Good Teacher Magazine 2021, Issue 2

Issue 2 2021

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‘Creativity Good is Teacher intelligence having fun’ Magazine Issue 2 2021

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Albert Einstein

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Good Teacher Magazine Issue 2 2021

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Index Soap Box

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Fostering the �es that bind

Jennifer Charteris, Angela Page 5

The Power of Posi�ve Rela�onship Building

Elaine Le Sueur

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Counselling in Primary Schools in Aotearoa New Zealand

Paul Flanagan

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50 Years of Fun- Iconic Round the Bays

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Save the Children and Peppa Pig

Save the Children

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Phlegm’s Monochroma�c Comic Book Characters

Christopher Jobson

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Australian Teacher s working with students with ADHD

ADHD Australia

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Ge�ng Difficult Ques�ons From Your Employees?

David Grossman

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Janet Echelman’s Aerial Net Sculptures

Grace Ebert

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Graduate Shines a Spotlight on Mental Health

Te Pukenga

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Preven�on Interviews - Listening with Inten�on

Jeffrey Benson

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Ground-breaking New Investment Empowers

Vic Health

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Japanese Ar�st uses So� Clay to carve Hyper Realis�c Clothing Hidrėlėy

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Research and Evidence Use in Australian Schools

Monash University

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Symptoms of COVID-19

brgfx

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Woven Bamboo Installa�ons

Grace Ebert

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Building Brighter Pathways -

ADHD Australia Educa�on

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Elaborately Constructed Fuguresw - Quintessen�al Characters Grace Ebert

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This Issues Book - In Our Own Back Yard by Anne Kayes

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Front Page Photograph: Back Cover Photo:

‘Steel Toitoi in the mist’ Kelly Hudson Barisa Silver and Steel Photograph: Barisa Photos ‘Track to the future’ Photograph: Barisa Photos

Good Teacher Magazine would like to acknowledge the unknown designers and cra�speople interna�onally for the some of the images and art in the magazine, every care has been taken to iden�fy and acknowledge ar�sts/photographers... however this is not always successful... most were collated from a wide range of internet sources. ed-media publica�ons: Independent publishers of quality educa�on media.

Adver�sing enquiries and bookings: info@goodteacher.co.nz Submi�ng material for publica�on: barb@goodteacher.co.nz Address: Good Teacher Magazine PO Box 5531 Mt Maunganui 3150 Return to Index

ISSN: 1175-5911 Layout and Design: barisa designs® Good Teacher Magazine is produced in the first week of New Zealand Terms 2 and 4 (May and October) each year and uploaded to h�p://www.goodteacher.co.nz The magazine is freely available both in New Zealand and Interna�onally. Please keep a duplicate of any text and illustra�ve materials submi�ed for publica�on. Edmedia accepts no responsibility for damage or loss of material submi�ed for publica�on.

All other enquiries: 021 244 3244 or info@goodteacher.co.nz NOTE:

The opinions expressed in Good Teacher Magazine are not necessarily those of Ed Media publica�ons or the editorial team.

Good Teacher Magazine Issue 2 2021

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Fostering the �es that bind: the challenge of school connectedness during COVID-19 “All these teachers are quiet heroes… there are teachers here [who]… are living in the same situa�on as we are and they come to work and they get on with it.” Teachers and principals “com[e] to school with a posi�ve focus on their students despite the myriad of problems.”

These words from Carol Mutch’s research a�er the Christchurch Earthquakes illustrate the challenge teachers face in ensuring their students and school community are supported through �mes of crisis.

And it has a been a tough gig over 2020 and 2021 with snap school lock-downs. According to Saavedra (2020) in as early as 28 March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had already caused more than 1.6 billion children and youth to be out of school in 161 countries (almost 80% of the world’s enrolled students).

Over 150 countries have closed schools (UNESCO, 2020). These periods of home schooling dispropor�onately affect students and teachers.

School connectedness is vital at this �me.

School connectedness can be defined as a sense of belonging and as having a posi�ve rela�onship with suppor�ve adults and peers.

There is sustained engagement with learning and the experience of a safe and suppor�ve environment.

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Associate Professor Jennifer Charteris School of Educa�on, University of New England Dr Angela Page School of Educa�on, University of Newcastle

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Our research into school connectedness suggests that strong and suppor�ve rela�onships develop through school bonding, school a�achment, school engagement, and school climate. School connectedness can be seen in the rela�onships between teachers, the commitment to students and the all important pastoral support from school leaders. School connectedness can be linked to: � students’ percep�ons of healthy and posi�ve rela�onships experienced in school; � experiences of care, respect and support; � posi�ve feelings toward school; � a sense of posi�vity about the school as a community (García-Moya et al., 2019).

The diagram in Figure 1 has been adapted from research we undertook into fostering school connectedness online for students with diverse learning needs. We illustrate four key domains of the construct of school connectedness: school bonding, school a�achment, school engagement, and school climate.

School bonding is where students feel close to people at their school. They feel connected to school and are happy to be there.

School a�achment is the emo�onal feeling of fondness for school. Students feel accepted and liked by peers and teachers and know they are par�cipa�ng members of the school community.

School engagement is students’ commitment

to schooling prac�ces. For example, students a�end school regularly, are punctual, and submit assignments. There is willingness to invest energy into accomplishing challenging skills.

School climate is where students believe that teachers are willing to help them and are suppor�ve. The school is a safe and fair environment.

Teachers in our research found it highly problema�c that students were disconnected from their school-based learning (Page et al., 2021). Some students refused to par�cipate in distance learning or were precluded access due to their home situa�on. These students, who are already at a disadvantaged, were seen to be at risk of slipping even further behind.

Recognising that there can be par�cular challenges for students with addi�onal learning needs, we advocate the maintenance of effec�ve communica�on, peer connectedness, and individual educa�onal plans (Page et al., 2021).

We acknowledge that there are teachers doing an amazing job (unsung heroes) at sustaining connectedness in Aotearoa schools. The following are just some reminders to keep in mind. � Plan for and support peer connectedness.

This can involve arranging informal fun ac�vi�es to foster social rela�onships. � Strive to ensure that school rou�nes are sustained at home. (Consistent �metables and the wearing of school uniform.)

Figure 1. Domains of school connectedness. (Adapted from Page et al., 2021) 6

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Keep in contact with parents where students are reluctant to communicate digitally. � Try to ensure that communica�on is consistent and frequent. � Strive to maintain rela�onships for the well-being of students and teachers. This connec�on can address mental health.

(Page et al., 2021).

We know that teachers work in school ecosystems and cannot create school connectedness on their own. However, all teachers play an important part in fostering collegiality with colleagues and connec�on with and between students.

References García-Moya, I., Bunn, F., Jiménez-Iglesias, A., Paniagua, C., & Brooks, F. M. (2019). The conceptualisa�on of school and teacher connectedness in adolescent research: A scoping review of literature. Educa�onal Review, 71(4), 423-444.

Mutch, C. (2020). How might research on schools’ responses to earlier crises help �

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us in the COVID-19 recovery process?

Set: Research Informa�on for Teachers, 1-8 Page, A., Charteris, J., Anderson, J., & Boyle, C. (2021). Fostering school connectedness online for students with diverse learning needs: inclusive educa�on in Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

European Journal of Special Needs Educa�on, 36(1), 142-156. DOI: 10.1080/08856257.2021.1872842 Saavedra, J. (2020). Educa�onal Challenges and Opportuni�es of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic. Educa�on for Global Development: A Blog about the Power of Inves�ng in People. h�ps:// blogs.worldbank.org/educa�on/ educa�onal-challenges-andopportuni�es-COVID-19-pandemic UNESCO. (2020). Half of World’s Student Popula�on Not A�ending School: UNESCO Launches Global Coali�on to Accelerate Deployment of Remote Learning Solu�ons. h�ps://en.unesco.

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The Power of Posi�ve Rela�on Here’s an interes�ng fact for you.

During the Great Plague of London in 1665, the students at Cambridge university were sent home to con�nue with their studies themselves as a means of reducing the spread of that pandemic.

Social distancing in 2021, nearly four hundred years later, is not a new concept.

The lack of contact with other people can be posi�ve or nega�ve, depending on the situa�on that you find yourself in.

For some of our gi�ed students, the �me to focus on their own interests is a valuable commodity because it is the chance to think, work or rest without being disturbed. As one of those students sent home, Isaac Newton was able to set and follow his own goals for study and crea�vity and the results of his work s�ll

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are relevant in math, engineering and science today.

Although relaxing and engaging in passive experiences can be enjoyable, our best moments usually occur when our bodies or minds are being stretched to a�ain something that involves challenge, resul�ng in a feeling of accomplishment.

The pandemic lock down has made it hard for many because technology o�en makes us feel like we need to be connected 24/7 and we want to spend more �me around people but can’t.

Interes�ng people help us to learn new things and we miss the interac�on. Being alone is not the same as being lonely.

Some are more resilient than others and are content with the solitude, while others find it an impediment to maintaining good mental health.

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nship Building Elaine Le Sueur Where am I going with this?

more op�mis�c.

Well… being back in school is not going to be the same. What has been posi�ve solitude for some, has been loneliness and mental anguish for others. Teachers will be faced with finding ways to help students manage stress and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty in a �me where they are facing the same issues for themselves. With that in mind I would like to offer a handful of strategies to help (and it wouldn’t hurt to put them into ac�on in the staff room as well) …

“They may forget what you said, but they will not forget how you made them feel.”

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Create opportuni�es for students to build up their rela�onships with others through having some ac�vi�es that focus on team building and taking advantage of each others’ skills and abili�es. Start with directed group discussions using random assignment of par�cipants. (byrdseed.com has some great ideas)

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Or try one of my escape room challenges to give your students a workout for their cri�cal thinking skills.

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h�ps://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ Product/The-Chemistry-Escape-RoomChallenge-6737929

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h�ps://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ Product/Escape-Room-PsychologyExperiment-5320379 (Why not click on the follow me tab while you are vsisi�ng to be first to find out about new products?)

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Cul�vate pos�ve thinking. Turn the focus on to the posi�ve things about being able to be back at school. There is plenty of research to back up the hypothesis that a posi�ve outlook has important health benefits. Viewing nega�ve events as isolated incidents that are beyond your control teaches students to start being

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(Develop a set of classroom affirma�ons together and display them. Do something nice for a classmate without their knowing.

Focus on the job at hand. Be an example to others)

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For a student who needs a bit more help then h�ps://posi�vepsychology.com offers some simple exercises to do with students.

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Cut some slack for both you and your students and find opportuni�es to laugh more. Have each student create a smile a while page with quota�ons and things that make them smile. Share with others and make them smile too. Here is mine…

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Map out a plan together. Set aside regular �mes to allow students to reflect so that they can see where they are headed and be proac�ve learners. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day before dismissing the students, for the class to reflect on anything that has gone well and record/ display them. This has the added advantage of providing aims for the following day. Accept that for some students, just coping one day at a �me is fine if that is as much as they can do, and work towards increasing the focus li�le by li�le. Accept that It takes a while to break the habits that have built up over prolonged isola�on, and encourage others to give themselves credit for small advances. Be�er to try and not succeed at first than to give up and not try at all!

Set out clear expecta�ons. (Involve everyone in se�ng this up so that there is student ‘buy in’ for compliance and clear, realis�c consequences for non compliance that will be acted on.) This can result in some interes�ng discussions about how your students peceive fairness and unfairness!

Provide choice wherever you can to make the learning meaningful for each student.

There are �mes when it is necessary to assign par�cular work to your students because it will move them forward with key concepts, but it is not helpful for advanced learners to do more of what they already know. (or for any learners!) The goal of differen�a�on is not to make individual lesson plans, but rather to set a balance between teacher choice and student choice so that students learn about making wise choices within a safe environment.

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Save yourself some precious teacher �me with these ac�vi�es for your literacy centre.

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h�ps://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ Product/October-Literacy-Bundle-7290039

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Set rou�nes and maintain them as far as possible to reduce anxiety.

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Know that you are not alone!

When the going gets tough, then seek help from your colleagues. Everyone is in this together.

Wise words from the American novelist, Ann Lamo�…

‘Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.’

Good Teacher Magazine Issue 2 2021

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Counselling in Primary Schools in Ao Informa�on about a research project on counselling in primary schools.

Background:

Researcher: My name is Paul Flanagan. I teach in the Counsellor Educa�on programmes at the University of Waikato. Prior to my teaching role, I was a counsellor in Hamilton working with children and their families, and this meant I was frequently connec�ng with principals and teachers at the children’s schools.

Most of this work was when I was a Specialist Services Therapist with (then) Child Youth & Family, and then with Parentline before moving to the university.

I am interested in scoping some of the experience of counselling in primary schools.

Counselling in primary schools is not a common service in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Where counselling is available it seems, anecdotally, to be a service provided for specific events, such as projects funded by the Ministry of Social Development or ACC to contract agencies for provision of service in rela�on to social issues, such as family violence response or, as in the case following the earthquakes in Canterbury, funded through the local DHB. I’m aware there are a handful of schools where specific employment contracts exist. I am interested in researching where and how counselling has been offered in primary schools, to document the experience and provide data that could promote further expansion of counselling services in primary schools.

In July 2020 the Associate Minister of Educa�on, Tracey Mar�n announced that the NZ Government was making funding available for counselling in schools, including primary schools, as a result of the effects of COVID-19 (NZ Government, 2020). Early in 2021 the Ministry of Educa�on (MoE) offered an Expression of Interest document to contract for counselling services in schools (MoE, 2021). Since then, the MoE has been working with a consulta�on group from the New Zealand Associa�on of Counsellors (NZAC) to determine criteria related to counsellors and their professional contexts for alloca�on of funding.

Focus of research: This study is part of an approved study leave project and takes up my interest to research the experience of schools and counsellors where counselling has been offered in NZ primary schools. The study will include a

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Good Teacher Magazine Issue 2 2021

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otearoa New Zealand...a scoping study review of literature on counselling with school children ages 5-12; analysis of documents related to government policy and counselling with school children; and interviews with counsellors and principals in primary schools, to explore the experience of counselling in their context (this could involve ques�ons about each school's processes, policies, procedures with regard to the employment or contrac�ng of counsellors). It is related to this last aspect of the project that I invite you to par�cipate in this study.

This research has been approved by Te Kura Toi Tangata School of Educa�on Research Ethics Commi�ee (Approval # FEDU047/21).

What I am asking from you: I ask that you read this Informa�on sheet, and ask any ques�ons you may have about this research. You are invited to par�cipate in an interview about the experience of counselling in your school (about 30-60 minutes).

Par�cipants: I am asking (deputy) principals and counsellors in schools, and managers of agencies who might contract counsellors in schools (e.g., Family Works, Mana Ake), to par�cipate in interviews about their experience of the provision of counselling services in primary schools. Ques�ons will ask about how counselling came to be offered in the school,

such as the processes involved, benefits and difficul�es of offering the service, funding sources.

What will happen to your informa�on?

If you agree to par�cipate, I will ask you to read and sign a consent form to state that you have understood the purpose of this research, had an opportunity to ask ques�ons, and agree to par�cipate. The consent form will also acknowledge that you understand that the interviews will be audio recorded and then transcribed. The transcrip�on will be offered to you for review and comment. These transcrip�ons will then be used by me for analysis, and for ar�cles and possibly presenta�ons (at conferences and seminars).

I ask that you are clearly understand that: • you have the right to decline, and to withdraw a�er agreeing to par�cipate • your iden�ty will not be disclosed, nor will the iden�ty of your workplace • your iden�ty will be given a name different from your own • in re-telling any story of quota�on of your words, I will take care to remove any iden�fying informa�on • you can withdraw your contribu�on from this research up un�l the transcripts are used for analysis (i.e., by 8 October). A�er this date it will not be possible to withdraw your contribu�on.

Who can I talk to about this research?

If you have any ques�ons or concerns rela�ng to this project I ask you to speak with me.

If you want to speak to someone about how I conduct this research, you are welcome to contact my Head of School, Associate Professor Sally Peters, by email sally.peters@waikato.ac.nz or phone: 07 838 4466 ext. 8386 If you would like to contact me about par�cipa�ng, asking ques�ons or seeking clarifica�on, please email me at paulf@waikato.ac.nz or phone 027 403 7564

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50 YEARS OF FUN – ICONIC ROUN Supersaver entries on sale for favourite Kiwi fun run!

Registra�ons are open for the 50th Round the Bays – with limited-edi�on tee shirts, commemora�ve medals and personalised par�cipant bibs just some of the ways to celebrate the milestone.

Round the Bays will celebrate 50 years on March 6 next year. The iconic event was first held in 1972, and five decades on, 2022 will be a huge celebra�on befi�ng of the legacy of hundreds of thousands of Kiwis who have pounded the pavement along Auckland’s waterfront over the years.

The first Round the Bays had 792 registered par�cipants. In the early days, entry fees were paid as cheques in the mail, and bib numbers were handwri�en.

It has now grown to be New Zealand’s most sought-a�er fun-run for individuals, whānau and workmates, with par�cipants choosing to walk, jog or run the 8.4km from the Ports of Auckland to the finish line on Vellenoweth Green at St Heliers.

“People who took part as kids with their parents are now bringing their kids. It’s been a draw card team-building event year a�er year, or a reason to get into your favourite fancy dress,” Round the Bays event manager Vanessa Fleming, says.

“We have plans to make this the best year yet.

Whether you run, jog or walk and talk, it’s a bucket-list event for all ages and fitness stages.

It’s about ge�ng out and having fun.”

Round the Bays has been instrumental in raising more than $3.15million in the past 20 years alone, through par�cipant sponsorship – peer-to-peer fundraising – and dona�ons from the event organisers Stuff Events.

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The official charity for the 50th year is the Heart Founda�on, who will receive $50,000 in cash plus a $50,000 Stuff media package.

The dona�on will help fund a new Heart Health van that will assist the founda�on’s staff to visit more Auckland communi�es to perform heart health checks and provide informa�on on heart health.

“We’re thrilled to be chosen as the official charity partner for Ports of Auckland Round the Bays 2022,” says Heart Founda�on Head of Fundraising and Partnerships Alison Wheatley-Mahon.

“Another Heart Health van gives us the opportunity to reach people and groups across Auckland, where it is needed most, meaning we can visit more schools, workplaces, marae, shopping centres and sports clubs, as we con�nue to improve heart health and save lives.”

Stuff Events has also launched a $50,000 Youth Sports Fund to mark 50 years, with $10,000 being awarded every year for five years.

“Round the Bays wants to leave a legacy beyond being a mustdo event in the summer, so we are excited to see how the fund will help Auckland youth.”

Supersaver entries open from today un�l midnight November 17, 2021 � Adults $25 � Children (5-15) $15 � Infant (0-4) just $5 � Family packages from $70

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ND THE BAYS CELEBRATES IN 2022 To enter, head to: roundthebays.co.nz Everyone who takes part will receive a commemora�ve finisher’s medal. There are also limited-edi�on tee-shirts available to buy, and supersaver entries will receive a personalised, named bib posted to them.

Round the Bays thanks event partners: Ports of Auckland, Nestlé, AIA Vitality, Under Armour and Pump.

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Save the Children and Peppa Pig ahead of World Mental Health D A new campaign from Save the Children and Pep pa Pig launched this week is aimed at encouraging mindfulness in young children.

Timed to coincide with World Mental Health Day on Sunday 10 October, the month-long campaign includes a virtual kid’s yoga event hosted by children’s yoga expert Michaela Sangl (Friday October 15) and more than 50 learning resources dedicated to teaching young children and their parents and whānau about mindfulness.

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Created for Save the Children’s new online Educa�on Hub in partnership with Peppa Pig and Twinkl, the resources include a range of ac�vi�es to encourage mindfulness prac�ces from daily photography challenges to nature walks, stretching and breathing exercises to calming strategies for ECE. "The impact of Covid has sharpened our awareness of the importance of good mental health for our children," Save the Children’s Advocacy and Research Director Jacqui Southey says.

"All over the world children have been impacted by lockdowns, with growing concerns about rising levels of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Strategies such as mindfulness provide tools to help children cope be�er when they’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed - and for our

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launch Mindfulness Month Day

Save the Children

youngest tamariki, we hope that a familiar face like Peppa Pig will help encourage them to join in these ac�vi�es."

The campaign comes at a �me when new analysis by Save the Children, using data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government ResponseTracker, reveals that children globally have lived under required and recommended na�onwide lockdowns for an average of six months - or 184 days since the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020.

Children in Venezuela have faced one of the longest periods at home, with intermi�ent lockdowns keeping children inside for up to 16 months, while in Lebanon, children were confined to their homes for 418 days. Across Zimbabwe, children were in lockdown for nearly nine months this year alone. And currently in New Zealand, children in Auckland are s�ll feeling the impact of lockdown restric�ons.

Save the Children is warning that these extended lockdowns are taking a devasta�ng toll on children’s mental health globally and is urging all governments to include and priori�se access to mental health and psychosocial support for children and adolescents in na�onal health services.

Ms Southey says children of all ages can benefit from mindfulness, and the ac�vi�es have been designed to be used in both the classroom and home. We hope these fun resources will be valuable in suppor�ng the thousands of Auckland tamariki in Level 3 lockdowns, as well as children aged 3-10 years across New Zealand.

"It’s been a tough �me for many of our youngest children, who haven’t been able to connect with many of the people who are usually part of their lives. We’re delighted to join with our long-term partner Peppa Pig in helping support mindfulness and wellbeing amongst our li�le ones and encourage parents and adults to register for our free virtual storybook yoga event and check out the many resources available on our Educa�on Hub." Join Save the Children, Peppa Pig and Kidspot New Zealand at our Virtual Storybook Yoga event on October 15 to celebrate the Mindfulness Month.

Visit Save the Children to sign up for Peppa’s Mindfulness Month, access resources and support Save the Children to con�nue their vital work by raising much needed funds.

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Phlegm’s Monochroma�c Comic Bo Across Europe

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ook Characters Explode Onto Walls

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New Report Finds Australian tea under-resourced to recognise an New data from ADHD Australia shows that educators are feeling under-trained and under-resourced to provide adequate learning environments and outcomes for students with ADHD. ADHD is the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in Australia, affec�ng 1 in 20 children.

Characterised by persistent pa�erns of ina�en�ve, impulsive, and hyperac�ve behaviour, it is associated with learning challenges as ADHD students o�en have personali�es and learning styles not aligned with typical classroom expecta�ons.

A na�onal report released today, ‘Building Brighter Pathways: ADHD Australia Educa�on Survey’, surveyed over 1,000 primary, secondary, and ter�ary educators, and can reveal that, despite an es�mated 1 child with ADHD in every classroom, educa�onal ins�tu�ons are not preparing Australia’s next genera�on of educators to accommodate learning styles of ADHD students.

The report found 87% of educators surveyed voice that they were not taught during their teaching educa�on how to recognise the symptoms of ADHD. Once on the job, just 34% are sa�sfied with the level of training and support provided to support children with ADHD in the classroom. As a result, only 45% of the na�on’s educators believe they have knowledge and understanding of how to support ADHD students.

To build brighter pathways for students, 93% of educators surveyed agree that further educa�on and resources to recognise and support ADHD students is necessary. The need for further professional development is echoed by parents of ADHD students. In the 24

survey, 95% of parents agree that addi�onal training is needed for educators to help them be�er understand and support ADHD students.

Ceri Sandford, a former teacher, and host of the successful “Wine with Teacher” podcast, states that educators are aware that a “knowledge gap” exists around the presenta�ons of each type of ADHD and are constantly seeking resources to further their understanding of it. She states that: “More educa�on is required around the presenta�ons of each type of ADHD, as well as how these differ based on gender.

In my experience managing and educa�ng a social media community of 40,000 teachers, they are always interested in learning how they can provide be�er learning environments that will support and advocate for students with ADHD and other neurodivergent students. As educators, by speaking with each child about their ADHD, we can be�er understand it, then use this knowledge to design individual systems and supports that will give them the skills to be successful. I’ve taught countless neurodivergent students who are excep�onally crea�ve and unique. It all starts with a conversa�on and recognising that their difference is their strength.”

Professor Michael Kohn, Chair of ADHD Australia and a leading specialist in childhood and adolescent ADHD, believes the tradi�onal approach to educa�on needs significant changes to build brighter pathways for students with neurodevelopmental disorders.

“We have discovered so much about brain development, and how to assess and support young neurodiverse people in learning over the last two decades, but teacher training and educa�on policy is yet to catch up. To close the gap, ADHD

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achers feel under-prepared and nd support students with ADHD Australia is holding a virtual summit on October 21 of current trainers and programs as well as launching specialist learning modules for educators that will help them iden�fy, guide and teach children with ADHD and other neurocondi�ons. These will be free to access for educators all over Australia, through a link from the ADHD Australia website.”

ADHD Australia Educa�on Summit: Building Brighter Pathways Timed with ADHD awareness month in October, the ADHD Australia Educa�on Summit is the first of its kind in this country and aims to build brighter pathways for ADHD students by providing educators with tools to iden�fy signs of ADHD in children and provide free access to resources for crea�ng effec�ve educa�onal environments.

The summit will showcase the findings from ADHD Australia’s latest educa�on survey, discuss exis�ng educa�onal resources available to support educators and students with ADHD and will also present new educator training resources on how to iden�fy and accommodate students with ADHD. Knowledge and access to evidenced-based ADHD related resources and strategies to use in educa�onal contexts for both primary and secondary are highly desired. The resources

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for educators will build desire and understanding of the importance to con�nue to par�cipate in ongoing PD related to suppor�ng students with ADHD. ADHD Australia is now calling on all Australian educators to register for the online summit and to go to its website for more informa�on on how to access these resources.

ADHD Australia Educa�on Summit ● Date: Thursday 21st October ● Time: 4.30-6.30pm ● Link: Eventbrite link here.

The summit is part of ADHD Australia’s broader strategy to build brighter pathways for Australians of all ages with ADHD by solving real-world problems with its science-backed programs and resources.

About ADHD Australia ADHD Australia is a registered na�onal, independent, non-profit organisa�on commi�ed to empowering Australians living with ADHD to reach their poten�al by leveraging our evidence-based collec�ve exper�se and providing a united amplified voice. Among the key guiding principles of our founding directors was to be independent of all exis�ng ADHD bodies, working closely with them to complement their exis�ng efforts through advocacy, ac�on, and collabora�on.

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Ge�ng Difficult Q 3 Tips to Facilitat

Difficult ques�ons. We all get them.

Par�cularly in this challenging period, there’s no shortage of tough ques�ons on people’s minds, with employees wondering whether and when they’ll go back to the office or about safety protocols and childcare once they’ve returned.

In my latest book, Heart First: Las�ng Leader Lessons from a Year that Changed Everything, I devote an en�re chapter to leader �ps for answering tough ques�ons. I o�en find that with just a li�le prepara�on, leaders can accomplish a lot just by educa�ng employees and pu�ng some of their concerns to rest.

Being prepared and prac�sing these three tried-and-true techniques can help you field with ease that challenging employee ques�on (or reporter who’s looking for a compelling angle).

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3 Tips to Facilitate Dialogue and Understanding Before we get into the specific �ps, remember that it’s always best to answer the ques�on, as best you can. And directly. We’ve all heard non-answers and know what that feels like to be on the receiving end of some babble. Or someone who thinks “spin” can take the place of “truth.” Your employees know the score, and your credibility (or lack of it) will be front and centre in how you answer those tough ques�ons.

Tip 1: Prepare Yourself An�cipate the ques�ons you’re most likely to get. You can do that by addressing these simple points: �

What is on people’s minds?

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What are the toughest ques�ons you’re likely to get?

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What’s the best way to respond, and what messages do you need to get across?

Tip 2: Prac�ce (out loud) answering the ques�ons that are likely to be the toughest, and keep these points in mind as you do �

Think about the perspec�ve your employees will bring to the discussion

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Ques�ons from Your Employees? te Dialogue and Understanding David Grossman

� �

�

Demonstrate empathy as you answer ques�ons – put yourself in their shoes Be respec�ully authen�c. Being honest and who you are doesn’t give any of us a pass to be rude or inten�onally offensive Employ the 3 + 1 communica�ons approach: oWhat we know … oWhat we don’t know … oWhat we’re working on finding out oProac�vely bust myths …

Tip 3: Bridge Bridging helps you get back on track if ques�ons are star�ng to pull you down a path that isn’t helpful or distract you from the key points you’re trying to get across. Here are two key steps for successful bridging: �

Address the ques�on being asked, but don’t stop there

�

Use key words or phrases as a bridge to get back to a point you want to make

Is it Ever Okay to Ignore a Ques�on?

Should you just ignore certain ques�ons?

No! You should never just ignore a ques�on you don’t like. You need to address it, even if it is just to say you don’t have the answer at this �me. Then use your bridging technique to get back to what it is you want people to know.

When you apply these �ps, you’ll be ready to answer all sorts of ques�ons that help ins�ll confidence that you’re doing your best to keep the team as informed and “in the loop” as possible. That goes a long way toward building trust, engagement and buy-in from your employees.

What are some of the toughest ques�ons you’re facing from employees today, and how are you demonstra�ng strong leadership in the way you respond?

—David Grossman

You can bridge to a key message by using some phrases like these: �

"However …"

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"Something else that may be of interest …"

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"I can’t speculate on that but what I can tell you is …"

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"What you should know is …"

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"The most important ques�on we should be asking is …"

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"Before we go too far down that path, let me add …"

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Aerial Net Sculptures Loom Over Pu 'Earth�me' Installa�ons Suspended in public squares and parks, the kno�ed sculptures that comprise Janet Eshelman’s Earth�me series respond to the destruc�ve, overpowering, and uncontrollable forces that impact life on the planet.

The ar�st braids nylon and polyurethane fibres into striped weavings that loom over passers-by and glow with embedded lights a�er nigh�all. With a single gust of air, the amorphous masses billow and contort into new forms. “Each �me a single knot moves in the wind, the loca�on of every other knot in the sculpture’s surface is changed in an ever-unfolding dance,” a statement about the series says.

The outdoor installa�ons are modelled a�er geological events that have extensive effects beyond their original loca�ons and the power to increase the planet’s daily rota�onal speed.

All images © Janet Echelman, shared with permission

Containing innumerable knots and weighing hundreds of pounds, the monumental nets are the product of countless hours and a team of architects, designers, and engineers who interpret scien�fic data to imagine the original form.

Each mesh piece begins in the studio with techniques done by hand and on the loom, and the threads are custom designed to be fi�een �mes stronger than steel once intertwined. This allows them to withstand and remain flexible as they’re exposed to the elements, a material component that serves as a metaphorical guide for human existence.

Eshelman will exhibit an itera�on of “Earth�me” in Jeddah from December 2021 to April 2022, with another slated to be on view in Amsterdam this winter.

You can see more of the prolific ar�st’s works on her site and Instagram.

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ublic Squares in Janet Echelman's Grace Ebert

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Graduate shines a spotlight on A talented Ara graduate and former par�cipant of the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) in Canterbury has achieved her dream of publishing a mental health diary.

Samantha Fairhall CEO for The Hope for Happiness first came up with the concept for The Li�le Book of Smiles, along with her four classmates, in 2018 as a year-13 business student at Middleton Grange School.

The group were par�cipants in the Young Enterprise Scheme; a programme which provides support and mentoring for secondary school students to cra� an innova�ve idea, and then turn that into a real business.

"I wanted to create a resource that the youth of New Zealand could turn to when it was challenging. I have always had a passion for helping people and bringing out the best in them," Fairhall says.

"We all know how big an issue mental health is in New Zealand, so I have taken the opportunity to act and see where the need is."

Idoia Alday Gonzalez, YES Canterbury Regional Coordinator says, "The Li�le Book of Smiles is a prime example of what can be achieved when we expose our young people to entrepreneurship. Students like Samantha are the leaders of tomorrow, and it is impera�ve that they are empowered to be drivers of change at a young age."

The original Li�le Book of Smiles team: Luknam Worathongchai, Daniella Saeru Totoa, Samantha Fairhall, Hannah Trieu, Jemesa Landers

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n Mental Health Te Pukenga The interac�ve book features short stories, inspira�onal quotes, recipes, drawing pages and thought-provoking ques�ons - all designed to facilitate a conversa�on around mental health and provide a safe space for teenagers and young adults to record and process their own challenges.

Last year Fairhall faced her own setback when COVID-19 put a halt to her publishing plans.

She chose to pivot her focus and explore interests she had in other areas, by studying a Cer�ficate in Sustainability and Outdoor Educa�on through Ara Ins�tute of Canterbury.

"I published The Li�le Book of Smiles on my 21st Birthday. I couldn’t have asked for be�er �ming!"

You can order The Li�le Book of Smiles for $25 by emailing the team at hopeforhappinesscampaign@gmail.com.

Ara is a regional partner, and sponsor of the Young Enterprise Scheme.

The programme aligns closely with Ara's approach of experien�al, real world learning, which helps to develop problem solving, leadership and communica�on skills.

Now a�er four years of hard work, fundraising and development Fairhall is excited to say the book is available for purchase, and it turns out that it coincided with another big celebra�on.

Samantha Fairhall with The Li�le Book of Smiles

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Preven�on interviews: Listening "We think we listen, but very rarely do we listen with real understanding, true empathy. Yet listening, of this very special kind, is one of the most potent forces for change that I know."

—Carl Rogers

Schools are not very good institutions of listening.

They each get a fraction of our attention.

Most of us educators have too much to do every day to completely stop our business and truly listen.

And we're less likely to give more attention to the students who have already disrupted our schedule through their poor choices and impulsive actions.

We'll pause a lesson to efficiently answer a student's question, with one eye on the clock.

When we're rushing down the hallway to our next responsibility, we'll give a student a quick reminder or bit of advice—if they can keep pace with us.

Students can do the math: They are one of many in a class, and one of hundreds or even thousands in a school.

Sadly, and we know this in our heads and hearts, those students are often the ones who most need the gift of our time.

The good news is that when we sit down and listen—not lecture, remind, or scold, but truly listen—we unleash that "potent force for change" Rogers identified.

If you listen that way to a "difficult" student, you may be one of the first

Jeffrey Benson has more than 40 years of experience as a teacher, mentor, and school administrator. The core of his work is in understanding how people learn, which he stresses is the star�ng point for everything that schools should do.

He has worked on ini�a�ves involving school reform, conflict resolu�on, learning theory, trauma and addic�on, staff development, leadership training, and curriculum development.He is frequently published in educa�on journals and speaks at conferences on such topics as working with challenging students, developing safe and welcoming school cultures, and implemen�ng best prac�ces for inclusion.

His books include Improve Every Lesson Plan with SEL, Hanging In: Strategies for Working with the Students Who Challenge Us Most, and Ten Steps for Managing Change in Schools.

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g with inten�on Jeffrey Benson

school adults who has offered that youth the potent force of being heard.

The history of disciplining children in schools has included physical abuse, neglect, shaming, physical restraints, and shunning.

Most of those are now forbidden options for school adults. But their legacy remains in the impulse to punish a child to better behaviour; cause a student enough pain, some believe, and that student will choose a different way to deal with their frustrations. Only two years ago, I was in a public high school in which the instructions in the detention room were to be absolutely silent and face away from everyone, or the detention would be repeated. I'm guessing no student ever learned a new skill or improved their relationship with a teacher in that room.

An Amazing, Overlooked Option It's hard to remember to listen with the legacy of punishment echoing down the Return to Index

hallways of schools. Listening is sometimes derided as coddling or excusing bad behaviours. Despite the staggering number of students who end up in detention repeatedly or drop out (which isn't an event, but a process that unfolds over years of alienation), the impulse remains to punish.

Admittedly, it is hard to remain compassionate when we are frustrated. We can easily forget that some of the very best times in this profession are when we have an unexpectedly meaningful conversation with a student. Even when we know listening can bring change, under pressure, we forget it's an option.

I once worked with an otherwise strong team of middle school teachers who briefly forgot the power of listening. They were making no progress with a new student—let's call him "T"—who was disruptive every time he entered a classroom. The teachers had

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moved this student's desk, offered rewards, kept him for detention, and called his mother, all with no discernible impact on his behaviour. I said to the team, "This looks a lot like last spring when [another student] was causing problems. You kept guessing what to do, like throwing darts in the dark, hoping to hit the target. One of you then did a prevention interview and got her back on track, remember? No one's done the prevention interview with T?" There was a big pause. Then they all shook their heads, sheepishly chuckling at how easily they'd forgotten what had worked so well with another student.

"Amazing," one of them finally said.

"Discipline still makes us think of everything but listening. We had success listening to a student last spring when punishment was getting us nowhere, yet we never thought to try this with T." A prevention interview is what it sounds like—we sit one-to-one with a student,

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asking open-ended questions. We learn about this whole young person to build trust that allows for new solutions for recurring problems. Prevention interviews also work well when done soon after a student has made poor behaviour choices, to prevent further incidents and prevent a conflict-filled teacher-learner relationship from forming.

No special procedures or elaborate arrangements are needed, just a teacher willing to ask questions and listen without judgement. In fact, when these middle school teachers remembered this strategy, one of them simply said, "Good news—I'm keeping T with me during lunch because of what happened in class yesterday. I'll do the interview then."

No Magic Necessary In their seminal book on negotiations, Getting to Yes, Fischer & Ury write that "bedrock concerns motivate all people."1 Among those concerns are a sense of belonging and recognition. What that

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teacher team realised when they interviewed one student who had behaviour problems— and the following year after the teacher in question finished her prevention interview with T—was how much these young people felt recognised, that they belonged to the team, when they had a chance to be heard.

They felt worthy.

There's no magic here. Students don't suddenly change—they grow, and listening is a tool that helps children grow. The teachers on that middle school team gathered a lot of previously unknown information, stories, and ideas from their prevention interviews, which led to mutual problem solving. But equally important, the students they interviewed learned more about themselves. As the psychologist Eleanor Duckworth says, "To the extent that one carries on a conversation with a child, as a way of trying to understand a child's understanding, the child's understanding increases."2 Understanding leads to solutions. More than that, the effort to understand, to listen, is another tool to address the institutional and

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interpersonal impact of racism, a system that has had dire consequences for children of colour. Simply put, as a white man in my sixties, there is much I don't know about the lives many of my students of colour have lived before entering my school and classroom. "What I don't know" includes their strengths, interests, responsibilities, and the efforts they and their families have had to put forth to be treated as worthy.

I earn the invaluable commodity of trust when I listen to and learn from students— and part of my job is gaining the trust of all my students. The time I've spent on prevention interviews has been among the most meaningful interactions I have had with students who didn't initially see me as their ally. Teachers can best become allies with alienated, marginalised, or non compliant students through direct interactions. The unique relationship each of us creates with a student cannot be developed by any other adult in the school.

So How Do We Do This?

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Here are answers to three questions teachers often ask about incorporating prevention interviews into their work:

can avoid this situation again. I hope when we are done talking, we'll be better together at helping you do your best."

When Can I Find Time?

Then ask open-ended questions like these, in any order:

Often, the interview happens when we would otherwise be talking to the student in a strictly disciplinary mode, such as during lunch, recess, and before or after school.

Allocating time for punishment—which doesn't teach new behaviours or build bonds—is already part of the school tradition. Turn the paradigm on its head; use that time to talk and listen, and you and the student will gain much from what is too often an exercise in "watching the clock."

If your time is limited, ask a colleague to cover your class for 5–10 minutes. Or ask a school administrator to do so. Once everyone recognises the benefits of the time spent in a prevention interview, school leaders should be willing to help make them happen. (Feel free to pass this article along to any colleague to help convince her or him of the benefits of prevention interviews!)

•

Did you ever have a teacher who really worked well with you? Tell me about that.

Do you know what made that relationship work?

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Do you have a favorite subject? Tell me more.

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Is there any subject that has always been hard for you? Was it hard all the way back to 1st grade? Any part of it you sort of understand or like?

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Do you read on your own for fun? If so, where and when do you read? Where do you get your books? Do you have a favorite book, genre, or author?

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[If the student isn't an independent reader]: Have you ever finished reading a book—tell me about that. Do you read comics? Ever like a book assigned in school, even if you didn't finish it? If reading is hard, how long can you read before the words stop making sense?

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What's writing like for you? For instance,

What Should I Ask? Adapt this opener to fit your style and relationship with the student: "I realised that I should know a little more about you so we

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is it better by hand or keyboard? Do you know how to make an outline or other ways to prepare? Have you ever written something that you really liked? Tell me more.

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•

•

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What do you like to do for fun? [If the student says video games, be curious and ask more.] Which are your favorite games? What do you like about them?

How did you learn to play ___? Are you good at it? Do you think I would like it?

Do you have a job after school, take care of siblings, or have other responsibilities most days?

When you are getting upset in school, what are some strategies you can use to avoid things escalating? Can we brainstorm ways I can help you use those strategies?

Do you have any advice for me on how to be a good teacher for you? Is there a best place for you to sit to do your work? Do you need a break now and then? Does it help if I write directions on the board? Do you like working with others or would you rather work on your own?

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[If you're meeting with a student after a critical incident:] Do you have any ideas how we can fix things now? Let's brainstorm some ideas together.

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[Ask this last:] Is there anything else on your mind that you think I should know?

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Let the student's responses guide the conversation. With practice, you'll find your own path to wisdom about the students you work with, and what they most need to feel safe with you. The goal, more than gathering any one detail, is to connect by making a space for the student to share.

How Should I Respond?

Don't lecture or cri�cise past choices and actions—this isn't the time for moralizing. Do respond honestly ("That sounds like a rough time you had"; "Wow, I'm not sure what I would have done if I were Return to Index

you, or your teacher"; "Thanks for sharing that hard stuff.") One mantra of restorative discipline is to focus more on helping the student recognize and repair the harm that's been done—which is often to their relationship with you—than to focus on the rule that was broken. Honest, nonjudgmental reactions and interest are medicine for a damaged relationship.

The unique rela�onship each of us creates with a student cannot be developed by any other adults in the school Tell me more are the three best words to let people know you're really interested in what they have to say about their world. Say those words any time you find yourself curious, or when digging deeper seems like a good idea.

End with, "Thanks so much for all you told me! Here's what I am taking away from this interview that will help us be better partners in class: ___. Did I get that right?"

A Tool for Connection Many teachers tell me they wish they had time to do a prevention interview with all students. I wish so, too. While these interviews would be good for all students, they are invariably necessary for a handful, the ones who are now staying with you at lunch, during recess, etc. This tool lets teachers connect with the students who challenge us most, who struggle to bridge the gap between their needs and our authority.

In the real world of infinite needs and finite resources, let's use the precious resource of time—now spent on often meaningless and harmful punishments—to do prevention interviews as often as possible. With each one, we might stop a stressful-for-all incident from happening.

Fisher, R., & Ury, W. (1981). Getting to yes. New York: Penguin.

Duckworth, E. R. (1996). "The having of wonderful ideas" and other essays on teaching and learning. New York: Teachers College Press

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Ground-breaking new investment e Health promo�on founda�on VicHealth is today unveiling a first-of-its-kind ini�a�ve focused on crea�ng a healthier future for Victoria’s young people.

As coronavirus con�nues to affect the health and wellbeing of young people, Future Healthy will invest $45million in new programs over 3 years to support people aged 0-25 to begin to build back be�er: reconnect socially and safely, get ac�ve, and access and enjoy good food.

This month, VicHealth will work with thousands of young people in developing this healthier vision together. The projects delivered through Future Healthy will then be created in direct response to the ideas and needs that young people share.

The announcement comes as a new VicHealth survey reveals 2 in 3 (68%) of Victoria’s young people aged 18-25 believe they have a role to play in helping plan and create healthier local communi�es. The survey also highlighted what Victoria’s young people and kids need for good physical and mental wellbeing, during and a�er the pandemic.

Young people aged 18-25 key findings: • 9 in 10 (90%) young people believe that every young person deserves to enjoy good health as they grow up • For 7 in 10 (71%) young people, staying socially connected with others has become one of the most important issues during the pandemic • 3 in 4 (76%) young people said having access to healthy food near home is one of the most important things to them.

• Almost 7 in 10 (69%) young people said having nowhere near home to do the sports or ac�vi�es they enjoy has an impact on their physical ac�vity.

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Victoria’s parents and carers of kids aged 6-17 years key findings: • 9 in 10 (90%) parents believe that social connec�on is important for their child’s mental wellbeing • Almost 9 in 10 (89%) parents feel that being able to feed their kids healthy food is one of the most important things for their family • And almost 7 in 10 (68%) parents said having a limited number of physical ac�vity spaces (eg playgrounds, parks and bike paths) near home has an impact on their kids’ physical ac�vity.

Minister Foley said Future Healthy will work with Victoria’s young people and grassroots community organisa�ons across the state towards a vision where no young person is denied a future that is healthy.

“Future Healthy is a strong signal of our support and commitment to the health of young people right across Victoria. It’s about giving them the tools and agency to envision a future that supports their health and wellbeing,” Min Foley said.

“We want young people and parents and carers, regardless of their postcode, bank balance, background or ability, to share their ideas for a healthier Victoria. We’ll then back those ideas, with the largest single health promo�on investment of its kind, from VicHealth.”

VicHealth CEO Dr Sandro Demaio said the unprecedented health promo�on investment comes a�er what has been an incredibly challenging 18 months, par�cularly for young people.

“The ongoing impacts of the bushfires, coronavirus pandemic and social upheaval have con�nued to weigh on the mental and physical health and wellbeing of Victoria’s young people” Dr Demaio said.

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empowers Victoria’s young people “They have told us that social connec�on, access to healthy food and having somewhere near home to be ac�ve are incredibly important to them – so is having their voices heard.

“The first phase of Future Healthy is about listening – we’re asking people aged 18-25 and parents and carers to join us in crea�ng the solu�ons together that will promise a healthier future for all. We’ll be listening and learning as you share with us what we need to do to make happier, healthier living a reality for every young person.”

Future Healthy Community Champions As part of Future Healthy, VicHealth is working with 14 Community Champions – a diverse group of young people and parents from right across the state who are passionate about crea�ng healthier communi�es. Through their work with Future Healthy, the champions will empower more young people and parents to have their say and help shape the solu�ons needed for people to lead healthier, happier lives.

Among the Community Champions is 22-yearold Mark Yin, a youth engagement professional living in Keilor East, Melbourne, who said young people have really had to work hard to maintain social connec�on throughout the pandemic.

“What it means to socially connect has definitely narrowed. Facilita�ng events online this past year, I could feel the Zoom fa�gue, the uncertainty in people's voices. I really feel for a lot of my peers,” Mr Yin said.

“But when those couple of hours are your only chance to see other people, these online spaces become more valuable and important than ever.”

“Young people are more fired up than ever – rising to the challenges of COVID and con�nuing to agitate for change, for cleaner and healthier condi�ons in which we’ll grow up and live. We need this energy and these voices to secure a healthy future for young people.”

Learn more about Mark on the Future Healthy website: futurehealthy.vichealth.vic.gov.au/ CommunityChampions/Mark All of the Community Champions’ stories can be found at: futurehealthy.vichealth.vic.gov.au/ CommunityChampions Get involved in Future Healthy: If you’re a young person in Victoria aged 18-25, or a parent or carer in Victoria with kids aged 0-17, share your experiences, challenges and ideas about what a healthy future means to you and your community at futurehealthy.vichealth.vic.gov.au More key stats: In 2020, the VicHealth Coronavirus Victorian Wellbeing Impact studies found the health and wellbeing of Victoria’s young people aged 18 to 24 years was impacted during the pandemic in the following ways: • •

•

2 in 5 (42%) found it difficult to connect with friends and family 2 in 5 (44%) relied on a restricted range of low-cost unhealthy food, as they were running out of money to buy food 1 in 5 (19%) were physically inac�ve (did 30 minutes or more of physical ac�vity, which was enough to raise their breathing rate, once or less per week).

Mark said there’s a sense of op�mism and readiness for change among young people.

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This Japanese Ar�st Uses So� Clay To And Accessories Japanese sculptor Masami Yamamoto uses so� clay to carve stunning garments.

From socks to shirts and underwear—her crea�ons appear astonishingly real and are on display in exhibi�ons.

Masami’s crea�ons are o�en based on in�mate clothing as a means of poten�ally crea�ng portraits of the owners of the said items.

While there is an impressive dedica�on to realism—Yamamoto is careful to detail each delicate fold of the clothing as she doesn’t use any pre-made moulds for her sculptures.

Instead, Masami studies each reference making sure to recreate it as closely as possible.

Talking to Masami Yamamoto to find out a li�le bit more.

“My works are created by hand sculp�ng from scratch, this means that I sculpt my works from a mass of so� ceramic clay. Then I place them in an oven for high-temperature cooking."

We took the chance and asked the ar�st if she had any major influences in her life that might've helped her to develop and refine her style.

"When I was a student in a college of art in Japan, one of the closest people to me got a life-threatening disease. When I went to meet her in a hospital on Christmas Eve, many people were also figh�ng against a deadly illness to survive while other people were happily going home to celebrate Christmas Eve with their friends, lovers, and family. When I was riding a train back, I felt as if I was in a totally different world from them. On the surface, people on the train on Christmas Eve 46

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o Carve Out Hyper-Realis�c Clothing Hidrėlėy

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looked so happy, but then I realised that each person might have a deep story covered in their daily lives, and I couldn’t know about it.

Due to this experience, I began to imagine the lives of others. I have come to want to touch the feeling of being alive and I want to convey the existence of human beings living in the present age through my works."

Art, in any kind of form, takes a lot of �me not only to prac�ce but also to produce, therefore we asked Masami how long it takes her to fully finish her artworks.

"Usually, I start by observing old garments and pu�ng them beside me as a reference. The �me I take to finish one piece of artwork, of course, depends on the work itself. It changes depending on the size of the garment, and some details on the work have their own wrinkles, folds, and deforma�ons that are le� like traces of people’s memory who once wore the garments. It also takes more �me if the garments also have some part of embroidery, lace, and any other minor but delicate details.

It’s difficult to tell the exact produc�on period.

It can take several days or about two weeks for small pieces. It takes about a month and a half for middle-sized pieces, and several months for bigger pieces or for pieces with finer details. These periods are just for forming and carving. A�er this process, I have to dry them very slowly and make a firing in a kiln. It also takes up some �me."

Being an ar�st is not easy, one can easily encounter a lack of inspira�on, burnout, etc, so we wanted to ask Yamamoto about her ideas for the series.

"The source of my inspira�on for my artwork comes from my daily life. There isn’t any special way to pass my daily life but there are some feelings or emo�ons that accumulate unconsciously throughout the day as I experience life as it is.

These feelings and emo�ons help me get a concrete shape when I encounter something that amplifies them. It may be texts or data I find in books, an art exhibi�on, or simply just an observa�on of events happening in my 48

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daily life. I also tend to write in my notebook— it’s just some words or short phrases that catch something essen�al and important for each work of mine."

As we men�oned before, some�mes crea�ve work can cause quite a burnout, therefore we asked the ar�st how she dealt with that as well.

"In my case, the answer is a definite yes! I o�en face various difficul�es in my ar�s�c ac�vi�es.

I will tell you an easy story that will help you understand what it’s like to be burned out. As I work mainly with ceramic materials as a contemporary ar�st, the idea is, of course, important, but there’s also a certain level of technique and knowledge about material and firing that is required. When I challenge myself to start a new series, I’m always subjected to failure. I never know if the piece will be well finished un�l the moment when I open the door of the kiln to finally get pieces out. When I fail a piece that I took a lot of �me to sculpt, or it exploded in the kiln, I take �me to recover myself for a while…"

We also asked Masami about how people reacted to her work.

"Most people look at my installa�ons and are surprised that this work is made of ceramic and is also hand-carved. Some people tend to pass by thinking that they are ordinary clothes placed in the art exhibi�on.

To tell the truth, I’m not interested in hyperrealism and its techniques. I mean, realism is a way of expression and its techniques are just one of the means to get an expression of density in our lives and to reach deep feeling concerning human existence. I'm more interested in the transi�on of materials, from so� and fragile cloths to solid ceramic. My goal is to change our sensa�ons over �me. I hope that this transi�on makes viewers rediscover fresh and new feelings about our life�me and memory of being alive."

The crea�ve process is not easy, but there are some enjoyable parts about it.

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"It feels great when I finish se�ng up my work and I feel that I can offer a good exhibi�on. It’s one of the few moments when I can feel peace in my heart in an ar�st’s life. I’m also very excited when I can come up with a good idea.

And of course, I also enjoy sculp�ng before finishing a piece."

We also asked about the inspira�on behind the ar�st's Instagram account.

"I've started to use Instagram lately. When I returned to my work as an ar�st a�er having my first child in 2018, I felt the necessity to have a way to get people to know my artworks more (besides exhibi�ons) as I have less �me to work than before thanks to my new rou�ne as a mother.

Being able to have reac�ons of people across countries in the world through Instagram also gives me joy and fun."

Digital art and art, in general, is not easy and requires a lot of pa�ence, �me, resources, and in most cases even money, therefore we wanted to know how the talented ar�st started her own career sculp�ng.

"I started my ceramic series concerning people’s portraits and memories of their existence around 2011. This series was evaluated and got prizes in a few art compe��ons in Japan. From around 2014 and un�l now, I have been able to get new opportuni�es and exhibi�ons con�nuously as an ar�st mainly in Tokyo, Japan. I’d like to have opportuni�es to par�cipate in exhibi�ons and discover people and their daily lives in many other countries in the future! For example, in Lithuania! That would be nice!

The ceramic work series is my most well-known work, but I would like to show my works and ideas from mul�ple perspec�ves and in many different ways. Right now, in the last year, I’ve been trying to work on a new series where I’m working with old garments and old clothes directly."

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This issue of Good Teacher Magazine includes some studies and reports which make interes�ng reading. We felt they might get lost of we didn’t give them a second airing to our readers.

Don’t feel you have to wade through them, but we would suggest that having a bit of a look might be a worthwhile exercise.

Research and Evidence Use in Australian Schools....

Pg 55 ADHD Building Brighter Pathways... Pg 76

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Woven Bamboo Installa�ons by Tana Ceilings and Walls in Tangled Forms

All images courtesy of Mingei Gallery, shared with permission

Japanese ar�st Tanabe Chikuunsai IV threads strips of bamboo together into monumental works that appear to grow from walls and ceilings. His hollow, circular crea�ons u�lise a style of rough weaving that his family has prac�sed for genera�ons—Tanabe’s father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all worked with tradi�onal cra� techniques and shared the name Chikuunsai, which translates to “bamboo cloud”—and result in installa�ons that are massive in scale as they coil across rooms, stretch dozens of feet into the air, and loop around support beams.

Because his family has been steeped in the prac�ce for decades, Tanabe began weaving as a child, and today, he con�nues to build on the tradi�ons he learned early on, expanding from smaller baskets and pods to larger, site-specific works made with the pliable wood material. “The appearance of my grandfather weaving a basket was very beau�ful and elegant. I felt art. Now I feel that bamboo is the most beau�ful material, and I believe that bamboo art has endless possibili�es,” he tells Colossal.

Tanabe currently lives in Sakai, near Osaka, and will show his spiralling construc�ons at the Baur Founda�on in Geneva from November 16, 2021, to March 27, 2022. You can see more of his projects on Instagram.

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abe Chikuunsai IV Sprout from Grace Ebert

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Elaborately Constructed Figures b of Quintessen�al Characters in Pa If you ran into Nitro, Lo�o, Sully, or the rest of their troupe on the street, it’d be easy enough to imagine their respec�ve personali�es and lifestyles: Nitro is the lax skateboarder who’s always in some state of disarray, Lo�o the eccentric and elusive crea�ve,

“Nitro.” All images © People Too, shared with permission

and Sully the file-to�ng employee who spends her days si�ng in mee�ngs, op�mising her schedule, and adding tasks to her to-do list.

Easily recognisable and maybe even uncomfortably relatable, the archetypal characters are the crea�ons of ar�sts Alexey Lyapunov and Lena Erlich, who are known for their illustra�ons and elaborate construc�ons made from paper.

The Novosibirsk, Russia-based duo works as People Too, and originally designed the figura�ve sculptures for a now-postponed commission that would turn the paper models into animated characters.

Head to Behance to see more of the series and to Society6 to shop prints of their illustrated works.

‘Nitro’

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by ‘People Too’ Create a cast aper

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Grace Ebert

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‘Bills’

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‘Lo�o’

‘Sully’

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‘Ninka’

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‘Esc’

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‘André’

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About the Author: Anne Kayes ‘I have always loved wri�ng. When I worked as a secondary school Drama and English teacher, I o�en wrote plays for my students to perform.

I even wrote crazy skits that I performed in comedy shows. One year, I co-wrote a solo show that I performed in schools. I was always keen to write stories though.

In 2014, I did a Masters in Crea�ve Wri�ng at AUT. This was where Tui Street Tales began to take shape. Later. when I found out Tui Street Tales had won the 2016 Storylines' Tom Fitzgibbon Award compe��on, my friend, Tui, also a teacher, was with me in our office.

People passing by must have wondered why we were leaping around, screaming and laughing. Actually, Tui Street Tales is named a�er Tui, because she o�en cha�ed about story ideas with me, so I felt that she was sort of involved.

One thing I've realised is that, even though a writer writes alone, there are a number of people who are involved. Friends and family are always part of the process with their encouragement and support. I had a lecturer, James George, who gave me lots of sugges�ons. I have a wri�ng group who help me too. Scholas�c, Wildling Books and Bateman Books helped me with edi�ng and turning stories into books. Craig Phillips created perfect illustra�ons for the T¹Ņ Street books, and Keely O'Shannessy worked wonders at making the cover of In Our Own Back Yard look like an an�-tour poster from 1981.

It's definitely a team effort, as well as an individual one.

When I write, I have my dog, Logan, lying by my feet. In winter, he lies on top of my feet and keeps them warm. He's much be�er than a pair of slippers! I live with my husband and son and daughter, who listen to my ideas for stories and give me feedback, which I mostly listen to!

I love visi�ng schools and doing animated, drama�c readings for students. I run wri�ng workshops for teachers and students too.’

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This Issue’s Book Looking at a notable book and a li�le about its author It’s March 2020 and Liza, her husband and two teenage children are at home in Auckland in level-four lockdown due to Covid-19.

Reflec�ons with her family around the dining table inspire Liza to reflect on another challenging �me in history ― nearly forty years before ― when the South African rugby team toured New Zealand.

Cas�ng her memory back to 1981, Liza recalls her life as a fi�een-year-old, including her first love, friendships, first-hand experiences of racism, and what it means ― and what it costs ― to find your voice and use it.

In Our Own Backyard is a startling, confron�ng portrait of a society divided. Anne Kayes has wri�en a masterful YA novel that considers ques�ons of human equality that are as per�nent in the twenty-first century as they were in 1981

This well-researched complex New Zealand novel draws you into to the story of Liza and her family and diverse range of friends, both now, during lockdown for Covid-19 and back in 1981 when she was a teenager and the South African rugby tour was on.

The depic�on of what happened in 1981 is stunningly accurate and the �e in between then and now is comfortably handled.

The story’s complexity is the travelling back and forth, the some�mes unwri�en comparisons between ‘then and now’ and the emo�onal life of a teenager coming to terms with herself and her feelings. Mul�ple topics and themes are covered, amongst them, racism, feminism, teenage interac�ons, these are all skillfully woven into this gripping storyline.

Anne Kayes foray into Young Adult wri�ng is exci�ng, well wri�en and delivered in a book which is difficult to put down.

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Even the longest day has its end

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