Principals Today Issue # 92

Issue #92 Term 4 | 2011

www.principalstoday.co.nz

leaders in education news since 1989

Understanding gifted kids Learning about fast learners

Eastern horizons

Education’s cultural influences

Sustainability

Small changes that make a difference

The fight for an education The long road to giving Canterbury children a sense of normality

Capturing a moment in time Congratulations to Redoubt North School of Manukau, the winner of our 2011 cover picture contest, for a shot that truly captures a moment in time ISSN 1170-4071 HAVE THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE SEEN THIS?

Principal Administration Dept Board of Trustees Property Manager Outdoor Ed Dept Careers Advisor

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www.principalstoday.co.nz 21/10/11 Term 4, 11:06 2011AM |3

Issue #92 Term 4 | 2011

www.principalstoday.co.nz

leaders In educaTIon news sInce 1989

Understanding gifted kids Learning about fast learners

Eastern horizons

Education’s cultural influences

Sustainability

Small changes that make a difference

The fight for an education The long road to giving Canterbury children a sense of normality

Understanding gifted kids

News 7 COVER STORY

Learning about fast learners Q&A with Associate Professor Jill Bevan-Brown, who specialises in research into gifted Maori children

Capturing a moment in time Congratulations to Redoubt North School of Manukau, the winner of our 2011 cover picture contest, for a shot that truly captures a moment in time ISSN 1170-4071 HAVE THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE SEEN THIS?

Principal Administration Dept Board of Trustees Property Manager Outdoor Ed Dept Careers Advisor

Principals Today

5296

6

Issue 92

ABC circulation as at 30/06/10

www.principalstoday.co.nz Academy House 47B Birmingham Drive Middleton PO Box 1879 Christchurch Gary Collins

Cutting the apron strings — why schools are starting to focus on Asian fusion

General manager Rebecca Harris

operations manager

8

Di Barclay

administration

Kylie Moore Kelly Clarke Kimberley Wells Judy Slater Tayla Brown

admin manager

Book Club sales executives

Eclectic collections Bridget Gourlay reviews an off beat assortment designed to capture and entertain imaginations

newsroom

Jonathon Taylor editor Bridget Gourlay chief reporter Marie Sherry Kayte John Phone: Fax: Email:

10

03 961 5050 0800 555 054 editor@academy.net.nz

production

Ian Knott production manager Carolynne Brown co-ordinator CJ McKay designers Kirsty Opie Jarred Shakespeare Sarah Betman Phone: Fax: Email:

The fight for an education Giving Canterbury children a sense of normality

03 940 4732 0800 555 054 production@academy.net.nz

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 2011 by A-Mark Publishing (NZ) Ltd. All rights reserved. No article or advertisement may be reproduced without written permission.

ISSN 1170-4071 (Print) ISSN 2230-6358 (Online)

www.magazinestoday.co.nz

9 AND THE WINNERS ARE…

Find out who won what in our Term 3 competitions

Supplements 14 SUSTAINABILITY

Small changes that make a difference

16 RESOURCES

Tools for change, online opportunities and scientific success

18 ICT

Why getting tech savy pays dividends

20 CAREER CHOICES

sales & advertising Miranda Hearn Bill Thew Verne Williams

Why media interviews are like no other conversation

Introducing Rueben Posthuma

Education’s cultural influences

managing director

9 LOSS OF CONTEXT

11 SUPER STUDENT OF THE YEAR

Eastern horizons

Head office

Congratulations to Redoubt North School, winner of our cover picture contest 2011, for the shot that truly captures a moment in time

Ongoing trauma is being magnified by disrupted routines and insecurity as job losses loom

12

Pacific prospects, choosing a job you love and what the New Zealand Sports Turf Industry Training Organisation has on offer

22 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Te Kete Ipurangi’s online home of ICT related education resources

23 FUNDRAISING

Putting the fun in fundraising

24 SCHOOL CAMPING

The checklist every school needs before taking a single step outside

26 PROPERTY

The importance of play, cool climbing pyramids and a perfect playground surface solution

28 SUN SAFETY

Summer’s almost here, so it’s time to get serious about sun protection

Competitions • The winners of the Term Three competitions, page 9 • Super Student of the Year and the Term Four winner, page 11 • Cover picture competition winner, page 7

Competition conditions of entry

This publication is printed on papers supplied by All wood originates from sustainably managed forests or waste sources.

All mills utilise the Chain of Custody system to verify fibre source End product is recyclable.

All mills are ISO 14001 certified

4 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

* CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: One entry only per person and must be sent on the official entry form or as otherwise stated. Entry is free and open to all residents of New Zealand. All entrants must be over the age of 18, proof of identity and date of birth may be requested. Employees and their immediate families of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication are ineligible to enter. Winner(s) will be notified by e-mail/phone. The judges’ decision is final, no correspondence will be entered into. No responsibility is accepted for late, lost or misdirected mail. Prizes are not transferable or redeemable for cash. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including but not limited to direct or consequential loss) or personal injury suffered or sustained, during the course of prize winning travel or in connection with any other prizes won. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication accept no responsibility for health, luggage, insurances, travel, personal expenses and transfers other than specified. Entries remain the property of Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication and cannot be returned. Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication reserves the right to photograph and publish winners. Entries may be used for further marketing purposes by Academy Publishing, the promoter and agencies associated with any promotion in this publication but are not made available to any third party.

Sport | Bowls NZ

Bowls

for everyone

If you think lawn bowls is all about retirees, tea and scones and wearing white clothing, then you need to think again.

Outdoor lawn bowls is a popular and exciting sport that every kid can step onto the green and participate in. Nationally, more than 3000 youth are playing the sport and every year that number is definitely growing.

Bowls is a sport that every single student in your class can participate in, either competitively, socially or just for good old fashioned healthy physical exercise — there really are no barriers to participation! The limits are only what you make them.

What can students participate in?

Bowls NZ National Secondary Schools Championships The National Secondary Schools Championships is an NZSSSC endorsed event and was last held in Dunedin — 72 students qualified through local and regional events to attend three days of finals. In what is an amazing display of bowls talent and friendship, the event has grown in prestige every year and is an important part of the athlete pathway, with several Black Jacks team members being secondary school champions.

Squad6 Squad6 is all about opening up opportunities to play bowls to students who haven’t played

before in a fun, social and organised event. Teams of six students (boys and girls) play each other in weekly 1-2 hour sessions at the local bowling club for four to six weeks, either in or out of school hours. The programme can be adjusted to suit and Squad6 programmes have been supported

by KiwiSport.

Youth bowls is an important part of our sport and Bowls NZ is keen to get more students participating in bowls through Squad6 and the National Secondary Schools Championships.

There is a bowling club in just about every town or suburb with greens and bowls ready for students to deliver the perfect ‘toucher’ — so how do you give your students the opportunity to participate?

Feedback from the Bowls NZ National Secondary Schools Championships: “Thanks Dunedin for hosting an awesome secondary schools this year. Greens were good and all the people were awesome to meet and catch up with. Can’t wait till Christchurch next year!” — Euan “Another amazing secondary school nationals!

High standard of bowls, great accommodation and activities, AMAZING people! A great tournament to be a part of.” — Kelly

Contact Rob Pidgeon at Bowls NZ. Call (09) 571 9954 or email rob@bowlsnz.co.nz For more info go to www.bowlsnz.co.nz or check out the ‘Youth Bowls’ page on Facebook

“Wow! What a fantastic three days the nationals were!” —Brittany

P e rf e c t fo r T e rm 1, 2 0 12 The Squad6 Youth Bowls programmes are designed to give every student a chance to participate, to have fun, and experience a game that everyone can be great at. The advantage with linking your school to a lawn Bowls youth programme is; that no matter what a student’s shape, size, athleticism, they can participate, play, be competitive, and get active.

Bowls is a sport for everyone, it can be learnt in minutes, but is highly challenging and combines not only physical skill but mental strategy and discipline.

It is said the sport can be learnt in minutes and takes a lifetime to master.

Bowls is one of those activities that becomes addictive, it gives everyone an equal chance to be great. Now, every single student in your class can be physically active and enjoy participating in sport. This makes it an ideal option to ensure all your students have a chance to experience an outdoor activity and sport that gets them active, enables them to be competitive, and to have fun.

TRY OUT LAWN BOWLS IN YOUR LOCAL YOUTH BOWLS PROGRAMME - Squad6 • Up to 6 students in a team (Squad6), is ideal for guys &/girls, no limits on number of teams per school.

• $10 per student for the duration – each student receives a branded Squad6 drink bottle.

• Once a week for 4-6 weeks in term 1 or 4 (can be played through terms 2 – 3).

BUT, this can be tailored to suit the needs/requirements of your school.

Signal your school’s interest by emailing “Squad6” with your school name / location / contact details to Rob Pidgeon - rob@bowlsnz.co.nz or phone 09 571 9954 and we’ll try to match you to a local bowling club Read more about Squad6 on www.bowlsnz.co.nz click “Youth” and look for the Squad6 logo www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 5

News

Understanding

gifted kids A strong sense of social justice has always underpinned Jill Bevan-Brown. Her father was a Maori All Black who wasn’t allowed to tour South Africa because the New Zealand Rugby Union caved in to the host’s racist policies of the day.

As a teacher, she was drawn to the underdog — children she felt weren’t getting enough from the education system.

Now an Associate Professor at Massey University, Bevan-Brown specialises in research into gifted Maori children. She talks to Bridget Gourlay about her work.

Jill Bevan-Brown (far left) has a keen interest in recognising and promoting gifted Maori children, no matter what age and in which field their particular talents may be in.

Gifted Unfurled

The inaugural giftEDnz national conference, Giftedness Unfurled: Fostering Best Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand in March 2012 is a conference for, and by, New Zealand practitioners.

It encourages teachers from all the sectors — early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary — and counsellors, psychologists, RTLBs, researchers and any other professionals who work to support and nurture gifted and talented learners to share their practice and experiences with other professionals.

As a teacher, what interested you in the field of Maori giftedness?

“It was part of a larger interest in children with special needs. I’ve always been to drawn to the underdog and within my teaching experience I could see that there were a whole group of children that weren’t receiving the best education they could — these were children with special needs. As far as I’m concerned giftedness fitted within that area, and I think from a Maori perspective it certainly does.”

I found what you wrote about giftedness being a social construct very interesting — I guess we don’t think about that in the Pakeha world, but when you look at what it means to be gifted in different cultures, you can see it really is.

“What is common is that giftedness is being exceptional in some area, in performing above and beyond your peers in a certain area. Where differences occur is the degree of exceptionality and the areas considered to be areas of giftedness – and that is where the social construct aspect comes in.

“Teachers don’t understand the implications of it, or many don’t. In New Zealand we identify and provide for children within a western perspective, children who are gifted academically or in music or sports, those areas with high priority — academic especially.”

How are Maori children’s talents different to identify than other children?

“First of all there is giftedness in skills and knowledge, such as Maori arts and

The closing date for the Call for Papers is November 14 .

For more information visit www.giftednz.org.nz

music. I think this is recognised but not provided for. A child who is gifted in kapa haka for instance is very rarely extended. The second aspect for Maori is that there is just as much emphasis on qualities as in skills and knowledge.

So being outstanding in maia (courage), manaakitanga (hospitality), aroha-kite-tangata and tutohutanga (love for, caring and sensitivity to others) — which everyone recognises as important, to be a caring person or a hospitable person — but in New Zealand we don’t give them the same priority in terms of nurturing children who are gifted in those areas as we do in other areas.

“As far as Maori are concerned, because those areas are equally important they have to receive equal attention and extension. It’s about identifying and providing for the Mother Theresas of the world as well as the Einsteins. For Maori it’s equally important and we must do both.

“Leadership is important in the west but from a western perspective — you

6 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

know, the ‘upfront person’, the Obamas and John Keys.

“In Maoridom, of course, we have people up there giving whaikoreros, but there is also a form of leadership that is leadership from behind — a quiet girl or boy in the classroom who the other children go to if they’re feeling sad or hurt, maybe the child the junior children in the school will run to. This sort of leadership in Maoridom isn’t recognised or nurtured in the Pakeha world.

“When we identity leaders among children in our schools we are picking leadership from the western perspective and not the whole Maori perspective.

For Maori, for people who are gifted there is a responsibility to provide service in that area of giftedness.

“A good example is a Maori artist, if they are a really exceptional artist and if they provided service, maybe carving lessons, only then are they considered a gifted Maori artist. The service competent is part and parcel of giftedness. In schools, when providing

for Maori gifted children, we have to provide those opportunities of service.”

How can teachers work with Maori children and their families to help the child shine?

“The first thing is to provide a culturally responsive environment — for all cultures, not just Maori — in their classes at school. If this happens then that is the major thing because they feel confident they are valued and their culture is valued so they are more likely to exhibit their giftedness.

“Secondly they have to include content from the child’s culture. Learning is enhanced when children have content they can relate to.

“Have high expectations. I’ll give you an example, my friend went to a school and she asked about gifted children and the principal said to her ‘oh, you won’t find any of those children here, it’s a school full of brown faces’. This was a number of years ago and hopefully that wouldn’t happen in this day and age but there tends to be lower expectations for Maori and Pacifica children, so teachers may not be expecting to find gifted kids.

Children rise or lower according to expectations.”

Are positive dynamic Maori role models really important?

“Yes, yes, very much so. And make use of role models as examples in the community — get them involved in the school if possible. It’s even stronger for Maori children if you can get role models that they can whakapapa into.”

Bevan-Brown has been awarded giftEDnz’s inaugural Te Manu Kotuku award, meaning she will be the keynote speaker at the organisation’s conference in March 2012. What will be the theme of your speech next year?

“I have the title! The topic will be called ‘Digging Deeper, Flying Higher.’

What I’ll be looking at is the progress we have made in gifted education — but then looking to see how we can extend that. We’ve made some wonderful advances in education, for all gifted kids and Maori kids. But we need to go a step further.”

What do you hope the conference will achieve?

“I think we will definitely get knowledge, ideas. When I go to conferences I’m always looking for the latest things that are happening. A lot of things that are happening in classrooms around New Zealand are wonderful but aren’t published.”

News | Cover Competition Winner

Capturing a moment in time Since the theme for our cover picture contest was about capturing a moment in time, this shot submitted by Brenda White of Redoubt North School in Manukau was the logical choice.

During Term Two 2011, the intermediate department at Redoubt North School studied colonial times, looking at how the world has progressed from ‘slates to iPads’ during the last century.

One morning, the teachers surprised the students. Appropriately dressed, they ran a full colonial school day.

Students worked in silence for the day, were taught calligraphy and learned from the blackboard and from text books. Traditional school formalities were introduced, including a military marching lesson for the boys and a session on etiquette for the girls.

Issue #92 Term

leaders In educaT Ion news sInce

1989

4 | 2011

www.principa lstoday.co.nz

Understanding gifted kids Learning about

fast learners

Eastern horizons

Education’s cultural influences

Sustainability Small changes that

make a differen ce

The fight for an educa tion

The long road to giving Canterbury children a sense of normality

They received on-going lessons about Victorian and colonial times throughout the term, including a trip to the Howick Historical Village in June.

Thank you to all who participated in our cover shot competition and the prize, a digital camera for Redoubt North School is on the way.

Capturing a moment

in time

Congratulations to Redoubt North School of Manukau, the winner of our 2011 cover picture contes t, for a shot that truly captures a momen t in time ISSN 1170-4071

HAVE THE FOLLOWIN

G PEOPLE SEEN

THIS?

Principal Administratio n Dept Board of Trustees

Property Manager

Outdoor Ed Dept

Careers Advisor

The theme carried into all curriculum areas. For dance and music they looked at traditional 1900s performances, in technology they created Victorian playground games and in physical education they learned to play games such as croquet and eden ball.

th School Redoubt Nor Lining up for Jess Chapman-Smith, ): are (from left Dewdene Botha, Phil aia, oh H n do ey H lie Robinson Harkness, Ky Toomer, Julia irling. and Sandy St

The students thoroughly enjoyed comparing the ‘old school’ lifestyle to the modern day. From writing in ‘old style’ cursive handwriting to saluting their teachers during military training, students got a real taste of the old ways.

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 7

News

Eastern horizons

By Bridget Gourlay

New Zealand has changed dramatically since serious globalisation and immigration occurred 30 years ago — and it’s a trend that’s only set to continue.

In 10 years’ time, almost 15 percent of New Zealanders will identify with an Asian ethnic group. The IMF estimates China will probably be the world’s largest economy by then, with Japan and India in the top five. Our government continues to build closer ties with Asian economies — in trade, but also by creating even stronger tourism and education links.

Children growing up today are likely to live, study, and work alongside people of Asian ethnicities. That’s why the New Zealand Asia Foundation got government funding to exist; it’s recognised that we don’t know enough about our powerful neighbours and that’s a trend that needs to be curbed.

In 2009 the Asia NZ Foundation commissioned a survey of high school heads of departments (HODs) into how often Asian themes were being taught in subjects. Although the vast majority of schools (97 percent) indicated they had some link or relationship with Asia and the majority of HODs (80 percent) believed the Asian region is important, this was not translated into class content.

More than half of all social studies programmes (55 percent) did not include any Asia-specific topics or projects. Some history and geography departments taught Asian themes, respectively 59 percent and 67 percent.

Economics sat on a tiny 17 percent.

Asia NZ director of education Vanessa Lee says she wasn’t surprised by the findings. “I was aware it was really bad.

The fact is, teachers don’t mentally think about Asia as a context and theme.

Usually it’s incidentally – it’s from TV or a newspaper article, then it’s always really negative because it’s on war or a tsunami.

“For long duration study it’s usually something very traditional like the Korean War or the Vietnam War. “Teachers have never studied Asia much at school and university and many have never been to Asia. It’s embedded into us, this European/ British/American influence and until that goes — and it won’t go quickly — it just gets repeated.”

In response to the revealing 2009 study, the Asia NZ Foundation has developed NCEA standards to curb the education system’s Eurocentrism. The first standards, for NCEA Level One, came out this year.

For example, an achievement standard for Year 11 History looks at Japan’s emperors. In Media Studies, where students must compare two genres, Asia NZ offers a resource on the Kiwi-Chinese film ‘My Wedding and Other Secrets’ and the documentary that inspired it.

For primary school students, Lee says the focus is on “enabling curiosity”.

She says there are plenty of resources on the TKI website, such as one called ‘Celebrations’ which is about events such as Chinese New Year and Diwali.

Lincoln High principal Linda Tame has hitched her school to the Asia knowledge bandwagon. She says her interest came about five years ago

8 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

when she was invited to an Asia NZ meeting. “It was just an ‘aha moment’ for me,” she remembers. “The evidence Asia NZ put in front of us on the importance of Asia to New Zealand was compelling, and as a principal of a school with only a few Asian pupils, this seemed very important. I talked to the Board of Trustees — now raising the ‘Asia Awareness’ of the students is one of their main goals.”

In the curriculum, Asia Awareness begins with social studies, which every Year 9 and 10 student takes.

China in context

“One third of this is now taught in the context of China. That has changed the way Asia is seen by all students — they learn history, culture, politics — and all the usual things such as enquiry skills.”

Lincoln High has a business education partnership with Cosco and is beginning to talk to other businesses to look at how trade with Asia occurs. All this is studied by the students so they can see the strong trading relationship between New Zealand and our neighbours.

More than just studying Asia, Vanessa Lee says the foundation hopes to change young New Zealanders’ attitudes about the continent.

“We’re trying to get young people to go to Asia for their OE; when that happens

you know people will be starting to change their attitudes. These days Asia is where you holiday on the way to London. However Asian universities, for example in Tokyo or Seoul, are offering English courses for undergraduates and exchanges are possible.”

Language is another key component of working with Asia. While learning a language is never easy, Asian languages with a different alphabet are even trickier.

Lee says lots of teenagers start Mandarin and then drop it in high school because it’s very hard and different to anything they’ve ever done.

She says if Mandarin learning starts in primary school, children are more likely to stick with it — a concept quite a few primary and intermediate schools have embraced.

Linda Tame’s Lincoln High has been teaching Mandarin for 20 years, and also teaches Japanese.

However, she stresses that learning about other countries like the UK is still important. It’s just that without Asia knowledge, children are not being prepared for their most likely future careers.

“We are very careful not to overlook other areas — other subjects like Maori are also very important.”

News

And the winners are…

Loss of context — why media interviews are like no other conversation

How many times have you heard someone complain of being taken out of context? Most of the time, this happens because they don’t understand the important distinction between media interviews and other conversations.

Apart from live television and radio interviews, every time you speak to a journalist, you risk being taken out of context. This is just the nature of journalism.

It’s because a journalist will only use snippets of the interview in their subsequent story. They don’t have the space for more. You may speak for 30 minutes and only 30 seconds of your conversation may be used.

Speech lessons

This is totally different to giving a speech. Here you can build one idea on another, referencing something you said earlier to highlight a point. People in the audience get to hear the whole speech, so you can do this.

You don’t have that luxury when you are talking to the media. You never know what parts of your interview will be used. That means everything you say must make sense on its own and not be reliant on things you say before or after each point you make.

For example, in a real life conversation, if someone said to you, “How does it feel to have a major bullying problem at your school?” It would be fine for you to say, “We don’t have a major bullying problem. We’ve recently put in some

Plan 2 Survive survival kit

Congratulations to eagle eyes Judi Huthnance from Brunswick School in Wanganui for spotting our characterised principal in the pages of last term’s issue. The competition was run in conjunction with Yealands Estate, who kindly provided the prize — a case (12 bottles) of wine. Your case is on the way Judi — enjoy!

Congratulations to Ianeta Falevaai who teaches at Owairaka Primary School in Mt Albert, Auckland on winning the Plan 2 Survive survival kit valued at $850. This kit includes enough food, water, shelter and warmth for 25-30 students and comes with a portable toilet. Your survival kit is on the way.

Cleaning up your act

By Pete Burdon

Principals are usually great communicators and competent speakers. That’s partly why they got into their leadership positions. But they can get into trouble in media interviews because they assume they are like any other conversation.

The fact of the matter is, media interviews require an entirely new set of skills.

Where’s the principal?

initiatives to stop bullying in its tracks and we haven’t had any problems for the last 18 months”.

The problem with this response in a media context is that the journalist may take the first part of that answer alone, so the story could focus entirely on, “Principal denies major bullying problem,” and not use the rest of the answer. This makes for a negative denial story and implies some shadiness on your part.

Not every journalist will do this, but some will and it’s best not to give them the chance.

Positive responses

Without the control of context, you would be better to answer with a positive statement only. “We’re very happy with the recent initiatives we put in place to stop bullying and we haven’t had any problems for the last 18 months.”

To go in the draw to win an environmentally friendly Healthy Home Bucket from the Ecostore, entrants had to submit a short blurb about what they’ve done to become more sustainable this year.

Kathryn Hooper of Highlands Intermediate School in New Plymouth took out the honours and won her school a Healthy Home Bucket. These buckets include a wide range of home cleaning and body care products.

This is what Kathryn said about her school’s push to be more environmentally friendly: “Highlands Intermediate School has been very proactive this year in becoming a sustainable school.

an environment that encourages wildlife and bird life.

“The students have also made a large worm farm, where all the school’s food scraps at the end of the day, that have been collected from 22 classrooms, are put to feed the worms and make good compost.

“In school itself we have a special ‘Green Team’ which is a group of around 12 students who have specific duties to maintain the sustainability around the school.

“They collect paper for recycling and empty these each day for the recycling bin and generally focus on ensuring the school is kept clean and tidy.

“We have made real effort to make Highlands a sustainable school.”

“We have planted over 200 native trees on the school grounds and in the gardens to both provide and enhance

Congratulations to Kathryn and Highlands Intermediate for taking sustainability seriously.

With this response, the reporter doesn’t have a negative option and can’t take you out of context.

The most famous example of this was Richard Nixon when giving his speech during Watergate. He explained how he had never profited from the presidency and he had earned every cent. This was followed by the words, “I’m not a crook”.

I don’t need to tell you which part of that speech was used by the media.

In a nutshell, if you don’t want it used, do not say it in any context.

Pete Burdon is managing director of Media Training NZ, a company specialising in training principals and other groups how to communicate effectively with the media in a crisis and other situations. Contact him at info@mediatrainingnz.co.nz or through www.mediatraining.co.nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 9

News | Book Club

Eclectic collections

In this issue’s book club, Bridget Gourlay reviews an off beat assortment of reads designed to entertain imaginations.

Title: Superhero Pukeko & 7 Winning stories Authors: Various Publisher: Barfoot & Thompson RRP: $15.00

Title: Sport Authors: Benedicte Mathieu and Myrtille Rambion Adapted by John Saker Publisher: Gecko Press RRP: $19.99 This is a fantastic book that I’m sure even non-sports fans will enjoy. It starts off historical, outlining the origins of sport, to detailing how popular ones such as rugby came about.

The book also covers contemporary topics such as drug-cheating, the Paralympics and hooliganism. All of these topics are written in an engaging and laid-back style, with plenty of fact boxes and interesting bits of trivia.

Title: Stuck in the Muck Author: Brett Avison Illustrator: Craig Smith Publisher: Five Mile Press RRP: $24.99 From the authour of A Bigger Digger this is another rhyming tale filled with colourful pictures.

Milky the cow is stuck in the mud and the entire neighborhood pitches in to try and get her out.

Children will love the lyrical text, the bright illustrations and the pop-up page at the end. I’m sure young fans will be begging to hear this book over and over again.

Topped off by hilarious cartoons, which are just as much fun as the information itself, this is a book children from ages seven and up will enjoy — as will their parents and teachers!

Rugby uses an oval ball, originally made from a pig’s bladder. The shape was considered more practical than a round football for gripping with the hands.

10 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

This collection of short stories is one of the most delightful children’s books I’ve ever read, showing that it doesn’t take a highly paid writer to put together a good story. Written by the eight class winners of the Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge, each story is unique and engaging, Illustrations are by multitalented All Black Keven Mealamu.

Although I don’t envy the judges in having to choose a winner, Superhero Pukeko is a truly delightful tale about courage, written with flair and creativity. Other highlights are A Paper’s Life Story and the slightly sad The Boy Who Danced, about

a boy who’s father won’t let him study ballet.

The book is available from Barfoot & Thompson’s website, with all of the proceeds going to Starship.

“Shivering shingles,” burbled a voice.

“Are you a hungry shark?”

Pita blinked through the salty water at large paketi fish wiggling in a heavy fishing net.

“I’m not a hungry shark,” said Pita.

“I am a pukeko and I am going to find a license to be a superhero.

Do you know where I can get one?”

With a rev and a hiccup

“No, I didn’t know you needed a license to be a superhero,” said the paketi.

Ted started the pick-up,

“Have you time to unfurl me from this fishing net please?”

It gave a roar… and then a thud!

“Of course,” replied Pita. “I can peck a hole in the net because my big red beak is really sharp.”

The old engine was tired It misfired and expired Next to Milky, Still stuck in the mud!

So Pita jabbed hard at the tangled ropes and set the paketi free.

“Thank you plucky pukeko bird,” burbled the paketi. “Good luck with your search.”

News | Super Students

Young

Last year he won $250, which was going towards studying for an electrical engineering degree at Canterbury University. “When I finish school I hope to enrol in University of Canterbury and I’ll probably start there in 2012.

achievers

allowed behind the wheel and that one in seven of the accidents would have been prevented if the vehicles had been properly maintained.

Super Student of the Year u Rueben Posthuma

Creating a gadget which prevents disqualified or unlicensed drivers from driving has been a winning move for 16 year old Reuben Posthuma of St Albans.

And it’s why he’s been chosen as the Principal’s Today Super Student of the Year. The 16 year old homeschool pupil from Christchurch won his age-group category at the 2010 ETITO Bright Sparks Awards for young inventors with his device that verifies the driver’s licence before it will allow the engine to start.

Reuben’s Driver Minder prevents a car from starting unless the driver has a valid driver’s licence — which needs to be swiped over a card reader. The Driver

“The biggest inspiration for the Driver Minder has been to build a reliable, versatile car safety device which could make a difference in road safety while being useful to the driver.”

Minder also wirelessly checks a specially designed website to see if the car’s warrant and registration are current and uses GPS to display the car’s speed and the area’s speed limit.

Inspiration for the gadget came from a holiday in Wellington, where Reuben’s family were frustrated they could not see the different speed limits in a stretch of roadworks. He also read that at least one in 11 fatal vehicle crashes in 2009 were caused by drivers who were not

During nine months he spent about 1000 hours working on the project, with up to 70 hours a week dedicated to it during the holidays.

Driver Minder was his fifth project for the Bright Sparks awards and his second success, after his computer refrigeration controller system won the 13 to 14 year old’s category in 2008.

“The best part of developing this project was seeing all the technologies working together to make a functional, powerful and useful device.”

“In the future I would like to work a few years in the electronics design industry and then start my own design company, with a focus towards marketing my own developments as well as freelance design work.”

Congratulations Rueben, your prize is on its way!

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As the winner of the Best Director award in the Youthtown film competition, 15 year old Tom Marrion says he has “always had a passion for film.”

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The Year 11 Takapuna Grammar School won the Best Director award in the Youthtown film competition. His entry also won Best Actor, Best Editing and was runner up for Best Film.

“My film passion started with wanting to act, but then I realised I would prefer to have my idea acted out by others then act out someone else’s idea, I still however do regular theatre acting at Devonport Drama, which is lots of fun.”

Titled Phasma Phasmatis, Tom’s short film is about a boy who has died in a car crash but doesn’t yet know he’s a ghost.

“The original idea — an idea I still wish to create in the future — was about a twin who subconsciously stole the other twin’s life and lived both of them.

Phasma Phasmatis came from this because I found the biggest theme within the other script was the lack of knowledge about oneself.

“With advice from many friends and family I soon created Phasma Phasmatis and removed the twin concept and replaced it with a ghost. I felt a ghost better portrayed the idea I wished to get across within the seven minutes given for the film competition.”

This year’s films were required to include the line “You won’t believe what happened next...” and feature a pair of oversized sunglasses as a prop. To enter, film-makers must be between 13 and 18 years old and not studying film making or other related subjects full time at a

CALL 0508 ALLSAFE (0508) 255723) Nationwide service. References available

Tom Marrion (le head of acting ft) with South Seas Johnny Given Youthtown’s Dianne Afuto s and to (right).

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tertiary institution in 2011. Each film was required to be between four and seven minutes in duration.

“Since as long as I can remember film has been what I’ve been interested in. However, before doing the film workshop and competition I had no real direction on how to go about making a film — this is exactly what Youthtown provided,” Tom says.

Following his Youthtown success, Tom is already working on another film, this one about medieval zombies. He definitely wants to go in the movie business when he finishes Year 13.

“I am strongly considering going to a film school but I also think university could have many great advantages.

I guess I will take it as it comes. But whatever happens, I want to continue creating films.”

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www.all-safe.co.nz or sales@all-safe.co.nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 11

News | Disaster Recovery

education The fight for an

By Kayte John

A friend recently told me that after the February earthquake some parents were unable to pick their children up from school.

One parent in particular had been trapped in a city centre building for two hours before she was taken to hospital with fractured ribs. Her husband who was away, working in Wellington hired a rental car and immediately drove down to Christchurch to collect their children. At the school, waiting patiently, was a teacher. This teacher had taken the children under her wing and waited in her car with the lights on so she could be found.

Earthquake damage at Halswell School (above) and Darfield.

This story highlights the dedication and support teachers gave our children when they needed it the most. It also made me think about the children waiting for their father — I couldn’t imagine how scared they must have been and what was going through their minds.

On February 22 many teachers who may have been unsure about their own children or loved ones put on a brave face and marched through by taking care of their students and making sure they got home safe.

On-going disruption

Since the September 2010 earthquake, children have needed our support more than ever. The trauma and upset they have suffered continues as aftershocks continue to rattle Canterbury, each of them cruel reminders of what we suffered on February 22.

Children have their own ways of dealing with February’s events. Whether it’s a quick cry, an angry outburst, or the need to be settled down after another nightmare — all of these are different ways kids may be dealing with trauma.

The February event left up to 15,000 students in limbo about the state of their school. Three weeks later staff started back and schools reopened in an effort to return some sense of normality and structure to their lives.

However, more than 20 schools have shared sites since February due to the extensive damage. Site-sharing meant that schools had to condense the school day, with some students taking the morning shift and others the afternoon shift. Site-sharing also meant that some students faced long commutes and a condensed timetable, losing about an hour’s teaching time every day.

12 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

Christchurch parent Dellis Hunt says her son attended a CBD school, but he has now temporarily moved to the outskirts of the city. “This is a three hour round trip each day. He is tired. My story is not unique; many children like mine need security and stability in their life.”

Hunt feels that a familiar face of a teacher gives this stability to her son.

“It is one of the few things that remain constant at a time where change is happening every day,” she says.

The prospect of job losses

In September Education Minister Ann Tolley announced that nearly 170 fulltime teacher jobs were being axed in Christchurch in the wake of the quakes.

“Government funding for the equivalent of 167 fulltime teachers — or 4.5 percent of Christchurch’s 3690 workforce — will be cut from next year as pupils have moved away from and within the city since the tremors,” she explained.

The Government has guaranteed to keep teacher numbers at pre-February 2011 levels until the end of this year.

It is also funding the schools for the

number of students they had before the earthquake, as well as providing funding at their new school.

“Students who have moved because of the earthquakes have not left the education system, and we are now effectively redistributing resources from one area to another, be that within the city, within the region, or within New Zealand,” Tolley says.

The latest Ministry of Education figures show that nearly 4500 pupils had moved to new schools since February.

But the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) has called on the government to maintain funding levels to quake-affected schools and early childhood centres through until the end of 2012, as extraordinary circumstances call for an extraordinary response.

The NZEI Waitaha/Canterbury Area Council Chair Sandra Spekreijse says, moves to cut hundreds of teaching jobs in Christchurch are short-sighted and will come as a major blow to those schools and communities still trying to put themselves back together.

News | Disaster Recovery

“We need to start dealing with the reality of the situation that is Christchurch.”

Spekreijse feels that principals, teachers and support staff fulfill an important social role in many traumatised and damaged communities and children and their families are going to need extra help for a long time to come.

“Schools have lost buildings, classrooms and playing fields and now they are faced with losing teaching staff who have worked tirelessly to provide stability and support to tramatised students and their families,” she says.

Lending a sense of perspective to the scale of disruption, Avondale Primary School principal Mark Scown says post February 22 life for locals has been turned upside down.

“When Avondale School re-opened we were 190 children down. We hoped we would gain these children back but very few returned. Teachers are there to support our kids now it’s our turn to support them by ensuring the funding stays the same for next year.”

Avondale School now has 370 students compared to its previous 500. Scown explains that most of the children have suffered emotional trauma, behaviour changes and on-going stress, making it hard for them to learn.

Mary Pearson, a teacher at Chisnallwood Intermediate, says children are aware of the problems around them. “Children listen at the dining table; they hear the problems their family may face.

“As a teacher I listen every day to the stories of job losses, the roofs leaking, grandma moving in… children are aware that we are living in difficult times.” Pearson highlights that teachers

are doing their best both academically and psychologically.

“We must wait until the dust settles.

By that time we can track people’s movements. Hopefully by then we will have enough teachers in Christchurch to teach the students that come back.”

The cut in funding not only affects teachers but also support staff. Gaye Parlane, a support staff education officer at Papanui High School, says the work support staff do is essential. “We have worked alongside vulnerable children and no words can spare our pain.”

Earthquake damage at Halswell School.

With 3000 students sharing Papanui High School, extra curriculum activities were introduced to keep the students’ minds occupied. “We all worked together to try and keep the children’s day as normal as possible,” Parlane says.

However, Christchurch resident Gary Yale feels we should stop playing the earthquake card. “We need to start dealing with the reality of the situation that is Christchurch. Yes, the staff has been supportive and deserve to keep their jobs, but with all the children gone, it is just not realistic.”

Where to from here?

The earthquakes that have rocked Canterbury will, by necessity, lead to change in the way education is delivered. As Tolley states, “Our challenge is to develop a bold and creative plan for the future of the education network”.

On February 22 families did not have a plan about how to contact each other in the event of an emergency. Children were at school, fathers and mothers

were at work, home or around the city.

The result was many anxious hours spent trying to find each other.

It is inevitable that New Zealand will encounter another earthquake or natural disaster. While we cannot predict which city will be the next victim, we can prepare and plan what to do if such an event may occur.

For the most part, we already know the basics of what we need to have.

A battery operated radio and torch, fully stocked first aid kits and nonperishable food have become essential

items in homes and schools across Canterbury. Schools need to prepare for emergencies so they can keep children as safe as possible in the event of an earthquake. Regular emergency response practises are also essential.

One day you may need to transform this knowledge into action. Let’s not be caught unaware — or unprepared.

For more information visit www.getthru.govt.nz www.relate.org.nz www.nzei.org.nz

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 13

Sustainability | Future Focus

Small changes

that make a difference

There are eco-friendly alternatives to many of the hygiene products and cleaning chemicals found in schools today and that doesn’t mean compromising on quality or your budget.

Insinc Products offers toilet paper (rolls, jumbo rolls and interleaf), paper towels, tissues and serviettes made from 100 percent recycled paper, cleaning products for commercial use made from all natural ingredients, biodegradable rubbish bags, disposable sanitary units and new to their range disposable and compostable plates and cups for your functions.

Saving money is an important part of a school’s budget and spending too much on toilet paper that gets flushed away is unnecessary. While you are saving money you can also help save the environment.

Recycled paper saves trees, oil, water and power, it saves thousands of tonnes of waste paper going into landfills as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As an added advantage for your old school pipes, recycled paper breaks down faster so causes fewer blockages.

Aside from the potential damage to our environment the health of staff and students must also be taken into consideration. Toxic chemicals used at school will pollute your indoor work space and can cause allergic reactions as well as other potential health side effects for both cleaners and staff. Sick staff and students cost you money!

Children are more susceptible to toxic chemical poisoning than adults because their bodies are still growing

and developing. During school age years, the nervous, immune, reproductive and respiratory systems of children are all going through significant changes.

Commercial grade, natural cleaning products come in a concentrated formula which is more economically viable than ready to use products.

There is less packaging required which is great for your waste disposal as well as your wallet. Concentrated cleaning products often dilute at 20:1, which means one litre of concentrate will give you 20 litres of product at a fraction of the cost!

Sanitary units necessary from primary school level usually require expensive contracts and servicing.

The waste is often wrapped in plastic and taken to landfill.

Insinc Products offers an economical and environmentally friendly alternative. Disbin sanitary units are made from 80 percent recycled materials, covered in a water repellent made from natural plant sources and are compostable.

Disbins come complete with a natural sanitising sachet that kills germs and odours. There is no need for expensive contracts (that empty bins only partially used) as you simply throw the bin out (or compost it) when the bin is full.

Most of Insinc’s products range have the Environmental Choice certification so you know they are independently verified as being eco-friendly. Buy on-line or contact Insinc directly and the team will put a quote together for you.

Insinc Products Ltd T 0508 INSINC (467 462) E sales@insincproducts.co.nz www.schoolsuppliesnz.co.nz

YOUR BUDGET | YOUR HEALTH | YOUR ENVIRONMENT Environmentally friendly cleaning and hygiene products to suit you!

• Toilet paper • Paper towels • Cleaning products • Sanitary units • Rubbish bags • Cups and Plates CALL NOW FOR A QUOTE

www.schoolsuppliesnz.co.nz Ph. 0508 INSINC (467 462) sales@insincproducts.co.nz 14 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

Reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic and …

recycling?

How human behaviour impacts the environment has been a hot topic of much debate and there are now calls for it be included in mainstream education. A Colmar Brunton poll released early October has revealed that an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders support the teaching of environmental education in every school.

The poll shows that nine out of 10 people (about 94 percent) agree that all schools — from early childhood to tertiary level — should include the importance of caring for the natural environment and living in a way that preserves it for the future.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) New Zealand commissioned the poll ahead of the general election as part of its work to promote the importance of environmental education.

WWF-New Zealand education programme manager Wendy Barry says people understand that a healthy New Zealand society depends on a healthy environment and it’s a message the organisation wants the Government to hear and to act upon.

“New Zealanders care about protecting our natural heritage and feel very strongly that these values are passed on to the next generation.”

With this in mind, a manifesto on Education for Sustainability has been produced for all political parties by WWF, Enviroschools and the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE), to encourage policies that recognise the importance of empowering and inspiring young New Zealanders to live in harmony with nature.

“The huge support for engaging our young people in environmental issues sends a clear message to our Government that they should not ignore. Our political leaders have a clear mandate from the New Zealand public to adopt policies that support learning about sustainability in our schools, early

childhood centres and tertiary institutions,” Barry says.

“Education for Sustainability is a great model for excellence in delivering the whole curriculum because it is based on the values of quality teaching and learning. Its positive benefits reach beyond learning about the natural world, to include improved social engagement in a democratic society.”

Eliminating e-waste

We think about recycling our glass, newspapers and plastic, but where do you think all of our old office and school technology equipment winds up?

An estimated 80,000 tonnes of electronic waste is dumped in landfills each year. Not only is it the fastest growing type of waste in the world, it is also more toxic than normal household rubbish.

According to eDay, a not for profit recycling organisation, computers and other electronic devices contain toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury. The plastic casings and wiring of computer equipment also contains hazardous materials, such as brominated flame retardants.

A 2006 report estimated there are 16 million electronic devices in use in New Zealand. Much of this equipment is now reaching the end of its life and is being disposed of in landfills.

However, recycling safely your old machinery is fairly easy. Items in good condition can be donated to genuine charities through www.donatenz.com or sold on www.trademe.co.nz Dell offers free recycling of its own PCs for consumers, otherwise there is a nationwide network of drop off locations for e-waste recycling. This initiative, called RCN e-Cycle is not for profit so only charges a small amount for recycling (just enough to cover its costs). Schools and students can learn about the importance of recycling ewaste by visiting www.eday.org.nz/ schools.html and using its resources.

For more information go to www.e-cycle.co.nz and www.eday.org.nz

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 15

Resources | Education Review Office

Tools for change

By Graham Stoop

Government departments are funded by the taxpayer to produce the results expected by the government of the day, and, of course, the Education Review Office (ERO) puts efforts into doing this to the best of our ability.

The government, the public and we, ourselves, want to know that in producing ERO reviews and reports we have also improved the lot of a particular section of the New Zealand population. In the case of ERO this is an improvement in the education and care provided for children and students in early childhood services and schools.

Measuring the numbers is easy.

Measuring impact is not so scientific, or so accessible. We assemble and analyse

statistics on schools and services that fall into our high‑performing, middle range or poor-performing categories.

These tell us the percentage of schools and services that improved following an ERO review. We invite schools and services to tell us what they found useful about their review, and what actions they took to improve their performance following the review.

This information currently tells us that ERO reports are generally welcomed and used for their intended purpose — to give those reviewed unbiased external feedback on their performance and a basis for making improvements.

During this year we have had meetings with many education sector organisations, and we have asked each of them: What does your organisation see as the main impact of ERO reviews?

In response we have been given some constructive answers.

Interestingly and encouragingly, several school and early childhood organisations said that it was the process rather than the report that was the most useful part of the review.

A review notification prompted varying degrees of activity in an institution, depending on whether or not regular self review had been carried out, or if achievement and assessment had been monitored, analysed and documented.

The review was seen as a chance for stimulating professional discussions among teachers and educators with reviewers, and to have good practice confirmed by peers in the education world.

ERO’s new, briefer school reports were seen as more parent-friendly, but with the proviso that the review itself needed to yield the kind of information a school would need to prompt constructive change.

16 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

Organisations also saw value in the system reports — ERO’s national reports on specific topics of current interest in the education sector. These were welcomed as giving a view of what was happening elsewhere in New Zealand, and descriptions of good practice were particularly useful.

This past year ERO has published national reports on a wide range of topics including: enterprise, education outside the classroom, alternative education, The New Zealand Curriculum and progress with implementation of the National Standards.

Evaluation topics are chosen each year with an eye to the impact the findings could have on improving education in particular areas.

ERO’s reviews, together with the complementary self review undertaken in schools, can be powerful tools for change giving New Zealand children the best possible education.

— Graham Stoop is the ERO’s Chief Review Officer

Education Review Office PO Box 2799 Wellington 6140 T (04) 474 1223 www.ero.govt.nz

Resources | Computing

Online opportunities A spot of good news for Christchurch schools in what has otherwise been a very tough year — InternetNZ (Internet New Zealand Inc) has announced funding for high definition video conference bridging services for Christchurch schools for six months.

The services will be provided through the Greater Christchurch Schools Network Trust at a cost of $40,000. With this facility, Christchurch schools can share teaching and learning resources, both virtually and face-to-face.

Riccarton High School principal Phil Holstein says “This bridge offers the opportunity for schools to truly support each other as they rebuild their learning networks”.

Carol Moffatt of the Greater Christchurch Schools Network agrees. “This has created for the first time the chance for schools to really to work together, creating a unique learning environment for the city.”

InternetNZ chief executive Vikram Kumar says the organisation wants to continue to support Christchurch throughout its time in need. Following the February earthquake, the organisation donated $50,000 to the Red Cross, but this gift uses its abilities.

“We are particularly pleased that the bridging services are being provided through a dynamic and respected local organisation, the Greater Christchurch Schools Network Trust.

“It’s great to see the alignment with the capability building efforts being

funded by the Ministry of Education for Christchurch schools.

research organisations, science teachers and educational research.

“InternetNZ is working on further steps to support the Canterbury region.”

The recently released Science Learning Hub app will make the content available on the website more accessible for students who have access to iPads, iPods and iPhones. An app for Android technology is also being developed.

Scientific success

A newly released app by the University of Waikato’s Science Learning Hub is taking science-education to the forefront of technology and into school students’ hands.

The Science Learning Hub is a national project managed by the University of Waikato and funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation.

The website promotes student interest and engagement in science by providing contemporary resources for teachers, and provides a link between the scientists in New Zealand’s science

Science Learning Hub project manager Di Hartwell says the app is another tool to help engage students in science.

“We are trying to make the Science Learning Hub accessible in a variety of ways for teachers and their students.

The Science Learning Hub app is helping meet the needs of classrooms of the future.

“We know that there is an increasing number of schools who are using

iPads, iPods and other tablets so we developed the app in response to these developments in ICT.” Downloadable off iTunes, the app contains video and images from the website in an easy to navigate format.

“More and more people are going to be using this technology in the future. It’s important that we are engaging students with technology they know and educating them for the future workplace.”

The Science Learning Hub recently won the Education category at the Telecommunications Users Association NZ (TUANZ) 2011 Innovation Awards.

The awards honour innovation across New Zealand’s telecommunications sector and is attended by a who’s who of the telecommunications industry.

FAIRY TALE YEAR 2012 2012 will see the 200th anniversary of the publication of the first volume of Fairy Tales by the brothers Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm in Kassel, Germany.

The anniversary will be marked in New Zealand by a series of events run by the Goethe-Institut, the German Cultural Centre: The annual Short Film Competition for students of German at primary, secondary and tertiary level will have a fairy tale theme; the Deutsch-Mobil will be transformed into a “Märchen-Mobil” – a pumpkin coach, or perhaps a VW beetle - to tour schools with a programme of activities in celebration of the Grimm Anniversary.

The Brothers Grimm are not the only fairy tale feature of 2012: In October, New Zealand will be the Guest of Honour at the prestigious Frankfurt Book Fair, an exciting opportunity for New Zealand to showcase its literary culture in the heart of Europe. Not only will New Zealand writers and publishers be converging on Frankfurt next October, but there will also be German writers visiting New Zealand, starting with the prize winning Jenny Erpenbeck who will be in Wellington for Writers and Readers Week in March. 2012 will be a year featuring literary bridges between Germany and New Zealand.

Goethe-Institut Neuseeland PO Box 9253, Wellington, 6141 Ph. 04 385 6899 german@wellington.goethe.org www.goethe.de/nz www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 17

ICT | Tech Talk

Tech savy The rise and rise of technology as an amazingly effective education tool is well documented, but getting innovative with available technology also pays off.

Take Howick College. The school has been named a Microsoft Pathfinder School because of innovative and proactive use of technology in the classroom. Howick joins Botany Downs Secondary College as the second school in New Zealand to be chosen as a Pathfinder School under the Microsoft Partners in Learning programme.

This year just 51 schools worldwide were selected as Pathfinder Schools, with seven named in the Asia Pacific region. Having two schools located in New Zealand is a healthy reflection of our open embrace of classroom technology and the calibre of teaching in the country.

Howick College principal Iva Ropati says it’s a major achievement for the school. “Being named as a Pathfinder School is recognition of the effort and passion the teachers at Howick College put into their teaching. We have a fantastic set of educators here, all who strive to inspire and engage students by incorporating technology within the classroom.”

Contributing significantly to this success are Steve Martin and Nathan Kerr, both Microsoft Innovative Teachers at Howick College. Kerr’s early work delivering educational materials via cell phones has been ground breaking in

dividends

enabling students to learn anytime, anywhere, from any device.

As a Pathfinder School, Howick College will become part of the Microsoft Partners in Learning professional development network — connecting more than four million educators in 114 countries around the globe. The college will also have the opportunity to engage with innovative educators in the Asia Pacific region and access the latest research, methodologies and technology for use in the classroom.

Microsoft New Zealand education manager Evan Blackman says this announcement will have a great impact on student success at the college.

“Education is a vital component to the success of our country, but it is no use throwing technology at teachers and expecting them to know what to do with it. The Microsoft Partners in Learning programme is designed to enable educators and provide them with the tools and resources to best educate their students.

“Students will benefit from exposure to more innovative and effective teaching methods using technology — better preparing them for further study or entry to the workforce.”

Representatives from Howick College and Botany Downs Secondary College have been invited to attend both the regional and worldwide Innovative Educators Forum, with the latter being held in Washington DC in November.

>>>>>>>> Speeding uP internet access>>>>>>>> The list of urban schools included in the first year ultra-fast broadband (UFB) rollout has been announced.

Telecommunications network operator Chorus, together with Crown Fibre Holdings, released the list, which will impact some 90,000 students attending 200 urban schools in the Auckland, Blenheim, Dunedin, Hastings, Masterton, Napier, Palmerston North, Porirua, Rotorua, Taupo and Wellington areas.

All will soon be connected to a UFB network that can deliver broadband speeds of at least 100Mbps.

Plans for deploying UFB fibre connections to the remaining urban schools within the 24 candidate areas awarded to Chorus are still being developed.

Chorus CEO Mark Ratcliffe says delivering UFB fibre to 200 urban schools by July next year is part of building New Zealand’s fibre future and will make a real difference in the way students use the internet.

Crown Fibre CEO Graham Mitchell says he’s delighted to see a really broad mix of schools will be receiving UFB in this first tranche deployment.

“It’s great to be making this opportunity available to so many New Zealand pupils.”

In line with government policy, fibre will be delivered first to priority customers, which includes urban schools, health facilities and businesses.

Chorus’ website has the list of urban schools included in the first year of the UFB rollout, so people can check on progress and find out if they can connect to the existing business fibre network.

The list of the first 200 urban schools can be viewed at www.chorus.co.nz/ournetwork

Web

friendly focus Is your school web friendly?

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.

If it has 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 its website. Unlike other competing systems, SchoolWeb allows full control over 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.

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.

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.

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 18 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

For more information call 0800 48 48 43 or go to www.schoolweb.co.nz

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21/10/11 11:06| AM www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 19

News | Career Choices

Protecting your In recent years sand carpet sports fields have moved from stadia, to council fields and now appear in increasing numbers at schools at all levels, from primary to high school.

This is partly driven by rising player and parent expectations of high quality surfaces, and by the increased use on the limited areas available within urban areas for sports fields.

asset

It is important to realise sand carpet sports fields are dynamic living systems that undergo significant changes from the day the construction is completed, throughout the asset lifespan to eventual renewal.

Factors affecting sand carpet performance and lifespan include: u Site Maintenance

u Materials /Construction u Amount of use

The increased popularity in utilising sand carpet sports fields in schools raises some important issues:

u Pest activity

u Is the school planning and budgeting for appropriate maintenance of the field?

u Renovation

u Does the facilities manager at the school know the consequences of under-investment in maintenance? u Do the grounds staff understand the maintenance inputs required and have the skills to effectively manage a sand carpet sports field?

In many instances organisations install sand carpet fields and then little attention is paid to the on-going maintenance. The sand carpet rapidly declines in performance and is no longer considered an asset to the organisation.

This is astounding when you consider the investment in an installation can range from $150,000 to $300,000.

What other assets do organisations invest in to this level and then leave without a clear management plan until replacement is required?

u Rainfall/Irrigation u Turfgrass Species.

It is important that employees responsible for maintenance are fully conversant with the requirements of a sand carpet sports field for the species of grass utilised. Incorrect practices can greatly accelerate the decline in performance of your investment.

The New Zealand Sports Turf Industry Training Organisation (NZSTITO) offers an ‘Introductory to Sports Turf Management’ National certificate at Level 3 that is ideal for school grounds staff. It provides essential sports turf knowledge on pests, diseases, soil water management, weeds, soil properties, mowing practices and fertilisers.

The NZSTITO accesses government subsidies from the Tertiary Education Commission which substantially reduces the cost of this training.

This means schools get better performance and longer life from their sand carpet investment, and good grounds staff who tend to stay longer when investment is made in their development.

For more information visit the New Zealand Sports Turf Industry Training Organisation website www.nzstito.org.nz

Pacific prospects

A new report looking at possible careers for today’s young Pacific peoples has found a mismatch between future job growth areas and current subject choices and achievement at school.

Published by the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, the report says the key to improving future employment prospects for Pacific people lies in effective schooling and choosing the right subjects.

Current trends show that Pacific peoples continue to be over-represented in low-skilled, low-paid jobs.

“The best way forward for Pacific peoples is sound education at primary and secondary level, and choosing the NCEA subjects that fit areas of future employment demand and/or tertiary studies,” Ministry chief executive Dr Colin Tukuitonga says.

“Pacific peoples will be 10 percent of the population by 2026, compared with six percent now. Today’s Pacific students need to be better informed about subjects, qualifications and future career pathways, and they need better support at tertiary level so that they stay and complete their qualifications.”

Currently only 27.8 percent of Pacific school leavers qualify for university compared with 51.7 percent for Europeans and 67.8 percent for Asians.

“Our young people need to succeed not only for their own sakes, but so they can play their part in New Zealand’s future,” Dr Tukuitonga says.

The report, developed by the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and the Department of Labour, looked at occupations and industries with the highest future growth forecast, the current numbers of Pacific peoples now employed in those areas and the educational pathways required for high-skilled, highgrowth employment.

It identifies the top 10 growth occupations by 2018, and offers a number of suggestions for improving labour market prospects for Pacific people.

Choose a job you love Confucius said if you choose a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. But finding the career that will satisfy your curiosities can be daunting, which is why Career Services has launched a new email service.

It will provide adults living or working with teens with a range of practical tools, information and support for helping teens make good career and education decisions.

The e-newsletter will be sent every two months and cover a range of topics that will help adults support young people in their study, work and life decisions.

The first issue covers topics such as helping teens choose their school subjects, helping beat exam stress and 20 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

information on where to go for tertiary education funding.

“Many different adults influence a young person’s career aspirations, as well as the choices they make during their career journey,” says Ross Jones, a Career Services area manager.

“It’s vital that those who have an impact on the lives of young people have the skills, tools and techniques to help focus their teen’s decision making, build optimism for the future and positively support first career steps,” he says.

To subscribe to Career Tips, go to www.careers.govt.nz/newsletters For more information from Career Services visit www.careers.govt.nz or phone 0800 222 733

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 21

News | Professional Development

Proposed teacher training cuts prompt concern The education sector union, NZEI Te Riu Roa, is expressing concern about proposed changes to teacher training at Massey University.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University’s College of Education is proposing that all undergraduate teacher education be phased out. That would mean that students could only study teacher education through a one-year, post-graduate diploma.

New and beginning teachers who are part of NZEI’s Young and New Member Network, as well as members of the Massey University College of Education Students Association, have already raised alarm bells over the proposal.

NZEI president Ian Leckie agrees that the proposals are worrying and schools will be left to pick up the pieces.

“While there are some very good teachers who have completed graduate-only programmes, it should not be the preferred or only option available to those students wanting to go into teaching.

“The undergraduate degree programmes give students a comprehensive and practically based course which is focused for three or four years on building a solid teaching foundation.

“Forcing everyone through a compressed teacher training programme is not the answer to building a professional and quality teaching workforce and it sends a worrying signal about the future of teacher education overall,” he says.

Merging colleges

In another proposal which could erode the quality of teacher education, the University wants to further reduce its costs by merging the Colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Education faculties. This would ultimately reduce the number of teacher lecturers involved in initial teacher education.

Hub

for online education

In a move to promote and enable e-learning, an online site has been established to house ICT related education resources.

Hosted by Te Kete Ipurangi, the site can be found at www.elearning.tki.org.nz Developed by Core Education for the Te Toi Tupu consortium, the site is the Ministry of Education’s online ‘hub’ for ICT related education resources and programmes. It brings together everything school leaders and teachers need to improve e-learning practice.

Core’s director of development Nick Billowes says the site will grow to become a pivotal place for vital

information and current thinking around leading and learning.

“The strong link between discourse and resource that should exist in every educational debate is fully exemplified by this great virtual resource. Enabling e-learning not only provides current and valuable information, but is a collaborative VLN and social media space for discussion and sharing.”

The idea is to have a dynamic site that will continually evolve and change in response to feedback from New Zealand schools and communities. Teachers, educators and caregivers are being encouraged to visit regularly and share what works and what doesn’t, as well as offer news and views.

NZEI is urging Massey to listen to the concerns being expressed and take them on board before making any final decisions about changes to its teacher training programmes.

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22 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

Fundraising | Ways and Means

Putting the

fun

back into fundraising

Some of our fondest childhood memories stimulate our senses like it was just yesterday we were living the moment.

The taste of sticky toffee apples, the aroma of sausage sizzles and the flightless sensation of the Ferris wheel; many of us lived these memories in the fairground of fundraising where children, parents, teachers, friends and even strangers unite to support a common cause.

Fundraising is as old as the education system itself, but it’s not going out of fashion any time soon.

Whether it is used to facilitate the development of a new department, buy extra sports equipment for pupils, sponsor an exchange or support an external campaign, fundraising translates to the practice of giving.

It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, from the north or south, went to a private or public school, your life, directly or indirectly, has been touched by fundraising and in turn, your fundraising has touched the life of another.

As a universal practice, fundraising has many faces from all walks of life. Open for interpretation, fundraising and what it entails has been redefined and repackaged for as long as it has existed.

Symbols

For many charities and their loyal followers and supporters, it has become an annual event and societal ritual, represented by yellow daffodils, red crosses, bandannas, mascots and often to the dismay of their other half, men’s moustaches — the symbols are numerous and in some cases compellingly potent.

As varied as your imagination… funded by people who have the least to give, but would offer their last dollar or the shirt off their back.

And while every fundraising co-operative embodies unique characteristics, every campaign, initiative, cause and objective is linked by one common goal; to fund a future.

An organisation committed to supporting fundraisers in New Zealand, is aptly titled the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ). Established in January 1991, the professional body offers a support network to more than 400 members.

Supported by sponsors including New Zealand Post, Xponential Philanthopy and Execucare New Zealand, FINZ is guiding, coaching and inspiring qualified fundraisers and freelance volunteers.

For an annual subscription fee members can educate themselves and embellish their fundraising flair with FINZ resources. They can access the organisation’s library, seek help from mentors and attend conferences and monthly lunches in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Affording everything a school would like on its operations budget is rarely possible. That’s why schools turn to fundraising to find ways to afford camps, field trips and sometimes just to make ends meet.

Schools are also aware of other needy groups in the community, such as charities. They are often generous and diligent in raising funds for worthy causes such as a sponsored child or a one-off donation to a non government organisation.

There are numerous ways schools can fundraise for events, other than the humble chocolate bar.

Firstly, there’s the traditional mufti day which could be given a twist.

Students (and teachers!) could get dressed up as animals for the SPCA for example, or as superheroes.

Mufti day could become a Wild Shirt Day, or a Wacky Tie Day. Sometimes a teacher will offer to ‘shave their lid for a kid’ – go bald to raise money for a child cancer charity.

Then there’s food. Sausage sizzles, bake-offs and school fairs are commonplace but good fun.

Getting active can run alongside this — fun runs, walk-a-thons, skipping contests, bike rides or a touch rugby game gets the heart racing in an enjoyable way.

Competitions can also be a fun way to raise money. Musical children can play guitar hero, SingStar, or schools can hold a talent quest or a NZ Idol competition.

Children could also perform a play, or a series of skits from each class or year group.

Local businesses are also passionate about supporting schools and other charities, and could be persuaded to give products for a raffle.

They might also donate equipment such as face paint for a school fair, or sponsor a team or event.

There are also car washes, trivia nights, book fairs, carol singing, jumble sales, bingo and much more.

BE SAFE - BE SEEN When you want to get someone's attention, you shout "Oi!" and the Oi hi-vis sports cap screams "Look at me!"

A simple concept by nature, the issues driving the need for fundraising can be anything but. As a catalyst for change, fundraising has set the wheels in motion for societal, environmental and educational progress.

While fundraising addresses many of the serious global, national and community issues affecting our people, the practice is also about drawing out the fun in fundraising because after all, it’s embedded right there in the word itself.

The Oi Sports Cap was designed to be used in the outdoors to draw attention to the wearer. When you fall off the waterskis or ski biscuit, your head is pretty hard to spot amongst all the boats and other skiers on a huge body of water. Draw attention to your position by wearing the Oi Sports Cap. It has a cord and toggle to hold it on, and if by chance you drop it in the water, all is not lost as it has neoprene sewn into the seam for extra floatation. Great for kayaking and kids paddling on the water's edge. Perfect for kids who walk or scooter to school. Full UV protection as well.

Philanthropic campaigns engineered to combat poverty have been dressed as celebrity concerts, attracting the support of 400 million viewers across the world.

Using bazaars, books, spellathons, sunscreen, homemade hamburgers and calendars (to name but a few things), a school can make fun and funds with innovation.

Register online for details of our fundraising opportunity for New Zealand schools and clubs.

Even in the smallest of towns, fundraising efforts can be found.

In many cases, the more poignant campaigns are found in the schools who receive no publicity for their goodwill;

For more information check out www.fundraisingideas.org.nz

Help keep your school community safe this summer.

For more information, photos & videos, go to: www.ugot1.co.nz

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 23

Christian Camping | Getting Ready

School Camp

checklist One year before camp

1

2 3 4

Select the camp location. Useful resources include the Directory of Residential Camps and the CCNZ web page www.cci.org.nz Take a tour of the camp facility before booking. Camps always have staff available to meet with camp coordinators and go over their plans. Any difficulties can be discussed and other options can be presented at this point.

Careful planning at this stage eliminates confusion and worries later.

One mon th

Sign a booking contract. Be aware of

financial penalties and minimum charges should you have to cancel.

Place the camp dates on the school calendar.

Six months

1 2 3

before camp

Carefully th in ultimate g k through the oal or purp ose of your camp .

Consider a ll a camp bu the costs and work out dget. Rem em fees, camp activity ch ber camp arges, bus cost, costs o venues, sp f visiting out-of-cam ec p of equipm ial costs like hireag e ent, prizes etc.

Consider fu ndraising activities if necessa ry.

fore camp mission e b s h t n o m e re Th and per questing fees

out re ewsletter.

Send letters the school n in it n o ti en slips. M t help and ents for paren ge this if it is em g n ra ar Consider permission notice. Arran include in needed. e activities p programm m ca e th t ittee’) u Start to planitoh students on a ‘camp comm (possibly w p schedule. detailed cam and create a ake sure all e camp to m ties with camp th h it w e as Touch b nfirmed. Discuss activi tra plans are co to arrange ex in camps need e m group o (S . aff st ore than one m e av h r o rs instructo u are on the earlier yo

at a time, so etter). to this, the b e th m o fr sheets anagement Request risktdmoor provider.

camp or ou now. e camp, do it th d te si vi ’t If you haven

1 2 3 4

5 6

1 2 3 4

One week before camp

1 2

before ca mp

Get agg re slips an ssive on gathe d paym ring per en m special needs, d t for camp. As ission k ie about t s etc.

Finalise the pro gramm conting e, in e program ncies for bad w cluding some e me to c amp sta ather. Forward Create a the ff. detailed ‘require ments’ Develop checklis ts. your ca mp wor kbook fo r studen ts.

Finalise details with camp staff, e.g. final numbers, special diets.

Gather up materials, prizes, games, musical instruments, sound gear, food etc.

Information supplied by Christian Camping New Zealand

On Camp

1 2 3

Enjoy the experience wi th your children.

Delegate whatever you can to reliable parent helpe rs and responsible stude nts.

Arrange a night roster for adults settling children after lights out. The tea cher does not need to be up late every night! (The first nig ht is usually the latest).

u Kauaeranga Valley Christian Camp

Being ideally situated at the bottom of the Coromandel Peninsula and only five kilometres from all the conveniences of Thames, Kauaeranga Valley Christian Camp is an ideal base for school field trips or adventure holidays.

Within 10 kilometres is the trailhead that leads to the Pinnacles and many other bush walks. Overnight tramps are easily co-ordinated and meals are provided for the students once they reach their destination, if required.

For hardier students, a tent city can be erected on a DOC site which allows the students more opportunities to explore the natural habitat and enjoy swimming in the clear river waters.

Phone: 64 7 868 8348 Fax: 64 7 868 5047 Email: kvcc@maxnet.co.nz www.kvcc.org.nz

24 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

This is camping at its best, as the camp is all ready for you when you arrive and a camp menu is available if you book the Valley Experience.

For those preferring to sleep in a bunk, the camp has a range of indoor and

outdoor activities available and works closely with local providers to offer offsite activities, such as mountain biking and horse trekking.

The camp has spacious playing fields and a gym equipped for basketball, volleyball, netball and indoor soccer and is suitable for training camps for school teams, or as accommodation when coming to the area for tournaments and competitions.

All groups get the benefit of a menu tailored to suit the group’s needs.

Special diets are catered for, although a small additional charge may be levied.

The staff are available and keen to help make the camp experience a good one, not only for the students, but for the teachers and parents that accompany them too.

Kauaeranga Valley Christian Camp T (07) 868 8348 F (07) 868 5047 E kvcc@maxnet.co.nz

VISITING WELLINGTON?...

CAMP ELSDON

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING SCHOOLS WHO WISH TO VISIT THE WELLINGTON AREA. All schools travelling long distances to visit Te Papa and other Wellington attractions, know that Camp Elsdon provides a quiet night’s sleep after a long day.

The Camp can provide 94 beds and a kitchen, dining room and a hall for meetings or other activities.

SCHOOLS PAY $10 PER PERSON PER NIGHT ON A SELF-CATERING BASIS. Transport to and from Camp Elsdon can be fun. Try long distance trains stopping at Porirua Station. Take a train to Wellington to visit Te Papa, Parliament, National Libraries, Archives, Katherine Mansfield’s Birthplace, Botanical Gardens, Carter Observatory and Karori Park Sanctuary. These are a few suggestions of places one may visit in Wellington.

Aquatic Centre, with a Hydroslide and Wave Machine, Go Karts, Ten Pin Bowling and Adventure Golf at Pirates Cove. The Police museum is well worth a visit.

A visit to www.campelsdon.co.nz will provide you with an overview of what is on offer and access to booking forms, and terms and conditions of hire.

Porirua provides a range of amazing attractions. These include the

For lots of other ideas, send for an information pack or check us out on the web:

www.campelsdon.co.nz The Manager, 18 Raiha Street, Elsdon | Porirua City. 5022 Phone 04 237 8987 | Fax 04 04 237 8977 Email camp_elsdon@xtra.co.nz

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 25

Property | Playgrounds

Matting

that makes a difference

The benefits of a Burgess Wetpour system are endless.

This great playground surface enables matting to be a continuous installation, flowing around equipment and poles, leaving no gaps, rolling over mounds and following contoured surfaces.

Sage and terracotta are two colour options available. Join this with a pattern or design of your choice and you have your own unique playground.

Burgess Matting T 0800 80 85 70 E admin@burgessmatting.co.nz www.burgessmatting.co.nz

You also help the environment by using Burgess Matting and Surfacing (BMS) products which are manufactured from 100 percent recycled rubber; a fine way for any school to set an example to the children on how to be a tidy Kiwi.

Impact Pads for areas where a softer landing is needed, scuff pads, DIY modular long run and tiles, deck and ramp matting are also BMS specialties to make it non slip and safe. The BMS Wetpour system avoids tile joins which can work apart, lodging rubbish and weeds which are hard to remove and can compromise the safety and appearance of your playground.

The Wetpour playground surfaces require minimal maintenance — forget the days topping up bark which becomes wet and muddy!

BMS has many years of experience and knowledge and works to provide a quality playground which will last for years. Base preparation prior to the matting installation is of the utmost importance and can add years to your playground surface.

The completed playground is NZS5828:2004 compliant and comes with a five year warranty.

A sales representative can meet with you to

discuss the matting systems that are suitable for your requirements. A free, no obligation measure and quote and a list of potential funding organisations will be sent to you to assist in making your final decision.

Features of the BMS Wetpour system: u Safe u Low maintenance u Durable u Uniform safety all year round u Porous and non-slip u Impact absorbent u Long life u Easy to clean u Indoor / outdoor use u Colour choice, aesthetically pleasing u 100 percent recycled rubber u Virtually seamless system u Maximises equipment use u Reduces noise and vibration u Good equal access for children with disabilities u Excellent long term investment u Installed by BMS installation team u Polymerically bonded to provide a hardwearing all weather surface u Supplied with a five-year guarantee against faulty materials and workmanship u Available in three different surface texture options — Safebond, Flexibond and Permabond.

The importance of play Time in the classroom or on the sports field is for learning times tables, social studies, teamwork and co-ordination.

But free, unstructured play is just as important for children’s development.

activities can be hard to fight. The report suggests that reduced time for physical activity may be contributing to the academic differences between boys and girls, as schools with sedentary learning styles become more difficult settings for some boys to navigate successfully.

A report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says free and unstructured play is healthy and — in fact — essential for helping children reach important social, emotional, and cognitive developmental milestones, as well as helping them manage stress and become resilient.

Among the specific guidelines, the report suggests:

Whereas play protects children’s emotional development, a loss of free time in combination with a hurried lifestyle can be a source of stress, anxiety and may even contribute to depression for many children, states the AAP report.

The report reaffirms that the most valuable and useful character traits that will prepare children for success come not from extracurricular or academic commitments, but from a firm grounding in parental love, role modeling and guidance. It’s something we all know but the parental and societal push for “success” via a myriad of structured 26 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

u Emphasising the benefits of “true toys”, such as blocks and dolls, in which children use their imagination fully over passive toys that require limited imagination u Supporting an appropriately challenging academic schedule for each child with a balance of extracurricular activities. This should be based on each child’s unique needs and not on competitive community standards or need to gain college admissions u Helping parents evaluate claims by marketers and advertisers about products or interventions designed to produce ‘super-children’ u Encouraging parents to understand that each young person does not need to excel in multiple areas to be considered successful or prepared to compete in the real world u Suggesting families choose childcare and early education programmes that meet children’s social and emotional developmental needs as well as academic preparedness.

“The challenge for society, schools, and parents is to strike the balance that allows all children to reach their potential, without pushing them beyond their personal comfort limits, and while allowing them personal free time,” the report states.

Property | Playgrounds

Spacenets

open up exploration

Have you ever wondered where those new climbing rope pyramids you see in our local parks come from? Chances are what you have seen is one of the more than 60 Corocord Spacenets that Playground People has installed around New Zealand since 2002.

These Spacenets were invented by Corocord’s founder, German architect Conrad Roland in 1970. He constructed the first of these revolutionary structures in Berlin in 1971.

Since then Corocord has gone on to install thousands of nets in 50 countries worldwide, annually constructing more than 800 nets at its headquarters in Berlin. Products range from the classic Spacenet to large-scale customised architectural structures.

Safety and quality are paramount with Spacenets. Corocord uses a patented induction manufacturing technique where the coloured polyamide coating is melted onto the steel core of the rope.

This adds to the longevity of the rope and protects it against vandalism.

Playground People introduced the Spacenet concept to New Zealand

in 2002, installing the first Spacenet in Wellington in 2003. Since then Corocord has become the firm favourite of New Zealand councils due to their uncompromising high quality and proven popularity with all age groups.

Spacenets have put the thrill of towering heights back into New Zealand playgrounds, something that New Zealand children and their families have whole heartedly embraced.

Playground People has a direct agency with Corocord in Germany which means it does not have to purchase through an Australian master distributor, keeping your costs down.

Last year Sir Barry Curtis Park in Manukau and Olympic Park in New Lynn were named Auckland’s two best parks by the NZ Herald — both parks feature Corocord Spacenets as their centrepieces. The Otago Daily Times named Wanaka’s dinosaur park — which features a Midi Spacenet — the number one children’s attraction in Otago. This confirms Corocord is truly the proven climbing-net leader in New Zealand.

Playground People T (09) 294 8742 F (09) 294 8712 www.playgroundpeople.co.nz

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 27

Sun Safety | Taking Cover

Taking sun protection

seriously The ever-changing weather of New Zealand’s unpredictable climate means that no sooner have we emerged from a winter that might linger into spring, we find ourselves suddenly battling unrelenting heat and with it, rapidly increasing UV levels.

Are your students protected from excess sun exposure?

Sun protection in schools is important because New Zealand has very high rates of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and exposure to excessive UVR in childhood and adolescence increases the risk of skin cancer. Sunburn in childhood greatly increases the risk of melanoma.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in New Zealand and the incidence rate of melanoma is amongst the highest in the world. Research shows that principals play a key role in encouraging the adoption and implementation of sun protection policies.

Why do schools need to provide sun protection?

ERO health, safety and welfare self audit checklists include “Protection for staff and students from excessive UV radiation exposure.”

The Cancer Society advises that sun protection is required from the beginning of October to the end of March, especially between 11am and 4pm. Children spend a lot of this time at school, so it is important that every school has an effective sun protection policy for terms one and four.

Do schools need to meet the criteria before they apply for accreditation?

No, the Cancer Society encourages all primary and intermediate schools to apply for accreditation even if their sun protection policy is not very well developed. Schools can apply online at www.sunsmartschools.co.nz or by mail.

Who can help my school become accredited?

After your school has applied you will be contacted by your local Cancer Society health promoter who assesses your application, makes recommendations where necessary and can support your school to bring the policy up to accreditation standard.

Why are schools that have caps not able to be accredited?

While using shade or rescheduling outside activities are good ways to reduce exposure, there are many times when children are exposed to high UVR at school, so an effective sun hat is

a key form of protection. Some students are used to wearing caps and sometimes the school is reluctant to change to sun protective hats.

This is understandable, as change often meets with resistance.

However, hats required for accreditation are chosen based on research by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), which showed caps and many other hats do not adequately protect the face, neck and ears.

These areas are constantly exposed to the sun (unless protected) and generally receive more UVR than other body parts. Research shows that bucket hats with a deep crown and a brim width of 6cm and broad brimmed hats with a brim of 7.5cm provide good protection.

For further information visit www.sunsmartschools.co.nz

How can schools ensure they have effective sun protection policies?

Many schools are joining the Cancer Society’s SunSmart Schools Accreditation programme which provides: u Best practice sun protection advice u A sample sun protection policy u A dedicated website with lots of up to date information u Advice from your local Cancer Society health promoter u Accreditation for schools that have effective sun protection policies and practices u When a school becomes SunSmart Accredited it shows parents/caregivers their school takes sun protection seriously.

Here comes the sun As the days lengthen and spring stretches itself into summer, one thing that should come to mind is UV protection. If you haven’t already, then now is most certainly the time to start thinking about making shade — or sun protection solutions.

And one company who really does know its stuff is Shades Direct, who provides today’s schools with a total package of sun and rain protection solutions, from shade sails to giant cantilever umbrellas, from all-weather waterproof canopies to hip-roof structures.

Shades Direct shade sails are constructed from commercial grade 370gm shade cloth and are double stitched for strength and durability with long life Tenara thread.

Attention to detail, such as using only corrosion-resistant stainless steel fittings, ensures a long life from your investment.

Giant cantilevered umbrellas are an innovative solution for outdoor spaces where shade is needed in different areas as the sun moves throughout the day.

Robust in construction, these super versatile umbrellas can be rotated on their pivot base and the cantilever design means no centre pole to get in the way of picnic tables, seating or play equipment.

28 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

All-weather Solar Shield canopies provide year-round sun and rain protection with polycarbonate roofing that is both completely waterproof and excludes 99 percent of harmful UV radiation. Perfect for classroom frontages, lunch areas, walkways, assembly areas and extra teaching space.

Hip-Roof structures provide shade protection for those high play grounds or large congregation areas. Shades Direct hip-roofs come with eves to give maximum shade cover from your investment.

Other products in the Shades Direct range include retractable awnings, retractable clear curtains, louvre systems and portable shelters. With agents throughout New Zealand, Shades Direct offers busy principals and staff the convenience and peace-of-mind of dealing with one company for different weather protection requirements throughout the school.

Your local Shades Direct agent can advise on the best product for your needs, and assist with all aspects, from design through to installation. Whatever your shade and shelter requirements, Shades Direct has your school covered.

Shades Direct 0800 SHADES (0800 742 337) www.shadesdirect.co.nz

www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 4, 2011 | 29

Are you looking for that perfect gift for staff or students?

We’ve all had those gifts like wine cooler bags, picnic bags, and even fold out chairs. And yes they’re great, for the 11 days we call summer, and then they’re put away until next summer.

However imagine a gift that is used everyday, a gift that people want to use many times a day, a gift that is fantastic for the environment, a gift that can help prevent health problems, and showcases your company’s branding...

Be one of the first 15 to call for a quote an d we will giVe you 5 Bottles fo r

free!

Did you know...

• That on average we all use 168 plastic bottles each year, and only get 22% recycled. The rest go into our landfills and oceans and are there for up to 1000 years.

• That plastic bottles have shown to leach toxic chemicals when heated up. And that some plastic experts have vowed to never drink from plastic again.

“In some circumstances, chemicals in food packaging can migrate into the food product and vice versa, depending on the nature of the packaging and the food contained within.”

Food Standards Australia New Zealand “The most toxic chemical known to man.”

Dr Frederick Vom Saal - Professor of Biological Sciences

with your confirmed order

More info...

• Our stainless steel bottles have a lifetime guarantee.

• Individually boxed — ideal for gifts.

Here’s some questions that have been raised due to plastic...

• Is there more cancer around these days?

• Why are there more pregnancy issues, infertility, or miscarriages?

• Why do more kids have ADHD now?

• Is male sexual dysfunction more prevalent now?

• What damage are we doing to our planet by using plastic?

• What’s causing the early onset of female puberty?

Visit the website to find these answers: www.safebottles.co.nz

• Sport lid for when you’re on the move.

• Fit most cup and bike holders.

• Comes in 3 sizes — 500ml, 750ml and 1litre.

• Call for a free no obligation quote.

• FROM $11.95+gst per bottle customised with your logo, tag line and corporate colour bottle. * • Be amongst the first to use these as great Christmas / corporate gifts. In a few years everyone will be doing it.

• Show that you care about your staff, clients and the environment.

Call 0800 777 444 or go to our website www.safebottles.co.nz to order your SafeBottle today P.S. There’s an iron-clad, lifetime money-back guarantee on all bottles.

* All Corporate branded SafeBottles include SafeBottle logo that can be removed with orders over 1000

Gary Collins Managing Director

18/8 food grade quality stainless steel | Fits most cup holders | FDA approved | Fits ice cubes | Doesn’t retain or leach flavours | Dishwasher safe

BPA-free, toxin-free and eco-friendly | Various sizes and colours available | Designed to last | 100% recyclable | No plastic liner | Free sports lid

30 | Term 4, 2011 www.principalstoday.co.nz

SPECIAL OFFER

BUY 2 G ET 1 FRE E! ENTER T HE COD E

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WHEN P

YOU’VE PROBABLY TASTED THE TOXIC CHEMICALS WHEN YOU’VE LEFT YOUR PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE IN THE CAR. Well here’s the perfect solution for you, or a Christmas gift that will last a lifetime.

Think of the money you’ll save by not buying water bottles from the shop. For some people the SafeBottle pays for itself in the first week, simply by filling up with some of the best tap water in the world.

Even though you may not be a tree hugging hippie, you can be proud that you’re saving the planet from on average 168 plastic bottles each year, each bottle can take up to 1000 years to decompose. That’s a lot of plastic bottles over your lifetime.

With our extensive range, there’s a colour, size or design for everyone. We have a full money back guarantee so if you are not satisfied with your SafeBottle just let us know.

From $23.95 Free delivery on 2 or more bottles.

So why buy stainless steel SafeBottles if you’re not already convinced?

• • • •

18/8 food grade quality stainless steel Fits most cup holders Great gift Individually boxed

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FDA approved Easy to clean Fits ice cubes Doesn’t retain or leach flavours

• • • •

BPA-free, toxin-free and eco-friendly Various sizes and colours available 100% money back guarantee Durable and designed to last

• • • •

100% recyclable No plastic liner Free sports lid Dishwasher safe.

To order your SafeBottle today...

0800 777 444 | www.safebottles.co.nz | service@safebottles.co.nz P.S. There’s an iron-clad, lifetime money-back guarantee on all bottles.

Gary Collins Managing Director

www.tearaway.co.nz

ore! ay Magazine, plus m aw ar Te in e se u yo ng nz you’ll find everythi esomeness really. aw l ra ne ge e or m On www.tearaway.co. st ju freebies... , more reviews, more ts en ev t en rr cu e our or m More music, titions and check out pe m co r te en s, m ru in the fo articles, get involved on t en m m co to w no Get online ry shiny new photo galle book too, and add ce Fa on e in az ag M Tearaway don’t forget to ‘Like’ While you’re online, Rain Francis! your friendly Editor,