Education Gazette 100.16

13 DECEMBER 2021 | VOL. 100 | NO. 16

Ko wai au?

Unique histories and identities build connection and belonging Pacific principals delivering Talanoa Ako

Mōhiotanga through the call of taonga puoro

Self-regulation in early learning

Te Takanga o Te Wā and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories

Changes have been announced to the timeline for Te Takanga o Te Wā and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories In response to the significant and ongoing

The release of the final curriculum content for

impact COVID-19 has had on schools and kura,

Te Takanga o Te Wā and Aotearoa New Zealand’s

we are focused on supporting teachers, kaiako,

histories will be moved to early 2022. Schools

learners, whānau and communities continue

and kura will now be expected to implement

to manage this disruption. Their wellbeing is

the new content from 2023, rather than from

our priority.

2022 as originally intended.

Find out more at

education.govt.nz/AotearoaNZhistories

ISSU E 1 00.1 6

Contents

Spotlight on community partnerships

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13 DECEMBER 2021 | VOL. 100 | NO. 16

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Ko wai au?

Unique histories and identities build connection and belonging Pacific principals delivering Talanoa Ako

Mōhiotanga through the call of taonga puoro

Self-regulation in early learning

On the cover Page 16. Dr Maysoon Salama, the manager of two Muslim early learning centres, and the emeritus national co-ordinator of the Islamic Women’s Council New Zealand, has worked with the Ministry of Education to reflect the diversity of the Muslim community.

30 36 38 42

Iona Holsted: Te Tumu Whakarae mō te Mātauranga | Secretary for Education Centenary map: Marking 100 years Mōhiotanga through the call of taonga puoro Pacific principals delivering Talanoa Ako Storybooks celebrate diversity, promote understanding STEM a high priority for ākonga Māori in Ōtaki Putting the zoo in Zoom Digital kete connects school community to its history NCEA mini-pilots off to a good start Developing self-regulation in young tamariki through play Engaging trades programme builds future workforce

The Education Gazette office will be closed from 4pm, Friday 17 December until 9am, Monday 10 January 2022.

No online vacancies will be processed during this period and advertising queries will be answered after these dates.

13 December 2021

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EDITOR’S NOTE

A centenary well celebrated

W

hat a truly spectacular year. Our lives may have been awash with challenges and uncertainty, but the stories featured in this magazine have remained nothing short of inspirational – and that’s due entirely to the wonderful mahi you allowed us to share on our pages. You, e ngā kaiako me ngā tumuaki, are the heart of this publication. We hope even just one of our articles this year has helped or inspired you.

This year we celebrated 100 years of Education Gazette, which provided a unique opportunity to reflect on our own history and that of education in Aotearoa New Zealand. We have shared so many special stories from right across the motu; you can see this reflected in the centenary map on page 4. Ka nui te mihi to everyone who contributed to this kaupapa, particularly our superhuman Gazette team, who went above and beyond to make this commemoration so spectacular.

Jude Barback and Sarah Wilson pictured with our four special centenary editions.

In this issue, we dive deeper into the partnerships that have formed throughout 2021 to connect ākonga and school communities with their identities and their histories, culminating in a sense of unity and belonging.

To view the PLD, general notice listings and vacancies at gazette.education.govt.nz

Have a lovely break with your friends and family this holiday season; we look forward to gracing your screens and staff rooms again in 2022.

Hei konā mai me ngā mihi Sarah Wilson

PLD

NOTICES

VACANCIES

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PUBLISHED BY Education Gazette is published for the Ministry of Education by NZME. Educational Media Ltd. PO Box 200, Wellington.

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STORY IDEAS We welcome your story ideas.

Please email a brief (50-100 words) outline to: reporter@edgazette.govt.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS eleni.hilder@nzme.co.nz VIEW US ONLINE Web: gazette.education.govt.nz Instagram: @edgazettenz Youtube: youtube.com/ edgazettenewzealand

KEY CONTACTS Reporter Joy Stephens reporter@edgazette.govt.nz Display & paid advertising Jill Parker 027 212 9277 jill.parker@nzme.co.nz Vacancies & notices listings Eleni Hilder 04 915 9796 vacancies@edgazette.govt.nz notices@edgazette.govt.nz

DEADLINES The deadline for display advertising to be printed in the 7 February 2022 edition of Education Gazette is 4pm on Friday 21 January 2022.

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Kia ora koutou katoa

Y

ou have responded to the volatility of Covid-19 with resilience, flexibility, creativity, and – most importantly – commitment to the wellbeing and learning of our ākonga. Thank you.

All of these qualities and more have been on display in the pages of Education Gazette this year. I hope you have enjoyed taking inspiration from your colleagues around the motu, as well as the opportunities to reflect on change and progress provided by the special centenary editions of the Gazette.

Through the launch of Education Gazette in 1921, the Director of Education at the time, John Caughley, and the then Department of Education, were seeking to create greater connection and unified action across the education system, as well as strengthen the teaching of the syllabus. In the intervening years the education system has swung towards tight centralisation (from about the 1940s through to the 1980s), and then the other way toward high devolution and independence through the 1989 Tomorrow’s Schools reforms.

On reading Mr Caughley’s introduction to the very first Education Gazette, his description of the challenges

of a lack of coordination across the system are familiar.

Rebalancing the system to be more connected and coherent is the intent behind the Government’s decisions to reform the Tomorrow’s Schools system.

One of those decisions was given life earlier this year with the establishment of Te Mahau (formerly referred to as an “Education Service Agency”) within a redesigned Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education. The launch of Te Mahau on 4 October 2021 was a low-key affair – and not only because everyone’s attention was rightly focused on the Covid response.

Low key, because until the ambitions translate into action, they are just good intentions.

Over time, Te Mahau will provide more responsive and accessible supports to educators, leaders, ākonga and their whānau. It is the experience that you have of working with us, and the results that ensue, that will be celebrated.

Thank you again for all your hard work this year. I wish you a safe, restful and warm break to recharge and reconnect with whānau and friends.

Ngā mihi nui Iona Holsted Te Tumu Whakarae mō te Mātauranga Secretary for Education

1 November 1921 The New Zealand Education Gazette

T

he two chief aims of the Department in issuing this Gazette are – to assist teachers individually in their work, and to co-ordinate and concentrate the efforts of all teacher towards effecting some general systematic advance in certain phases of education in New Zealand.

Naturally these aims will be correlative.

The assistance given to individual teachers individually will be varied in character. It will include the periodical supply of… official information… [including] notices of vacant positions…

The Gazette will supply… suggestions, explanations, and information concerning the syllabus instruction… it will bring to the notice of teachers, books, papers, or articles likely to be helpful… Some of the articles will be original[s] contributed by officers of the Department, including Inspectors, as well as by leading teachers…

Beyond all individual – and what are often empirical – efforts to improve school-work, there is a real need for a united study of principles of education… in this study the Department, … the inspectors, must work

13 December 2021

hand in hand with the teachers… At present there is no adequate means of providing for co-ordination of study, practice and principles. The field is so wide open that any investigation...is spasmodic, disconnected and lacking in persistence. It is hoped that the Gazette will be the means of giving a lead in this connection, and even if progress is slow, it is likely to be more general and sure, so that each advance should form a sound basis for the next stage.

“It behoves each of us to play our part so as to make the utmost of our capacities and our opportunities...

Whatever our difficulties and our restrictions may be, our aim should be to get 110 per cent of efficiency out of the powers and means now at our disposal, while using all reasonable means to have any obstacles or hindrances removed.”

John Caughley Director of Education

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Marking 100 years New Plymouth: Hopes, dreams and high expectations at kura

Blenheim: Whānau has deep roots at Blenheim school Special 2021 commemorative edition

Marking Education Gazette’s Centenary

Murchison: Murchison school at heart of its community Westport: Promising future for Buller students

Dunedin: Historic Dunedin school welcomes diversity

Invercargill: Nurturing young Māori in the Deep South

Stewart Island: Rich learning environment on Rakiura

Panguru: Collecting back our knowledge Auckland: Providing a language pathway Tauranga: Rena - how a shipwreck inspired learning Ruatoria: Ngata Memorial College: fulfilling a legacy

3 MAY 2021 | VOL. 100 | NO. 5

Hastings: A shared history of collaboration, culture and community

Special centenary edition Ka mua, ka muri – walking backwards into the future Schools and iwi working in partnership

Rich learning in remote and rural schools

Origins and development of Te Whāriki

Wairarapa: Country school at heart of community

Wellington: Bringing the curriculum to life Kaikōura: Connection and resilience in close-knit Kaikōura community 26 JULY 2021 | VOL. 100 | NO. 9

Christchurch: An increasingly inclusive education system

Special centenary edition

History, whakapapa, community, whānau Giving voice to local history in Otago

Embracing kaitiakitanga in the Far North

Inside the covers of the School Journal

The very first issue of Education Gazette was published in November 1921.

The Gazette’s centenary has provided an opportunity to reflect on the history of education in Aotearoa New Zealand and the direction it’s taking as the Gazette enters its next 100 years.

Special centenary edition

18 OCTOBER 2021 | VOL. 100 | NO. 13

Over the course of this year we’ve travelled all over the country, from the far North to Stewart Island, hearing stories from a diverse range of communities. We’ve shared these stories across four special issues. And we’ve also compiled them in a special digital commemorative issue, which you can access on gazette.education.govt.nz or via the QR code.

100 years of community, learning and growth Area schools: their role in rural New Zealand communities

Understand, Know, Do: the development of our national curriculum

Te Kura: the rich history of our Correspondence School

Matua Anaru plays the pūtōrino, a traditional flute.

TE AO M ĀORI

Mōhiotanga through the call of taonga puoro In partnership with Ngāti Kauwhata, Feilding High School has given ākonga the opportunity to delve deeper into the history and mōhiotanga/knowledge of all things tikanga Māori and te ao Māori.

F

eilding High School sits off the beaten track in the heart of the mighty Manawatū. Drive 15 minutes south and you are in Palmerston North; two hours further and you hit Wellington.

Feilding is a farming hub. Māori lived off the land, developed communal vegetable plots, fished the waterways, and harvested vegetation from the dense forest floors around Kawakawa. The European settlers carried on the tradition of cultivating and harvesting crops and stock.

The only secondary school in town, Feilding High has approximately 1,500 students from the surrounding area, and around 25 percent are ākonga Māori.

The local iwi are Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne and Ngāti Raukawa. For the first time, the school ran a te ao Māori class in partnership with Ngāti Kauwhata, as part of their localised curriculum this year.

It was the second to last te ao Māori class for 2021 when Tukutuku Kōrero Education Gazette went to visit and learn more about it. On the table for the day’s lesson was a collection of taonga puoro – Māori musical instruments.

Tauira gathered around the table to listen and watch as class facilitator Matua Anaru demonstrated the different taonga puoro and used them to guide the class through the retelling of whakapapa and mythology. As tauira took turns at playing taonga puoro, they were asked to recall the relationship between different taonga puoro and journeys of the ancestors of Aotearoa.

Motivated by student agency

The motivation for this new class grew out of the journey some students had begun with te reo Māori at the school.

The class provides an opportunity for ākonga to learn about local iwi and tikanga, and provides an anchor for their learning. It also engages whānau in students’ learning and brings them into the school environment.

Teacher in charge Kevin Waho says they feel blessed as a school, class, and whānau, that they are able to tap into this beautiful resource.

“We don’t want it to be lost and neither does Matua Anaru – he wants to share it out to as many young ones who

Tevita plays the porotiti (spinning, humming disc), while Rihari, Reagan and Hongi look on.

13 December 2021

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are as enthusiastic as possible. It’s been a beautiful start to the programme,” he says.

Principal Nathan Stewart has been clear from the outset that this class is something that will be led by student agency.

In the future he hopes to see it grow; the class is currently a combined class however, he says there could be one, two or three classes depending on the academic calendar for 2022.

Students shared with us that the hands-on learning approach in the te ao Māori class inspires and motivates them to learn.

Jordan, who is South African, says, “Because of the way we learn, how it’s back like in the old days, you don’t do as many books and paper, you don’t get forced to write the notes down. But we choose to anyway, so we’ve probably done more notes in this one class than we have together in all our other classes because of the way we’ve been taught.”

“The beauty about this avenue is it goes deeper into the history – the knowledge – of all things tikanga Māori, te ao Māori.

And, what better person to get in, than a leader from the mana whenua.”

Kevin Waho

Building connections

Top: Hongi plays the pūmoana, a conch shell trumpet.

Bottom: Kevin Waho talks to tauira in his class.

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Kevin might be the teacher in charge in name, but he sees the course as everyone working as equals, because that’s how it works in te ao Māori. The te ao Māori class is founded on equality and respect – respect for Matua Anaru, his wife Whaea Toni, and for the tauira who have chosen to take on this kaupapa.

“I’ve seen a lot of spark in these tauira. Te reo Māori is an avenue for our kids to connect to their culture, wellbeing and identity. This is another avenue, and the beauty about this avenue is it goes deeper into the history, the knowledge, of all things tikanga Māori, te ao Māori. And, what better person to get in, than a leader from the mana whenua,” he explains.

Anaru (Ngāti Kauwhata) talks about how he came to be the facilitator at Feilding High School and how this class is strengthening the relationship with Ngāti Kauwhata.

“I was approached by a whānaunga of mine who worked with the school. He visited me for about two years, and he asked me if I was able to bring back some of the hidden history that I learnt on the paepae, which they saw as a missing puzzle piece into the common kōrero that’s out there.”

gazette.education.govt.nz

”One of the amazing things that unfolded this year is that we can see the curriculum is timeless, and we can travel with it. It’s a good opportunity to revive this kōrero amongst our young people.”

Matua Anaru Anaru spoke of the passion he sees in the tauira in his class. Reflecting on 2021, he says there has been some trial and error between different groups, but as far as he’s concerned things are going well and the people involved are happy.

“One of the amazing things that’s unfolded this year is that we can see that the curriculum is timeless, and we can travel with it. It’s a good opportunity to revive this kōrero amongst our young people,” says Anaru.

Anaru is clear that he couldn’t have done this without his wife, Toni, and the students.

“I’m just a mouthpiece. I just put it out there and these fellas are the ones who grabbed it and made it into something. I feed off their energy.”

More than a class

The class runs four times each week. On Tuesdays, it falls just before lunch so Anaru and Toni organise a hakari kai for ngā ākonga o te ao Māori class. Toni describes her role as focusing on bringing manaakitanga to the class.

“We had a lot of students, a lot of them needed to talk.

They’ve picked up a lot of their identity being back here and having someone to talk to and someone to go to. And I think that’s what happened – everyone really, really cared about each other.”

This class doesn’t end at the door or at the end of the period. Toni spoke of the experiences they have generated for these tauira outside the classroom such as preparing food at the marae, holding pōwhiri, teaching ākonga to be responsible for themselves and to manaaki their guests.

She observes that it’s easy to miss out on taking care of the whole person when you’re teaching, and she’s filled in that gap by being there to pick up on the ‘little things’.

“And yeah, those that like to wag – we found them, we brought them back. If they’re not in class, we always give them a text, find out what’s up, find out the real reason.”

The power of a teacher

Anaru and Toni have made quite an impression on these tauira in a short space of time. The impact they’ve had through teaching with a te ao Māori lens and taking care of the whole person was evident. When we asked if tauira would be returning to take the class next year, we heard a resounding “Āe!” It was easy to see the respect and appreciation going both ways between kaiako and tauira.

13 December 2021

Top: Matua Anaru (Ngāti Kauwhata).

Bottom: Whaea Toni.

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Sam, Jordan, Rihari, Tevita, Reagan and Hongi with a selection of taonga puoro.

Advice for other schools and kura Feilding High School shares some advice for other schools and kura around Aotearoa considering beginning a te ao Māori class.

Principal Nathan Stewart says the first step is to make sure the iwi is on board, and that they’re at the table in the planning phase because it’s a team effort.

“Maybe I was a little bit naïve in the beginning and thought we could do it in-house. Then we were approached by Ngāti Kauwhata who were saying ‘actually, we’d like to make this really special for our kids and this is our land and so we’d like to come in and be a part of this, sit at the table, be with the kids, because these are our kids’,” he says.

It’s clear that the hearts of the whole community are invested in this kaupapa. Nathan is leading a school where the students are the community, and everyone has skin in the game to develop great rangatahi who become great people, and who go on to have a skillset to really excel when they leave school.

“The kids really enjoy going to that class. You can go and sit in that class and there’s warmth, the kids are engaged and they’re telling us that they feel they belong more at school and therefore they’re more likely to be engaged in other areas and do well academically across many facets of the school.

“We’ve got a feeling here that if you get a win somewhere

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– doesn’t matter if it’s a win in sports, or arts, or choir, or whatever it is – then you’ve got a chance of getting a second win, or a third win, and then that can get quite contagious for you once you get that confidence that can translate into mathematics, science and a whole range of other areas,” he says.

Year 12 tauira Sam, who is Māori, Samoan and Tongan, also has some advice for introducing a te ao Māori class.

“Start it, because the kōrero is getting lost, and I don’t want that to happen. With Matua and Whaea coming back, it’s bringing a lot of old kōrero back. I’d tell them to do it because you only have one chance to do it, so take it.

Sam further explains that the te ao Māori class has made him go deeper into learning.

“Since Anaru and Toni have come to our school and taught us about the myths, legends and about our culture overall, I think I speak for those families who have lost the knowledge and every year upcoming we lose kaumātua and our elders and with every elder gone we lose a bit of knowledge.

“I am proud to say that they have come to revive that.

I didn’t have elders to teach me because they all died before I was born and so I never really got a chance, but since Anaru and Toni have been here I’ve learnt things about our people.”

gazette.education.govt.nz

Tauira kōrero Tukutuku Kōrero Education Gazette sat down with some tauira of the te ao Māori class to talk about what they’ve enjoyed about the class this year.

Amanda (Cambodian), Year 12 I like coming here because I get to learn the culture of te reo Māori and te ao Māori. Learning the history, everything about it is beautiful. I love it because I’ve been taking te reo Māori for three years and now I am taking te ao Māori to learn something different. With everyone in the class I feel comfortable and the teachers make me feel safe.

Jenna (Māori), Year 12 This is my first year at Feilding and I [previously] hadn’t learnt much about the kaupapa, nei, so it was good coming in here and making heaps of new friends especially. Whaea and Matua are like parents to heaps of us – they treat us like their children so it’s nice coming into class every day and having them with us.

Rihari (Māori), Year 12 It’s been pretty heartwarming getting to know Whaea Toni and Matua Anaru. They’ve taken time out of their lives to come and teach us, and they’ve changed us. They’ve changed me, definitely, to be a better person, to go out there and take this kōrero, and give it to younger generations that are coming up. They’re gangster eh, it’s good to have them.

Whakarongo mai, listen to these inspiring kaiako and tauira share more detail about this kaupapa in a special Education Gazette podcast. Head to educationgazette.podbean.com

Get students engaged in STEM learning with free online resources, lesson plans and activities from School-gen • NZ curriculum-based activities for Years 1-13 • Designed by teachers • Kids have fun while learning

Find out more at

schoolgen.co.nz 13 December 2021

TAL ANOA AKO

Pacific principals delivering Talanoa Ako Talanoa Ako is a 10-week programme, delivered as and by Pacific, which gives Pacific parents, families, and communities the knowledge and tools to champion their children’s education.

Leaders from Aorere College supported students and families for the transition from Kedgley Intermediate School.

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T

he home-school partnership is key to learner success and it looks different for every community. For the Pacific community, it looks like Talanoa Ako. Talanoa Ako and its predecessor, PowerUP, is delivered by community partners such as health and education trusts, teachers and BOT collectives, Pacific churches, and schools at 74 locations from Auckland to Invercargill.

It includes core sessions such as understanding NCEA, learner pathways, literacy, and numeracy alongside sessions specifically requested by parents. Families are also given strategies to use when working with the school; for example, how to decode a school report and what to ask at parent-teacher conferences.

Talanoa Ako builds knowledge of the education system and learning for parents, families and communities so they are better able to support their children’s learning journeys and form equitable partnerships with their schools and teachers.

Strengthening partnerships

“Learning partnerships is one of the key drivers across our kāhui ako,” says Banapa Avatea, principal of Flat Bush School in South Auckland and previous lead principal of Te Puke ō Taramainuku Kāhui Ako. “Talanoa Ako is another opportunity to strengthen learner pathways from early learning until the end of secondary school. Most schools will say that they have an open-door policy, and that policy has to be true and

authentic, not just when you want them to come in.

Parents need to feel it is their school,” adds Banapa.

At Flat Bush, 80 percent of ākonga are of Pacific heritage. Some came to New Zealand as small children, while others were born here, as was Banapa.

His father was from the Cook Islands and his mother is European.

Apart from three years as principal at Huntly West Primary School, Banapa has spent his entire career working in South Auckland schools and says Talanoa Ako has been a career highlight.

Flat Bush School hosted Talanoa Ako earlier this year with the support of teachers from Rongomai Primary, Ferguson Intermediate and Tangaroa College.

“During the first session we spent time connecting and everyone had the opportunity to introduce themselves,” says Banapa.

“I was blown away by how deep some of that sharing was and it set the scene for what was to follow, strong connections with deep trust. It was truly talanoa with no beginning or end. There is such power in getting to know each other and by the end we knew each other very much better.”

Talanoa is a traditional word used across the Pacific to reflect a process of inclusive, participatory, and transparent dialogue. The purpose of talanoa is to share stories, build empathy and to make wise decisions for the collective good.

“I was blown away by how deep some of that sharing was and it set the scene for what was to follow: strong connections with deep trust.

It was truly talanoa with no beginning or end.”

Banapa Avatea

School leaders and whānau met weekly at Kedgley Intermediate School.

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Nana Graecina introduces herself alongside her daughter Priscilla and granddaughter Danika-Grace, who attends Kedgley Intermediate School.

“We always ask ourselves how we can be better than last term and what that will look like, and Talanoa Ako is an extension of that. The point of it is to further strengthen our relationships, to learn alongside our parents for the benefit of our children.”

Pelu Leaupepetele

Play-based learning

Lisa Boyd-Crofskey, lead teacher for learning through discovery at Flat Bush School, led a session on play-based learning with parents encouraged to take on the role of learner, a workshop that drew much feedback.

“Guilty! I was not keen on the idea but after the handson experience, (I realise that) playing simple games with your child is huge for their learning, no matter what age,” wrote one parent.

“I have learnt that through play our children can explore, experiment, discover and solve problems in imaginative ways,” said another.

In subsequent sessions, parents learned ways to support their primary children with literacy and numeracy tasks, how to use their school’s online tools, and they were coached in opening “courageous conversations”.

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Supporting transitions

Transitioning between schools was a big focus for discussion, starting with the transition from early learning into primary school. Whānau were led through the educational journey their children would take from early childhood right through to end of high school.

Leaders from the neighbouring intermediate and secondary schools explained ways that parents could support their child’s transitions, subject choices and academic or vocational pathways.

“Our parents now have key contacts across the schools,” says Banapa.

“Undoubtedly, they want to be part of the learning journey but previously they have worried they will harm the learning. After Talanoa Ako, they feel so much more in control.”

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The graduation ceremony was testimony to the authenticity of connections made during the two Saturdays, adapted from weekly sessions because of pandemic restrictions.

“When it was time to say goodbye, people were crying. There was always warmth and caring but now there is a level of connection that means it’s forever.

I’ve worked in schools for 23 years and only certain moments stay with you so vividly, as that will.”

Across in Papatoetoe, Kedgley Intermediate School has also hosted Talanoa Ako with the focus on supporting learners in Years 7 and 8, specifically in preparation for high school.

Principal Pelu Leaupepetele says Talanoa Ako was an opportunity for Kedgley to bring in its neighbouring local high school, Aorere College, and put families at ease about what a transition from intermediate school would involve.

It also provided leadership opportunities for two staff members, Eleanor Baledrokadroka and Sima Langi.

“They lead our families, our community – not staff – and it was wonderful to watch them grow, and problem solve, a big ask coming out of a lockdown.”

All parents involved have asked if they can sign up for the next Talanoa Ako and are requesting kōrero around cyber bullying and transitions from Year 6 into 7.

Safe spaces

Pelu considers this a natural fit with the school’s focus on emotional resilience, which is taught as a key learning area along with the likes of physical education, social studies, and languages. Ākonga are further supported through the school’s Lalaga initiative, which involves children meeting in groups with their trusted adult for half an hour, three mornings a week. It means every child has a safe space to talk – or not talk.

As with Flat Bush School, parent feedback reveals that Talanoa Ako is resonating with families.

“Resilience is super important because it allows our kids to push themselves when they think something is too overwhelming,” wrote one parent. “Making mistakes means you are trying.”

Like Banapa, Pelu is leading a school in the neighbourhood where he grew up and one with a predominantly Pacific roll – 55 percent.

“I’m invested as a community person as well as a principal. I like to know what’s going on, not just with Kedgley but with all the schools. I love to hear all the success stories,” says Pelu.

“All the schools in this area were doing a great job well before I came here as principal [five years ago]; the challenge and attraction is how to make great greater and what that looks like for this community.

“We always we ask ourselves how we can be better than last term and what that will look like, and Talanoa Ako is an extension of that. The point of it is to further strengthen our relationships, to learn alongside our parents for the benefit of our children.”

13 December 2021

Close bonds were formed during Talanoa Ako at Flat Bush Primary School.

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Dr Maysoon Salama at the An-Nur Early Childhood Education and Care Centre in Christchurch.

DIVERSIT Y

Storybooks celebrate diversity, promote understanding A series of illustrated storybooks developed to support and celebrate New Zealand’s Muslim community shows the diversity and richness of different cultures while highlighting the very human need for love and belonging.

Ā

Mātou Kōrero | Our Stories is a collaboration between the Islamic Women’s Council (IWCNZ) and the Ministry of Education designed to promote unity, diversity, and inclusion.

Aya and the Butterfly, Welcome Home, Open Day at the Mosque, and Ko Wai Au? – Who Am I? are now available in print and online. The books are intended for both Muslim and non-Muslim tamariki throughout Aotearoa.

The series originated in Dr Maysoon Salama’s book Aya and the Butterfly and is part of the Ministry’s response to the 2019 mosque attacks in Christchurch, which resulted in 51 lives lost.

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One of those who lost his life, was Maysoon’s son, Ata Elayyan.

“I lost my son, and I was always thinking about my granddaughter Aya, who was also in the Centre with us during the attack. I channeled all of my emotions through writing something so that my granddaughter can understand and to ease her loss, so this is where it started,” explains Maysoon.

The manager of two Muslim early learning centres, as well as being emeritus national co-ordinator of IWCNZ, Maysoon worked with the Ministry to reflect the diversity of the Muslim community, supported by Aliya Danzeisen

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who is the current national co-ordinator.

“Because March 15 brought a lot of awareness to discrimination and people not being included, it can fit well with social cohesion and bringing more understanding of the Muslim community and marginalised communities,” explains Maysoon.

Open Day at the Mosque features a common event where mosques around Aotearoa welcome people to visit. “It shows what we do in the mosque, our values and traditions, and who we are,” she adds.

Poignant personal story

Aya and the Butterfly tells the story of Aya, who has lost her father. Aya’s father’s death is implied, but this is not the story’s focus. The focus is on how we say goodbye to the people and things we love, and how the cycle of life continues.

“The artist Jenny Cooper did a wonderful job – we became friends. She came several times and met the family, who all feature in the book. I’m the grandma and my husband, Dr Mohammad Alayan, is the one who is injured and in a wheelchair. Aya is my granddaughter, Abdallah is her uncle and Haneen is her aunt,” says Maysoon.

Apart from the poignant dedication to those from the Muslim community, whose lives were forever changed, the book doesn’t explicitly deal with the mosque attack and that’s deliberate.

“It’s a very subtle way of dealing with loss and helping to build up resilience for those children; to know it’s okay to be sad, but at the same time, life goes on with the support of family members. And that it’s okay to remember the person – keep their legacy and they can still be alive with you,” reflects Maysoon.

Aya and the Butterfly is the first book published in Arabic by the Ministry and that’s very special to Maysoon.

“Wherever Muslim families come from, their aspiration is to learn Arabic because it is the language of the Qur’an/Koran. When they see this kind of resource it gives them a sense of familiarity and belonging for our learners in early learning centres or primary schools.

It is also a tool for families and their children, who are learning both languages – sometimes parents are learning Arabic with their children. The children can see themselves in the language,” says Maysoon.

A page from Welcome Home, text by Mukseet Bashir, illustration by Ali Teo, ©Crown.

Mukseet Bashi with a copy of his book.

Diversity reflected

Drawing on his experiences of growing up as a Muslim in New Zealand, Mukseet Bashir says writing Welcome Home was both enjoyable and cathartic. He agrees with Maysoon that it’s important for children from different backgrounds to see themselves in stories.

Mukseet’s thoughts on racism and being Muslim were first featured in the media in the days after the mosque attack.

“I felt a certain responsibility because for a lot of people I may be the only Muslim person they know.

“The mosque shooting was shocking without being surprising – there’s a history of this in different ways in

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the things that we face. It was just to say that we need to be vigilant and consistently better. The response in the aftermath to the shooting is the easy part; it’s the longterm change and change in mindset that’s important,” explains Mukseet.

In Welcome Home, Syed, the sandgrouse, is picked up by a storm and carried far from home – to Aotearoa.

Rebuffed for being different, he eventually finds a welcoming group of diverse birds who make him feel safe in his new home.

“When I was at school, I did not see myself in stories and I did not see myself in media for a very long time until very recently. It had a huge effect on me, even in adulthood, to see myself represented was really nice and reaffirming.

“In writing the book, it’s not the experience we had – it was more difficult. I didn’t necessarily feel welcome at times throughout my childhood, and throughout my life. To see the names like Syed and Nazneen, and to see it’s written by someone with a name like yours; that’s progress and I think that makes children feel less alien and more at home,” he says.

Fusion of cultures

Originally from Somalia, Nesra Wale, author of Ko Wai Au? – Who Am I? also arrived in Aotearoa when she was very young. She has done all of her education, including university, in Kirikiriroa Hamilton and the beginning teacher is passionate about helping tamariki to explore a multicultural identity.

Ko Wai Au? is inspired by Māori pepeha. The traditional introduction structure has been adapted to focus on universal dimensions of identity, such as connections with family and friends and preferences for food and activities.

“We chose the title Ko Wai Au? because if you are talking about multiculturalism, you can’t really discuss it without talking about the blueprint of Aotearoa and the importance of Māori culture, which is the backbone of our society,” says Nesra.

“That’s why it’s bilingual because if we’re trying to create a space that’s more inclusive, we first and foremost

“If we know a person, then we’re more able to be understanding of that group of people. It’s normalising that these kids, who are growing up here, are just like you.”

Nesra Wale

Celebrating differences

Mukseet works in finance, but he remembers what it was like to arrive in New Zealand with his family from Brunei when he was five years old.

“The brief I was given was to draw on my own experiences as an immigrant to New Zealand. I drew upon my own experiences with a rose-tinted lens.

This book was not necessarily based on reality, but an optimism that I hoped kids reading it will experience.

“I was drawing on my experience of being Muslim, from Bangladesh heritage, but also some of my best friends are queer, or neuro-divergent – it’s about all of those differences and about the cross over between people and the celebration of those differences.”

While Mukseet didn’t meet illustrator Ali Teo, he was pleased to learn that she shared similar experiences, coming from east Malaysia.

“She’s done a wonderful job, it really brings it to life.”

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Nesra Wale is passionate about helping tamariki to explore a multicultural identity.

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have to start by being respectful to the indigenous people of Aotearoa and the important role they play in New Zealand schooling. I remember when I was growing up, I went to Arabic classes but I also did Kapa Haka which is a fusion of two cultures.”

It was important to Nesra to include te reo and te ao Māori in the book.

“What is really important for me is that what works for Māori, works for all, so by making this book include te reo Māori, I wasn’t appropriating the Māori culture, instead, I was appreciating it and bringing it into New Zealand schools, as it should be. I could have just called this book Who am I? but I don’t think it would have had as much impact as it does when it’s in te reo.”

Different but similar

Ko Wai Au? – Who Am I? was developed by Nesra and Somali students in her Year 3-4 class at Silverdale Normal School and tells the story of a fictional Somali

child Abdiraman, with real life photographs. The children in the book are named after some of her students, and some of them were photographed by her sister, Samiira.

“I think it’s really important to have representation of different cultures. Within my few years of teaching, I’ve noticed how much of a difference it makes when children see someone who looks like them.” says Nesra.

“Often we have kids that are just learning English and it’s such a daunting idea to them that one day they will know the language and be able to process it. I think it’s really nice to see someone who not only speaks their native language, but also speaks English.

“At the end of the day we have these things that make us who we are and we’re all different, but at the same time, we’re all kind of similar. If we know a person, then we’re more able to be understanding of that group of people. It’s normalising that these kids, who are growing up here, are just like you.”

Ā Mātou Kōrero | Our Stories The storybooks are designed to be read to tamariki, by kaiako or whānau, and are intended for both Muslim and non-Muslim tamariki throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Aligned to Te Whariki and The New Zealand Curriculum, the books cater to tamariki in early learning and Years 1–3.

Join the Agribusiness Teachers’ Association

The focus of the series is on wellbeing and resilience, and promoting unity, diversity, and inclusion. The kaiako support materials (KSMs) incorporate these purposes into the learning discussions and activities.

The print versions of all the books, including Aya and the Butterfly in English and Arabic, started to arrive in early learning services and primary schools across Aotearoa from November 2021.

Membership is free and open to those teaching Agribusiness or any form of primary industries topic in secondary schools throughout the country.

For those who want to order extra print copies, contact orders@thechair.minedu.govt.nz

Member Benefits: Parents and whānau can also access PDF and audio versions for free via the TKI website.

• • • •

Regional professional development workshops Regular communication on industry news Teacher resources Contacts for industry guest speakers

Email m.simmons@stpauls.school.nz for the registration form link

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STEM

STEM a high priority for ākonga Māori in Ōtaki Ōtaki College has a strong commitment to encouraging its students – 55 percent of whom are Māori – into STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.

Anything is possible for Pounamu, Kaea and Tikardan as wahine Māori with STEM futures.

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ounamu (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu) and Tikardan (Ngāti Raukawa, Muaupoko, Ngāi Tahu) are two of Ōtaki College’s senior students who are being mentored by the Pūhoro STEMM Academy. They are confident they will have many opportunities as wāhine Māori in the STEM sector.

A Year 7-13 secondary school an hour north of Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, Ōtaki College has been involved with Pūhoro since 2018. Every Monday kaihautū/ mentors visit the school from their Palmerston North base

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and support a cohort of ākonga Māori who are studying STEM subjects with tutoring, extension work, or resources.

Dawn Hirschberg, HOD Science, says this year they added another M to STEM for mātauranga Māori.

“There was an idea that Māori thought these subjects weren’t for them, which is why the mātauranga part is so important. The programme caters for an incredibly wide spectrum of students, it offers them opportunities to find out what options are available,” she explains.

Each year, Pūhoro take a group of Year 13 students overseas.

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Engineering New Zealand’s Wonder Project offers teachers like Megan NelsonLatu, pictured with Kaziah and Campbell (both Year 8), support and resources to inspire engagement in science.

“We get to see schools working hard and a lot of people in the waka paddling – industry, tertiary education providers, community – it’s a privilege to be part of that journey.”

Leland Ruwhiu “Prior to Covid, there was a trip to NASA and that was extraordinary because one of the people working at NASA at the time was a Māori graduate. They organise scholarships with a lot of iwi, which takes the financial burden off families,” says Dawn.

Mentors inspire dreams

Pounamu has been at Ōtaki College since Year 7. Now in Year 12, she is doing NCEA Level 2 physics and Level 3 calculus as she works towards her dream of becoming a pilot.

“My favourite subject in maths is algebra. What Pūhoro has done has helped me get along when it’s been difficult. Because it came naturally to me as a child, I didn’t really worry about having to put in hard work. But as I got older, it obviously became harder and that’s where Pūhoro helped me a bit.

“They set up tutoring, so all I had to do was ask my kaihautū/leader for a tutor and they would get one for me. They have one for each year level and all you have to ask them is ‘what do I have to do to be better at this?’ and they’ll just set up everything for you,” explains Pounamu.

Tikardan, Year 13, plans to study environmental planning at Massey University next year and wants to use her knowledge to help her iwi and hapū.

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“I don’t think I would have felt so confident without this [Pūhoro] support because I just transitioned to this school last year and I came from a kura kaupapa, so it was kind of hard for me to come into this environment because I wasn’t that great at speaking English, but heaps of people have helped me, including my whānau.

“I want to study environmental planning because I have always been involved with the Māori kaupapa about the whenua that needs repairing. In my old kura, there was a river polluted with cow waste, and we started cleaning that up and I enjoyed it heaps. I enjoyed planning how we were going to clean it out and what kinds of plants to use and what other resources we were putting in there,” says Tikardan.

Pounama, Tikardan and Dawn all agree that it’s important to see more young Māori in STEM roles.

“I think it’s just someone that you know you can relate to, that you can look up to. I think it’s one of those things that you see a role model that is Māori, and many other people will aspire to be like them,” says Tikardan.

Increased confidence

Dawn says one of the biggest changes she sees with ākonga involved in Pūhoro is an increased confidence and belief that they can succeed in science. She further explains that some students feel more comfortable with

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Māori role models like civil engineer Lincoln Timoteo are important for students like Giorgio and Eddy, both Year 8.

internal assessment, but, “the externals take you further up the NCEA levels and are the ones that effect you going into tertiary”.

The programme helps students to change their thinking and have more confidence when it comes to external assessment.

To further encourage engagement and build confidence, the NCEA science programme at Ōtaki College has been rearranged so ākonga can freely move between internal and external standards.

“I have a senior science class where students get to pick what they do. Students come into that for all sorts of reasons, but a lot of them are in there because they just want to do a little bit of physics, a little bit of chemistry,” says Dawn.

“I find that for some students in that class, even if they don’t get a lot of credits, they have an opportunity to have all sorts of scientific discussions. My biggest aim with that class is just to keep that interest going in science and keep them questioning and reading about it.”

was accepted and developed. When the hapū realised the language was dying, they established an initiative to revitalise the reo and knowledge of tikanga,” he says.

The town’s three marae are vibrant places and families are well connected to them.

“Most of my 55 percent of Māori students whakapapa back to the three iwi. Nga Hapū o Ōtaki has a strong vision of where are we going to take our young people so they can take the hapū and iwi forward.”

Wonder Project

Lincoln Timoteo (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toarangitira, Te Āti Awa, Tokelau) attended school in Ōtaki for several years. The young civil engineer is living back in his hometown, working for Fletcher Construction on the Ōtaki-Pekapeka bypass and mentoring Year 7 and 8 students at his old school. Lincoln is an ambassador for Engineering New Zealand’s Wonder Project and has been involved in the Rocket Challenge and the Plant Challenge at the school.

Hapū and iwi aspirations

Ōtaki is one of four designated bilingual towns in Aotearoa and with 41 percent of the population being Māori (2018 Census) there’s a strong drive to promote te reo Māori and tikanga. Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Toa are the three main iwi on the Kāpiti Coast. Ōtaki is home to several kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa Māori and mainstream schools with total immersion and bilingual strands, as well as Te Wānanga o Raukawa.

“Within Ōtaki there are five hapū that make up Nga Hapū o Ōtaki – they are part of Ngāti Raukawa and they have significant influence on what happens in this area,” explains principal Andy Fraser.

“The development of Te Wānanga o Raukawa was driven by a need to have a place where mātauranga Māori

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“It really made me think about what jobs I could do with my maths because I’m really into maths, and engineering is pretty fun, and I want to find a job that mixes those two.”

Giorgio about the Rocket Challenge gazette.education.govt.nz

A father to children aged six, four, and three months, Lincoln wants to ensure there are more Māori role models in the STEM sector when his tamariki join the workforce.

“I didn’t have any role models when it came to engineering and STEM-related subjects, although my teachers were quite helpful to me pursuing a STEMrelated career. I did have an interest in mathematics and then physics, which are core subjects for engineering. A lot of my family members did push me to work hard and strive for excellence in education.

They believed in me and that helped me a lot.

“Even just knowing that there are Māori or Pacific people like them in the engineering and STEM sectors allows tamariki and rangatahi to believe that they are capable. If I can do it, they can do it too. You meet people who wanted to do something like this, but they had doubts. If they had the early encouragement in being able to see role models, they could have done it as well,” he says.

Megan Nelson-Latu, curriculum leader of Year 7 and 8, says the Wonder Project kits, resources and teaching notes are good for someone like herself, who isn’t a science specialist, and having the support of someone like Lincoln is also very helpful for encouraging an interest in STEM subjects.

“He’s young and a male, which helps – especially with some of my boys,” she laughs.

“He comes straight from work in his work gear and his employer supports him to do this. He was talking to the kids last week about his role there, how he became an engineer, what inspired him; also the fact that there’s a shortage of engineers, especially Māori and Pacific.”

Tamariki kōrero

Education Gazette asked some Year 7 and 8 ākonga about how the Wonder Project challenges have inspired their interest in STEM subjects.

Giorgio: I like the Rocket Challenge – we designed rockets using soda bottles and we had to add fins for the stability. The extra challenge was to make a parachute that works that was in the bottlenose of the rocket. It really made me think about what jobs I could do with my maths, because I’m really into maths, and engineering is pretty fun and I want to find a job that mixes those two.

Charlie: It’s incredible to see the plants growing in the Plant Challenge. Every day we look at them they’re different. It’s really funny to learn about where people are growing plants. Like yesterday we learnt that in Singapore they are growing tons and tons of food on top of buildings.

It’s pretty inspiring. I would love to do something like helping with the plants later on in life if climate change is a big problem.

Libby: We learnt how rockets fly and how gravity works so we could make them fly. I really liked building and designing the rockets because I got to come up with designs and see if they worked or failed. Mine flew. I want to do science when I’m older because you do lots of experiments and it’s cool and you see the results.

Zach: With the Rocket Challenge, the best thing was being able to design your own rocket and do drawings and stuff, but it was quite interesting how much air pressure and how much water you put in it affected the flight of it.

Sammy: In the Rocket Challenge I enjoyed building it and ‘editing’ it so it works better. I like watching the plants grow every day.

STEM and mātauranga Māori champions: Megan Nelson-Latu, Andy Fraser and Dawn Hirschberg.

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Leland Ruwhiu.

they’re really smart, but they’re not well connected to their iwi and identity. For us, it’s about bringing those two into alignment.”

Where possible, Pūhoro’s kaihautū/mentors stay with the same students from Year 11-13, with a strong focus on building relationships.

“Our aim is to be in their corner; for students to know that there is a consistent pou/stake in the ground of support for that student.”

SHAPING THE LANDSCAPE The Pūhoro programme has three phases. Phase one is the Year 11-13 programme and phase two is ongoing support through tertiary education, which includes ākonga being encouraged to give back as mentors in the secondary school programme.

STEMM Academy transformational The Pūhoro STEMM Academy was based at Massey University in Palmerston North until July this year when the Ministry of Education granted $2.97 million in funding to be rolled out over three years so that thousands of rangatahi can access the programme.

The academy, now run by a trust, celebrates mātauranga Māori as a rich Māori knowledge ecosystem underpinned by kaupapa and tikanga Māori. It is becoming a transformational pathway for Māori secondary students towards tertiary study and potential careers in science and engineering.

“As a trust, we re-evaluated our direction and, at that time, a letter from some Auckland University academics was published in The New Zealand Listener saying that mātauranga Māori should not be accepted as an equivalent to science.

“We didn’t agree with that – we took the view that actually science is within mātauranga Māori and we decided to embed that in our ethos – hence the additional ‘M’ added to Pūhoro STEMM Academy,” explains Leland Ruwhiu (Ngai Tū te Aru, Te Whānau ā Hunaara, Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Mairehau).

IWI AND IDENTITY Since it started in 2016, the academy has grown to mentor 1,000 students across five areas (Kāpiti, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū, South Auckland and Christchurch) and has been building partnerships with iwi in those areas.

Leland looks after the academy’s outreach to secondary schools and says about 66 percent of ākonga who have been through Pūhoro go onto tertiary education of some kind, whether it’s university, polytechnics, Defence Force, or trades.

“Normally when we start working with students, they are either well-versed in their Māori identity and maybe not so much in the STEM sector, or maybe the other way around –

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With the first cohort of students, who began as Year 11 ākonga in 2016, about to graduate from tertiary study, the academy is gearing up to phase three, which will see graduates supported by a network of industry, sector and iwi partnerships.

“We’re quite protective of our students and we’re trying to help shape the landscape for when these students arrive in jobs, so it’s not just, ‘we’ve got a Māori student who can do a karakia’.

“There’s a lot of interest out there in the STEM sector of how they can be prepared for this wave of Māori students coming through with the technical skills and education behind them,” explains Leland.

DIVERSITY IN STEM Prior to Covid, through a range of scholarships and funding, Pūhoro took students overseas to see what opportunities are possible with STEM qualifications. In 2019, a group of 15 senior ākonga visited the head of Microsoft in Australasia and the Pacific on a trip to Singapore and Taiwan.

Reflecting on the trip and meeting, Leland says, “[The head] said to our students, that for their company to remain relevant, they’ve got to have diverse thought in their business. He makes sure there are representations of all avenues of life in their business model.”

Leland says that speaks to the notion that Māori have a diverse range of thinking, even amongst themselves.

“It is unique to New Zealand and it would certainly transform some of the thinking processes and delivery models of the STEM sector for all New Zealanders. It is changing – there are lots of challenges, but we think it’s an important aspect if we’re putting the technical skills and qualifications behind these minds and voices.

“We get to see schools working hard and a lot of people in the waka paddling – industry, tertiary education providers, community – it’s a privilege to be part of that journey.”

For more information about the Pūhoro STEMM Academy, see puhoro.org.nz.

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Year 8 ākonga Te Ria works on designing a miniature grow house with optimal growing conditions for the Plant Challenge.

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Whāia Te Ahu o te Reo Māori

He kaupapa whakawhanake i te hunga whakaako kia whai hononga mā te reo Māori ki ngā tauira, ngā mātua me ngā kaimahi anō hoki.

Rēhita mai ki te ranga e tū mai nei Kauwhatareo – Te Ahu o te Reo Māori

REM OTE LEARN I NG

Putting the zoo in Zoom

Auckland Zoo's Lizzy Lockhart.

Classroom trips to the zoo were put on hold during Auckland’s long lockdown, but a team at Auckland Zoo found a way to share their passion for animals and conservation and offer something new for teachers and students engaged in remote learning.

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hen Auckland went into lockdown this year, the conservation learning team, which runs onsite programmes at Auckland Zoo for early learning centres, schools and kura, began to develop some engaging and informative resources for teachers and students.

The team were all working from home, but it soon became apparent that there was considerable interest from teachers.

About 140 Year 5 and 6 students from Northcote Primary School had been scheduled to visit the zoo to launch their inquiry into change in week six of term 3.

“The students were interested in animal adaptations; how they manage with a changing environment due to global warming and how they enrich and stimulate zoo animals in their habitats,” says teacher Kelly Mattock.

“The zoo emailed me a week after we were supposed to visit, to offer a Zoom session as an option as we didn’t get to go – it was free. I jumped at the chance because I knew it would be nice for the kids to see someone else on Zoom.

“During the Zoom, we all dressed up as our favourite animals. We gave the students ideas of how they could use things around the house to dress up – like the use of make-up or face paint, or you might modify a headband.

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They loved it – some of them changed their Zoom backgrounds if they couldn’t dress up,” she says.

Engagement online

This is the first time Auckland Zoo has offered online sessions. Previously the learning team focused on creating learning packs for teachers to use during lockdowns, but this time around, they looked at different ways to support teachers to engage tamariki while learning at home.

“We’re hearing from teachers that engagement from kids is dropping and Zoom fatigue is very real for a lot of us – so how do we keep it fresh and keep them engaged in wanting to learn more about science and conservation?” says Lizzy Lockhart, conservation learning duty operations manager at the zoo.

“We started pretty simple with a zoo Q&A session. The students in a class would send in their questions prior to the session, and we would choose the ones that we would have good answers for. They seemed to really like them, and they were fun for our team because we felt connected to the zoo, while we were working at home.

“To keep it interactive, we’re trying a few different things like a game ‘Match the habitat’ where we put online photos of different habitats at the zoo and get the kids to try and guess which animals live there,” she explains.

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To keep things fresh and exciting, the team gives zoo updates and photos of the animals they’re talking about as well as ‘secret’ information about what’s going on at the zoo. There’s a Facebook group which features videos, activities, news, and information.

While the inquiry on change has been put on the backburner, Kelly says the experience heightened students’ interest in animals. She used reading materials and videos provided by the zoo to keep the enthusiasm and momentum going after the Zoom session.

“Having experts in the field to answer all their questions really helped, and they made it really fun and engaging. It’s definitely sparked some curiosity in some students who didn’t seem that interested before. They’ve also found their own readings and they’ve taken an interest in animals,” says Kelly.

Wellbeing during lockdown

There was an opportunity for teachers to tell the zoo team what their class was studying and how the zoo experience connects with learning, but Lizzy says there were some common questions such as how the animals are coping during lockdown, what the zookeepers are doing, and who is feeding the animals.

“Almost every session we have talked about how the animals were coping durng lockdown, what the zookeepers were doing and who was feeding the animals.

“We’d often start with asking the kids what keeps them happy and healthy in lockdown and they’d say things like ‘Going for a walk and seeing a friend in the distance’ and those were things we could connect to the animals too – like animals still need exercise and their healthy food,” explains Lizzy.

Kelly says the ‘Zoo Zoom’ sessions came at a good time.

“We were all feeling a bit flat and to have something different and see some people who were really passionate

and engaged in what they do makes it really easy to engage. It’s helped me think about ‘OK what are we going to do that’s different each couple of days, so we can keep everybody excited?’” she says.

Silver lining

The latest lockdown motivated the zoo team to grow their skills in reaching ākonga remotely.

“Our team is really excited about the idea of not just delivering conservation learning onsite, which is really only limited to the schools that can afford it and to the schools in our local area.

“With online sessions, we can reach schools that are too far away to come and visit, but still want to have that conservation learning connection. Lockdown has given us a chance to experiment with the format and see what works for the schools and the teachers.

“For the future we’re looking at how we can combine Zoo visits with both online and offsite support for teachers and their tamariki to really extend their conservation learning beyond just a fun trip to the zoo.

“We’d love to hear from teachers about what they would like to see from us – either via our website or Facebook group,” says Lizzy.

For more information about Auckland Zoo’s education programme

To join the zoo fun, visit Auckland Zoo’s Facebook page.

“Having experts in the field to answer all their questions really helped, and they made it really fun and engaging.”

Kelly Mattock

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Sarah Peacock surveyed the community and forged links with a West Coast iwi to develop the school’s local curriculum.

LOCAL CU RRICU LU M

Digital kete connects school community to its history A digital kete packed with local stories and information is designed to launch Murchison Area School’s journey to develop a localised curriculum connecting students and the community to the area’s history.

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n term 1, 2021, Sarah Peacock, deputy principal of the Year 1-13 Murchison Area School, took a sabbatical to find out more about the area’s local history and contextualised education.

To establish key learning priorities, Sarah surveyed whānau, students, staff and the wider community about which curriculum topics and learning skills they felt should be prioritised. A key response from all groups surveyed was for the local environment to be used across the curriculum, both in terms of its natural features and its history and stories, and linking this learning to the wider world.

“I’ve been here 30 years now and I know many of the stories, but because our staff has become more transient over time, I could see that knowledge disappearing,” explains Sarah.

“When we have our children here for 13 years, they deserve to know what their place and identity is. I felt we have some wonderful stuff here, but how can we have a resource that is sustainable over time, and that staff can access and get a sense of our place and the identity our kids should have and the pride they should take in our uniqueness?” she asks.

With responsibility for EOTC (education outside the classroom) Sarah wanted to find stories from Māori and European history, which could be shared with students during trips and activities.

“In the school community surveys, it was very strong that families wanted our outdoor environment to be in our curriculum. This fits really well with one of the iwi’s [Ngāti Waewae] strategic goals, which is the notion of kaitiaki around taiao (the environment),” she says.

Searching for iwi connections

With 94 percent of the 600 plus population being European (2018 Census), it was important to find the stories of mana whenua; this was initially a challenge for Sarah as Murchison sits on the edges of several rohe.

“We were the pathway and crossroads for the traditional Māori pounamu trail, but historically had no Māori settlement. Then when the goldminers came, we were the

13 December 2021

pathway between the West Coast and Nelson. Then the farmers came, and we were the pathway and crossroads to Nelson. Travel, transport, rest and respite have always been an important part of Murchison’s story,” she explains.

Sarah eventually connected with Ngāti Waewae, a hapū of Ngāi Tahu, which is based in Hokitika. Along with the school’s tikanga and te reo Māori teacher, Sarah attended an open day for West Coast schools at Arahura Marae, where they learned more about local pūrākau (legends) and tikanga.

“We had a wonderful day at the marae. Ngāti Waewae are a small hapū and are currently developing a website because schools wanted to know what stories, waiata and haka to use and teach. They also gave us their educational strategy, but they made it really clear that they are building themselves as an entity and making sure they look after their own people first.

“After that visit, I was then able to add a more authentic bicultural lens to our local curriculum; however, this will be a work in progress as this new relationship develops,” she says.

Kete of local kōrero

Sarah’s wider mahi has resulted in a comprehensive digital kete for the school which has information about the area, local stories, events and landmarks. It also includes voice from whānau, staff, students and iwi, including those shared

by Ngāti Waewae.

“The kete is a really useful focal point – it’s readily accessible and is designed to be a launching pad. The idea is to inspire our staff to use it and see it as purposeful for our students.

“For example, studying the devastating magnitude 7.8 Murchison earthquake in 1929 could cover a whole raft of things across the curriculum. The younger students could find out about what happened. At secondary level they could be looking at tectonic plates in science and they can go out and see the evidence and put their hands on parts of the land that have shifted.

“Then you might look at Rūaumoko, the Atua (God) of earthquakes. That links into our pou which tell the Māori

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“This mahi could be a template for other schools to show how you can gather that local voice, make sure your community is reflected in what you are doing, make the connection with iwi, and make sure that it all fits together.”

Sarah Peacock

Top left: It’s nearly time for a new paint job, but the pou project has visually embedded biculturalism in the school.

Bottom left: Murchison Area School.

Right: A cross-curricular project saw students record stories about the Atua in the Māori creation story, which can be accessed with QR codes.

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creation story – Rūaumoko is there as he is the son of Ranginui and Papatūānuku. There are definitely ways you can link it right across the curriculum and right across the school,” she explains.

Unique identities

The school’s localised curriculum came from the desire to help tamariki and rangatahi have a strong sense of their unique identity.

“We want students to know who they are and where they’ve come from. When we talk about making sure that people’s culture is recognised in our school, the kids need to understand that their culture, whether it’s pig hunting at the weekend or helping on the farm, is theirs and it’s important to value that,” reflects Sarah.

Translating the local curriculum into teaching and learning in the classroom will be an ongoing task, but Sarah says the rollout is gaining momentum, with planning happening now for it to be more visible next year.

“We’re learning as we go. Information gathering and finding out what’s important for our communities has all happened but translating what that will look like in the classroom is massive, so there’s still a lot of work to be done at teacher and syndicate level and what that looks like in primary and secondary school,” she explains.

Growing focus on biculturalism

Murchison Area School principal Andy Ashworth agrees that biculturalism is important.

“I think it’s beneficial for all of my students to be exposed to biculturalism. You have to be careful that it’s not just tokenism. You’ve got to go deeper and that’s why we’re focusing on this local history and contextualisation,” he says.

The growing focus on biculturalism has been a journey for the largely Pākehā rural community.

“This year for our Matariki celebrations, we had a huge festival night with a hāngī and we fed 300 people. It was amazing – cultural and generational – and who we should be,” says Andy.

Sarah believes there’s even more of a responsibility to promote biculturalism in a traditionally monocultural area.

“Because if you are sending them out to somewhere in New Zealand, if you haven’t prepared them for the fact that Aotearoa looks different somewhere else, you are doing them a disservice. It’s our responsibility to prepare them for being a New Zealander in the 21st century, whatever that looks like.

“This mahi could be a template for other schools to show how you can gather that local voice, make sure your community is reflected in what you are doing, make the connection with iwi, and make sure that it all fits together.

There’s still work to do!” laughs Sarah.

Pou combine elements of curriculum

Sarah teaches art and was looking for a project for her Year 8 and 9 students to practice painting techniques. Combined with the school’s desire to become more bicultural, she had a discussion with a colleague, Mario Williams, who was

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teaching the Māori creation story about the separation of Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother to his Year 9 social sciences class.

At the same time, the school was doing professional learning and development (PLD) with Arnika Macphail from impactEd. “I told Arnika about the planned pou project and asked how I could incorporate digital technologies into art. She suggested we do QR codes to expand on the story of each Atua on the poles.

“We all worked together. I got the students to paint the poles with the Atua. I thought I could use that to teach the painting techniques, Mario was going to teach the stories and then we got the tech teacher involved.

“Two or three people worked on each pole and they had to find out the story of the Atua on the pole. Then they had to write a script and we recorded it – when you scan the QR codes, you can hear the kids telling the story of the Atua,” explains Sarah.

Strengthening local curriculum Christchurch-based impactEd has been supporting Murchison Area School to develop its local curriculum. The PLD provider is seeing increased demand from schools seeking help to strengthen local curriculum, says managing director Arnika Macphail.

To gain a broader understanding of their own rohe in Waitaha/ Canterbury, impactEd staff have engaged in cultural narrative walks around Ōtautahi, and education days at Tuahiwi Marae with Ngai Tūāhuriri, the hapū that are mana whenua of the land that most Christchurch schools are built on.

“We’ve been doing a lot of mahi around understanding this place for us, not to deliver that mahi on behalf of mana whenua, but to have a bigger understanding.

“It’s important to say that we don’t see ourselves as being the deliverer of the local curriculum. Schools also need to engage with mana whenua, whānau and the community,” explains Arnika.

SPECIAL AND UNIQUE CONTEXTS The story of the project can be viewed in a digital book created by Sarah.

Read more about Murchison Area School in issue 13, 2021.

Keryn Hooker is impactED’s local curriculum lead, and she’s well placed to help schools like Murchison Area School to identify and incorporate their special, unique stories and contexts.

Raised in a tiny rural community in south Canterbury, Keryn says the way she was educated was all about making local curriculum support her learning. With 19 years teaching at Methven Primary School, which included 10 years as one of the deputy principals developing teaching and learning practice to suit their students, she reflects that an authentic, locally based curriculum is highly engaging to ākonga.

Kete of ideas A free kete developed from a range of research and resources will be added to a new impactEd website next year, but in the meantime, here are some suggestions for designing a local curriculum that reflects your school or kura, and community.

» Assessment: do your ākonga know where they are going, how they are getting there and where to next?

» Vision and values are the heart of your local curriculum: how well do your vision and values reflect you as a school?

» Whanaungatatanga, tūrangawaewae and mātauranga Māori should always be in your local curriculum kete; who’s voice is missing? What local knowledge, history and landmarks are important? Be clear about how you are honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and embed your cultural narrative.

» Effective pedagogy: what does effective pedagogy look like at your place? What works for your ākonga?

More information about local curriculum can be found at nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz.

» Coherence: this is important learning not left to chance and includes consistency throughout the school, your graduate/growth profile. What needs clear progress steps? » Rich learning: how do you bring the NZC/TMoA to life in your context? How do you include ākonga needs, interests and aspirations?

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“We didn’t know we were developing a local curriculum; we were developing what would work for our kids in this community. For example, our kids go skiing at Mt Hutt for six Fridays in term 3. We started doing studies about avalanches, because actually our kids need to know about that. We ended up publishing a book which we called Avalanche for Dummies and copies were given to junior ski patrollers.

“It’s celebrating that special and unique place that you’ve got in Aotearoa and embedding the learning within that.

That tūrangawaewae for me has 100 percent shaped who I am,” says Keryn.

WHO ARE YOU? Every school Keryn works with has different goals and holds different pieces of a puzzle, but she says a key step is to build relationships with the local community (whānau and wider) and mana whenua.

can all be really clear that we’re on the same page and then we put in the detail behind that’,” she explains.

ALWAYS EVOLVING Local curriculum should always be a work in progress, say Arnika and Keryn.

“That’s one of the things we are open to with local curriculum – that there’s no finished product. Your local curriculum is something that’s consistently worked on and navigated, but once you have your nuts and bolts, you’re working around those,” says Arnika.

“I say to principals that you’re not going to end up with something that gets laminated and spiral-bound and put on a shelf. You’re continually reviewing it,” adds Keryn.

Keryn says local curriculum is not starting from scratch, but how you bring The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa documentation to life in each different context.

“For example, we sat down with Sarah [Peacock] with all the different pieces; her big focus was around drawing in those local stories and local history. Sarah has done most of that mahi herself – I’ve been a sounding board, helped her with questions for the surveys and we’ve just supported her where we could.

“We listen to each school and what they are trying to achieve. Our starting point is the school’s vision and values – we ask ‘what is your global aim at this school for your ākonga? What’s your vision? How are you working towards that? What’s the one-page summary of who you are so we

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Arnika Macphail.

Keryn Hooker.

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NCEA

NCEA mini-pilots off to a good start As part of the NCEA Change Programme, three mini-pilots were run in 2021 ahead of wider pilots next year.

Emma Henderson, the HOD English at Taita College, with some of her students in the NCEA Level 1 English pilot class.

O

n a balmy morning in late October, two teachers worked patiently with five students in a literacy and numeracy class at Kingslea School’s Te Puna Wai ō Tuhinapo campus next to Rolleston Prison, on the outskirts of Ōtautahi Christchurch.

“It’s good to know how to read and write because in everyday life, if you have a piece of paper you have to read that or whatever you want to sign, and you must know how to write your own name,” says David, 17.

“I don’t really like numeracy but it’s also important in everyday life. Like you’ve got to count how much Weet-Bix you’re putting in your bowl or how much money you’ve got in your wallet,” he adds.

Kingslea educates about 170 youth justice residents in Oranga Tamariki care across eight campuses around the country. Some of the students were barely able to read and write when they arrived. Many of them had not been to

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school for years or had negative experiences when they did attend.

In terms 3 and 4 of this school year, Kingslea joined 12 other secondary schools, six kura and two tertiary providers in piloting new NCEA Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy standards.

Deputy principal Jackie Freeman says they decided to participate in the NCEA pilot because literacy and numeracy are bread and butter for their students.

“In fact, it’s the best gift we can give any of our students,” she adds.

The new standards are set to become a mandatory co-requisite of the NCEA qualification from 2023 as part of the NCEA Change Programme, a multiyear programme led by the Ministry of Education to deliver a package of seven changes aimed at strengthening NCEA.

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Positive experiences

Apart from literacy and numeracy, two other NCEA pilots are running in 2021. NCEA Level 1 English, Science, Religious Studies and Visual Arts are being piloted in 25 schools across the country. Thirty-six other schools are piloting Te Ao Haka, the new Māori Performing Arts subject.

Emma Henderson, HOD English at Taita College, which is piloting NCEA Level 1 English, says it’s been very successful for their school.

“Our students have engaged really well with the new standards. We also like the focus on te ao Māori, which we always had, especially as it encourages all schools to put a deliberate emphasis on that.

“We are lucky to have tried out the new standards before they are finalised and to have our say to make the mini-pilot next year more successful.”

Students from Taita College’s NCEA Level 1 English pilot class say their experience has been positive.

“I find it less stressful because I only have to do one assessment during the term,” says Fekita.

Her classmate Aasia agrees. “I think it takes the pressure off students when there’s more learning and we get more time to prepare and stuff like that, and then have an assessment.”

“And if you have more time to learn you can have more understanding time of what you’re supposed to do,” adds fellow student Zemira.

Parents are also enthusiastic about their children’s experience in the pilots.

“It’s an unbelievable experience that the kids have at kura. It’s just overwhelming for a parent that never had this opportunity. Te Ao Haka has done so much for them,” says Edith Hawkins, whose daughter Judith is in a pilot class at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngati Kahungunu ki Heretaunga.

Another parent Peter Kireka says before Te Ao Haka, his daughter Waiora was very shy about performing kapa haka and waiata.

“However, now that she’s in that world of Te Ao Haka, it brings out her emotion, knowledge, power, energy and excitement for that topic.”

Coping with the impact of COVID

Throughout 2020 and 2021, the pandemic has put the school year in a state of flux, prompting teachers to once again reimagine their lesson plans to adapt to a new reality.

As cases surged in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, the epicentre of the current outbreak, and spread to the neighbouring regions of Tai Tokerau and Waikato, senior secondary students in particular, wrestled with anxiety and the unknown, while striving to attain NCEA this year.

However, some have coped better than others, says Deidre Shea, the principal of Onehunga High School.

More than three weeks after senior secondary students in Auckland and Waikato were allowed to return to school on 26 October, only 55 percent of Onehunga High School’s students are back on site.

“There’s every possible reason for the massive drop in attendance.

“Some students may be self-isolating, others may have taken jobs or caregiving roles at home to help their families, and we understand that. At present, the focus of teachers and school leaders is the well-being of our learners,” says Deidre.

Timeline extended

Recognising the extra stress and workload borne by teachers and school leaders because of the disruption, Minister of Education Chris Hipkins announced on 10 November that the Government was easing the timelines for the national curriculum and assessment programmes, including the NCEA Change Programme.

“These change programmes remain critical for the future success of our education system but they require considerable effort.

“We want to ensure teachers, kaiako, learners, whānau and communities have the time they need to engage in these changes and fully participate in their implementation,” said Minister Hipkins.

The Minister’s announcement was well-received by school leaders and teachers, says Deidre.

“While they want to continue with the NCEA Change Programme, many do not have the time and the right headspace to make this a priority at present.”

The rephasing has extended the NCEA Change Programme’s timeline from 2025 to 2026, with new NCEA Level 1 subjects and Wāhanga Ako to be implemented in 2024, NCEA Level 2 in 2025 and NCEA Level 3 in 2026. Wider pilots for Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau | Literacy and Numeracy and Te Ao Haka as well as mini-pilots of The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa NCEA Level 1 subjects and Wāhanga Ako will be run in 2022.

“Our students have engaged really well with the new standards. We also like the focus on te ao Māori, which we always had, especially as it encourages all schools to put a deliberate emphasis on that.”

Emma Henderson 13 December 2021

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Angels Childcare kaiako Camille uses the tools from ENGAGE to revisit stories through puppetry and talk with tamariki about real-life feelings and situations.

EM OTIONAL LEARN I NG

Developing selfregulation in young tamariki through play A programme giving young tamariki the skills to successfully manage their emotional responses is on track to be implemented in 150 early learning centres across Aotearoa New Zealand.

E

NGAGE is an evidence-based programme that supports children aged between three and seven to develop their self-regulation skills through play. It was developed by Associate Professor Dione Healey (University of Otago) and is being delivered by the Methodist Mission Southern (MMS).

It’s one of three programmes being piloted as part of a Ministry of Education initiative to trial support for young tamariki in early learning services to develop capacities for self-regulation, resilience, and social skills.

MMS kaiwhakawhanake pakihi (chief development officer) Jimmy McLauchlan says The Dunedin Study was the first piece of compelling evidence that identified selfregulation skills in the first few years of life as the best predictor for positive outcomes later in life.

“For us as a social service agency, we work really hard to support people who have complex lives or face barriers to achieving their goals.

“We knew from The Dunedin Study and subsequent research that we have the biggest opportunity to make positive influences in these early years,” he says.

Enhanced for group delivery

MMS began investigating how they could develop and deliver a programme based on this research to reach children and whānau that needed it most.

Dione says self-regulation is the core of wellbeing and functioning and she knew the programme could benefit more children and whānau through a population-based approach via early learning centres. When MMS made contact asking to do exactly that, she agreed.

“Developing good self-regulation skills early on by helping children learn to manage their behaviour will, hopefully, set them up really well in life - and make life better for parents too.”

With support from the Tindall Foundation, research trials were carried out with a range of whānau and early learning participants.

The trials demonstrated statistically significant

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improvements in children’s self-regulation skills, including reduced hyperactivity, aggression and peer problems, and improved attention, and emotional regulation – with gains maintained for extended periods post-intervention.

“Kaiako were seeing real differences in the individual children and in the setting as a whole. They felt their centre environments were calmer with children getting on better with each other,” says Dione.

Supported by a pool of local facilitators with strong local and cultural connections, MMS is working to implement ENGAGE in 150 early learning services in Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Otago by July 2022.

“We want a diverse workforce that has a deep understanding of the reality of working as an early learning kaiako. Covid-19 has made the past three months interesting but it’s underway and has been delivered to a number of centres through Zoom.”

A new way of managing behaviour

Traditionally, interventions for children with ADHD involved medication or behaviour management through reward charts or schedules.

“These interventions are externally regulating symptoms, which don’t teach the children how to manage themselves,” says Dione.

ENGAGE develops children’s self-regulation skills through games grouped into three domains: emotional (feeling), cognitive (thinking) and behavioural (doing). The programme has a growing kete of games targeting the three areas.

“All children are different; some have more problems with impulsivity and slowing down when they get over-excited.

Others have more problems with memory and focus.

“The idea is you play the game, but you also think about targeting the game at the level for the child. It must be engaging and a wee bit challenging. Then you need to think about ways to make the game more complex over time or switching to different games as they develop the skills,” says Dione.

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“We want to reaffirm to our early learning teachers that they are valued. They are working in the real magic part of the developmental window where the big gains happen. When we get it right for a child, the impact is lasting and hugely positive.”

Jimmy McLauchlan

Top left: Jimmy McLauchlan.

Bottom left: Dione Healey.

Right: Children’s drawings on how they feel are displayed so they can revisit these drawings and feelings with Mum, Dad and with their peers.

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A key focus is on language use, where kaiako help tamariki translate the terms and skills they learn in the games within real-world settings.

“It’s saying to a child ‘remember when we played this game and you had to wait your turn’, and ‘what did you do to help you to wait your turn? You could try that’,” says Dione.

For example, an animal speed game, where tamariki practice moving slowly like a tortoise, then faster like a giraffe, then really fast like a superhero, can be used in other settings.

“You can take this language and ask a hyperactive child to ‘go into turtle mode’ rather than saying ‘stop’ or ‘slow down’.”

ENGAGE in action

Angels Childcare Centre in New Lynn, Auckland has been using ENGAGE for a year across their four over-two teams.

Centre manager Jeanette Manu Ettles says, “We took it on because it was a really good follow-on from another programme we did called He Ara Hauora that focused on social and emotional competence.”

She says ENGAGE’s specific strategies and activities have had a lasting impact on tamariki’s communication and ability to express their feelings and emotions.

“They’re learning other words to express emotions, not just ‘happy’ ‘angry’ ‘sad’, but ‘I’m feeling frustrated’ or ‘I feel embarrassed’.”

The programme has been so successful that Jeanette has taken their behaviour management procedures off the wall.

“Teachers are less reliant on behaviour management procedure but rather more focussed on effective strategies to build children’s resilience and social competence. In turn, we reap the rewards of children being more expressive and they become positive contributors to the group.”

For kaiako, their focus has shifted to guiding tamariki, monitoring and observing the children solving their own problems.

“The children are now really self-sufficient and dealing with the issues within the group and then they’re coming to the teacher and they’re saying ‘so and so took that off me, but I told her I didn’t like it so she gave it back’.”

Jimmy says the programme can help kaiako who feel they need support with children who have challenging behaviours.

“We want to reaffirm to our early learning teachers that they are valued. They are working in the real magic part of the developmental window where the big gains happen.

When we get it right for a child, the impact is lasting and hugely positive.”

Learn more about ENGAGE at engageplay.co.nz.

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E DUCATION TO EM PLOYM ENT

Engaging trades programme builds future workforce Two students from Manurewa High School have nailed the chance to kickstart their careers in trades with scholarships from a construction management company.

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Avish is following his father into the construction industry.

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T

he construction sector is one of New Zealand’s biggest employers and provides opportunities for many school leavers.

In most cases these come in the form of a trade apprenticeship, but two hard-working students from Manurewa High School have gone above and beyond to secure scholarships with construction management company Naylor Love.

Ayush and Avish are graduating from the Manurewa High School Trades Academy, an umbrella programme for 635 senior students across 15 secondary schools in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

The academy partners with local business and industry to prepare students for the workforce.

Alongside their studies, students attend a series of training courses and work experience blocks throughout their senior years.

The Naylor Love partnership came about when the construction company was managing a build at Manurewa High School. Contracts manager Luke Luijten, who got his own start in the industry through a scholarship, saw the potential in the trades students and wanted to pay it forward.

Two scholarships were offered comprising $3,000 towards course costs, employment during holidays, and, assuming all goes well, a permanent position with Naylor Love upon graduation.

High calibre students

Several students interviewed for the scholarships and Avish and Ayush, both Year 12 students, were chosen.

“I was blown away by how ambitious and keen they were,” says Gary Lucey, projects and interiors manager at Naylor Love.

“I do a lot of interviews with professionals, four or five a week, and the boys I interviewed were far beyond their years for maturity. We had to pinch ourselves to remember that these boys were only 17 years old.

Their answers were very well thought through and detailed, and they didn’t come across as at all nervous, considering it could have been their first interview.”

Ayush was happily surprised by his success.

“Sir told me that Year 13s were going for it as well, but I told myself I could do it. I’m really happy, and I’m looking forward to working with Naylor Love. My parents are successful people and I look up to them. This opportunity inspires me to be as successful or even more successful than them.

“I have a long way to go, and this is a step to give me the leverage to run my own business and from that to create an empire.”

For Avish, it also means following his father into the construction industry.

“My dad is very proud knowing I’m going into the same field as him and I’m really happy, I’m looking forward to working with Naylor Love.”

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Ayush, Year 12.

“It was a really good experience, and we are going to do it again. If my son grows up to be anything like these young men, I’ll be a proud dad.”

Gary Lucey

Avish, Year 12.

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Increased engagement

An estimated 85 percent of trades students go on to tertiary education or straight into employment, says Steve Perks, director of the academy. Between 90-95 percent of them achieve NCEA Level 2 or 3.

“There is a high level of engagement, and we also work with alternative education, that’s students who have been removed from their schools for various reasons. This is the second year we’ve done it and what we’re finding is that their engagement has shot up and it’s also increased their engagement when they’re back with their provider.

“So, we’ve got Year 11 students from alternative education now gaining NCEA Level 2, a year earlier than their peers,” says Steve.

He notes that a key thing for them is delivering a full education that sets them up to be independent, working adults.

“As well as delivering hospitality and catering, engineering, construction, logistics and so on, we have a team-building element; we get them their driver’s licence, we do digital literacy with them, and we deliver the Youth Employment Programme (YEP) so they’re prepared.

“We also do a short, five-week cooking course with them so that if they get a job and they’ve got to move out and look after themselves, they know how to do that. We’re looking beyond the skills just to do the job but the skills to live as well.

“A lot of our kids come to school without lunch so

Naylor Love contracts manager Luke Luijten sees great potential in many trades students. He is pictured here with Ayush.

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the free lunch programme is beneficial, even when they’re offsite they can take their meals with them.

We try to think of everything,” explains Steve.

The academy is also working with Massey University to see if a course can be included for higher level students who want to go on to be construction managers and quantity surveyors.

They also work with the Ara Education Charitable Trust (AECT), which has a trainee building site at Auckland Airport.

Houses that are destined to be demolished are moved to the site and refurbished by trades students, then sold so the school can buy other houses and continue the project.

As well as a trades project, the refurbishment work allows students to learn more about sustainability.

“Our seniors go out there one day a week in different groups to refurbish the houses and learn quite valuable skills. The whole idea came about because of the amount of waste that is being generated and put into landfill. This is a way of trying to prevent that, and to contribute towards cheaper housing,” says Steve.

Ayush will go straight from Year 12 to study project management and quantity surveying at Massey University.

Future workforce

Steve adds that the academy’s reach across business and industry means the school is becoming recognised for having a pipeline of potential employees.

“With less people able to enter New Zealand [because of the pandemic], they need to train up youngsters.

“I had a meeting with the Wiri Business Association and one of their complaints was that young people don’t come with what they want.

I said, ‘Well tell me what you want, and I’ll build it into the programme’ and that’s what we try to do now because most of the companies want a very similar thing. They want punctuality, good attitude, and a bit of resilience. They can train someone to do a job, but the person must be there regularly – and that’s what we work on,” says Steve.

The academy insists on a minimum 80 percent attendance, set by the Government, and the students step up because they realise it’s different and exciting, he adds.

“They’re out of school two days a week minimum; some are out three days. During that time, they’re in an adult environment and because of that they step up and the difference from the start of the year to the end of the year is phenomenal.”

Gary Lucey says the partnership with MHS Trades Academy has been extremely positive.

“It was a really good experience, and we are going to do it again. If my son grows up to be anything like these young men, I’ll be a proud dad.”

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“With less people able to enter New Zealand [because of the pandemic], they need to train up youngsters.”

Steve Perks

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S E N IOR LEADERSH I P VACANCI ES

Do you have a vacancy that you would like to advertise to the education sector?

Place an advertisement in the vacancies section and reach both the passive and active jobseekers by contacting Jill Parker: jill.parker@nzme.co.nz 027 212 9277

TUMUAKI TUARUA / DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

www.target.school.nz

4 Units, Years 0 – 6, Roll 430 He tangata, he tangata, he tangata

The ideal person for our school will be:

We are seeking an exceptional Deputy Principal who believes and shows through their actions that people are the most important thing in the world.

• A kind, collaborative, innovative and motivated leader.

We are a growing school that is embarking on its journey towards collaborative learning and teaching. We have a culture in our school and community that reflect the school values of Manaakitanga, Takohanga and Manawaroa.

The Deputy Principal will be responsible for inclusive practice within the school, enhancing teacher capabilities and working with the leadership team to support the school’s vision to come to fruition.

Application packs can be found on the KEA website www.keaeducation.nz. The essential application form must be obtained from Ngaire Jermaine of KEA Education at ngaire@keaeducation.nz.

• An educational leader who is successful at building trust relationships and supporting teachers to meet the needs of all ākonga.

• A leader with a desire to grow and support te ao Māori within our school.

• A leader familiar with recent research into effective educational change leadership.

• Inclusive, visible and approachable with a great sense of humour and who enjoys excellent relationships.

Applications should be as described in the application pack letter and received by e-mail. Applications close at 5.00 pm on Monday, 14 February 2022. Applicants will hear shortly after 23 February if they go to interview on Saturday, 5 March 2022. Position commences the start of term 2, 2022.

KEA

Education

Successful Recruitment for the Education Sector

PRINCIPAL U6 Decile 9 – International Baccalaureate school

An exceptional opportunity to be Principal of a leading Intermediate School The Board of T.N.I.S. is seeking to appoint a dynamic and inspiring leader to the role of Principal from Term 2, 2022. If you are an experienced leader who is committed to improving educational outcomes for all learners, we welcome your application.

This person should: • Be a leader with a passion to develop emergent adolescents into thriving life-long learners • Be both strategic and future focussed, inspiring staff and learners alike • Have a high level of interpersonal skills and be an exceptional communicator • Be a strong collaborator and educational leader, creating opportunities for others to develop and grow their potential • Embrace the cultural diversity of our school and enhance its reputation in the community • Be an advocate for wellbeing for all staff and learners

INTERESTED IN JOINING US? 46

Education Gazette

For application information please contact: Roger Harnett: roger@harnetts.co.nz or Ph 022 0201250 Applications close Noon, Friday 28 January 2022 gazette.education.govt.nz

Principal Waituna Creek School

Mt Pleasant School

Principal/ Tumuaki

This is an exceptional and exciting opportunity for a dynamic and passionate leader in education starting at the beginning of term 2, 2022.

The Board is seeking to appoint a principal who will promote a warm culture of learning and self efficacy, can provide exceptional educational leadership, is future focused and able to build on the strong relationships that already exist within our community.

An accredited World School of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Te kura o Paeraki | Mt Pleasant School is a place where teaching and learning is innovative and encouraging, and where strong values underpin all of the school activities.

We are proud of our positive and stimulating environment which provides a clear focus on wellbeing and learner agency. Our highly skilled leadership team, dedicated staff and cohesive Board have built enormous trust and support within the wider community.

The successful applicant must be able to think strategically and creatively, and be focused on the future needs of the school with a view of further developing the solid foundation of PYP. You will require in-depth pedagogical and NZ curriculum knowledge.

You will be an effective communicator and motivator who is visible, approachable and connected. You should possess experience, knowledge and/or desire to work with the IB PYP programme.

Applications close 4pm, Friday, 4th February 2022 and are to be received electronically.

Please contact Tom Scollard for further information and/or an application pack.

Email: tom@tomscollard.co.nz Ph. 0211836462

This is a wonderful opportunity for a dynamic and innovative leader with proven leadership skills and experience, strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with the school and wider community.

We are seeking someone who has the students and their needs at the centre of their focus and who has a clear commitment to inclusive and dynamic education in a rural setting. They will have the skills to consolidate and build on the strengths of the school and develop new initiatives to ensure a strong culture of ongoing teaching and learning success.

The ability to enhance and promote our school vision and values as well as engage and work positively alongside staff, students and the community is essential.

The successful candidate will need to be flexible, organised and collaborative, and of course be a great teacher.

This position is available from the beginning of Term 2, 2022.

Applications close 4pm, Friday, 4th February 2022 and are to be received electronically.

Please contact Tom Scollard for further information and/or an application pack.

Email: tom@tomscollard.co.nz Ph. 0211836462

HEADMASTER – SACRED HEART COLLEGE, AUCKLAND (Tagged position)

An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead our high performing, established and sought-after Catholic boys’ College.

Sacred Heart College is proudly anchored in the Marist charism, which reflects the vision of St Marcellin Champagnat, with continued and strong connections with its founding educators, the Marist Brothers. As a boys only, integrated, Year 7-13 school in East Auckland, the charism, vision and values of our founder are promoted in the daily lives of our students and staff. Our vision is “Making boys into courageous Marist men” and is cultivated by encouraging our boys to be authentic in their faith, character and aspiration.

The current student roll of 1220 (plus International students), enjoys excellent facilities set on 24 hectares overlooking the Tamaki estuary. Features include well-resourced teaching spaces, a boarding hostel for up to 170 boys, Chapel, aquatic centre, auditorium, theatre and extensive playing fields.

The Board is seeking to appoint an exemplary educational leader to continue a tradition of excellent leadership at the College. The new Headmaster will be visionary, inspirational, dynamic, future focused, able to build on the strong relationships with key stakeholders and deliver on our strategic plan.

They will also –

» Accept and recognise the responsibility to maintain and preserve the Special Character of the College

» Continue to promote and develop a culture of academic excellence, building on the momentum of the last 3 years » Appreciate the unique cultural diversity within the College, and ensuring the continued success of all the students

» As Chief Executive of the boarding hostel, have a strong understanding the vital role of a boarding hostel in the everyday life of the College

It was recently noted in the 2021 Special Character review, “Sacred Heart College is a fine example of authentic Catholic education where young men are supported in their faith journey and encouraged to achieve at the highest level possible in all their endeavours”.

» Have exceptional people skills and the ability to motivate staff

Application packs are available from: petergall@edsolnz.co.nz

Applications close: 4.00pm Wednesday 9 February 2022

» Be a highly skilled communicator

A willingness and ability to take part in religious instruction appropriate to the Special Character of the school shall be a condition of appointment.

Empowering Learning Whakamana Akoranga St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream

TUMUAKI/RECTOR

TĒNĀ KOUTOU Established in 1931, St Patrick’s College, Silverstream is an integrated Catholic Boys’ school for Years 9 to 13, set in seven acres of beautiful grounds on the banks of the Hutt River. We are a Decile 8 with a roll of approximately 720 day students and boarders from diverse ethnicities. Our next leader will inherit a rich legacy of academic excellence, cultural and sporting success, supported by generations of young men who have walked confidently in life as a result of the foundations laid by the Marist education they received at Stream.

YOUR CHALLENGE is to courageously build on this legacy and lead our College confidently into the future while also inspiring the next generation of Streamers to develop their own character and reach their full potential, embracing a sense of spirituality and call to faith, community and care for others.

YOUR OPPORTUNITY is to be the leader of our College, leading in a new and progressive context of whānau, faith, education and work to a sustainable future. This will require innovation, belief, inspiration, a willingness to break barriers and a determination not to compromise or settle for second-best. You must be a dedicated Catholic leader, truly partnering with tangata whenua in the spirit of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a deep commitment to educating the whole boy to become a fine young man and global citizen.

THE NEXT CHAPTER of our story is yours to write. Are you ready to achieve your real potential and ours as the next Tumuaki / Rector of St Patrick’s College, Silverstream?

Willingness and ability to participate in religious instruction appropriate to the special character of the school is a condition of appointment.

The Tumuaki / Rector will be provided with a fully refurbished, substantial home on site together with a stipend as a part of an attractive remuneration package. Applications are invited from all genders.

APPLY NOW. Closing Date for Applications 5.00pm Monday 14th February 2022 Contact Jane Parkinson at Blackcat Education for an Application Pack at jane@blkcat.co.nz or for confidential enquiries please call Andrew Harris on 021 0296 9891. For more information on the College please visit www.stream.school.nz and our own website www.blackcateducation.co.nz We look forward to hearing from you. Nga mihi.

PRINCIPAL / TUMUAKI

Wellington College Te Kāreti Tamātane o Te Whanganui-a-Tara Tēnā koutou katoa.

The Board of Wellington College is looking to appoint an inclusive and visionary Principal to take our school into the future while celebrating our unique character and rich heritage. With an enviable reputation as one of the top performing academic schools in New Zealand, we are justly proud of our progressive 21st Century learning and value our traditions and connection with the past. Our students develop a strong sense of belonging to the College. We are a state secondary school with a growing roll of around 1800 boys from diverse ethnic backgrounds. We encourage sporting success and excellence in the arts, culture and everything we do.

Our new Principal will: • Portray the strength of purpose and determination to implement the Board’s vision for the school that embraces over 150 years of history and looks to a constantly changing future.

• Be a charismatic leader who engenders trust, leads by example, is committed to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is culturally responsive, has a deep understanding of both curriculum and pedagogy and is passionate about developing the innate potential of all students.

• Build a strong school culture based on academic achievement; create a successful leadership team; inspire our dedicated teaching and support staff and take day-to-day responsibility for school finances, property, and marketing.

• Be a person with mana. This is a prestigious position requiring a leader who is approachable, visible and influential in the New Zealand educational community. You will be empathetic, a confident communicator, calm under pressure, media savvy and capable of making difficult decisions when necessary.

Applications are invited from all genders.

HOW TO APPLY

Contact Jane Parkinson at Blackcat Education for an Application Pack at jane@blkcat.co.nz For confidential enquiries, please contact Andrew Harris on 021 0296 9891.

Further information on the school is available at www.wellington-college.school.nz and our website www.blackcateducation.co.nz

Closing Date for Applications 5.00pm Tuesday 8th February 2022

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The Education Gazette office will be closed from 4pm, Friday 17 December until 9am, Monday 10 January 2022.

No online vacancies will be processed during this period and advertising queries will be answered after these dates.

Is your school an awesome place for students?

How does your school contribute to the vision to make Aotearoa NZ the ‘best place in the world for children and young people’?

What would your students say?

Student Wellbeing Measures Project The Ministry of Education is undertaking a Student Wellbeing Measures project that commences in phase 1 with actively listening to the voice of students and ākonga to understand what ‘student wellbeing’ looks like for students in schools across Aotearoa NZ. This information will help us develop a consistent set of measures of student wellbeing that may be used to support schools to monitor, respond and improve student wellbeing.

Students in Years 7-13 are invited to directly engage in this project to have their say. This period of engagement will be open from November 2021 to the end of Term 1 2022.

Schools are invited to support student engagement through Ministry provided in-class and online learning options.

Class handbooks and resources are provided.

Please contact the Project Team at edkstudent.measures@education.govt.nz or directly indicate your school’s interest and order your resources here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MOEWellbeingfeedback