standards While schools are quickly finding their way in the new post-National Standards era, parents may find the adjustment more difficult, reports Jude Barback.

s I opened my son’s mid-year school report, I found myself scanning for the reassuring words ‘At’ or ‘Above’. But of course they weren’t there – after all, this was his first post-National Standards school report. One of Chris Hipkins’ first tasks as Education Minister was to dismantle the primary school assessment system introduced by the National Government in 2009. National Standards measured whether students were ‘above’, ‘at’ or ‘below’ the expected level for reading, writing and maths. “They’re not national and they’re not standard,” Hipkins said, before Labour was elected and he became Education Minister. “National Standards don’t measure progress; they fail to recognise that different kids learn differently and at different rates.” Hipkins also took exception to the way the Standards narrowed the curriculum to reading, writing and maths, often at the expense of other curriculum areas. Last year, Education Central canvassed teachers to find Hipkins’ views echoed those of many teachers. Jess Byrne felt National Standards weren’t an accurate measure – particularly for our youngest students. “I am also very concerned that for our most vulnerable students these measures could be very detrimental to their self-esteem. They clearly highlight the student’s deficits and take away any recognition of strengths in other learning areas.” “The language of ‘above’, ‘at’ or ‘below’ the standard is just cruel,” agreed Sheherazad Bhote, who also had concerns that National Standards didn’t support the idea that children learn at their own speed. Many educators also resented the fact that National Standards data could be used to publicly compare schools, as this opened up the possibility of discrimination against children with English as a second language or special learning needs who might ‘skew’ the data. There is broad agreement in education circles that the emphasis should be on an individual student’s progress,

rather than reaching an arbitrary standard. It’s hard to argue with that. All parents want to see progression in their child’s learning, regardless of whether they are struggling or gifted. After all, an ‘above’ measure, while reassuring, doesn’t tell you all that much about whether your child has made any improvement. The challenge for schools is how to demonstrate this progress to parents.

There will be parents all around New Zealand, just like me, searching school reports for answers to the key questions: Are my children making progress? Are they where they should be? And of course, are they decent little human beings? Range of assessment tools available Hipkins says that rather than relying on one tool, teachers can use a range of assessment tools to understand students’ progress across the full curricula. Schools have generally been doing this for some time anyway and many insist that it is a case of ‘business as usual’ in the new post-National Standards era.

“National Standards don’t measure progress; they fail to recognise that different kids learn differently and at different rates.”

Yet there will be parents all around New Zealand, just like me, searching school reports for answers to the key questions: Are my children making progress? Are they where they should be? And of course, are they decent little human beings? Upon closer reading, I found all the answers I was seeking. The report was crammed with detail about what he was learning, how he was performing against the school competencies, and his next learning steps. But is this merely good fortune that the school has worked hard to establish a new and effective system of reporting to parents? With no clear guidance from the Ministry of Education, schools are left grappling with how to forge their own way. Some have opted simply to continue with a system based largely on the National Standards system. Others have used the opportunity to delve into other learning areas and competencies of the curriculum and measure against those. A number of schools are supplementing the formal twice-yearly reports with real-time reporting to parents with apps like Linc-Ed and SeeSaw. The biggest challenge for schools, as they wean parents off National Standards, will be to find a way that works for them and their community to clearly articulate children’s progress and a sense of whether they’re achieving at the expected level.

Amazing discoveries