Future Meet Matt Burrell, beginning teacher If you’re a principal, hiring a beginning teacher is a special moment in time. A moment to think back to when you were a beginning teacher yourself. And a moment to look ahead, to when the beginning teacher you hire could be one of the principals leading the way.
To hire a beginning teacher, talk to an education recruiter today – visit edperson.co.nz, betterteachers.co.nz or randstadeducation.co.nz
FUTURE PRINCIPALS TODAY • OCTOBER 2018
WELLINGTON SCHOOL LOOKS TO THE FUTURE WITH NINE NEW TEACHING GRADUATES HIRED
As student numbers increase, schools are seeking new staff to grow their teaching workforce. One Wellington high school enlisted nine new teaching graduates to join their staff for the 2018 school year. Newlands College Principal, Grant Jones, says they couldn’t be more pleased with what these beginning teachers have brought to the school.
“I had a mentor and that was so helpful for me starting out. I also really enjoy the professional discussions that I get to have with the new teachers, the questioning and reflecting time,” says Mrs Ryan.
“They’re enthusiastic and passionate, and they add an important balance to the staff. As young teachers, they’re in tune with the students’ world and are also inspirational to students who are considering entering the teaching field.”
Second year graduate, Matt Burrell, a science and biology teacher at Newlands College, has thoroughly enjoyed being part of the mentoring programme with other beginning teachers.
According to Mr Jones, another important reason for hiring beginning teachers is to secure the future success of New Zealand teachers and schools. “We need to look after the future of our profession. The next wave of teachers need to be well-trained and ready to teach our young people.”
“Not only do we have one-on-one tutoring with mentors, but we also have PRT group mentoring sessions with all of the new teachers. It’s great to have a bunch of people who are going through the same experiences as you.
There’s plenty of empathy and eagerness to help amongst everyone, as we all know what it’s like.”
“It also has direct benefits for schools, as you have the time to grow them in their particular subject field and map out career paths with them,” Mr Jones says.
Newlands College has created a robust mentoring programme that has smoothed the transition into full-time teaching, both for new graduates and for the school. Beginning teachers are paired with a subject mentor, who helps them with their classroom and subject practice for the first two years as part of the Provisional Registered Teacher (PRT) programme that Newlands College has developed. The programme is run by the specialist classroom teacher and provides the beginning teacher with a professional development plan that covers all facets of the profession. Newlands teacher and PRT mentor, Catherine Ryan, sees the mentoring programme as a crucial step for beginning teachers and really enjoys the mentoring role.
“We have our big meetings, where we reflect on what worked and what didn’t during the week,” Burrell says. “There’s plenty of empathy and eagerness to help amongst everyone, as we all know what it’s like.”
Burrell joined Newlands College after doing his final placement at the school as part of his teaching degree at Victoria University. As a principal, Jones believes his relationship with Victoria University has been a contributing factor to his commitment to employing beginning teachers. “Victoria University has a reference group that brings in people from the sector to contribute to the curriculum and the course content. Through being involved in this, I have a lot of trust in the programme and I want to support it.” With a proven track record of hiring new teachers, Newlands College is a positive example that giving a beginning teacher their first job opportunity can reap benefits now and as schools plan for the future.
Matt Burrell – Beginning Teacher:
Catherine Ryan – Mentor:
I have one hour weekly meetings with my subject mentor. It’s great to have that formal time to sit down, I know I can ask him those curly questions and he has the time to go through them with me.”
The talking things through is the most important part of mentoring, being able to ask if you’re on the right track and the process of reflection. We also do a lot of role plays, so they can think about their strategies for teaching.”
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6: The taste of success
The tangible effects a healthy diet has on students
8: Essential lessons
Life-skills programme dubbed a huge success
10: Education’s ticking time bomb MAGAZINES TODAY MANAGEMENT Gary Collins MANAGING DIRECTOR Kylie Palermo GENERAL MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Warren Wilks AUCKLAND SALES MANAGER Monice Kruger CHRISTCHURCH SALES MANAGER Jonathon Taylor EDITOR Jarred Shakespeare ART DIRECTOR
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12: Crunch Time
18: Spruce up your summer menu
The quiz game for kids now available on a screen near you
14: Money talks
20: Cultivating curiosity
The program helping kids avoid learning financial lessons the hard way
15: Delivering literacy
The dire need to grow, develop and keep teachers
Keeping students engaged and achieving
11: The price is right
Rangitīkei College principal Tony Booker on making Year 9 students free of all fees
12: The preparation game
Are we adequately preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s world?
Encouraging kids to make healthy food choices
Unearthing budding young gardeners
22: Tools for the digital curriculum
Turning fear of change into relief
24: Getting out and about Building positive mental health Online resources bring cultural change to rural schools
PG 16
It’s as important as ever for kids to experience the great outdoors
26: The Suzuki Method
Developing character and ability through music
28: Sorting pool safety
A check list to help prevent drownings
32: Creating sun smart areas
How to become a sun smart school
33: Safe as houses
Take the guesswork out of your school’s security
CIRCULATION
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News | Health & nutrition
The taste of success New research into the impact of Fruit & Vegetables in Schools (FIS) has found it is the widest-reaching health initiative for low decile schools in New Zealand, vastly improving health and education outcomes for students. FIS encourages students to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables by supplying one piece of produce each school day to over 118,000 students, and is run in decile one and two schools throughout the country. Research conducted by Quigley and Watts, which included surveying and interviewing principals and parents, highlighted the significant health benefits the food and nutrition initiative provides students, as well as opening up other learning opportunities. Principal Bruce Young at Holy Cross School in Papatoetoe, Auckland, says improvements in overall health and attitudes have been the biggest factors. “The change in children’s general health has been huge, along with their attitudes to trying new things and experimenting. It’s also had an impact on healthier lunch boxes and we’ve become a water-only school. “The supportive social resources provided by 5+ A Day as part of Fruit in Schools are used two ways – because nutrition is integrated
into everyday life, it provides a wider context for learning about the likes of science, for example, as well as improving health.” Jerry Prendergast, president at United Fresh – the organisation that manages the initiative - says FIS addresses many social barriers to learning and aligns with the government’s priorities of achieving equity and child well-being. “In many of these schools, children don’t have access to enough food, let alone fresh fruit and vegetables. Fruit in Schools helps address that barrier by feeding kids healthy food in a way that creates equality, regardless of background, and takes away the stress from whānau and teachers when children come to school hungry.” Key research findings showed FIS improved both health and educational outcomes. Eightythree percent of principals said the overall health of their children would decline if FIS ended, with 74 percent and 62 percent respectively saying concentration and academic
outcomes would suffer. Fifty-six percent said behaviour issues would increase and 53 percent believed absenteeism would increase without the initiative. Feeding hungry children remained the number one benefit of FIS, with eight out of 10 principals reporting their school or kura had fewer hungry students and nine out of 10 reporting a sense of equality between students, regardless of their family circumstances. FIS has also been a powerful catalyst for other health initiatives and learning opportunities, with 74 percent of principals saying FIS has encouraged actions such as establishing school vegetable gardens and planting fruit trees, cooking lessons, initiatives to encourage healthier lunchboxes, water-only policies, and increased physical activity during break and class time.
Teachers are closely supported by the 5+ A Day Charitable Trust, which provides curriculumlinked resources focused on healthy eating, gardening, cooking, seasonal fruit and vegetables, and physical activity. FIS was also making a positive impact at home, with three-quarters of parents surveyed saying their child ate more fruit at home, and nearly half ate more vegetables. Seven out of 10 parents also said FIS supported them to provide healthy food at home. Based on the research, factors for success included schools taking ownership by developing their own distribution systems, appointing student fruit and vegetable monitors, building compost and worm farms for scraps, local supply and distribution of produce, and the inclusion of whānau and the community.
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Smartphones are ubiquitous, and an easy tool for cyberbullying with social media the bullying platform of choice. 3G/4G connectivity also mean unrestricted internet access, with inappropriate content readily accessible. Keeping students safe and focused, while delivering digital learning and modern exploratory pedagogy, is a significant challenge for schools - particularly with the mobility of technology. Schools need a solution that provides effective technology to enforce acceptable internet use policies, they need tools to support student wellbeing and digital citizenship programs, and most importantly, tools which support parents but don't require the school to absorb parental responsibility. That solution is Family Zone Education Solutions. Family Zone is an ASX- listed global leader in cyber safety services. Since its merger with NZ EduTech innovator Linewize in 2017 incorporating school network technology into the platform, this world-class ecosystem empowers cyber safety across any device. Children transition from home to school and stay safe on any device or network. Students also comply with school internet use policies, whether on or off-network. Our Mobile Zone technology is a suite of apps, applications and extensions that can be installed on any device students may bring or use at school regardless of the internet connection laptops, tablets and smartphones. This technology ensures school policy is always enforced during school time. After school, it's up to parents, as Family Zone
Visit our website: www.familyzone.com/schools
seamlessly transitions responsibility, choice and control to home. The platform includes world leading VPN and malfeasance detection technology, constantly scanning usage and devices to detect violations and hazards and providing schools with effective control. Included are comprehensive student wellbeing tools including reporting on usage, internet searches, video content, risky apps installed and at-risk behaviours undertaken. Family Zone Education solutions can be installed on any device, be it a personal or school device, and well-being staff can obtain unparalleled insights into behaviours and risks. Insights that empower the school to deal with issues before their consequences. "A school's core responsibility is educational outcomes. Schools have a fundamental duty to keep students safe. Today both of these objectives are challenged by the advent of mobility,” says Tim Levy, founder and managing director of Family Zone. “It's the challenges of the use of personal devices at school and the use of learning devices at home. Addressing these challenges requires a holistic approach, one that engages the parent community but doesn't consume school resources. This is Family Zone Education Solutions.” If you’d like information on our Partner School Program, give us a call on 03 667 1578 or email info@linewize.com. www.linewize.com/familyzone
Or call us on: 03 667 1578 www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2018 | 7
News | Life skills
Essential lessons A two-year pilot programme teaching kids key life skills has been deemed a “huge success”, capturing 85 percent of Gisborne’s primary school population.
Crackerjack Kids programme so broadly in schools,” he says. “After the proven success of the pilot, we are committed to supporting teachers to empower Kiwi kids throughout New Zealand.” InnerFit NZ partnered with Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti to run the pilot. The organisations worked together to provide comprehensive training and professional development for the participating teachers, ensuring they had hands-on support to effectively implement the resource in their schools.
A recent report by Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti says all schools which participated in the newly developed Crackerjack Kids educational programme will continue their involvement beyond the pilot after seeing the positive impact on their students. Crackerjack Kids, developed by InnerFit NZ, is a sports-based programme linked to the Health and Physical Education curriculum for primary schools. The material gives teachers an easy way to empower Kiwi kids to become leaders, positive role models and well-rounded, stable individuals who are well equipped to achieve on and off the field. With seven more schools signing up to use the Crackerjack Kids resource, the programme is gaining momentum across the wider Tairāwhiti community.
Labour List MP Kiri Allan visited Te Hapara School, one of the pilot schools in her electorate, to see the programme in action, and says she is impressed by the impact that Crackerjack Kids has had on the children. “It was fantastic to witness Crackerjack kids being taught in the class and see a programme that incorporates health and fitness, alongside teaching kids decisionmaking skills that can be carried into a broad range of areas in their lives.” InnerFit NZ founder Ken Youngson, whose mission is to help individuals
achieve their full potential in life, believes that schools have a critical role to play in ensuring that children get a good start in life to set them up for future success. “We know that the life course is set at an early age,” Ken says. “By partnering with schools, the one institution that every single New Zealander has an experience of, we can reach every child to teach them how to make healthy life choices. “The Gisborne primary education network is showing real national leadership in instituting the
The report says “The two-year Crackerjack Kids pilot across 14 schools in Tairāwhiti (involving over 3,500 students from years 1 to 6) can be deemed a success. “This is evidenced by the desire of all the pilot schools to continue with the initiative in 2018, the favourable responses from principals and teachers, observations of positive changes in the behaviour and attitudes of children and, most importantly, the enjoyment of the participating children.” For more information, visit: www.crackerjackkids.org.nz.
Thank you for supporting the 2018 School Immunisation Programme School-based immunisation programmes give parents the opportunity to protect their child against serious diseases. These programmes are internationally regarded as the best way to make sure vaccines are accessible to all eligible children. They are convenient for families, safe and help protect young people against diseases such as whooping cough, tetanus and most cancers caused by HPV.
IM067 | AUG 2018
This year, more than two thirds of parents chose to have their children immunised at school by public health teams. Thank you for helping keep our communities free from preventable diseases.
8 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
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Charles Jennings
Amanda Hogan
Founder, The 70.20.10 Institute (UK)
Computing Education Specialist, Australian Computing Academy
Prof. Pasi Sahlberg
Jocelyn Brewer
Professor of Educational Policy, Gonski Institute for Education, School of Education UNSW
Psychologist and Creator of Digital Nutrition
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News | Viewpoints
Education’s ticking time bomb Over the last nine months I’ve gathered an alarming array of stories from teachers and principals about the lengths they are going to to staff their schools and keep classes running in the face of unprecedented shortages of secondary teachers. The number of teachers that are taking combined year level classes has increased significantly. Senior classes are being left without relievers when their regular teacher is sick. Schools have sent classes home, or used senior students to supervise junior classes. More commonly, teachers are teaching outside of their specialist areas, even in big urban schools which traditionally have had the pick of the crop when it comes to teachers. Around the country the number of teachers in their late 60s and 70s who have tried to retire and been begged by principals to stay on just a little longer is growing. The competition for new teachers at the recruitment days run by the universities is fierce. Naturally teachers are shopping around for the best offer, with some well-resourced schools even offerring accommodation to new teachers to entice them. Principals are spending weeks on recruitment, travelling the country and scouring the world to find suitable applicants to take classes for 2020. The impact of this is compounding. Teaching outside of one’s subject area and covering regularly for colleagues above the full time teaching load adds to workload stress. Heads of department bringing teachers new to the subject area, or the country, up to speed leads to more pressure.
Jack Boyle PPTA president www.ppta.org.nz
Extra workload stress makes people more likely to burn-out and leave. This vicious cycle needs a circuit breaker. Of course the real victims of this are students. Teachers who aren’t able to do their best work because of the pressure they’re under can’t bring out the best in their students. For our most vulnerable students, the impact of disprupted education and lack of specialists is always, inevitably, worse than for the privileged ones. So what is going to solve this? Sadly, the government and Ministry of Education, while they’re beginning to accept the reality of the supply situation, appear to be stuck between a self-imposed and unnecessary rock and another self-imposed and unnecessary hard place. In the short term their ideas are limited to marketing campaigns, attracting teachers from overseas, a couple of tweaks to bonding criteria, expansions to fast-track training and making teaching more attractive to untrained people on LATs. It’s clear that these will fail to plug the gap – they’re bailing with tea-cups while the hull’s been breached. Looking at overseas recruitment, the main place they’re advertising is the UK, where teacher shortages are even worse than here, thanks to years of erosion of teachers’ terms and conditions. Closer to home in Australia, it’s inconceivable with the pay gap that exists between the two countries that we can recruit from there. Advertising campaigns run up against the fact that people know what teaching is like from their experiences in school. Fifteen year olds in New Zealand are far less likely to want to become
teachers than in most other countries – with only three percent saying they would consider it. The OECD average is seven percent. If those three percent all become teachers, we’re still left with a signficant shortfall each year. Longer term the great hope that the bureaucrats and bean counters have latched on to is the ‘disruptive potential’ of artificial intelligence. The excitement about the ridiculous ‘AI teacher’ developed by ominously named Soul Machines (basically a video of someone talking with options to click on – wow) is part of this. This excitement is entirely misplaced. It ignores the fact that the most comprehensive recent analysis of the potential for digital disruption to different industries had this to say about teaching and artificial intelligence: “Of all the sectors we have examined, the technical feasibility of automation is lowest in education... the essence of teaching is deep expertise and complex interactions with people. Together, t hose two categories [are] the least automatable of the seven identified...” Where does this leave us? Government has to prioritise growing, developing and keeping great teachers. There isn’t a quick fix or silver bullet. It’s needs a fundamental rethink of the level of resource put into education. On the plus side, we have a government now who say they are committed to making Aotearoa the best place in the world to grow up. Teachers are the main point of contact that kids have with government, and while we don’t often think of ourselves like this, teachers and schools are at the heart of the collective public responsiblity that a country can show our young people. It’s time for our new government to make their words real.
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10 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
News | Principal Q&A
The price is right As far back as he can remember, Tony Booker wanted to become a teacher. An avid learner with a strong drive to make a difference in the world, he began his teaching career in 1985. Appointed as principal of Rangitīkei College in 2015, Tony’s plans to make a difference have not ceased. As of 2019, Year 9 students will be fees free in a bid to remove some of the financial burden from families in the community, and allow students to take up the extra curricular activities they are missing out on as result.
advantages in engaging young people in sport and we want as many getting involved who want to. At secondary school, kids are often exposed to a number of sporting activities they may not have been able to before. By taking out the financial element we hope it encourages them to give something new a go. What has been some of the feedback from the school’s community?
Tony spoke to Natalia Rietveld about this exciting initiative.
I have only heard positive feedback and appreciation that the school is taking a stand on this. It has generated a bit of wider debate also about whether schools should be allowed to insist on fee payments, and what it means to have a ‘free education’. There is clearly a range of practices and opinions on the issue.
Why have you chosen to remove the school fees for year 9 students?
What do you anticipate this will do to the day to day running of the school?
It was becoming obvious to me that demands from school for payment for various activities and the subtle expectation that donations be paid, was quite a hurdle for many of our families. We are trying to build really strong connections with whānau and fees were getting in the way of that.
I hope it adds to the sense that we are genuinely keen to work in partnership with parents, that when they come here they don’t need to worry about being asked for more of their money.
We felt that there should be no financial barrier for kids to participate in the full life of the college – whether inside the classroom or outside it.
We are also hoping that it will lead to more students participating in co-curricular activities, including sport. And if they engage well with that, there will be positive spin-offs in other areas of school life, including the classroom.
Will year 9 students still pay for their chosen sports?
Already Year 9 students don’t pay for their stationery, is this correct?
No they won’t. I’d heard too many stories about kids not playing a certain sport because it cost too much – especially when there were a number of children in the family. There are so many
We have a college trust, independent of the school, which donates every Year 9 student a stationery pack on their first day at high school. That gesture is really appreciated.
How do you intend to make up for lost fees so as not to struggle in other areas? To be honest, school fees/donation did not make up a large part of our income anyway. Not everyone could or would pay and we have been conscious for a long time of the financial burden coming to college was for our whānau. So in the end, it was just a matter of priorities, and the Board agreed that the cost of this initiative was a higher priority than other competing demands for now. It will be interesting to note any changes in co-curricular participation – we have had to estimate the impact here. If it results in heaps more playing sport for example, it may cost us a little more than we have planned – but it will be a good problem to have! Resourcing is always tight in schools such as ours – but we think this is worth a go for the equity benefits, and other spin-offs. If the fees free initiative for Year 9s is successful, will you look at offering it to other year levels? For 2019 it is Year 9 only, and we will review where we go after that. Obviously it would be great to make it free across the board, but we have to be realistic about this also. I think there may be room to move on the voluntary donation, and subject fees — but sports and other co-curricular fees may be a little more challenging. Do you think this is possible for many NZ schools to incorporate? Anything is possible, but every school has to make its own decision about how best to generate and make use of resources for their own community. What we are doing may not suit other schools —we’re not trying to seize the high moral ground on this.
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www.securescaffold.co.nz | www.securefence.co.nz | 0800 66 00 22 www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2018 | 11
News | In the classroom
The preparation game By Lydia Truesdale
Young people today are likely to work in 17 different jobs, across five careers, through a working life of 60 to 70 years, according to reports by the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA). Many of those jobs are yet unknown and unknowable, which begs the question, is our national curriculum best preparing our students of today for the job markets of tomorrow? “Secondary school teachers here in New Zealand are keen to support their students by teaching them what are known as 21st-century (21C) [skills],” co-founder and director of 21C Skills Lab, Justine Munro told news source Education Central. “These are core competencies such as collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving considered essential for learning and employment for our current and future generations.” We’ve scoured the country for education programmes that exist to work alongside the national curriculum to accelerate our next generations into the workforce through a more prepared education.
LIKE A BOSS L.A.B. is a 10-module programme that teaches Year 9 and 10 students how to design, create and run a people or planet-focused business over the course of a school term. Each student is provided with $20 start-up capital to create, launch and operate their own business to run as their own boss. Along the way they develop 21C skills that relate to the future of work,
entrepreneurship (including Māori entrepreneurship), idea generation, business for good, design thinking, creative marketing, building your financials, planning for success, business trading and celebration. L.A.B is aligned to the NZ curriculum key competencies and learning areas and can be taught by a teacher from any discipline – no special expertise is required as the Teacher Toolkit provides a clear and comprehensive “plug and play” learning guide. “We developed it for schools that needed a vehicle to teach their students 21C skills. L.A.B. is immersive and fun project-based learning which gives the students real agency,” Justine says. www.21cskillslab.com/like-a-boss
WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMMES There are several work experience programmes available to businesses and schools in New Zealand that are encouraged by the government and Careers NZ: Work Inspiration, Gateway, Workchoice Days, and work shadowing. Findings from the Foundation for Young Australians (FYA’s) New Work Order report series highlighted a worrying disconnect between education and employment:
• The average transition time
from education to work is 4.7 years, compared with 1 year in 1986
• Despite 89% of 25 year-old
Australians holding a high school qualification or higher, half of them are not yet working full time, and of those that are, 21% do so through casual employment while 18% do so through multiple jobs
BANQER
• In 1980, 53% of 15 to 24 year-
Banqer is a digital platform that launched in 2015 to teach kids about money.
• 31.5% of young people
Teachers set up a classroom currency and facilitate real-life situations to enable students from years 2 to 8 to learn about growing money, debt, interest, tax, KiwiSaver, insurance and more. Banqer is used by thousands of primary school students throughout New Zealand and in March 2017 it launched in Australia.
olds were in full-time work, compared to only 26% today
are unemployed or underemployed – costing the AU economy 790 million lost hours of work each year, equating to up to $15.9 billion in lost GDP
• The social impact through
loss of confidence, hope and self-esteem has led to mental health issues costing AU $7.2 billion per annum.
The New Work Reality report, which is part of the New Work Order report series, identifies four factors that can accelerate the transition from full-time education to full-time work:
1. An education that builds enterprise skills;
2. Being able to undertake relevant paid work;
3. Finding employment in a
sector which is growing; and
4. An optimistic mindset. Yet from the perspective of young people, these are the key barriers preventing them from transitioning:
1. Lack of appropriate education Half of young people (50%) believe they lack the technical skills needed to gain full-time work.
2. Not enough work experience Three in four young people (76%) do not believe they possess the relevant vocational and practical work experience to gain full-time work.
3. Not enough jobs Seven in ten young people (70%) see insufficient job availability as a barrier for them to enter the fulltime workforce.
4. Lack of career management One in four young people believe they lack the necessary interview skills (26%) and job application skills (25%) to be able to attain fulltime work.
www.banqer.co
Crunch Time Do you know the difference between solar and wind power? Do you know whether animal poo can make power? Do you know whether it’s more energy efficient to have a shower or a bath?
know they’re learning as they play the game and work through a range of fun, informative and sometimes amusing questions. Crunch Time is available to play on the School-gen website - www. schoolgen.co.nz. School-gen manager, Jessica Rodger, says the game gathered fans when it was unveiled in May at the Space and Science Festival.
“It’s aimed at kids aged between seven and 12, though kids as young as four and grandparents in their sixties have all enjoyed playing Crunch Time,” Jessica says.
Crunch Time is an interactive quiz game aimed at kids of all ages, delivering a fun way to keep learning – and entertained – during school breaks.
“More than 3,900 kids, parents and teachers from around the Wellington and Wairarapa region had a chance to test their knowledge. Players loved the interactive nature of Crunch Time and it was awesome to see everyone queuing up to play the game and coming back for repeat sessions.”
Space and Science Festival chairman, Lee Mauger, is a big fan of making science more accessible for kids. “Genesis’ commitment to education was apparent at the three events – and this game shows they know how to get science learning across in a really fun and engaging way.”
The game is hosted by animated character Edison (Eddie) Earth, and he guides kids through the game whether they want to play at home, or with their science classes at school. Kids won’t even
The game includes questions on topics including renewable energy, waste, electricity and endangered species. It is based on a progressive play model which means it increases in difficulty as each level is passed.
School-gen aims to inspire the energy innovators of tomorrow through science and technology learning, and has been running for 11 years. It is New Zealand’s only energy education programme offering
Well you can find out the answers to all this and more in Crunch Time – Genesis’ newest addition to the School-gen website.
12 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
curriculum linked resources, activities and games for children. This year, the School-gen programme has extended its free resources and tools, making them available to all New Zealand schools, kids and parents. “We’re really excited to be able to share Crunch Time with New Zealanders and are looking forward to continuing the work we’re doing to help inspire the energy innovators of the future through our School-gen resources, activities and games.” Crunch Time can be accessed at www.schoolgen.co.nz/playgames/ crunchtime/ and is currently optimised for desktop.
Canon
Service Delivery strategy is based on a number of service principles. These are defined as: Reduce Customer Effort: A focus on reducing the effort required by our customers, to get what they want, when they want, how they want to get it. Single view of the Customer: Having a holistic, aggregated and consistent view of the customer and their whole relationships with Canon.
Enhancing the customer experience In every business, the results are a sum of the processes. Automation and an increasingly digital world are starting to play a fundamental role in helping businesses to fulfil their potential, and at Canon, they are exploring new ways to improve the experience for customers. But where to start? In 2017, Skye Nicholls joined the business to lead the newly formed CX division as GM Customer Experience, with a remit to deliver awesome experiences for Canon customers. This began with a full review of the current landscape and some qualitative experience design research to learn first-hand from customers what an awesome experience might look like today. Paul Dance, Head of Service & Support for Customer Experience at Canon New Zealand, joined in the team in 2018 and brings an extraordinary wealth of intellectual capital from his time at Air New Zealand and Westpac. “Canon is already a great brand with a great reputation and great products. For us, it is about becoming the exemplar for the customer experience as well. “There is an inextricable link between brand experience, customer experience, and employee experience, so we’re taking an inquiring approach to maintaining alignment of each of these elements, always looking at constant improvement. To deliver great customer experiences, we’re first looking to how we can enable our team; it starts with them. “We know our customers have a great brand experience - we make a promise to the customer that every time they see and interact with a product by Canon, it brings
with it a certain expectation of quality and reliability. If this is the brand experience, what is the actual customer experience?”
and cultural outcomes, and always proactively managing the relationship between each of these with ambition and pragmatism.
The first part of this is ensuring the employees on the frontline are fully capable in every sense of the word.
“Operating in a competitive and fast-changing environment ensures we are driven by ever- changing customer expectation demands, and requires a natural curiousity for innovation opportunities. Effective Customer Experience strategy must always ensure it can maintain the hybrid ecosystem of digital, physical and human experiences. For us, we know that our people are what set us apart; to many of our customers, they are Canon.
“It is about ensuring they are armed with the right processes and tools and that they are empowered to make decisions. It’s about setting them up to succeed. If you look after your people, systems and tools, they have the best chance of delivering experience moments aligned with the promises we are making. “We focused on building scalable and sustainable processes, and to also hold onto the understanding that customers want what they want, when they want it, in the easiest way possible. We refer to this as the reduction of customer effort, recognising that for the modern day customer, being in-control of the experience they want to have is key. “We’re looking to balance the design of a frictionless service to our customers, that complements delivery of consistent human based customer relationship interactions. This requires arming our employees with the right tools, information, processes and knowledge that enable them to deliver consistent quality outcomes for customers. This takes a long-term commitment, focus and hard work, and there is no magic silver bullet for any organisation.
“Having passionate, empathetic, knowledgeable and highly-skilled people who are focused on the customer is key to our success. The service technician of the future is here now, the legacy view of a man in a van with a toolbox has changed. “We’re retooling our service and support teams so they can reach out to customers in different ways, and through different channels. Our products and solutions now have an increased level of intelligence and flexibility that better meet the more responsive and interactive needs of today’s world. This drives us to ensure our service delivery does the same.
“It’s important the promises we make to our customers are those that we know our employees are set up to consistently achieve, and exceed, on a sustained basis. This is all about enabling a culture where there is a ‘Freedom to Focus’. It is about always posing the question for anything we are working on of ‘how will this improve what we do?’”
“The perspective of ‘here’s our product and our processes, work these around what you need to achieve’ is no longer relevant in today’s world. We are obsessed with taking the start point of gaining a deeper understanding of what our customers are wanting to achieve, and building authentic partnerships that help us identify ways in which we can be part of the enablement journey and support them to be successful. We are primarily a service orientated business, we just happen to have products that provide brilliance in imaging.”
Underpinning all that Canon does is its commitment to the equal delivery of commercial, customer
To find out more about Canon’s customer experience journey visit www.canon.co.nz.
Proactive service: Delivering service experiences that inform and deliver to customer needs in a manner that often pre-empts the need for customer action. Personalisation of Service: Ensuring each and every customer receives a service that is unique to them and their products. Service Relevance: Making sure the customer service interaction is relevant to the customer, devoid of information they don't need to know. The In-Control Customer: Ensuring customers have timely information and channels available to them in ways that enable them to achieve the outcomes they need. Innovation evolution: Continuously challenging the way we deliver service to ensure we meet the ever-changing needs of our current and future customers.
News | Money
Money talks
School students are ignorant about money - that’s what Neil Edmond, the managing director of MoneyTime found when conducting research for a new online financial literacy program for New Zealand primary school students. It dismayed him to discover their financial literacy was no better than when he was a child of the same age. “I’m 52 and my generation grew up knowing very little about money. We weren’t told how much things like cars or houses cost, or how much we’d need to earn to support a family or how to invest our money.” Neil conducted more than 200 sessions with primary school students in years 7 and 8 and found less than half had a bank account, most thought interest was something to do with a house, and virtually none had any idea what investing is. “If we don’t teach our kids about budgeting, good debt vs bad debt and investing, they are going to end up learning the hard way, like we did.” Determined to make a difference, Edmond has teamed up with a successful software entrepreneur, a software developer and an ex school headmaster to develop an interactive online program that makes learning about money fun.
A key feature of the program is that students earn money for each correct quiz answer to spend on avatars and investments within the program. They have Everyday and Savings accounts and are required to make their own decisions around saving, spending and investing. They learn through trial and error without real life consequences. Feedback from teachers has been unanimously positive. Julie Burrows, the academic co-ordinator for Years 7 and 8 at St Peter’s College in Gore, says “My class are loving the programme and are begging me to unlock the next module. “They are telling me their parents are just as excited as them about the program and are working through it with them at night. This is a fantastic way to get whanau talking. I think it is one of the best programs I have used as far as student engagement goes and it’s great to see they are transferring their learning back into the classroom program.” The program costs $30 per pupil per annum, which is in line with other leading online programs. Neil says most parents spoken to think this is excellent value for money, but many schools are reluctant to pass the cost on, especially lower decile schools. MoneyTime is seeking sponsorship to pay for the program into all schools and has two major banks interested.
“Many parents don’t talk to their children about money because they don’t have the confidence to,” he says. “They weren’t taught when they were young and have had to learn their financial lessons the hard way, often painfully. So they are hesitant to talk to their children about money out of fear that they are passing on bad information.
“If we don’t teach our kids about budgeting, good debt vs bad debt and investing, they are going to end up learning the hard way, like we did.”
“Parents want their children taught financial literacy in schools. It’s just like English, Maths, Science and Social Studies, they don’t have the knowledge, skills or time to teach it, so they’d rather schools do the teaching.” The problem, he says, is that teachers are in the same boat as parents. Many of them have limited financial knowledge themselves and so are reluctant to teach it.
Incorporating the latest thinking in online learning from Australia, the US and the UK, the program comprises 30 lessons ranging from earning money, banking and earning interest through to buying property, making investments and business basics.
WHY PARENTS DON’T TALK TO THEIR KIDS ABOUT MONEY
That’s why MoneyTime does the teaching for them. The 30 modules are all available online and once the teacher has unlocked the module students can work away at their own pace.
Money is fundamental part of how we live our lives, yet a study released by the Financial Planning Association of Australia (FPA) found that 68 percent of parents are reluctant to talk to their kids about money.
“It’s self-directed learning, something we are seeing a lot more of in schools these days. It takes the pressure off the teachers and we’ve had quite a few teachers report they’ve learnt a lot doing the modules themselves.”
“That might sound a bit serious but the kids love it. They want to know about these things,” Neil says.
Neil Edmond, managing director of MoneyTime in Christchurch, suspects that figure could be even higher in New Zealand.
Edmond is hopeful MoneyTime can give a whole generation the knowledge and confidence to be able to teach their own children about money.
14 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
News | In the classroom
Delivering effective literacy learning Reading is a critical skill that provides a doorway into the world. Children’s success in all learning is largely the consequence of effective literacy teaching. Literacy learning builds cumulatively on each learner’s existing proficiency. Becoming literate is arguably the most important goal of schooling. Keeping children engaged and achieving in reading is a report recently published by the Education Review Office (ERO) that describes the strategies used by primary schools which have significantly improved their students’ achievement in reading. ERO asked school leaders what they saw as the reasons for their school’s positive achievement trajectory, then investigated those teaching strategies and the outcomes. Here’s a sample of the strategies and approaches that focused on improving achievement in reading. Interestingly, most of the schools had undertaken extensive reviews in order to identify the areas that needed addressing, before making any deliberate changes:
1. Successful schools used
assessment thoughtfully to identify children’s needs and test the effectiveness of new strategies. They did not necessarily increase the amount of assessment, but took time to get the most out of their data. Assessment was carefully targeted to identify individual students or groups of students who needed help, and where they needed help.
2. Professional Learning and
Development (PLD) – either external or led by the lead teacher – was focused on developing the specific skills teachers needed. External facilitators coached teachers in observation, coaching and mentoring so that improvement continued after the PLD module. PLD was specific to the target areas identified. Teachers trialled and shared successful approaches across the school.
3. Mixed ability grouping – teachers matched children by interests and needs, rather than reading age. Mixed ability groupings allow children to work together and support each other
to read. Results were excellent and the groups were received enthusiastically by children, parents and whānau. ERO also saw schools implementing different strategies for different groups – not a one size fits all approach.
4. Boards dedicated funds to new programmes and additional personnel (such as literacy leaders) and were well informed about the impacts of their funding. As well as talking to teachers and leaders in these schools, the ERO also spoke with parents, whānau and children about other ways they encouraged reading enjoyment. One school used an initiative where classes read a book and completed relevant activities around the topic of the book. They then joined a weekly twitter chat with other participating schools, where students shared their work and answered questions about the chapters of the book they had read. Children are supported to use technology and social media while fostering skills in reading comprehension and communication.
Other schools used community volunteers to help children to read. In six years, one school had accrued a group of some 80 volunteers who were committed to support students’ reading achievement. This approach saw a co-ordinator appointed to train volunteers, who used notebooks and/or monitoring sheets to record what the child had read and what they focused on. The development of positive learning relationships was rewarding for both the volunteers and the students and reiterates the importance of strong connections between schools and parents/whānau. For more information please visit: www.ero.govt.nz/publications.
Specialised support for you and your gifted learners All schools have gifted learners, therefore all schools should be confident in knowing who these learners are and how their needs are being met. The Ministry of Education recommends that every school provide a continuum of provision to serve the varied abilities and interests of their gifted learners, beginning in the regular classroom and school then expanding to include out-of-school provisions. The New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education is the logical go-to place for principals and senior management looking for assistance in this area.
- 20+ years of experience in
identifying and meeting the needs of gifted learners nationwide
- Qualified specialist educators (NZ certificated)
- Leading the Gifted Aotearoa
Network of Expertise project
- Endorsed providers of PLD in Depth and Complexity in Australasia
- Member of NZ Association for
Gifted Children and giftEDnz, the professional association for gifted education
- CEO is a NZ delegate to the
World Council for Gifted and Talented Children.
Support for your students “At MindPlus, my girls loved learning and discovering with others, as for once they were not alone in their thinking and their approach of learning.” - MindPlus parent, Auckland “MindPlus provides something we can’t provide at school. We can differentiate and provide extension in curriculum but our students who attend MindPlus develop a wider understanding of themselves, their strengths, challenges and excitabilities and gives them an opportunity to really fit in with others of like-mind.” – Teacher, Wellington
Support for you and your staff “This PLD was very interactive and a huge amount of learning was made. Inspirational!” - Nelson educator “The session had excellent scaffolding and ideas to develop across the school. I found I went away with something use immediately.” – Christchurch educator New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education (04) 576 9243 admin@nzcge.co.nz www.nzcge.co.nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2018 | 15
Working Space | Mental health
Building positive mental health in students
Online resources bring cultural change to rural school An All Right? initiative developed to help young people build positive mental health and wellbeing has sparked a revolution in one Canterbury school.
“Sometimes we would have four kids not going back to class. That doesn’t happen anymore. Kids go back to class.”
When Tamara Bell arrived at Southbridge School in 2017 to take on the role of principal, she was surprised at what she found.
Mandela colouring continued to be a popular activity for some kids to do after lunch.
These days, Sparkler activities were used by teachers throughout the day, as much or as little as they liked.
Tamara says the Mandela activity was particularly beneficial, as it served several purposes, like addressing any trouble with pencil grip.
Tamara had arrived at the rural decile eight school, having previously taught at a big intermediate and was surprised to find children presented daily issues in the playground.
“This is a way of addressing fine motor skills through a fun activity… It’s helping them to hold a pencil, and focus and gain the concentration needed to sit and colour for a period of time.”
“It wasn’t that we had a whole lot of naughty children, it’s just things weren’t set up well.” Children were getting really angry and arguing, and it could turn physical at times. There was a lot of swearing, and then as kids got upset or a game didn’t go their way, they would run off and not come back to class. “We had lots of kids that wouldn’t return to class when the bell rang. “We talked a lot about what we could do to get the kids ready for learning and back into a safe environment in the classroom where we could help with conflict resolution, if there were issues at lunchtime.”
Tummy breathing, sensory kete, compliment posters and pepeha were among the school’s favourite activities.
Sparklers activities were first run in the classroom after break times, to get children “running back into the class to have fun”.
Tamara and her team then found Sparklers.
“We wanted children to run back after lunch to get stuck into a Sparkler activity. Most of the activities were really helpful in getting the kids calm and ready for learning.”
“We just thought it was an ideal programme, ticking both those boxes.”
Teachers chose activities according to the ages and levels of their students.
The school made a commitment to roll out Sparklers in term three of last year.
Children took an instant liking to the activities, with Hikitia te Ha becoming a hit with the senior boys.
“Being active and learning Te Reo Maori at the same time was a real positive for them.” Sleepy Statues was another hit, and provided the younger classes with quiet time when needed. “There is no one child who doesn’t benefit from Sparklers,” Tamara says. “It had a really positive impact on the kids and teachers, and we saw some noticeable differences really quickly. Terms one and two were a big problem for us. There wouldn’t have been a break where I didn’t get a notice telling me a pupil hadn’t come back to class.
“We got really positive change initially, but what was really cool was that they started a revolution and encouraged us to look at alternative ways to help get them ready for learning. “As a result, we’ve changed lots of things.” Southbridge School now had five break times scattered throughout the day. At play times, children played first, before coming back in to eat. “It feels like a different school now. We’ve been really fortunate that it’s become a really lovely place to be and to be out on duty. And I can honestly say, it wasn’t always like that last year.”
Giving students tools for life The new Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) was introduced in April 2016. With it, we have seen industry pull their socks up regarding health and safety and the training required to be compliant. It has been noted that a base level of understanding of health and safety is required by everyone in New Zealand workplaces and worksites. This is where Vertical Horizonz is working with high schools through Youth, Star and Gateway
programmes to provide base-level understanding of health and safety that students can take with them to their first job out of high school. The training is giving students a head start into the working world and providing credits that attribute to their NCEA record. The Vertical Horizonz Youth, Star and Gateway courses cover industrial safety, health and safety, first aid and leadership training. These industry specific training courses align with Vocational Pathways and provide students with real life industry skills. Vertical Horizonz has been working with Cambridge High School
16 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
since the early days of the Vertical Horizonz Youth Division. The school had the following to say about the relationship: “Cambridge High School recognised a real need for our Gateway students to have an awareness of site safety when they are on their workplace learning, to support both them and the employer. “The students required the knowledge and skills on safety that our staff was not necessarily qualified to deliver. We engaged Vertical Horizonz to deliver the courses. They deliver on the school site with enthusiastic presenters.
“It has also become apparent since we started that the need was greater than those few students on the Gateway Programme. Many more would leave school and require safety awareness in all fields they endeavour. “The benefit for the students to show an employer that they have an NCEA qualification, which also includes some site safety qualifications and a certificate to verify this, has been well received by students, parents and future employers.” For more information visit, www.verticalhorizonz.co.nz.
Health & Nutrition | Healthy eating
Spruce up your summer canteen menu As we say goodbye to winter and embrace the warmer weather, now is a perfect time to review your school canteen or tuck shop menu. Providing foods and drinks that look and taste good, are affordable and seasonal, will encourage students to make healthier choices. Embracing a seasonal menu is a great way for your canteen or tuck shop to add variety, keep up with food trends and generate excitement. There are many ways your business can benefit from seasonal food and drink offerings, for example:
smoothie*. Made with vegetables and/or fruit, milk and yoghurt, they’re packed with health-promoting nutrients like protein, calcium and vitamins. Be creative and consider adding oats, nuts/seeds or spices.
Marketing and new business opportunities
There’s nothing more refreshing than a seasonal salad, check out our recipes for beetroot and feta summer salad*, pesto pasta chicken salad* and bean and rice salad*.
Changing the menu with the seasons can be an easy way to attract new customers. Marketing campaigns (e.g. posters or social media posts) can help inspire customers to try new options.
Salads
Sandwiches and rolls
You may be able to use seasonal food and produce as an opportunity to increase your use of local suppliers.
Be sure to offer a selection of fresh sandwiches, rolls, wraps or bagels available on your menu. Healthy fillings include vegetables and lean protein like shredded chicken, roast beef, egg or hummus. Fuelled4life has recently released a poster which compares two sandwich items, encouraging students to choose the best fuel for their bodies. Contact us for a free copy to display at your canteen or tuck shop.
Staff engagement
Sushi
Switching your menu on a seasonal basis can not only keep students interested, but also kitchen staff. This gives them an opportunity to try new recipes and use different ingredients.
Sushi is a popular choice among children – it’s light, affordable and easy to pick up and eat. If you’re making your own, include nutritious fillings like avocado and chicken*, egg and vegetable* or tuna and cucumber*. Serve sushi with a side salad or coleslaw for an extra health boost.
Maximum quality, reduced food costs Fruit and vegetables are cheapest and taste the best when they are in season. Opportunity to source locally
Seasonal inspiration Looking for seasonal menu inspiration? Fuelled4life has a collection of recipes and resources to help with menu planning. Our spring and summer sample menus for school canteens are available to download for free from www.fuelled4life.org.nz/resources.
REFRESHING RECIPE IDEAS FOR WARMER DAYS Vegetable and fruit smoothies Smoothies are easy to throw together in a blender. Mix up the flavours depending on seasonal availability, for example, green spinach smoothie* or banana cauliflower
How can Fuelled4life help? Fuelled4life is based on the Ministry of Health’s Food and Beverage Classification System (FBCS). It’s a free practical tool which helps schools provide healthier options. It aims to increase access for young people to healthier food and beverages. It inspires food services to provide tasty, nutritious products.
Yoghurt A very versatile ingredient and a cooling, sweet treat. Offer pottles of yoghurt, frozen yoghurt ice blocks* or layer fresh seasonal fruit and yoghurt in cups*.
Sign up to Fuelled4life
Water and plain milk
One in three Kiwi kids is overweight or obese but you can help change that.
It’s even more important for students to keep hydrated as the warmer weather approaches. Remember, water and plain milk are the best drink choices for students, so be sure to keep your fridge well stocked and have these options visible at eye-level.
CHANGE YOUR JOB CHANGE YOUR LIFE! 18 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
Sign up to Fuelled4life for many free resources to help you choose healthier options You’ll also get free access to the Fuelled4life website and newsletter with tips, recipes, special deals and information on ways to improve nutrition in your school. For more information or one-to-one nutrition support, please contact the Fuelled4life team on (09) 526 8550, email fuelled4life@heartfoundation. org.nz or go to fuelled4life.org.nz. *Full recipes available at fuelled4life.org.nz
If you are a teacher, principal, canteen manager, caterer or cook and would like to see your school offering healthier food and beverages, here’s what to do.
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To be a finalist ONCE AGAIN in the last NetGuide Best Employment site category! 0800 486 329 | 2 IVAN JAMIESON PLACE, CHCH AIRPORT, CHCH 8053, NZ.
HEALTHIER CHOICES MADE EASY.
Fuelled4life is a practical tool which makes it easier to provide healthier food at your school. Sign up today at fuelled4life.org.nz for our free resources.
fuEllED4lIfE.Org.nz
Working Space | Young gardener of the year
Cultivating curiosity Unearthing budding young gardeners This year’s Young Gardener of the Year Awards has attracted a record number of entries and unearthed a whole new generation of passionate gardeners. The awards, now in their second year, saw more than 130 entries received from 45 primary schools around the country, nearly doubling the number of entries received in the competition’s inaugural year. The competition grew even more this year with a new category added to the line-up. The T&G Passion for Growing Award was introduced to recognise primary schools whose students love getting busy in the garden, but aren’t already involved with the Garden to Table programme. T&G executive general manager New Zealand, Andrew Keaney, judged the new award and was impressed by the quality of the entries. “We work with programmes such as Garden to Table because we love the way they make it easy for teachers to integrate gardening into the curriculum. “The T&G Passion for Growing Award just showed that there’s a large number of schools who are doing it
alone, proving just how much value our teachers are putting on learning outside the classroom.” Entries demonstrated primary schools’ efforts to teach broader life lessons though their gardening practices, with everything from learning about enterprise and photography, through to using scientific experiments to successfully grow out-of-season plants. One school donates veggies to their local retirement home, while another collects honey from its school beehive to sell.
Winners of the 2018 T&G Young Gardener of the Year Awards T&G Passion for Growing Award Milford Primary School, Milford, North Shore This school demonstrated a desire to want more children to learn about growing, preparing and cooking healthy food. The Gardening Club started in 2009 and has proved popular with many of the school’s special needs students and English language learners. As part of the young gardener’s efforts, they have learnt practical gardening and problem solving skills.
Thanks for unearthing our budding
Gardening Superstars! T&G and Garden to Table received a record number of entries into our second Young Gardener Awards. And it’s fair to say, a new class of little green thumbs has emerged. Dig into our website for more on this year’s winning schools and our budding young growers younggardenerawards.co.nz
20 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
An example of this is when the school had to figure out how to get water to the butterfly garden which was a long way from the water supply. The students learnt about the importance of water, the concept of rainwater collection through the installation of a rain water tank.
nutrition and includes writing, maths, science and even enterprise. The students have begun creating other sustainable products such as lip balm and ginger beer to sell.
T&G Garden to Table Established School of the Year - North Loburn School, Loburn, north Canterbury
Cannon’s Creek School, Porirua.
The school’s Garden to Table programme is largely student led with older students leading younger ones in group projects such as building scarecrows and vegetable signs. Last term a class planted broad beans after reading Jack and the Beanstalk in a bid to link the gardening efforts with what’s happening in the class. T&G Garden to Table Emerging School of the Year - Wainui School, Wainui, north of Auckland This school was recognised for teaching students about becoming kaitiaki (guardians) of our environment and has seen students who struggle in the classroom, blossom in the garden. Their learning goes beyond growing and
Five very deserving and passionate Young Gardener Awards have also been unearthed:
1. Hannah Kome, aged 9, from 2. Jing Mei, aged 10, from Forrest Hill School, North Shore, Auckland.
3. Josh Angelo, aged 11,
from Holy Cross School, Henderson, Auckland.
4. Jackson Evans, aged 10, from
Macandrew Bay School, Dunedin.
5. Finn Meijer, aged 11, from
Waihopai School, Invercargill.
The winning schools will receive some great prizes that will no doubt help to keep them on track with their gardening ventures, including fruit trees from T&G, irrigation systems from GARDENA, Hungry Bin worm farms and goodies from Tui, as well as design help from Garden to Table ambassador Dan Mackay for the Emerging and Passion for Growing schools.
Premium playground surfacing Reharvest® Timber Products Ltd was established to manufacture premium products from waste wood that are eco-friendly and safe for children, animals, and nature alike. We have been undisputed in leading the market in this area for 20 years. Our name says it all; we reharvest used and unwanted timber to make a variety of products ranging from garden mulch, to playground Cushionfall, to animal and equestrian Cushionride. All of which are biodegradable. ENVIROMULCH is our wood chip product created for gardening needs. It can be laid on flat or sloping surfaces since it is self-stabilising and wind resistant. It is excellent for inhibiting weed growth, aids in moisture retention and is nontoxic being free from seeds and disease. PLAYGROUND CUSHIONFALL, as with our Enviromulch, is self-stabilising, inhibits weed growth and is non-toxic. Cushionfall has been rigorously tested and is the only 5 STAR rated surfacing in New Zealand. Prior to product launch, we conducted an extensive two years of product development, followed by three years of onsite playground testing, leading to the mulch meeting New Zealand and Australia playground safety standards, and performing exceptionally well on international impact absorbency tests. Cushionfall is the preferred choice of multiple councils, the Ministry of Education, NZ Kindergarten Associations, playcentre associations and preschool centres. CUSHIONRIDE is our wood chip product for equestrian arenas. The special load-bearing woodchip allows horses to travel “over” the surface, rather than “through” it, minimising joint damage and causing less trauma to your horse’s hocks, knees and lower legs, consequently meaning less “down-time” when competing.
Cushionride is made to a high technical specification for all-weather conditions and all year-around performance. It aids in drainage so it doesn’t freeze and puddles aren’t an issue. It is dust and stone free. ECO-FRIENDLY We pride ourselves in being part of a sustainable future. Our wood chip mulch products are made from 100 percent recycled waste wood, reducing landfill and helping in waste minimisation efforts. SAFETY CONFIDENT – Playground Cushionfall We are so devoted to ensuring supreme quality and safety that we have spent 15 years perfecting our grinder that produces our wood chip so that it removes all traces of nails, staples and hazardous metals/materials, and has no “sharp edges”. Since safety is paramount - we implement an extensive testing regime every two to three years, evaluating the impact efficiency of the wood chips being produced.
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2018 | 21
Learning Space | Technology
Tools for the digital curriculum As digital fluency becomes a necessity rather than a distant goal, a new Digital Technologies curriculum has been introduced that all schools and kura will be expected to deliver from 2020. Across New Zealand, students from Year One onwards will start to learn how computers work, and how to use them. With the country’s teacher shortage being labelled a crisis, the change will see thousands of teachers in need of retraining – as well as digital technologies teachers at high school level, all primary and intermediate teachers need to be able to teach the new curriculum. The new system will cover two key areas: computational thinking, and designing and developing digital outcomes. Students will gain an understanding of key principles that drive digital technologies including algorithms, programming, data representation, digital media and electronics. It’s a prospect that has many in the education sector worried. The key, will be making sure teachers get the training they need. Hamish Day, CEO of kiwi Edtech company Code Avengers, says his
company holds the solution and is already helping millions of users around the world. “Our goal is to prepare teachers and students for the jobs of tomorrow,” he says. “We offer digital technology courses for Years 1-13 which are fully aligned to the New Zealand curriculum and other curricular around the world, and use gamified learning, which means that learning these new concepts is fun and engaging for students.” Even the most inexperienced teachers can become experts in the new curriculum, Hamish says. “We have designed our platform codeavengers.com for the absolute beginner, so it’s a very gentle start – any teacher can become an expert. And the resources, such as customisable lesson plans, auto marking and data tracking, mean a massively reduced workload, allowing teachers more quality time with their students.”
Code Avengers has educators on staff who have helped create the marking tools and other teaching resources available – they are literally providing a service by teachers, for teachers. “We’re providing a complete solution for teachers to learn, plan, teach and assess Digital Technologies,” Hamish says. One of those educators is Lana Signal, who was working as a teacher of ESOL (English as a Second Language) and Classics before joining Code Avengers. She was not trained in Digital Technologies and came into the role “knowing nothing” about what was in store.
She is now a key member of the tight knit Code Avengers team and helps design the material taught, as well as advising on how it’s delivered. Signal is keenly aware that teachers everywhere are feeling immense pressure. “There aren’t enough teachers in New Zealand – let alone specialist Digital Technologies, (DT) teachers,” she says. “The ones who are teaching DT are overwhelmed by the idea of such massive change.” www.codeavengers.com
Build your digital skills while teaching with SIGNAL
Educate
Limited places available for 2019
For Digital Technologies Teachers
Partial scholarships may be available through Signal and TeachNZ.
Are you looking to increase your Digital Technologies teaching skills, whilst continuing to teach? Commencing February 2019, Educate supports teachers who are introducing the new Digital Technologies curriculum into their teaching and learning programmes. Educate is designed for teachers at all levels; primary, intermediate and secondary, including NCEA Achievement Standards. The programme consists of two University of Canterbury courses, designed to complement a full-time teaching load by integrating your learning with your current teaching over a two-year period. With Educate, you will build on your own experience as a teacher and develop practices in your own context with world leading expertise and resources.
22 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
We all know how important it is to provide relevant digital skills to our students, but are you and your colleagues equipped with current digital teaching skills, and the confidence to do so? We know how difficult it can be for schools and teachers to find the time and funds for the professional development required to support you in delivering the new standards, which is why SIGNAL ICT Graduate School has a programme tailored to help. The Educate programme is an atwork study programme, led by Professor Tim Bell and Distinguished Professor Niki Davis. It consists of two year-long papers, and is completed over two years.
Find out more: signal.ac.nz/educate
0800 900 024
info@signal.ac.nz
Educate is delivered via distance learning, and is applied to your daily teaching. The programme includes a short intensive onsite workshop during the first term break to cement your learning, and build your connections.
Educate develops a community of like-minded educational professionals devoted to providing the best digital skills for their students. SIGNAL offers partial scholarships to a large number of Educate learners each year. You may also be eligible for the Teach NZ study awards, sabbaticals and study support grants, which could include support for up to four hours a week and a contribution of $500 towards course fees. See www.teachnz.govt.nz for further info. Patrick Baker, a teacher at Middleton Grange School for 15 years, says “Educate has enabled me to think about aspects of all my teaching, not limited to programming or computer science”. Patrick applauds this type of learning and the environments as “invigorating, and the content delivery and support was second to none”. Enrolments are now open for Educate 2019, and spaces are limited. Find out more at http:// signal.ac.nz/educate, or call the SIGNAL team on 0800 990 024.
Improving outcomes for students and teachers
Now more than ever, the education sector is facing myriad requirements and challenges. That’s why Ricoh has built a business model around supporting and partnering with this unique market - thriving on the opportunity to continually innovate.
We truly believe our solutions meet and exceed the business needs of our schools, as well as teacher and student expectations and requirements, all while providing the elasticity to constantly adapt to meet the sector’s continual thirst for technology uptake. Our involvement stretches beyond just the provision of technology to incorporate our inhouse expertise; IT consultation, solutions architects, technical/ analyst support, project management and business analysis services. Likewise, our focus is not just confined to the workaday. Corporate Social Responsibility As we all know, the time spent outside the classroom has as
great an impact on learning as the time spent in it.
When Ricoh founder Kiyoshi Ichimura established the company in 1936, he formulated the founding principles, which he called, the Spirit of Three Loves — Love your neighbour, love your country, love your work. Ever since, they have provided every employee with a guide for business and have served to encourage individuals to constantly improve and contribute to the wellbeing of all stakeholders; including families, customers and society at large. At Ricoh New Zealand, this manifests in a variety of ways including the company’s corporate social responsibility programme. On a national level, Ricoh aligns itself with a number of organisations, both here and abroad, whose remit is to improve the lives of others. These organisations include: The Fred Hollows Foundation; The Halberg Foundation; Tearfund and Lift International; Sustainable Business Network; Attitude Trust; and the Unicorn Foundation.
Similarly, each Ricoh branch also supports local initiatives/ programmes, such as: Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust; Keep New Zealand Beautiful; Riding for the Disabled; Eat My Lunch; Green Corridors Programme; Ethkick; Auckland City Centre Housing First programme; Juventus NZ Football Camp and more.
The desire to give back to the local community led Ricoh to approach Māori TV to assist in the development of a te reo Māori app, which is available either preinstalled on, or downloadable to, our MFD Smart Operation Panels. This in turn prompted a redesign of our toner recycling boxes to incorporate te reo Māori. In less recognisable ways, Ricoh is dedicated to ‘loving our country’ through initiatives such as offsetting not only our own emissions but those associated with the electricity usage of our customers; becoming the first document solutions company in New Zealand to be CarboNZeroCertTM certified. Additionally, all Ricoh products carry the Environmental Choice ‘Tick of Approval’.
Improving outcomes
Ricoh New Zealand is dedicated to helping schools achieve the best possible outcome for teachers and students, as well as for the business needs of the school itself, says Education Manager Reece Johnson. “That’s why we support the All of Government Print Technology and Associated Services (PTAS) contract and encourage all schools to use the contract - as it offers the best pricing structure available - to procure any print equipment and associated services. “Additionally, we are proactively seeking out opportunities to make a real difference to schools and their communities by offering additional assistance in sport and cultural sponsorship, technology initiatives, scholarships and community-driven activities.”
To learn more about how Ricoh can assist you in improving outcomes, contact Reece Johnson Phone: (09) 368 6047 Email: rjohnson@ricoh.co.nz.
TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO UPGRADE YOUR SCHOOL’S COLLABORATION CAPABILITY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME PRODUCT SPECIALS LG 49” Commercial Digital Signage display with Smartsign Content Management System and wall mounting bracket - $80.72 + GST/month on a 36-month contract: • LG49SM Commercial Digital Signage display • Smartsign Content Management System One Year licence • Necessary wall-mount brackets • Easy to use • THIS PRICING DOES NOT INCLUDE INSTALLATION, THIS WILL BE QUOTED SEPERATELY ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
Ricoh UCS-Advanced Virtual Meeting Room $135.00/month excl. GST • Connect up to 50 users in one virtual meeting room • Connect in via almost any existing video conferencing platform • Connect in via your browser, no need to install an application • Record your meetings • Protect your meetings with a secure pin • Easy to use!
Ricoh D5520 Interactive Board – $238.89 + GST/month on a 36-month contract. Includes the following: • 55” interactive board • Built-in Windows Controller and Windows 10 licence • Robust wheeled stand • 4mm Gorilla Glass ensures a very durable touch screen • Staff training • Easy to use!
Phone(09) 368 6047 Email: rjohnson@ricoh.co.nz www.ricoh.co.nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2018 | 23
Learning Space | School camps
Eye-opening experience for students in the sounds
Getting out and about
A Port Marlborough sponsorship looks too good for primary schools to miss. The launch of the Port Marlborough Sounds Discovery Fund will give primary school aged children the opportunity to get out of the classroom and sail on board a traditional sailing ship around the Queen Charlotte Sound. Port Marlborough is sponsoring up to 10 school classes a year in the region to take part in a full day aboard the picturesque Gaff-Rigged Pilot Cutter, the “Steadfast”, skippered by local D’Urville Island resident Lawrence Etheridge. The programme called ‘Voyage of Discovery’, has become well known amongst schools. It was developed by the University of Otago’s Marine Studies Centre Educator, Richard de Hamel, who has been directing the program for the past eight years. “The students find out and experience for themselves what is above, on, in, and on the bottom of the Sounds. This is their backyard; they should know what makes it tick,” Richard says. ‘Voyage of Discovery’ shows students the ropes on the 18m vessel where they learn to navigate, steer, sample plankton, identify seabirds and dolphins, measure the speed and depth using traditional methods, and see what is happening on the bottom of the ocean using an underwater video camera. Port Marlborough chief executive, Rhys Welbourn is enthusiastic about the programme and can’t wait for schools to utilize the fund. “We are really excited to see Marlborough children go out and experience the beauty and the nature of the Sounds while continuing to learn and enhance their personal development.
“We love the programme, and it is a great fit with what we are doing at Port Marlborough. We strongly feel Marlborough kids should be able to connect with the Marlborough Sounds and learn about the importance of the marine environment to our region’s identity and economy.” Port Marlborough marketing and customer service manager, Connie Smith has experienced the trip firsthand and said she would do it again in an instant. “Shifting the classroom outside to the Sounds is an exhilarating experience for the children; there was continual fun and they were captivated by being able to see what was on the bottom of the sea floor.” The Queen Charlotte Sound is a perfect place for nautical learning because of the safe nature of the environment. “The boat is ideal because under sail she is quiet, and based in the Marlborough Sounds she is big enough that we don’t have to worry often about the weather,” Richard says. Schools will be able to apply for the sponsorship which will fund up to 10 trips per year. Applications can be sent to Connie Smith at Port Marlborough: connie@msmarinas.co.nz.
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Educating a child is not just reserved for teachers within the four walls of a classroom. As part of life’s organic process, a child’s parents, siblings, relations, friends, mentors and even Mother Nature herself are involved in providing a holistic education. Parents teach their children how to love and to try their best in everything they do; siblings, relations, friends and mentors teach kids how to build and nurture relationships and Mother Nature and her vast playground, teaches children life skills. BACK TO BASICS In an age where many kids live in cyberspace or the realm of digital media more than they do in the world of bricks and mortar, it’s important for them to stop and smell the roses - in the flesh. When we look around at a market superfluous with technological temptation, it feels as though the days of building forts, rollerblading, kayaking, camping and childhood creativity died long ago with the dinosaurs. But in actuality, teachers, parents, the government and New Zealand’s leisure-loving patriots are inspiring a recreational renaissance. The expression ‘kids need to get their hands dirty,’ is not just a tongue and cheek analogy. As part of their spiritual, emotional and educational growth, children n eed stimulation beyond the classroom or the hypnotic medium that is the television. In fact, it’s imperative children learn to use their greatest tool - their imagination - because without it, they’ll miss out on experiencing the creative liberation adults spend their lives trying to hold on to. We have all read the news articles, watched the documentaries and pondered the statistics about the dangers of too much digital consumption and the impact this can have on a child’s intellectual growth. Case studies continually circulate about children becoming aggressive, stressed and over-stimulated when they spend too much time immersed
in the world of computer generated characters. And while this line of thought has been regurgitated time and time again, the point is just as valid as the first time we heard it. The key is moderation; children can have their techno-cake and eat it too, as long as it is preceded or followed by a healthy dose of recreational activity. Educational entertainment is a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to teaching our kids. And lucky for the bank balance, educational entertainment is about going back to basics. LEARNING THROUGH LEISURE They say the greatest thing you can give your kids is time and if you’ve got that, Mother Nature can provide you with everything else you need to show your kids the ropes. It doesn’t matter if your wealth is great or small, you and your children have unlimited access to an area rich with outdoor education opportunities. It’s New Zealand native backyard; where the beach is no further than the snowcapped mountains and the potential for children to learn is only limited by imagination. In their journey through life, children need to explore new avenues of thinking. If they are introduced to new environments with unique elements, their mind and senses will mature. The environment itself is like an open-air classroom, which offers stories and facts that cannot be found in traditional learning institutions. And while traditional education certainly provides a sound base for knowledge building, outside activities offer challenges, which encourage children to develop and exercise their lateral thinking skills and strategic abilities.
Working Space | Performing arts
The Suzuki Method
Developing character, ability and community through music By Margaret Cooke
When people think about the Suzuki Method, the image that springs to mind is probably similar to the picture here – lots of small children all playing together. Public events like this often reinforce the impression that Suzuki students learn in groups. Although group activities are an important part of any Suzuki programme, the heart of the method is the unique ‘Suzuki Triangle’ relationship between the teacher, parent and child. All Suzuki students have individual lessons, and theparent is the home teacher between lessons. Group lessons and performances are also part of the Suzuki programme, providing a social context for learning and a peer group with shared experiences.
The beginning of the Suzuki Method came when founder Shinichi Suzuki (1898-1998) was studying the violin in Germany in the 1920s. He
struggled with German, and was observing children playing, when he realised that all German children could speak German, just as all Japanese children could speak Japanese. In other words, there was an amazing, no-fail learning process going on. Suzuki thought a lot about how the principles of learning our mother tongue could be applied to learning an instrument, and this approach forms the basis of the Suzuki Method. Features of the method are a rich and positive learning environment, an early start, lots of listening, parental encouragement and support, repetition and retention of repertoire, and the introduction of notation only when it is appropriate for the student. Suzuki strongly believed that talent and ability were not inborn, but could be developed in all people. He began teaching and research during the 1930s, and was even more strongly motivated to bring joy to the lives of children in post-war Japan, where a whole generation of children suffered the consequences of decisions made by others. One of his sayings was “character first, ability second”. Although many prominent musicians all around the world have started their musical lives as Suzuki students, it was never Suzuki’s goal to produce professional musicians. He believed that through music children could become good people with sensitivity, discipline,
26 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
endurance and a peaceful heart. It was his dream to bring peace and understanding to the world. In New Zealand, the Suzuki Method has been taught for more than 40 years and we are very fortunate to have a number of ‘first generation’ teachers who received instruction from Shinichi Suzuki. There are teachers from Northland to Invercargill, and the instruments taught in New Zealand are Cello, Violin, Flute, Guitar, and Piano. There are also a number Suzukibased early childhood music programmes. Suzuki Method can bring great benefits to students who need an individualised learning programme. Sally Tibbles, Suzuki Flute teacher and HOS Co-Curricular Music at St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland, where there has been a Suzuki-based programme since the 1990s, notes that “children gain confidence, focus and time-management skills, strategies that lead to independent learning, and they learn how effort leads to success”. Through a Suzuki programme, relationships with parents are enhanced and students benefit from making music in a collaborative and co-operative context, away from any concept of competition. To find out more about Suzuki Method in New Zealand, see the New Zealand Suzuki Institute website www.suzuki.org.nz. Margaret Cooke is vice president of the NZSI.
Working Space | Performing arts
Stages and seating designed for high performance Stronglite Staging’s range of performance stages and staging equipment are made in New Zealand to the highest standards. The list of what’s on offer is impressive and includes:
• Stage platforms • Choir / chorus / orchestra / audience seating risers
• Portable grandstands • Ramps and bridges • Steps • Lecterns • Ballet barres • Trolleys • Drapes and frames • Group photographic stands • Wenger products USA. Stronglite Staging® supply safe, durable, versatile, simple and easy to use equipment to support your performance or presentation. All products are compliant with the latest health and safety standards and codes. Take your pick: a stage extension, catwalk, seating by the pool or field,
dance, choir, orchestra practise or theatrical shows and kapa haka and more. Invest in quality by Stronglite Staging®. KEY FEATURES Strength: Stronglite Stage and Seating products are designed and manufactured to be strong and durable and are tested to make sure they meet our high standards of performance under live and static load conditions. Lightness: Innovative design and use of material creates equipment that is light and easy to handle, saving time and possible injury. Safety: Engineer’s design certification, documented test results, qualified trades-people, monitoring of product in the workplace, established safe working loads, and our products conform to or exceed industry regulations and guidelines. You can be sure that our premium quality products meet exacting s afety standards. Simplicity: Superior design ensures our products are quick, simple and easy to transport and assemble, saving you time and effort.
are also available for increased manoeuvrability.
systems that are multi-use wherever possible, including indoor and outdoor use.
Achieve your best with the Stronglite Staging® range of top quality products.
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Safe Surfaces Playground Non-Slip Safety Surfacing Playground Rolls & Pads Custom manufactured to suit the size & shape of your safety area for an impact absorbent, all weather safety surface.
Duraseal Non-Slip Surfacing Seamless non-slip system permanently bonded to the existing surface. Ideal way to refresh worn, slippery & splintering timber.
Playground Rolls & Impact Pads • • • • • •
Made to suit any shape and size Beveled edges built into matting Porous & Non Slip Noise dampening Easy to self-install 7 different colours to choose from.
Custom manufactured to suit the shape and size of your safety area. From 15mm to 50mm thick, playground rolls provide an impact absorbent all weather safety surface. When located in high traffic areas like underneath swings and slides, the impact pad stops wash out and scuffing of the base material while providing superior absorption and safety. Duraseal Non Slip Surfacing
Doorway Threshold Ramps Provides equal access to any doorway, curb, pathway or threshold step. Ramps are made to fit with any site specific details built in including compliant slopes.
It’s Simple & it Works! Learn More @
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A seamless non-slip system permanently bonded to the existing surface. Dura-seal provides an ideal way to refresh worn, slippery and splintering timber. Doorway Threshold Ramps • Very durable and non-slip • Quiet entry for foot and wheels • Can be loose laid or permanently fixed in place • Custom made to fit. Provides equal access to any doorway, ranch slider, curb, pathway, or any other situations with a threshold step. The ramp is made to fit, with any indents, beveled edging, compliant slopes or site specific details built into the manufacturing of your threshold ramp.
• Suitable for high traffic areas- foot and light vehicles are ok • Can be coloured and applied to slopes • Highly durable, easy to clean, all weather surface • DIY repairs are very easy for unforeseen damage • Different grades of rubber available to alter the non-slip properties. Contact Burgess Matting & Surfacing Our matting is made in New Zealand from recycled rubber. Find out more by calling us on 0800 80 85 70, see the range at www.burgessmatting.co.nz, or email us on: sales@burgessmatting.co.nz
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2018 | 27
Learning Space | Swimming pools
Sorting pool safety
A check list to help prevent drownings Is the latch on the gate to your swimming pool working properly? Are there any parts of the fence small children might crawl under? Checking these and other aspects of a pool is one of the things New Zealanders can do to help children stay safe around swimming pools.
“We encourage everyone to follow some routine fence checks and make sure anything that could allow inadvertent access is repaired.” - Dr Felicity Dumble
pool area. A child can drag them and then use them to climb over the fence
Dr Felicity Dumble, chair of the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee, says pool drownings are highly preventable. “We encourage everyone to follow some routine fence checks and make sure anything that could allow inadvertent access is repaired.”
• Remove any tree branches that • Ensure there are no gaps under
the gate when it is closed and there is no part of the fence small children could crawl under (maximum permissible gap between ground and fence/gate is 100mm)
Checks and other advice include:
• Ensure the gate latch clicks
shut automatically. Over time the spring can become less effective. Hold the gate open at varying distances from the lock and check it springs shut and fully latches
• Never prop the gate open • Check the condition of a timber
fence. As the structure ages, the screws and nails can loosen and allow the slats to be removed. Similarly, the wood can age and weaken, so any rotting sections should be replaced
• Check the condition of a metal fence. The joints can become weak due to rust and have been known to come apart with a firm tug
• Always keep moveable objects
(such as plastic chairs, bricks or pot plants) well away from the
could allow a child to gain access to the pool area
• Clear toys from the pool area, so it is not tempting for children to go in.
Local councils throughout New Zealand can offer guidance on ensuring your pool meets all the safety regulations. Further information is available at Water Safety New Zealand: www.watersafety.org.nz.
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Learning Space | Swimming pools
Testing the waters
Swimming Pools are treated to keep the microorganism population down to levels which are considered safe for bathers and the quality of the water depends on the efficiency of the water treatment.
When it comes to swimming pool paint, only time will tell!
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Count This bacteria is associated with eye and ear infections when dunking the head in swimming pools. Spa and swimming pool guidelines
Schools are required by law to test their swimming pool water to ensure they are safe to swim in. Swimming pools are treated to keep the microorganism population down to levels which are considered safe for bathers and the quality of the water depends on the efficiency of the water treatment. To gauge this, a testing programme has been set up with accepted guidelines as per the New Zealand Standard for Pool Water Quality NZS 5826:2010. Four different tests are carried out and below is an explanation of each: Standard Plate Count This test looks for the total number of general bacteria, which present in
the water. If there are high counts of bacteria it may be indicative of a problem, and “where there is smoke, there may well be fire”.
- NZ5826:2010 Standard Guidelines
•
Standard Plate Count: (less than) <200 bacteria per ml water
Faecal Coliform Count
•
Faecal Coliform Count: (less than) <1 bacteria per 100mls water
•
Staphylococcus aureus Count: (less than) <100 bacteria per 100mls water
•
Pseudomonas aeruginosa Count: (less than) <10 bacteria per 100mls water.
This is an indicator test which looks at the presence of bacteria of faecal origin. If faecal coliforms are present, it indicates that there is a possibility that other bacteria associated with the gut, such as Salmonella or Campylobacter, may also be present. These bacteria can cause sickness. Staphylococcus Aureus Count This bacteria can cause skin irritations especially in wounds, cuts or abrasions. It can also cause sickness if swallowed or ingested. It can be found in infected wounds or in the nasal cavity when you have a cold.
Repaint with EPOTEC HIGH BUILD EPOXY
Water testing is one of Hill Laboratories’ specialist areas and Hill Labs have a specific test kit for swimming pool water available. To arrange a swimming pool water test or call 07 858 2000 in the North Island or 03 377 7176 in the South Island, or visit www.hill-laboratories.com.
• Choose to swim at patrolled beaches and swim between the flags – if there are no patrols learn how to recognise dangers such as rips and avoid them • Actively supervise children near water – that means adult supervision within arm’s reach, focused on the child, not reading or texting
Water safety tips We’re all aware of the potential hazards of water – all it takes is a moment’s inattention and disaster can strike. Fact is, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children in New Zealand. The good news is that drowning is preventable if parents and caregivers are aware of the simple things they can do to help keep their children safe from drowning. Be within sight and reach of young children, be aware of all potential water hazards, put appropriate safety precautions in place and be prepared.
One point to remember is experts advise that swimming lessons don’t make children safe, only safer. So don’t over-estimate your child’s ability to cope in the open water environment even if they know how to swim. • Learn swimming and water safety survival skills – and CPR, be ready to respond in an emergency
• Wear a lifejacket when rock fishing or in small boats – it’s the one thing that could save your life if you fall in to the water • Check the latest marine forecast and tides before heading out on the water, tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return, and carry at least two forms of communication on your person – so you can call for assistance • Don’t add alcohol to the mix never when supervising children in and around water • Know your responsibilities around home pools and spas, including inflatable or portable pools. For more water safety advice visit www.watersafe.org.nz.
Used in New Zealand for 30 years and in Australia and Asia. EPOTEC pool paint has been formulated specifically for use in swimming pools and has a proven record in school, domestic, large council and international theme parks.
BEFORE
AFTER
Let us help you with your school pool: • Advise on preparation and repair • Supply of the most appropriate paint system • Help with monitoring painting progress • Training of local people/ working bees on painting if required School pool maintenance can be a big use of resource so make sure it is done once and done correctly. ALL ENQUIRIES WELCOME Call our technical experts on
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www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2018 | 29
Working Space | Sun smart
Taking sun protection seriously The ever-changing weather of New Zealand’s unpredictable climate means that no sooner have we emerged from a winter that might linger into spring, we find ourselves suddenly battling unrelenting heat and with it, rapidly increasing UV levels. Are your students protected from excess sun exposure? Sun protection in schools is important because New Zealand has very high rates of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and exposure to excessive UVR in childhood and adolescence increases the risk of skin cancer. Sunburn in childhood greatly increases the risk of melanoma. Skin Cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand and the incidence rate of melanoma is amongst the highest in the world. Research shows that Principals play a key role in encouraging the adoption and implementation of sun protection policies. Why do schools need to provide sun protection? ERO Health, Safety and Welfare, self audit checklists include “Protection for staff and students from excessive UV radiation exposure”. The Cancer Society advises that sun protection is required from beginning of October to end of March especially between 11am and 4pm. Children spend a lot of this time at school, so it is important that every school has an effective sun protection policy for Terms 1 and 4.
How can schools ensure they have effective sun protection policies? Many schools are joining the Cancer Society’s SunSmart Schools Programme which provides schools with: • Best practice sun protection advice • A sample sun protection policy • A dedicated website with lots of up to date information • Advice from your local Cancer Society health promoter • Accreditation for schools that have effective sun protection policies and practices • When a school becomes SunSmart Accredited it shows parents/caregivers their school takes sun protection seriously. Do schools need to meet the criteria before they apply for accreditation? No, the Cancer Society encourages all primary and intermediate schools to apply for accreditation even if their sun protection policy is not very well developed. Schools can apply online at www.sunsmartschools. co.nz or by mail. Who can help my school become accredited? After your school has applied you will be contacted by your local Cancer Society health promoter who assesses your application, makes recommendations where necessary and can support your school to bring the policy up to accreditation standard.
Why are schools that have caps not able to be accredited? While, using shade, or rescheduling outside activities, are good ways to reduce exposure, there are many times when children are exposed to high UVR at school, so an effective sun hat is a key form of protection. Some students are used to wearing caps and sometimes the school is reluctant to change to sun protective hats. This is understandable, as change often meets with resistance. However, hats required for accreditation are chosen based on research by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), which showed caps and many other hats do not adequately protect the face, neck and ears. These areas are constantly exposed to the sun (unless protected) and generally receive more UVR than other body parts. Research shows that bucket hats with a deep crown and a brim width of 6cm and broad brimmed hats with a brim of 7.5cm provide good protection. For further information visit www.sunsmartschools.co.nz
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NEW ZEALAND’S LARGEST RANGE OF POP UP GAZEBOS, CUSTOM MADE MARQUEES & BANNERS. Reasons to consider us for your next gazebo purchase: Easy to erect, easy to carry. Great rain and UV protection, blocking out up to 99.9% of UV rays. Strong and durable frame construction for lasting satisfaction. Roof and sides can be printed with your special colours and design. A wide range of add-ons on offer, such as sandbags, wheelie bags, rain gutters, etc. Spare and replacement parts are kept in stock.
STORE/SHOWROOM: Hercules Auckland: 20F Sylvia Park Rd, Mt Wellington, Auckland Hercules Wellington: 13 Aglionby St, Lower Hutt, Wellington Hercules Christchurch: 17 Barbour St, Waltham, Christchurch 30 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
CONTACT: Phone: 0800 810 910 Email: info@herculesgazebo.co.nz Website: www.herculesgazebo.co.nz
SunSmart Schools curriculum resources With summer nearly here, teaching students about the sun and protecting our skin from dangerous UV radiation is essential. The Cancer Society’s SunSmart Schools curriculum resources are designed to engage students and provide useful information for busy teachers. The resources comprise one unit each for Levels 1 to 4 of the New Zealand curriculum. Why teachers will want to use these resources: • they are inquiry based • they are cross-curricula, including health, science, maths, english and te reo • individual lessons or the whole unit can be taught over the course of the term in all subject areas • the units can be used across different age groups. All four resources are focused on giving students authentic contexts – exploring the sun, the sun’s energy, and health through a science lens.
Level 3 - SunSmart myth busters
Each unit has a useful planning tool that includes links to the curriculum, assessments, teaching and learning approaches, and key concepts. At the beginning of each section, the unit has a detailed table of the curriculum areas that are covered, the achievement objectives for each area and specific learning outcomes.
This unit engages students in exploring UV radiation, the effects on our skin, and how we can protect ourselves from over-exposure to UV radiation. Hands-on lessons include investigating the effect of sunlight on living and non-living things, UV beads, and the effectiveness of sunscreens.
A themed, inquiry and accelerated learning approach is used so students generate new ideas for themselves, and thoroughly absorb the content.
Level 4 – SunSmart appearances
Level 1 – SunSmart animals Investigates ways animals protect themselves from the sun and relates this to humans. It provides hands-on science lessons investigating the sun’s energy and impacts.
Level 2 – SunSmart fact and fiction Myths and legends about the power of the sun are explored. Science experiences teach about the sun’s energy and includes activities to demonstrate principles such as how quickly sunlight can heat water in different coloured containers.
Exploring further impacts of UV radiation and our skin, this unit looks at how we can protect ourselves from UV radiation (UVR) and how our communities protect themselves from UVR. In one hands-on science lessons, students survey, test and evaluate SunSmart materials. Underlying all the units is Professor Mason Durie’s model of Māori Health - the four dimensions of hauora -Te Whare Tapa Whā. Each wall of the whare represents a different dimension: taha wairua (spiritual side), taha hinengaro (thoughts and feelings), taha tinana (the physical side) and taha whānau (family). All dimensions are necessary for strength and symmetry. All four are needed for a child to flourish and learn. The units can be downloaded as a PDF from www.sunsmartschools.org.nz.
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2018 | 31
Working Space | Sun smart
Creating sun smart areas Shade is one of the key components of being sun smart and decreasing the risk of getting skin cancer. In the ‘Slip, slop, slap, wrap’ message it is suggested you ‘slip’ into shade as much as possible to protect from high summer ultraviolet radiation (UVR) levels. This is especially important when the ultraviolet index (UVI) is ‘very high’ at eight or above. This tends to be during Terms 4 and 1 at the very time school students are lunching, or enjoying outdoor activities such as sport and outdoor classroom activities. Maximum protection from solar UVR can be achieved through a combination of personal and environmental strategies. The most effective personal protection strategy is to minimise sun exposure between 11am to 4pm (daylight saving time) during summer. When people are outdoors it is important that they protect themselves from the sun by wearing protective clothing, sunhats, sunscreen and sunglasses, as well as using available shade. Why shade is needed? Research confirms that clothing, hats and sunscreen are not 100 percent
effective because of inadequacies in the shading of hats and clothing, and in applying sunscreen. Shade can compensate and can also make more comfortable environments in creating shelter, reducing glare and/ or providing relief from the heat of the sun. How much shade is needed and works The Cancer Society of NZ recommends a minimum of 2.5sqm per student. While outdoors, we receive direct UVR from sunshine and diffuse UVR which is reflected from the atmosphere (the open sky). In an open field approximately 50 percent of UVR would come from each source. High protective shade must use an excellent UVR barrier shading material and be placed to shade the users as the sun-path moves across the sky. The view of the open sky should also be restricted. This can be done by keeping the edges low. Adjacent landscape, buildings, fences, trees and planting can be used to further reduce this ‘sky view’.
A canopy installed at Hamilton SDA Primary School by Fresco Shades.
Design shade for its expected use It is important to consider the duration of expected use and also whether users are likely to be wearing hats and sunscreen. As sun smart students will be wearing hats and sunscreen for lunch-time play, shade over play equipment is providing extra protection and
therefore a lower protection factor may be acceptable. Conversely, hats and sunscreen are unlikely to be applied before an hour long art class on a classroom veranda. In this case, the veranda should be carefully designed to give more protection e.g. shield the diffuse UVR from the open sky.
When the weather is more unpredictable than your students!
Double your learning area and have fun outside even when it’s raining. With clear drop down sides you can create a sheltered outdoor room that has many uses. Fresco canopies can be used to link buildings and creat a totally flexible space that can be used year round. Our strong PVC roof blocks 99% of UV rays, making it a Sunsmart choice.
32 | Term 4, 2018 www.principalstoday.co.nz
• Extend your usable space • Shade and shelter for students all year round • Keep classrooms cooler in summer and increase productivity! • Modern curved shape enhances any environment • Also great for pools, walkways, entrances and school shops We have many delighted customers in the educational sector, and are happy to provide references on request.
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Working Space | Security
Take the guesswork out of your school’s security Technology empowers students in almost any learning environment to be actively engaged in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. But it also means there’s more capital just sitting in our classrooms at any given time, making security a vital measure within school planning. The Ministry of Education has a number of guidelines and measures set to take the guess work out of security planning. School security policy A secure school also provides a safe learning environment for students. Good security has a number of advantages for your school. It can help to: • Reduce vandalism and theft • Reduce the cost of fixing vandalism and theft •
Keep your school looking good to increase pride in your school and foster positive perceptions in the community
• Provide a secure environment where staff and students feel safe.
should apply through their School Property Advisor (SPA). Funding the recommendations from a Ministry security audit A school that undergoes a Ministryfunded security audit may be eligible for a Five Year Agreement (5YA) budget top-up. The top-up aims to meet half the cost of security improvements except that: • The minimum contribution by the school (from their 5YA budget) will be 10 percent of their 5YA budget • The maximum contribution 50 percent of their 5YA budget. Schools need to consider how they manage security as part of their normal school planning. Ministry school security policy Security systems are required in new schools and new buildings costing more than $200,000. All new schools and new buildings and renovation projects in excess of 1,000 square metres must have a security design report. The security design report will identify local security issues and outline the design responses, including the use of Ministry of Justice Crime Prevention through Environmental Design concepts.
The security assessment recommendations are considered non-discretionary. They are, therefore, covered by the Budget Plus policy under urgent health and safety work.
Security audits A formal security audit is a good idea before upgrading or adding to school security. The aim of the audit is to identify and prioritise the actions schools need to take to be less attractive to vandals and thieves.
Security design guidelines
The Ministry can provide tailored security assessments for schools that fall into the vandalism E-band and schools that have applied for vandalism top-up grants for three consecutive years.
The Ministry’s security guidelines Security in Schools include a risk management planning tool. This tool guides schools through a security assessment and action plan writing process.
The Ministry can also fund a formal security audit for schools suffering catastrophic loss from arson. Schools
Information kindly supplied by the Ministry of Education: visit www.minedu.govt.nz.
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FUTURE PRINCIPALS TODAY • OCTOBER 2018
RECRUITING, RETAINING AND SUPPORTING THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST TEACHERS TEACHER SUPPLY:
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION’S CONTRACTED RECRUITMENT AGENTS
DID YOU KNOW...
Education Personnel, Oasis Education and Randstad Education are the Ministry of Education’s contracted recruitment agents.
UPDATE ON SUPPORT INITIATIVES
We have reviewed the criteria for the 3R (Recruitment, Retention, and Responsibility) National Fund to enable more schools to be eligible to access financial support from the fund.
Also, when recruiting a Kiwi-trained or an internationally-trained teacher from overseas, more schools are now able to easily access a ‘Finder’s Fee’ of up to $3000 to help cover recruitment costs.
And, more teachers may be eligible for support to help complete their Teacher Education Refresh (TER) when they need to repeat or re-sit aspects of the programme.
These three changes are part of a series of Ministry-funded initiatives to support more graduates into permanent teaching positions, help experienced teachers get back into the profession, attract New Zealand teachers back from overseas, and encourage teachers to come and teach in New Zealand. To find out more about any of the teacher supply initiatives above, contact us by: Email: teachersupply@education.govt.nz Phone: 0800 165 225 Website: www.teachnz.govt.nz/informationfor-schools-and-principals/
The Ministry has three education recruitment agents working to secure teachers for vacancies across New Zealand. These agents provide a range of services. Get in touch to see what they can offer and which one will best meet the needs of your school.
EDUCATION PERSONNEL Education Personnel Ltd has been a preferred recruiter for the Ministry of Education for 15 years. They are a New Zealand-owned family company, managed by teachers, with offices in both Wellington and Auckland. The agency places teachers in long-term, permanent or relief (supply) roles in all sectors: early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary. Contact: Web: www.edperson.co.nz Phone +64 4 387 9988 Email: careteam@edperson.co.nz
OASIS EDUCATION Oasis Education has been supporting recruitment of teachers internationally and in Auckland for more than 12 years. The agency provides schools with day-to-day, long-term relief and permanent teachers in the greater Auckland area. Contact: Web: www.betterteachers.nz Phone +64 9 815 8152 Email: info@oasis-edu.co.nz
RANDSTAD EDUCATION Randstad Education is a national supplier of teachers across New Zealand for full-time, contract, fixed-term and day–to-day relief. Contact: Web: www.randstadeducation.co.nz Phone 0800 800 204 (Option 3) Email: teachinnz@randstad.co.nz
www.education.govt.nz
As part of a series of teacher supply initiatives to attract New Zealanders into teaching, the Ministry of Education has launched a new advertising campaign. Television and outdoor advertising will tell real teachers’ stories about what motivates them and gives meaning to their work.
To find out more about the campaign and to view the ads visit Becomeateacher.co.nz 4 | Term 3, 2018
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