Education Gazette 102.14

7 NOVEMBER 2023 | VOL. 102 | NO. 14

Connecting people and place Coromandel schools build resilience and weather storms

Waiata at te awa celebrate te reo Māori

Curious minds drill to the core of geothermal Aotearoa

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Tū Kaha: how Coromandel schools build resilience and weather storms

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Waiata at te awa celebrate te reo Māori

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Curious minds drill to the core of geothermal Aotearoa

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Pacific liaison role capturing the heart of Pacific language weeks

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Digital skills help families connect with children’s learning

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Bird of the Century an opportunity to engage tamariki with nature

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Traditional song and dance connects Pacific learners to their roots

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Shadowing tech mentors inspires ākonga

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Carving Pacific pathways into tech careers

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Making kura and school websites more accessible On the cover Page 10. Thirteen Upper Hutt schools celebrated Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori, their Māori Language Moment, on the anniversary of the signing of Te Petihana Reo Māori on 14 September 1972. Pictured are tamariki from Upper Hutt School, Fergusson Intermediate School and Plateau School performing waiata and kapa haka along Te Awa Kairangi (Hutt River).

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E D UCATION GA ZET TE ON LI N E

Read: Getting ākonga ready for new NCEA literacy and numeracy Dedicated standards for literacy, numeracy, te reo matatini and pāngarau will be a mandatory part of achieving NCEA from 2026.

From next year, new requirements are in place using either the dedicated standards or standards from NCEA subjects.

Read: Untold Story weaves Pacific cultures together In August, over 100 students from schools across Ōtautahi Christchurch and one from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland came together to creatively communicate the challenges young Pacific people face growing up – demonstrated through song, dance, and an expressive narrative.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Learning in Aotearoa

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omething about this edition is just so quintessentially Kiwi. We start straight off the bat with two Coromandel schools who epitomise the New Zealand spirit of ingenuity, resilience, kaitiakitanga, and community – one of which even has a brave border collie to comfort them and ring the bell each school day.

For many schools across Aotearoa, this spirit has been put to the test throughout the year with severe weather.

Read how Colville Primary and Te Puru Primary worked through the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle, and dug deep in their passion for exploration, problem-solving, and collaboration.

If there was any doubt that this magazine is reflective of education in Aotearoa, the story of 13 Upper Hutt schools imbuing the wairua of Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River with their love for te reo Māori provides absolute clarity. A beautiful story showcasing the growth of te reo Māori since the signing of Te Petihana Reo Māori in 1972, the Upper Hutt cultural leadership rōpū and their Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori has strengthened whanaungatanga and supported the success of kaupapa Māori initiatives within their learning community.

Further up north, in the geothermal heart of Te Ika-a-Māui, we drill to the core of STEM learning opportunities within the context of New Zealand’s natural resources. Kiwi ingenuity is at full force, with more than 70 ākonga creating turbines, 3D power stations, and even papier-mâché, cartoon and Minecraft models of geothermal resources and electricity generation in action.

Just as much a part of the fabric of Aotearoa culture and education, we also weave in the stories of Pacific learners celebrating and embracing their identities through language weeks and performing arts. We know identity is foundational to the success of all learners, as is parent and whānau involvement in student learning. A programme established to enable this in Pacific communities is having a significant impact.

The stories and photos throughout this edition are a real taonga. I hope they gift you with some joy, wisdom, and inspiration for your own practice. I also hope you will, in turn, gift us with your stories before the end of the year is upon us.

Ngā manaakitanga Sarah Wilson Ētita | Editor

Education Gazette content advisor Mikayla Morris attended uLearn23 in Tāmaki Makaurau in September. It was lovely to kōrero directly with kaiako about our publication and gather ideas for future editions.

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RESI LI ENC E

Tū Kaha:

how Coromandel schools build resilience and weather storms When Colville Primary School and Te Puru Primary School were impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, the communities did what they always do – supported each other through it.

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Colville Primary School may be small, but support for each other during Cyclone Gabrielle was anything but. Principal Susie Summer stands here with ākonga on the school grounds.

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or those who live on Te Tara-o-Te-Ika-a-Māui (the spine of Māui’s fish), the Coromandel Peninsula, rain is a part of life. But even for the environmentally attuned Coromandel communities the torrential rains that came during Cyclone Gabrielle in February of this year were a lot.

A quarter of the area’s annual rainfall, 450mm in total, fell over just five days. Metres-high flooding and multiple slips occurred with roads washed out and destroyed.

Entire areas were cut off. Electricity and Wi-Fi were out, in some areas for months.

Understanding their role at the very heart of their communities, Colville Primary School and Te Puru Primary School stayed open as much as possible.

Where did that resilience come from? Education Gazette finds out.

“I think because we are rural, we were prepared and possibly more resilient because we have always had to pivot and change, and because we’ve all done it before.”

Susie Sumner

Colville Primary School cut off

Colville Primary School is in Colville, which is 26 kilometres north of Coromandel town. It has a roll of 32, and 10 members of staff including two full-time teachers.

After Cyclone Gabrielle hit, Colville was cut off from the rest of the world for the best part of a month due to the condition of the road, says principal Susie Sumner.

“When the cyclone hit on Sunday there was a power outage. No electricity meant no pump for the water, so we had to close the school. After the batteries ran out on the cell tower, we had no phone.

“The only way to communicate was to go to the emergency response centre in Colville Hall, 750 metres down the road, and connect via Starlink. When the sun came out the community met up in the Wi-Fi garden.

Electricity was back on by Wednesday afternoon and the school was open on Thursday.”

For whānau and staff, that whole period was challenging. Having the school open and being together helped, remembers Susie.

“For the past few years our community has been struggling with the loss of income and business; Cyclone Gabrielle has impacted this. When our tamariki returned to school we focused on wellbeing. They had everything they needed at school and could return to their regular routines, which meant our whānau could get on with keeping on.

“Most of the children were able to return to school immediately. We were quite lucky that the school bus could travel along the route to the north and south in between the landslides, where the major erosion had cut us off.”

Colville creativity

Originally from Scotland, Susie has taught in seven different schools in the UK, Malaysia and in Wellington.

This is her first principalship. She says prior to moving, she had spent time in Coromandel and was absolutely set on being a principal there.

“And every day my decision is affirmed. It’s a special place to be!”

She says she is constantly impressed by the innovation and curiosity demonstrated by the children at Colville.

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The school’s Garden to Table programme grows future focused ākonga.

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“The students’ ideas on how to solve problems or create new things at school is different to anything I’ve experienced before. Recently we were figuring out how to fix something broken at the school and the students’ ideas were far beyond anything I had imagined.

“Some may think that it is only in big urban schools that innovative learning can happen, not an isolated rural school with a tiny roll. But it is here that we have to be innovative. Our rural setting is both an advantage and a challenge. Colville is an incredible environment to learn from and to teach in. We need to be more creative using our immediate environment and our local expertise.”

Susie says the school’s Garden to Table programme grows these future focused skills for their ākonga.

“Every Friday morning, everyone in the school participates... They might be in the garden harvesting vegetables, or prepping lunch in the school kitchen. They learn professional cooking techniques like knife skills in the kitchen, or about biodiversity in the paddock when collecting manure, checking rat traps or caring for our chickens.

“They are learning to be resilient, live sustainably and be the future problem solvers in our community.”

Planning for resilience

Susie and Moxie, a family dog who has become the school dog. The two year old border collie rings the school bell after their morning hui.

Susie stands with the ‘School is Closed’ sign and a basket of stationery and reading books for families.

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Susie says the significant rain experienced and postcyclone uncertainties have been challenging.

“We are in a very vulnerable position. As a community we are thinking and preparing for the future. The Colville Project has designed a Health and Education Centre on land above any potential flooding.

“We have a whole host of people supporting us like the Colville Junction and the Civil Defence, who looked after us throughout Cyclone Gabrielle.”

Susie says she is delighted that the Colville Junction have secured funding through MPI for the school to have a generator and that from now on, there will be no more school closures.

“I think because we are rural, we were prepared and possibly more resilient because we have always had to pivot and change, and because we’ve all done it before.”

Susie is determined to provide wraparound care for their learning community.

“Some of the students catch the bus at 7.15am arriving at school by 8am and leave here just before 4pm. Our school cook serves delicious kai daily through our Ka Ora, Ka Ako | Healthy School Lunches programme. We are also supported by Fruits in Schools, KidsCan, Duffy Books and the Kickstart Breakfast programme.

“We take great pride in nurturing and nourishing our tamariki so they can thrive as learners.”

Following the cyclone, Susie stood, along with full-time teacher Aleisha Dreadon, at the ‘School is Closed’ sign with a basket of stationery and reading books for families to take away.

Her attitude is reflective of the wider community’s commitment to support one of the most remote schools in the country.

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“Everyone in our community wants to make the children’s school experiences exceptional. The Colville Sailing Academy teaches our students sailing as part of a leadership programme, we made our kitchen plates at Driving Creek Pottery, and we’ve rented the local café for our Bake Sale.

“It will be our children who will be running the show.

Everyone here is invested in helping each other.”

before travelling by vehicle to school. The boat ride took 15 minutes; by road it was at times impassable or took hours.

Similarly, staff walked from Tapu to Ruamahanga to ensure the school stayed open, says principal of Te Puru for the past four years, Karla Hull.

“This is what we do, people love living here and we deal with weather, and we work around it.”

Te Puru Primary

At the end of term 2, when storms and flooding continued to hammer the area, the school managed to not only stay open, but to keep their celebration alive. To celebrate Matariki, they organised a huge hāngī catering for 400 people.

“We started like always at 5.30am with a karakia and putting the hāngī down. Staff stayed at the campground next door to make it happen. Dignitaries came. The school is not just a school, we’re our surrounding community and they were all here too. We ate well – the kūmara harvested from last year’s planting were beautiful – and we reflected on our past year and made plans for the year to come,” says Karla.

As well as the people, at the heart of Te Puru is the sea and the environment, explains Karla.

Just as Colville’s resilience is in their community and living and working with their environment, so too is that of Te Puru Primary School.

Te Puru Primary sits at the base of the western coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, just northeast of Thames. The school has a roll of 198 with a staff of 22 and sits right on the beach. Boats pull up to pick students up from school and they go for a fish on their boat home.

After the cyclone hit and the coastal roads were blocked on either side, the school stayed closed for five days due to safety issues around flooding and slips.

After that, several staff were going over and above to ensure they could open by boating to and from school.

One boat took off from Te Mata, stopping at Ruamahanga

Maramataka Māori

Susie says their rural setting is an incredible environment to learn from and teach in, well-supported by Moxie.

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The sense of community and aroha is strong at Colville.

“Each of the seasons allows different ways to teach our values and skills from water, sun safety and reducing our carbon footprint to learning about Whanaungatanga, Arohatanga and Tū Kaha – building resilience.”

Jason Bax “It’s us, it’s who we are. Here our unique environment is the beach. And our school and our learning and who we are is based around the beach. Our curriculum is based on Maramataka – how we link to what’s happening in the natural world and the Māori calendar. We know and teach that we are here as Kaitiaki.”

Kura Tātahi

They do this via the school’s Kura Tātahi (Beach School) curriculum, as explained on the school website.

“Through Kura Tātahi our tamariki are immersed in ‘hands-on’ outdoor learning experiences fostering exploration, problem-solving, discovery, collaboration, environmental education and action, and the values of tikanga Māori. This engages passion, empowers tamariki and implements change to inspire the future.”

Every class spends time each week outdoors in their unique environment, with a learning concept for each term, explain Kura Tātahi kaiako Matua Jason Bax and Whāea Hayley Fenton.

“People ask us if we’re worried about more rain but when you work with the seasons you understand there is a time for rain. In term 1, we learned from Taha Wairua – it’s summer and we build our spirit with the holiday season.

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“Term 2 is Taha Whānau in autumn, when we begin our harvest season in preparation for Matariki. Whānau come together. Term 3 in winter is Taha Hinengaro, a time for protecting Papatūānuku and a time when we traditionally stayed inside the pā to feed our minds with taonga tuku iho – knowledge of the past.

“Then in term 4 and spring, it’s Taha Tinana and we become active and fit. We do garden preparation and seed germination and focus on hauora and new growth.

“Each of the seasons allows different ways to teach our values and skills from water and sun safety and reducing our carbon footprint to learning about Whanaungatanga, Arohatanga, Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga and Tū Kaha – building resilience. We’ve been doing exercises to improve our mental strength because being resilient can be hard.”

Sitting in the Kura Tātahi learning space, with waves lapping at the sand mere metres away, Karla and ngā kaiako sit and talk about the upcoming kai. A small boy stops at the doorway and looks at Whāea Hayley.

“Fishing?” he says.

“Not today,” Hayley replies. “It’s too rough right now, and the tides are wrong. I’ll put a rod out first thing in the morning.”

Satisfied, the student runs off. Resilience, in action.

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After the cyclone hit and coastal roads were blocked, Te Puru school staff went above and beyond to stay open by boating to and from school.

Explore more stories about how schools and communities rallied together during and after Cyclone Gabrielle in Education Gazette issue 102.3

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At the heart of Te Puru is the sea and the environment.

7 November 2023

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TE AO M ĀO RI

Waiata at te awa celebrate te reo Māori A petition signed 51 years ago which has seen te reo Māori embedded in schools and kura was celebrated in Upper Hutt with waiata and haka, giving life to identity and cultural significance during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori in September.

Awa and Lilio from Upper Hutt School performed with a group of tamariki beside Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River.

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aiata and kapa haka floated on the winds at Te Awa Kairangi / Hutt River when tamariki from 13 Upper Hutt schools celebrated Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori, their Māori Language Moment, on the anniversary of the signing of Te Petihana Reo Māori on 14 September 1972.

Signed by 30,000 people, the petition led to the introduction of optional te reo classes in primary and secondary schools, and the creation of a one-year course to train fluent te reo Māori speakers in teaching to cover the shortfall of qualified teachers.

Champions of the cause

Fast forward 51 years and a cultural leadership rōpū in Upper Hutt shows how important the petition was. The Kaitiaki Rōpū includes a representative from each school in the Upper Hutt cluster who are either Māori, or ngākau Māori, explains Shanice Tredrea, a teacher at Upper Hutt School.

“The purpose of this rōpū is to strengthen whanaungatanga between the Upper Hutt cluster schools through collaboration, increasing opportunities to share best practice across the cluster and supporting the success of kaupapa Māori initiatives within our learning community.

“The representatives are champions of the cause both individually and collectively as they help lead the implementation and push the importance of kaupapa Māori in their kura so that our cluster is collectively strong in te ao Māori,” says Shanice.

Shared celebration

Along with colleagues Rochelle Burns (Trentham School) and Missey Edwards (Birchville School), Shanice says the

rōpū had hoped to connect the area’s kura through waiata and haka for the 50th anniversary of Te Petihana Reo Māori.

“Already, our schools perform collaboratively through a cluster kapa haka known as Te Kāhui o Ngā Hau e Wha. Last year, to celebrate Te Petihana Reo Māori, we wanted to strengthen the connection across kura through shared celebration. Unfortunately, due to Covid, kura were hesitant to come together.

“As restrictions eased, Rochelle and I decided to go for it this year and invite all kura within Upper Hutt to be part of it. We decided to perform at our awa, with the kaupapa being that our voices would carry down the river and connect us all. Te Awa Kairangi was also chosen for its cultural significance – how it sustained hapū and iwi with kai and allowed our tūpuna to travel by waka,” she says.

Five schools performed waiata and haka at different points along the river and eight schools joined in from their own kura.

“We practise on a regular basis, but six weeks ago we put out the wero to all of our kura in Upper Hutt that we would all be singing in unison,” says Shanice.

“I think it’s a wonderful initiative brought on by Te Petihana Reo Māori. It’s an important part of our history for our tamariki to learn about what has brought te reo into our classrooms – that moment of activism. It has been wonderful learning, not only the history, but also encouraging the language across our kura, even more than we do daily,” she says.

“We are right next to Te Awa Kairangi, which translates to the river of food from the sky, which has fed and sustained the people of this community for such a long time. We’re also just across the river from Pūrehurehu,

Tamariki perform a waiata to pay tribute to their local kapa haka, Māwai Hakona, who have been the only Wellington rōpū to have won Matatini. This year is the 50th anniversary of their win.

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which is our mountain cloaked in fog. For the schools in this area, the river and mountain create the cultural vibe that is necessary to really feel the wairua of it all,” adds Callan Melaugh, who teaches kapa haka at Fergusson Intermediate and is a kaiako reo Māori at Upper Hutt College.

From the four winds

Paige Nuku, a kaiako at Te Kura o Hau Karetu says that a mōteatea based on the area called Haramai Porotaka was performed alongside Te Awa Kairangi.

“This mōteatea was originally written as a children’s songbook by Henrietta Maxwell, a leader and te reo Māori advocate of Ngāti Porou. It talks about a child playing with a spinning top, taking it on a journey through the land.

“Adapted for our cluster, the journey begins as you climb up the mountain ranges of Remutaka to glance down to the Hutt River flowing below, calling into the meeting place of Ōrongomai, to the ancestral house of Kahukura, the son of Rongomai. Then travelling through the valley past the sweet-smelling scent of the kāretu plants that abound along the riverbanks. It is our cluster brought together from the four winds,” she explains.

As well as putting in hours of practice, Shanice’s tamariki talked about tūrangawaewae. “For a lot of our tamariki this is their place to stand, their awa, their whenua, so it’s important that they can build a connection and memories associated with it; especially as they are working on understanding the significance of their pepeha.”

Identity and connection

Top: Tamariki performed Tōia Mai Te Waka Nei by the awa/river.

Middle: Ngā kaiako supported their tamariki as they performed.

Bottom: Kaio, Awa, Giavani and Lilio raised their voices as schools from the region joined to celebrate Te Petihana Reo Māori.

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Callan says the event was important because it offers the schools and community an opportunity to come together for a shared kaupapa and is a warm embrace of Māoritanga.

“Our tamariki have put a lot of time and practice into certain waiata and haka to be able to take part in the Māori language moment. They have pretty much put their life on hold to be able to be part of something so special.

“It’s something that they find beautiful and really want to do. I have ākonga that always want to come to anything te ao Māori – wanting to do anything kapa haka, kōrero, anything around the kaupapa that is te reo and te ao Māori,” he says.

Fergusson Intermediate student Helen says that being involved required lots of practise, but was an opportunity to strengthen relationships throughout her school group, as well as with ākonga from other kura.

“Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is really important to me as it is part of who I am, part of my identity and it connects me to others. For us in the rōpū, it’s less sacrifice of time and more willingness to be there,” she says.

Benji (10) and Kaio (8), ākonga from Upper Hutt School, performed beside Te Awa Kairangi and said that Te Wiki o te Reo Māori was important to them as te reo is Aotearoa’s first language and their whānau members are Māori and wanted to learn the language as well.

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Tamariki from Upper Hutt School, Fergusson Intermediate School and Plateau School performed Te Pūru, a Tūhoe haka in memory of Matua Wilson who created the Upper Hutt Cultural Festival, which takes place annually.

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STEAM

Curious minds drill to the core of geothermal Aotearoa New Zealand Geothermal Week took place in July with events at schools across the Taupō Volcanic Zone. Kaiako Fee Holdsworth and ākonga from Marotiri School got involved for the third year when ambassadors from energy service provider MB Century brought real-world STEAM learning into their classroom.

Rotorua Primary School students having a blast at their STEAM outreach session run by Mercury ambassadors. Photo: Amplify.

Mercury STEAM ambassador Steven Grey reviews a turbine replica made by a student. Photo: Amplify.

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Marotiri School ākonga create a turbine and connect it to a small power station, with industry ambassadors from MB Century. Photo: Amplify.

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ew Zealand Geothermal Week happens annually in July. STEAM outreach – with local schools and kura – is a big part of the event run by Amplify and the New Zealand Geothermal Association.

This year 620 students from 20 schools and 50 geothermal staff from eight agencies across Taupō, Rotorua, Whakatāne and Kawerau took part. STEAM ambassadors visited each school for a morning.

Rural Marotiri School – 34 kilometres north of Taupō – got involved for the third year.

Year 7 and 8 kaiako Fee Holdsworth says there has been some interesting challenges set for the tamariki.

Building drilling rigs, testing earthquake resilience and investigating the school field’s geology to see if they could drill for a reservoir are standouts.

The goal: to get tamariki excited about STEAM subjects – with a focus on producing electricity using geothermal resources.

Real-life maths and science

MB Century staff Taare Black, Richard Adams and Sheryl Dowman led the akoranga.

Part of the session involved a challenge for 11 and 12-year-olds to create a turbine to connect to a small power station by connecting fan blades to a skewer, then attaching it to a motor which goes to a pulley and then lights up to give feedback on voltage. Ākonga had to use a model electricity generator and the winner was the turbine which produces the most electricity.

“Having industry experts come into the classroom and get the kids to design and build an engineering project is an incredible opportunity,” says Fee. “Geothermal is our natural resource that’s important to our region, it’s our whakapapa.”

Fee says the tamariki had a lively discussion about the turbine’s design and how this would affect its power output.

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Science was made real for the ākonga as the ambassadors talked through the design and build of their turbines, she adds.

“The students were doing maths and science for a purpose. They needed precision and accuracy to make their designs work.”

The right language

Taare wanted to use language ākonga would understand.

“Many of the Marotiri students come from a rural background and they know what a shovel is, so I used the shovel as the familiar. Turbine fan blades are similar to a shovel.”

Once students learned ‘the bigger and wider the shovel is, the more air it catches to make it move’, Taare says he could explain RPM and the science concepts involved in the pitch of the blade, weight and balance.

Next tamariki learned how an increase in space between fans – and improved shape of blades – increases the distance between the folded edges and fixed back.

The demos meant ākonga had different ways to relate to what they were learning. Tamariki learned project research and development which helped them improve and change their turbines while they watched – and were sometimes inspired by – other teams’ designs.

Future in the industry

The ambassadors also talked about jobs and skills needed in geothermal exploration and building power stations.

Fee says some students could “see a future for themselves in the local geothermal industry”.

The akoranga placed a strong emphasis on sustainability and kaitiakitanga. Fee says the tamariki were left with a sense of wonder that this renewable resource is in their local area.

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Top left: GNS scientist Dr Anya Seward with two of the Waipāhīhī School students from the winning science competition team, Kauri and Maia. Photo: Amplify.

Bottom left: Students from Te Wharekura o Ruātoki watch in anticipation as their teammate tests whether their drill rig will remain standing when the drill bit is attached. Photo: Amplify.

Right: Whakatāne High School ākonga built turbine designs during their geothermal STEAM outreach session to demonstrate the principles of aerodynamics. Photo: Amplify.

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GNS Science Te Pū Ao Geothermal School Science Competition In the lead-up to Geothermal Week schools and kura were invited to enter the GNS Science Te Pū Ao Geothermal School Science Competition.

The challenge was to explain how natural geothermal features are interconnected with humans’ uses of geothermal resources – including electricity generation.

Seventy-plus students, in 16 groups, entered.

Schools and scientists connect Entries included 3D geothermal power station models, a papier-mâché model of how geothermal energy works within the Taupō Volcanic Zone, use of Minecraft to create a geothermal power station, and hand-drawn cartoons showing the energy’s journey from the earth’s core into homes.

Competition judge, geothermal geophysicist Dr Anya Seward says it is a great way for GNS Science Te Pū Ao to connect with the community.

“We live in the geothermal heart of New Zealand, where we see steam every day, and there are so many STEAM principles we apply at GNS Science to understand these systems that students can learn about at school.”

Waipāhīhī School’s ‘Geothermal Genius’ won first place. Their model included a QR code linking to a video explaining how geothermal energy is sourced and transforms into electricity.

Year 5 and 6 creators Kauri, Maia, Eva and Blair’s entry features a power station with a cooling tower, cyclone separators, turbine, switchyard and power lines which all sit above a geothermal reservoir.

Maia says teacher Moira Marcroft supported them and a Google search for geothermal power station components also helped. Kauri says they had help from whānau too.

“We learnt about the project at school and home,” she adds.

Local curriculum Wairakei School kaiako Olivia Graham says the school’s ‘Geominecraft’ third-place entry was linked to their local curriculum across science, technology, English and digital technologies.

She adds, “This was the first year that students opted to use Minecraft Education Edition. ” Making their virtual creation gave the ākonga “complete creative control”.

Grayson, Sukhraj, Luka, Zayn and Lucas made up the team. Grayson and Sukhraj say the advantage with Minecraft was that “it takes much less time than actually building a real box-made power station. You can just delete the blocks if you have misplaced something.”

The tamariki added that creating the power station was “super-fun” and Minecraft allowed them “to build whatever our imaginations can think of”.

The winning teams received certificates, prizes and a tour of GNS Science Te Pū Ao’s Wairakei Research Centre.

Winning schools received House of Science resource kits and students placed got vouchers for Ōrākei Kōrako Geothermal Park.

To read more about the competition and winners, visit gns.cri.nz/news

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Ākonga at Discovery School smile brightly as they enjoy the results of one of the workshops the school ran during Cook Islands Language Week.

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C U LT U RAL I D ENTIT Y

Pacific liaison role capturing the heart of Pacific language weeks Porirua’s Discovery School have had their biggest year yet in terms of celebrating Pacific language weeks thanks to the support of their Pacific liaison, Fuianina Washburn-Sasagi. This is just the start of their journey as they build on what they have learned.

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arlier this year during ‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani – Cook Islands Language Week, Education Gazette headed along to Discovery School in Porirua to celebrate with them.

This year’s theme was ‘Ātuitui’ia au ki te au peu o tōku kāinga Ipukarea’ which means, ‘Connect me to the traditions and culture of my homeland’.

At the heart of this theme is connecting Cook Island learners, and their friends and families, to the traditions, cultures and diverse dialects of their many islands.

One way Discovery School achieved this was by inviting one of their ākonga, alongside their family, to teach a couple of sessions on basic traditional Kūki ‘Airani drumming and ukelele to the rest of the school. Through these sessions, ākonga also had the opportunity to learn basic Akaaraveianga (like a pepeha in Cook Islands).

Discovery School principal, Kaylene Macnee, tells us this also places students in a leadership position.

“Celebrating Pacific language weeks and being able to make sure we celebrate all of them, not just one or two, raises the profile of all students who are Pacific.”

During Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa – Samoa Language Week, one of the Samoan students did fire dancing (siva afi), to which Kaylene chimes, “To see his peers go up to him afterwards and tell them how amazing he was, really lifted him as an individual.”

Connect and coordinate

When speaking on the importance of Pacific language weeks, Kaylene says, “Our Pacific students are a small percentage of students in our school but it’s really important they feel that we value their culture and their language and them as individuals, unique individuals.”

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This year Discovery School celebrated five Pacific language weeks that connect to the heritage of their Pacific ākonga and don’t have any plans on slowing down.

They are one of the schools that has received funding through the Ministry of Education’s Pacific Education Innovation Fund to have a Pacific liaison.

Fuianina Washburn-Sasagi says her position is to connect and coordinate.

When talking about language weeks, Fuianina shares, “It’s great for confidence in our students.

In this day and age, not every Pacific parent feels confident to teach at home.”

Fuianina expands on this by sharing that whānau have confidence that whether they teach at home or not, the school is another place where they’re also getting further exposure to their culture through their education.

Bringing language to life

The Pacific Education Innovation Fund has enabled Fuianina to bring Pacific language weeks to life at Discovery School. In a school that is predominantly Pākehā, it is important for Pacific learners to feel included and to build cultural capability for their non-Pacific learners and parents.

“Having the school exposed to Pacific language weeks and Pacific culture altogether was a big vision of mine.

“I wanted their peers to also embrace the culture as well. The feedback that we’ve got from both has been magnificent. We are able to capture our Pacific learners, and as sort of a default, we’ve got our non-Pacific learners also embracing it.

“I think it’s good for our community and our country to have that exposure to other cultures.”

When Fuianina started in her role, the school had ideas on what they wanted to do but weren’t sure how to make it happen.

Fuianina says, “We started at grassroots; the school wasn’t familiar with how it would all work or how it would all come together.

“Even though I’d advocate in meetings, they had no previous knowledge of what it might look like.

So having the fund was so good in supporting me to advocate because it meant that I had money to make things happen. Now that we’ve done these things, we can show that this is what comes of it, this is how great it is.

“It gives our school, in terms of management and the board, more confidence in what we’re putting out. It’s not just doing something little; we’re putting quite a lot of effort into bringing out the best for our children, our parents and our community.”

A big thumbs up to the Ei Katu workshop Discovery School held during Cook Islands Language Week celebrations.

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Discovery School staff and parents also got involved in the celebrations.

“I feel quite good about it just to know that my culture is getting celebrated and getting to learn about my friends’ cultures.”

Patrick, 12 years old

The week long fun also extended to the outdoors.

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Ākonga express their excitement in celebrating the Pacific Language weeks and getting to learn more about their peers.

Intentional interaction

Developing what would be included in their plans, Fuianina wanted it to be as thought out and authentic as possible.

“We’re going to do it the proper way. We’re going to feed our people well, we’re going to try and do authentic crafts or bring our Pacific Island people to be front and centre teaching ukulele, teaching drumming or dancing, with our Poly Club as well.

“When we’re putting the programmes together, there’s specific things that we want in place. We’re being very intentional about it.”

After talking with some of the ākonga regarding their feelings around Pacific language weeks, they were excited to share how the events make them feel.

“I feel good because I like to learn about different cultures and more about mine,” shares Bella, nine years old.

Bella also told us the celebrations should continue “because people should get to know and learn about different cultures”.

Eight-year-old Scarlett tells us, “I feel good learning about languages, because then I can speak more about it and tell people.”

Patrick, aged 12, told us, “I feel quite good about it just to know that my culture is getting celebrated and getting to learn about my friends’ cultures.

I’ve learned a lot about the traditions that different islands have and, how similar some of them are.”

Patrick also tells us why he would want the celebrations to continue, saying, “It’s really nice just to learn about all the different cultures and traditions and getting to meet new people.”

Sustaining the efforts

Discovery School have shared with us that they are planning to sustain their efforts for years to come.

Fuianina says she has been impressed with the support around their efforts, and to be able to get the school to see that effort has given them a lot of confidence.

“I speak a lot on the [school] board about what we do, so they gain confidence in what we are doing for the students and ultimately for the school. Our principal has been great at embracing it, as well as all the teachers. I think in the scheme of things, we’ve started off small and with just the basics, so in terms of sustainability it’s only a matter of growing on what we have already set as the blueprint. Every time we do a language week, they’re saying, ‘can’t wait till next year’s one’!

“Everyone is willing, and that’s where my role becomes important – being the person to bring it together.”

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Kaylene adds to this, saying, “It’s given us the understanding of the importance for us to budget some of our own money towards these initiatives as well, and making sure that we keep the links with people.”

Embracing Pacific and indigenous values not only strengthens knowledge around cultural understanding but creates a space to form meaningful relationships between education staff and whānau.

Kaylene explains, “I’m proud of the work that we’ve done when you see the difference between what we used to do, and what we do now. The other thing I’d say is it’s a team effort, there’s no one person that has made it happen.

“For example, the Fono evenings where Fuianina and the team have got people in and made sure that families can come, and it is family friendly. I have relationships with parents that I wouldn’t have had if we didn’t have that.

“Those meetings are not about what the school wants from the parents, but about us building relationships with them. I know that when I pick up the phone, they know who they’re talking to. And that’s vital.”

One of the workshops included making a Cook Islands food staple, Mainaise.

The Mainaise workshop in action.

One ākonga proudly shows off her Ei Katu (flower garland).

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Connected Ako: Digital and Data for Learning

Parents Breena and Rob are proud to be part of their daughter’s digital education journey

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Focus:

Transformed learning, teaching, assessment and research

Digital skills help families Focus: connect with children’s learning We know that parent involvement in student learning is a big factor in creating student success. A programme established to enable this in Pacific communities is having a significant impact. Digimatua, run by 360 Tautua Trust, is helping families to support their children’s education by equipping families with essential digital skills and enabling communication with wider family and communities.

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he power of gaining digital skills is clear when you talk to Pacific parents and families who have been part of Digimatua, a programme designed to improve digital inclusion in Pacific communities.

They will tell you how it has enabled them to be more engaged in their children’s education and helped them to connect with family around the world.

Romana Fetu, CEO of 360 Tautua Trust which runs the Digimatua programme, says digital inequality is “huge for our Pacific families”. Through Digimatua, they’re able to be part of the solution.

“One of the things that was really strong that came through was that our parents and caregivers are not connected. So it was, how are we going to support them in being able to access online services, to be able to attend their online meetings?” she says.

“We really wanted to simplify the Digimatua polokalame, or programme, so that we can cater to our Pacific people. So, we go to them, we teach bilingually.

So, a majority of the programme is taught in the mother tongue.”

Emma Meafua Seufala is one of many who have gone through the Digimatua programme.

“That programme was very important to me because I didn’t know how to go to the internet, but now I understand how to message my family in the islands everywhere around the world,” she says.

Parent Breena Foleni says technology has become a “really main part of life nowadays”.

“Not only in work, school, church, pretty much everywhere is technology,” she says.

“They [the children] have a lot of their schoolwork in Seesaw or Studyladder.”

Romana says grandparents, aunties and uncles have all

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been involved in Digimatua.

“That’s the beauty of the polokalame because we include everybody, then it has a domino effect on everybody in that family, in that village, and in that community.”

Miriama Paletaoga Faatiu says it’s a challenge and a gift for her and her Pacific Island people to be able to learn the skills she has through Digimatua.

Supporting children’s education with digital skills

A significant benefit of the Digimatua programme is that it’s giving families the skills to be more involved in the education of their children.

This has a clear link to Key Shift 4 of the refresh of the Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020–2030: Partner with families to design education opportunities together with teachers, leaders and educational professionals so that aspirations for learning and employment can be met.

“As part of the talanoa (discussion) as well, we sit down and have a session around the different applications that the schools offer so that the parents can continue to stay connected, and just find out what’s happening with their children.”

Parent Rob Tamasese says he can stay updated, no matter how big or small the event may be.

“We get to experience what they’re learning about first-hand just by opening up their laptop, or whatever it is,” he says.

The work the 360 Tautua Trust has been doing with the Digimatua polokalame is a real-world example of digital approaches opening new horizons for learning, teaching and family involvement.

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“The use of technology has not only, like my nana said, helped her understand how to use it and how to know more about it, it's also just brought my relationship with her even closer with the use of technology.”

Josiah The impact

Josiah showing his nana how to access digital applications to be part of her grandson's education journey.

The impact of upskilling digitally is not unnoticed by student Josiah, whose grandmother has gone through the Digimatua programme.

“They get to know what to help me with, what’s going on with school, if I’m doing good, if I’m doing bad. It also just helps them to stay on track of what I’m doing as well.”

Emma says learning digital skills means she, and others, can stay connected and engaged with the children’s learning.

“Before we never talked to the kids in helping with the computer assignments, but now we can help them,” she says.

Romana says the most important thing is that family are connecting.

Josiah says being able to help his grandmother understand and learn more about how to use technology has also strengthened their bond.

“The use of technology has not only, like my nana said, helped her understand how to use it and how to know more about it, it’s also just brought my relationship with her even closer with the use of technology.”

Romana says she has seen relationships grow due to families being able to navigate digital spaces.

“But also, like I said, the confidence of the parents is awesome to see that they can now just navigate their devices and be confident in who they are, and not shy away from it. But as long as we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of the community, then I know that life for me would be complete.”

The Ministry of Education’s Connected Ako strategy

Refresh of the Action Plan for Pacific Education 2020–2030 Families sharing digital education together to enhance learning capabilities.

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“They can come and just be themselves, but more importantly, feel that they can connect with the community, be part of today’s society. And that was really the heart of it so that the programmes can benefit them.”

Romana Fetu

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Former Ministry of Education principal advisor, Blake Wong-Ling, describes that programmes like Digimatua see families learn how to better support their children in their learning at home.

Transformed learning, teaching, assessment and research Digital and data are essential in developing education journeys for students and whānau. Learners and educators can thrive – live, learn and work – in the digital world. Building digital capability is essential in helping learners gain the skills they need.

To enable transformed learning, teaching, assessment, and research, learning environments require secure platforms, systems, and assistive tools. Digital and data can contribute to better educational outcomes.

Watch the video showing how stronger digital skills have enabled families to better support their children's education.

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Te Puna Kōrero:

Celebrating stories of digital success in education Education Gazette offers a series of articles highlighting digital success stories from across the education sector.

Stories of new approaches to digital in education are regularly showcased.

The Digimatua programme helped resolve digital inclusion for Pacific families by being part of the solution and bridging the gap for Pacific families.

In this story you will meet families who have been part of the 360 Tautua Trust programme, shaping the way Pacific families access students’ education.

Videos are available online at education.govt.nz/ digitalstrategy. Articles are available online at gazette.education.nz.

How is tech-collaboration transforming learning and opportunities for young people at Te Ara Poutama Alternative Education Centre?

How is learning in a virtual world making young Kiwis safer drivers at Waimate High School?

How is data better identifying learners in need of support at Massey University?

How can te ao Māori impact a digital world to create a special place for deaf learners at Rūaumoko Marae?

How is learning with technology expanding young minds at JustKidz Early Childhood Education Centre, Henderson?

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How is building teachers’ digital skills sparking imagination in learners at Avonside Girls’ High School?

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Young New Zealanders Bird Chart 1923 Protect your native birds, N.Z. Native Bird Protection Society. Credit: Te Papa (CA000450).

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CONSERVATIO N

Bird of the Century an opportunity to engage tamariki with nature Every year, bird enthusiasts from across Aotearoa – and the world – cast votes for their favourite feathered friends in Forest & Bird’s Bird of the Year.

The contest launched in 2005, with the tūī swooping the inaugural title.

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or 18 years the treasured Bird of the Year competition – peppered with drama, including voting scandals and a bat taking the crown – has grown to become a national institution and beloved celebration of Aotearoa New Zealand’s native manu.

This year, the stakes are even higher. To celebrate Forest & Bird’s 100th birthday, voters are electing their Bird of the Century.

“This year, we’re searching for the bird that has captured New Zealanders’ hearts over the last 100 years,” chief executive Nicola Toki says.

Seventy-five delightfully diverse bird species are candidates in this year’s competition, including five extinct species. The huia, tutukiwi (South Island snipe), piopio, mātuhituhi (bush wren) and the whēkau (laughing owl) have been added to the running for the first time ever, to highlight ongoing threats to native wildlife.

“New Zealand’s extinction record is devastating.

The five extinct birds in this year’s competition are a heartbreaking reminder of the incredible biodiversity we’ve lost,” says Nicola.

“Eighty-two percent of our living native bird species are threatened or at risk of extinction. We

cannot let any more end up like the laughing owl or the huia – gone from our ngahere, our forests, forever.

“We hope New Zealanders and people around the world will get involved in the fun of Bird of the Century 2023, discover the amazing stories behind our living and dearly departed feathered friends, and ultimately be inspired to speak up for them.”

Opportunities for educators

Forest & Bird is encouraging educators across the motu to get involved in Bird of the Century. The competition presents a myriad of opportunities for bird-themed activities – from mock debates and creative projects to class presentations – while honing critical thinking skills and an appreciation for biodiversity in Aotearoa.

On the Kiwi Conservation Club website, educators can access a new resource to incorporate Bird of the Century into their teaching plans, which contains a range of suggested bird-related activities to encourage connection to the country’s manu.

Bird of the Century is part of a full year of centennial celebrations for Forest & Bird, aimed at encouraging everyone to think about how they can help to look after nature in their backyards and leave an enduring legacy for future New Zealanders.

“Our tamariki are the future, it is so important they feel welcomed and supported in the conservation space.”

Rebecca Hatch

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“New Zealand’s extinction record is devastating. The five extinct birds in this year’s competition are a heartbreaking reminder of the incredible biodiversity we’ve lost.”

Nicola Toki This includes supporting educators to facilitate the involvement of children, youth and adults in conservation.

Forest & Bird historian Michael Pringle says education, particularly among young people, has been a key goal of the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society since it was launched by Captain Ernest “Val” Sanderson at a public meeting in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, 100 years ago on 28 March 1923.

“From the society’s very outset, working with children to raise their awareness of native birds and why we must preserve at least some forest as homes for the birds, and for economic and soil reasons, was considered vital,” says Michael.

Val Sanderson poured huge amounts of time and resources into raising awareness of the pressures facing our environment and cultivating children’s natural curiosity for birdlife.

To help spread the word about vanishing nature, Sanderson campaigned for a bird day in schools and published bird posters and books for children.

“It was natural to want to convince young hearts and minds if lasting change was to occur,” says Michael.

“The early society sent regular circulars to head teachers and principals enclosing copies of the society’s bulletins. In one, Sanderson noted that ‘we trust and believe that you will instil into the minds of the rising generations the importance of forests and birds to the general welfare… We invite any of your children to join our society, or band themselves together into a nature or bird club.’ Some schools joined the society as a group, right into the 1950s.”

One of the society’s first child-focussed publications was the poster Young New Zealanders Protect Your Native Birds! The poster was sent to 2,000 schools across Aotearoa when it was published in 1923 and is the first instance of the society’s efforts to show children what native birds looked like – but certainly not the last.

Legacy of conservation

The educational legacy of Val Sanderson and fellow founding members of Forest & Bird expands year on year.

The launch of Forest & Bird’s Kiwi Conservation Club (KCC) in 1988 – the first national children’s conservation organisation in Aotearoa – marked a shift toward championing children-led conservation efforts in an adultdriven field.

“Our tamariki are the future, it is so important they feel welcomed and supported in the conservation space. Kiwi

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Conservation Club upholds the Forest & Bird founders’ ambition to engage children and nurture their curiosity for Aotearoa’s unique wildlife through fun, educational activities. It is incredibly rewarding to see the enthusiastic response from our members, knowing their voices are being heard,” says Rebecca Hatch, Kiwi Conservation Club manager.

“The popularity of KCC shows us that with guidance, support and opportunities from educators, tamariki can be the change they wish to see.”

Today, Aotearoa New Zealand’s native birds are under threat from climate change, habitat loss, and predation by introduced pests like rats, possums and cats.

By fostering students’ love for te taiao, just as Val Sanderson did, educators can inspire more people to get involved in conservation, reduce pressures placed on our wildlife, and protect the environment for future generations.

Further information All 75 contenders can be viewed on the Bird of the Century website: birdoftheyear.org.nz.

Voting for Bird of the Century will open at 9am on Monday 30 October 2023 and run for two weeks, closing at 5pm on Sunday 12 November. The winner will be announced the following morning. Everyone can vote for up to five birds.

A resource for educators is available at kcc.org.nz/portfolio/ bird-of-the-year.

gazette.education.govt.nz

Tāpiri ki ō whiwhinga NCEA i te raumati Top up your NCEA credits Kia tuihono tō ako ki te Kura Raumati.

Study online with Te Kura Summer School.

Don’t let a few NCEA credits stop you from going on to further study, training or employment in 2024.

Registrations open November 2023.

We warmly invite schools to work in partnership with us.

Please email summerschool@tekura.school.nz to enquire.

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu 0800 65 99 88 | www.tekura.school.nz/summerschool

PAC I FIC LEARN ERS

Traditional song and dance connects Pacific learners to their roots ‘We stand as one village’ was the powerful theme that set the day for the Tagata Mai Saute Academy programme’s Sau Ia Festival at Burnside High School’s Aurora Centre in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

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he Sau Ia Festival is Tagata Mai Saute Academy’s biggest event to date, bringing together more than 20 primary and secondary schools across the Canterbury region to celebrate through the medium of performing arts, in turn bringing more visibility of Pacific values and culture in schools.

This year, they decided to take out the competitive aspect of the festival and encourage collaboration, with the focus on building a community between Pacific learners, their families and the schools they are a part of.

Sau Ia Festival is just one of the many successful initiatives of Tagata Mai Saute Academy. Artistic director Albany Heperona Peseta shares why he started the programme.

“I felt like there were limited resources in terms of cultural programmes, especially in our schools, and just seeing the effects of the students not having a sense of belonging in schools, or they’re feeling torn of not knowing where they belong within their culture, with two cultures or many cultures.

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“I felt it was really, really important to start something where students can learn about our values as Pasifika, understand what it is to be Pasifika, and how we can be Pasifika in a classroom.”

Meeting a need

Alongside tutor Faith Leipapati-Saimoa Taula, they have discovered a strong need for the work that they do.

“Faith has been part of our programme for two years. We share the same passion around our people and our young people especially.

“We’ve also got our backgrounds in dance, and we just thought that, in terms of our vision, working together aligned with starting this programme.”

Albany says that being in 20-plus schools over this time shows the need for the programme and what it achieves.

“The number of students who are part of this shows the reason why it needs to be there.”

The final act of the night was performed by a combined effort from Ashburton College, Rolleston College and Hillmorton High School.

Seeing the impact

Ākonga performing as part of Vasega Manu, comprised of three primary schools in Christchurch.

After working in various locations, they now have three classrooms to use at the Climate Action Campus in Avonside, a sign of their continuous growth.

“Our community have been massive supporters in terms of this whole programme. We see and hear when we go to church or events that their child is always singing the song, or they’re practising the sāsā, or they’ve never spoken the language or said ‘Talofa’ in their home or worn ie lavalava, and now all of a sudden they want to wear an ie lavalava every single day.”

Albany reiterates the importance of family involvement.

“For us, if we can get the families involved, the families will then understand what the children are doing in school, but also some of the things they might struggle with.

“When they do come through to the fono, or the meetings, or some of the talks that we have, then they understand, it’s not just about song and dance, and they’re not wasting their time learning a song that they should already know.

“It’s about learning about the values, the essence of communication, and talking with groups, and just being in a space where they can be themselves. And that’s been a positive outcome for us.”

“I felt it was really, really important to start something where students can learn about our values as Pasifika, understand what it is to be Pasifika, and how we can be Pasifika in a classroom.”

Albany Heperona Peseta Supporters

Albany also comments on what the support from Siatua Evalu, previous lead advisor Pacific engagement in Ōtautahi, and the Ministry of Education’s Pacific Education Support Fund has meant for them.

“If it wasn’t for them, there would definitely be no programme. From the very beginning, when Sia was in the role, he’s been a massive supporter and a massive advocate for our academy. And I’ve always acknowledged Sia, because he gave us a shot, he gave us a chance. And from that, we were blessed to be given what we were given. And we’ve just taken it and tried to run with it. And you know, whatever resources we could get, we’ve stretched it.

“The Ministry has given us our first shot. And now that we have grown this partnership for three years, it’s been nothing but positives, because they’ve seen it and schools have also seen it and they continue to back us.”

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Vasega Manu filled the Aurora Centre with their beautiful singing and dancing.

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To keep up with the work Tagata Mai Saute Academy do, look them up on Facebook and Instagram. To hear more from this interview with Albany Heperona Peseta and Faith LeipapatiSaimoa Taula, keep an eye on Education Gazette podcasts at educationgazette.podbean.com.

Vaesega Moana, comprising of three local schools, kept the lively energy of the night going with their performance.

An Untold Story weaves Pacific cultures together In August, over one hundred students from schools across Ōtautahi Christchurch came together to creatively communicate the challenges young Pacific people face growing up – demonstrated through song, dance, and an expressive narrative.

Untold Story is a play which aims to elevate the young Pacific voices in Ōtautahi. The story follows two young Pacific people from different cultural backgrounds – Samoan and Tongan. The pair fall in love, yet a myriad of barriers block their spirit, making them question their identities and where they belong.

“It’s an untold story about their relationship, something that is not really talked about within the Pacific community at a young age. It’s about knowing where you come from and not forgetting your roots,” says play organiser Greg Galovale.

Greg has worked with Burnside High School's Pacific community over the last five years providing academic support for students.

“What we originally wrote (my partner and I), was stripped back.

We didn’t want to say too much. But as soon as we shared it with the students and they got to share their opinions, we realised we need to have these difficult conversations in the story as it’s what they want, it’s relevant to the issues they are facing nowadays.”

The play specifically focuses on a Tongan woman’s role within her family and the cultural barriers she may be facing in comparison with a Samoan man’s role in his family.

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Closing off the night with a traditional Samoan Taualuga.

The story was performed in three languages, with Lea Faka Tonga (Tongan) and Gagana Samoa (Samoan) shining through the scripted dialogue and the songs performed. This was a significant part of the play, making the students' native tongue accessible to everyone.

Belonging and connection This year’s play was inspired by the uptake and enthusiasm given to another Pacific production performed the year before in which 10 schools were involved. This year, 18 secondary schools were involved; 17 in Christchurch, with one student travelling down to take part from James Cook High School in Auckland.

By giving young Pacific students a safe platform to express themselves, the play is helping to address some of the challenges they face every day off the stage; primarily the disconnect with identity.

“It’s important to make sure every Pacific student in Canterbury feels like they belong. With a sense of pride in their culture,” Greg says.

The play is also helping to face another challenge; collectively working together.

“Everyone has their own space and getting students from different schools to work together is quite difficult. It’s about getting everyone on the same page and for the same cause,” says Greg.

Burnside High School vice president Darryn Findlay says Untold Story allowed Canterbury schools to work together, without barriers.

Read the full version of this article at gazette.education.govt.nz

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TEC H NO LOGY

Shadowing tech mentors inspires ākonga As part of TechWomen’s ShadowTech Day in September, around 600 wāhine in Years 9, 10 and 11 spent the day at one of 50 companies across Hamilton, Cambridge, Wellington, Tauranga, Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland. The aim? To inspire more girls to forge a path in the rapidly evolving tech sector in Aotearoa.

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hadowTech is a TechWomen initiative that has been running since 2014, with the very first ShadowTech Day giving girls and young women the chance to shadow a tech professional for a day.

In 2021, the ShadowTech programme evolved to focus on secondary school teachers to widen the impact of the programme. After a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, ShadowTech returned this year with participation from 51 schools.

Tech is the fastest-growing industry in Aotearoa New Zealand and is key in helping to solve some of the world’s toughest problems.

When you ask TechWomen executive director Yvonne Gill about the importance of the initiative she says, “ShadowTech Day is a fantastic opportunity for students to experience the wide range of career opportunities available to them in the sector.”

Tackling the diversity challenge

Yvonne explains that half of the New Zealand population is female, but a recent NZTech survey (Digital Skills Aotearoa: Edition 3) found that women make up only 29 percent of the country’s digital IT workforce.

St Margaret’s College students learning about Trimble’s history.

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“This diversity challenge begins in education, with females making up only 40 percent of NCEA technology students and 24 percent of IT graduates.”

Yvonne adds that programmes such as this help break down barriers and myths around gendered roles or career paths.

An important aspect of ShadowTech is that ākonga are introduced to careers in technology in ways they may have not considered or been exposed to before.

The ‘’day in the life’’ experience has them sitting in on meetings, witnessing the communication and interaction between peers, and seeing what a typical day is like in the industry.

“If students see the work, then hopefully they can see themselves doing that in the future,” says Yvonne.

Giving students this experience in Years 9–11 gives them enough time to form education pathways that might lead to tech sector roles.

Yvonne explains that the gap is a “bit of a perception issue”.

“It takes a lot of time to change those kinds of ingrained perceptions and see that come through to the workforce.”

“Mind-provoking and exciting”

Education Gazette was able to attend two ShadowTech visits: one with Wellington Girls’ College and Kuranui College, who spent the day at Westpac in Wellington, and one with St Margaret’s College, who spent the day at Trimble in Christchurch.

Over the day, the students tried out new technology, such as coding and AI tools, and spoke with veterans of the profession.

Trimble also invited the University of Canterbury’s Women in Tech Society (WiTSoc) for women (cis and trans) and non-binary people studying STEM-related degrees.

This gave ākonga from St Margaret’s College a unique opportunity to ask questions about studying technology subjects at university, all while in the presence of the industry that might hire them one day.

Students visiting Westpac had the opportunity to pose tough questions to leadership and witness some of the behind-the-scenes mahi of banking, including with ATMs, cards and EFTPOS, cybersecurity, Kubernetes, engineering streams and the overall workplace culture.

Feedback from students included, “It was amazing to learn how welcoming a place a job in tech is and how people from so many different diverse backgrounds can work there,” and “The whole thing was mind-provoking, exciting, and a new experience. Thank you so much for the opportunity and encouraging more women into the tech business.”

Zara from St Margaret’s College says, “I found Spot, the robotic dog, interesting as we had been learning about the potential future of robots in the workforce for Future Problem Solving.

“We had been researching Spot, so it was awesome to see the robot in real life and learn more about how it works.”

Spot was a fan favourite for most students on the day at Trimble, including Ida in Year 10 who says, “Personally

7 November 2023

“It was amazing to learn how welcoming a place a job in tech is and how people from so many different diverse backgrounds can work there.”

Student

Top: St Margaret’s College student interacting with a Trimble product.

Bottom: Ākonga who attended Cin7 for ShadowTech Day.

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Top left: St Margaret’s College ākonga learning about Trimble’s products.

Bottom left: Tauranga students enjoying pizza together between their learning.

Right: St Margaret’s College ākonga outside Trimble in Christchurch.

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I really enjoyed seeing the Boston Dynamics robot and learning about what it did.”

Teachers were equally excited. Leesa Lawgate from Botany Downs Secondary College says, “One of the most significant highlights for me was the opportunity to meet a diverse group of women within the company, each sharing their unique roles and responsibilities.

“The knowledge gained was invaluable. I wholeheartedly recommend this day to both students and staff, and I’m enthusiastic about encouraging more girls to attend next year.”

A digital technologies teacher at Ellesmere College says their students had the incredible opportunity to visit Capgemini, renowned leaders in digital, data and cloud technologies.

“The Capgemini team graciously shared their expertise, providing our students with a firsthand glimpse into the world of digital technology. Their warm welcome and insightful guidance illuminated the diverse and exciting pathways within the industry, particularly emphasising the empowering prospects for women globally.

“The ShadowTech event was invaluable, and we eagerly anticipate future engagements, shaping a positive trajectory for our students in the digital landscape.”

Shay Cowley from Te Kauwhata College adds, “It was a great day for our learners, the honest conversations the speakers had with the students gave them a lot of insight into possible future careers as well as general career advice.”

“It was a great day for our learners, the honest conversations the speakers had with the students gave them a lot of insight into possible future careers as well as general career advice.”

Shay Cowley

The Ministry of Education is a proud supporter of TechWomen’s ShadowTech. To attend a ShadowTech event next year, make sure to subscribe for updates on when registrations open.

There is also a list of resources that NZTech collated from mentors during their 2022 programme.

Visit shadowtech.nz for more.

7 November 2023

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PATH WAYS

Carving Pacific pathways into tech careers Student360 and The ICE Base are helping Pacific learners make confident career decisions through supported workplace experiences.

Top: Tech sector experience is providing Pacific youth with valuable insights and skills.

Bottom left: Student360 participants are awarded certificates on completion of their programme.

Bottom right: TJ relished working in the Finance team at Theta, cementing his plan to study accounting.

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he Ministry of Education has partnered with careers organisation The ICE Base to increase the number of Pacific learners experiencing and embarking on careers in the Aotearoa tech sector.

Currently, 75 Pacific learners per year are supported through the Student360 programme, with academic mentoring and paid holiday work experience. Pairing students up with partner organisations enables valuable workplace experience and skills learning, fosters relationships and provides both young people and employers with rich rewards.

Head of delivery at Theta, one of several employer organisations involved in the programme, is Phoebe Dobson.

“We liked the concept of helping our young people get exposed to career options whilst at secondary school and encouraging them to continue to further their education,” she says.

The New Zealand-owned and operated technology consulting business saw a chance for empowering more Pacific youth into a pathway aligned with their operation and values.

“Our business employs primarily technical staff with minimum degree level qualifications, and we want to encourage more people to get involved in this exciting industry with many career options. Through Student360, we can directly support and encourage some of our young people to pursue this as a career option.”

T

included being able to surround myself with the type of people I would be working with in the future, as well as gaining first-hand experience within the accounting field in a tech organisation.”

How did the programme help enforce, change or support TJ’s career pathway thoughts?

“The Student360 programme most definitely helped me in terms of giving myself the opportunity to reflect on my career pathway options.

“Being given the chance to work within my preferred career area has most definitely altered my perspective of the business world in a positive manner. And I am now carrying that perspective over to my tertiary studies, which has allowed me to be more open-minded and motivated to learn more.”

At Theta, Phoebe shows she is equally buoyed by the experience her organisation has shared with the likes of TJ. “We have found the overall experience to be extremely rewarding. Our staff involved in supporting the student placements all enjoy sharing their knowledge.”

She says the organisation has learned plenty from the process, too.

“In the beginning, we found it challenging to ensure we were pitching the ‘project’ for each student at the right level for a Year 12/13 student, as our internship programmes had been predominantly at university graduate level. We found flexibility was the key to adapting.”

Student feedback

Broadening perspectives

TJ is a Student360 alumnus from Wesley College. He is currently a commerce degree student at the University of Auckland, majoring in business analytics. TJ’s first encounter with the Student360 programme was at a university open day.

“The idea of paid internships within my preferred industry immediately caught my attention,” he says.

Gaining a deeper understanding of accountancy in a large organisational environment was one of the many learnings TJ experienced.

“Going into the workplace with only a fair bit of accounting knowledge was quite a challenge. Although experience wasn’t necessary, I felt that it would’ve helped to familiarise myself more with various accounting terms ahead of my placement!

“However, the highlights during my work experience

Theta’s first Student360 participants joined the business in October 2020, during the school holidays, and the company has continued to support the programme since, with regular school holiday placements offered.

“We have developed a format that the students seem to find informative and interesting,” says Phoebe.

“For each work experience placement, we have a business unit that leads the placement and has a ‘project’ and a buddy/mentor for the students.

“The most recent placement was with our People & Culture team and the allocated project was to assist with presenting the feedback from a recent staff survey. We also have a series of introductory meetings to different areas of the business (eg, finance, cyber security, marketing, project management, product development) to expose students to different career options.

“By better reflecting the diverse world in which we live, we’re able to build better teams and generate better outcomes as a result.”

Phoebe Dobson

7 November 2023

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Year 12 and Year 13 students are able to delve inside an organisation they’re passionate about and gain first-hand work experience across the school holidays.

“We finish each placement with a retrospective from the students on what they learned, what they found valuable, and any feedback on how we could continue to improve the placements in future.”

Over the past year, Theta was represented by 36 nationalities, with 56 languages and dialects including Māori and Pacific Island nations.

“We’re proud to have a diverse workforce who broaden our perspectives and help us recognise and appreciate the cultures around us,” says Phoebe.

“By better reflecting the diverse world in which we live, we’re able to build better teams and generate better outcomes as a result.”

Breaking barriers

TJ has done his research on the prevalence of Pacific people in the tech sector. He recognises existing barriers while also being positive about the future trajectory.

“The main barriers that I would consider to increasing the number of Pacific peoples within tech careers would be the lack of representation and promotion of tech careers within communities that revolve around Pacific peoples ,” he says.

“People will always be willing to advertise from the comfort of their own environment, however, what

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differentiates a leader and a role model is someone being able to associate themselves with their target audience, in person, to identify what the real issues are.

“Anyone can record themselves on a screen and post it on social media, yet words have no meaning without action. Those that leave a positive impact upon others will be remembered as those who took further action than needed to better the people around them.”

Emma Loubser, Student360 programme lead, says the ICE Student360 programme empowers Aotearoa New Zealand’s future leaders by providing them with access to knowledge and experiences to prepare for the world of work.

“We are honoured by the feedback of our students, who found their work experiences through the programme instrumental in making confident career decisions.

“Together with our dedicated Employer Partners, we will passionately champion the programme’s growth and create awareness about the abundance of opportunities and pathways available to all rangatahi in Aotearoa.”

TJ is sold on the benefits of real-world experience.

“I am grateful for all the guidance and mentoring they have given to me. Being a part of the programme has helped me a lot in terms of career pathway development.”

gazette.education.govt.nz

By the end of their placement, students are part of a family, navigating decision making about career pathways together.

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D IG ITAL EQU IT Y

Making kura and school websites more accessible The Zero Data website allows access to various education and government websites from a mobile device, without using any data allowance.

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ollowing the successful launch of the multi-agency Zero Data initiative, over 2,000 kura and school websites have now been added to the updated website portal, which includes an enhanced search function.

The Zero Data website allows access to various education and government websites from a mobile, without using any data allowance. Users do not need data credit; all they need is to have their device turned on.

The Zero Data service is available to anyone using a mobile device connected to the Spark, Skinny, One NZ, 2degrees, Warehouse Mobile, Slingshot or Orcon mobile networks;

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however the focus is on those with no, or low, data left on their plan.

Conquering the digital divide

For some New Zealanders, the cost of mobile data can be a barrier to accessing essential government, education, health and wellbeing information and digital health services. Those who cannot access information and services often have the highest needs in our communities.

This important initiative supports everyone to have equitable opportunities to participate in society using digital technologies. Enabling free access to school websites supports the Ministry of Education’s response to equitable access and outcomes.

Access to essential websites for people who have no data was an issue brought to a head in 2020 during

“The Zero Data initiative is part of a wider effort to close the digital divide and provides citizens with no-cost access to essential government and community websites.”

Stuart Wakefield

the Covid-19 response when many services were only accessible digitally and those people without data were at risk of being excluded.

The Ministry’s chief digital officer, Stuart Wakefield, says, “As government agencies move their services online it is imperative that we ensure all New Zealanders continue to have access to those services.

“The Zero Data initiative is part of a wider effort to close the digital divide and provides citizens with no-cost access to essential government and community websites and is analogous to the 0800 toll-free calling into government call centres.”

Easier to find kura or school info

Schools can search for their website by adding their school website name after /go/ using the following friendly URL format; for example, portal.zero.govt. nz/go/raroa.school.nz.

The focus of Zero Data is on websites that provide information on key government services that support mental health and wellbeing or allow access to other digital government services.

Please note that there may be some limitations when you try to access websites that include content from, or links to, other websites – this is to ensure that only sponsored content is accessed through the portal.

Most schools should now have access, but email support@zero. govt.nz for any enquiries.

Visit the Zero Data website at zero.education.govt.nz.

Top tips for a play-friendly school Ask tamariki how they would like to play and consider some of these ideas: • Create play trails along fences and pathways leading to school, or around school grounds.

• Extend break times or use class time to play.

• Let tamariki have a say in playground rules.

• Invite whānau to a play afternoon and BBQ at school. Think about holding a play festival!

• Encourage Loose Parts Play in your school.

Start by introducing a play pod or mud kitchen.

Find out more and see how Sport NZ supports teachers and schools to create play-friendly environments – so all students can enjoy being active in ways that suit them at:

7 November 2023

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Professional learning and development

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

Notices

Vacancies

Scan the QR codes with the camera on your device.

N OTICE B OAR D

RECRU ITM ENT

Waitaki Boys High School Deputy Rector (5MU / 1SMA) We have a vacancy in our Senior Leadership Team for an inspirational Deputy Rector who is motivated to achieve the schools mission statement of “inspiring young men of outstanding character”.

The successful applicant needs to have proven pastoral care leadership experience and have the ability to work collaboratively.

You will also need to have strengths in relational pedagogy and inclusive practice.

This is a rare opportunity to be a Senior Leader in one of New Zealand’s great schools.

Application details: Information Pack can be obtained from the Principal’s PA email rectorspa@waitakibhs.schoo.nz Application closes: Monday 6th November 2023

RECRU ITM ENT

Rangi Ruru Girls’ School

Principal

Rangi Ruru is one of New Zealand’s leading independent boarding and day schools for girls aged 11-18. The school is located in Christchurch and has been delivering an outstanding academic record for more than 130 years. The school has been designed around the needs of tomorrow’s women leaders, focused on a personalised approach to best-practice teaching and learning. As a recognised leader in the field of girls’ independent education, Rangi Ruru students are supported to achieve outstanding results, both in and out of the classroom, in an inclusive and nurturing community.

The Board of Governors now seeks to appoint the 11th Principal of Rangi Ruru. The next Principal will join a thriving community which looks to its future with confidence, excitement, and ambition. The successful candidate will be an outstanding educator with first-class communication and relationship building skills who can engage students, staff, parents, and wider stakeholders, and lead Rangi Ruru into an exciting new chapter.

A track record of success in high performing educational institutions is essential, along with a deep commitment to educating young women to become the next generation of leaders, changemakers, artists, sportswomen, and innovators, not just in Christchurch and New Zealand, but also the world.

This is an opportunity to shape the future of one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent schools and to promote a culture of collaboration and inclusivity that enables students to reach their full potential, ensuring that Rangi Ruru continues to be a place where girls can be themselves and belong.

For further information and initial enquiries please contact Laisrian Flynn at Perrett Laver, on laisrian.flynn@perrettlaver.com or on +61 (0)2 8075 4640.

To apply please upload your curriculum vitae and candidate statement at: candidates.perrettlaver.com/vacancies/ quoting reference 6914 by midnight AEDT on Monday 20th November.

We are New Zealand’s most powerful education union and we are recruiting for two full-time roles in our Wellington office.

Senior Professional Advisor Are you awesome at: • Providing robust policy and strategic advice.

• Organising union members to amplify their professional concerns • Understanding teaching development, pedagogy and curricula Would suit an experienced teacher.

Principal Support Officer Are you awesome at: • Empowering people and supporting them to influence change • Coordinating and communicating with groups • Understanding the professional and industrial interests of principals Would suit an experienced principal / deputy principal with experience working with groups Full details are on our website: https://www.nzeiteriuroa.org.nz/about-us/vacancies NZEI Te Riu Roa is committed to honouring and giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Candidates should either have or be committed to developing an understanding of Te Tiriti. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience in te reo and tikanga Māori.

We have an allowance for fluent speakers of Te Reo Māori and offer work-time to study Te Reo Māori.

Applications for both roles close 13 Nov 2023

Ka eke te tahua ki te

$2,500

mō te kaiako takitahi, ko te $6000 te ekenga mō ngā kaiako takirōpū

Awards for Teachers of Gifted Learners E whakaako ana koe i ētahi ākonga iho pūmanawa, ā, e hiahia ana koe ki te whakapakari i ō pūkenga kia pai ai tō tautoko i a rātou?

E whakaaetia ana tō tono mai ki ngā Tohu mō ngā Kaiako o ngā Ākonga Iho Pūmanawa. Ko ngā tohu nei mō ngā kaiako e mahi ana i te kura kōhunghunga, i te kura tuatahi, i te kura tuarua rānei i Aotearoa me ā rātou mahi whakawhirinaki mō ngā ākonga kairangi.

Hei te 2 o Oketopa e huakina ai ngā tono, ā, hei te 5 o Noema e kati ai.

Mo ētahi atu mōhiohio, toro mai ki:

https://gifted.tki.org.nz/ further-support/ awards-for-teachers/ Ka matawai rānei i te waehere QR:

Mo ngā pātai, īmēra mai ki: gifted.enquiries@education.govt.nz

Funding of up to

$2,500

can be awarded to an individual teacher or up to $6,000 to a group of teachers

Awards for Teachers of Gifted Learners Are you teaching any gifted learners and want to boost your skills so you can better support them?

You can apply for the Awards for Teachers of Gifted Learners. The awards are for teachers currently working in early learning, primary or secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand who are supporting learners with exceptional abilities.

Applications for 2023 open on 2 October and close on 5 November.

For more information, visit:

https://gifted.tki.org.nz/ further-support/ awards-for-teachers/ or scan the QR code:

For queries, email: gifted.enquiries@education.govt.nz