Science and technology pathways at Selwyn House School
Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize winner
Madeleine Collins
Strengthening learning through progression at Ōpunake Kindergarten
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Editor’s note
In recognition of Maths Week this week, in this issue we’ve put the spotlight on STEM.
S is for science: We look at how Green Bay High School’s Madeleine Collins, this year’s winner of the Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize, makes sure each student feels valued, and engages their natural curiosity.
T is for technology: We are introduced to the science and technology programme at Selwyn House School in Ōtautahi Christchurch, where students apply creative and innovative thinking to a practical project.
E is for engineering: Technology Education New Zealand (TENZ) discusses delivering quality STEM education in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how the technology learning area of our curriculum includes guidance on design and computational thinking as well as other engineering skills and knowledge.
M is for maths: We look at the numeracy programmes offered by Kōtui Ako Virtual Learning Network Aotearoa and how they are being used in schools such as Coromandel’s Te Rerenga School.
Is your school doing inspiring STEM mahi? We’d love to hear more and invite you to get in touch: gazette@education.govt.nz.
Ngā manaakitanga, Keri McLean, Ētita | Editor
On the cover Page 2. Madeleine Collins says science is enchanting, exciting, full of joy and should provoke curiosity.
Ako Virtual Learning Network Aotearoa: Setting ākonga up for success
Delivering choice to parents and time to teachers
View the PLD, general notice listings and vacancies at gazette.education.govt.nz
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Award-winning science teacher makes students feel valued
Madeleine Collins, this year’s winner of the Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize, says her approach to teaching is guided by two things: making sure each student feels valued, and engaging their natural curiosity so they want to learn the science behind their observations and interests.
Madeleine with a Green Bay High School student.
Over almost a quarter-century in teaching and education, Madeleine Collins has held many roles.
“I’ve gained a lot of experience of what science can look like at every level of our curriculum,” she says of her experience, spanning teaching in both primary and secondary schools, and even being a park ranger and a professional development facilitator.
Madeleine teaches chemistry and science at Auckland’s Green Bay High School, where she is also associate head of the science faculty.
“One of the big things in my teaching is to make sure that every student feels valued, that they know I truly care about them,” she says.
“Obviously, when I see 120 students a day come through my door, that can be tricky. But every single human is unique and special and has so much to offer. I think it’s really important that I reflect that in every interaction with my students as best I can.”
Finding motivation
Part of that is finding out what really motivates them.
One recent example involves a group of students who were very keen gym goers, often comparing their muscle gains – but they weren’t into chemistry.
Madeleine seized the opportunity, encouraging the students to look at the ingredients listed on the back of their nutritional supplements and connect them with what students were studying in class.
“They were hooked,” she says. “I don’t think I could have hooked them a different way, but they were into it. They were excited to understand what all the things on the back of their bottles meant.”
She was able to lead them through the necessary learning and internal assessment based on what was in those powders and supplements.
Wanting to know more
Madeleine’s favourite pedagogical strategy is the ‘5E’ instructional model: engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate.
“The students work through these stages of the Es. Evaluate can come in at any time,” she explains.
“Engage gets our students hooked. They want to know more. Then they get an opportunity to explore something in detail. And only once they’ve really explored it and been captivated by it, then we try and explain it from a science point of view. So that means our students want to know more.
“They want to know why the crystal has burnt that colour or why the lichens outside have lots of heavy metals in them. They want to find out the reason for what they have just observed or noticed in class. And then they can even take that further to elaborate and evaluate their learning and figure out their next steps.”
Madeleine says this approach gives her students a sense of agency, and that the approach works just as well in curriculum-heavy senior classes as at earlier levels.
“I believe that science is enchanting and exciting and full of joy and should provoke curiosity. It’s all about the world around us.”
“Every single human is unique and special and has so much to offer. I think it’s really important that I reflect that in every interaction with my students as best I can.”
Madeleine Collins
Incorporating te ao Māori values and mātauranga into her lessons is part of this approach.
“Te ao Māori is an essential part of our Aotearoa and teaching through that lens of mātauranga Māori is imperative,” she says. “It’s not just Western science that informs our knowledge of how the world works.
“The knowledge we build can come from multiple lenses and will lead us to a greater understanding of the natural world, which is essentially what science is.”
Hands-on approach to learning Green Bay High School principal Fiona Barker says she is really proud of the school’s science department, highlighting the great team spirit in the department and the ways in which teachers support each other to engage their students.
“Madeleine is a great part of the team. She’s someone who has got both passion for their subject, for science, and passion for our young people.
“She brings that magic every day, and our students get to benefit, and so do we all. One of the ways she does this is by collaborating with others to create real-life science partnerships.”
Fiona says that last year, some students went down to Dunedin to do some research around lichen. There, they worked with scientists from Otago University and geologists from GNS Science Te Pū Ao.
“It’s about creating opportunities where life and learning happens for our students in a really exciting context. That’s an amazing thing that she brings.”
In addition to her responsibilities at Green Bay High School, Madeleine has been a core facilitator at the Sir Paul Callaghan Science Academy at a national level for the past 12 years.
The academy is a four-day course that teachers of Years 0–10 can attend to learn about implementing a schoolwide hands-on science programme.
She has also been part of a team advising the Ministry
of Education on changes to the science curriculum.
Madeleine’s message for her fellow science teachers is to be braver in adopting a hands-on learning approach.
“Often in science teaching, especially secondary science teaching, we’re stifled by requirements for assessment and for curriculum, and we forget to connect with the real world, the real world of science and nature outside – how everything works. Yet, when we actually step away from the classroom and that rigid content day after day, that’s when the real learning happens.
“It takes a lot of bravery to do that. It probably took me the best part of two decades of teaching to feel comfortable to do that.
“It would be great if we could all be brave as science teachers and step outside that content rigour and really explore that world around us.”
Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize
Madeleine says she was humbled and excited to win the Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize, emphasising that her success is built on support from many people.
“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini – Success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many,” she says.
In awarding the prize, the experts on the selection panel noted her enthusiasm, energy, and ability to tailor her teaching for each student.
“Student agency is a hallmark of her teaching. She clearly reads her learners and differentiates her teaching to meet them where they are,” stated the feedback.
She’s excited about the opportunities that the prize will give the students at Green Bay High School.
“They are fabulous students from a world of backgrounds who are really passionate learners and amazing individuals who don’t get, necessarily, a whole heap of opportunities.
“My plans are brewing for things I can do for them.”
“I believe that science is enchanting and exciting and full of joy and should provoke curiosity. It’s all about the world around us.”
Madeleine Collins
For more information and to apply for the Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize, visit pmscienceprizes.org.nz
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Madeleine encourages other science teachers to adopt hands-on learning approaches.
Ngā huarahi pūtaiao: The science pathways at Selwyn House School
Ōtautahi Christchurch’s Selwyn House School has developed a science and technology programme for Year 7 students, allowing them to apply creative and innovative thinking to a practical project. Education Gazette was invited to learn more about the programme and talk to students about their projects.
Ngā huarahi pūtaiao – The science pathways is a programme designed to teach Year 7 students about the possibilities in science and technology. All photos by Emma Smart Creative.
An oven tray designed for people with arthritis, an AI application to help blind people recognise when a bus approaches their stop, and a longer lasting ice cube are among the creations of a new programme that Selwyn House School students are undertaking this year.
An independent girls’ school located near the heart of the garden city, Selwyn House specialises in futurefocused education for ākonga in Years 1 to 8.
For many years, the school participated in the CREST awards, a science and technology programme run by The Royal Society Te Apārangi, but when the programme ended in 2022, the school decided to innovate.
“It opened up an opportunity for us to purposedesign our own science and technology programme,” says principal Julie Calder. “We have introduced this programme for our Year 7 students this year.”
‘Ngā huarahi pūtaiao – The science pathways’ has been developed by the school’s head of science and mechatronics, Simon Christie, who says it provides an opportunity for students to apply their creative and innovative thinking to a practical project in the science and technology field.
“This is about our students proving to themselves that they possess the creative and critical thinking skills to solve the world’s problems.”
Julie Calder
It asks students to identify a problem or an aim, and then take either a science path – te ara pūtaiao – or a technology path – te ara hangarau – to solve or achieve it.
“This is about our students proving to themselves that they possess the creative and critical thinking skills to solve the world’s problems,” says Julie.
“Ngā huarahi pūtaiao is nestled in between our Year 6 exhibition and Year 8 passion projects. All of these projects are personal inquiries that allow the students to apply their learning in a practical way to a relevant issue.
“We’re specifically targeting these year groups because these ākonga are at an age where they are starting to imagine what they could be in the future. Ngā huarahi pūtaiao is important because we want them to know that there are many exciting possibilities in science and technology,” she says.
“Students are asked to identify how their project relates to any of four key concepts in te ao Māori – rangatiratanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and kotahitanga – to recognise how they can harness their skills to impact positively on the world around them.”
Simon Christie
Te ao Māori context
Simon says purpose-designing ngā huarahi pūtaiao also presented an opportunity to make science and technology more relevant to the New Zealand and te ao Māori context.
“Students are asked to identify how their project relates to any of four key concepts in te ao Māori –rangatiratanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and kotahitanga.
“This helps the students view science and technology through a more holistic lens, and to recognise how they can harness their skills to impact positively on the world around them.
“Mentorship is another important aspect of the programme. We encourage students to seek assistance with their projects, either within or outside of their school community,” he adds.
At the culmination of the programme, students present their completed projects to judges and the school community. From there, eight projects are selected to compete at the NIWA Canterbury-Westland Science Fair.
“We’re fortunate we can call upon the University of Canterbury,” says Simon. “We’re very grateful to Dr Marie Squire from the university’s Chemistry Department who will judge the final projects, along with some female researchers who will spend time speaking with the students about their inquiries.”
The programme is an opportunity for students to apply their creative and innovative thinking to a practical project.
Students identify a problem or an aim, and then take either a science or technology path to solve or achieve it.
Abigail designed a solution to help people with mobility issues weed their gardens without bending down.
Hannah developed an AI tool that tells blind people their bus is arriving.
Hannah’s bus buddy for blind people
“I wondered how I could make it easier for blind people to recognise when their bus is arriving so that they don’t miss their bus or get into the wrong vehicle,” says Hannah about her project, an AI tool that uses a laptop camera to identify when a bus is arriving at a stop.
“I went down te ara hangarau (the technology path) because I was developing a new product, not testing an existing one. I made an AI using Teachable Machine and coded it using Scratch,” she adds, explaining that manaakitanga is the project’s foundation.
“It serves people who aren’t just me and it serves people who may not be able to do things for themselves.”
Through the programme, Hannah has learned a lot about how AI works.
“I learned that the AI wasn’t just taking in the colour of the bus, but also the shape and other characteristics,” says Hannah. “I only trained it on turquoise and white buses, but it still identified red and purple buses. I realised that AI is really smart and it made me very aware of what could happen in the future if it’s that good at learning now.”
While Hannah enjoyed coding and the process of testing, proving success, and making improvements, getting the data was the hardest part.
“I had to go out multiple times and sit outside for quite a while to get enough photos to use for training data,” says Hannah. “I used 2,468 photos of buses and 5,131 photos of other things on the road that were not buses to train the AI so it knew the difference.”
Abigail: Here to solve your weed problem
“My grandma, who’s in her 70s, likes to garden,” says Abigail about her project, a pole with barbed prongs on its end to aid weeding for people with mobility issues.
“Last year she fell off her bike and broke her hip. This gave me the idea to find a way to help her and other older people garden if they find it hard to bend down to weed.
“I designed a pole that will grab a weed and pull it up when someone pokes it in the ground. The pole means people don’t need to bend down,” she says, adding that her project also relates to manaakitanga.
The project, particularly designing her tool, was challenging, says Abigail, who used a 3D printer to print the prongs for the pole.
“It was hard trying to get the prongs the right size. They need to be a certain width, height and length,” she explains. “I found testing it annoying because it got in my head when the prongs kept breaking.
“I thought the 3D printing would be stronger than what it was,” she adds, noting that the project didn’t quite work out the way she initially thought.
“I learned that making my product with more plastic infill made it stronger but not strong enough because it broke when it fell off the table. I didn’t get the chance to test the prongs, but I think it probably would have been okay to pick up weeds. Next time I’d make stronger prongs out of metal.”
She may not have gotten the result she was after, but Abigail is still pleased with the project.
“The project didn’t work but the final boards still told a story. It all came together.”
Olivia’s crutch cup carrier
“My sister had to get an operation on her leg,” says Olivia. “She always got my mum or me to get her water for her, so I invented a cup holder that you can attach to crutches.”
The cupholder works like a gimbal, a pivoted support that rotates an object about on an axis, keeping it upright even when it’s moving around.
“This keeps the cup level when the crutches swing back and forth,” she explains. adding her project is also about manaakitanga. “There are a lot of people who have issues with not having their hands free, so I did this for them. I didn’t do it for myself because I can just carry my own drink.”
Like Abigail, Olivia used a 3D printer for her invention. She says getting the right size and fit for both the crutch and the cup was the hardest part, noting that a mentor gave her invaluable advice about making the cup holder sturdier.
“I wouldn’t have thought of that,” she says, adding that because she hadn’t done 3D printing before, she didn’t know what to expect. “It took ages to print it.”
For Olivia, the best part is the satisfaction of doing something for others.
“I like that I invented something that’s nice for other people.”
Olivia’s project is a 3D-printed cup holder for people using crutches.
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EARLY LEARNING
The collaborative new tool helping tamariki thrive
Kōwhiti Whakapae, a new online curriculum tool designed to help early learning kaiako strengthen their planning, assessment and teaching, has brought kaiako at Ōpunake Kindergarten closer together.
Education Gazette talks to centre manager Danni Newsome and curriculum lead Hilarie Nicoll about the resource and the results it’s getting.
“While there was a lot of information to take in at the beginning, we are really seeing the benefits,” says Ōpunake Kindergarten’s centre manager Danni Newsome, about a new tool from the Ministry of Education, Kōwhiti Whakapae.
“It’s made us more collaborative, doing it as a team. We think about the child, go away and then come back together. It’s so interesting to see those different perspectives.”
The tool, which empowers kaiako to weave Te Whāriki: He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa into their day-to-day teaching and learning, sees kaiako use a four-step process: lay the groundwork, notice and recognise children’s current capabilities, respond to children’s learning, and document and communicate learning.
Self-regulation
Kōwhiti Whakapae, whose very name reflects the importance of weaving rich and responsive curriculum experiences for all children, focuses on ways to support children’s progress in three areas of learning: social and emotional, oral language and literacy, and maths.
The social and emotional learning module is available now, with oral language and literacy and maths set to be released this month.
Danni was excited to share the success stories Ōpunake Kindergarten was already having with the tool, and says they are looking forward to the additional areas of learning being launched.
“We have found it to be really beneficial to spotlight a child and their progress,” she says, “making sure that we are all working together to support them in a consistent way.
“We have a child who we were trying to help with self-regulation so we used Kōwhiti Whakapae to look at ways we can support them with that. Now they can take deep breaths and talk about emotions in a way they couldn’t before.”
Part of this child’s plan had been identifying that the mud pit was their happy place, which kaiako now use as a means to support the child when they need it.
Strengthening learning through progression Ministry of Education curriculum lead Hilarie Nicoll says Kōwhiti Whakapae is a resource for teachers to document and strengthen children’s learning progression.
“If you’re showing a child’s progression over time, it strengthens their identity as a learner,” says Hilarie. “Teachers can assess a child’s current capabilities, use the tools to support planning for next steps and then implement teaching strategies to strengthen children’s new learning.”
To help early learning services get started with the tool, Hilarie and other curriculum leads have been working across Manawatū, Whanganui, Rangitikei and Taranaki to provide a range of workshops.
“There has been high interest and uptake from services,” says Hilarie. “In the workshops, we have been supporting services to reflect on their practices through internal evaluations to strengthen the documentation of tamariki learning progression over time.
“We explored the first area of learning in Kōwhiti Whakapae, social and emotional learning, allowing kaiako to become familiar with it and set them up to then start exploring and implementing the ‘lay the groundwork, notice and recognise, and respond’ framework.”
“We have a child who we were trying to help with selfregulation so we used Kōwhiti Whakapae to look at ways we can support them with that. Now they can take deep breaths and talk about emotions in a way they couldn’t before.”
Danni Newsome
Connecting practices
It was at one of these workshops that Danni and the kaiako at Ōpunake Kindergarten learned about Kōwhiti Whakapae and decided they were keen to implement it.
“At the beginning of the year we decided to work on planning and assessment as the focus for our professional growth cycle inquiry topic,” she says.
“This meant we were on the lookout for professional development in this area. When we heard about the Kōwhiti Whakapae workshop it fitted perfectly.”
The first step for the team was to explore the website in depth as individuals, says Danni, then to consider and connect their current teaching mahi alongside the practices as a team. Because kaiako were accustomed to being paper-based, Danni says it took time to transfer their mindset to working online.
A planned teacher-only day in the first term break provided an opportunity for the team to discuss their initial exploration and then put it to use, which kaiako did by planning for two of their tamariki.
To make sure everyone was on board and understood Kōwhiti Whakapae, each kaiako initially used the components to do their planning individually, then brought their thinking and notes to share at a hui where they identified clear next steps for each child.
Both plans were connected to a learning outcome from Te Whāriki and included teaching strategies and information about what progression for each child’s learning would look like.
Danni says the Ōpunake Kindergarten kaiako have enjoyed exploring the examples of assessment through Kōwhiti Whakapae.
“We try hard to show continuity through our learning assessments. The assessments outlined on Kōwhiti Whakapae show clear examples of this which has meant we have been able to strengthen our assessments of children’s learning.
“We have also used the ‘lay the groundwork’ section to evaluate our current practice and make sure that we are providing quality early learning education for all of our tamariki.
It is exciting to have the information so easily accessible.”
Kaiako can start exploring Kōwhiti Whakapae by visiting the website.
Top and bottom: Ōpunake Kindergarten has found Kōwhiti Whakapae a beneficial tool for spotlighting children and their progress.
Centre manager Danni Newsome (far right) and kaiako from Ōpunake Kindergarten.
The vocational education programme filling a healthcare gap in Northland
NorthTec health academy in Whangārei has established itself as a successful model of vocational education, strengthening pathways into health careers. Now, two more academies are being piloted at schools further north, each one unique to their school and community.
“It’s giving them a healthy
life. It doesn’t
mind and changing their outlook on
matter whether they choose to stay in a hauora career or whether they take the learning and foundations with them to a new career path, it is valuable.”
Keringawai Evans
Students are learning rongoā Māori, the traditional Māori healing system, including finding plants and learning tikanga.
They may be based at two different schools in two different communities, but Northland’s two new health academies were both born out of a similar need: getting more Māori into health careers.
The academies, based at Bay of Islands College in Kawakawa and Te Rangi Āniwaniwa in Awanui, launched in term 1. While they are still in the beginning phase, schools are already seeing benefits.
Addressing workforce needs
“How do we get more ākonga Māori and more young people into a health career path?”
Principal of Bay of Islands College Edith Painting-Davis says this is the question that launched discussions about starting a health academy at the school.
It was asked by a healthcare provider during workshops held at the school for the E2E (education to employment) teacher-only day last year.
“The presenters from the health sector stated that we need a lot more Māori students entering the healthcare system, especially for our Māori patients. We need more people who are familiar with that cultural sensitivity,” explains Edith.
“I said, ‘Well, you come to see us when the students are
Year 13 and it’s too late. Quite honestly, by then they’ve already made the decision whether they’re going to go into a vocational pathway or choose a tertiary pathway such as becoming a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher’.”
Edith proposed the idea of establishing a once-a-week healthcare course for students in Years 11–13 to create pathways into the industry.
She says the school has partnered with education provider Work Ready to deliver the programme. A facilitator from Work Ready goes into the school on a Tuesday every week to teach the students.
Keringawai Evans, wānanga/gateway pouarahi at Te Rangi Āniwaniwa, says the health academy at her kura was established to address “the need to recruit Māori” in the workforce of the health sector.
“We came up with an arrangement with Te Hiku Hauora to provide an experience and support for the development of a hauora academy at Te Rangi Āniwaniwa to showcase a career in hauora,” she says.
“We wanted to expose our young people to an inspirational career, and part of that journey is about letting them get a better understanding of what the different careers are, and to visit those organisations or those workplaces.”
Creating pathways and opportunities
Despite the health academies being in their beginning phases, students have already gained a wide range of experiences.
Rose Loveridge, a teacher at Bay of Islands College, says the students have learned rongoā Māori, the traditional Māori healing system, including finding plants and learning tikanga.
In term 2, they learned about databases and hauora services and visited local organisation Ngāti Hine Health Trust to see what healthcare looks like from a patient and provider perspective. They’ve also had the opportunity to hear from a real doctor in their community.
“We’ve got some kids on the course who are already saying ‘Yes, I’m going to be a doctor. This is what I’m going to do’. I’ve got one vet and two that want to be nurses. There are some that are on the fence, but they’re loving it.”
Edith says the school also recently met with Te Whatu Ora – Te Tai Tokerau. As a result of the meeting, students will now be able to do visits to Kawakawa Hospital with potential work experience for students in the areas of their interests.
Meanwhile, Keringawai says there are eight students involved in Te Rangi Āniwaniwa’s hauora academy, and the kura is very lucky to have an “amazing” tutor in Callie Corrigan, along with the opportunity to learn about rongoā Māori with experts Jo Murray and renowned kaumatua Joe Body at the Tuia Mara Whenua.
“Our students are being exposed to different parts of the hauora sector, from understanding their hauora needs to social care models such as the basic understanding of caring for whānau. This term it has moved into understanding the body and looking at anatomy.”
Keringawai says the kura is still in the pilot phase of
the hauora academy and is therefore exploring the different types of credits available to students while also looking at how to connect kura kaupapa students – who have a strong understanding of te ao Māori and whakapapa – with essential industry skills.
“We want our whole academy to be inspired and sculpted by our taitamariki (teenagers) – their needs, their own wellbeing – and ignite a passion towards a career in hauora.
“That is what our vision is and we’re lucky that we have got amazing people in Te Hiku Hauora and within the whole hauora sector.”
Value across all aspects of life
Edith says health academies are important because they put students on a hauora pathway early.
“It helps them understand that you don’t have to be an academic to be working in healthcare. It takes all types of folks to make it run smoothly.
“It really is about looking after the wellbeing of the patients, because a lot of them are afraid. They need reassurance and they need to know somebody cares and is looking after them.”
Keringawai says the hauora academy at Te Rangi Āniwaniwa takes a te ao Māori approach to healthcare and the knowledge students gain will have value across all aspects of life.
“It’s beautiful. All our tauira (students) come with a strong background in te reo Māori and te ao Māori. We’ve got an amazing tutor who is bridging that for them so they can go and explore hauora in a supportive and encouraging way and see there is a need for more Māori in health,” she says.
“It’s giving them a healthy mind and changing their outlook on life. It doesn’t matter whether they choose to stay in a hauora career or whether they take the learning and foundations with them to a new career path, it is valuable.”
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CURRICULUM
Creating healthy learning environments in Franklin District schools
Principals from Auckland’s Franklin District share how this year’s Ministry of Educationfacilitated teacher-only day in term 2 was an acknowledgement of the work its teachers are doing and an opportunity to collaborate on meeting the needs of diverse learners.
“The most important thing we can do is to give our teachers time to be inspired, to collaborate and to be valued. Our teachers do make a difference and we are extremely proud of the work they do.”
Lysandra Stuart
Pukekohe North School demonstrate the power of kapa haka and the mana mauri it brings to learners.
The Franklin District comprises 46 schools in the southernmost part of New Zealand’s Auckland region, a unique cluster of schools including town, rural and urban settings.
For the term 2 teacher-only day, nearly 1,000 teachers from the district gathered to share insights on meeting the needs of their diverse learners.
Building on last year’s event, Franklin District schools focused on embodying whanaungatanga, fostering valuable collaboration and information sharing among the dedicated teachers at its schools. The agenda featured purposeful discussions aligned with national education priorities to help inform a refreshed curriculum.
Key topics included the new requirement for a structured literacy approach in teaching reading and highlighted the outstanding initiatives and programmes already being led in Franklin schools, reminding teachers of their significant achievements.
Influential guest speakers presented research and pedagogy incorporating cultural perspectives, such as te ao Māori, aimed at improving educational success, attendance, and student wellbeing in Franklin schools.
Te Radar, a humorist and documentarian, served as
an engaging MC and keynote speaker, tying together the day’s insights with humour and uniting the teachers for the profound conversations to come.
The event was organised by three principals and kāhui ako leaders: Lysandra Stuart, Glenbrook School principal, Waiuku Kāhui Ako lead principal and Franklin Principals Association president; Jonathan Salisbury, Harrisville School principal and Tuakau Kāhui Ako lead principal; Haydon Brill, Pukekohe Kāhui Ako lead principal.
“When we organise teacher-only days, we’re driven by our duty and care as leaders to celebrate the essential work of our educators and support their professional development as priorities evolve,” shares Lysandra.
“The most important thing we can do is to give our teachers time to be inspired, to collaborate and to be valued. Our teachers do make a difference and we are extremely proud of the work they do.”
Jonathan expresses a similar sentiment.
“By supporting each other and sharing resources and knowledge, our teachers enhance their skills and become more confident, leading to improved student achievement,” he says.
Haydon Brill, Te Kahu Rolleston, Dr Alison Davis, Lysandra Stuart, Te Radar and Jonathan Salisbury enjoy a moment together celebrating the day’s kaupapa.
Creating a culture of belonging
Across Franklin District, fostering a healthy learning environment is essential for students to feel a sense of belonging in their kura.
“A learning relationship that promotes whanaungatanga is when students feel their teachers understand them, believe in them and have high expectations for them,” explains Lysandra. “This connection leads to improved student commitment to learning and better school attendance.”
Reflecting this outlook, guest speaker Dr Russell Bishop emphasised the importance of creating a culture of belonging to support student attendance, drawing from his book Teaching to the North-East.
His key message is clear: for educators to perform their roles effectively, they must establish strong, caring relationships with students.
Russell highlights that culturally responsive pedagogies are often confused with cultural competence, which expects teachers to learn about the culture of every student. Instead, he encourages teachers to nurture students’ language and culture, viewing their contributions as strengths rather than deficiencies.
Vanessa West, head of the RTLB service, found Russell’s insights transformative.
“Dr Bishop enriched my understanding of how to address educational disparities and enhance teaching practices effectively, particularly for Māori and marginalised students,” she says.
“We know that professional learning relationships are crucial, but they must be combined with effective pedagogy. I hope his message challenges some of our teachers.”
The workshop also resonated with Te Paina School principal Adam Tamariki, who said being culturally responsive was familiar territory.
“Listening to Dr Bishop’s talk, I felt incredibly proud of my kura for already meeting many of the tikanga protocols and expectations,” he explains.
Structured literacy
Structured literacy was a key focus of the day, with a keynote from Dr Alison Davis on the Science of Reading and the importance of consistent teaching practices across schools.
“I learned that our school is already doing so much of the pedagogy,” says Adam. “We have started structured literacy and have a focus on whānau and student relationships. It is reassuring to know we are on the right track, because we do feel that way.”
“The Better Start Literacy Approach is a great idea,” adds Mauku School principal James Christie. “I really enjoyed Dr Alison’s emphasis on the importance of making learning relevant and harvesting the curiosity of students.”
Humorist and documentarian Te Radar served as MC and keynote speaker.
Organisers and lead principals Jonathan Salisbury, Haydon Brill and Lysandra Stuart bring the day to a close.
Te Kahu Rolleston shares the educational benefits of poetry, including traditional Māori mōteatea, waiata and oral storytelling. 25 Tukutuku Kōrero
Kōtui Ako VLN online learning community, gives schools access to over 100 programmes, enabling them to meet different learning needs.
Kōtui Ako Virtual Learning Network Aotearoa: Setting ākonga up for success
Kōtui Ako Virtual Learning Network (VLN) Aotearoa provides diverse online educational programmes tailored to the needs of students across Aotearoa New Zealand. In celebration of Maths Week, eprincipal (primary) Rachel Whalley and eprincipal (secondary) Amanda King break down some of the numeracy programmes Kōtui Ako VLN runs.
For the uninitiated, Kōtui Ako Virtual Learning Network
Aotearoa (VLN) is a collaborative organisation offering a unique educational experience for ākonga across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Its online programmes, designed to foster curiosity, creativity, and practical skills, provide ākonga in Years 0–13 with opportunities to delve deeply into a range of learning opportunities.
By contributing to the Kōtui Ako VLN online learning community, schools gain access to over 100 programmes, enabling them to meet the learning needs of their students more successfully.
“We’re here to help schools access high quality educational opportunities for their ākonga through online learning,” says Kōtui Ako VLN Aotearoa eprincipal (primary) Rachel Whalley.
“It’s a community. We provide an eteacher who beams in to teach a particular programme remotely. With the support of a school-based teacher, they create a programme of learning that’s built on the needs of the individual students and school.”
Virtual numeracy programmes
Mathematics with statistics
VLN’s NCEA Level 3 programme ‘mathematics with statistics’ has been popular this year, with secondary students from 12 different schools taking part, says eprincipal (secondary) Amanda King.
Experienced eteacher Deborah Bowden meets with students online each week for a one-hour lesson.
The follow up coursework is curated through a Google site, where ākonga can access their weekly tasks and supporting resources. They complete their coursework and assignments in Google Classroom so regular feedback and feedforward can be readily given.
This enables students to progress their learning independently throughout the week, with oversight from Deborah.
Mathematics with statistics Level 3 focuses on developing statistical literacy, specifically the skills to use statistical methods to analyse and interpret different types of data.
This includes the use of time series, bi-variate data, probability and distributions, and linear programming. Students investigate statistical data that is relevant and recent, using mathematics to model real-life situations, and make predictions and forecasts.
Deborah has created an immersive online classroom experience for her students by bringing together a variety of digital tools. She uses PowerPoint slides on her laptop while demonstrating worked examples on her tablet – while simultaneously also using an online graphics calculator.
“Deborah has cleverly developed an environment that engages her students and supports their learning process,” says Amanda.
Student feedback confirms this – ākonga are positive about their experiences learning online and say they are well supported for success, which is reflected in their achievement results.
Maths explorations
The maths explorations programme suits students with a curiosity and passion for the ‘behind the scenes’ of mathematics, explains Rachel.
Ākonga investigate the nuances of mathematics, from where our Arabic number system has evolved from, through to ideas around just how big (or small) numbers can get. Students design and create visually and descriptively, using their imagination alongside an ability for practical mathematics.
Life skills
The life skills programme might be part of financial literacy, but there is a lot of numeracy involved, says Rachel.
Ākonga apply numeracy skills in real world situations as they discover a career to suit their skills, build a resume and apply for their dream job, work out what happens to their pay with taxes and student loans and budget for their living expenses.
Maths problem-solving
“Maths problem-solving is our most popular maths programme,” says Rachel. “It’s aimed at extending learners at level 4 (and beyond) of the curriculum.
Currently, 42 students from 13 different schools from around the country, many from small rural and remote schools, are enrolled. Ākonga are split across four classes that run weekly with eteacher Kay Bannister-Rye.
“They attend Zoom sessions and use Seesaw to access independent activities, share their learning and communicate with each other,” explains Kay.
“They love the mathematical challenges being introduced in the classes and it has impacted positively on their overall learning and attainment in mathematics.”
Mary Kedzlie
Class with Kay
Kay says she has effectively adapted face-to-face teaching methods into a concise 30-minute online class using Zoom.
“In our sessions, students start with five brief maths questions,” says Kay, explaining what a typical session looks like. “They select which one they want to answer via chat – those needing assistance can privately message me for hints.
Oral responses include explanations of the problemsolving process, benefiting students who may have struggled with the question.
Next, Kay showcases student answers from previous Seesaw tasks to provide feedback, emphasising exemplary practices and serving as models for those who have not yet responded. Following this, they collaboratively solve a simplified word problem on Zoom, ensuring fundamental concepts are thoroughly understood.
Finally, Kay assigns independent tasks through Seesaw, offering hints and encouraging students to seek support via email or messages.
Teachers say online learning encourages ākonga to develop time management skills.
Te Rerenga School in the Coromandel uses Kōtui Ako VLN to extend some students.
Students are scheduled to work on these tasks soon after the Zoom session while still fresh in their minds. They’re able to touch base with Kay between Zoom sessions to check in on progress, ask questions or check ideas.
An extension of learning
Mary Kedzlie, principal of Te Rerenga School in the Coromandel, says her school has enrolled students in the maths extension classes of Kōtui Ako VLN (primary) for the past few years.
“We see this as another way of extending our able students, separate to what we cater for in their classrooms,” she says. “They love the mathematical challenges being introduced in the classes and it has impacted positively on their overall learning and attainment in mathematics.”
“At Te Rerenga, we use the VLN to challenge our gifted and talented individuals,” adds Te Rerenga School teacher Odette. “It is also used in the senior school for whole-class learning and teaching, such as the French class.
“A number of our children have been engaged in different VLN programmes over the last few years. Creative writing, art, and maths problem-solving are examples of classes that challenge our more talented learners and expose them to a range of ideas and opportunities for where they are at in their learning.
“The online learning has encouraged the children to manage their learning time and to be responsible for ensuring their homework is completed each week. We have chosen children who are able to engage and respond to an online teacher, and who are focused on their learning.”
In a recent survey, one Kōtui Ako VLN student outlined what being in their programme had meant for them –highlighting both the positives and challenges.
“This opportunity has meant that I can learn new techniques in maths. The positives are that I can make new friends,” they share. “The challenges are the maths problems because some of them are really hard.”
Enriching ākonga
Kōtui Ako VLN continues to offer enriching online numeracy programmes that challenge and inspire learners across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Through innovative teaching methods and a supportive online environment, ākonga develop essential skills in a range of subjects, including mathematic skills, and foster a lifelong love of learning.
Whether exploring the history of mathematics, applying numeracy to real-life scenarios, or solving complex problems, Kōtui Ako VLN empowers students to achieve their full potential.
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For more information on Kōtui Ako VLN programmes and how to join, visit the website.
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Students say the opportunity to do Kōtui Ako VLN has meant they can learn new techniques in maths.
Technology in STEM: Essential skills for the modern world
Did you know almost a quarter of jobs are expected to be fundamentally transformed by technology in the next five years? Technology Education New Zealand chair Hamish Johnston and kaiārahi Ruth Lemon and Pip Osborne discuss delivering quality STEM education in Aotearoa New Zealand through the technology learning area.
Unlike some international models that separate STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) subjects, in Aotearoa New Zealand our curriculum supports effective interdisciplinary learning.
One point of difference is the New Zealand Curriculum’s technology learning area, which includes guidance on design and computational thinking as well as other engineering skills and knowledge. With its focus on applying learning from a range of disciplines to design innovative outcomes, many teachers see it as a gateway
into integrated STEM learning.
Technology Education New Zealand (TENZ), one of four technology-focused networks of expertise, have played a critical role in championing the place of technology in STEM. This has involved fostering the development of technology education, supporting professional growth, and building resources that enable kaiako to deliver effective STEM education.
TENZ heamana (chair) Hamish Johnston is a man with many hats. In addition to being chair, he holds teaching
Caption: Hamish Johnston is heamana (chair) of Technology Education New Zealand.
and leadership roles at Kaiapoi High School and is also the Waitaha Canterbury Regional Secretary at PPTA Te Wehengarua.
He says there are many effective ways for teachers to implement STEM from a bird’s eye and grassroots view.
Essential skills for the modern world
“STEM equips ākonga with critical thinking, problemsolving and technical skills essential for the modern world. As the demand for STEM-related jobs grows, this preparation is vital both in Aotearoa and globally,” says Hamish.
“Aotearoa has long been a nation of innovators. As the world becomes increasingly technology-driven, countries with robust STEM education systems are better positioned to compete globally.”
Pip Osborne, kaiārahi at TENZ, agrees.
“Although interest in STEM subjects among school students in Aotearoa has been declining, we’ve found many effective ways to turn this around,” she explains, encouraging teachers to be courageous in how they choose to engage their learners in STEM.
“Before building your teaching plan, decide if it’s a problem-solving experience or a project-based inquiry that would best suit your students’ way of learning and interests. Offering a variety of tasks enhances student engagement.”
She emphasises practical, hands-on activities and local curriculum scenarios as effective methods. The technology learning area provides guidance on how this can be done.
“Studying local waterways, for example, can offer enriching learning experiences beyond the classroom.”
Through working with schools, Pip and fellow kaiārahi Ruth Lemon have determined that collaboration between educators and subject matter experts can make meeting the demand for STEM less daunting.
“Purposeful integration can lead to enriching learning experiences,” says Ruth. “We encourage teachers to reach out to those they don’t know personally – some of the best classroom experiences arise from these connections.
“By sharing practices and supporting one another, teachers become more confident and effective in their delivery of STEM at their school.”
“STEM equips ākonga with critical thinking, problemsolving and technical skills essential for the modern world. As the demand for STEMrelated jobs grows, preparation is vital.”
Hamish Johnston
The broader impact of STEM education
TENZ says strong STEM education benefits everyone –it’s through STEM that people are equipped to address challenges in society such as climate change, healthcare, and sustainable development.
“By nurturing a generation of innovators, STEM education empowers and equips individuals to tackle urgent challenges hindering social and economic development,” explains Hamish.
TENZ provides a raft of resources, including teaching materials, lesson plans, and guides to help kaiako build success in STEM.
Pip encourages kaiako to reach out for help planning their STEM curriculum.
“Ideas are the currency of teaching,” says Pip. “If you’re short on ideas, reach out to us. As kaiārahi, we’re passionate about teaching and learning, and we’re here to help. We want to support kāhui ako and work with individual kaiako or teams.”
Incorporating te ao Māori in STEM education can enrich learning experiences, adds Ruth.
“If you’re working in Māori-medium educational contexts, consider getting in touch with Pūhoro STEMM Academy,” she says.
“They are STEMM practitioners (the last ‘M’ stands for ‘mātauranga Māori’) who have brilliant in-school programmes that work effectively for ākonga Māori, building teacher capability in Pūrau (STEMM).”
Top, bottom and right: TENZ says practical, hands-on activities and local curriculum scenarios are effective methods for teaching STEM.
Learning and development with TENZ
TENZ offers workshops, seminars, and conferences to help teachers stay updated on the latest trends in technology education. Through these events, teachers identify where they need more support within mathematics, technology, engineering, and science. TENZ then assists tailoring professional development programmes to these needs.
“These opportunities provide essential tools and knowledge, particularly around the NCEA Change Package and Curriculum Refresh, enabling effective STEM delivery,” says Hamish.
Pip says there are a number of benefits of recent NCEA changes.
“Teachers no longer have to ‘subject silo’ their achievement standards for endorsement,” she explains.
“The changes give teachers more flexibility in how they deliver STEM, providing students with a more robust STEM education through primary to NCEA and beyond
“Knowing they are required to meet STEM standards at all levels of NCEA empowers teachers to engage in professional development, enabling them to deliver STEM effectively.”
“It’s important for teachers to clearly explain the different components of STEM to students across levels 1–8 of the national curriculum frameworks, the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, and NCEA,” adds Ruth. “This helps ākonga understand the learning involved in each discipline and how they’re interconnected.”
For help from TENZ, email kaiaarahi@tenz.org.nz.
For more information or STEM resources, visit the TENZ resource store | pataka rauemi.
TENZ is one of the networks of expertise supporting the technology learning area.
Similar support in specialist technological areas is also offered by:
» Digital Technology Teachers Aotearoa
» New Zealand Graphics and Technology Teachers Association
» Home Economics and Technology Teachers New Zealand
BLENDED LEARNING
Professor Michael Barbour on effective blended learning
Professor Michael K. Barbour, a world-leading academic in blended learning, visited Aotearoa New Zealand earlier this year to discuss his latest research. Michael shares why blended learning is effective when it’s supported with training.
Blended learning describes the mix of online and face-to-face instruction.
Like many countries around the world, blended learning has played an essential role in the New Zealand education system in recent years.
Blended learning describes the mix of online and face-to-face instruction. It allows flexibility in how, where, and when students learn. It’s an approach that can be applied in any context and is especially useful in smaller communities with limited course offerings.
Professor Michael K. Barbour is familiar with such communities. Hailing from Newfoundland, a subpolar island on Canada’s Atlantic coast, he says the vast, remote region was an ideal place to learn how to teach in settings where traditional teaching methods can’t always be applied.
One of the world’s leading academics in K-12 blended learning (kindergarten to grade 12 or primary to secondary to us in New Zealand), Michael has a long association with Aotearoa New Zealand. Working with education kaimahi in New Zealand since 2005, he visited the Ministry of Education earlier this year to discuss his latest research.
Entry ticket to learning
Michael’s background, as well as over two decades researching online and blended learning, has led him to develop a series of best practices in the field. These include empathy, training, and commitment to equitable and flexible delivery.
In New Zealand, where rural internet connectivity is still a major issue undermining blended learning, Michael says schools first need to take steps to ensure all ākonga have uninterrupted access to schoolwork.
“Connectivity and bandwidth are just the entry ticket into the actual learning opportunity,” he says. “It’s kind of like watching a television programme on mute; you’re missing some of the elements. So no matter how well dialogue is written, if you can’t hear what they’re saying, you don’t get the full experience.”
Beyond connectivity, Michael says blended learning is most effective when teachers have a clear idea of the opportunities and drawbacks of each blended learning tool and have a road map for using such tools to achieve clear, consistent objectives.
To illustrate this Michael, previously a social studies teacher, imagines asking his class to discuss a topic from today’s newspaper. He plays out how this discussion might work in class or in an online forum involving written, more delayed responses. Both approaches, though involving the same topic, will likely produce totally different discussions.
“Depending on what my goal is, each of those two strategies have different affordances and limitations,” says Michael. “That’s the question we want to always be asking ourselves: ‘What does this particular tool allow me to do?’ And then, ‘What does it hinder me from doing?’”
“Some students are going to do better in a flexible environment than others, and some are going to need more or less of that flexibility than others.”
Professor Michael Barbour
Blended learning requires careful thought about how online lessons, traditional in-class teaching, and other elements are mixed.
Recognising different needs
Blended learning, though proven to enhance learning progress among some students, isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It requires careful thought about how online lessons, traditional in-class teaching, and other elements are mixed.
Michael says teachers must recognise their students’ needs and to what degree a blended approach will enhance their learning.
“Some students are going to do better in a flexible environment than others, and some are going to need more or less of that flexibility than others,” he says.
It’s important that educators recognise student needs and adapt their approach to blended learning accordingly, he adds, noting that many teachers struggle to do this because of a lack of training.
“We don’t teach teachers how to use technology effectively in their classroom. That’s one of the things that really does need to be addressed,” explains Michael.
“It doesn’t matter how many tools we provide and how much technology we stuff into the classrooms. Teachers are probably going to use them in pedagogically unsound ways because they just don’t know any better.”
Getting results with effective training
Michael recalls visiting Masterton’s Chanel College in 2011 where he saw firsthand the results of effective training.
A teacher he observed had taken just one course with Welcom, an e-learning community in the Wairarapa region.
“It made that teacher rethink how he provided all of his education,” says Michael.
The teacher arranged his class so that students from multiple year levels and subjects were in the same room together, learning separately from an array of teaching materials provided online through the school intranet.
Michael observed that when students had questions, the teacher was there to help, and that when whole groups were struggling with the same question, the teacher could deliver small group lessons.
“Instead of everybody having to take, for example, Year 8 social studies at the same time, the teacher was teaching students in Year 8 social studies in all five periods of the day.”
The flexible timetable enabled students to organise their day to achieve the tasks assigned to them in a way that best worked for them, and the teacher was available to support their learning throughout the day as and when needed.
By uploading learning tasks and resources to an online platform, students could also access learning materials outside of class time on school computers or their computers at home.
“That kind of flexibility really provides opportunities for students when they wouldn’t have had it otherwise.”
Michael’s tips for using AI
When discussing online teaching tools, it’s hard to avoid the topic of AI.
During Michael’s most recent visit to Aotearoa, he spoke to the Ministry of Education about AI. While not specifically researching AI in education, he acknowledges that the technology’s leaps in recent years will reshape online and blended schooling.
Michael says a key thing to keep in mind is that AI today is the worst it’s ever going to be.
“We’re in the 8-track days of music listening right now when it comes to AI,” he says. “So, the next question becomes, if that’s where we are in terms of the development of this tool, what should I be thinking about in terms of how I want to use it?”
Ministry of Education’s guidelines on AI acknowledge that as a learning tool AI technology presents a series of opportunities and risks. As the technology advances, teachers will need to become more AI literate.
For example, generative AI models such as ChatGPT can work as personal assistants and speed up various tasks, but they can also be inaccurate and threaten the privacy of students.
Michael is mostly interested in how teachers can use AI to enhance learning and save time.
“How can we use AI to do a lot of those administrative tasks, many of which take more time than what is necessary, so that then they can use that time to be better teachers?” asks Michael, explaining that an example of a time-saving administrative task AI can help with is writing letters home to parents.
“That’s something that would have taken a teacher a half hour to an hour to write and now, using AI and with revisions, it’s going to take them five minutes,” says Michael, who observed this in action while working with a virtual school in Australia.
“That’s 25-55 minutes now that they’ve got to provide more feedback on students’ assignments.”
Still, he urges caution around providing AI with student data. Data provided to applications such as ChatGPT is automatically added to a database and used to inform future answers from the AI.
Privacy concerns also arise when teachers use AI to mark assignments, essentially helping to train the AI on work that isn’t theirs to give away.
“You’re essentially giving away somebody else’s material,” says Michael, highlighting the importance of good research and communication in overcoming these ethical grey areas.
On top of understanding how their chosen AI tools operate, teachers should inform parents that they’re using these tools and provide them the option of opting out. This not only protects students’ privacy, but it also encourages parents themselves to understand the technology that’s rapidly shaping the world ākonga are growing up in.
See Ministry of Education guidance on generative AI.
Caption.
Associate Minister for Education David Seymour.
Charter schools: Delivering choice to parents and time to teachers
As prospective educators consider setting up a charter school, seeking more choice and flexibility in what is taught and how it is taught, Education Gazette interviewed Associate Minister of Education David Seymour to discuss what charter schools offer the education system in Aotearoa New Zealand.
After their disestablishment in 2018, what is the benefit in having a second attempt at charter schools?
I believe some of the operators will have new and innovative ways to help students who are struggling at school to succeed, especially neurodiverse students, where there is huge need.
What teachers are not hearing is that this is an enormous opportunity for education as a profession. It will give successful applicants freedom from the constant upheavals in education.
I’ve asked teachers many times what they would say if we could give them 10 years with no more political change. They said that’s the most amazing thing that could ever happen.
By signing a contract as a charter school for 10 years, you are giving yourself certain outputs that you need to hit, such as attendance and achievement. In return for that, your school receives its money on time in full and has the ability to choose its own destiny.
What I’m trying to do is create an environment where people who know more about this stuff than I ever will can set up schools that will work for them.
It’s a bit like the App Store, Apple doesn’t make the apps. They create the platform and set out the rules. But there’s a million different apps that Apple itself could never have imagined. In a way, that’s what we’d like to do. We think we’ll get new and better forms of education created by an empowered education profession.
Do you believe there’s a reluctance to embrace that level of autonomy?
If you’re confident you can achieve reasonable results, as set out in the contract, why wouldn’t you take the autonomy?
I’ve never met anyone in education who wouldn’t prefer to have more time and resources to put into what really got them into teaching, which is helping children reach their potential by giving them useful skills and knowledge.
Every school I visit says they would like more resources, more teacher aides, more people. Our education system is set up on a certain number of adults teaching a certain number of students. Adjusting that ratio is big money. We don’t have much money, so we have to think.
What did you learn from the 2014 ‘pilot’?
The main thing we learned is that last time we attempted to largely transplant the state school funding model for smaller schools into charters and small state schools and new state schools.
I think the criticism that it was overfunded was unfair, and charter schools bore the brunt of that.
This time they’ll receive a per-student amount. The way to get more money will be to get more students. There will be a lot more schools, a lot more students. It’s going to be much bigger and frankly much more challenging for any future government to unwind.
Will they all have the same ratio of registered teachers to those with Limited Authority to Teach?
Contracts will state a minimum percentage of certificated teachers. We haven’t decided the exact ratio yet, but it will provide flexibility in who is hired and how the curriculum is delivered.
They could employ people in teaching positions who may not be registered with the Teaching Council if they negotiated in their contract to show those people had the skills, qualifications, and experience to raise student achievement.
A great number of teachers in the pilot weren’t registered with the Teaching Council and some of those were brilliant. There was a guy at Vanguard Military School who was teaching metal work – a former aircraft engineer from the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Students loved him.
What’s the problem? I think sometimes people forget who’s really important here.
What are priority learners and how do charter schools cater for them?
Our Government recognises that students are not all at the same points in their education and that some face additional challenges to succeed.
In the charter schools model, we call those with neurodiversity and a background of disadvantage and poverty priority learners.
These students still need to progress and achieve, and an advantage of charter schools is that there is flexibility to design curriculum and negotiate different ways of operating, which will allow them to better cater to students who are priority learners.
The schools just need to ensure they are meeting their requirements, such as ensuring educational outcomes are met and ensuring that tuition standards are at least equivalent to tuition given to students in state schools of the same year levels.
Ultimately, I believe charter schools will help children with different needs find an educational home. For example, there has been interest in focuses including Māori excellence, te reo Māori, Pacific values, STEM subjects and neurodiverse students, sports academies, military-style teaching, and single gender schools.
In the ‘pilot’ years, one kura in Northland only got one student to achieve NCEA in two years from a roll of almost 50 and was closed as a charter school. How will you help schools in the new model avoid a repeat of that?
The Authorisation Board will have a robust assessment process that will require sponsors to demonstrate they have the experience and capability to engage and support their students.
We’ve spoken with sponsors of previous Māori and Pacific partnership schools about what
worked well, what they may have found challenging, and the types of support they feel would be useful to them. Those insights have informed how the new charter school model has been developed.
We know some students need more time and support to succeed. We’re still working through the performance management framework but we’re exploring ways to measure and account for differences in student background and progress when assessing school performance.
Will charter schools offer an alternative curriculum?
Yes. In a sense, it’s no different from Kristen School teaching the international baccalaureate or Auckland Grammar School teaching the Cambridge curriculum –they can do so as long as they are mapped to the New Zealand Curriculum
Charter schools will be closely scrutinised, and they still have to achieve a certain level in maths, reading and writing, like everyone else. The rules are still around attendance, achievement, child safety, finances and property.
These are the only schools in New Zealand that are contracted for achievement and attendance targets. Charter schools can be closed if they are not meeting their targets. They might have greater flexibility with the curriculum, but there is also a legislated oversight and accountability that state schools are not subject to.
Learn more about charter schools | kura hourua: charterschools.govt.nz
Could teachers with specialist skillsets earn more in a charter school than in the state sector? They could earn more or they could earn less, but that is a real opportunity – to be paid on performance as judged by the school management.
A lot of people in education will see this as their big opportunity to get what they’ve always wanted: a chance to just get on with it.
Could we see new governance models emerge?
Often boards are dependent on the principal they are supposed to be holding to account in order to get an understanding of what the school is up to.
The opportunity now is to get outside governance structures in. For example, appoint people as Vanguard did and actually get stronger, more responsive governance that’s better for parents.
One of the things the consultant who analysed the pilot, Martin Jenkins, found is that innovation in management and governance is one of the key areas where charter schools can do a lot better.
Are we in danger of privatising the education system?
What exactly are we privatising?
I guess the strongest claim you could make is that the management of a charter school might be by a private company, but it’s more likely to be by a community trust as we saw in the pilot.
It’s important to understand that, like state schools, enrolment in a charter school is free (except for international students). There may be some property management fees where schools are based in sponsorowned properties or, for example, the school was a stateintegrated school and was charging attendance dues.
Global failure or global success?
While unions say there is no evidence of the charter school model being successful, David Seymour says there’s plenty of evidence of success.
A 2023 study by the Stanford University Centre for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) found that because class sizes were smaller, students gained an average of 16 days of learning in reading and six days in maths in a school year compared to their matched peers in traditional public schools. By the time they get to the end of their education, they’re a year ahead. Almost 100 percent of schools in New Orleans are a charter model, resulting in higher graduation rates and increased college enrolment rates.
In the UK, 40 percent of primary schools and 80 percent of secondary schools are charter schools (known as academies). One paper showed that seven out of 10 academies that were underperforming as council-run schools earned good or outstanding ratings when they changed to the academy model.
Read the study by Stanford University.
David Seymour says charter schools offer curriculum flexibility that will better cater to students who face additional challenges.
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
Wanaka is a town built on epic mountain culture. All that live here and many that visit feel a strong connection to the environment. That’s what makes it special. Another thing that makes it special is ‘Wanaka Primary School’.
This U6, year 1-6, school of 500 exudes the energy of the place itself. Deep learning, new pedagogy, high levels of literacy and numeracy along with achievements in art and sport are testament to a holistic philosophy and quality teaching.
Wanaka primary school is an ‘active school’, an ‘enviro school’ and a ‘PB4L school’. Values of responsibility, honesty and ‘being the best we can be’ are fully integrated.
We seek an educational leader who:
● emulates Wanaka itself, through passion and informed educational leadership
● is committed to child centered holistic teaching and learning and has current pedagogical knowledge and skills
● is forward thinking, collaborative with the interpersonal skills to harness opportunity and build authentic relationships
● has operational expertise and strengths in systems and processes
● is genuine, approachable, nurturing and is an effective communicator
● is a leader with ‘presence’
To learn more about the school and apply for the position of Principal for Wanaka Primary School visit https://wanaka.school.nz/
Applications close on Friday, the 6th of September at 5pm.
ABOUT KURANUI COLLEGE
Tucked away in the captivating South Wairarapa, Kuranui College isn’t your run-of-the-mill school. With roughly 800 students hailing from Featherston, Martinborough, Greytown, Carterton, and Masterton, we’re a vibrant community united by our motto, ‘Tatau, Tatau’, which means ‘we’re all in this together’.
THE ROLE
We’re on the hunt for a visionary leader, with expert cultural and relationship competence, to steer Kuranui College to new heights of success.
Our 12 contributing primary schools fuel our diverse and inclusive environment, making Kuranui College a place where being unique is celebrated.
APPLY NOW
As the South Wairarapa blossoms, so do we, and with our ambitious property development plans, the sky’s the limit. This isn’t just about being a principal... it’s about having real influence, creating authentic learning opportunities, and working with our unique community and iwi to strive for excellence.
WHY SOUTH WAIRARAPA?
Picture this: rolling hills, fresh air, and a community as warm as your cuppa. South Wairarapa is the perfect blend of rural charm and urban buzz.
Located near Wellington and cradled by the Tararua Ranges, this region offers a lifestyle that’s as fulfilling as it is picturesque.
Lead with flair, inspire with passion, and thrive in the vibrant South Wairarapa community at Kuranui College. Apply now and let the adventure begin!
An application pack with more information is available by emailing the Presiding Member, Belinda Cordwell: presidingmember@kuranui-college.school.nz or Phone: 021 44 65 12
Applications Close: 3pm Friday 6 September 2024 kuranuicollege.school.nz
