Issue 101 Term 1 | 2014
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LEADERS IN EDUCATION NEWS SINCE 1989
FUTURE PATHS
Today’s kids are staring down uncertain times, so is there anything education can do?
IN JERUSALEM
A living case study of what it means to teach
A TRUE INSPIRATION
What makes New Zealand’s most inspiring teacher tick?
THE THREE KEYS TO ADVENTURE EVENTS Safety, fun and education – everything else is just details
PRINCIPAL Q&A
Rangiora High School’s Peggy Burrows shares her ideas
GRAND PLANS
The Government’s four new school roles explained ISSN 1170-4071 HAVE THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE SEEN THIS?
Principal Administration Dept Board of Trustees Property Manager Outdoor Ed Dept Teachers
A World Away
Welcome to
Willow Park Though only half an hour from downtown Auckland, Willow Park is a world away from the city itself. For conferences, schools, churches, business groups, or just relaxing - all you need is right here in seven acres of park-like grounds on the edge of the beautiful Waitemata Harbour. Willow Park is a multi-purpose venue, available for a wide range of guests. Willow Park can accommodate 180 people in bunk or family style rooms with some twin rooms available. The beautiful inner harbour of the Hauraki Gulf is perfect for watersports and safe for the Willow Park canoes (8 available). Our latest addition is a multi-purpose Recreation Centre. The innovative Flotex floor is ideal for both large conferences and a wide range of sports including basketball, volleyball, indoor hockey, badminton (4 courts), or indoor soccer. • Conference areas • Sports fields • Children’s play area • Tennis courts
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Email: office@willowpk.org.nz Web: www.willowpk.org.nz
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Issue 101 Term 1 | 2014
www.principalstoday.co.nz
LEADERS IN EDUCATION NEWS SINCE 1989
Contents
news
10 FUTURE PATHS FUTURE PATHS
Today’s kids are staring down uncertain times, so is there anything education can do?
IN JERUSALEM
A living case study of what it means to teach
A TRUE INSPIRATION
What makes New Zealand’s most inspiring teacher tick?
THE THREE KEYS TO ADVENTURE EVENTS Safety, fun and education – everything else is just details
PRINCIPAL Q&A
Rangiora High School’s Peggy Burrows shares her ideas
GRAND PLANS
The Government’s four new school roles explained ISSN 1170-4071 HAVE THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE SEEN THIS?
Principal Administration Dept Board of Trustees Property Manager Outdoor Ed Dept Teachers
Principals Today
5,234
Issue 101
ABC circulation as at 30/06/13
Staring down uncertainty
6 VIEWPOINT David Shearer says options are needed for food in schools
Today’s youth are three times more likely to be unemployed than their parents were at the same age, so is there anything education can do?
8 THE POWER OF MANY Students learn first-hand the power they have to make a difference in the fight against cancer
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20 IN JERUSALEM
HEAD OFFICE
Academy House 47B Birmingham Drive Middleton PO Box 1879 Christchurch
Acts of compassion The Sisters of Compassion - a living case study of what it means to teach
MANAGING DIRECTOR Gary Collins
OPERATIONS MANAGER Di Barclay
Issue 101 / Term 1, 2014
ADMINISTRATION
9 THE PRICE OF OIL Debating the pros and cons of deep sea drilling 12 PRINCIPAL Q&A Rangiora High School’s Peggy Burrows shares her ideas 18 SUPER STUDENTS Super speller Nithya Narayanan and Jonathan Everett’s automatic magic 24 GRAND PLANS The Government’s four new school roles explained 25 OUTWARD BOUND Where to head for a little injection of self confidence 31 THE THREE KEYS TO ADVENTURE EVENTS safety, fun and education – everything else is just details
Kylie Palermo ADMIN MANAGER Kelly Allen Jade Haylett Shannen Johnson
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SALES & ADVERTISING
26 GIFTED EDUCATION The Gifted Education Centre’s One Day School
22 A TRUE INSPIRATION
Bill Thew Verne Williams Evaon Watkins Chris Graves
Medbury’s Micah Hocquard
NEWSROOM
Finding out what makes New Zealand’s most inspiring teacher tick
Jonathon Taylor EDITOR Laura Hall Davina Richards Phone: 03 961 5098 Fax: 0800 555 054 Email: editor@academy.net.nz
PRODUCTION
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30 ALPHABET SOUP Are you happy with your students’ spelling skills? 33 SCHOOL CAMPS Destinations that tick all the boxes
40 HEALTH AND SAFETY Keeping your place safe
36 the war to end all wars Remembering the First World War The Centenary of the First World War is a time for reflection, debate and study opportunities
Phone: 03 961 5077 Fax: 0800 555 054 Email: production@academy.net.nz
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28 NUMBER CRUNCHING Why do manipulatives in maths work?
38 TECH-ED Educational toy gets the thumb’s up
Caroline Duke PRODUCTION MANAGER Carolynne Brown CO-ORDINATOR Jenna Day DESIGNERS Janelle Pike Sarah Betman Olivia O’Callaghan Luke Wattchow DESIGN & ONLINE Jarred Shakespeare
Disclaimer: This publication is provided on the basis that A-Mark Publishing is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in these articles, nor for any error or omission from these articles and that the firm is not hereby engaged in rendering advice or services. A-Mark Publishing expressly disclaim all and any liability and responsibility to any person in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done, or omitted to be done, by any such a person in reliance, whether wholly or partially upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication. Advertising feature articles are classified as advertising content and as such, information contained in them is subject to the Advertising Standards Authority Codes of Practice.Contents Copyright 2012 by A-Mark Publishing (NZ) Ltd. All rights reserved. No article or advertisement may be reproduced without written permission.
27 WALKING WITH DINOSAURS A valuable resource for any school
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42 PERFORMING ARTS Just what you need to set the stage
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Online
Securing students online As your school moves towards supporting Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), are you confident that you are providing your students with a safe and secure online environment? Connecting student devices to your school network raises a number of daunting challenges. Is the content they have access to appropriate? Can you securely identify students across every device they use? Can you audit student use of the school network? Providing secure Internet access for students surfing the web on their own devices often leaves schools facing expensive network upgrades and disruptive configuration changes. Linewize Ltd, a Christchurch based hi-tech company, has developed a unique solution that solves some of the trickiest challenges of BYOD in schools. “Moving to supporting student devices on a school network can turn out to be an extremely costly and disruptive exercise. We believe it shouldn’t have to be,” says Linewize founder Scott Noakes.
Surfwize Linewize’s product, Surfwize, combines a network appliance with a cloudbased management service that allows management to have visibility and control of every device connecting to the network. Surfwize allows schools to support BYOD on existing networks, removing the need for expensive upgrades. Dael Sutton is the assistant network manager at Burnside High School in Christchurch which has used Surfwize since the middle of last year. With more than 2,500 students, Burnside High School is the largest school in the South Island. The school has around 3,000 wireless devices logged onto its network during the day, making more than 30,000 Internet connections a second.
charges. “Surfwize has met our school’s online security needs for a fraction of the price.” Surfwize has no fees for installation, setup or equipment. A monthly fee of $120 to $1,000, depending on the size of your school, is charged for use of the system. As well as blanket banning inappropriate content, school staff can customise the access of different student groups at different times. Full integration with existing directory services allows group-based content access policies to be applied. Students are identified via a login process and access is restricted on a case by case basis. An online database maintains a log of where network users have been and how they have used the school network.
This, Scott Noakes says, “gives visibility of what the most popular sites are and generally they’re the ones that need to be blocked”. Linewize is also developing an app that will allow teachers to control classroom Internet access from their smartphones. A computer science teacher, for example, will be able to disable Internet access for all students in a class during an exam. This applies to both the fixed PC they are using and the students’ personal devices. If supporting student devices is on your school’s IT roadmap, then contact Linewize today to discuss how Surfwize can provide a cost effective solution for your BYOD adoption.
“Every device has the ability to access any content, so if that’s done through the school’s Internet connection, we need to make sure that’s done in a safe way,” Sutton says. “Schools need to be able to say ‘we’ve covered our network off and certain things are inaccessible to children’.” When Burnside looked at systems to secure the network, Sutton says it faced paying up to $60,000 for a new system, as well as ongoing monthly
>
Burnside High School’s network manager Andrew Godfrey [left] with the school’s assistant network manager Dael Sutton.
SURFWIZE FOR SCHOOLS Supporting BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in schools raises issues that until now have required expensive and often disruptive network upgrades.
Contact Linewize Ltd today and arrange your free evaluation of Surfwise for Schools
Surfwize for Schools is the solution. Developed by Linewize Ltd, it enables schools to support BYOD without having to make complex changes to existing networks. Surfwize is a cloud based service combined with a locally installed network device that offers: BYOD support on existing school networks without the need to upgrade equipment. Secure user authentication and web content filtering for fixed and mobile devices. Complete visibility of browsing history for every user and device on your school’s network. Surfwize for Schools delivers this capability with no up-front costs or long-term contractual obligations.
0800 546 394 | info@linewize.com
| www.linewize.com www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 5
News | Viewpoint
Options needed for
food in schools
David Shearer is the Labour Party spokesman for energy and foreign affairs
in the fresh air every week, having fun and learning the lifetime skills of gardening and food preparation alongside family and community volunteers. It’s win, win, win; so much better than a handout for the kids and it raised a question I have grappled with since my bill was drawn from the parliamentary ballot: Is it right to impose a one size fits all solution onto every low decile school?
Since my Food in Schools Bill was drawn out of the parliamentary ballot late last year, my meetings with principals, doctors, charities and communities have convinced me that some important adjustments should be made to the bill. My research took me to a wonderful school in my electorate; Owairaka District School, where eight year old students served me a lunch of vegetarian pizza from their own pizza oven, salad from their garden, and muffins made with eggs from their chickens and honey from their hives. Owairaka is in a decile two community, but the children are kept nourished and learning through this garden-to-table programme that sees them out
I have come to believe schools and communities would prefer options and autonomy. For the sake of our 275,000 overweight and obese children - and the uncounted hungry ones - we should be supporting and augmenting great community solutions, not replacing them. Our current government has a poor record of attention to nutrition in schools. In 2009, they removed guidelines that encouraged healthy foods in schools. Then Education Minister Anne Tolley said, “As part of the National Government’s commitment to reducing compliance for schools, I have decided to remove the clause in National Administration Guideline (5) which states “where food and beverages are sold on schools’ premises, to make only healthy options available.” How can we teach our children about healthy eating, while providing a canteen full of fat, sugar and salt? Accordingly, our childhood obesity rates increased from eight percent in 2006/07 to 10 percent in 2011/12. Meanwhile, the Government’s recent partnership with Fonterra and Sanitarium allows the corporates to deliver their wares to schools, reaping special marketing privileges. It’s certainly better than nothing for hungry children, but there are some problems. Doctors and medical
researchers have said the breakfast is nutritionally inadequate and not evidence-based. The US and the UK both have common sense guidelines to make sure school meals contain 1/3 of a child’s daily nutritional needs. Because the Government’s programme was introduced only under public pressure, I suspect it’ll be scrapped as soon as the public gaze looks elsewhere. My food in schools bill will legislate for food to be available in every decile 1, 2 and 3 school that wants it, so poorer communities can have confidence their children won’t be hungry at school. When I wrote the food in schools bill, I was unaware of the extent of the problem. I didn’t know, for example, that KidsCan donates nappies to schools for children who are so poorly nourished that they have chronic constipation and leaky bowels. I spoke to a doctor recently who ran a hearing test on 38 toddlers in Glen Innes only to find 70 percent of them had glue ear. Poor nutrition makes our kids susceptible to obesity, iron deficiency anaemia, cellulitis, impetigo, kidney and bone disease, infections and pneumonia. I’m a former teacher, from a family of teachers. I don’t need a doctor to tell me that hunger, poor nutrition and illness impact hugely on children’s cognitive abilities and behaviour. My conversations with schools, doctors and organisations like KidsCan has convinced me that child nutrition must be part of any conversation we have as a country about food in schools. Weetbix and milk is simply not enough. Research tells us that if you can lift educational achievement across a population even just fractionally, it pays huge dividends economically. New
Zealand’s future success depends on us being able to lift the achievement of our 265,000 children in poverty. Like everyone I want to see good bang for our food in schools buck. The programme should be evaluated. Through the monitoring of hospital admissions, school attendance, academic achievement and dental decay, we’ll see the value of our investment over time. Other countries have seen food in schools programmes pay for themselves in this way. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Health Economics showed healthy school meals raised educational outcomes in primary school students by 3-8 percentage points, and authorised absences (likely to be due to sickness) decreased by 14 percent - indicating better health among the children studied. I’ve run feeding programmes for children all over the world. In Somalia I ran one that at its peak was feeding 30,000 starving kids under five. I learned that there’s one thing that characterises a successful programme: the community owns it, contributes to it and eventually runs it. I don’t believe in a blanket feeding programme for all schools. I believe some schools want support and others don’t. Many already have their own creative solutions in place. Let’s be clever and support those existing community efforts to independence so our support can be temporary. Like everyone, I want to see parents and communities who are able to look after their kids instead of depending on a government feeding scheme. That’s what we should be working towards.
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News | Relay For Life
The power of Many Students learn first hand the power they have to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Josh McCaffery is described as a mover and shaker by his school principal. The 11 year-old laughs at this, but thinks it’s “pretty amazing” that his idea to hold a whole school fundraiser for the Cancer Society has been the motivation behind the roll out of a nationwide Mini-Relay handbook for schools. In March last year, Josh, then aged 10, went to Brian Walkinshaw, the North New Brighton School principal, pitching his idea for a mini Relay For Life – based on the Cancer Society’s major community fundraiser. Year after year, Relay For Life brings people together to celebrate, remember and fight back against cancer. In all, 23 communities up and down New Zealand will host relays in 2014, including a Kiwi team based in Antarctica. Now, thanks to Josh, schools are being invited to get more involved by hosting their own Mini-Relay and a handbook has just been released to help them do so. It’s a guide to help schools stage a scaled down, fun event in their own grounds. Cancer Society Relay For Life senior staff partner, Kate Shearer, says Mini-Relay is an exciting way to help students develop lifelong habits that can reduce their risk of cancer and other diseases.
Josh’s proposal was enthusiastically accepted by the school as the teaching team could see that the time out of the classroom for each child was minimal, but the learning and opportunity to be involved in a larger community event, that raises funds for the Cancer Society, would be advantageous. “For the school, the relay was not a big task,” Brian says. “Josh, with the support of his mum, did all the organising, liaised with all the teachers, got community sponsors and managed the whole day. There was no blueprint and Josh worked through each step with Kate (from the Cancer Society). It was just brilliant.” The success of the North New Brighton School Mini-Relay prompted the Cancer Society to create a blueprint encouraging and making it easier for schools across the country to get involved. The resource includes a range of ideas, templates and information to support cancer education and fundraising activities in schools. “It’s important to emphasise that Mini-Relay is a flexible activity - you can develop your own programme and schedule,” Kate adds. “Josh really has started something great here. He totally encompassed the relay spirit and through his big thinking and his ‘sky is the limit’ attitude, he has launched something really exciting.” Each summer more than 25,000 Kiwis form teams, fundraise and participate in the overnight Relay For Life event. Team members walk and jog through the night, symbolising the fact that cancer never sleeps.
“It also encourages students to work together for a common cause and allows them to reach out to others who have been affected by cancer.”
Relay is a true community event attracting students to senior citizens and everyone in between. The event includes a number of poignant ceremonies, campsites, breakfast, entertainment and an opportunity for people to share their own journeys and experiences, or simply to take time to reflect and remember loved ones.
The idea Josh pitched to his principal was for the Mini-Relay to run throughout the school day, with each class rostered to have half an hour to head out and walk around the track.
Up and down New Zealand, the main relay attracts large numbers of high school teams who enthusiastically embrace the event. Waitara High School in the Taranaki, is one of the
schools using Relay to engage with students on another level. In 2013 the students re-wrote the official Relay For Life theme song, raised more than $5,000, performed a haka for the survivors’ and carers’ lap and were on clean up duty. “You learn to be a lot more compassionate when you go,” team spokeswoman Kayla Tangira says. “You just feel something when you’re there. You feel the hope that people have and when you’re walking you carry that with you. I think that’s the best part of it.”
“They develop so much as people. They do this event selflessly, to raise funds. It’s a big commitment as we start in October. So for six months these kids are giving, coming up with ideas, working out the logistics of the event, working as a team and raising money.” Josh had attended the full relay in the past with his mum and after his grandfather died of cancer, he decided he wanted to do something through school to honour his memory and to show the kids that even though they were young, they could contribute to the cause by organising their own event.
It started as a crazy idea “If you put your mind to something that you don’t expect could happen, you can do it,” Josh says. “It started as a crazy idea, but I have learnt that if you look around and ask for help, people will help you.” Brian says relay also brought many people into the school for the final hour of the event. “It provided an opportunity for us as a school to interact with members of the community we would normally never see.” A local preschool brought all the younger children in to walk several laps. They were joined by the then Christchurch Mayor, Bob Parker,
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who was invited by Josh. Dozens of other community members came in to recognise the spirit of relay and support the student fundraising efforts. Josh’s experiences with relay have taught him a lot and Brian says this applies across the school. “The children were able to see that as young students they have a part to play in contributing to wider causes out in our community.” Relay For Life is the world’s largest cancer awareness and fundraising activity. Described as a life changing experience, it’s a team event to celebrate cancer survivors and caregivers, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and fight back against the disease. People of all ages and levels of fitness participate and the atmosphere of relay is quite unlike anything you have ever experienced before.
For further information: Schools can access the Mini-Relay handbook by contacting the National Manager Relay For Life and Community Development: kelly.atkinson@cancer.org.nz To learn more about Relay for Life visit: www.relayforlife.org.nz
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The power of many; Josh McCaffery adds his handprint to show how individuals can create a bigger impact together.
The 2014 team is already going strong and co-ordinating teacher, Clair Tart says the personal growth she sees in the participating students is amazing.
News | Issue
The price of Oil By Corazon Miller
Our land of the long white cloud, green pastures and Middle Earth, is well recognised as one of the few remaining, un-tapped oil and gas frontiers in the world – at least for now. The globe’s century-old reliance on oil and gas is at a turning point, with humanity draining the current petroleum pools. New Zealand and its unexplored waters are apparently ripe for the picking. With an estimated 18 potential deep-sea basins, holding billions of dollars of oil reserves, our small nation, at the bottom of the South Pacific, is attracting foreign oil giants in droves. These international oil mongers are quickly cottoning on to the fact that the waters off New Zealand’s coasts are harbouring a potential economic goldmine. And the Government is welcoming them in with open arms; freeing up more than 400, 000 square kilometres of land and ocean floor for oil and gas exploration. Taranaki, the East Coast, the West Coast and five offshore areas – Northland, Taranaki, the Pegasus-East Coast Basin, the Great South-Canterbury Basin and the New Caledonia Basin northwest of New Zealand, are all now up for tender to the biggest bidder. And there is certainly no shortage of bidders; this summer has heralded the beginning of a new oil rush, with the Texan oil giant Anadarko winning its bid to begin drilling off the coast of Raglan. And then there’s Shell announcing its plans to begin drilling in waters up to 1.2 kilometres deep in the Great South Basin off the OtagoSouthland coast. Offering up areas of our country to be raped and pillaged for its oil, is something that has become somewhat of a contentious, emotional issue. It’s true the economic returns could be massive; the oil industry is worth billions of dollars and stands to provide the local economy with thousands of jobs, if it proves a success. These potential dollar figures are causing politicians and business folk in favour of oil exploration to become somewhat delirious at the thought of the potential riches. The current Government is quick to jump on the oil-wagon, hoping to bask in the glow of any potential finds the international oil giants make. The poster child of the oil supporters is Norway. The Scandinavian nation it seems has managed to strike it rich in the Arctic sea, without destroying its environment.
While it’s good to have a role model to look up to, there are some significant differences between Norway and us. Norway, unlike New Zealand, owns a significant percentage of one of the companies playing a significant role in the oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean, giving it significant control and direct access to the oil industry. And Norway, unlike New Zealand, has proven that these offshore oil resources are viably accessible. Despite all this talk of New Zealand’s billions of dollars of oil deep under the sea, no one is yet to strike it big, and not because there is probably nothing down there, but because it may quite simply be too hard to get. The main question is whether the money put in, is worth the money coming out. Founding director of UK-based Peak Oil Consulting, Chris Skrebowski points out when oil is in extreme environments, the increased difficulties makes it more problematic to mobilise the oil in a cost-effective manner. Oil certainly wasn’t always this difficult to get. Early oil in the United States during the 1930s and up to present, in parts of the Middle East, was very easy to get, with one barrel of oil needed to get 50 barrels of oil or greater. However, as these supplies continue to get depleted, oil companies are looking elsewhere.
Is it worth it?
Environmental activists certainly don’t think so. They argue against the prospect of oil drilling often citing the case of the huge spill in the Mexican Gulf as an example of what not to do. They have little faith in the oil giant’s assertions that safety measures are in place. The risk for the green camp is too high; our seashores, our marine life have a lot to lose if something does go wrong. It’s a risk in their eyes that is not worth the, as of yet, unrealised economic potential of our oil reserves. If we do, we risk doing irreparable, costly damage to our environment. If we don’t, we stand to lose billions of dollars that could be used to boost our economy and quality of living.
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For the meantime it seems those in favour have won. The Government in its desire to show its wholehearted support of the oil industry has even passed legislation to make it even easier for foreign oil companies to set up shop in our seas without opposition, by criminalising at sea protests. Let’s just hope these opposing voices are wrong and that oil is in fact worth the price we risk paying.
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Contact us for advice or support M: 021733626 - Tim | E: Tim@mindkits.co.nz www.mindkits.co.nz/store/3d-printing www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 9
News | Issues
By Melinda Collins
Both globally and in our little corner of the South Pacific, we are facing a significant skills shortage which has given our youth unemployment rates a shove, unfortunately in the wrong direction, with today’s youth three times more likely to be unemployed than their parents were at the same age. So here we speak to Workchoice Trust CEO, Amanda Wheeler about what we can do to prevent this crisis moving forward. Can you start with telling me a bit about the looming youth unemployment crisis? Both globally and closer to home in New Zealand, we’re facing a dire skills shortage and at the same time, sharply increasing youth unemployment rates. According to Statistics New Zealand figures for July 2013, youth now account for more than one third of New Zealand’s total unemployment rate (Statistics NZ: Youth Labour Market Dynamics in NZ, July 2013). Whilst globally, the youth unemployment rate, estimated at 12.6 percent in 2013, is close to its crisis peak with as many as 73 million young people estimated to be unemployed in 2013 (International Labour Organisation: Global Employment Trends for Youth 2013). Poor youth employment rates can partly be accounted for by the mismatch between what employers want and what young people and educators think they want. On the one hand many of our young people struggle to find their first job. But at the same time, employers struggle to get the skills they need. What is the first step to addressing this issue? It is crucial that we address the current disconnect between education and industry. Both sectors can be quite inward focussed, yet they are incredibly dependent on each other. Business needs a great education system to be able to access the right talent and education needs business for the successful transition of youth into the adult world. This disconnect can be easily addressed, we just need both sectors to start talking. And talking in whatever way, shape and form that works for them. We strongly encourage all the companies we work
10 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
with to build a positive relationship with their local schools. Principals and senior management can assist with this too – pick up the phone and talk to your local employers, ask for a tour, ask about staffing needs, invite them to speak at assemblies, and enquire about youth opportunities in terms of work experience. How did the Teachers’ Workchoice Day come about? The event was trialled in Christchurch in 2010 after one particularly savvy school asked for a Workchoice Day-type experience but only for teachers. Then the latest McKinsey Report came out which also highlighted the disconnect from a worldwide perspective and how youth themselves felt about being prepared for the workforce. The trust realised we could easily begin a conversation between the two sectors by delivering this event. It was a natural, positive and proactive step to offer professional development for teachers, using mechanisms and connections we had already been using for years via our student programme. How does this seek to make a difference? It offers educators the opportunity to step into the world of industry. Via the morning conference style sessions, the event offers a variety of key note speakers to share their expertise around recruitment trends, the use of social media, successful models of transition and panels of industry representatives talking about their talent needs. But best of all, it offers educators a real world experience of the industry they are teaching about by going into the various sectors for the afternoon. Was this the first event of its kind? We believe so. Of course, there are pockets of great transition models happening around New Zealand, but we think this event was the first on such a scale.
How was it received? Ninety six percent of attendees surveyed stated they would attend a 2014 event. In fact many stated it was the best professional development they had received in years! So the feedback has been incredible, not only from the education sector but from the companies that took part. Businesses want access to education, teachers and youth – they just needed a structured event to make that happen. What were some of the key messages from the event? The main one was that academic success was important, but not crucial from an employer’s standpoint. When hiring, employers time and time again stated that they are looking for confidence, good communication, team work, a great attitude and a willingness to learn. It was very clear that companies largely employ based on soft skills and are willing to train the right employees with the hard skills needed to do the job. The second main message was that many youth that apply for roles are not prepared for the recruitment process or understand how to market themselves. We need to prepare young people better for their first steps into the world of work. The final main message was that there are real skills shortages in a variety of sectors. We are talking about significant opportunities for those young people with the right skills and subjects. Can you tell us a bit about the work of Workchoice Trust? Workchoice Trust’s purpose is to provide a real link between education and industry. Our programmes offer ideas, knowledge, connections and opportunities for youth and schools to build on. To date, through our flagship programme, Workchoice Day, we have worked with 155,000 senior students nationwide. In 2014, the Trust is undergoing significant redevelopment to ensure our programmes remain an innovative and proactive response to youth employment. Two exciting new initiatives are a Vocational Pathways Programme and resources for parents. Workchoice Programmes are run in Term 2 of every year. In 2014, Teachers’ Workchoice Day will run on 15th August in Auckland and 29th August in Christchurch. Visit www.workchoice.co.nz for more information.
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News | Principal Q&A
Peggy Burrows is the tenth principal in Rangiora High School’s 130 years. The school was established in 1884 by an Act of Parliament and is well known in Canterbury for its rural studies and the unique feature of a farm. By Laura Hall
Peggy graduated from Palmerston North teachers’ college in 1981 and held a variety of teaching positions across the country before becoming the principal at Rangiora High School in 2003. She is a justice of the peace, was a serving member on the Deportation Review Tribunal, a board member for the National Advisory Committee for Animal Welfare, was short listed for the Woman of Influence awards last year and is currently undertaking a PHD research project. What changes and developments have you initiated during your time as principal? NCEA was introduced at the time of my appointment and so the school was working very hard to implement those changes. Also at this time the school was facing massive roll growth so we reintroduced the house system, so that we could create six mini schools within a very large school. That was one significant move we made and it had a significant positive impact on how we provide pastoral care for our students. We’re one of the few schools in the country to own our own farm. Part of the farm was zoned residential in 2006 so in 2007 we sold a small portion and made $7 million. We set up the Rangiora High School Education Trust with the money, which has been phenomenal. The object of the trust is to look after past, present and future students of the school. This allows us to run scholarship programmes for the students and staff, we send students overseas, on sport tournaments and pay for additional, extra cirricular tutoring. The trust has enabled us to address some of the things government
funding can’t. So not to brag, but it places us in a good position to deliver for our students.
CTV building, staff members who lost homes and students who were displaced.
If you were the education minister what changes would you make to the education system?
How have these changes impacted the school? The house system has helped to instill a sense of pride in our children. The houses have an ethos of service before self and we’ve structured them so the children learn to give back.
We had a large influx in the school roll from students who were forced to leave their homes and schools in town because they had been destroyed. That upheaval was pretty difficult to handle at first but I think we managed it well as a community and as a school.
Put all of the resourcing that I possibly could into early childhood education. The second thing would be to advocate to treasury for paid parental leave for women at home with their children. I think a strong start at an early age is what will save education.
Each house has a house charity, for example Hillary House’s charity is The Foundation for the Blind, and over the past six years they saved enough money to buy a guide dog for a blind person.
You have 1,800 students, is it an advantage or disadvantage being a large school? At the moment we are the second largest school in the South Island. When I arrived in 2003 we sat at about 1,276 students and last year we hit 1,800, so in response we reduced our zone to contain the roll growth.
What have your students taught you? They’ve taught me humility, to think before I speak and they have also taught me that I don’t have to be the person who is responsible for thinking up all the great ideas, because they have such incredible ideas.
Also the youth offending rate in North Canterbury shows that when we introduced the house system, which included pair support, pastoral care and 24 hour counselling, the crime rate in the district dropped. What is the role Rangiora High plays in the life of its students? The biggest role we play in our children’s lives is connecting them to the family within the school and in the community. Our school has a massive support team, so if you have a success to celebrate we will celebrate that with you but if times are tough and hard we will help you. When you are a part of this school you are a part of a very old and well established family, we’ll have your back and you can pretty much ask for anything. What is the biggest challenge your school has faced? The earthquakes have been the biggest challenge for us. We have staff members who lost loved ones in the
12 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
One of the biggest advantages is having more flexibility and options with the classes we offer and the timetable. But the biggest challenge we face in a large school is making sure every child is known and making sure there is a connection between students and staff, which is why the house system has worked so well. Who has influenced you throughout your teaching career? I worked under the most wonderful principal, Greta Firth, at Marlborough Girls College. She was the person who helped me get this job as principal. I couldn’t thank her enough for what she did for me. She was a very good role model and mentor for girls because she celebrated the achievements of women in education and drove them to be their best.
I think principals sometimes run the risk of thinking they have to be in charge of everything, but in fact young people are very good at leading and they have such passion, we don’t tap into that enough. What is your advice for fellow educators? My one piece of advice, that I don’t follow myself, is be kind to yourself and take breaks; make sure that you have holidays. We don’t relax because of the sheer weight of the work load. So create good teams, delegate wisely and have trust in the people around you. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? Forgetting about all the worries, problems and challenges, and just enjoying spending time with the students.
News | In brief
Design Group Meets on New Education Initiative Education Minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the first meeting of the working group that will recommend the best design detail for the four new teacher and principal roles, announced by the Prime Minister at the beginning of the year. The new roles will provide better career pathways, recognise the highest quality of teaching and leadership, and raise the quality of learning and student achievement for all our children and young people. “We want to recognise highly-capable teachers and principals, keep good teachers in the classroom, and share expertise across schools” she says. “By focussing on leadership and the quality of teaching, we’re targeting the two factors we know make the biggest difference to lifting students’ educational achievement. “We’re also responding to what the profession has told us it needs, and what the best performing countries are doing.” Parata asked the Secretary for Education, Peter Hughes, to convene the group of education sector representatives following the
announcement in January of a further $359 million to boost the profession and help lift educational achievement. She says she’s extremely pleased that all the groups have accepted her invitation to work together to provide input into the design details of the $359 million investment. “It’s vital in the next step of this very significant initiative that we draw on the expertise of the profession and unions to help shape the detail of the design. “I’m delighted all these groups are working together with the Ministry of Education to progress this significant initiative in the interests of the profession and our kids. Parata says the group will meet regularly and focus on getting the design right, so that planning for implementation in 2015 can get underway. The working group members are: • New Zealand School Trustees’ Association • New Zealand Educational Institute • Post Primary Teachers’ Association • Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa • New Zealand Principals’ Federation • Secondary Principals’ Association • New Zealand Area Schools’ Association
14 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
• New Zealand Association of Intermediate and Middle Schooling • Ngā Kura a Iwi o Aotearoa • Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa o Aotearoa • Pasifika Principals’ Association. Counsellors sound warning on education sector adjustments The NZ Association of Counsellors is warning that fixing ‘the tail’ of the education sector won’t happen until politicians put adequate resources into pastoral care and emotional support for students who are suffering from a huge range of psychological issues. NZAC spokesperson, Sarah Maindonald says “Everyone agrees that kids can’t learn if they are hungry. But nor can they learn if they are dealing with a wide range of psychological stresses and associated learning issues. “And for many of those students who comprise ‘the tail’, these stresses are an everyday fact of life for which they get little or no support.” Maindonald says a recent ERO report highlights the need to boost school counsellor resources as part of enhancing pastoral care. The reviews says growing numbers of secondary school students are seeking help with problems, and their needs are increasingly complex.
The report recommends reviewing the formula used to calculate counsellor staffing levels in schools. “The teachers at the coal face are dealing with large classes of students with increasingly complex presentations. These teachers need effective back up. Maindonald says an average week can see school counsellors dealing with parental separation, self-harming, parental death, suicidal thinking, drug and alcohol issues, peer conflict, family violence, parenting problems, sexual abuse disclosures, suspensions (counselling support legally required), depression, anxiety, eating disorders and, particularly in Christchurch now, increased post-traumatic stress. While the problems may not be created at school they manifest themselves there, and they affect a student’s ability and motivation to learn. “There is a wealth of evidence, both here and overseas, that shows students’ learning and educational achievement can be enhanced through the provision of appropriate and effective pastoral care interventions. “We hope the ERO report will lead to action being taken on counsellor to student ratios as this will mean more students can access appropriately qualified and skilled professional help and support when they need it. “And this, in turn, will enhance their ability to learn,” she says.
News | Events
Education The month of March has been earmarked to celebrate our national education system via the Festival of Education. With the primary themes being collaboration, innovation, cohesion and celebration, the festival is promoting the sharing of ideas, inspiration, success and best practice across the sector. “The Festival of Education is an opportunity for us to actively celebrate these achievements by providing a platform for schools, institutions and learning centres to showcase their contributions. It is a special occasion for students, teachers and the community to profile and applaud their own success and innovation,” the official site says. Festival events, to be held in March, are designed to complement the International Summit of the Teaching Profession in New Zealand. The International Summit, cited as ‘the world cup of education’ is co-convened with the OECD and Education International, represented in
New Zealand by the NZEI and PPTA. It is aimed at the top 25 education systems as measured by the OECD, and invites the Ministers of Education from each of those systems.
Excellence Award programme that “… will recognise and celebrate groups of New Zealand educators and parents partnering for a better education for our children and young people”.
Education Minister Hekia Parata says “Celebrating excellence in education is an important part of the Government’s commitment to raising the status of the teaching profession, and publicly acknowledging the critical contribution the profession makes to lifting overall student achievement.
She also announced a proposal to establish a new body EDUCANZ, to replace the New Zealand Teachers Council, which is the cornerstone of the Government’s commitment to strengthening the teaching profession.
“The festivals will share best practice among educators, and bring the best in education to the wider community. There is so much excellent teaching and learning going on in New Zealand, and the festivals will be an opportunity to showcase this,” she says.
“Teaching needs a strong professional body that provides leadership to, and is owned by the profession.
“The new body I have proposed will support system changes to improve the quality of teaching and education leadership and will have the needs of children and young people, along with the public interest, at its heart.
Festival of Education dates •
Auckland: March 21-23
•
Christchurch: March 23
•
Wellington: March 29.
For more information, visit: www.festivalofeducation.org.nz
“Hosting the international summit, holding the festivals, introducing the excellence awards, and establishing the new professional body EDUCANZ, are all part of acknowledging the profession, raising its status, and recognising the critical contribution that quality education achievement makes to the future prosperity of New Zealand.” The minister announced late last year a Prime Minister’s Education
Java Dance Theatre 2014 SCHOOLS TOUR, SOUTH ISLAND TERM 2 Dance performance and workshops tailored for primary and secondary levels “A rich and playful world that offers us an opportunity to visit the home of these precious creatures.”
The Performance - Down Beneath Below Down Beneath Below explores Antarctic creatures on a quest to find themselves and their true home. This interactive adventure takes the audience from a city skate park to the expanse of Antarctica. Teenage hip hop penguins Pen and Quinn, feisty, funky sea lion, Celia Iron and uncoordinated albatross, Alby are the best of friends. Their friendship is put to the test when a white icy rock falls from the sky...
The Workshops - Curriculum Connect Practical Dance Workshops inspire students to explore threatened sub-Antarctic creatures through science, research and dance! Class plans, resources and links to the curriculum are part of the Java Dance Company package.
South Island Tour Dates and Costs Southland
5-9 May
Otago/Central
12-16 May
Canterbury/West Coast
19-23 May
Nelson/Tasman
26-30 May
Performance $4 per student (min. fee $400) Workshops $250 per hour (max 60 students)
To register your interest: javadancecompany@gmail.com For bookings and information: call Sacha 027 663 9481 or Faye at DANZ 04 801 9885
EMP OWERING THE FU T URE W W W. J AVA DA N C E C O M PA N Y. C O. N Z
BOOK NOW javadancecompany@gmail.com Phone: Sacha 0276639481 16 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
News | Super Students
SUPER SPELLER
SUPER STUDENT
By Melinda Collins
Hands up if you can spell perestroika. What about vicissitude, maladroit, denouement or endocrine? With orthography skills like these, you’ll see why we crowned Nithya Narayanan from Auckland’s Lynfield College a super student. The winner of the 2013 New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee, Nithya took out the title late last year after several gruelling hours competing against 17 other contestants. She didn’t immediately realise she was the winner when she correctly spelt ‘perestroika’, meaning ‘the policy or practice of restructuring the economic and political system in the former Soviet Union’, and still feels like she was in a dream. “It hasn’t really sunk in,” Nithya explains. “I feel really privileged to have won.” The Year 10 student was one of 18 finalists from around the country
attending the New Zealand’s ninth annual top spelling contest, spelling up to 14 rounds of words before a packed house at the Circa Theatre. After knocking the other 16 contestants out of the competition, Nithya locked horns with Uma Sreedhar of Wellington Girls College. Uma took second place after stumbling on ‘trifecta’, which left Nithya to take out the New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee championship. Patron of the NZ Vegemite Spelling Bee, Roger Hall was impressed with the calibre of competitors. “It was the best contest yet! The spellers were very talented and it was fascinating to see the different personalities and how they tackle each word. “If ever there was an exciting show, the spelling bee is a wonderful piece of theatre.” Spelling Bee organiser, Janet Lucas was also impressed by the ability of the finalists. “Nine years on I am really noticing how much better prepared our finalists are for the final,” Janet says.
“The event seems to be going from strength to strength and it’s so exciting to think that we will be celebrating 10 years of the national spelling bee next year which has always been my dream to get it this far.” The 2013 Spelling Bee champion has won $5,000 in cash along with the
National Spelling Bee trophy. Sponsored by Vegemite and ZM, the New Zealand Vegemite Spelling Bee is administered by a charitable trust. Its purpose is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts, and develop correct English usage.
E H T H IT W E C DAN PROFESSIONALS FootnoteNZ is New Zealand’s longest running professional contemporary dance company and has toured to the USA, China, Germany, UK, Belgium and France in last five years alone. FootnoteNZ’s Dance-in-Education programmes were specially developed in 1985 by founding director Deirdre Tarrant as an opportunity for children to experience live performance. For thousands of Kiwi kids, FootnoteNZ visits have had a lasting influence on them and their dance experience.
FootnoteNZ 2014 Dance-in-Education Programme (Years 1-13) These inspirational workshops relate to your current curriculum requirements and to topic studies within your school. This chance to work closely with professional dancers can also provide a great performance opportunity during a FootnoteNZ finale, where students and dancers share the stage. Priced at only $750 (inc. GST) per day. Workshops are timetabled to match your schedules with a final performance at the end of the visit.
For more information or booking, please contact General Manager Richard Aindow: P. 04 384 7285 M. 021 844 210 E. richard@footnote.org.nz
18 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
footnote.org.nz
News | Super Students
Spinning the wheels SUPER STUDENT By Davina Richards
Whakatane High School student Jonathan Everett, 15, is rolling in recognition for his science project after being awarded the Royal Society of New Zealand Peter Spratt Memorial Award at the prestigious Realise the Dream event. Talk about a result! But it isn’t the first time he’s dabbled in science. Jonathan, who aspires to become a mechanical or electrical engineer, decided to embark on his Autobike project after his experience as a finalist at RTD in 2012 with a project to study the effect of car tyre pressure on fuel economy. He was impressed with some of the other students’ robotics projects and wanted to learn how to do something like that himself. In March last year, Jonathan’s dad Graeme, called up a friend, Nick
Murray, who acted as a mentor to Jonathan and offered advice on his new project – designing and producing an electronically controlled automatic gear changing system for his bike which changes gears based on pedal cadence and includes a manual override option. Jonathan also had a little help from his hard materials teacher, Tony Rika and another family friend, Dave Dobbin. “From a very early age Jonathan has loved making things and tinkering pulling things apart to see how they work, and he has always said that he wants to be an inventor when he grows up. And this is something we have tried to encourage,” Jonathan’s dad says. The idea for the project came about when it occurred to him that cars had automatic gears but bikes didn’t, and the cyclists he talked to about it saw potential in his idea. “Little motors push the shifters to change the gears depending on how fast the rider is pedalling. The pedal speed is measured by a component that generates a pulse from a magnet attached to the pedals,” Jonathan says.
While testing and revising his design to improve the system, he had to rise above unexpected technical challenges. “It took me a while to gather momentum because I’d never really done anything like this before, so I had to learn from scratch. I had trouble getting the gears to change up on the front cog because the bike I used is around 35 years old and doesn’t have any “pick up” hooks to help move the chain. I had to take pick-ups off a newer cog and rivet them onto my bike’s cog.” He was taken by surprise when his name was announced as the recipient of the award at the Government House in Wellington in December last year. The award, a $3,000 scholarship, was presented by Richard Meylan, senior manager public engagement at the Royal Society of New Zealand and a close friend of Peter Spratt. Jonathan enjoyed his week at RTD; visiting Genesis Energy, Dairy NZ, AgResearch and NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research), he also saw The Hobbit film, walked on Auckland Harbour Bridge and went to Hamilton Zoo after hours, among other activities.
Jonathan’s parents attended the award ceremony and were very proud to be present and share the experience. “We were very impressed with Jonathan’s efforts. Although early on I did worry that he had bitten off more than he could chew,” Graeme says. “I suggested that maybe he should try something a little less ambitious. Midway through his project I suggested that maybe instead of reengineering the derailleur’s completely, he could simply get some motors to pull the cables. He ignored this advice, and just as well as it turned out.”
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Truly a Family, Group & School location (some schools have been returning for 8 years), offering BBQ area, outdoor dining, playground, 22 metre 6 lane swimming pool, giant chess, petanque, basketball badminton volleyball, self catering kitchen, restaurant and bar. Only 3 hours north of Auckland by road
Haruru Falls Resort offers the following facilities: • School Groups Speciality in Rooms & Camping • 28 Rooms consisting of Hotel & Family rooms, Motel units, & Superior Apartments. • Holiday Park - 42 powered & 30 unpowered sites including River front • Conference Centre - Waiharuru te Whare “The Resounding Water House”. • Licensed Restaurant and bar. • Special Events, Weddings, Touch Coaches, and Community Events
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www.harurufalls.co.nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 19
Cover Story | Sisters of Compassion
In By Kate Pierson
When you look at the New Zealand education sector, what do you see? How does it make you feel? Does it greet you with sincerity and compassion - without judgment? Can you find examples of goodness – rectitude, equity and selflessness? Do you and your children feel safe in its embrace? I hope you can say ‘yes’ to all, or, at the very least, most of these questions, but of course, I can’t be sure. All I know is that if you travelled to the local school in Ranana that sits alongside Jerusalem, you would see and feel these things – of this I can be absolutely certain. No, not Jerusalem located on a plateau in the Judean Mountains and recognised as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. This is a Jerusalem much closer to home. Jerusalem “Hiruharama” on the Whanganui River – unassuming on a geographical scale yet wildly beautiful. It is home to just 20 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
a handful of people, and was once the refuge of a creatively fatigued James K Baxter. The dichotomous nature of the environment is like night and day – Christian and Maori spirituality mingling with patches, parties, and the most beautiful and dynamic kids who have a pension for using four letter words. Each holds the other in the highest regard, and with the upmost respect. Jerusalem has long been home to the Sisters of Compassion – a congregation of ‘Sisters in Action’, who came to the town to support, educate, respect and learn. Their lineage dates back more than a century, when Sister Suzanne Aubert laid the foundations for a life of serving others. Her commitment? ‘To care with compassion’, also known as ‘Te Rauhi I Runga I te Puaroha’.
Cover Story | Sisters of Compassion Sister Suzanne’s spirit and selflessness inspired generations of Sisters whose lives have also been dedicated to serving God and their fellow human beings, while offering dignity to people from all walks of life. Their work in the town of Jerusalem is justly recognised as powerful. It is work done for the love of people and involves no pursuit of recognition. In recent years, Jerusalem has been the home of three Sisters - Sister Sue Cosgrove, Sister Margaret Mary Murphy and Sister Anna Maria Shortall. They are true women of compassion in the most literal sense of the word. If you looked up the meaning of ‘compassion’ in any vintage or modern dictionary (for its meaning has rightly prevailed and survived the test of time), you would find this: ‘Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others’. When I discovered its authentic meaning – the distilled essence of the expression, it struck me hard in my heart. Yes, that’s exactly what these women do, who they are and what they represent. And if ‘goodness’ in this moment of time is understood as the philosophical disciples throughout the ages intended it to be understood, I am convinced these three women are a direct manifestation of ‘the good’. Certainly, they are true women of God – they pray, they serve, they live for others and when you know their story, I think you’d be willing to agree they represent the good, irrespective of your relationship with religion. Whether you consider yourself a believer or otherwise, is, quite simply,
more so as a measure of a life lived virtuously. What is ‘virtue’ you ask? Well, that’s an entirely appropriate question and one I’m sure each of us would answer differently. But if you didn’t get hung up on ‘semantics’ - the natural diversity of the words we may each offer as unique, sentient beings - it’s likely, at the heart of most responses, we would find thematic compatibility. Sure, I may say, ‘To be virtuous is to live with honesty and integrity’, and you may say, ‘To live a virtuous life is to live with truth as your companion’. Same same, but just a little bit different - such is the freedom of expression. Freedom of expression stems from freedom of self – a liberty that is afforded, embraced and respected by the Sisters of Compassion. Freedom of self forms the basis of the education they have offered for years in Jerusalem and Ranana, and this is a story about that journey.
The simple life Education today is not what it was ‘back in the day’. It is fundamentally different – structurally, academically, culturally and socially. That reality is not surprising given that education is evolutionary by nature – it has to keep pace with the technological victories that revolutionise our world time and time again. Sometimes the system seems frantic – like it’s going a million miles an hour. But not in Jerusalem and Ranana – the pace is slow and the curriculum is different. Different better? It’s not for me to say, but it’s a beautiful thing to behold.
Writer’s note: This story is in honour of Sister Margaret Mary Murphy. Thank you for granting me the opportunity to tell a small part of your story – it will stay with me always.
for the children, and she helped with the school production at the time she was working there. “That play brought enormous confidence to the children and their community. It had been a rough spin up until that time, and we hadn’t done anything like it for years. They were incredible at the concert – the night of the play had a life of its own.” Wrapped within the arms of panoramic green, Ranana School has a playground like no other at its feet. Raw, organic New Zealand nature at its absolute best and everything that goes with that – wild pigs, birds, rushing rivers, dense bush blanketing hillsides, hunting, and the native Taniwha. “Sister Margaret often tried to use what was happening in and around the valley within the education. There is such wholeness about this community’s existence and the people are so in tune with their environment. “My own teaching experience involved candle time – our own Karakia – a moment’s silence. That was sheer bliss. It was about teaching them meditation in a very simple way – one minute to start with, and then a little longer each time thereafter.”
pass judgment. We are who we are, and together we can all make a difference if we allow each other to be truly who we are.” How Far is Heaven was made by Miriam Smith and Christopher Pryor to capture the Sisters’ roles in Jerusalem and at the school. It’s hard to put into words how compelling this film is. One thing’s for certain - it makes itself right at home in your mind, heart and soul. Miriam’s own relationship with Jerusalem started very early on and it was a meeting of mind and place that was never lost throughout the years. “I had originally been there as kid. That was the first time I met the Sisters, and I thought they were amazing,” she says. “It was such a unique, bi-cultural relationship they had with the Maori community, and I understood that then to be very special. “We lived very basically ourselves when we were there for that year of filming. It was great to be without materialism and close to nature. The advantage for the kids in Jerusalem is, outside of school, they are hunting, swimming and attending every Tangihangi. It is a very holistic learning. “The struggle with a remote school like this however, is that you need 26 students to get two full time teachers, and there’s never been quite enough pupils, so you have one permanent teacher educating more than 20 kids who each have different reading levels and needs. That’s where the voluntary teaching work of the Sisters is so valuable.” Christopher (Chris) believes that the relationship of learning within Jerusalem and the school goes both ways. “I think the Sisters’ philosophy has been about educating and learning because they learn as much as they teach,” he says. “To see their wisdom, tolerance and open mindedness on every front was very special.”
not the point and certainly not the focus of this story – the mention of religion is purely contextual. In fact, the point is more about the sanctity of human life – valuing this above all else. If you share in this view, then you are, by default, a believer in what these women have committed their lives to. And, furthermore, I’m sure if you spent time in their company, no default would be required, you would graciously and happily make this decision of your own accord. Their philosophical and spiritual convictions - put into practise through their role as educators, leaders and friends of the community of Jerusalem - are steeped not only in religion, but
This education and the Sisters are so special that they were the focus of a documentary - How Far is Heaven. The documentary focusses closely on Sister Margaret’s teaching experiences – something that Sister Sue reflects warmly on. “Our involvement in the education at Ranana was about music lessons, bible studies and cultural enrichment through activities like Kapa Haka. Margaret did have experiences in teaching long before coming here – it was a passion for her. “Her teaching was designed to help her find out what worked for the kids - she did what she knew to be right from her own heart. She would make up songs
Simplicity is certainly at the heart of the Ranana education. Whether simple is best is not an argument for this piece, but Sister Sue’s response to this contemplation is certainly compelling. “I have a real thing about the fact that the more technological or complicated the lesson is, the harder it becomes to measure the level of interaction. “What we did there within the education was certainly simple - no rocket science involved – it was about fully appreciating the gift that we have there. Jerusalem and its surrounding areas are home to us. “We will never forget the birthplace of our congregation, just as we do not forget the softest part of our heart is our Maori, ‘Ngati Hau’. We live not to
It is sobering and saddening to know that the Sisters of Compassion is an ageing order in a contemporary environment, and as such, their physical presence in Jerusalem will not be forever. There is no question however, that their spirituality will live on. “Many of the Sisters are now in their seventies and there are only a few new Sisters coming through,” Miriam concedes. “With that in mind, I think our timing was very fortunate, as we were able to capture what is really the end of an era.” To read more about the documentary and its makers, or to purchase copies/ enquire about a screening, go to: www.howfarisheavenfilm.com Information about the Sisters of Compassion can be found at: www.compassion.org.nz
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 21
News | Inspiring teachers
A true inspiration What are the most rewarding aspects of your job? I really enjoy seeing when something clicks for a child. That moment when they have an understanding of something they didn’t understand before and it opens up a new range of opportunities and interests for them. Or when a student can share something that they are proud of, something that they have had success with whether it is in the class, on the sports field, or on the stage. I find it rewarding when the students are having fun and see that learning is exciting. Also, I enjoy the challenges and problem solving that comes part and parcel with being an educator. I thrive on coming up with ideas and designing lessons and units that will be as engaging, hands-on and relevant as possible. You won the Stationary Warehouse NZ’s Most Inspiring Teachers 2013 award – how does it feel to be recognised?
Congratulations to Medbury Prepatory School teacher Micah Hocquard who won the Stationary Warehouse New Zealand’s Most Inspiring Teachers 2013 award. We thought it was a good idea to have a chat with Micah to find out what makes this inspiring teacher tick. Nominated by Sam Howard, Micah makes great efforts to ensure his lessons are engaging and exciting so he has a positive impact on his students. His willingness to create avenues allowing students to explore new ways of studying, has seen him implement several systems into Medbury school which have proved relevant and successful. This is an inspiring example of what good teachers are made of… congratulations! What or who inspired you to be an educator? I come from a large family and have always enjoyed being around people. Teaching is a profession where your school and classroom are like being part of a big family. There are many different dynamics all taking place at once, different personalities, different situations and different interactions. I have many family members who are educators and they have always inspired me as well.
It has been a very humbling experience for me. As teachers we work very hard for our students and schools, and for the boys and families of Medbury to nominate and then vote for me was a kind and thoughtful act - one that I will remember for the rest of my life. I also think that anything that promotes the positive impact teachers can have on individuals and communities is a great thing for education. What do you love most about working with students? Along with watching my students achieve, I love having a laugh and believe that it is a great teaching tool. I joke a lot in my class and try to create an atmosphere that is always positive. I enjoy the infectious humour that students bring to the classroom. When you’re happy in whatever you are doing it makes you want to do it more. So needless to say, I really enjoy my job and working with students. What have your students taught you? I’ve learnt many lessons from my students over the years. They have helped me become a better teacher mainly through picking up on my mistakes. They’ve been my best critics and evaluators and have made sure that I learn from lessons or units that haven’t gone well. They’ve made me more reflective. I also think that they have taught me more about values and principles. We are always discussing how to show respect and responsibility, how to be humble and generous, and when I see students portraying these it makes me realise how important they are to schools, communities and society. You implemented a reward system at the school – how have your students responded and why do you think it is a good way of learning?
22 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
By Davina Richards
About seven years ago I had a thought that financial literacy skills were becoming more and more important so I designed a reward system around businesses, economy and banking. It started out pretty small but has evolved and changed over the years into what is now known as The Hocquard Bank. Many educators use similar systems but my one has almost taken on a life of its own. The students are required to write application letters and business plans to start up a class company. There are almost no limits to what they can come up with, which means the children get very creative about company ideas and because they come up with the ideas themselves there is a very high level of commitment. I’ve had companies that range from chair unstackers to ICT co-ordinators, from library administrators to pencil sharpening facilitators, from class photographers to bankers and much more. It also has a huge focus on the key competencies and on social skills as the children need to learn to communicate with employees, settle disputes, and negotiate pay and corporate takeovers. They learn about saving money, the power of compounding interest and inflation. Some of the students like to let their money build up in their Hocquard Bank accounts while others like to spend theirs during class auctions. The banking system also links in with other numerous programmes that I have running. I’ve found it to be a very powerful and effective system over the years and think of it more as a learning system rather than a reward system. How important is it to you to provide your students with feedback? I believe that feedback is very important and I give the students lots of feedback and feed forward. I’ve set up systems in my class to allow me time to conference with students on a regular basis to provide ongoing verbal feedback as I have found that speaking with children is more time efficient and effective. It is also important to allow time for the students to share work with the class and their peers as another form of feedback. There is no pressure for children to share but I have found that even the most reluctant students will happily share work when they feel comfortable, safe and proud of their work. It also allows for positive and constructive feedback from peers. In what ways do you try to engage students and make learning fun? There are many ways that I try to engage my students and make learning fun but there are two main strategies that I use to achieve this. Firstly, I try and make learning relevant. If you can show children the purpose and application of what they are learning the better the engagement.
For example, if you are teaching area and perimeter why not introduce the children to architecture. I got my boys to design malls and calculate the area and perimeter of shops. I extended it further by also getting them to work out costs and stick to a budget. They then created their malls on Minecraft, presented their calculations and sold their finished work back to me, hopefully for a profit. The students were hooked and could see how this skill could be applied in life. I also use real life scenarios to engage students. Last year for one unit we looked at Kane’s Arcade, which was an inspiring story of a boy in America who made his own arcade out of cardboard. We studied a short film, did tonnes of research and made our own arcade that the rest of the school came and played. It was a lot of fun and the boys learnt a lot. The second strategy I use is that I allow choice in my class. We are all different, have different interests and learn in different ways. I try and make learning fun by allowing the students input into lessons and for them to make mistakes during tasks. If the environment is set up to be a safe one where risks are encouraged and mistakes learnt from then learning becomes more natural as well as engaging. There is nothing quite like the students learning for themselves that adding too many descriptive words to a sentence can actually hinder a piece of writing or that mixing too much baking soda and vinegar during a science lesson makes quite a bit of mess. What drives you to go the extra mile? The main drive for me is knowing the impact teaching can have on students and the little bit of extra effort that you put in might make the difference between a mediocre learning opportunity and a great one. I also really enjoy putting in the effort and it models to the children that when you push yourself the results can be more rewarding. What can educators take away from your story? Do you have any advice for other teachers? Teaching is a busy but very rewarding profession and we should never underestimate the impact that we have on our students and school communities. It is tricky to give advice to teachers, as New Zealand is full of amazing and inspiring practitioners many of whom inspire me, but for those who want a little advice – find a balance between work and play, make mistakes but ensure that you learn from them, and have a laugh at least once everyday.
News | Lifestyles
Lifestyles
1.
By Davina Richards
1.
Ear it is
BeoPlay A8 It’s not always necessary to buy a surround system to get a great sound. Bang & Olufsen can deliver great quality and performance with the B&O Play audio system which comes in black or white with aluminium details and matching power cord. And if you ever want to colour up, you can choose from a choice of coloured fabric speaker covers.
2.
RRP: $1,925 Available from: www.designdenmark.co.nz
2.
On a roll
Rolling pin This beechwood and stainless steel rolling pin will make you look like a MasterChef at work in the kitchen. Perfect control and pressure will undoubtedly help you to make thee best pies or delicious pastry dishes. Grab one from Mildred and Co. RRP: $90 Available from: www.mildredandco.com
3.
Bath and beyond
Bathtub caddy
3.
For those who love to soak away the strains of the day the bathtub caddy will suit all your bathing needs… well OK, most of your bathing needs. Ahem. Did I mention it has a wine glass holder? That’s probably the best thing about it, yes? Grab that book, light a candle and pop the wine bottle open. Oh and maybe stick out your pinkie finger when drinking from the wine glass… yeah, nah. RRP: $89.95 Available from: www.notsocks.co.nz
4.
Sharp corners
Triangle shelf This design is all about the strong geometric shape – stunning, inspiring and thought-provoking. It can be used as a stunning floor or wall piece and can be reshaped and expanded until you achieve the desired look. Visually appealing, your eyes will be transfixed. An inviting place is a well used place. RRP: $840 Available from: www.j1studio.com
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www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 23
News | Governance
The Government’s Prime Minister John Key announced the Nationalled Government will invest an extra $359 million during the next four years to lift the achievement of New Zealand students at school. “A big focus for me as Prime Minister has been on education, because I believe every New Zealand child deserves the best education possible. “The next step in our plan to raise achievement is to recognise excellent teachers and principals, keep good teachers in the classroom, and share expertise across schools for the benefit of our children. “To do that, we’re introducing four new roles in our schools - executive principal, expert teacher, lead teacher and change principal,” he says. “It’s a mixture of what the profession has been telling us it needs, what the best performing countries are doing, and what international evidence and research shows works. “Our current system often leads teachers to move out of the classroom
to advance their careers, and our children can lose the opportunity to learn from the best. “What we are doing is designed to give teachers the opportunity to further their careers while staying in front of our kids in the classroom. “International evidence and New Zealand-based research clearly shows that in schools, the quality of teaching is the most important factor in a child’s education. The next biggest influence is school leadership. “That’s why our changes are also designed to strengthen leadership in our schools, by recognising the best principals with a proven track record, and giving them the opportunity to support and mentor others.
The new roles are: Executive Principal These will be highly capable principals from across the country, with a proven track record, who will provide leadership across a community of schools while remaining in their own school. Each will work with around 10 schools, on average, from primary through to secondary, and support and mentor the other principals in these schools. This role will be offered on a two year, fixed term basis and be linked to specific objectives for student achievement across the community
24 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
of schools. Executive principals will be freed up for two days a week to work with the other schools in their community. They will be paid an additional allowance of $40,000 a year in recognition of their new responsibilities. Their own school will also receive funding to backfill their role for the two days a week they are working with the other schools in their community. It is anticipated there will be around 250 of these roles when the rollout is completed. Expert Teacher These will work with executive principals, and will include experts in areas like maths and science, digital technology and literacy. They will work inside classrooms within their community of schools, with teachers to help lift teaching practice and improve student achievement. This role will be offered on a two year, fixed term basis and be linked to specific objectives for student achievement. They will receive an additional allowance of $20,000 a year in recognition of their new responsibilities. Their own school will also receive funding to backfill their role for the two days a week they are working with the other schools in their community. There are likely to be around 1,000 expert teachers.
Lead teacher These will be highly capable school teachers, with a proven track record, who will act as a role model for teachers within their own schools and the other schools in their community of schools. Their classroom will be open for other teachers, including beginning teacher, to observe and learn from their practice. They will be paid an additional allowance of $10,000 a year in recognition of their status and new responsibilities. It is anticipated there will be around 5,000 lead teachers. Change Principal These will be employed to lift achievement in schools that are really struggling. Many schools that are performing poorly want to recruit an outstanding principal to turn their results around. Principals appointed to these roles will be paid an additional allowance of $50,000 a year on top of the salary the recipient school offers. This will encourage great principals to select schools based on the size of the challenge rather than the size of the school. The roles will be fixed term (3-5 years) and will be particularly focussed on lifting student achievement. It is anticipated about 20 of these roles will be needed each year.
News | Activities
outdoors How often do you fake it? When you walk into school and are faced by a group of superiors and a mountain of challenges, do you often find yourself having to dig deep inside your soul to find the confidence to hold your shoulders back and your head up high? Wouldn’t it be nice to have the self confidence which is real and natural? There’s no better time to improve on personal development than the present. Challenges are part of our every day living; they exist both inside and outside of school. So how good are we at rising to the challenge which can present itself at any given moment? And if we’re good at something, isn’t there always room to do it better? Students should yearn to learn and to expand on all levels of development. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are - learning to conquer your fears and
apprehensions will help you to grow as a person.
full potential through challenge and adventure since 1962.
Improving your confidence, determination and engagement starts with self awareness. To push forward with a sense of purpose, we need to learn from our own strengths, weaknesses and everything in between. And there’s nothing more rewarding than unlocking your full potential by going through experiences which tests you physically, mentally and emotionally.
Operating in Marlborough Sounds, Outward Bound is aimed to inspire and encourage personal and social development through a choice of courses which enable individuals to take part in group activities, including sailing, kayaking, high ropes, rock climbing and other physical training.
It’s these experiences which help to improve overall development through review and reflection of oneself. By doing so ultimately makes you feel empowered and effective in both work and relationships. The connection between yourself and others is the second most important factor to enhance your performance. Group performance and communication is vital in all aspects: you rely on the people you work with for guidance, support and to help you to be the best that you can be.
The courses have been specifically designed to test participants physically, mentally and emotionally. Expect to be in challenging situations with real consequences to keep you on your toes. Complete any of the eight day or 21 day courses to see positive results on your self awareness, confidence, motivation, social awareness and communication skills. At Outward Bound every one has a place. Your personal challenge awaits you and it’s bound to have a positive effect.
“We’ve been sending our emerging leaders on the Navigator course since 2008. T’s a special part of our Leadership Development programme. Our people come back invigorated and motivated to lead. The difference in their confidence levels is profound and it is moving to see such rapid change. The look on someone’s face when we tell them they’ve been selected says it all.” – Jo Copeland, human resources director, Simpson Grierson “The Outward Bound Navigator course was an exhilarating experience. It taught me to push myself, challenge the norm, and take a different approach to social and leadership situations. I would thoroughly recommend the course to anyone looking to improve their leadership skills and gain a new perspective.” – Shae Rasmussen, accountant, Busing Russell
All types of schools require students to work well as both an individual and as part of a team. There’s one leading organisation in New Zealand which has been helping young people to reach their
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 25
Tools
Tools for the Gifted Imagine spending your whole year at school in a class where no one else had the same interests as you, where you had no close friends.
We recognise that gifted and talented students come from all sectors of society and we value the diversity of knowledge, skills and insights our students bring to our programmes.
For many gifted students this is their reality.
About the Gifted Education Centre
Fortunately, for some of these students they are able to attend One Day School.
The Gifted Education Centre is a not for profit, registered charitable trust. The centre provides educational facilities for children from 3-15 years old across New Zealand via its One Day School, Small Poppies and Gifted Online (GO) programmes.
Here they meet like-minded students with similar interests and who think in a similar way. Gifted students who live in rural areas, or in areas where there is no One Day School are able to take advantage of the Gifted Education Centre’s Gifted Online programmes. The Gifted Education Centre provides information and guidance for parents. It also provides high quality professional development for teachers and other education professionals.
We are therefore very pleased to be able to offer a small number of partial fee subsidies to students whose families cannot meet fee requirements.
• Home schooled child: GO Solo offers a range of engaging projects • Child working independently outside the school day: GO Storymakers has after school chats • Child working independently within class time: Some GO Solo students attend regular school
The Gifted Education Centre runs the One Day School and Small Poppies programmes at venues throughout the country and the Gifted Online programme for children who are not close to a One Day School venue.
• Working together in school time with adult input: GO Team allows for collaborative groups
Gifted children are found in every culture and are just as likely to come from low income homes to affluent ones.
The Gifted Education Centre T (09) 827 5271 E head.office@giftededucation.org.nz www.giftededucation.org.nz
• Online holiday programme: GO Graphic happens in the winter holidays.
The Gifted Education Centre The Gifted Education Centre is a non-profit, registered trust. The centre provides educational facilities for children and students 3-15 years old across New Zealand via its One Day School, Small Poppies and Gifted Online (GO) programmes. In addition it provides support and education for parents and teachers of gifted children. Website: http://www.giftededucation.org.nz Email: head.office@giftededucation.org.nz or phone 09 827 5271 (Toll free 0508GIFTED) Follow us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GiftedEducationCentre
Gifted Online: There are a variety of Gifted Online options available. There WILL be one to suit your child and/or your school.
Home schooled child: Go Solo offers a range of engaging projects. Child working independently outside the school day: Go Storymakers has after school chats. Child working independently within class time: Some Go Solo students attend regular school. Working together in school time with adult input: Go Team allows for collaborative groups. Online holiday programme: Go Graphic happens in the winter holidays. ONE DAY SCHOOL
To go beyond the known
SMALL POPPIES
GIFTED ONLINE
Growing with a gift
Keeping great minds in rural communities
26 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
Making Every Word Count This year is election year and schools play an important role in encouraging students to have a say on decisions that affect their lives now and in the future. Electoral Commission chief electoral officer, Robert Peden says developing students’ understanding of the decision making process and knowledge about how they can participate is an essential step to ensure they become active citizens. “Civic participation is a behaviour learnt from parents, whānau, teachers and communities from a young age. The Electoral Commission wants to support schools to deliver effective civic programmes to prepare students to become lifelong voters,” he says. Turnout at our last general election was the lowest since the late nineteenth century and has been declining since the early 1980s. This is not unique to New Zealand. It is a trend in almost all the world’s democracies. The decline in turnout appears to be generational, with each new generation less likely to vote than the last. “We know that people who vote the first time they’re eligible are more
likely to become lifelong voters. It’s so important that our young people learn to value their vote from the outset.” The Electoral Commission is seeking to build on the success of the Kids Voting programme and popular Your Voice, Your Choice teaching units that encourage students to have a say on the decisions that affect their communities. Free teaching units aligned to the New Zealand curriculum will be available for primary schools (Years 7 and 8) and secondary schools (Years 9 and 10). The commission has also developed a Māori-medium resource, TūrangaMua, TūrangaTika, aligned to Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. Kids Voting provides students with an authentic voting experience by holding a classroom voting activity using real candidates and real parties. Ballot papers will be available a few weeks before election day. Students can compare their results with results of the real election. Feedback from the last election suggests that the curriculum-linked teaching units were fun and easy for both students and teachers. Many teachers reported learning a lot themselves about New Zealand’s system of government and participating at elections. Find out more at www.elections.org.nz
Resources
WALKING with dinosaurs By Laura Hall
It’s hard to find something that captives the imagination of children more than dinosaurs. Children of all ages have a fascination with the prehistoric giants and are eager to learn about them. The new BBC Earth books will be a hit with children of all ages, entertaining and teaching them simultaneously. This new series of books, which has been recently released in conjunction with Walking with Dinosaurs, the 3D movie, will make a valuable resource to any natural history lesson or school library. There are seven books in the collection and are suitable for primary school aged children from 5 to 12 years old and available for purchase at all good bookstores nationwide.
Walking with Dinosaurs: Dinopedia Author: Steve Brusatte RRP: $17.99 The Dinopedia is a useful natural history encyclopedia for kids, it features fun facts about dinosaurs, the world they lived in and theories about their rise and fall. This book is ideal for confident readers aimed at children from 8 to 12 years old. The book is broken down into easily digestible chunks on topics including the Triassic and Jurassic periods, Pangaea, how scientists study dinosaurs, and various dinosaur species. The book’s information is supported by a number of palaeontologists in various fields with interesting facts about their work. The illustrations are taken directly from the movie, which helps to paint an accurate interpretation of what dinosaurs looked like in the mind of the reader. I would recommend this book for those curious about dinosaurs or as a supplementary tool for natural history lessons.
Walking with Dinosaurs: Handbook Author: Calliope Glass RRP: $7.99 The Walking with Dinosaurs Handbook mixes fact with fiction. The storybook follows the story line from the movie while still including educational content. This book is an ideal method of informal learning for independent readers. The chapters are small with large full colour illustrations from the movie. The fictional story helps to spark the reader’s natural curiosity in dinosaurs and the supplementary fact boxes compliment the books story line while adding additional educational benefits. This book will develop children’s knowledge of natural history in a fun, easy way, and they won’t even now they are learning. The Handbook will make a valuable addition to any school library.
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 27
Resources
Why do manipulatives in maths work?
!
Manipulatives are pieces of equipment that show the meaning of numbers and how they relate to each other along with structured activities to develop ideas and knowledge. The clue here is in the words ‘show’ and ‘activities’. Cuisenaire was originally designed to help children read music, but shown to have huge implications for learning numbers.
meaning if you can’t see them and do something with them.
Maria Montessori worked with children with learning difficulties in Italy and noticed how successful they were in maths when they had equipment to use.
Numbers are not things - you can’t pick them up and talk about them. Numbers are abstract concepts. It’s only when you do something with the numbers and put them alongside others in pictures that any meaning can be made.
Catherine Stern found that having a structured approach adapting Cuisenaire and patterns from Montessori was even more beneficial for children of all abilities.
Why do they work? Because you can see what numbers mean and relate to other numbers with structured equipment.
Dr Tony Wing and his team in the UK also found children made remarkable progress with structured equipment and a structured programme, but had more success when children were able to talk about their understandings, not just do endless pages of worksheets.
Don’t counters work just as well? For some children they do work, but for most they don’t.
In mathematics, a manipulative is an object which is designed so that a learner can perceive some mathematical concept by manipulating it, hence its name. - Wikipedia
Counting is a life skill that can take many years to accomplish with consistent accuracy and speed, especially for children with Down syndrome. Counting does not give us an understanding of using numbers in groups when we add, subtract, multiply and divide for example. Many children with Down syndrome can’t remember the count sequence, the next number in the series and keep a watch on each object to be counted. But if they could use equipment to show what they can do and arrange the counters into patterns, they would find meaning and be able to participate in class lessons with confidence.
It has been found now that worksheets are only beneficial for getting faster and better at maths, not for actual learning.
Why is this so?
Numicon showing ‘17’ with pegs and shapes and how ‘17’ relates to other numbers
Letters and marks on pages called numbers are only that; they have no
Stern Maths Pattern Boards showing patterns of numbers
Cuisenaire rods showing the number sequence leading into teen numbers
In Summary • Manipulative are pictures for the children who need to see what you are talking about and tools for the ones who need to do things with them to learn • Shows the patterns of numbers themselves • Shows the relationships of numbers • Shows the pattern of what we do with numbers in addition, subtraction etc • Provides a means to teach and understand the language of maths • For children who are not proficient with spoken communication, manipulatives provide a way of showing their understanding, teachers and parents can ‘see’ their thinking. Margi Leech is a consultant and programme manager for Numicon in NZ
Numicon will give you the confidence to teach well AND get your scores UP! Numicon is a proven programme using a visual and tactile approach with the use of pattern, conversation and action to develop fluency and confidence in students from early childhood to Year 4 and beyond in Numeracy, Geometry, Measurement and Statistics
www.numicon.co.nz
MusaSchools are Kiwi made school musicals with superb stories, characters and catchy original music! Each musical has a central theme that can be used in conjunction with what you’re doing at school, or you can choose the one you like the look of. Save precious time as each MusaSchools musical is accompanied with ALL the resources needed to get your show on to the stage. You will receive all the letters to send home, suggested rehearsal schedules, handy tips, links to the NZ Curriculum and loads more...
If you order your 2014 MusaSchools musical by the end of March, you will get $100 off the original price!
Check out musaschools.com for more information and ordering.
Visit www.ero.govt.nz to read ERO reports on national education issues, individual schools and early childhood education services, and for information about the review process. New ERO publications online: Wellbeing for Success: Draft evaluation indicators for student wellbeing Improving Guidance and Counselling for Students in Secondary Schools (December 2013)
28 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
Wellbeing
Resources
Making
How to save your Since 1985 more than 2.4 million children have hopped, skipped and jumped their way to healthier hearts and bodies thanks to Jump Rope For Heart – Taura Peke mo te Manawa Ora.
The secret is out‌ it’s easier than you think to make savings on your IT budget with an economical
Now in its 29th year, this fun and well established fundraising programme provides registered schools with free resources including: year-level specific lesson plans, skipping ropes, a great music CD, classroom activities and more. Hamish Dufty is a primary school teacher in Hastings. He shares with us why he is passionate about running Jump Rope For Heart – Taura Peke mo te Manawa ora, in his school. “My father and grandfather had heart issues from around the age of 40 and neither changed their lifestyles. My father underwent a triple bypass at 45, and afterwards struggled to manage his heart disease. I believe this was a significant factor in his early death. “I talked to my students about taking part in Jump Rope For Heart and shared my personal experiences of heart disease. Many of my students spoke of relatives and immediate family members who had struggled with heart-related illnesses. “I felt our school’s values of excellence, pride and spirit linked very well with this challenge. I decided to run the Jump Rope For Heart programme as a way of demonstrating to my students that they can make a difference and walk the talk. “I felt this was also a way of proving to others that our kids are willing to step up to a challenge and that this generation does care. “Our kids thrive on a challenge and enjoy being active and they really loved Jump Rope For Heart. They actually asked me every day “when are we skipping?� It started a skipping craze at school for the term!
Skipping (jump rope) is a great physical activity that improves cardiovascular fitness. It is an inexpensive way to exercise for a wide range of ages and fitness levels, plus it can be done at home, school, in the park‌the choices are huge. According to research regular skipping can improve physical fitness and is a popular form of exercise for many athletes, including badminton players who use it as a way to increase endurance during competitions. For children, skipping is a fun activity that can be done individually, in pairs or as a group. It encourages concentration, communication, teamwork and leadership. It also promotes goal setting and provides a sense of achievement. The Heart Foundation’s Jump Rope For Heart programme is a free physical activity and fundraising programme that all children can benefit from. The programme can be run at any time during the school year, but many schools choose the months of ‘Jumping June’ or ‘Skipping September’.
option for quality projector bulb replacements.
Prices for replacement bulbs can vary widely depending on the make and model projectors your school uses. One option you could consider to save a little is by using diamond lamps. These can be a cost effective alternative which are becoming more and more available for a larger range of projector models. But what is a diamond lamp? Essentially it is the same as an original projector bulb, in that it uses an original bulb made by one of the handful of major bulb manufacturers (such as Philips, Osram, Ushio, Phoenix, Iwasaki or Matsushita), but it is placed into a housing made by a large manufacturer of housings.
As well as reaping the benefits of skipping, children also learn to love their hearts, look after their bodies and experience the pride of helping others by fundraising for charity. “The happy faces and the enthusiasm when we announce we will be participating in Jump Rope For Heart says it all! As a health promoting school, Jump Rope For Heart fits in with the healthy practices that we promote; it appeals to the children as it keeps them active in an enjoyable way.� - Jan Plieger, St Joseph’s School, Oamaru
Education
pricing for schools
IT BUDGET Like most replacement projector bulbs in housing, replacing your old one with your new one is pretty simple. It comes complete with connectors and screws so all you need to do is unscrew the bulb cover on the projector, unscrew usually a couple of small screws holding the bulb in housing in place, remove the old one and insert the new one. Make sure it is in firmly and then screw it in place, replace the bulb cover and you’ve done it! Most projectors will need the lamp hours reset once you install the new bulb. Some do this automatically, otherwise you can do this with your remote control. If you have any doubts about how to replace the bulb or reset your lamp hours, a helpful resource is www. projectorcentral.com where you can find manuals for most projectors. Use your projector model in the search area then download the manual and it will be easy to find good instructions. For more information visit: www.projectorbulbs.co.nz
FULL COVERED manufacturer’s
WARRANTY
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For more information visit: www. heartfoundation.org.nz/jrfhschools
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www.principalstoday.co.nz   Term 1, 2014 | 29
Resources
Are you happy with your students’ spelling skills?
Taieri Gorge Railway
By Joy Allcock
Some people find it easy to spell words accurately and others do not. Some teachers are excellent spellers and others are not. Being an accurate speller yourself does not necessarily mean you will be able to help students who struggle to spell correctly.
Lack of teacher knowledge about written English plays a huge part in limiting effective spelling instruction.
I have spent the last 13 years developing resources and running professional learning workshops that are aimed at improving the way we teach spelling. What I have found is that we need to know more than what words look like if we want to improve students’ spelling skills – we need to know why words are spelled the way they are.
After working with teachers throughout New Zealand and beyond, I have decided that having the opportunity to re-visit material is far more effective than simply attending a one-off workshop.
The English language is complex but it has a fairly reliable spelling system. Knowledge of the spelling system increases confidence and accuracy with writing as well as improving the efficiency of decoding skills, which impacts on reading comprehension. We cannot ignore the importance of teaching students to understand the spelling system that underpins written English, because of its effect on the development of literacy skills. How many teachers know about this? How can teachers teach what they don’t know themselves?
The best way to improve this is for schools to decide on a consistent approach they will use throughout the school. Teachers need to find out what they don’t know and schools need to ensure they provide professional learning opportunities to upskill teacher knowledge. In my experience, teachers are hungry for this knowledge and more than willing to look at identifying and filling their own knowledge gaps, if it will improve outcomes for their students.
I have put together an online training package that helps teachers become better teachers of spelling and literacy. The video clips and downloadable resources can be used to provide ongoing professional learning for individual teachers, syndicates or whole school groups. Teachers can work together to improve their own knowledge and to develop teaching strategies to meet the needs of students in their school. Collaborative learning and planning is a powerful model for improving student outcomes. For more information email sus@ihug.co.nz or visit www.spelling.co.nz
Contact us for a wholesale price list. The perfect option for your child’s development, a delight for young learners.
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30 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
Your class or school visit to Dunedin is not complete without a trip on the Taieri Gorge Railway – one of the country’s great train trips. School excursions are always exciting for students and Taieri Gorge Railway is no different. Whether it is for a learning experience or an end of term wind down, this is the trip for your class or school. Combine a touch of history with a touch of magic and the result is New Zealand’s best rail excursions – the Taieri Gorge Railway, the Seasider Pacific Coast Railway and the short but very sweet trip on the Dunedin Silver Fern. The Railway is jointly owned by the Otago Excursion Train Trust and the Dunedin City Council. Both the railway line and the trust have fascinating stories. The Otago Excursion Train Trust ran it’s first excursion train on the railway in 1979 and became so
succesful that they bought 60 kms of the railway upon it’s closure in 1990, forming todays company and its operations. The Taieri Gorge Railway is one of Dunedin’s top attractions where your students will experience an amazing variety of ever changing landscapes, from cityscapes, farmland, forestry, the wild Taieri river gorge and the landscape of Strath Taieri. It presents a wonderful opportunity to learn about the history of railway in Otago, the building of the railway line, the geography of the landscape, flora and fauna of the gorge and some quirky bits in between. It fits in well with a variety of subjects including science, geography or social studies. Totally unaffected by the weather this is a trip you should consider for your next school excursion. Taieri Gorge Railway T (03) 477 4449 E barbarar@taieri.co.nz www.taieri.co.nz
Adventure Sports
adventure events By David Tait
I heard a fantastic quote leave the lips of a young snowboard instructor day that I want to steal. “It is about three things: safety, fun and education.”
I could not agree more about the importance of this threesome; everything else is detail when working with groups. But you can’t have just one or two of these, you need them all. For example a fun and safe programme without education is a missed opportunity. A fun and educational programme without safety is a disaster waiting to happen, and a safe educational programme with no fun aspects is a very sad/bland affair that is hard to sell to students. This is especially important when working in the outdoors. There is the possibility in our current environment to remove elements of an activity because of the ‘what ifs’. A good example of this is our GO-4-12 event (the NZ Secondary Schools Adventure Racing Championships). When we talked about this event back in 2005, it was suggested that every team needed an adult to chaperone them around the course, but I did not agree. I believed (and still do) that would remove a lot of the educational opportunities and lower the fun that can be gained from achieving something for oneself. Here is the dilemma: you have 150+ youth aged 13 – 18 years old completing a 12 hour adventure race and you don’t want to have a baby sitter with the team. How do you do it? First you create a safety culture that starts with personal responsibility, and don’t underestimate how responsible youth can be. Then you create a team culture, as there is power in four brains and four points of view when it comes to safety management. Also we know that when four competitors are travelling together they have to moderate their physical output to keep the team together, and they can share
the load to help weaker members. But the team is not just the four in the team; it is also the support crew who are monitoring the team’s condition. I have talked about some of the people aspects, but what about the environment? It is dangerous out there. As always it is about managing the risks, so step one is to know what the hazards are and design your course around it. If there is a large cliff, don’t design the course to go close to this, create out of bounds areas, recon the area and see what hazards are out there. Then insert skills - inform teams of key competencies well in advance. Keep information flowing right up to and through the event by having great people at the briefing to answer questions, remembering there is no such thing as a dumb question. I must add that I once altered the rules of the race at a briefing with the agreement of all present in the interest of the safety of the event. This is not normal practise, but it is important to make the right decisions around safety and to take advice.
As you may have guessed, course design is vitally important to the enjoyment and the safety of an event like the GO-4-12. Little things like making sure that if the race is in a country or wilderness setting, that all teams are travelling the same way for at least the last half hour is important as tail enders can be followed.
So I will end by saying, and I know that this is a undisguised sales pitch but, again in February, March and April I will spend hours constructing a very special event for youth to not only compete in, but to learn through. It will be much more than a race. It will be an event and an experience that they will remember for years to come.
If we have done our preparation preevent and managed our programme well, we should have produced a safe, fun and educational experience for all participants.
David Tait is the CEO of Kiwi Adventure Trust. For more information visit: www.kiwi-adventure.co.nz or www.go412.co.nz
Quality Outdoor Education and Events
What about equipment? Obviously good equipment is important, but it doesn’t need to be flashy or the coolest brand, it just needs work well. But even more important than having the equipment is using it correctly. And this comes down to the training and preparation of the team. The other thing that keeps participants safe in the outdoors is the rules and the way an activity is set up, including progression and timing of tasks. So in the GO-4-12 we have the event as a points race that all teams finish within half an hour of each other. Teams have options to not do activities or checkpoints if they don’t feel up to it.
“It may be the GO-4-12 Youth Adventure Race, Triple Peaks Challenge, Kayaking, ABL, Caving, Climbing, Unit Standards, Journeys or Tramping... The bottom line is, we grow kids through adventure” - David Tait Director
www.kiwi-adventure.co.nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 31
Property
HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE Height adjustable desks are the new “must have” items in ergonomically friendly offices. Standing desks offer you many health benefits compared with the traditional sitting desk, which forces your body into a sedentary state.
your desk with ease. The high quality European designs come in either manual or electric modes and both offer very quiet and smooth operation.
Standing desks allow your body to adjust and move easily, flexing your muscles continuously. It keeps your blood circulating and in turn keeps your blood sugar regulated and blood pressure level low.
The company can arrange for the desks to be made to measure in a range of colours and are capable of supporting loads from 70kg to 150kg. The sit stand desks are an awesome beast and are very popular among people who are conscious of office ergonomics.
Ryelands offer a range of height adjustable desks allowing you to move between sitting and standing at
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SAFETY MATTING that’s second to none
The reasons, purpose and benefits of a Burgess Wetpour system are varied.
Safety Matting for Playgrounds, Decks, Steps & Ramps, Impact Pads below Slides & Swings, Ramps & Mats for Wheelchair Access, Flooring & Gym Tiles. Cricket Wicket Matting.
Some of the key features for using this system are:
• Will last for many years as it’s extremely durable
• Fabulous colour options and you can join these with a pattern or design of your choice to create your own unique playground
• NZS5828:2004 compliant and comes with a five year warranty.
• 100 percent recycled rubber • Impact pads for areas where a softer landing is needed • Scuff pads, DIY modular long run, tiles and ramp matting are also BMS specialties • Make all areas non slip and safe – playgrounds and decks • Wetpour requires minimal maintenance – forget the days of topping up bark • Avoid tile joins
32 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
Burgess Matting offers a free, no obligation measure and quote. A sales representative can meet with you to discuss the matting systems which are suitable for your requirements. Invest in BMS Wetpour Playground Matting to provide your children with a safe and enjoyable environment and give yourself the benefit of reduced maintenance. For safety matting, Burgess Matting has got you covered. Burgess Matting T 0800 80 85 70 E sales@burgessmatting.co.nz www.burgessmatting.co.nz
ORongo Bay With significant New Zealand heritage sites, Russell, which was the first permanent European settlement in New Zealand, and the nearby Treaty House at Waitangi make for a must-visit experience for New Zealand students. Located in 14 acres of native bush full of bird life, Orongo Bay Holiday Park is centrally located to explore the Bay of Islands and is the only Enviro Gold holiday park in Northland.
The beautiful 14 acre Camp Raglan campsite is pleasantly situated on the slopes of Mt Karioi overlooking the panoramic view of Raglan and the Tasman Sea.
Camp Raglan provides the following facilities and activities: • Flying fox • BMX track • Gymnasium • Playground • Huge beach • Volleyball • Swimming pool
Camp Raglan offers a fully catered camp for a total of 150 children and adults in dormitory style accommodation which is particularly suited to primary and intermediate school children. All the main facilities are under one roof. The resident chef cooks excellent meals and special dietary needs can be catered for. Camp Raglan is known for its good food and excellent hospitality. Your host Roger Humphris will offer you a very warm welcome and is also happy to discuss your individual needs. Bethel House is an independent building available for hire separately from the main camp buildings. It has five twin share rooms and one double room as well as a kitchen, lounge room and two separate showers and toilets. It overlooks the breathtaking view of the Tasman Sea. An information pack to help you with your planning is available from the camp and gives full details of facilities, accommodation and what you need to know to make your booking.
What you can expect is a seamless experience for your school group featuring an array of curriculum based learning opportunities, where both junior and senior curriculum objectives can be accomplished during your camp. Features include:
Holiday Park
Testimonial “Our school has stayed three times at Russell and are coming back in another year. We have found it to be a marvellous venue for our venture up North to study early New Zealand history. “ What to learn about at Russell • Significant historic sites such as Ruapekapeka Pa, Pompallier printery, Flagstaff Hill • First capital of New Zealand • First permanent European settlement and port in New Zealand • Treaty House, Waitangi • New Zealand’s oldest church, Christ Church • Charles Darwin’s visit to Russell • Captain Cook’s visit to Russell • Joseph Banks’ visit to Russell • Largest whaling port in the Southern Hemisphere in the 19th century; discover more at the Russell Museum and walk to an old whaling station • Maori culture and history
• Twin Coast rail / cycle trail, vintage railway
• Wildlife / rare NZ birdlife/ kiwi night walk
• Early New Zealand history
• Rocky Shore/Mangroves.
• Sports field
• Kayaking, sailing the tall ship Tucker Thompson
• Archery
• Rare New Zealand birdlife
• Air rifles
• Conservation and sustainability
• Confidence course
• Rockyshore, mangroves, marine life and dolphins.
• Low ropes course
School Camping
Orongo Bay Holiday Park 5960 Russell Road, Russell Bay of Islands NZ T (09) 403 7704 E orongobayholidaypark1@xtra.co.nz E stay@russellaccommodation.co.nz www.russellaccommodation.co.nz
• Orienteering course • Team building challenges. The gymnasium has equipment for basketball, volleyball, badminton and hockey and is a great space to use for many activities if the weather is not at its best. The main hall has a stage area with a large screen at the back which is excellent for showing movies etc. in an evening. Camp Raglan is also ideal for studies on native bush, beach and stream as well as small town studies. Camp Raglan 578 Wainui Road Raglan T (07) 825 8068 E campraglan@cbm.org.nz www.campraglan.org.nz
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 33
School Camping Activities There is a huge range of activities for school groups to get involved with at the camp. For a boost of confidence and for something a bit more challenging, have a go on the Mud Run and get covered head to toe in mud. The Mud Run course is also used for the Tough Guy and Girl Challenge which is held annually. The bush swing is also a lot of fun and will give an adrenaline buzz to your students. After that relax in the hot thermal pool or take a dive into the swimming pool. Kayaks are also available and great for checking out the sites.
lakesidERetreat For a fantastic summer holiday programme, or a mid-term school camp, Lakes Ranch in the lovely lakeside town of Rotorua is the place to be. The camp is the perfect spot for school groups, outdoor education, tenting and church groups, as well as families looking to get away for a break. The camp also hosts horse camps and horse trekking for those who enjoy a bit of adventure.
Rotorua is like nowhere else; its spirit is expressed in the raw beauty of a stunning landscape that has enchanted visitors from around the world for more than 160 years. Lakes Ranch Christian Camp showcases the best of the region; tied neatly together in a package ideal for school groups, outdoor education, tenting, church groups and families looking to leap the rural/ urban divide and get away from it all. Outdoor education has been flipped on its head with the range of options at Lakes Ranch. Get covered head to toe on our Mud Run course used for the annual Tough Guy and Girl challenge. Relax in the hot pool or take a dip in the cold pool. Jump on one of the camp’s kayaks and check out the sights. Kick a rugby ball around the sports field, get into a competitive game of volleyball, tennis or badminton with the available sports gear. Try your hand at archery or grab a slug gun for something a little different at our fully supervised facility. Lakes Ranch also offers horse riding, abseiling, orienteering, swoop and rock climbing . You can even watch a movie while soaking in the hot pool. Head out on a day hike or check out the glow worms sparkling in the dark bush at night. Don’t forget the camp is a hop, skip and jump to the local attractions Rotorua has to offer. From zorbing to luging, the options are endless. Maybe try a spot of fishing on one of the local lakes, or check out the cultural sights around the region. School holiday Horse Camp programmes are on offer for those 7 years and above who love to get out into the great outdoors on horseback. From trekking to trotting, the camp offers amazing opportunities to harness your skills . You don’t even have to know how to ride, our talented team can teach you. We also have Kids Camps for 8-12 year olds which run every school holidays. Accommodation includes lodge rooms holding between three and twelve people, bunk rooms bordering the riding arena which sleep 11 in each, studio units with ensuites (perfect for parents and teachers), a Retreat Centre with five bedrooms and tenting and motor home sites are also available. Lakes Ranch includes a kitchen and dining area where our talented catering staff can whip up something delicious or we have self-catering options. Run by a dedicated team, Lakes Ranch Christian Camp is an oasis of strong moral guidance in a fun and exciting holiday package.
34 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
Sports facilities and fields are also available to kick a rugby ball on, or have a game of competitive volleyball. Tennis and badminton are also great games for kids to get involved with and sports gear is available at the camp. Archery and air rifles are also available for the students to try something different and of course all these activities are supervised. For getting out and enjoying the great outdoors head on a day hike or check out the glow worms at night, your students will love the way the glow worms sparkle in the dark bush. The camp also offers abseiling, orienteering, swoop, rock climbing, a water slide and watching movies in the pool – something to keep everyone entertained. And don’t forget the camp is a hop, skip and jump to the local attractions
Rotorua has to offer. From zorbing to luging, the options are endless. Maybe try a spot of fishing on one of the lakes, or check out the cultural sites around the region.
School holiday programmes Lakes Ranch offers extensive holiday programmes. For those who love to get out into the great outdoors on horse back. From trekking to trotting, the camp offers amazing opportunities to harness your skills on horse back. And you don’t even have to know how to ride a horse. The talented team at the camp can teach you. This camp is designed for 12 year olds and above. Kids Camp is also a holiday programme offered by Lakes Ranch. If you don’t know what to do with your children during the school holidays, and they are getting bored, then send them off to Kids Camp to experience the great outdoors, learn new skills, make new friends and have fun. This is the perfect holiday escape for children aged nine to 12 and there is also a leadership training programme for secondary school aged students.
Why choose Lakes Ranch? Lakes Ranch aims to equip children with tools for the future and create lasting memories. Camp provides a challenging but safe environment for this to take place.
Phone Fax Email Web
07 350 3010 07 350 3080 office@lakesranch.org.nz www.lakesranch.org.nz
History | WW100
REMEMBERING THE FIRST WORLD WAR The Centenary of the First World War will be a time for reflection and debate. The Government has established a centenary programme – WW100 – with a brief “To foster appreciation and remembrance of how the First World War affected our nation and its place in the world both at the time and beyond”. The immediate impacts were dramatic. In 1914 New Zealand’s population was just above one million people. Some 10 percent of the population – 103,000 soldiers – served overseas. Many were volunteers, some were conscripts. Some 18,000 died and 41,000 were wounded. As Ministry for Culture and Heritage chief historian, Neill Atkinson puts it, “Despite its massive global scale, the war was not just something that happened somewhere else, in far away Turkey, Western Europe or the Middle East. Its impact was as close to home as history gets. “Nearly half of New Zealand’s young men went to fight in this war – and more than half of them were killed or wounded. “This missing or damaged generation of men had a profound impact on our economy and society during the succeeding decades. The events of 1914-18 touched nearly every family, every community, every school, every workplace and every club or group, as seen in cenotaphs and memorials around the country today.” Exploring issues arising from the war will be fertile ground for educators across many disciplines.
WW100 programme A WW100 programme office has been established as a co-ordinating central hub for commemorative activities. Its website, www.WW100.govt. nz and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s www.firstworldwar.govt. nz history website, provide a wealth of information and resources for schools about the war, its impacts, and activities and events that will form part of the centenary. Much activity will occur at community level, through a range of projects being planned by groups such as local RSAs, councils, libraries, galleries and museums, and other community organisations.
Many of these projects are funded by the Lottery Grants Board. A small sample of planned activities includes: • Creating local heritage trails of sites significant to a community’s involvement in the war • Digitising local rolls of honour • Restoring local war memorials • Mounting exhibitions on various aspects of the war and its aftermath • Collecting and sharing stories, photographs and memorabilia of local families affected by the war. At national level the Government is supporting a range of initiatives that will have lasting impact. These include: Creating a National Memorial Park in Wellington, as a focus for remembrance, along with an interpretation and education centre. Developing heritage trails so New Zealanders (and others) can walk in the footsteps of those who served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. Publishing a series of books and web features, and creating museum exhibitions about various aspects of New Zealand’s involvement in the war. Resourcing expansion of the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s Cenotaph database, which aims to provide digitised information about every New Zealand soldier who served in the First World War.
How are schools getting involved? Many students will have a close family connection to the war. In a nationwide survey (results are on the WW100 website) 40 percent of respondents were aware of a family member who served in the First World War. Eight out of 10 of them were interested in finding out more about that involvement. Students are just an arm’s length away from our war history. Some may have letters, diaries, photographs or war memorabilia at home that might be shared with their class. Others may have parents, grandparents or other relatives who talked directly with First World veterans and might relay their reminiscences. A class trip to the local war memorial can be a good starting point for
36 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
making the war experience real. Some may have a family member, however remote, whose name is listed as having served or died. For others, it can be absorbing just to choose a name from the memorial and then research that person’s war experience, the places he/she served, the battles they were in, what happened to them when/if they returned home. The Cenotaph database at www.aucklandmuseum.com can also provide a starting point for this sort of research, but there will be rich resources in local libraries, archives and museums too. The “Sites and Sources” section of the WW100 website lists a host of ways to start the learning journey. Some schools have records, or memorial plaques, to old boys and old girls who served in the war. Researching their involvement can give immediacy to the implications of war. So too can teaming up with the local RSA branch, which may have a repository of resources and information about the community’s involvement in the war. The views and treatment of conscientious objectors and others who opposed the war is also part of our war story, and raises critical issues for debate. There is a wealth of information available about how war news was reported at the time, and what was happening on the home front during the war. It’s worth remembering that 90 percent of New Zealanders did not go away to war. But their lives were inevitably touched by it in many ways. This can be seen from looking at the WW100 website’s Life 100 Years Ago section, which provides daily snippets of information gleaned from personal diaries, letters and newspapers.
These are personal and engaging, and provide varying perspectives on issues of the day. The New Zealand at War Timeline on the site enables students to place this personalised information within the broader sweep of the war. Some schools are lucky enough to have partner schools overseas, sometimes because of sister city relationships. This too can provide new perspectives on how the war was viewed elsewhere. One group of Invercargill 16-17 year olds is visiting a sister school in northern France, along with a group of students from Morocco. The combined group plans to visit Ypres and other European battlefields. That international perspective can also be captured closer to home. Students from other countries – new New Zealanders – are likely to have their own war stories, often quite different from ours. Piecing all this information together helps to provide learners with a richer perspective on the war, and the nature of history.
History | WW100
hands on history There are two specific events this year where principals and teachers can plan students’ learning around the theme of war and its effects.
The Lakes District Museum and Gallery will be hosting two different war related exhibitions. The War to End All Wars (November 11, 2014 - April 25, 2015) focusses on WWI and Shadows of Shoah (August 8 October 13) looks at WWII and the Holocaust. The War to End All Wars is an exhibition to demonstrate the effects of WWI on the Wakatipu region using primary resources such as photographs, diaries, telegrams, oral histories and newspapers. Our Lost War Passchendaele, a documentary film which features Kiwi actress Robyn Malcolm, will also be on display. These exhibitions will expose students to primary resources, through innovative and interactive displays. A visit to either of these exhibitions can provide a momentous platform for your students to understand that events such as wars have causes and effects. As well as these exciting programmes, established programmes are on offer for 2014 as well. Check out www.handsonhistory.co.nz for further details about Year 1 - 13 established programmes.
Shadows of Shoah August 8 - October 13 Shadows of Shoah is an artistic educational project, communicating the gravity and significance of the Holocaust in a unique way. Using photography and original music, selected episodes from survivors’ experiences are presented in a brief, compelling format. It seeks to introduce the Holocaust via brief, artistic, emotionally powerful presentations. Designed to reach a generation for whom the Holocaust holds little relevance or significance, Shadows of Shoah strives to produce powerful and evocative art while carefully maintaining historical accuracy. The War to End All Wars November 11, 2014 - April 25, 2015 The First World War (1914–1918) was one of the most significant events of the 20th Century which had a devastating impact on New Zealand. The War to End All Wars aims to honour the service and sacrifice of those who fought, but also tell the stories of those affected in the Wakatipu region. This timely exhibition provides an excellent opportunity for students to get involved in the centenary celebrations of the Great War.
Te Papa to illustrate First World War trench experience Kiwi film industry icons Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor are partnering with Te Papa to re-create a First World War ‘trench experience’ as part of the World War One centenary commemorations.
Award winning film director Peter Jackson, who has a keen interest in the First World War and Richard Taylor, creative director of Weta Workshop, will advise on the project and direct the creative input of the exhibition.
Te Papa chief executive Michael Houlihan says he is delighted that Peter and Richard are adding their considerable talents to the ANZAC exhibition which will be a major feature of Te Papa’s centenary programme.
“We are looking forward to the challenge of creating visuals that do justice to such a horrific time for our New Zealand soldiers. It’s also a privilege to be involved in such a significant project with Te Papa, which honours those who fought in this battle,” Richard Taylor says.
“It was in the trenches that the ANZAC spirit was born. The centenary is a significant event for New Zealand and I’m looking forward to working with Te Papa to tell the ANZAC story,” Peter Jackson says.
“With the creative input of these extraordinarily clever guys, we will be able to deepen people’s understanding of the terror our soldiers experienced fighting a battle at such close quarters,” Michael says. “We will be re-creating the Quinn’s Post trench, the most famous position in the ANZAC line on Gallipoli. Our aim is to make the experience as realistic as possible, bringing home the detail of the unimaginable horror and squalid day-to-day existence. But above all, the exhibition will remember the bravery and sacrifice of all the men who fought and those who died in the war. This will be a uniquely powerful experience of our history.”
Te Papa’s centenary programme includes a number of other activities: an outreach programme, Kiwi Faces of World War I, to identify soldiers photographed just before they went to war; contributing to the Life 100 Years Ago ‘real time’ diary project co-ordinated by the First World War Centenary Programme Office, and an illustrated book by Te Papa Press based on original research highlighting the impact of war on the Home Front. The free exhibition will open for the Centenary of Gallipoli in April 2015.
WORLD WAR I CHANGED THE FACE OF BANKING FOREVER Find out more at Bank of New Zealand Museum When Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, there was no question that New Zealand would support Britain in the war effort. There was a rush for men to enlist. For BNZ staff left behind, extra work, longer hours and giving up annual leave were taken in stride. This was not enough to avoid the closure of some branches and by mid 1915 the bank was struggling to provide banking services.
Bank of New Zealand Open: 9.30am to 4pm Monday-Friday Free entry
Women were employed by BNZ to fill the gap, a move that permanently changed the workplace.
Level 1, Harbour Quays, 60 Waterloo Quay, Wellington
Bank of New Zealand Museum offers a unique view of New Zealand since 1861, providing insight into the way our country has evolved both socially and financially.
To book your school visit contact: P: 04 474 6933 E: museum@bnz.co.nz
In historic Arrowtown the past is all around us!
- Hands-on learning experiences - Curriculum based activities to suit your needs - Years 1 - 13, low cost, maximum enjoyment Contact our Education Officer, AMY, today:
www.handsonhistory.co.nz
Phone: 03 442 0317 Email: info@handsonhistory.co.nz
HANDS ON HISTORY EDUCATION PROGRAMME - AN LEOTC PROVIDER
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 1, 2014 | 37
ICT
Simple
website management Obviously, being able to access instant information has made the internet a bit of a hit. But with continually evolving software and higher spec hardware to run it, keeping up with the pace of change can seem a little daunting. But it doesn’t need to be if you get the right people to advise and help. Let’s say it’s been a few years since your website was given a facelift, then SchoolWeb may be the answer you’ve been looking for. The SchoolWeb Website Content Management System (CMS) is an easy and cost-effective way for schools of all sizes to implement a website. The system allows schools to log in to a password protected system and maintain their website. Unlike other competing systems, SchoolWeb allows full control in creating and amending webpages, and it’s almost as straightforward as using Microsoft Word! You do not need any knowledge of HTML, web programming, or how to upload your site using complicated FTP software. You can update the site from wherever you have a web-browser and an Internet connection.
Tech-oriented education
Parents’ safety fears allayed by educational toy trialled in Auckland school.
To begin with, your website is designed by a professional graphic designer, who goes to great lengths to ensure that the graphical design reflects the unique culture of the school. Then free training is provided to get you started and there are no expensive yearly licensing fees. Now of course you’ll want to update, improve and adapt your site as time goes on, so all the editing is done through the CMS system that’s easy enough for even the most technophobic classroom teachers and admin staff to use. As well as a general website media, SchoolWeb features ways for staff to collaborate, parents to participate, children to communicate and the whole community to share in the activities of schools in a safe way moderated by the schools. Newsletters, calendars, homework downloads, classroom projects with visitor and parent comments, forums, rosters, resource bookings, calendars, blogs and surveys are among the many abilities of the SchoolWeb system. The schools are in control and anything is possible. Another focus is the growing trend towards integrating content from external websites. SchoolWeb allows content from Youtube, Teachertube, Slideshare, Twitter, Blogger, Google Apps and numerous other style sites to be easily embedded into the system. Schools can obtain more information from either www.schoolweb.co.nz or by calling 0800 48 48 43
Three quarters of parents worry about what their children will find while surfing the Internet. However only 40 percent of them have parental controls on their devices, a New Zealand survey reveals. When asked what concerned parents about children using their technology, inappropriate content was the most worrying (44.1 percent), followed by content that wasn’t educational (22.6 percent) and breakage (20.9 percent). More parents give their child their touch screen device, such as a smartphone or tablet, for entertainment rather than for educational purposes, the online survey of 1,100 parents found. “Letting your child use your phone or tablet may seem like a harmless way to occupy them, but parents should ensure it is the best device for their enquiring minds,” says toy expert Jeremy Kirk-Smith. The CEO of leading Kiwi toy company Planet Fun, which commissioned the survey to gauge parental views on new technology, warned that not only are children able to access inappropriate content online, they may also delete files or drop and shatter their parent’s expensive device. “Yes, new technology is the way of the future, but are children accessing the best content for their young minds?” Kirk-Smith asks. “Parents think they are giving their child an educational aid but they may not be.” The survey revealed that if usage was educational, 69.2 percent of parents would increase screen time, and if they had child-friendly Wi-Fi, 72.6 percent would give their child more access to touch screen devices. Parents’ concerns have been answered with the latest learning tablet – the LeapPad Ultra – from children’s learning brand LeapFrog.
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Distributed by Planet Fun, Kirk-Smith says the LeapPad Ultra is the ultimate educational touchscreen device, created by international educational experts. He took the unusual move to “walk the talk” by getting children and educators to put it to the test. “We gave an Auckland school 40 LeapPad Ultras to trial in a learning environment. As a decile three school, few of the pupils have access to smart devices in the home so they were experiencing them for the first time. The results were remarkable in only four weeks.” Colwill Primary School, in West Auckland, separated its classes with the same age and curriculum levels into two groups – with one class in each year using the LeapPad Ultras, while the other class didn’t. All the pupils were tested at the beginning of the trial and at the end of four weeks. The year 0-1 class that used the LeapPad Ultra had 100 percent improvement in literacy and 100 percent improvement in maths compared to only 47 percent improvement in literacy and 23 percent in numeracy in the class without the units. Colwill School principal Rob Taylor says he was surprised by the significant increase in children’s learning in only four weeks. “The results are quite stunning,” Taylor says. “We also trialled it in a range of other teaching environments – for example, special needs children and reading recovery pupils – and the teachers saw clear benefits.” Taylor says the LeapPad Ultra had improved pupils’ listening skills, as the unit needed users to follow instructions, and the attached stylus helped pupils with their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Teachers were also impressed with the auto-levelling function that extended children’s ability whilst moderating challenges when children were struggling.
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Slips, trips and falls
FALL INJURIES TOO HIGH IN SCHOOLS There are a variety of situations that may cause slips, trips and falls such as: • • • • • • •
Wet or greasy floors Dry floors with dust or powder Uneven walking surfaces Polished or freshly waxed floors Loose flooring Carpeting or mats Transitions from one floor type to another • Missing or uneven floor tiles and bricks • Damaged or irregular steps • No handrails • Sloped walking surfaces • Ramps and gang planks without skid-resistant surfaces • Weather hazards – rain, sleet, ice, snow, hail, frost, wet leaves or pine needles. So here are six guidelines to help you create a safer working environment for you and your employees. 1. Create good housekeeping practices Good housekeeping is critical. Safety and housekeeping go hand-inhand. If your facility’s housekeeping habits are poor, the result may be a higher incidence of pupil injuries, ever-increasing insurance costs and regulatory citations. If an organisation’s facilities are noticeably clean and well organised, it is a good indication that its overall safety program is effective as well.
It’s probably happened to most of us; that momentary lapse of attention when you’re thinking about a personal problem or distracted by an activity that ends in a slip, trip or fall.
It might be a stumble down a stairway, a trip over an uneven surface or slipping on ice. It can lead to a variety of regrettable events ranging from a simple bruised shin to an extremely serious injury. It’s just one of a variety of conditions and situations that set the stage for slips, trips and falls that can occur anywhere at anytime… on playgrounds, on stairs and in corridors. It happens on wet days and dry days, inside and out, even just walking around the corner of a building. Students slip, trip, fall or collide and while many will walk or run away with just a bruise or a scratch, last year 32,700 people in schools suffered injuries from falls serious enough to warrant an ACC claim. Accidents can happen at anytime and no amount of cotton wool will prevent them all. However, schools can take a number of simple steps to prevent falls and to reduce the severity of the injuries that result from them. In general, slips and trips occur due to a loss of traction between the shoe and the walking surface or an inadvertent contact with a fixed or moveable object which may lead to a fall.
40 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz
Proper housekeeping is a routine. It is an ongoing procedure that is simply done as a part of each school overall approach to safety. To create an effective housekeeping program, there are three simple steps to get you started:
Plan ahead
Know what needs to be done, who’s going to do it and what the particular area should look like when you are done.
Assign responsibilities
It may be necessary to assign a specific person or group to clean up, although personal responsibility for cleaning up is preferred.
Implement a program
Establish housekeeping procedures as a part of the daily routine. 2. Reduce wet or slippery surfaces Walking surfaces account for a significant portion of injuries reported to ACC. The most frequently reported types of surfaces where these injuries occur include parking lots, hallways and walkways (or lack of), toilets, shower stalls in changing rooms and floors in general.
Traction on outdoor surfaces can change considerably when weather conditions change. Those conditions can then affect indoor surfaces as moisture is tracked in by pedes trian traffic. Traction control procedures should be constantly monitored for their effectiveness, by keep parking lots and sidewalks clean and in good repair condition. When snow and ice are present, remove or treat these elements while in some extreme cases, it may be necessary to suspend use of the area. Use adhesive striping material or antiskid paint and mats whenever possible is a great solution. Indoor control measures can help reduce the incidence of slips and falls by taking the following methods: • Use moisture-absorbent mats with bevelled edges in entrance areas. Make sure they have backing material that will not slide on the floor • Display “Wet Floor” signs as needed • Use anti-skid adhesive tape in troublesome areas • Clean up spills immediately. Create a procedure for taking the appropriate action when someone causes or comes across a food or drink spill. 3. Avoid creating obstacles in aisles and walkways Injuries can also result from trips caused by obstacles, clutter, materials and equipment in aisles, corridors, entranceways and stairwells. Proper housekeeping in work and traffic areas is still the most effective control measure in avoiding the proliferation of these types of hazards. This means having policies or procedures in place and allowing time for cleaning the area, especially where scrap material or school bags could be dropped. Keep all classrooms, passageways, storerooms and service areas clean and orderly. Avoid stringing cords, cables across hallways or in any designated aisle. In office areas, avoid leaving boxes, files or briefcases in the aisles. Encourage safe work practices such as closing file cabinet drawers after use and picking up loose items from the floor. Conduct periodic inspections for slip and trip hazards. 4. Create and maintain proper lighting Poor lighting in schools is associated with an increase in accidents. “Make sure stairs are well lit, and if they’re not, then flick on the light switch,” ACC communications manager Fiona Robinson says.
Slips, trips and falls “Steps leading up to classrooms should be clear of hazards like wet leaves or clutter that children could slip or trip on. You can also paint step edges for greater visibility, and encourage students to take their time on all steps or stairs.” 5) The playground While flooring and hard outdoor surfaces can make a considerable difference in terms of student safety, the most common cause of fall injuries reported to ACC last year was general loss of balance.
children wear suitable shoes during play,” she advises. The shoes we wear can also play a big part in preventing falls. The slickness of the soles and the type of heels worn need to be evaluated to avoid slips, trips and falls. Shoelaces need to be tied correctly. Whenever a fall-related injury is investigated, the footwear needs to be evaluated to see if it contributed to the incident.
The most common time was between 12pm and 2pm. To help protect students losing their balance between these times, schools need to tackle the playground.
6) Control individual behaviour This condition is the toughest to control. It is human nature to let our guard down for two seconds and be distracted by random thoughts or doing multiple activities.
“Falls are the leading cause of injury in playgrounds, and the play surface is therefore one of the most important safety features,” Fiona Robinson says.
Being in a hurry will result in walking too fast or running which increases the chances of a slip, trip or fall.
She says schools must regularly check the playing surface, making sure it extends out well beyond each piece of equipment and is free of litter, leaves and other hazards that children could trip or slip on.
Other simple but effective considerations for indoor spaces include encouraging walking for inside and running for outside as speed are common elements in many school injuries.
“Also, make sure play equipment is well maintained and check for missing rails, steps, rungs or seats, and make sure
It’s ultimately up to each individual school to plan, stay alert and pay attention.
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Swimming Pools
Performing Arts
Is your pool ready for the swimming season? By law schools are required to test their pool water to ensure that it is safe to swim in. This is not something that should be left to amateur hands – you need expert advice to ensure the correct procedures are followed. Hill Laboratories (known by many long term customers simply as “Hills”) has a specific test kit for swimming pool water available. The company’s track record speaks for itself. Hills was established in 1984 by Roger and Anne Hill. Since then it has grown into the largest independent analytical laboratory in New Zealand. Hills has three major divisions: Agriculture, Environmental and Food & Bioanalytical, which broadly reflects the kind of analytical testing that is done. The company supplies testing to a large and diverse range of clients, ranging from internationally recognised global corporations to private individuals from across New Zealand and the world.
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Water testing is one of Hill Laboratories specialist areas and testing is done for a wide range of different contaminants in water.
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Swimming Pool water should be tested for: • Standard Plate Count (SPC) to ensure it is less than 200 per ml. High levels may indicate that the disinfection system is not in good working order • Faecal Coliforms or Escherichia coli (E.coli) to ensure it is less than 1 per 100ml. Levels above this are an indication of faecal contamination • Staphylococcus aureus to ensure it is less than 100 per 100ml. This bacteria can cause skin irritations or sickness if swallowed • Pseudomonas aeruginosa to ensure it is less than 10 per 100ml. This is a bacteria associated with eye and ear infections. To arrange swimming pool water test or to find out more information call 07 858 2000 in the North Island or 03 377 7176 in the South Island
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Choir risers fold up and wheel away. Grandstands quickly disassemble for easy transport and storage. Wheels and trolleys are also available for increased manoeuvrability. Stage Sections These are portable, safe and easy to handle and store. They’re ideal for stages, catwalks, tiered audience seating, seated choir/orchestra risers, display/work tables, ramps and more. No tools are required as there are no folding or moving parts to trap fingers. Pit Infills & Stage Extensions These can be custom designed and are ideal for either new venues or refits. Choir Risers Two, three and four-level, folding choir risers with safety rails and carpeted decks are quiet, stable, easy to handle, transport and store. Grandstands These all aluminium grandstands can be demountable or fixed. Wheels can be fitted for manoeuvrability making them ideal for the gym, around pools and the sports field. Portable Sports Shelters Excellent for use at the tennis or netball courts or on the rugby fields. Ballet Barres Perfect for dance studios. Stronglite Staging Ltd is committed to finding a solution that works for the individual client and guarantees its products. We can also provide a comprehensive range of equipment for hire to support occasions where a larger or more complex staging/seating set up is required. Full sound and lighting services are available for hire to enhance any event. Just call and a member of the team will be happy to discuss your specific requirements (sales and/or hires) and can provide references from many satisfied customers. Stronglite Staging Limited 196 Finlayson Rd RD10, Hamilton T (07) 825 2933 E stages@stronglite.co.nz
Stage Sections, Choir Risers, Grandstands, Audience Seating, Drama Suite Modules, Drapes, Steps, Lecterns, Trolleys, Ramps etc. Top quality, NZ made products, designed to be easy to handle and store. Guaranteed to perform. Currently installed in many schools, universities & performance venues.
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42 | Term 1, 2014 www.principalstoday.co.nz