Power with the collective

By Chris Valli

What do you call 565 educational delegates from 21 Marlborough schools? The 2023 Piritahi - Kāhui Ako staff teacher only day at the ASB Theatre.

Piritahi – Weaving Learners Together - saw teachers, principals, learning assistants (teacher aides) represented at a professional development day on Friday with educators from Kaikoura to Picton.

Redwoodtown Principal Aaron Vercoe is the Piratahi Kahui Ako co lead alongside Principal Gaylene Beattie of Springlands School.

The role sees them collaborate across 21 schools to ‘strengthen teacher capability’ while ‘working through s ome shared achievement challenges’ including early learning services, primary, intermediate and secondary level.

What used to be known as ‘Communities of Learning’ or a cluster of schools, the concept and vision is about strategically planning together with a ‘coherent set of values and beliefs’.

Aaron says the transition of learners from early childhood to secondary is fundamental to achieve not only educational but social outcomes also.

“Despite the variances in our schools there are many similarities with going between our (Marlborough) sectors,” he says. “We know that when children change schools that can have a dramatic impact. The closer we are aligned the better we will be.”

The Te Takanga o Te Wa in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (New Zealand histories) curriculum will be implemented when all Marlborough akonga/students return to school and taught under the Social Sciences learning area of the curriculum from early childhood to tertiary.

The new content will support akonga to be critical thinkers and understand our past, in order to make sense of the present.

Aaron says fundamentals of literacy and numeracy will be imperative with the co-construction of the learning being planned and assessed.

“There will be so much more buy-in from our community when we understand a nd share the history our people have been through,” he says. “This is what our staff only day is about, celebrating the role of our educators across Piritahi have in sharing our Aotearoa New Zealand histories.”

The staff only day was held with support from local we will be.” mana whenua iwi ; Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rārua, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau. Teachers heard from keynote speakers and participated in iwi fieldtrips to locally significant historical sites.

Aaron says they are pleased to have the connection with iwi as he says it is imperative to build their capacity in supporting change within our schools for learners.

“Having a greater understanding of where those navigational stories come from and what impacts our kids collectively is