Education Gazette 102.6

From April 2023, we will be known by our Māori name first – Tātai Aho Rau CORE Education.

Our new logo incorporates a matau (fish hook). This locates us in the Pacific, and connects us to fishers who select different matau for each fishing spot. Like them, we make sure we have the right tools and resources to support the many different communities we work alongside.

Our kaupapa remains the same though –contributing to an equitable and thriving Aotearoa through learning.

Read more about what shaped the refresh. core-ed.org/brand-refresh

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Educator excellence

When reading through this edition of Tukutuku Kōrero and contemplating a ‘key theme’, one thing stood out: inspiring educators and leaders.

We kōrero with Whakatāne High School assistant principal Renay Jones who is upholding the mana of her tīpuna and embodying excellence in education –so much so, she recently had the honour of receiving a Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship.

Turning the legacy of the 28th (Māori) Battalion into an opportunity for education, Helen Pearse-Otene and Susan Battye talk us through an exciting new resource helping kaiako navigate the complex social and historical themes of World War 2 in their own classrooms.

In the Franklin district of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, more than 600 teachers from primary, intermediate, and secondary schools put their knowledge and experiences together to unpack the refresh of The New Zealand Curriculum, inspiring opportunities to bounce, flow, connect and grow.

Turning our heads to maths and numeracy, three academics and teacher educators unpack anxiety around the subject and how kaiako can build a supportive maths culture and uncover “magical ways to see numbers”. Someone with experience in this is long-time teacher Jeanette Aker, who is still loving her time in the classroom after 60 years in education. She also talks about changes in teaching maths and building confidence in learners.

In Ōtautahi Christchurch, several influential educators gathered at the launch of Kōkirihia – a Plan for Action for removing streaming from our schools by the Māori Futures Collective. Highlighting the power of the sector, Dr Hana O’Regan said, “Our education system has been shaped by people for people and we have the power to make a much needed change.”

While the ideas, subjects and themes in this edition vary, at the heart of it is you and those who have come before you. I hope you find inspiration in their kōrero.

Ngā manaakitanga

Sarah Wilson Ētita | Editor

An amazing new STEM resource from Genesis School-gen & Nanogirl Labs

• STEMSTARS brings STEM to life through the power of storytelling and fun activities.

• Eight exciting ‘STEM Labs’ with activities suited up to Year 6.

• Everything teachers need to deliver STEM lessons with confidence. Find out more at schoolgen.co.nz/stemstars

Ngarimu Board members, scholarship and award recipients, Members of Parliament for Māori electorates, whānau and other attendees are welcomed on to Te Papaiouru Marae, Ōhinemutu in Rotorua.

Celebrating the legacy of the 28th (Māori) Battalion: Ake ake kia kaha e

This year, 15 Māori from across Aotearoa were celebrated for incredible achievements in honour of Victoria Cross winner Second Lieutenant Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu and the 28th (Māori) Battalion; some of whom are their tīpuna. Education Gazette caught up with two – Whakatāne High School assistant principal Renay Jones and veteran broadcaster Julian Wilcox.

One doctoral candidate, three masters students, three undergraduate students, three vocational education and training students, and five wharekura students were awarded Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards at a ceremony held on Friday 17 March at Te Papaiouru Marae, Ōhinemutu, in Rotorua.

The prestigious scholarships and awards commemorate Victoria Cross winner Second Lieutenant Te Moana-nui-aKiwa Ngarimu and members of the 28th (Māori) Battalion, who served on the battlefields of Greece, Crete, North Africa, and Italy between 1941 and 1945.

This is the second year the awards ceremony has been held outside of Parliament in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington since the scholarships were first established in 1945.

Te Papaiouru Marae was chosen for this year’s awards ceremony in acknowledgement of the legacy and significance of the 28th (Māori) Battalion to Māori, and to acknowledge the affiliation to the marae, hapū and iwi of the late Sir Charles Bennett, who was a lieutenant colonel in the Battalion.

Sir Charles not only wrote the citation that led to Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu receiving the Victoria Cross but was also the Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Scholarship Fund’s first postgraduate scholarship recipient.

“The decision to move the awards ceremony outside of Te Whanganui-a-Tara was made by the Ngarimu Board as an opportunity to connect with different hapori and acknowledge the immense contributions made by the many men who served in the 28th (Māori) Battalion,” says Associate Minister of Education, Kelvin Davis.

The awards ceremony is an annual event that celebrates Māori who are undertaking university study or vocational education and training, and the winners of the Ngarimu Video Competition for ākonga in Year 7–13; all of whom demonstrate characteristics that align with the values of the 28th (Māori) Battalion.

“Our scholarship and award winners are a true testament to the essence of these special awards. They have displayed confidence in their cultural identity with capability in te reo Māori. They know their whakapapa, are connected to and contribute to their community and whānau and can confidently walk in two worlds,” says Minister Davis.

“The scholarships aim to support Māori students to reach their potential by reducing some of the financial barriers to study or training.”

Ake ake kia kaha e: Forever brave in education

The 2023 scholarship recipients were recognised for their achievements in a memorable award ceremony that began with a pōwhiri led by Ngāti Whakaue.

“[Scholarship and award winners] know their whakapapa, are connected to and contribute to their community and whānau and can confidently walk in two worlds.”

Kelvin Davis

Ngarimu Board members, scholarship and award recipients, Members of Parliament for Māori electorates, whānau and other attendees were welcomed onto Te Papaiouru Marae with a powerful karanga and outstanding haka pōwhiri performed in true Te Arawa fashion.

Attendees described the event as a special occasion that reminded everyone of the sacrifice and bravery of the 28th (Māori) Battalion and the importance of preserving the history of Aotearoa.

This year’s awards ceremony was supported by Te Puni Kōkiri, with Minister Davis thanking his colleague, Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson, for their contribution to the kaupapa.

Renay Jones (Te Whakatōhea) – Vocational Education and Training (VET) Scholarship

Upholding the mana of her tīpuna and living by the values they instilled in her guides Renay Jones in all that she does.

The Whakatāne High School assistant principal is one of three VET Ngarimu Scholarship recipients in 2023, and is a shining example of someone who embodies excellence

in education. It has taken determination, perseverance and hard work to get to where she is today.

With more than two decades of experience in secondary education, it’s hard to believe that Renay was once a disengaged teenager who wanted to quit school.

“It was a result of my lack of focus and not valuing my learning. I needed to find my passion. The following year, although I studied harder, I was still not enjoying being at school and wanted to leave,” says Renay.

Her mother enlisted the support of some first-year nursing students in her class to go around to their whare and talk to Renay about why she should not give up.

This turned out to be a blessing for Renay, who was born in Whakatāne and raised in Ōpotiki until the age of 12 when her mum moved her and her siblings to Hamilton.

Not only did Renay return to school and enjoy Year 13, but she also took the opportunity of leadership and was named Head Girl of Melville High School in Hamilton in 1996.

“It ignited fire in my puku to change my future,” says Renay.

She was also fortunate to have an exceptional English teacher in her final year of school, whose way of teaching was engaging.

Ākonga from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Koutu performing a haka pōwhiri to welcome attendees to the award ceremony.

“I fell in love with studying literature and decided there and then that I wanted to be just like her and enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Waikato upon leaving school.”

Greatest role model

Despite being a solo parent raising three children, mainly working part-time and taking a 14-year intermittent break from nursing, at 37 years old Renay’s māmā returned to full-time nursing study to upskill her qualifications to that of registered comprehensive nurse.

“It was during this time that Mum truly discovered her potential and desire for higher education with a focus on Māori health and recognition of cultural differences,” says Renay.

“Mum took up further postgraduate study and went on to complete her thesis and published her book Kia Mana –A synergy of wellbeing.”

From all of this work, sweat and tears, she was endorsed as the first Māori nurse practitioner in Aotearoa.

“Mum went on to complete prescribing papers, returned home to serve our iwi, Te Whakatōhea, and was successful in gaining prescribing rights for her practice working alongside GPs in Ōpotiki.”

Renay’s mum died in 2014 after a short battle with cancer, but remains her greatest role model, a true trailblazer for better health outcomes for Māori.

“Mum is the reason I too returned home to the Bay of Plenty 16 years ago to give back in education. I attribute my passion for Māori achievement and equity in education to the values my mother role-modelled every day of her life – and her unwavering support for iwi Māori.”

Strength in legacy

Renay’s koro and kuia were also hugely influential in her early years.

Growing up next door to them in Ōpotiki for the first 12 years of her life unconsciously gave Renay a connection to her taha Māori.

“I attribute my journey to reclaim my reo to them both,” she says.

As a child, Renay recalls attending the Tekau Mā Rua with her nan and pa who were staunchly Hahi Ringatu.

“It was not until I left secondary school and entered into adulthood, and my nan had passed away, that I began to question my identity and crave an understanding of our culture,” says Renay.

“I knew something was missing, and it was my reo.

“I am truly humbled and honoured to be a recipient of such a prestigious award and I recognise what the sacrifices our tīpuna, who served in the 28th Māori Battalion, have given me. I seek now to honour the mana of this award by ensuring I pass on my learnings to our tamariki and mokopuna.”

Renay Jones

Winner of the Vocational Education and Training Scholarship, Renay Jones, and whānau.

Willie Apiata VC, winner of the Doctoral Ngarimu Scholarship Julian Wilcox, Tā Robert Gillies, and Associate Minister of Education Kelvin Davis.

Nanny was a native speaker and she took this reo with her when she passed.”

Renay’s te reo Māori journey started during her degree at university from 1997–1999. But this was not enough to grasp and sustain her reo.

Over the last 23 years, Renay has also had the privilege of working with some incredible kaiako and leaders in the six secondary schools she has been a part of in Aotearoa and abroad.

She continues to be inspired by so many, especially wāhine Māori. She is married to Lewis with whom she has three beautiful tamariki.

“I wanted to make a difference for our rangatahi knowing what I had experienced in my own education, and this was the catalyst for enrolling in the postgraduate diploma upon finishing my undergraduate degree.

“I wanted to be a kaiako that formed authentic relationships, engaged students with a love for English (which a lot of kids hate), and most importantly that success is possible for everyone, and it is never too late! This has been, and still is, my mantra.”

Oke Martin, Renay’s grandmother’s brother, served as a private in the Māori Battalion.

“He demonstrated, like Ngarimu and many of our tīpuna who served alongside him, courage and leadership of the highest order,” says Renay.

She has taken strength from this legacy of courage as she begins her pursuit of reclaiming and strengthening

her own reo through Te Tohu Paetahi at Te Whare Wananga ō Waikato.

“I am truly humbled and honoured to be a recipient of such a prestigious award and I recognise what the sacrifices our tīpuna, who served in the 28th Māori Battalion, have given me. I seek now to honour the mana of this award by ensuring I pass on my learnings to our tamariki and mokopuna,” she says.

“This award enables me to become the leader in education I dream of being; connected to my taha Māori, a strong wāhine Māori, just like my tīpuna.”

Julian Wilcox (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa) – Doctoral Scholarship

Julian Wilcox isn’t a man who blows his own trumpet. His long list of achievements and accolades speak for themselves.

Regarded as a class act in the world of journalism in both mainstream and te ao Māori, Julian is an awardwinning broadcaster who has graced our television screens and airwaves for more than three decades.

Every Tuesday night, you will find Julian asking the hard questions as host of Māori current affairs show The Hui

The fluent te reo Māori speaker has worn many hats over the years, including being a founding member of Māori Television, a lecturer at Auckland University of Technology and the chief operating officer at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

Recipients of the 2022/2023 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships and Awards.

However, away from the cameras and microphones and his often very public roles, Julian’s inquisitive mind and thirst for education has led him on a lifelong learning journey.

And soon, that dedication to “wanting to know more” and taking advantage of every learning opportunity that has come his way will mean Julian will add Doctor of Philosophy to his name and list of achievements.

The Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Doctoral Scholarship recipient for 2022/23 is currently completing a Doctor of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

The value of a good education was instilled in Julian from a very early age. The Te Aute College old boy got his first job at a radio station while he was still at high school.

In the late 1990s, he gained a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Māori and Education from Victoria University of Wellington, all while putting in the hard toil in his pursuit of a career in broadcasting. His education hasn’t just taken place in a classroom. Julian’s been inspired and schooled by many over the years including Ngāpuhi scholar Dr Patrick Hohepa and tohunga and Maramataka expert Rereata Makiha.

Many hats

Julian has built a glowing reputation as a well-respected academic who is often called on in an advisory capacity, and a polished master of ceremonies at events including Te Matatini, the national kapa haka festival.

A proud member of Te Māhurehure hapū from the Hokianga in the Far North, you will often find Julian fulfilling a number of different roles at Te Māhurehure Marae and Conference Centre in Pt Chevalier in Auckland.

Busy is an understatement when it comes to describing the life Julian leads, but the responsibilities that come with all the hats he wears are ones he takes seriously, especially when it comes to education – his own and that of others.

Julian says he feels extremely humbled to follow in the footsteps of previous scholarship recipients, some of whom are members of his whānau.

There are many benefits to receiving such a prestigious award, he says.

Most importantly this scholarship will allow him to focus on his research and to meet with others to discuss and gather information about the great navigator and discoverer of Aotearoa – Kupe.

His thesis topic is “Te Ara a Kupe: Te haerenga mai a Kupe ki Aotearoa”.

Having been a television presenter during Anzac Day commemorations over the years, Julian understands deeply the significance of his scholarship as it pays tribute to the legacy of the 28th (Māori) Battalion and honours Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu.

The Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships are open to Māori from all corners of the motu who are undertaking university study or vocational education and training, and demonstrate characteristic that align with the values of the 28th (Māori) Battalion. Read this article online for information about 2023/2024 applications.

Ākonga from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Koutu singing a waiata tautoko during the award ceremony.

Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Learning Resource

The Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Learning Resource was developed by the Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship Fund Board for tamariki of all ages, whānau, kura and schools. The resource fits within social studies and Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories in the Social Sciences learning area, and has three tasks.

Part One: An inquiry about the 28th (Māori) Battalion and Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC. This has two compulsory topics with guiding questions for each topic, and students will select one.

Part Two: An inquiry into different aspects of the 28th (Māori Battalion). There are four topics, and students will select one inquiry question from each topic.

Part Three: An individual inquiry project about a selected kaupapa. There are nine inquiry topics and students will select one topic to inquire into.

The resource kits have been sent to all primary and secondary schools, and kura.

Immersing ākonga in the history of the Battalion

Ākonga are learning about Aotearoa New Zealand’s war-time history by stepping into the boots of young soldiers from the 28th (Māori) Battalion.

Anew resource from Māori theatre organisation

Te Rākau is helping kaiako navigate the complex social and historical themes of World War 2 in their own classrooms.

It centres on The Battalion by Māori playwright Helen Pearse-Otene, which Education Gazette explored in September last year at Ōtaki College.

The Battalion is a stage play about friendship, loyalty, madness and redemption – seen through the eyes of war veteran Paora Matene and relayed to his wayward young charges Rimini and George.

“It was written as a tohu whakamahara to the memory of my tūpuna tāne and their whanaunga and friends who served in World War 2 as members of

2NZEF, and in particular, the 28th (Māori) Battalion,” says Helen.

“I have vivid memories of sitting in silence next to my father, who was himself a veteran of Borneo and Vietnam, while he, my grandfather and his friends drank from glass flagons and swapped war stories that were funny, bleak, mundane, bittersweet, frightening, sad beyond measure, implausible yet true, and utterly moving.”

Sent back to their whānau in the ‘one cow town’ of Tamariri, Rimini and George aren’t interested in the locals or their family history – they just want to get back to the city.

It was the same for five young men in 1939. Drawn in by the excitement of war, they run away and join the 28th (Māori) Battalion.

A performance of The Battalion at Ōtaki College. Photo by Mark Coote.

“Since the play premiered in 2005, it has been presented throughout the motu in theatres, schools, wharekai, wharenui, youth justice centres, RSA halls, gymnasiums and other locations. I’m hopeful this education resource will help even more young people connect with the story,” says Helen.

Biculturalism in the classroom

Around 140,000 New Zealanders served in World War 2, so it’s unsurprising many students who study the history recognise a personal or whānau connection to the topic.

These diverse experiences and cultural identities were at the front of Susan Battye’s mind in developing The Battalion education resource for Te Rākau.

“I’m hopeful that teachers and students alike can use this resource to deepen their understanding of the play. I try to give people a range of teaching material to create background and deepen the commitment of the young people involved,” says Susan.

“Why would you get young people to look at a story about war? It sounds maudlin. In reality, it’s character-forming ... it’s about people, it’s about sacrifice, it’s about why we choose to act.”

As an experienced educator, Susan is aware of the need for support for teachers who are beginning to introduce te ao Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand’s bicultural history into modern curriculum.

“The resource will help answer questions such as, ‘How should students from a range of backgrounds go about depicting the [Māori] characters? How do I interact with this

play if I am not Māori? Do I have permission?’” says Susan.

“It provides a practical resource teachers can use to bridge any gaps in their knowledge or capacity, so they can get the best results and not overwhelm the essential essence of what is being said.”

History, social division, drama and healing

While originally devised as a play, the historical setting and cultural perspectives in The Battalion make it an ideal text for students of history, drama, Māori studies, English and social studies.

“The exploits of the Māori Battalion hold an iconic place in te ao Māori; its members were heralded on the world stage at a time when Māori back home in Aotearoa were bearing the effects of colonisation,” says Te Rākau director, Jim Moriarty MNZM.

“Some would argue some of those effects have only worsened for our rangatahi today. This resource is going to help young New Zealanders and their teachers examine the impact of history on our current society, not to mention contemporary issues like mental health, justice, and authority.

“Telling this story is one way to honour the whānau who gave their service and their lives to ensure we can retain our liberty and freedoms. Lest we forget.”

“Why would you get young people to look at a story about war? It sounds maudlin. In reality, it’s character-forming ... it’s about people, it’s about sacrifice, it’s about why we choose to act.”

Susan Battye

During rehearsals for The Battalion at Ōtaki College, performers check in to see where everyone’s at and how people are feeling in a porowhita talking circle.

Education Gazette explores theatre Māori at Ōtaki College

In 2022, Te Rākau Theatre worked with the Ōtaki community and Ōtaki College to reinvigorate teachings on Māori history, bringing the past into the future in their production of The Battalion. For four months rangatahi worked diligently alongside Jim Moriarty and practitioners from Te Rākau to deliver five breathtaking performances of the play, showcasing the abundance of talent in the Kāpiti region.

Kaiako Tamsin Dashfield-Speight spoke about the students’ dedication to the piece as she watched them rehearse during their morning and lunch breaks every day prior to the opening night.

Read more in, Theatre Māori breathes life into history and whakapapa.

Te Rakau Theatre practitioners were there to support budding young actors from Ōtaki to rise to the challenge, and the stage.

“Telling this story is one way to honour the whānau who gave their service and their lives to ensure we can retain our liberty and freedoms. Lest we forget.”

Jim Moriarty

Creating an equal opportunity to learn

Kōkirihia – a Plan for Action for removing streaming from our schools by 2030 was launched in Christchurch in March by the Māori Futures Collective.

Jo McLean, Te Rūnanga o Waihao representative to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.

The education system is not a static entity, and Kōkirihia is a great example of the whole of the education sector working together to make a change.

Kōkirihia is about giving students more choice in their future by allowing them to pursue their interests and passions, providing them with equal opportunities to succeed.

Speaking at the launch, researcher and author Dr Hana O’Regan said, “Our education system has been shaped by people for people and we have the power to make a muchneeded change.

“When students are not divided into separate classes based on their abilities, they have an equal opportunity to succeed and access the same resources and opportunities.”

Research has shown that streaming disproportionately affects students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and can perpetuate existing inequalities.

“Streaming has hugely damaging impacts on Māori and Pasifika rangatahi but it’s something we can change, and what’s fantastic is that we know the solution,” said Hana.

Fostering inclusive learning

Eruera Tarena from Tokona Te Raki, Māori Future Makers, said, “It was important to not be fearful of making changes to the education system. Removing streaming from schools can give students more choice in their future by allowing them to pursue their interests and passions.”

Eruera said we can provide environments that encourage all students to reach their full potential.

“It is up to all of us to work together to create a better future for our students, and to help them to discover their strengths and interests, and to explore different career paths.”

While the implementation of this change may be challenging, the benefits are clear.

Andy Jackson, hautū | deputy secretary Te Puna Kaupapahere | Policy at the Ministry of Education said alternative approaches to streaming benefit all learners and foster safe and inclusive learning environments.

“It’s reassuring that these approaches are being used in a growing number of New Zealand schools to achieve better outcomes for learners.”

Removing streaming can help to promote diversity and inclusion in our schools.

Meng Foon, race relations commissioner of New Zealand, said, “By removing streaming from our schools and prioritising the needs and interests of students we can give children a better choice in their future.”

Summing up the feeling at the Kōkirihia launch, Meng Foon said, “It is because of this team’s passion and work we now have a beautiful document to guide us.”

Avonside Girls’ High School – Canterbury

More and more schools are moving away from streaming and Avonside Girls’ High School principal Catherine Law says, “Streaming creates a number of negative consequences, including limiting opportunities for students to learn and grow.

Meng Foon.

Dr Hana O’Regan.

“By removing streaming, we can create a more equitable and empowering learning environment that provides students with greater opportunities to learn and develop.”

When Catherine was deputy principal at Hasting Girls’ High School, they removed streaming completely from the school and she says, “This created a more equitable learning environment that provided all students with the same opportunities to learn and succeed.”

Avonside Girls’ High School head student Manaaki Waretini-Beaumont says, “Removing streaming can help promote a passion of lifelong learning.”

Now a Year 13 student, when she started high school there were tests to see what classes they would be in, and “it didn’t matter what they called the groups we all knew who were in the higher or lower streamed classes.”

This was not the case for her sister who has started this year with no tests; rather her core subjects were based on passion and interests; and teachers have high expectations.

Manaaki says, “By creating an environment where all students are encouraged to learn and grow, students can develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their personal and professional lives.”

The design team

In early 2021, representatives from the Ministry of Education and the Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group came to Tokona te Raki with tono – to bring together education leaders across the sector and design the action plan to drive the desired outcome – ending streaming in Aotearoa.

The design team included representatives from Mātauranga Iwi Leaders Group, rangatahi, secondary school principals, Ministry of Education, NZEI Te Riu Roa,

CORE Education Tātai Aho Rau, Canterbury University, the University of Auckland, PPTA Te Wehengarua, The Professional Learning Association New Zealand, NZQA, and ERO.

The design team came together for a common purpose – to improve the futures of rangatahi. At the launch they talked about their passion and desire to see equal opportunities and outcomes for all students.

The plan is about setting out the steps needed to end streaming in Aotearoa by 2030. It makes the case for the change, and Minister Kelvin Davis said, “Kōkirihia brings this vision to life.”

The design group put those directly impacted by streaming, our rangatahi, at the front of this initiative and they told us two things: they want culturally responsive teachers and an end to the practice of streaming.

The report shows the strength of their voice and that they were heard.

“By removing streaming, we can create a more equitable and empowering learning environment that provides students with greater opportunities to learn and develop.”

Catherine Law

Avonside Girls' High School principal Catherine Law with one of the school's head students, Manaaki.

Addressing bias and stereotyping

On 28 March, champions of destreaming Professor Christine Rubie-Davies and Dr Hana O’Regan led a free webinar – Tūhuratia te Iho Pūmanawa | Addressing bias and stereotyping in teaching practice.

The webinar supported primary and secondary educators to understand more about what it takes to end streaming in their settings, and offered a gateway to:

» uncovering the potential of every ākonga without bias or prejudice

» identifying behaviours of teachers with high expectations

» effective practices for mixed-ability teaching.

Hana began the kōrero by posing three key questions:

» What do we know about the basis upon which the New Zealand education system was formed?

» What were the intentions that sat behind the system, its policies and resulting practices?

» Was equity a consideration?

She went on to explore how the education system was set up in a way that deliberately sought to create inequities of access and opportunities, and relays how streaming was a tool used to achieve this.

“When we’re looking at what was created, we need to think about the purpose of it. The reflection is that education’s purpose was economic growth, and individual advancement. It was very individualistic,” says Hana.

“In contrast, where we’re wanting to move to, is where the purpose isn’t around economic growth or individual advancement, but centrally locating the learner in the context of the environment and the planet, social connection, and us thriving alongside our environment.”

Christine emphasises how the opportunity to learn is the crux of the debate, saying, “In Aotearoa, when students arrive at school at five, they are very quickly put into an ability group in reading, maths, written language, and sometimes other subjects as well.

“Interestingly, the ability group that students end up in in primary school, will predict the stream they are at in secondary school. At secondary school, this plays a large part in the future direction of students once they leave school.”

Watch the full webinar online at core-ed.org.nz

Kōkirihia – the plan to end streaming in our schools. Read more at maorifutures.co.nz/projects/ streaming

A formula for beating maths anxiety

Anxiety about teaching maths is more common than you might think and can result in a self-perpetuating cycle which impacts teachers and learners alike. Three academics unpack how kaiako can instead find empowerment in the subject.

Julie Whyte making maths learning and teaching accessible to candidate teachers in Hawke’s Bay.

Dr Julie Whyte, a teacher educator in the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) programme at EIT | Te Pūkenga, recently completed her EdD thesis, Mathematics anxiety and primary school teachers: The histories, impacts, and influences through Massey University.

When writing her earlier master’s thesis on maths anxiety, Julie discovered that while there was plenty of international research about students and their feelings of anxiety around maths, little research had been done around teachers. Her doctoral research looked at the personal histories and professional lives of 12 primary teachers who self-reported as having anxiety around teaching maths.

“It’s a learned condition, so it can be unlearned. People need to have positive experiences of maths to unlearn their anxiety. So where are we ensuring that learners, and even teachers, gain a challenging, but positive experience to reduce or remove the anxiety they are feeling?” she asks.

The research participants recalled their own learning experiences. They cited a fast pace of teaching, with little time to think or discuss, as contributing to their anxiety. They used words like humiliation, embarrassment, ridicule, pressure, sarcasm and confusion to describe their experiences.

The teachers Julie interviewed all self-reported as having maths teaching anxiety. They reported:

» little belief in themselves teaching maths and becoming nervous before teaching the subject

» a lack of confidence in maths and their ability to respond to students’ ideas and questions

» difficulty in explaining maths concepts

» feeling less mathematically able than some of their students

» tightly controlling the class, which doesn’t encourage the development of learner agency around mathematics learning.

Impact on learning

Julie says the research participants had developed various avoidance strategies.

“Some of them intentionally scheduled maths at

a particular time that they knew was likely to get shortened. They let other curriculum areas sneak in and snaffle maths time. One teacher was not teaching across the whole mathematical learning area – they focused on the strands that they felt comfortable with.”

Julie says all the teachers were very concerned about the impact they might have on their students’ learning because of their anxiety.

“When I started analysing the interviews, it stood out for me that the teachers themselves showed mathematical care for their students. They initiated selfdirected professional learning. If they had difficulty with the PLD provided for them in schools, they undertook their own.

“Several of the teachers stayed teaching in the lower levels of primary school because it didn’t raise their anxiety levels and they also felt better equipped to be able to manage that level of maths teaching in a more professional and positive way. They spent huge amounts of time developing understanding of the maths that was to be taught and they wanted their teaching to be the best it could be for their learners.”

Maths and emotions

Julie believes the cycle can be broken and that supporting teachers is a good place to start.

“Cognition and thinking can’t be separated from emotions. Whatever your brain is learning or thinking about is connected strongly to emotion.

“First, teachers have to acknowledge their maths anxiety because they often keep it hidden from others –then they are more likely to seek help,” she says.

She also believes that maths anxiety is not an individual’s responsibility, saying, “It belongs to everyone – the person experiencing it, their colleagues, the schools, principals, facilitators of PLD and ITE providers. We need to be working together.”

Dr Naomi Ingram couldn’t agree more about the importance of acknowledging emotions in maths. She argues that teachers’ feelings about teaching mathematics are complex and operate on a macro and a micro level.

“It’s a learned condition, so it can be unlearned. People need to have positive experiences of maths to unlearn their anxiety.”

Julie Whyte

“They have day-to-day feelings and emotions about particular topics. For example, they might be more comfortable with geometry and not so comfortable with fractions. They might have those dayto-day emotions, but they also have overall relationships with the subject and on a macro basis they have these beliefs about how hard maths is, or how important maths is. The quality of their teaching is impacted by how comfortable and confident they are with maths and maths teaching.”

Addressing avoidance

Naomi, who is the associate dean of initial teacher education at the University of Otago’s College of Education, applauds Julie’s research, which she says ties in with international research showing teachers became more anxious before they start maths teaching because of their own classroom experiences.

“They’ve got this habit of engagement and non-engagement and they try and disengage when they can. Then they have this identity about ‘I am a good maths teacher’, or ‘I am a bad maths teacher’,” she says.

“It’s hard for teachers because they have had to navigate a lot of change in teaching approaches in the last 15 years. I think we acknowledge that some teachers know the maths, but they’ve been told to teach it another way and it’s very confusing and teachers want to get it right – they know how important it is. They experience terrible tension when there’s a gap between how they think they should be teaching and how they are teaching,” adds Naomi.

Otago’s College of Education looks at each student teacher’s relationships with maths, whether it’s their mathematical knowledge, their beliefs about the subject, how to teach it, the importance of engagement, or where feelings and emotions fit into it.

“Doing maths themselves is important. We have a big problemsolving assignment, and they must think about what problems they would choose to do with their students. But they’ve got to analyse the feelings and emotions they have because we’re teaching them

Students at EIT’s Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) programme work together to explain a maths problem.

A candidate teacher explains her problem solving to Julie.

how to use those as a signal to change strategy, not to give up. We really work on normalising confusion and emotions when doing maths,” says Naomi.

Naomi and her team believe that teacher training is where transformation can happen and the cycle can be broken.

“Mathematical knowledge is very cumulative and if you’ve got a bit missing your ‘tower’ wobbles. The other whole side of it is their pedagogical content knowledge. Part of that is being explicit about how feelings and emotions, when doing or teaching maths, impacts learning. Confusion feels negative sometimes but that’s a normal part of doing maths,” she says.

Joy of maths

Dr Pania Te Maro (ko Ngāti Pōrou te iwi, ko te whānau a Pōkai te hapū) is irrepressibly enthusiastic about the beauty and creativity of maths.

The kaihautū Māori for Te Kura o te Mātauranga, and associate dean Māori for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey University has been involved in initial teacher education, adult literacy and numeracy and teaching in kura kaupapa for decades.

When Pania noticed that teacher trainees were hiding what they didn’t know about maths, she tried to find ways to help them enjoy it.

“My initial approach with trainees is – how do you feel about it? Talk to each other, get that off our shoulders. Nobody is going to laugh or put you down and you may find the majority of people are in the same boat.

“The second one is – I’m going to make you do something really hard that you never thought you could do and I’m going to show you that you can. Then when that happens, they might try something else. Their own personal journey must go first.”

The gatekeeper

Pania’s PhD research looked at the high status of maths in western society and she says this adds to the pressure teachers may feel about the subject.

“Why does maths classify us and format our students’ identity? I watched gifted students crumple in a heap when it came to maths.

“[French philosopher Michel] Foucault uses the term ‘power/knowledge’ to signify that power is constituted through accepted forms of knowledge, scientific understanding and ‘truth’. Foucault described how accepted forms of knowledge keep people in narrow, pre-determined roles and patterns of thinking. Maths is a gatekeeper – people are sorted out according to their ability in maths.”

Pania says maths has a distinct body of knowledge, which is ‘absolutely beautiful’.

“You can play with it. We do a tiny part of maths in schools. Somebody selected those parts that we do for another purpose – for skills such as budgeting, architecture, building, science; but some of it is purely for assessment. The assessment becomes a way to format the identities of our students,” she says.

Dr Naomi Ingram with a teacher educator award.

Dr Pania Te Maro.

Mātauranga Māori

As a kaiako in kura for 13 years, Pania only came across two ākonga Māori who couldn’t do maths. She believes those two students would now be diagnosed with dyscalculia.

“My experiences with Māori students in kura are that they can all do maths. I didn’t have any notion that anybody couldn’t do maths – I thought everybody can do it and everybody loves maths!” she laughs.

Mātauranga Māori can help in the way teaching maths is approached, she says.

“It’s whanaungatanga and it’s always knowing that people can do it. The other part is they are whole precious people whether they can do maths or not,” she says.

Pania wants people to explore possibilities with maths and gives an example of how the distribution of 120 pipi between Kaumātua at four whare can be done in a maths way, or a tikanga Māori way.

“There are a variety of answers. It could depend on how many people are in the whare. You would actually say: ‘Nan you take as many as you want’ and if there’s not enough, you’d go back and get some more, so there’s a

human distribution.

“Maths distributes in another way – just as beautiful. It’s still got its own distinct world. We can deal with it –all we’ve got to do is figure out how it works. When you distribute in maths, it has to be equally distributed but then you might say, ‘If you get 30 pipis per whare, if you do it mathematically, is it still equally distributed?’

“Our tikanga for sharing is not the same as maths – we can’t make it mathematical. So, if teachers are going to use Māori contexts, they need to look at the mātauranga Māori in that context, don’t just make it a maths problem.”

Solving the problem

Julie, Pania and Naomi are all on the same page: acknowledge your fears about maths, find the gaps and plug them, practice and play with maths, and support each other to build knowledge and confidence.

“People who want to go back to basics are shutting the doors to all the other magical ways to see numbers. If ākonga don’t learn to see a number and pull it apart into different pieces, they’re going to struggle when it comes to higher level maths,” concludes Pania.

“People who want to go back to basics are shutting the doors to all the other magical ways to see numbers. If ākonga don’t learn to see a number and pull it apart into different pieces, they’re going to struggle when it comes to higher level maths.”

Pania Te Maro

The anxiety cycle can be broken when trainee teachers are supported to overcome their fears and knowledge gaps.

Building a supportive maths culture

» Initial teacher education (ITE) should focus on maths anxiety, as well as effective pedagogy and fundamental maths content.

» Maths anxiety is not an individual issue or responsibility but should also be owned by school personnel, PLD providers, ITE and the Ministry of Education.

» PLD opportunities should not only involve mathematical knowledge and teaching practice but extend to the emotional aspects of teaching and learning as well.

» In team or staff meetings, share positive and negative experiences, as well as useful and non-useful teaching practices with maths.

Dr Julie Whyte.

» Plan as a group and share knowledge and resources.

» Build each other’s maths and use each other as resources.

» Role model and do maths as teachers.

» There is a place for short courses that help to fill in the gaps.

» Have fun – you may have a book week, do you have a maths week?

Further reading

» Mathematics anxiety and primary school teachers: The histories, impacts, and influences, Julie Whyte

» Foundation Content Knowledge: What Do Pre-Service Teachers Need to Know? Linsell, C., & Anakin, M. (2013). Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia

» Diagnostic assessment of pre-service teachers’ mathematical content knowledge. Linsell, C., & Anakin, M. (2012). Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, 14(2), 4-27.

» Growing Mathematics Teachers: Pre-Service Primary Teachers’ Relationships with Mathematics. Ingram, N., Linsell, C., & Offen, B. (2018). Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, 20(3), 41-60.

Common Practice Model

The Common Practice Model (CPM) is an opportunity to reimagine the future of teaching and learning literacy, communication and maths.

Dr Pania Te Maro and Dr Naomi Ingram were both part of the contributor groups that have been developing principles and identifying pedagogical approaches that will be the basis of the model.

The contributor groups represent a broad range of experience and expertise from classroom teachers to academics, researchers, and initial teacher education (ITE) providers.

Read more in Education Gazette article, Model to address literacy, communication and maths.

To access these resources, check out this article online at gazette.education.nz

Love for students keeps long-time teacher in the classroom

With six decades of teaching under her belt, Jeanette Aker isn’t planning to leave the classroom any time soon. The reason?

“I’ve got to say, I love the students.”

Education Gazette had trouble catching up with Jeanette, who as well as teaching numeracy at Waitaki Girls’ High School and tutoring maths, is a keen cyclist and completed the New York Marathon in 2016.

“I’ve just had my 80th birthday and I feel about 40. I made all the family do a triathlon for my 80th and then we all went out to lunch. It was a good birthday!” she laughs.

Jeanette began her long teaching career in 1963 after doing a two-year diploma in maths and science at Christchurch Teachers’ College.

“Because they were so short of teachers at that time, they thought ‘we’ll get these girls from school and train them up, they’ll get married, and we won’t see them again’.”

Jeanette with a group of Year 13 students. She has relieved in their classes over the years, and forged strong connections with them.

Photo by: Anna McIntosh.

First jobs

In fact, Jeanette has had few career breaks in 60 years, which have included principalships at Waitaki Girls’ High School and St Oran’s College in Lower Hutt.

“I had two weeks off when my son was born. I was at Southland Boys’ High School and they were desperate for teachers. The day after I had my son, they said ‘when are you coming back’. I just kept going – I was very lucky, I had lots of great people looking after the children.

“I moved to Dargaville High School as a solo parent with my son and daughter. They were very, very good in Dargaville. They had a whole row of schoolhouses and a very good principal who went all around New Zealand and sold the school. When teachers got there, he made it really good. I think we stayed four years,” she recalls.

That wraparound support made a big difference when Jeanette began her first teaching job at the age of 19 at Queen Elizabeth College in Palmerston North.

“The staff at my first school were so kind to me. I couldn’t work out why they were babying me because I felt quite grown up. Queen Elizabeth College was a tough school, but it was good because I was looked after. I suppose I was as young as some of the students.

“I taught mostly low ability classes because it was all streamed then. Once I got to know them, they were really

good. The DP used to come in on a Friday afternoon and do a little exercise with the class to give me a break. And the head of maths had me in his class. I would be watching and sometimes I could take the classes. We didn’t have a full teaching load,” she says.

Changes in teaching maths

Jeanette’s teaching career has taken her from Northland to Southland and schools in between. She completed a BEd, MEd and MBA extramurally and has written two student and teacher maths books: Maths to Go, Books 1 and 2 for Ryan Publications.

There have been many changes in approaches to teaching maths over 60 years, but Jeanette says she has tended to stick to a few basic principles.

“They’ve brought in different maths strategies approximately every 10 years. We started at Southland Boys’ with the SET theory which I think they do at university now. Then they brought in the numeracy project where you taught everything a hundred different ways, which was crazy.

“There’s a lot of talk trying to explain it in a theoretical way. I think particularly the primary teachers got lost in what they had to do. I think that sticking to the basics is the best, and time on task – these students have to get their heads down.”

Keeping it simple with a group of Year 9 numeracy students. Photo by: Nethmi Madawala Liyaddage.

Confidence in maths

Jeanette believes classes for those less confident in maths should be taught by the most experienced teachers.

“Now I teach numeracy. I’ve had all this experience. I know exactly how to do it. The school [Waitaki Girls’ High School] has identified some students who are less confident in maths and they’ve taken them out of one of their options and given them extra maths – that’s Year 9 and Year 10 numeracy.

“The main thing is to make them feel more confident. I also tutor after-school maths, and students come in from Year 6, 7, 8 and their parents say ‘they’re terrible at maths’. But they love coming because we do things they can do and suddenly it’s not me doing the work, it’s them. They become confident!”

Highs and lows

Jeanette feels proud when former students say she made a difference.

“I just think every little step helps them – it might not be anything much, but you might make a little impression that helps them to become a success. Many students have come back and acknowledged me, and I didn’t realise at the time!

“The lows are when you’ve got all this work to do and you don’t know how you’re going to get it done, but you get it done. And you’re always thinking about your work. People

who think teachers go 9–3 and have all these holidays, have no idea.

“I’ve been thinking these holidays ‘what am I going to do with these numeracy girls in term 2?’ You’re just always thinking about it – it’s good. I think you have to keep positive – that’s the main thing,” concludes Jeanette.

Being principal of Waitaki Girls’ High School during its centenary was a personal high for Jeanette.

Jeanette keeps active and healthy on her bike.

Southern Cross supports International Students

With international students returning to Aotearoa

New Zealand, Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) is working with schools to make sure they have the necessary insurance in place to start their studies.

All international students are required to have medical and travel insurance complying with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority’s (NZQA) Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners.

SCTI CEO Jo McCauley says its International Student travel insurance is designed to meet those requirements, offering support to inbound students attending secondary schools and tertiary institutions here in New Zealand.

“We’re New Zealand’s most trusted travel insurer and the winner of the ITIJ International Travel and Health Insurer of the year 2022. This means we have your back. We believe we are the best choice based on our reliability, experience, and service. Being New Zealand owned and operated means we’re also in-country and better able to support students and their caregivers, should something not go according to plan.

“Acknowledging the extra pressure international students have faced in recent years, we have expanded coverage in some important areas. For example, we have increased mental health cover from $20,000 to $30,000 per person, per year.”

The SCTI International Student travel insurance policy includes cover for:

• unlimited medical and evacuation, including cover for Covid-19

• changes to a journey

• personal accident

• personal liability

• cash and travel documents

• baggage and personal items

Students are also covered if they return to their home country for a visit of up to 90 days while still studying in New Zealand. SCTI also offers cover for travel that relates to the student’s course anywhere in the world.

Parents and guardians can also take out their own International Student policy if they are accompanying an international student with a student visa and hold a guardian visa themselves, while other friends and extended family wanting to visit a student while they are in Aotearoa can access SCTI’s Visiting New Zealand policy. McCauley says, “We’re about being ‘with you’ as you travel, regardless of where you are in the world and it’s our privilege to be able to support students, their families and their friends as they soak up everything Aotearoa New Zealand has to offer.”

Curriculum a big focus at Teacher Only Day

Resilience was a leading theme of a Teacher Only Day that attracted more than 600 teachers from primary, intermediate and secondary schools across the Franklin district.

‘Bounce, flow, connect and grow’ was one of the takehome phrases for participants of the hugely popular Franklin Teacher Only Day event held in late April at Pukekohe Park Racecourse.

Insights into how educators choose to spend moments outside of school prompted much reflection, and some raucous laughter, from audiences of Dr Sven Hansen’s sharing on ‘Rhythm and Resilience’ as a factor in wellbeing.

Eye-opening statistics, such as a study that found adults, on average, check their phone 220 times per day, were cause for real reflection and review of how we extract ourselves from our devices and ensure we rest while away from work.

Sleep and its role in maintaining healthy mental and physical states was discussed, with much interest being derived from the concept of routine in relation to our own unique circadian rhythms.

Educators were asked to probe their own sleep patterns and decide if they were owls or larks. Advice from The Resilience Institute about the benefits of a 15-minute powernap after lunch was received with much agreement and amusement.

Curriculum change

Dr Deborah Lomax unpacked the kaupapa of Te Mataiho and the importance of inclusion as a cornerstone of change. She invited educators to assess their level of readiness around The New Zealand Curriculum refresh and pointed to some of these upcoming changes.

Glenbrook Primary School principal Lysandra Stuart ran a session highlighting the mahi of the Waiuku Kāhui Ako, including work alongside mana whenua Ngāti Te Ata.

Top left: Nicole Kennedy-Smith and Julie Lawson.

Bottom left: Vision Education’s Leitia Preston.

Right: Lunchtime kōrero overlooking the racecourse.

Comparing these to the 2007 curriculum, Deborah noted the refreshed framework’s importance as a whakapapa based around seven components, which call on schools to enact three curriculum principles to ensure equity and inclusion for all ākonga. She explained the five phases of learning will contain 40 progress outcomes across eight learning areas, all with Mātauranga Māori at the heart of learning.

Dr Shaun Hawthorne dived into the Progressions Framework and the Understand, Know, Do model of the curriculum refresh, providing an overview and evidencing research that backs these models.

His presentation shared the integrated and impactful approaches embedded in its design and allowed educators to review and reflect on many facets of the new-look curriculum by presenting progress outcome examples, prompting discussion and requesting feedback on the refresh.

Kāhui ako sessions

Each of Franklin’s lead principals’ group led kāhui ako sessions, with co-organiser of the event, Glenbrook Primary School principal Lysandra Stuart, running a session highlighting the mahi of the Waiuku Kāhui Ako, including work alongside mana whenua Ngāti Te Ata.

Lysandra emphasised some of the practicalities of this work and celebrated achievements of local schools, such as work with wahi tapu (sacred places) and other taonga or treasures in the local communities.

She issued important reminders to kaiako regarding the curriculum refresh, saying, “We are not throwing the baby out with the bath water. We are already doing amazing things in our classes, which we will continue to do.”

Throughout each session there was a big focus on the new curriculum refresh. The across-school teachers talked about each of their workstreams (Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and Literacy), what they have focused on and their next steps.

Alongside Pukekohe Kāhui Ako, the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum (ANZHC) team unpacked mahi undertaken in the last 12 months, providing an explanation of the model in terms of the spread and scale of the work across the kāhui ako.

Understand, know, do

Hayden Brill, lead principal of Pukekohe Kāhui Ako, says the event provided the opportunity for valuable review and reflection.

“Throughout each kāhui ako session there was a big focus on the new curriculum refresh and unpacking the Understand, Know and Do areas within the refresh.”

Vision Education’s Leitia Preston also delved into links to Understand, Know and Do, and discussed the local history of the area.

Leitia gave clear explanations around the authority within iwi and mana whenua to speak around local curriculum and history.

Throughout her discussion, Leitia identified how to be culturally responsive, particularly when asking tamariki to prepare and present a pepeha, ensuring the appropriate use of the pepeha for Māori and Pacific learners.

Tikanga is often used in schools and Leitia discussed how, while schools are competently addressing the ‘Do’ aspect of the curriculum, they do not always focus on the ‘Understand’ and ‘Know’ aspects.

“They [schools] ‘Do’ aspects of tikanga. This is now what all schools are tasked with: to identify what ‘Understand’ and ‘Know’ are really all about. This is the focus for each of the workstream representatives to learn about then share within their own schools.”

Sense of unity

A newly written waiata, Puketapu, was shared with attendees by the local kaipurakau team, and tells the story of how Ngāti Te Ata descended.

Whaea Ngaatipikiao (Piki) Jakeman and Lysandra outlined the opportunities kapa haka and waiata bring to the classroom and how they link to Te Mataiho, marau ā-kura | local curriculum, Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and their kāhui ako education plan for Māori.

“For our teachers, students and whānau, learning waiata about the rohe and whakapapa of our tupuna written by our local iwi is not only brilliant history recall, but engaging and uplifting,” says Lysandra.

“This is a wonderful way to reinforce te reo me nga tikanga. The Waiuku Kāhui Ako Māori media project allows us to gift our teachers the stories correctly in a way that is utilised daily in the classroom across all our schools.”

Jonathan Salisbury, lead principal of Tuakau Kāhui Ako, welcomed the chance to unite local teaching professionals in person for a day of learning and sharing.

“It was a valuable opportunity for all Franklin educators to come

together and receive a unified message,” he says.

“As educators, we understand that our work is never truly finished, and we are always looking for ways to better support the growth and development of our students.

“This event emphasised the importance of working together as a community, sharing our knowledge and resources, and learning from one another.”

Valuable discussion

Te Kāhui Ako o te Puuaha o Waikato presented their shared focus and the resources available to educators in the areas of learning, learning support, transitions, and assessment.

The information presented by the across-school leaders was both informative and practical, providing educators with valuable insights and tools that can be applied to their daily work.

Event co-lead Lysandra was buoyed by the level of engagement in terms of numbers of attendees and praised the quality of content, related discussion and learning.

“A special thanks to the Ministry of Education for resourcing this day. Every curriculum needs to be resourced correctly and the most valuable resource for schools is time.

“It is so important that we can have all our schools and teachers together to hear, unpack and engage in the same message.

“It’s easy to itemise all the things we get annoyed about or hoha, but national Teacher Only Days to tautoko the work we do in our districts is valuable.”

Lysandra celebrated the achievements of local schools.

Pink Shirt Day is coming up on Friday

19 May 2023! Your school might have organised activities for rangatahi and tamariki to get involved in, so why not get your fellow teachers and staff to join the movement too?

We have a suite of resources to help bring Pink Shirt Day to life for your staff, including:

• The official workplace bullying prevention toolkit, packed with tips to create inclusive environments where bullying can’t flourish

• Bullying prevention webinar with leading experts in workplace wellbeing/health and safety, mental health, and diversity and equity in Aotearoa

• Poster sets, email signatures, Zoom backgrounds and activities to activate Pink Shirt Day in the staff room and online

• Printable workplace certificates to hand out a big paki paki to your colleagues

…and more!

Find out more and access these resources at pinkshirtday.org.nz/engage/workplaces

“It is so important that we can have all our schools and teachers together to hear, unpack and engage in the same message.”

Lysandra Stuart

MAI, KŌRERO ATU, MAURI TŪ, MAURI ORA

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Girls’ wellbeing initiative making an impact in Northland

A physical and mental wellbeing pilot programme for tamawāhine in the Far North, developed alongside the tamariki involved, has proved so successful it is set to become a permanent fixture.

The Go Girls initiative, supported by Tū Manawa funding through Sport Northland, is addressing issues around health and wellbeing education in the region by creating a relaxed and accessible environment for girls to give sports a go.

The successful pilot, which finished at the end of 2022, saw 36 Year 5–8 girls from Opononi Area, Paparore and Pukenui schools take part in hourlong weekly sessions delivered in collaboration with Northern Region Football, KittedNZ, I Am Hope, and Kerikeri Gymnastics.

The sessions were a mix of practical and active learning activities like football, alongside discussions around nutrition, health, and wellbeing.

Asked about their experience in Go Girls, one ākonga said it was fun learning something they wouldn’t normally be doing, while another said she became more aware that she was brave, and a third said she liked to use her energy.

“I liked learning to build confidence to do a handstand,” says one ākonga.

“It was good talking and knowing how my friends feel,” says another.

The success of the programme reflects research from Sport NZ, which suggests that creating an environment that is supportive and fun is the largest contributor to young girls engaging in physical activity.

Although 96 percent of young women aged 12–17 understand why taking part in physical activity is good for them, 68 percent will avoid participating in activities when they do not feel confident in their bodies.

Social judgement and confidence in their bodies and their abilities all factor into a young woman’s decision to engage.

Project coordinator James Coleman says the voice of participants, and taking a holistic approach to wellbeing, were central to the pilot’s design and success. This included workshopping with a select group of students about what content they wanted to cover.

“Mixing the nutrition, health and wellbeing education with the agility and awareness of gymnastics and the balance and coordination of football gave the girls the ability to learn in a relaxed, fun environment,” he says.

He also attributes the pilot’s success to the enthusiasm of the three schools involved, the partners and coordinators’ mahi and the upbeat attitudes of participants.

“The way they interacted, gave new things a go and were open about themselves was truly amazing.”

Success signals growth

With Go Girls set to become permanent this year, another 13 kura in Kaitaia, Hokianga, Mid North and Bay of Islands have signed up.

“Mixing the nutrition, health and wellbeing education with the agility and awareness of gymnastics and the balance and coordination of football gave the girls the ability to learn in a relaxed, fun environment.”

James Coleman

“They all acknowledged the need for such a programme within their schools and communities and signed up immediately,” says James.

There’s also a new partner, Ngāti Hine Health Trust, which will help deliver the mental health aspect.

“Softball has expressed an interest in being part of the programme, and on top of that we’re looking to create ‘super coaches’ for a unique hybrid gymnastics/football format and experience,” says James.

Sport Northland’s Janine Moy says she is excited Go Girls has gained traction.

“We know that girls participate less in sport and recreation opportunities, so it’s fantastic to see initiatives specifically for girls that provide safe, fun and supportive opportunities, particularly in the more rural areas of Northland where access can be an issue for them to participate.”

Go Girls partner, Kitted NZ’s Jaime Pavlicevic, said the success of the initiative further supported the need for a collaborative and holistic approach.

“This programme provides opportunities to build recreational and social needs for the girls that focus on being healthy, happy and active,” she says.

Holistic approaches

Go Girls is just one initiative supported by Sport Northland that aims to get girls more active through taking a holistic approach to wellbeing.

Two of the initial schools are also part of Healthy Active Learning – a joint government initiative between Sport NZ, Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand and the Ministry of Education to improve the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi through healthy eating and drinking and quality physical activity.

The locally led programme, now in over 900 schools across the motu, sees a physical activity workforce from regional sports trusts, like Sport Northland, supporting schools and kura to create quality physical activity environments that are inclusive of all ākonga.

Across Northland there have been several girl-friendly and girls-only physical activity events and hauora days at Healthy Active Learning schools, all informed by the wants and needs of the students.

#ItsMyMove

The #ItsMyMove campaign is supporting young women and girls to be active their way.

A year ago, Sport NZ set out on a mission to build confidence in young women, understand how to make sport and recreation more accessible and fun, and support them to lead healthy, active lives. Learn more at itsmymove.org.nz.

Physical activity in schools made easier

Sport NZ is committed to supporting schools and kura so all students can take part in quality physical activity and enjoy being active in ways that suit them. This enhances their learning and contributes to their wellbeing.

Find out more about how Sport NZ is supporting teachers and schools at sportnz.org.nz/schools.

OPINION: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

How ChatGPT can be a valuable asset to education

In recent years, there has been a growing trend of utilising artificial intelligence (AI) in education to enhance learning experiences. One such AI tool that has recently sparked conversation and gained popularity is ChatGPT-4. Education Gazette shares discussion from one tertiary learning designer.

This article is an opinion piece and does not necessarily represent the position of the Ministry of Education. There is a duty of care to warn of potential harms and risks around the early release of technologies like ChatGPT given they have little to no safeguards. Teachers, parents and whānau should be aware that ChatGPT has a minimum age requirement of 18 for its users.

We will continue to explore this topic as new information emerges and would love to hear about your experiences with AI in the classroom, including ChatGPT. Get in touch by emailing gazette@education.govt.nz.

For some, the thought of a system that can write answers for assessment questions with little input from students has caused concern. Unlike websites that offer paid assessment writing for students, systems such as ChatGPT-4 are free and much faster.

A warning on the Massey University student portal website states, “Artificial Intelligence platforms such as ChatGPT can potentially be useful tools in your learning, but using them might cause you to do things that are considered to be dishonest academic behaviour.”

While there is the potential for students to use the system to ‘cheat’, there are many, if not more, opportunities for good.

ChatGPT has only further highlighted the potential for AI to have significant implications – both positive and negative, across the system – at a classroom level and beyond.

ChatGPT is a Large Language Model developed by OpenAI that uses natural language processing (NLP) to generate human-like responses to a wide range of questions and prompts. This tool has been used in various fields, including customer service, healthcare, and finance, but its potential in education is still being explored.

Personalised learning

ChatGPT can be used as a virtual assistant for students, providing them with immediate feedback on their work. It can answer questions, provide explanations, and even suggest study materials based on a student’s individual needs and interests.

Peter Welch, a learning designer at Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, says, “It can provide personalised learning opportunities for students through its learning and content recommendations and intelligent tutoring systems.”

A key advantage in using ChatGPT in education is that it can adapt to each student’s unique learning style and pace.

For example, if you ask ChatGPT to provide you with resources to write an essay about a particular topic, it will generate ideas about the type of sources to look for and

provide some to start with. It can also re-write articles or learning materials in a style that best suits the learner.

ChatGPT can also be used to enhance collaborative learning by facilitating group discussions and brainstorming sessions. It can suggest discussion topics, provide prompts to keep the conversation going, and even summarise the key points of the discussion for future reference.

Critical thinking

Large Language Models like ChatGPT can be unreliable, as they compile text convincingly, but do not understand what they have created.

Experiments with current versions of AI have demonstrated that they haven’t been taught to discern truth from fiction, and therefore to reply to factual queries with facts. Although it doesn’t actually know what the ‘truth’ is, it can, for example, reply to learner queries with plausible sounding but factually incorrect answers.

This presents new challenges for educators, but also opportunities to make learning relevant and exciting.

Teachers can use AI to develop critical thinking skills, particularly around how to discern true from less truthful responses online. The Literacy & Communications and Maths strategy and Hei Raukura Mō te Mokopuna recognise that critical literacy includes being literate in a digital space.

Peter says students also need to realise that ChatGPT is not a complete substitute and can get things wrong – it can generate responses using incorrect sources, particularly if the instructions are not clear.

It is therefore important to let students know they need to ‘fact check’ anything that is written by ChatGPT, which in turn can create the critical thinking and literacy opportunities.

Peter gives an example of a learning opportunity, saying teachers can get students to ask ChatGPT to write a report but then have students check its accuracy and write where there may be errors and where it is correct. This can help students who are not talented writers display their understanding of a topic.

“It can provide personalised learning opportunities for students through its learning and content recommendations and intelligent tutoring systems.”

Peter Welch

Knowing when and how to utilise AI safely in a learning environment is going to require continual consideration, and it will be important to ask complex questions including, ‘How do we make sure Māori values and the aspirations of whānau, hāpu, and iwi are reflected?’

Generative AI like ChatGPT have been trained on content that can be freely accessed on the internet, and most of this content reflects contemporary, dominant cultures and languages. This means that the tools may not be able to provide results that reflect indigenous knowledge.

A new tool in the kete

Peter says teachers can benefit from ChatGPT by using it to automate certain tasks, such as grading multiple-choice quizzes.

A YouTube segment which shows how teachers can use ChatGPT for grading work demonstrates just how quickly detailed and positive feedback can be generated through supplying a marking rubric along with the assignments. This same type of feedback can be used by students to see how their assignment might be graded and what the weaknesses are.

According to Peter, ChatGPT can also be incorporated into education by using predictive analytics to identify students who may need additional support and utilising virtual assistants for administrative tasks.

However, it is important to note that ChatGPT is not a substitute for human interaction and should not be relied on as the sole source of feedback and support.

Using ChatGPT or similar tools for marking work could also be unfair, as it does not understand the basis for the judgements so this could be discriminatory.

It is merely a tool that can enhance the learning experience and facilitate more meaningful interactions between students and teachers.

Challenges to consider

Even when ChatGPT is used to aid learning in these ways, Peter explains there are some potential downsides in using AI such as ChatGPT.

“There is the potential for further widening the digital divide and exacerbating existing inequalities in access to education and resources.”

Peter does add that there are ways to help overcome this, saying, “This threat can be overcome by ensuring that AI is designed and implemented in an inclusive and equitable manner, and that policies are put in place to address any potential biases or disparities.

“This includes ensuring access to AI technologies and training for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, and ensuring that AI systems are transparent and accountable.”

To help educators adapt the use of AI technology in their teaching practice, Peter suggests:

» Staying up to date on current AI trends and developments

» Being critical consumers of AI technologies and advocating for transparent and ethical AI practices

» Ensuring that AI technologies are implemented in a way that is inclusive and equitable

» Providing training for students and staff on how to use and interact with AI systems

» Using AI technologies to enhance, rather than replace, human interaction and engagement in the classroom.

“The future for AI in education is likely to involve further integration of AI technologies into classroom instruction and administration, as well as continued development of personalised learning experiences and adaptive learning technologies,” says Peter.

Research is also well underway across the wider sector, as illustrated by a 2020 OECD Report.

Further reading and news on ChatGPT

2020 OECD Report: Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in Education

One News – Chat GPT use being considered by education sector Stuff – ChatGPT: How teachers are bringing AI tech into the classroom

Radio New Zealand – ChatGPT could be used to improve learning in schools, PPTA, AI expert say

Running a creative project for ākonga in 2024?

Check out Creatives in Schools

The Creatives in Schools programme provides funding of up to $17,000 per project.

Your project can be any type of artform such as visual, performance, design, digital arts, Pacific arts and ngā toi Māori.

Round 5 opens June 2023

Plan ahead and start preparing your application along with your partner artist or a creative professional ahead of the opening date.

For application tips and checklist, visit: creativesinschools.tki.org.nz

For questions, email: CreativesinSchools@education.govt.nz

Unpacking cyber security and digital support

In this article, Education Gazette outlines the services and support on offer to schools and kura, and explores what is in the pipeline as the Ministry of Education’s Cyber Security and Digital Support programme continues to build over the next few years.

CYBER SECURITY

Technology is an integral part of education for rangatahi. Cyber-attacks on the education sector are becoming increasingly common and more sophisticated, making it more important that the IT setups in schools and kura are secure.

Schools and kura should prioritise taking preventative cyber security actions to avoid facing the prospect of disruption to learning by being locked out of systems and devices, losing their students’ sensitive information, and financial loss.

New services for schools and kura

The Ministry of Education has established the Cyber Security and Digital Support Programme to support schools with these challenges. The programme aims to:

» improve the safety and security of the digital learning environment

» reduce the burden on schools and kura to manage digital systems to enable more time for schools to focus on the core activity of teaching and learning

» provide equitable access to quality digital services and support to kura and schools.

SchoolDNS – available now

The online identity of a school or kura is important. While it’s never a school’s intention to let their domain name or web presence fall by the wayside, renewing Domain Name System (DNS) registration and hosting for the year is one of those annual tasks that is easy to forget.

Figuring out which staff member is responsible for the domain can be problematic, and this process can be made more complicated if that staff member no longer works at the school.

The new SchoolDNS service offers free DNS registration and hosting for schools. By centralising the registration and renewal process of domain names for busy schools and kura the Ministry aims to increase the level of security and control that schools have over their domain name(s).

For schools and kura who opt in, this service will reduce instances where DNS registrations expire or are exposed to malicious activity.

Schools retain ownership and control of their domain name through access to the DNS portal. Through this portal schools can easily make account changes such as updating key admin staff and contact details.

The SchoolDNS service offers schools and kura the following:

» Set up and running costs for up to two domain names, including any number of subdomains

» Yearly registration renewal as a default. This ensures continuity of the domain and reduces the risk of losing access to the domain temporarily or permanently

» A higher level of reliability and security that meets New Zealand government requirements

» Two-factor authentication on login to the portal to protect against unwanted access

» Ability to delegate a separate login to IT provider to make changes on your behalf

» 24/7 support based in New Zealand

» Reduced administration risks – the centralised service offers continuity for domains that won’t be affected by staff turnover at schools and kura.

The service is provided by Liverton Security, who register domains for New Zealand government agencies, including govt.nz, health.nz and parliament.nz domains.

Keeping ākonga safe online is key to the Ministry’s Cyber Security and Digital Support programme.

Safer Technologies for Schools – in development

Software and technology play a vital role in the daily operations of schools and kura, as well as improving education outcomes for students. But when selecting software products, it can be hard to know if they come with any security and privacy risks.

The Ministry of Education has joined an initiative called Safer Technologies for Schools (ST4S) to help take some of the guesswork out of choosing technology for schools and kura.

ST4S reports and badges

ST4S provides a catalogue of reports on commonly used school software, which have been assessed against a set of security and privacy standards. The confidential reports identify any risks and advise on how these might be mitigated.

Based on the information in the reports, schools and kura can consider any privacy or security risks and make an informed decision on software choices.

In addition, software products that are assessed as low or medium risk are eligible for an ST4S badge. Suppliers can display their badge to easily identify and promote that the product has been assessed and meets ST4S minimum standards.

When considering ST4S badged products, it’s important to take note of the “recognised countries” shown on the ST4S website.

Many existing ST4S reports pre-date New Zealand participation in the scheme. As such, while they provide a good indication of the privacy and security protections for specific products, they may not fully reflect New Zealandspecific requirements. The Ministry is working with ST4S and suppliers to address this and the ST4S website will be updated as the work progresses.

ST4S reports are available to state and state-integrated schools by contacting the Ministry at digital.services@education.govt.nz. Access for private schools can also be arranged.

Self-service access to reports is in development and expected to be available in 2023.

Help to identify software products for assessment

The Ministry is seeking help from schools and kura to identify common software products and technology they use – that does not have an ST4S badge. The Ministry is working with EdTech suppliers to participate in the ST4S assessment process but needs help to identify and prioritise products.

Schools and kura can contact the Ministry team at digital.services@education.govt.nz.

Self-assessment tool – in development

The self-assessment tool provides a platform for schools and kura to answer a set of survey questions related to their school’s IT set up.

It covers categories such as IT security, online safety and privacy. It will help schools and kura discover which areas it is strong in and identify improvements.

Based on the answers provided, schools and kura will receive a tailored action plan outlining the key steps that they can take for the highest immediate impact to improve their school’s digital security profile.

The recommendations provided will be based on international standards and best-practice, applied to a New Zealand schooling context.

This tool is currently in development and is being piloted with a number of schools across Aotearoa.

The Digital Download

Get the latest updates on digital initiatives, digital security, new services, tips and advice straight into your inbox each month.

The Ministry of Education’s monthly newsletter is for IT leads and people responsible for IT.

Scan the QR Code to sign up or visit, bit.ly/sub2DD

Let

How

Financial Reporting

Education Services provides a Financial Reporting Service to over 700 Schools.

EdCloud - Real time dashboard/reporting and enquiry functions. Software made specifically for New Zealand Schools. Reduce the risk of misappropriation and fraud by using our creditor payment service which includes a third party bank account verification. We are the Financial Reporting Specialists.

We would be delighted to provide you with a peace of mind solution to all of your Financial Reporting needs.

No software needed at the School, all reports, ledger, queries, creditor schedules etc through the cloud 24/7 and we train your staff. We are a xero partner – or use our own school specific software the choice is yours

For a no-obligation quote please contact: Pete on 06 757 5489 or pete@educationservices.co.nz

Education Services has seven offices that service Schools anywhere in the North Island.

Property Service

Gold Star helps you prioritise your mental health

Get on board with Gold Star and join like-minded colleagues who are learning more about mental health, to help in your everyday life.

The Ministry of Education and EAP Services are behind Gold Star, a wellbeing programme designed specifically with early childhood, school and kura workers in mind.

Visit Gold Star online to find our webinars and eLearning modules that are made especially for you, to help better understand mental health, and how we can improve our wellbeing.

Remember, you always have access to counselling through EAP Services. Talking with one of our fully registered counsellors can make a world of difference. You can make an appointment here: bit.ly/3IQhYlu

Find us at www.goldstar.nz

Sign up for Gold Star for free and discover the benefits:

• Help you feel less stressed at work

• Build resilience in times of change

• Guide your personal development or career direction

Sign up for free

Scan the QR Code to sign up and start your first module.

www.goldstar.nz

• Give you tools to handle conflict or tension in the workplace

• Offer resources to support you with lifestyle or health issues

MASSEY UNIVERSITY JOHN PEART TRUST

Improving teaching of outdoor /environmental education to New Zealand’s youth

Do you have an outdoor or environmental education project and are looking for funding?

The Massey University John Peart Trust provides funds to promote and enable outdoor and/or environmental education in the formal education sector.

TO BE ELIGIBLE YOU MUST BE

» A Massey University alumni with NZ Provisional Practicing Certificate in teaching,

» A current Massey University student or

» A current Massey University staff member

Selection is based on written submissions of no more than 250 words that must explain how the grant will benefit the teaching of outdoor education in NZ. A detailed budget for expenditure must also accompany the application.

HOW TO APPLY

Submissions to be made by 30th May 2023 and successful applications will be notified by 30th June 2023.

Submissions, amount available and further questions to be sent to Peter Halligan at the Massey Foundation at P.halligan@massey.ac.nz or call 06 951-9347.

Education Gazette Publication dates 2023

Deputy Principal (8MUs, 1SMA) Permanent

We have a vacancy in our Senior Leadership Team for an innovative Deputy Principal who is motivated, organised and has proven skills in curriculum development and student leadership. All members of the Senior Leadership Team have a role in leading pedagogical change in flexible learning spaces in our new school. Strength in leadership around Tikanga Māori is an advantage.

The successful applicant will be expected to have experience in strategic development, excellent interpersonal skills, a strong work ethic, a good sense of humour and an awareness of current educational issues particularly in a boy’s school.

Applicants should be well qualified, experienced and highly motivated, with a commitment to high standards of achievement in a boys’ school environment. A strong commitment to restorative practice and culturally responsive and relational teaching approaches is essential. Responsibilities will be negotiated with the successful applicant.

Ka mohio hoki ki ngā ūara o te kura, ara ko te whakawhānaungatanga, manaakitanga, tika, pono, maia, aroha me te mahi tahi.

Application details: Information pack (including application form) can be obtained from the Principal’s PA email f.semenoff@wbhs.school.nz

Applications close: Monday 5 June 2023

To

Scan the QR codes with the camera on your device.

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

Pause Breathe Smile is a mind health programme that includes development of students’ inner skills. The programme cultivates self-awareness, attention control and emotional regulation. This allows students to manage themselves better by choosing their behaviours based on mindful attentiveness rather than impulse reactivity.

Southern Cross’ support makes it possible for Pause Breathe Smile PLD is FREE for any NZ primary or intermediate school. Curriculum-aligned with resources in both English and Māori.

Find out how.

Email coordinator@pausebreathesmile.nz

pausebreathesmile.nz

With so much going on in life right now, gift tamariki the skills to be present.