Special Report: Making best use of innovative learning environments
External Learning: How building community connections grows resilient kids Essential Reading for Principals • Department Heads • Property Managers • Professionals
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News | News Round-up Contents | What's Inside This Issue
ISSN 1178-9964
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sn inside | Term 3 - 2016 Kia ora and welcome to the School News for term three. In this issue we take a close look at innovative learning spaces and hear from experts about best practice and key design elements. We also hear from Dr Jayne Jackson, professor at Massey University, about ways to strengthen teacher-parent alliances for emerging readers. We know parents can help their children learn to read, but have we ever engaged them as true partners or merely asked them to do as is done at school? Under the spotlight are two high schools - the extraordinary institution that is St Peter’s School, New Zealand’s biggest co-educational boarding school,
and Queen’s High School in Dunedin. Now in the depth of winter, principal Di Carter is dealing with snow, the annual weather event which causes great delight for students and huge worry for staff. We also hear about the value of community. Outdoor education expert William Pike explains how EOTC allows students to connect with their wider community and thus gain resilience, confidence and that all important sense of belonging, and we also examine how a school broadcasting program can unite students, staff, parents and community.
Email: mail@multimediapublishing.co.nz www.multimediapublishing.co.nz
SCHOOLNEWS WELCOMES EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND IMAGES ON RELEVANT TOPICS FOR FEATURES, NEW PRODUCT PROFILES AND NEWS ITEMS. Please email to editorial@ schoolnews.co.nz. Images should be in high resolution (300dpi) JPEG or TIFF format. Editorial queries should be directed to the editorial department on (03) 365 5575.
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school news
Term 3 - 2016
Essential Reading for Principa ls • Departm ent Head s • Property
Manager s • Prof
essionals Mirror an y de on the NE vice wirelessly W ActivPa nel
Noho ora mai
news 05 Ministry News 07 News Round-up
profile 10 St Peter’s School, Cambridge: Inside the dreamy world of St Peter’s School
education 13 Special Report – Innovative Learning Spaces: Making best use of innovative learning environments
16 Principal Speaks: A first-time principal tells of her journey at Queen's High School, Dunedin
18 Teaching Overseas: How teaching overseas can enhance your career
20 Teaching Overseas: From Papamoa to Earl’s Court, Shane Burgess shares his teaching journey... emerging readers
22 Gifted Education: In every school, in every class providing catalysts for the gifted learner
what's hot 24 What's Hot
administration 26 School Photography: School photo day made easy 32 Fundraising: Keeping your fundraising healthy 33 Case Study – Library Systems: One system to please them all
36 Multifunctional Printers: How to choose a multifunctional printer
teaching resources 40 Book Reviews 41 Te Reo Maori: Inside the digital Maori classroom 42 Broadcasting: Using in-house broadcasting to engage your school community
External Le arni
ng: How buildin connection g community s grows res ilient kids
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and successful term three.
22 Reading: Strengthening teacher-parent alliances for PO Box 5104, Papanui Christchurch, 8543, New Zealand Phone: (03) 365 5575 Fax: (03) 365 1655
Special Repo rt:
Making bes learning envt use of innovative ironments
food & beverage 44 Case Study – Manurewa High School: Students cook their way to career excellence
48 School Canteens: Your canteen menu: a step-bystep guide
external learning 50 Out of School Care: Working with your out of school care service
52 EOTC: How building community connections grows resilient kids
54 In School Visits: Bringing the wider world into your school
sports & recreation 55 Staying Active: Why you need to keep moving
health & safety 56 Teacher Wellbeing: Staying sane when your workload is crazy
58 First Aid: First Aid training for teachers and students 59 Sun Smart: Make your school cool – Be a SunSmart School
property 60 Boarding Schools: Clever solutions for keeping boarding schools safe, efficient - yet still cosy
64 Audio: How audio can lock down your school 66 Acoustics: Getting the acoustics right in an ILS 68 Acoustics: In flexible learning spaces, hearing clearly is everything
70 Acoustics: Wide range of design choices in acoustics for teaching spaces
Ministry News | News
Online guidance for making best use of teacher aides Education minister Hekia Parata has welcomed the creation of an online guide to help schools make the best use of teacher aides. “This is a useful resource that complements the $15.3 million budget increase in funding for teacher aides over the next four years,” she said. “Teacher aides work alongside teachers in our classrooms to enable students with additional learning needs to become more independent and confident. “The guide draws together practical ideas and strategies from across New Zealand and around the world. It will also help school leaders and teachers ensure that the role and responsibilities of teacher aides are clear and that there are good systems, support and training in place. “Teacher aides can have great impact on student confidence, behaviour, self-esteem and motivation and teacher workload, job satisfaction and stress levels when they are supported in their work.” Ms Parata says additional resources will be added to the guide in the coming months. They will include online training modules, videos of effective practice and a self-review tool.
Best-ever NCEA results The minister has congratulated students and schools on achieving the best ever results in NCEA.
“The hard work of our teachers, principals and kids is paying dividends,” Ms Parata says. “Every year more of our young people leave school with the tools they need for adulthood.” Final results for 2015 show rollbased level one, two and three NCEA achievement rates rose by between 1.5 and 3.2 points last year to 74.4, 76.4 and 62.7 per cent respectively. The proportion of students gaining University Entrance also increased, by 3.1 points, to 48.6 per cent. “The continuing rise in achievement is great news. However, we won’t be satisfied till every kid is getting the educational start they need in life. That is why we have created Communities of Learning to encourage systematic collaboration between educators, and why we are updating the Education Act, reviewing education funding systems and strengthening the teaching profession.”
Digital technology to be integrated to the curriculum Digital technology is to be formally integrated into the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. “This is the first change to the New Zealand Curriculum since its introduction in 2007 and reflects our government’s commitment to championing 21st century practice in teaching and learning,” says Ms Parata. “It will ensure that we have an
Digital technology will be added to the curriculum education system that prepares children and young people for a future where digital fluency will be critical for success.” The decision is an outcome of the government’s Science and Society Strategic Plan ‘A Nation of Curious Minds: Te Whenua Hihiri i te Mahara’. “One of the key initiatives of Curious Minds was to review the positioning and content of digital technology within the curriculum. As a result of the review recommendations, digital technology will be included as a strand of the technology learning area in the curriculum, and as a whenu within the Hangarau Wahanga Ako of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa,” says Ms Parata. “The information technology sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in New Zealand, with a demand for skilled graduates. This step will support young people to develop skills, confidence and
interest in digital technologies and lead them to opportunities across the diverse and growing IT sector. We look forward to continuing to work with the IT sector to ensure we have a future-focused, worldleading education system.” Digital technology will be fully integrated into the curriculum in 2018.
South Auckland school praised for turning around student achievement South Auckland’s Wesley College, previously under MOE scrutiny for poor academic performance, has been praised by the education minister for its much improved NCEA results. Wesley College in Paerata, near Pukekohe, has reported impressive improvements in NCEA pass rates for the past two years under new principal Steve Hargreaves. Ms Parata cited significant improvements in levels one, two and three, especially among Maori and Pasifika students.
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Term 3 - 2016
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News | Ministry News
In 2015, the level one pass rate rose by 13 per cent, level two by nine per cent, and UE by three per cent. Wesley College was established in 1844 and is the oldest secondary school in New Zealand. It is perhaps best known for its sporting achievements with a number of students going on to achieve international sports fame. In 1976, it became the first private school to integrate into the state system and today operates like any other state school, but under the government of a board of trustees. Wesley College is a designated special character school based on its relationship with the Methodist faith, and has day and boarding facilities for both boys and girls. Principal Steve Hargreaves welcomed the school being recognised for its
academic achievements and not just its All Blacks.
Kupe scholars named Kupe scholarships have been awarded to 30 Maori and Pasifika student teachers who have demonstrated excellence. The prestigious scholarship is designed to attract Maori and Pasifika high achievers to the teaching profession and support them to become inspiring teachers and role models in early childhood, primary and secondary education. “I’m delighted by the outstanding calibre of scholars that the Kupe Scholarship continues to encourage into a teaching career,” says Ms Parata. “The scholars that we’re celebrating today come from across the country and include a
Kupe scholarships were awarded to outstanding Maori and Pasifika teaching students science graduate of Longwood University in Virginia, a former Maori All Black and a Pacific Music Award winner." The Kupe Scholarships fund course fees and study allowances, and offer mentoring and recruitment support after graduation. Each recipient also receives taonga keepsakes in the form of a stylised paddle ‘hoe’ or waka / vaka / va’a as a permanent recognition of their achievements.
New website for career exploration A new government website has been launched to assist students explore qualification pathways and career aspirations. Employment
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minister Steven Joyce says FindMyPath shows students what they can study and how, and the jobs that study leads to. “New Zealand is quickly developing a more highly-skilled, high-tech economy. It is more important than ever for young people to consider carefully their tertiary study, including industry training and full-time study options, with future career options in mind. This website helps students to decide what path to take to meet their goals.” Ms Parata says the website helps students stay engaged at school because they can see the point of what they’re learning and where it could lead to.
News Round-up | News
Clear strategies needed to help teens stay cyber safe
New app for NCEA credit tracking
We know that children as young as 14 are sexting and watching pornography online, and we may not be doing enough to keep them safe, according to Auckland criminologist Dr Claire Meehan.
An app has been developed to help students track their NCEA progress.
She says that high profile cases of young people committing suicide as a result of online bullying are “just the tip of the iceberg”. “The internet is like a plate of spaghetti, there are so many strands, it’s very hard to keep up with it and we always seem to be two steps behind.” Dr Meehan says parents and teachers need to get further ahead of the problem and put clear strategies in place to deal with it. And to do that, we need to understand it better. She is conducting a two-year research project into online sexual harm and ethics, focusing on children aged between 14 and 15. “I’m interested in finding out what young people do online, what sites they visit, their views on pornography (including revenge pornography) and sexting (sending explicit images or messages via mobile phones) and in finding out if anyone has approached them online or made them feel uncomfortable.” She also wants to know what schools are doing to keep their students safe. “In the case of a sexually explicit image that has been passed around a group of people, the media is often about blaming the person who has taken the image of themselves in the first place, the victim, but what about the person (or people) who has passed on that image? Why did they do that? What do young people think of this?” Dr Meehan is talking to a selected group of young people, teachers, police and a reference group of experts in the UK and Australia. The end result, she hopes, will be better strategies and skills to make young people safer in cyberspace.
The app, NCEA Credsta, which uses colourful cartoon characters to turn the chore of recording NCEA credits into a game, was developed at Massey University and is designed to make the tracking process fun. “There are other methods out there for tracking credits but they can be complex and tedious to use,” says Massey University’s Julian Rosser, who led the project development team. “We really wanted Credsta to be an enjoyable experience for its users, which is why we made entering NCEA credits into a game. It’s like exercising, if it’s too hard you won’t do it, but a device like a Fitbit can provide that extra motivation you need.” Mr Rosser says while NCEA is a great qualification system, it is very complicated. “It’s especially confusing when you first encounter it – for students and their parents – and it can be quite
Careful use of data analysis can lift Maori achievement An independent authority has confirmed that careful use of data analysis can be a big help in lifting Maori achievement. The Office of the Auditor-General (OAG), responsible for analysing the performance of the public sector, has released its third and final report on how well the education system supports Maori students to achieve their full potential It confirms that successful schools had much in common:
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an intense focus on using information to change processes
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managing and using information about individual students
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monitoring the relationship between the school, students and whanau
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setting strategic goals
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measuring the school's performance
Credsta tracks NCEA credits intimidating for some people. Some parents never really get a handle on it. “Achieving your academic goals under NCEA, whether that is University Entrance or something else, is not just a case of passing an exam at the end of high school. “It’s a gradual process of collecting credits as you work towards your goal. Credsta’s main aim is to make tracking that progress easier by having all your details in one, easilyaccessible place.”
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exhibiting a culture of inquiry and challenge
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asking how all of this relates to achievement.
Better-performing schools also tended to do a more detailed analysis of the educational success of different groupings of students, whether by year, gender, ethnicity, learning needs, or level of transience. The report said schools with better results for Maori students were committed to improvement and had management cultures that valued inquiry and challenge. The schools wanted to see continuous improvements, and people were encouraged to ask questions and challenge norms.
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News | News Round-up
Two new websites for school leavers Two new websites pitched at Kiwi school leavers have been launched in the past few weeks.
Voting time for Teachers’ Choice awards
SchoolLeaver.nz and Youth Hub both aim to help teenagers transition from the cocoon of high school to the world of further education, training and employment. SchoolLeaver provides links to university, polytechnic and ITO study and private training courses as well as information about student loans, scholarships, banking, tax and Kiwisaver, accommodation and wellbeing. No login or subscription is required. Youth Hub founder, Senthil Perumal, describes his site as being “a bit like LinkedIn”.
“Youth Hub will become the one-stop-shop for students and young people aged between 16 and 24 to read inspiring stories about their peers, tell their own story, and connect with prospective employers or others who can help them as they go through study, training and launch their careers.”
Maori businesses give students tips for job-hunting Maori businesses are giving rangatahi/youth an inside look at what skills they will need to be part of New Zealand’s booming $40 billion Maori economy.
the workforce. “We want rangatahi to know there’s this burgeoning economy, and opportunities for them to work for successful Maori businesses across a number of thriving industries.”
Businesses across the construction, agriculture, health and fitness and creative technology industries were involved in Maia, a Careers New Zealand video series designed to inspire, motivate and help rangatahi make informed learning and work choices.
The employers share their tips on how to add value and contribute by developing strong employability skills like a good attitude, self-motivation, open mindedness, resilience, drive and passion.
“Maia gave us a unique opportunity to open the door to businesses for rangatahi to have a look inside,” says Keela Atkinson, from Careers New Zealand. “Ngai Tahu Farming/Whenua Kura, Maui Studios Aotearoa, Ariki Creative, Hale Compound Conditioning and He Toki ki te mahi told their stories and showed kids the roles and opportunities that exist for them upon entering
The businesses, which are supported by Te Putahitanga (a partnership between the nine iwi of the South Island), emphasised the values they have experienced and encouraged throughout their careers, like whanaungatanga (sense of family connection and networking) and manaakitanga (care and respect for others). Through these values, the idea of employability skills and their importance is reiterated.
Submissions for the 2016 Education Awards have opened. The awards are designed to recognise quality and diversity of educational resources released in the past year by New Zealand companies to support classroom learning. The awards celebrate the success of New Zealand resource providers in the education market and identify standout contributions both in New Zealand classrooms and overseas.
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For the second year running, the awards will also feature Teachers’ Choice winners in the categories of best resources in primary education, secondary education and Te reo Maori. Teachers’ Choice voting will available online from September 14.
Trans-Tasman principal swap A Gisborne principal has become acting principal of an Adelaide school as part of the first ever South Australia/New Zealand Principal Exchange programme, says education minister Hekia Parata. Steve Berezowski, principal of Te Wharau School, has swapped places with Tracey Davies, principal of Richmond Primary School, for the duration of term three. “This Trans-Tasman principal exchange is the first of its kind and presents a hugely exciting opportunity for both principals to gain practical experience from a different education system and country,” says Ms Parata. The exchange programme
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A panel of industry experts will judge the entries which will include online tools, apps, textbooks, workbooks and more, to carefully consider this year’s award winners in five separate categories.
was jointly established by the Ministry of Education and the South Australian Department for Education and Child Development. Each year it will enable New Zealand and South Australian principals from schools with similar-sized rolls to exchange schools for a term. “I’m confident Mr Berezowski and Ms Davies will each tackle the challenges of the exchange with aplomb and return to their schools with new ideas and stronger leadership capability. “The exchange also provides the chance for the teachers and support staff involved to learn new practices and insights from a highly accomplished foreign principal,” says Ms Parata.
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Profiles | St Peter’s School, Cambridge
St Peter's School's main building resembles an English country home
Inside the dreamy world of St Peter’s School For most kids growing up in New Zealand, school is a place you travel to and from each week day, and boarding school is something you only read about in English novels. According to those books, a boarding school is a grand building in expansive gardens where life is steeped in tradition, students wear hats and stripy blazers, and receive shipments of “tuckboxes” from their parents. In the absence of hard facts, Kiwi kids assume these to be large boxes containing glorious amounts of sweets. All up, a bit of a dream life.
At St Peter’s School in Cambridge, a real life boarding school in rural New Zealand, the reality does not appear to be too distant from the fantasy. The main building resembles a large English country home and is set in manicured grounds hemmed with topiary, and the grounds are a 40-hectare sprawl of lush Waikato green. The school even has its very own dairy farm, Owl Farm. It is an independent, Anglicanaffiliated school catering to students in years seven to 13. With a roll of 1040 - 620 day students and 420 boarders - it is the largest co-educational boarding school in New Zealand, now 80 years old. Facilities are
With the right insurance advice, we help St. Peter’s Boarding School grow great people To learn from the local experts Call: 07 957 8600 Visit: Level 4, Bridgewater Building 130 Grantham St, Hamilton Or: www.crombielockwood.co.nz
Principal Dale Burden is welcomed by students at a sports day beyond enviable; students have their own chapel, equestrian centre, golf academy, lake, velodrome, heated swimming pools (yes, plural) and a fully equipped sports centre. Sport is a big part of life at St Peter’s - and very familiar territory for principal Dale Burden who joined the school at the beginning of this year. For the previous ten years, Mr Burden had been principal at Auckland’s Mount Albert Grammar (MAGS), arguably the best school for sports in New Zealand. “Sport is a great teacher and it’s the schools like St Peter’s and MAGS that do it properly that are
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serving their students best. It’s great for social engineering, at making good kids great. “I have had a huge experience of secondary school sport and have been around long enough to know what works and what doesn’t. My attitude has always been to try to ensure that the sports experience that each student gets is the best that it can be and that striving to be the best is a great journey for young people.” More than 30 sports as diverse as lacrosse and clay target shooting, are on offer and students are required to participate in at least one summer and one winter sport. There are also six sports
St Peter’s School, Cambridge | Profiles
academies - golf, swimming, tennis, equestrian, rowing and cycling - providing expert coaching for beginners right through to high level performance athletes. Four new academies will be introduced next year for rugby, netball, football and cricket, for students in years seven to ten. “Boarders have 24-hour access to the school’s facilities, and given how much time day students spend at school, they are are virtually boarders too. Many just go home to sleep. This is testimony to the huge range of opportunities here,” says Mr Burden. However, the essence of St Peter’s lies not in its dreamy set up, but in its outstanding sense of community, he says. “The school is often described as a village where everyone is helping one another to reach their potential to be the best that we can be. ”We have some of the most talented teachers in the country and, whilst we recognise that academic achievement is the most important aspect of a child’s education, we take a holistic approach. Students are encouraged to take part in the wider life of the school. We have a strong sports programme, an extensive outdoor education programme and an outstanding visual and performing arts programme. The annual show would have to be the best school production I have ever seen.”
Boarders’ bedrooms are private and personalised Students can choose between the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) - last year’s cohort achieved a 98.3 per cent pass rate in both levels one and two - or the International Baccalaureate Diploma. “The dual pathway caters for different approaches to learning and both pathways enjoy impressive results.”
four for boys and four for girls, and students move through the houses with their peers. Their lives are highly organised with days timetabled from 6.30am through to lights out at 9.15pm each day, even weekends. Dorm inspection is at 7am and every student has a house chore to complete after breakfast. It may sound somewhat military, but apparently they love it.
Student learning is assisted by one on one mentoring and support from tutor group teachers, and the pastoral care network is extensive with house directors, deans, counsellors, careers advisors, nurses and a chaplain.
“Boarding is very different today than when I first started teaching at, ironically, another large boarding school, Wanganui Collegiate. Many of the things that went on in boarding in those days just do not happen today. Society has moved on.
Boarders are supported by live-in staff including a house director, a matron and house assistants. There are eight boarding houses,
“St Peter’s boarders are really well cared for. Their well being is the foundation from which
the experience here is based. The ratio of adults to students is very high as is the quality of care. The life of a boarder is less routine than it used to be with more freedom and flexibility built into their time. Obviously during the day they attend classes and after school they are involved in sport and cultural activities then after that they go home to their “house”. Their accommodation is highly personalised and private, and many of the students here experience accommodation that is far superior to that they will get in university halls. They eat together in the dining hall and they can also cook their own meals in the house kitchens. Their house is their “family” and they build up strong ties that for many will last a lifetime.”
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Profiles | St Peter’s School, Cambridge
Students can choose between NCEA or International Baccalaureate Despite his vast experience in education - senior roles at Westlake Boys’, Wanganui High School and NZQA, and contracts with the Ministry of Education and Massey University - Mr Burden is not in a hurry to make changes at St Peter’s.
Senior students have more independence and tend to spend their weekends studying or playing sport, while younger students can utilise the school’s impressive facilities or join in organised activities. The houses are all equipped with entertainment spaces, gyms and PlayStation areas.
“As a relative newcomer to the school I have spent all my time to date listening, looking and learning. It’s really easy to see what needs to change and what needs to stay the same, however my experience has taught me that the method and timing of change is just as important.
The experience doesn’t come cheap - boarding fees start at $11,500 per year for year sevens rising to $13,250 for year 13 students on top of tuition fees which range from $16,000 to $19,250 - but Mr Burden says boarding school is not the preserve of the privileged.
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Sport is a big part of life at St Peter’s “It’s a complete myth that private schools are full of rich families. There are some rich families but the majority are ordinary families making scarifices for their kids. “Our students come from all over New Zealand so we are important to a lot of communities. We are in the heart of the Waikato and this community is where most of our students come from.”
The school grounds are beautifully kept
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The school is also a huge employer in Cambridge and the Waikato with more than 300 employees and a kitchen that supplies 13,000 meals per week not to mention all of the other services for a community of over 450 people living on site.
“What drives me each day is that I want to make a positive difference for the staff and students that
Keeping hundreds of busy teenagers well nourished requires an enormous amount of skill, planning – and food! At St Peter’s School, the task has been entrusted to contractors, Bidvest Foodservice, for the past 18 years. Bidvest delivers frozen, chilled and ambient foods to the school six days a week using modern, multi-temperature trucks. The school also utilises Bidvest’s account manager and telesales team, all part of the company’s food consultancy services.
I lead. “I really care about the education of the students and want to help them to be the best that they can be. “I have worked in many diverse communities during my career as a teacher and educational leader, yet my desire to make a difference for students is the same. “I am passionate about education and the life changing experiences that it provides. I believe that schools have a critical role in shaping young people developing them as great people ready for the real world.” By Anna Clements, Industry Reporter
Bidvest also provides advanced product information via its online ordering system, Bidvest Direct. This contains detailed ingredient data regarding nutritional information, allergens and gluten-free options. Bidvest’s food safety programme is approved by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority. The company further supports the school through funding; Bidvest Foodservice Hamilton has also been involved with sponsorship of St Peter’s Sports Foundation.
Special Report – Innovative Learning Spaces?| Education | Profiles
Making best use of innovative learning environments
Mark Osborne Senior Advisor, CORE Education
The socio-cultural and pedagogical environment is just as important as the physical element
Innovative Learning Environments (ILEs) are defined by the Ministry of Education as a ‘physical, social and pedagogical context’ that is capable of evolving and adapting as educational practices evolve and change. What’s really important about this definition is that the physical environment is only one component of it. The wider socio-cultural and pedagogical environment is just as important as the physical elements. Like most things in education, our decision-making should be guided by our vision and values, not what is convenient, what is on ‘sale’ or what others are doing. To answer the question of where ILEs have come from, it’s helpful to see their evolution running in parallel with a growing awareness of the importance of learner agency and life-long learning. Many of the newer schools and classroom blocks built from the late 1990s onwards show the emergence of ILE-style elements: different sized spaces to support different ways of teaching and learning; increased flexibility
The physical environment is seen by theorists such as Loris Malaguzzi as a ‘third teacher’ of children (after adults and other children).” made possible by features such sliding doors; and more glazing between spaces to create open and light spaces that can be indirectly supervised. For many schools a move toward ILEs comes as a response to a growing desire to use as many different tools as possible to meet individual learning needs, and also a growing questioning of the idea that learning is always best when it is organised around a single teacher, a single space and a single group of 25 or 30 learners. The physical environment is seen by theorists such as Loris Malaguzzi as a ‘third teacher’ of children (after adults and other children). This notion of the third teacher is quite a compelling one: a cynic would say that despite all of the reference to collaboration and
participation in the New Zealand curriculum, a lot of our current classroom spaces prevent teachers from collaborating with each other: there’s often a timber wall between them. So the environment is ‘teaching’ children that grown-ups don’t collaborate much. Nothing could be farther from the truth, but many of our current teaching spaces were built in another era, when collaboration wasn’t so important.
How are ILEs being used? For many schools the potential of ILEs lies in two key areas:
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Co-teaching, where two or more teachers can plan, teach and evaluate together
Co-teaching research suggests that when two or more teachers work together, with the right
Image credit: Autex
culture and processes in place, the quality of their teaching goes up. This makes sense when we think about the sustained, ongoing access to professional practice that we have when we teach alongside someone else. The shared- and collaborativeproblem that is possible when more than one educator is in the room is also a real advantage of co-teaching and ILEs. What’s been interesting to observe during the past few years is the number of schools that are embarking on co-teaching even when the spaces are not ILEs. In many schools, teachers in separate side-by-side classrooms are planning and teaching together using traditional classrooms as different zones: one teacher-led and one studentled for instance.
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Varied and purposeful spaces to meet learner needs
A learning environment that consists entirely of desks and chairs facing the front would work perfectly if everyone learned equally well using this mode of instruction.
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Education | Special Report – Innovative Learning Spaces
However, the emerging evidence from neuroscience is showing that variability in learning is the rule, not the exception. For some learners, reading and thinking works best in some situations; for others it might be analysing a diagram of playing with a model. What often transpires is that learners may need several different modes of learning at different stages, depending on what they are trying to achieve. ILEs try to offer the kind of variety of spaces this kind of personalised approach to learning requires.
Do they work for everyone? While we know that existing classroom arrangements don’t work for all learners (we’ve got lots of research showing this), when designing an innovative learning environment, it’s very important to ensure we don’t just end up with the same outcomes as we currently have: school working well for some learners and not for others. One approach advocated by CORE Education, (that many schools are using) to avoid this outcome is Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL begins with
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the learner and sees in them all their strengths, interests and talents, then asks, ‘What barriers might exist to prevent them putting these strengths to work in their learning?’ For some it will be that they have a razor-sharp brain but might not be able to see the whiteboard because of impaired vision (barrier); for others it might be that they express themselves best orally, but they are often assessed in class using only written evidence (barrier); others still might find activity and conversation disruptive to their processing (barrier) and prefer spaces with lower levels of activity. Identifying these barriers is the first step towards developing universal solutions, which may include the environment: a learner who struggles with ASD or anxiety, particularly when surrounded by larger numbers of other people, should have the ability to work near a support figure such as their teacher or to move into a smaller breakout area in order to decrease that anxiety. A learner who is still developing their self-monitoring skills should be able to develop ability to work autonomously while still being
passively supervised by one or more teachers through a glass sliding door or partition. A learner who prefers to stand up while listening to a teacher or other students should be able to work at a standing table as well as sit down when they need to. When it comes to acoustics, many researchers like Kenn Fisher advocate having three acoustic zones (quiet, conversational, and active) in a learning environment to ensure any learner who needs quiet can find it, and any learner who needs to find a place to talk or be a bit noisier in their learning can find somewhere to do so too. In an existing classroom, these two groups of learners would be trying to achieve quite different outcomes in the same
acoustic zone. Researchers have also found that the quality of the acoustics in a learning environment can have an impact on learning. They have found that it is the quality of the acoustics (rather than the total amount of noise) that has the greatest impact on learning, given that in a space with poor acoustics, even a small amount of noise can disrupt learning and cause people to become stressed. A second approach advocated by CORE Education and used by a number of school is culturallyresponsive practice. Tataiako - cultural competencies for teachers of Maori learners holds a number of very important concepts that are equally useful for designing learning
Special Report – Innovative Learning Spaces | Education
‘Clearly’ the best
environments as teaching and learning experiences:
Ako Where can learners come together to learn from and with each other? Does furniture support it? Are there enough writeable surfaces for all learners to be teachers and vice-versa?
Whanaungatanga How does the environment foster the deepening of relationships and a sense of belonging and connection? Can conferencing and group work take place equally successfully?
Tangata Whenuatanga Does the indoor and outdoor environment reflect who we are as a community, the story of this land and the people who have been here for hundreds of years? Does the environment also welcome others (tangata whenua) to be part of the learning taking place in this kura or school? How does the environment invite partnership and ‘the village’ to be part of the raising of the children? What expertise exists in your community and how can you use it in learning?
Manaakitanga Does the learning environment allow all learners to use their strengths, and to be rewarded and recognised for these strengths? If akonga learn best by
discussing and debating, are they able to do this without impacting on those who learn best by building and making, or those who learn best by thinking and writing? Does the environment show off these skills and talents equally?
Wananga In what ways does the space support larger groups of people to come together to engage in problem-solving, celebration and innovation? Gathering and meeting places are important for community, but also important for togetherness. Can a group of more than 25 get together easily and often in order to be something ‘greater than the sum of the parts’?
Conclusion These two approaches inclusive education (through universal design for learning) and culturally responsive practice offer a couple of approaches to ensure that the design of innovative learning environments are in line with our vision and values, and put the needs of our learners at the centre of everything we do. The key question is not ‘can this child adapt to my learning environment?’ It’s ‘can my learning environment adapt to this child?’ By Mark Osborne, Senior Advisor, CORE Education
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Mark Osborne is a senior advisor at CORE Education, working in the areas of innovative learning environments, leadership, and modern learning practice. To put it another way, he helps organisations design and build great spaces to learn while helping educators develop the capability to make the most of those spaces. Mark's personal mission is to turn all schools into awesomeness incubators, and he is currently completing his PhD on change leadership in innovative learning environments at the University of Melbourne.
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Education | Principal Speaks
A first-time principal tells of her journey at Queen's High School, Dunedin Coming to Dunedin as a first time principal at Queen’s High School in St Clair, Dunedin, a short distance from the beach, was in a way coming home. Born and raised in Timaru, most of my teaching career had been in the North Island. Prior to joining Queen’s two years ago, I had spent seven years as a deputy principal at Rotorua Girls’ High School prior to this. While RGHS had 75 per cent Maori, Queen’s is 25 per cent and this is extremely high for a Dunedin high school. Queen’s High School and King’s High School (the boys’ school next door) have won entry to the national kapa haka competition again this year. While many North Island schools can get funding from their local iwi, that does not seem to happen down here in the south. Instead, the He Waka Kotuia group has had to raise $50,000 just to get to Napier for the finals. This is a major achievement for such a small dedicated group of tutors and whanau. Even though I thought I knew a lot about education administration, nothing actually prepared me for being a principal. It is all those unknown things, and the stress and the loneliness that no-one sees except the principal and their partner! Where would we be without them? Today’s education requires
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encourages and provides opportunities to others to lead and to gain experience. This is not always seen for what it is. Coming in and rocking the boat will always cause discomfort within the current staff. The direction given by the board might not be seen by all but the welfare of the student is always at the centre of any decision that I make for the school.
Principal Di Carter with her senior students innovation and new approaches to learning, and nowhere is that more evident than the use of technology in teaching. A lot of time is spent in making sure that Queen’s is able to provide the education to enable students and teachers to be ready for the world of digital exams – anytime, anywhere and any place – as NZQA is proposing for 2020.
Queen’s High School is in St Clair, Dunedin
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I am the first to admit that I am not tech savvy, but even I have to learn new and exciting ways of integrating technology into education so our students become independent critical learners in the digital world. Queen’s High School has increased its student achievement at NCEA and this is a major focus for the staff and me as we strive for excellence whether it be for endorsements or getting girls to achieve to their own personal best. Excellence and merit endorsements have also increased during the past two years, and a new Young Scholar badge has been introduced to acknowledge those girls achieving at a high academic standard. Our motto is Empowering Young Women and that also includes empowering staff to develop leadership and lead initiatives in the school. A personal philosophy of mine is that the senior leader
Educational leadership is not about having all the answers, the answers are everywhere. But sometimes it is about asking the hard questions, standing strong and tall on what you believe in and learning the way to work together with the people whom that future will affect and that is our whole school community. Life is so crazily busy that as new principals or old we frequently neglect to reflect critically because of the demands of day to day management. This is probably one of the biggest learning curves that I have found – finding ways to fit in my time at the end of a busy day, week, term or year. Reflections I know will help me to make more informed decisions for the future. The Ministry of Education requirements are many and varied, and the new legislation that has come in this year alone is mind boggling. Many hours have been spent learning about Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014. I have also learnt a lot about buildings and maintenance, and I now know that, if it is not on the plan, it does not get done! Other areas that I did not anticipate when coming to Dunedin was the need to call snow days! Yes, this actually happens and the girls all wait for them each year. To me, it is very stressful making a call to close the school because of snow or ice. Last year we closed the school because of the South Dunedin floods, which meant the girls had to evacuate the school at lunchtime and some had to wade home through knee deep water.
Principal Speaks | Education
Seniors dress up for Sports Day I have so enjoyed my time as principal so far. Coming from Rotorua, I have a strong sense of purpose to address disparities and inequalities in the educational outcomes for Maori. This is one of the reasons why we are joining up to the proposed MAC (The Maori Achievement Collaborative) in Otago, as a way of addressing the changes needed by educating the educational leader – namely myself. Ako is so important in any educational setting. During my time at Queen’s, we have changed the uniform to incorporate the Anderson kilt again. The current students saw it worn at the 60th Jubilee and wanted it back. Student vote won and now it looks fantastic as we merge it in. It was meant to have been just for the new year nines, but all year levels have bought it
even those in year 13. The ex-girls love it. A year 13 uniform was also brought in as well as a rule to have hair tied back; what a difference this has made to the general public’s perception of our school. Queen’s is a small school – 370 students - with a wonderful family feel, and staff want to find out about the girls’ passions and ignite them. That is what you can do when you know your students well. This year our year 13 drama class won the Otago UOSGCNZ Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival and then won three awards at the National Festival. The arts area is very strong here at Queen’s. I am proud to be part of many great innovations happening here; The strong InterAct Club that shows service to the community
A school camping trip to Fiordland National Park
which includes weeks of “random acts of kindness” and also the Food Security Project which is run in conjunction with The Rotary Club of St Kilda. There is also the IES Fund innovation that Queen’s runs in conjunction with another local high school promoting Active Education and before that being a pilot school for Sport in Education (SiE). As I write this, Queen’s High School is the star attraction at the premiere of films for the International Science Festival hosted by the University of Otago, where year ten students filmed a project on global warming and even went to the West Coast to film at the glacier, all courtesy of the university and the MBIE. This was a project to get more girls interested in science in a roundabout way, and it was very successful.
Another successful innovation that has come about from the 60th Jubilee, is the ex-girls’ EQUIPment scheme, where ex-girls mentor year 13 students. This is starting small but has huge potential. Life in Dunedin is good. The many hours spent at the school is rewarding in itself, but seeing such wonderful, bright girls in uniform and looking proud means the world to me as it does to all of the staff and the communitywide family that makes Queen’s. Queen’s girls are everywhere in this world and I mean that literally and as the saying goes: “Once a Queen’s girl always a Queen’s girl”. By Di Carter, principal of Queen's High School, Dunedin Queen’s High School is a state-funded girls’ secondary school, decile five, with 370 students.
The school’s kapa haka group won entry to the national finals
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Education | Teaching Overseas
How teaching overseas can enhance your career That great Kiwi rite of passage, the overseas experience (OE), is very well served by a qualification in teaching, a highly portable profession. Opportunities abound for New Zealand teachers all over the world, and the possibilities for cultural experience and career progression are limitless. Getting a teaching job in another country requires applicants to meet two very specific sets of regulations, teacher certification and immigration. There are a number of agencies which deal specifically with overseas teaching placements, some handle placements in many different countries while others specialise in one, for example China or the UK. Current listings include vacancies for primary and secondary teachers in Brunei, an English teacher in Kuala Lumpur, a music teacher in Bangkok, and primary teachers for a private school in west London. New Zealand-trained primary teacher Cathy Ullyett is teaching in Sumbawa, a remote part of Indonesia, and says the conditions are very favourable. “I am paid double what I earned in New Zealand, and I work 7:30 to 4:40 with absolutely no take-home work, nothing during evenings, weekends or holidays. “I also get 12 x 40 minutes periods of release each week for planning, and we finish work at 12pm on a Friday.”
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Nikki Merval’s life in Qatar sounds similarly dreamy. She trained at Victoria University and now teaches in an international school, a position she secured from New Zealand through an agency. “Conditions are great, the maximum class size at my school is 22, and we have specialist teachers for art, PE and music which means we can spend time planning when the children are in those classes. “The money is much better; we are a family of five living on my salary which means my husband can be home with the children, and we are still able to travel and save.” Most schools hire in January for a September start, so now is a good time to start the process. Teaching agencies request applicants to register online, upload a curriculum vitae, and to supply teaching certificates and references. A police check will be required. Sometimes the process is extremely fast with job interviews and offers happening within days of registration, but candidates are advised to allow three months. Many teachers choose London for its familiarity of language and convenience for European travel, while those wanting to save money may choose the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where incomes are tax-free and benefits are generous. Most overseas teaching jobs require a New Zealand teaching qualification and at least two years’ experience.
United Kingdom The United Kingdom has long been a favoured destination for New Zealand teachers given our historic ties and its proximity with Europe. There’s no language barrier, the money’s good – and you can hop across to any number of glamorous locations on your weekends. “I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to travel Europe!” says Auckland teacher Jude Hancock who spent 14 months in a small Catholic school in Surrey. “I was lucky enough to be in a school where I was encouraged to experience everything.” Ms Hancock says she returned to New Zealand with lots of new ideas and enthusiasm. “It made me realise how lucky we are to have the freedom we do in our education system. In the UK, we were expected to mark each and every single piece of work a student did every day. That's five lessons a day, 30 books per lesson.” There are a number of visa options available to New Zealand citizens wanting to work in the UK, but the one that is best suited to teachers is the UK Work Permit which is designed to accommodate skilled workers. Visas are granted on a points-based system and, if awarded, allows two years in the UK with the right to renew for three years at the end of that time.
Korea Korea offers the opportunity to immerse yourself in an ancient culture, and is a country of friendly, helpful and law-abiding citizens
who place enormous value on education. Teachers are highly respected. Most South Korean teaching packages for native Englishspeaking employees include free accommodation.
United Arab Emirates With year round hot weather, great salary and benefit packages and plenty of unique travel opportunities, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become one of the most sought-after locations for teaching abroad. For many schools, contracts are two to three years in length, and carry a bonus of one month's salary per year worked. Contracts may also include accommodation, flights, health insurance and education allowances for dependents. Because of these provisions, many teachers are able to save a large portion of their salary. Wherever you go, the experience is likely to be life-changing as well as career enhancing. “Teaching overseas helped to shape my views on education and, most importantly, just how good our system is in New Zealand,” says Ms Hancock. “We encourage our kids to be free thinkers using the Inquiry model, and we are a “skillsbased” system by comparison with the UK “check-box” system. “My experience was invaluable, and I would 100 per cent recommend it to any teacher who is ready for a challenge and a change!” By Anna Clements, Industry Reporter
Teaching Overseas | Education Supplier Profile | Smart Teachers
UK Teaching Shortage Who is Smart Teachers?
What does Smart Teachers offer?
Smart Teachers is the expert on anything and everything to do with teaching in the UK.
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We have our office based in Auckland to manage our recruitment of NZ teachers for our offices in England and Australia. We have also had the experience of moving to the UK to live and teach so we’ve been in your shoes. We know just what it’s like living and working in another country and truly understand the considerations you make when deciding to move halfway around the world for a new work experience.
Why choose Smart Teachers? You will know from the very first phone call to us that you are in expert hands. Rosie Buchanan has been recruiting for the UK now for 18 years and has successfully several thousand teachers in that time. She will guide you right through the process of CV writing, visa applications, flights, location, accommodation, schools and interviews.No stones unturned! Having a reputable agency who is based in NZ will assist with both local and international knowledge, and as Rosie travels round NZ frequently to meet her teachers you will feel secure in your choice or agency. She really knows her stuff!
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Free Flight offer No tricks, no traps, NO TROUBLE We are a specialist education recruitment agency – we do not work in any other sector We work with a range of UK schools in Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special Educational Needs We work in the state and independent sectors, IB, International schools Our aim is to find you work that meets your individual requirements so we can offer day-to-day work, long term blocks, and permanent contracts in schools Our schools are based across England, not just London If it’s a long term role you are looking for we can secure you a role before you even step foot onto the plane Smart Teachers has a Guaranteed Work Scheme for teachers wishing to work in daily supply (Relief) We offer competitive pay rates, and negotiate with the schools on your behalf You will be assigned a dedicated UK consultant who will keep constant contact We run social events for teachers
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We offer you free Professional Development courses
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We run FREE fortnightly WEBINARS to enjoy in the comfort of your own home
Register and attend any FREE WEBINAR in the month of September and we will send you a $50 gift voucher. Visit www.smartteachers.co.uk/teach-in-the-uk-newzealand, 0800 176 278 or email work@smartteachers.co.nz
TEACH IN THE UK
Make the big move to the UK and Smart Teachers will catch you on the other side. Our Smart Start package is offered free to all Kiwi teachers who come and work with us.
Dedicated Support based in New Zealand Our consultants provide constant support every step of the way, from applying for your UK visa, nailing your first interview, right through to arriving in London.
Pre-departure Work Guarantee Whether it’s short-term, long-term or daily supply work you’re after, we can help secure your perfect placement long before you set foot on the plane.
Free Flight to London* We will reimburse you for the cost of your airfare after you’ve touched down in the UK. As part of our complete service, you will receive a seamless handover to our team in London, who will ensure you take to London life like a duck to water. * Terms and conditions apply.
UK INDUCTION • • • • • • •
Getting around London Finding a place to live Setting up a UK Bank Account Applying for a National Insurance No. Transferring money to/from abroad Choosing a SIM card Planning cheap European getaways and so much more...
FREE CPD WORKSHOPS • Introduction to UK National Curriculum • Child Safeguarding • Behaviour Management • Teaching & Supporting Pupils with EAL • Introduction to Phonics • Whole School Special Educational Needs & Disability • EBD Workshop: Restorative Approaches to Behaviour • Primary Supply for Secondary-trained Teachers
SOCIAL NETWORKING Overseas Welcome Drinks Mix and mingle with other teachers who have recently arrived in the UK, just like you! Smart Parties Come along to one of our Smart Parties, hosted every term for all teachers actively working through Smart.
REFERRAL BONUSES £100 cash for every referral Mix and mingle with other teachers who have recently arrived in the UK, just like you! Free flight to New York! Refer FIVE teachers, and we will fly you to New York! Refer NINE teachers, and you’ll be taking a friend with you.
www.smartteachers.co.nz | workOS@smartteachers.co.nz
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Education | Teaching Overseas
From Papamoa to Earl’s Court, Shane Burgess shares his teaching journey... Let’s meet Shane Burgess. Required Sponsorship to allow him to teach in the United Kingdom. Past lifesenior management in school in Papamoa, New Zealand
accommodation only 20 minutes from work within four days of arrival. I simply put an ad on spareroom. co.uk and was overwhelmed with people looking for someone to fill a room.
Shane, it’s been a year now since you left your life in New Zealand. Tell us how it has panned out for you.
Working daily with great students and an amazing staff would have to be the number one highlight. Because of the multi-cultural catchment of the student body there was always a story to share. The ability to visit some amazing places in London - Westminster Abbey, National History Museum and the Houses of Parliament - for free is also a huge plus in helping provide students with rich learning experiences. Class trips are helping me too to see some pretty amazing places in London.
“I was ready for both a professional and personal change after being involved in senior leadership for eight years prior in a New Zealand school. I wanted a chance to get back into the classroom so as not to forget what it is really like in a 100 per cent teaching role. I also wanted the opportunity to grow personally and develop increased self-confidence, particularly when in unfamiliar social situations My first port of call was to make contact with a teaching agency. There was choice, and so I contacted several before I came across the one I thought was a best fit for me. The staff were empathetic considering I was moving my whole life to the other side of the world, and communication between the New Zealand and London offices was faultless. I was assigned a UK consultant who made ongoing contact with me ensuring that I was very clear as to how things were progressing. The agency provided sound advice when considering some challenging personal and professional changes. I felt comfortable making it clear that I had expectations of what I wanted in a job, and was invited to interview for several options, which gave me a choice in offers. I was expecting to be quite daunted by the big city, London, but actually found my arrival here quite easy. The journey from Heathrow to my interim accommodation was straight forward. I didn't really suffer from jetlag so was able to get out and find my bearings pretty soon after arrival, and conquer the tube! I met my agency and, as most of the legwork had already been done before I’d left New Zealand, the meeting in the London office was very straight forward. The
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In the past nine months I have travelled round England, Morocco, Dublin, Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, Bruges, the Swiss Alps, Barcelona, and in the summer I’ll go to the Greek islands, France and Italy. Some points of advice before considering moving over to the UK
staff supported me in finalising paperwork, getting set up with my NHI number and finalising my bank appointment. They were great in continuously refilling my coffee cup as my body clock acclimatised. I was very lucky to win a job in a school that had an amazingly supportive staff and a great bunch of students. Having the opportunity to teach in such a multicultural setting has definitely stood out to me as a highlight. I am working in a single entry, full primary school with a nursery attached and within weeks I was asked to take on the challenge of the acting deputy principal role until the end of the academic year. I have found the students lovely and really enjoyed the diversity they bought to the classroom each day. Classroom management wasn't an issue, but I was very well supported by amazing teaching assistants
and learning mentors. Balancing being full-time in the classroom with a pretty significant leadership role has definitely been challenging so I had to put in some fairly long hours to ensure the job was done to a high standard. The curriculum is quite narrow in my opinion and with such an emphasis on literacy and numeracy, the other areas of the curriculum can be easily forgotten. The biggest negative though would be that huge importance that the DfE place on summative assessment. In many ways the tail wags the dog. The New Zealand curriculum is much broader and offers students a more rounded education. In saying that, I don't regret taking on the challenge and will continue to work here for another year, although in a different role. I managed to find long-term
Make 100 per cent sure to get in contact with a New Zealand-based UK agency before you put too many plans in place. To have someone on the ground here with knowledge of both schools and locations also in the UK is essential for ensuring you get the perfect match and ideal location! Make the most of every moment and weekend you have, but don't feel that you have to do it all within the first few weeks. Take the time the settle in, find a local pub and make some good friends. It's so easy to travel when you have your feet on the ground. Expect to work hard - teaching is a challenging job if you want to do it well. Expect to feel homesick, that's all part of the process but that too will pass. Shane Burgess works through Smart Teachers. By Shane Burgess, acting deputy headteacher, St Cuthbert w St Matthias CoE Primary School, Earl’s Court, London
Education Supplier Profile | KiVa
The hands-on approach to anti-bullying KiVa is an internationally proven anti-bullying programme for schools which has recently been introduced in New Zealand It was developed in Finland, and to date more than 90 per cent of schools in Finland are KiVa schools. Bullying incidents in these schools are significantly reduced, and there is evidence of an increase in students enjoying school and achieving better. Accent Learning, a team of professional development providers based at Victoria University, is the exclusive New Zealand KiVa licence holder. All Accent staff have been trained by the Finnish researchers and programme developers and have to date completed training for 12 schools here. “We start by discussing the definition of bullying,” says education manager Deidre Vercauteren. “The universally accepted definition is behaviour designed to cause harm or discomfort, that is repeated, and is targeted at someone less powerful than you. “It is never OK, and the impact is severe and long lasting; many adults say that bullying they suffered at school still negatively impacts on their lives now.”
There are three units to KiVa – junior primary, senior primary and junior secondary, and it is delivered in two parts. The first part is prevention which continues throughout the school year, the key being in changing the role of the bystander from passive to active. The second part is in the hands of the school’s KiVa team who are trained to deal with any incidents of bullying that arise in “short, sharp and frequent meetings”.
All programmes kick off with a parent evening where the principal explains what KiVa is and why the school is involved. Newsletters are sent home and students get a password to use to access online anti bullying tools which include interactive games they can share with the family. “We hope that children will involve their parents as much as possible so that everyone’s awareness of bullying behaviour is heightened.”
‘We are all responsible not for the bullying, but to stop it’ - C. Salmivalli
Why tolerate bullying in our schools? New Zealand’s statistics are appalling • Ranked 2nd worst out of 50 countries for year 5 students • 31% of 8-9 year olds report they had been bullied ‘about weekly’ (2011 TIMSS Report) • Highest male youth suicide numbers • Fifth highest female youth suicide numbers Research by Green, Harcourt, Mattoni, and Prior (2013) found: • 94% of teachers and principals agreed bullying occurred in their school and felt ill-equipped to deal with it.
Bullying is a reality for all New Zealand schools
Why KiVa and what is it? KiVa is a proven bullying prevention approach, the first of its kind in New Zealand. Based on decades of research KiVa has been implemented in Finland, the Netherlands, Wales, Italy, Estonia, Delaware USA and Belgium where thousands of primary schools are involved. The result is a sharp drop in bullying incidents. KiVa will work in New Zealand schools too. It ties in with our Curriculum. It includes clear intervention guidelines, planned lessons and a wealth of web-based materials. KiVa is a holistic approach specifically designed to create and maintain a school climate that encourages empathy and positive social behaviours while discouraging bullying.
LINLGS! CAL LL SCHOO
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Keep a look out for KiVa information meetings to be held in September, in your area.
Where is KiVa in NZ? The following areas have completed training: • North Auckland • Auckland • Hawkes Bay • Ngatea • Wellington
Contact Accent Learning deidre.vercauteren@accent.ac.nz | DD: 04 4639612 | www.kivaprogram.net/nz
Term 3 - 2016
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Education | Reading
Strengthening teacher-parent alliances for emerging readers
Dr Jayne Jackson Lecturer, Massey University
What would happen if parents were engaged as true partners in an alliance to support child’s reading? Dr Jayne Jackson, lecturer at Massey University, found out… There is a body of existing research that shows that parents can be effective at promoting the reading skills of children who are struggling to learn to read. Most of this research takes one of two forms – either the parents are taught to follow a set of responses under the direct supervision of an expert or parents are invited to school to learn about school-based reading programs so they can apply this knowledge at home. While research has shown gains for some readers using these approaches, both methods ignore the complexities and diversity of family life and the potential value of collaborating with parents in new ways. These
traditional approaches may also encourage dependence on the expert and actually erode a parent’s confidence in taking independent actions to support their child’s reading. When I designed my doctoral research I wondered what would happen for struggling readers if parents were engaged as true partners in an alliance in support of their child’s reading development. An alliance is a relationship based on equality where varied expertise is valued and power is shared. Within my research I viewed parents as experts on their child, their home situation and their values and beliefs regarding literacy while I brought a commitment to developing a productive alliance and reading expertise to the partnership. I aimed to create a positive working relationship with each parent so that we could both contribute our varied knowledge in service of the child as a developing reader.
The first thing that I discovered during the research is that families are incredibly diverse in their approaches to literacy. In my study, one parent was a keen reader with a house full of adult and child books, in another household one parent read nothing other than school notices and thought owning books was pointless. One family had two parents who worked outside the home, many of the symbols of economic success and children who were busy with many extracurricular activities. One family made the choice to have a stay at home parent and less economic power. All had children aged eight to ten years old who were struggling to learn to read. A key point in the development of each alliance occurred when I shared assessment information with each parent. I talked about the assessment tools and their child’s results but most importantly I invited parents to enter into a
conversation about this information and to contribute their knowledge of their child. I welcomed both agreement and disagreement of the assessment results and together we created a portrait of the child as a reader that was detailed and complex. Developing a shared understanding led to joint goal setting informed by both the parents and their priorities and aspirations and by assessment data. Following joint goal setting, I met with each parent, every week for eight to 12 weeks. At each meeting we discussed the previous week’s actions. We celebrated successes, explored what had and hadn’t worked, speculated about the reasons and drank coffee. We also made a plan for the coming week. Parents then took actions to support their child read by implementing the jointly developed actions. Frequent meetings and the supportive nature of the alliance seemed to support the parents
Gifted Education:
In every school, in every class: providing catalysts for the gifted learner As schools enter a new era of Communities of Learners and Achievement Challenges, it is timely to reconsider a group of students that is found in all schools, all communities, across Aotearoa. Whilst catering for gifted and talented students has been in the national administration guidelines since 2003, many schools are still struggling with the best way to identify gifted and talented learners as well as provide appropriate provision to allow their students to make progress and meet their potential. In any Achievement Challenge, in any cohort, you will have gifted learners. They could be your twice exceptional students – those with learning issues that impair them
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performing to the level above their peers that they are capable of - this would include your English language learners. They could be your underachieving students – those who are capable of so much more but do not value the work they are being given. Or they could be your students sitting stationary at the top class – those that, while achieving “above standard” or “excellence” are not actually making any progress. This lack of progress can adversely impact on their well-being, preventing them building resilience or self-efficacy. When catering for gifted students, many schools are moving away from the withdrawal approach. Whilst withdrawal groups can be a beneficial addition to provision and allow students to connect with the like-minded, teachers are realising that these students’
additional learning needs also should be addressed every day, in every lesson. A truly effective GaTE programme includes not only the voice of the teacher in making decisions but also those of the student and their parents. As these additional learning needs are present 365 days a year, parents need to be involved to allow positive experiences and influences to
Brooke Trenwith NZAGC National Advisor
impact on the development of their child. A model of provision that works particularly well with the New Zealand Curriculum is Francoys Gagne’s (2010) Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent. Cognition Education has simplified this model as represented in the diagram below.
Reading | Education
reading. These actions could be useful for teachers to boost reading by parents:
to take action and to develop confidence. The parents in the study were able to contextualise and personalise reading support strategies. Some of the actions taken by parents were relatively simple. One parent made a minor change to an existing routine of playing word games in the car on the way to school so that the game focussed on two specific blends that their child was struggling with. Some actions which parents took were more complex and involved a long term commitment. One parent took on boosting comprehension skills by engaging their child in deep conversation after reading together instead of asking specific questions to prompt recall from the text. Another parent boosted comprehension by having the child ask questions for the parent to answer following reading.
Parents can make a big difference to their child’s reading progress were most likely to be implemented when the parent could alter an existing routine. In contrast, the parents struggled to implement actions when both the technique and the routine were new. As the alliance developed, parents felt increasingly confident in the actions they were taking to support reading and became increasing independent. One parent used some of the ideas to coach their child in maths. Another used similar ideas to support the reading growth of her other children.
I found that ideas for actions that were discussed with the parents
At the end of the research I reassessed the children’s reading. Results showed growth of between six and 18 months in reading skill.
Teachers have been inspired to create catalysts to move students from potential (giftedness) to performance (talented). By simplifying ‘provision’ by changing the environment and supporting ‘intrapersonal’ abilities, teachers have more agency in recognising just ‘what they need to do’ with these students. This becomes even more personalised with teachers and parents identifying the learning, social and emotional needs of the gifted students.The simplified strategies above are a way to begin making an immediate impact on the educational experience for a gifted child. It is a strengths based
approach that gives agency to all key stakeholders – the student, their parents and their teacher/s. It provides a framework to aid communication between the key stakeholders and creates an authentic partnership, putting the child at the centre. For those teachers who would like to know more about gifted and talented education, there is a wide range of support available on TKI Gifted and Talented – gifted.tki.org. In addition, the New Zealand Association of Gifted Children (NZAGC) is a valuable support network for both parents and teachers. Membership to NZAGC is available
Ataraiti (Year 6) is an intellectually gifted student.
Learning Needs
Social Needs
Emotional Needs
• Above level tested on • Strong leadership skills, • Perfectionism issues PAT Maths. Is stanine 8 needs to continue to • Worried about world on Year 10 PAT develop these hunger and wants to • She is reading at a 14 • Needs to connect with make a difference year old level like-minds
In addition to this all children in the study had increased phonics skills. One parent reflected on a transformed relationship, “My child now sees me as a support not just as someone who nags.” Another commented, “I no longer lie awake at night wondering what will become of my child.” In summary, I learned that parents can make a difference to their child’s
•
Share information honestly and openly
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Acknowledge that parents have equally valuable but differing expertise
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Engage in developing joint understandings and shared goal setting
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Find out what already happens at home and make suggestions so parents can refocus existing routines to meet specific reading goals
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Follow up to ask how things are going.
Dr Jayne Jackson is a lecturer in the Institute of Education at Massey University. During her career, she has been a classroom teacher, syndicate leader and deputy principal in a range of schools in Auckland and has also taught in the USA. Her research interests include situated literacy and the development of productive relationships between parents and schools. She is passionate about all children having positive experiences at school.
Strategies to support intrapersonal qualities
Environmental Strategies
• Put in charge of social action group at the school
Dual enrolment at the Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu - The Correspondence School for Year 10 Maths
• Investigate local NZAGC group for activities to connect with
• Use P4C techniques
• Use www.freerice.com for vocab building
• Content, process and product differentiation in the classroom
• Start a www.kiva.com fund in the class to issue loans and track the impact
• Use inquiry process in all areas
to any individual, family, school or organisation who agrees with the aims of NZAGC. For a membership fee of $50, you will receive the Tall Poppies magazine three times a
year as well have access to the numerous publications available in the NZAGC library. By Brooke Trenwith, NZAGC National Advisor
Harry (Year 11) is a twice exceptional (2E) student. He is creatively gifted and had dyslexia.
Learning Needs
Social Needs
Emotional Needs
• Highly creative • Needs to discuss art especially with painting. • Would benefit from an • Performs better when appropriate artist role typing than writing model
• Gets frustrated in science and maths where he does not find it “easy” and needs to work harder
• Constantly wants to “know more”
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y d n a d l o o c l e approved v r a m n e e k t u o t s u j d n a m g u groovy inde o s t n e c e r r a l u p o p y h c a e a f neat nifty p l o o c e t u n i m e h t o t p u y super trenTdTRENDING EDUCATION INDUSTRY PRODUCTS
T O H S ’ WHAT THE LATES
Lockable Notice Boards Potter Interior Systems have a customisable range of secure, waterproof and weatherproof lockable school and community notice boards which highlight your posters and other messages, and ensure they're seen by as many people as possible. Suitable for indoor and outdoor applications, and made and manufactured here in New Zealand.
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Technology Trolley Featuring a 25mm Square Fully Welded Powdercoated Frame, 18mm Melteca Carcass, Holds 20 devices, Lockable front and back doors, Each cavity 60mm High x 535mm long x 330mm deep (front to back), Overall Dimensions - Floor to top of handles 960mm, Left to Right 1200mm, Front to Back 540mm with standard Braked castors for use around classroom, Heavy Duty Wheel option available and recommended if moved from classrooms to classrooms.
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2N IP Audio With 2N IP Audio, everything is connected by simply plugging in to an existing LAN port. All speakers are controlled by a computer in the server room. Edwards can log in to make any adjustments or changes over the Internet, if required. A 2N IP microphone can be located anywhere in the school and remote control to schedule the school bell or pre-recorded audio is easy from any computer Play ‘wet lunch’, lockdown messages or the school bell at the push of a button.
Pentaclass Voice Enhancement A All-in-One Bluetooth Omnidirections speaker with wireless HD microphone. Imagine a voice and sound reinforcement systems so interactive and fun that it inspires your audience to interact with you – to ask questions – to share their views and experiences. A sound system that inspires! Well, that system now exists and is available from ACTIVboard NZ. The PentaClass Speaker System and Wireless Microphone now comes with the ‘CatchBox’, a lightweight foam cube with an embedded microphone that pairs wirelessly to the PentaClass Speaker System. And the CatchBox is safely throwable. That’s right, a microphone that can easily and safely be thrown around the room like a foam ball. The CatchBox is safe for use by children or rowdy adults alike. The CatchBox will pair quickly and easily with the PentaClass Speaker System. There is no additional receiver required, no wires and no special supplementary equipment necessary.
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V-1HD The V-1HD makes it easy to connect and switch video cameras, smartphones, computers, tablets and other HDMI video sources with a simple push of a button or slide of the T-Fader. It supports professional compositing effects such as in-picture and keying allowing picturefor graphic insets, titling or even “green screen” ideal for news or documentary productions. Main features include: 4 HDMI inputs, supports up to Full HD 1080p, simple Interface, Picture-in-picture and split functions, full 12 Channel Audio Mixer Included, Two HDMI Outputs, Remote Control via USB or MIDI Connection and Software Control using V-1HD RCS Application for Mac, PC and iPad.
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Administration | School Photography
School photo day made easy Let’s face it, photo day can be a gigantic headache for teachers and administrators. The school timetable is turned on its head as students and teachers shuffle between the classroom and the makeshift studio, frantic searches are launched to find sports uniform for the team member who forgot theirs, and the ordering process can seem to limp on for an age – especially if your school still deals with cash payments. The good news is that change is afoot. Group photography may be challenging, noisy and time consuming, but today’s school photographers are streamlining the process to make it less nervewracking and more cost-effective. School News looks at what’s new in group photography, and ways your school can make a success of photo day.
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Organisation Slick organisation is key in keeping disruption to a minimum. Ask your supplier to do a site visit before the event so they can be clear about space, layout and best venue according to the lighting. “We always start with the smallest groups then work up to the bigger groups so that we don’t have to re-build the stands,” says Karen Chadderton from PhotoLife. “We let the schools know how far apart we want the classes and they organise the timetable.” If yours is a big school, ask whether there is more than one team of photographers available to work simultaneously.
More than just a photo Many different styles of photography are on offer so it’s about considering the image that your school wants to portray. Do parents expect traditional-style shots or will they prefer to see
their children sitting cross-legged at the foot of a tree? “Schools are experimenting with much more casual photos for both class groups and individual portraits,” says Ms Chadderton. “However, for some schools - and their parents - it is the formal, traditional photograph that is expected.” Ask about background colours, options for casual poses, and how the school logo will be displayed. All manner of product is on offer ranging from a key ring or mouse mat through to canvas prints and block mounted portraits. PhotoLife now sells a photographic yearbook to its primary school customers which incorporates images of the student, the class and some playground shots as well as pages on which students can record thoughts and memories, and swap photos with friends.
Whatever the product, there is an expectation that the facility to order online will be available, as well as being able to buy digital files. “Online ordering has been a huge change in the industry,” says Ms Chadderton. Parents want to be able to view and scroll through their child’s photo package options, and we need to ensure that children’s images are protected. The misuse of images in social media was top in our minds when we started to explore online and we settled on using a dedicated shoot key for each student as the most secure option. However, some schools still prefer offline ordering and we continue to cater to that.”
Safety Big group shots are tricky. They’re also becoming more necessary in schools as innovative learning environments become the norm. Traditionally, photographers have used scaffolding to accommodate big
Administration | School Photography
Quality check
Photoshoot by PhotoLife groups but some now consider this too risky given the recent changes to health and safety regulations. One Auckland-based company, PicsOS, under their photography services brand PhotoWonder, has addressed the new law by doing away with scaffolding. Instead, pupils are photographed individually and the images collated into group shots. “Each person in the group has a suite of photos taken which are used in a variety of different images, offering both group and individual styles,” says CEO Jon Doherty. “This is a safe way to provide high quality outcomes with a wide choice, flexibility, efficiency and far less hassle for clients.”
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Communication Clear communication is paramount – between the photographer and the school, and between the school and the parents. Find out what sort of preparations will be required; will the photographers need beforehours access or to have the school hall cleared? What about contingency for a rainy day? You can also ease the process by keeping parents informed about when photos are due back. In a world where we all have access to digital photography, there is an increasing expectation for instant access to images so a word of explanation about the production process can be helpful.
CAPTURING MOMENTS · Portraits · Class Photography · Family packs available · Year groups · High quality photographs with the minimum of disruption and inconvenience. Proudly Canterbury owned and operated and have been a trusted name for over 50 years. Langwoods School Photography are an enthusiastic, dynamic, professional and creative team living in one of the most beautiful places in New Zealand. Our front yard is your back drop. LANGWOODS SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY Phone: 03 352 5359 | Email: schoolphotosnz@gmail.com Website: www.schoolphotography.co.nz
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As a former teacher, Christchurch photographer Cindy McKenzie used to be on the other side of the lens and says a lot happens during the production process that teachers and parents have no idea about. “First we look for the best photo, then we edit – sometimes cutting a head from a better photo to insert into the group, then it’s back to the school for names before the ordering process begins. "Once orders are in we slot images into templates, send to the printing lab and then laminate the group photos. "The final stage is in sorting orders, packaging and returning the product to the school, the whole process taking around six weeks.”
Even the most loyal grandparents do not want a blurry image of their mokopuna on their mantelpiece. That look went out in the `90s along with Tamagotchis and Nokia brick phones, and today’s expectation is for crisp, clear images – even a light retouch. The sorts of edits you can reasonably expect include touching up of runny noses, dirt marks on tops, and unwanted items in the background. Ask your provider what happens if a parent is not happy with the product, is there a money-back guarantee?
Cost Costs vary widely with some companies offering $10 packages and others starting at $16 for a class photo. Many suppliers run photography events as a school fundraiser with a portion of the profit being returned to the school. A 10 per cent commission on a $9,000 order can translate to a sizeable deposit into the school sports equipment fund. By Anna Clements and Brent Leslie, Industry Reporters
School Photography | Administration
PhotoLife Photography is a fast changing industry and PhotoLife has been at the forefront of the school photography industry in New Zealand since its inception in 1926.
Inspire Photography Servicing the greater Wellington area, Inspire Photography is an established photography business with more than 20 years’ experience with children and families, and ten years photographing primary schools and early childcare centres.
Ninety years on, PhotoLife remains a Kiwi-owned and operated family business, and the leading school photography company in New Zealand. PhotoLife specialises in all aspects of school photography including class, portrait, student ID, sibling, sports teams, cultural groups and large groups. It was the first company to implement changes such as moving to colour photography, the naming of each student in the photo, digital photography, online viewing and purchasing whilst maintaining a high quality, affordable product for families. PhotoLife offices are across New Zealand – from Kerikeri to Invercargill - and the company employs local photographers, and maintains offices in Auckland, Hamilton, Fielding, Wellington and Christchurch. To ensure photo day runs smoothly and causes minimum disruption to the school day, PhotoLife can supply multiple teams of photographers to allow for class, portrait and ID photographs to be taken on the same day. A range of photographic, ordering and purchase options are available to suit all from small rural schools through to large, urban colleges. PhotoLife pays commission to schools on sales, and is also a gold sponsor of NZPF, APPA, a bronze sponsor of NZAIMS, NASDAP and SPANZ, and a member of other regional principals’ associations.
We really like working with children; our photographers are experienced at getting the best out of every child and we get great shots by making sure that people are relaxed and having fun. Our unique approach is highly regarded, and our relaxed and fun outdoor photos capture children in their element. The high quality of our individual, sibling and friends portraits make them a popular choice with parents. We provide more photo options, with both landscape and portrait photos along with colour and black and white options for parents to choose from. We also take individual photos of staff on request and supply one laminated print free of each class/group for the school and one for each teacher in the class/group. Our service costs nothing to organise and we return 12 per cent of the sale price back to your school or centre. Above all, we’re easy to work with, totally trustworthy and always professional.
C R E AT I V E P O R T R A I TS F O R M O D E R N S C H O O LS When you choose Inspire, you’ll find we’re more than just a friendly and professional school photography service. We know how to get the best out of your children and we take the kind of photos that parents love to buy.
04 384 8009
www.inspirefundraisers.net.nz
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Administration | School Photography
Shot360 Photography Shot360 Photography is based in Hamilton and covers schools from Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Auckland and right though to Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki. “Shot360 Photography is now in its seventh year of school and junior sports team photography,” said owner/photographer Jeremy Ward. “We have a team of experienced staff used to dealing with school aged children and we have stands that can fit more than 100 people and come with full safety railings.” “What I like to call our 'point of difference' is the class and individual photo, which has the class and pupil on the same A4 laminated photo. We have three portrait pack options, including one that comes with a digital file, as well as the traditional class photo. “Schools also receive a complimentary class photo each for the
teacher and school, additionally a large office display framed print, as well as the 15 per cent rebate. “We’re happy to send out a flyer covering our options and costs to schools that request it, and we have an easy-to-use website with an online ordering option. The website is designed so that choosing photos through to payment is as easy as can be. One benefit of this system is if the school is not interested in handing out the photo orders, the order can be delivered straight to the parents, with a postal charge included,” Mr Ward said. “We pride ourselves on our turnaround speed. We aim to deliver school photos in two to three weeks – and more often than not it's within two weeks. “We’re happy to provide testimonials from other schools and we back our work with a money-back guarantee. On the day a school will be dealing with an experienced professional photographer.”
Langwoods School Photography Langwoods School Photography has been operating for more than 50 years throughout New Zealand. Cindy McKenzie, a former teacher at Avonhead Primary School in Christchurch, bought the South Island part of the business last year, and is happy to travel. “I’ve always had a passion for photography. From a very young age, I always had a camera in my hand. But I do miss teaching and still relieve from time to time.” Since beginning her Langwoods' role, she has noticed several trends. “I’ve seen a growing interest in duo prints and portrait block mounts. Duo prints have both the child’s class and portrait photo on the template, which is perfect for the school record book parents love to make. Block mounts look polished and can be either hung on the wall or placed on a stand. “In the modern learning environment I have to think creatively about safely seating up to 100 or more students for photos. I draw on my teacher training a lot to manage groups. “To achieve the best composition, I’ve been relying on a school’s desks and chairs. However, I'm having a three-tier mobile grandstand made for me, to the latest safety standards. It will have an extension for larger groups.” Cindy McKenzie is well aware from experience that the cost of photographs can be a struggle for many parents. “I pride myself on keeping prices as low as I can so that all families can order a moment in time at school of their daughter or son. My goal is to have all photos delivered within six weeks. “I’m easy to talk to and like to have a laugh with children and staff. It makes a big difference if you can help them relax. Add to that, I'm professional – and a perfectionist.”
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Administration | Fundraising
Keeping your fundraising healthy Unfortunately, school fundraising seems to be a necessity and some of the old ways of achieving it are no longer widely acceptable these days. With far more emphasis now on the dangers of obesity, such as latent diabetes and the beginnings of poor coronary health, the old product-for-sale stand-bys such as fatty sausage sizzles and sugary jams, cakes and fizzy drinks, are more likely to be avoided by parents, for the sake of their own health and their children’s. Add to that the clear risks to children and their parents of poor dental health and the consequent steep dentist bills to follow, and food and beverage choices that were once regarded as commonplace fundraisers are now often not something that schools can freely offer with a clear conscience. Modern-day fundraising now also has to also be responsible. Those in charge of the programme need to put their thinking caps on and cast their ideas net wider. However, there is no reason at all why other types of food cannot be sold. There are many healthy food fundraisers out there to try, including trail mix, fruit, nuts, popcorn, customised water (with your school’s name on the label), healthy granola bars, and so on. Many schools now have cooking courses where students could come up with ideas and create simple but healthy foods to sell, such as muffins and scones that do not contain sugar but are
sweetened with dried fruit. Parents can be asked to help but the health aspect of what they contribute should be specified. In fact, the health aspect of the foods could be emphasized and turned into a very useful selling point. Of course, healthy fundraising does not have to be about food at all. The list of novelties and useful items that can be sold is simply infinite: start with items of clothing purchased from manufacturers cheaply, glowsticks, lamp shades, art, first aid kits, calendars, trendy wrist bands, musical instruments or sports equipment that is no longer needed – the list can be as long as the imagination and a sense of practicality extends.
how do you actually raise some money? Activities that should be looked at are those which spread their influence beyond the school, so that money is being gained from people other than just parents. Social media can be of enormous value here. One example could be a Facebook page started by students (or parents if the students are under 13) on which the fundraiser is described. The page requests donations from friends and family – even from overseas. It is always good to have something specific in mind that you are trying to raise funds for, and when the ‘counting is
done’ the profit made must be communicated to the parents – newsletter, local paper, email, text or whatever your school does best. Following this, the item purchased or service provided should also be promoted to parents – otherwise their support could soon wear thin. They will want to see what their money is going towards. Remember too, that your fundraising should actually be fun. Making sure everyone enjoys themselves is the best way to gel the school community behind working toward the same goal. By Brent Leslie, Industry Reporter
But regardless of what form a school’s fundraising takes, there are various steps and protocols that should be covered. First of all the team should consult with the Board of Trustees – firstly as a courtesy and secondly as the Board is responsible for the state of the buildings and grounds. Then, make sure plans, costs and personnel who are to carry out the activity are clearly minuted. This is essential whether you are a PTA, parent group, friends of the school, a gala committee or even a sub-committee of the Board. By doing so all functions are covered, there is no argument about what was decided or who was to do it, and all the committee (the treasurer in particular) is protected. It is also a good idea set a timeframe and work out which jobs need to be done, in which order and by what time. And then – the curly question –
Glowsticks Ltd Another fundraising option that many schools use, not only because it is an effective fundraiser, but also because children enjoy the product, is glowsticks. Distributed by Glowsticks Ltd and designed for the disco, these “tubes that glow” can be worn as bracelets or necklaces, and are interactive so they keep the children running and jumping around, says company spokesperson Vincent Fletcher. “We recommend that schools hold a disco with a small donation or gold coin as entry fee, then sell our products to raise additional money. They can also sell food and drink at the event to raise more funds.” Schools make about 80 per cent on most Glowstick products, Mr Fletcher says. “For instance, we sell our Glow Bracelets for 15 cents each, and often the schools can resell them for $1, so that’s an 85 per cent margin. The minimum purchase is the size of one pack; for example, our Glow Bracelets come in packs of 100, so that’s $15. Most of our products are like this.” The company offers a range of other glow and paint-related products that can be sold as fundraisers, such as fluro and UV reactive paints and LED products. “Pretty much, if it glows, we stock it,” Mr Fletcher says. “Face paints are a really popular way to raise funds because for $20 schools can purchase enough paint for 100-plus kids’ faces, so if this is offered at the disco, with a parent who can do the face painting, the school can bring in a lot of additional funds.”
Introducing the easiest, funnest, fastest and cheapest way to fundraise 32
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Glowsticks Ltd has been operating in New Zealand since 2006 and has sold products to more than 500 schools in the last three years. The results of a survey of 100 schools in 2009 showed that the products sold well and worked successfully to raise additional funds, Mr Fletcher says.
Case Study – Library Systems | Administration
Anita Vandenberghe, Information Specialist, with a student from Saint Kentigern College enjoy using Access-It.
One system to please them all Four years ago, St Kentigern Boys’ School, St Kentigern Girls’ School and St Kentigern College went looking for one library system upgrade, easy and flexible enough to suit them all. The information specialist at the college, Anita Vandenberghe was part of the three-strong assessment team who visited four schools, two using the Oliver upgrade and two using Access-It. “Oliver were promoting a more intuitive system with their update, but we’d heard very good reports about Access-It so we thought we’d look at two systems. Pretty quickly we saw Assess-It was the way to go. “We liked the clean front end of the OPAC. It’s easy on the eyes and easy for the students to use. The librarians told us they also have a very good back end with good support and they hold a New Zealand road show annually
so you can go to ask questions and be supported in a way that we’d really missed with Oliver. “We’ve got to be responsive to a changing market and we need different things from our catalogues now.” Between them, the three schools cater for more than 2650 students, from pre-schoolers through to 18-year-olds, as well as their parents, generalist and specialist teachers, and unique departments. The customer base is increasingly mobile, with an insatiable desire for all things digital, immediate and accessible 24/7 via Android, iPhone, desktop or laptop. “Our customers can access our new catalogue from their car, library, home; wherever they have access to the internet, they have access to us. “One click takes a user to the record and one click actions something.
“For us the stocktaking feature running in the background is very valuable and generating QR codes, when cataloguing links or PDFs, is handy too. Rapid Entry means that with one scan of the ISBN number we have access to six major catalogue databases such as the Library of Congress, SCIS and WorldCat, which saves heaps of time. “Access-It makes it very easy to be organised and see where you are. Actual items – which include magazines, DVDs, ebooks,
e-audiobooks and technology items like cameras or iPads - can be in different physical locations. We’ve secured all our items and connected them to the catalogue. “I would say to anyone, go to a forward-thinking school and ask their librarians or information specialists who are working with Access-it, about the system and make yourself familiar with it. I’d also say, visit the Access-It road show. Colleagues come with questions you didn’t even know you wanted to ask.”
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Administration Supplier Profile | Access-It
Access-It aims to ‘go one better than Google’ KEEPING PACE WITH CHANGING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS AROUND INFORMATION ACCESS IS THE BIG CHALLENGE FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIANS IN 2016. Access-It Library is New Zealand’s most widely used system precisely because it is answering those end-consumer demands, while also making life easier for teachers and librarians.
Ultimate useability - driving library management Names such as Google and iTunes have set the bar high – with their immediate, attractive, intuitive, portable, secure, and “availableanywhere” information interfaces. Physical buildings, books and catalogues are well and good, but today’s students, parents and teachers require greater digital diversity - with ease and mobility top of the wish list. With Access-It they’re able to use a computer, tablet or smartphone, wherever they are, and find everything they need. It also means families can look for appropriate reading material together, and parents are enabled to help with homework with the ability to ‘visit’ a free library. The need for educational institutions to keep up with trends in terms of customer friendliness, is what drives Access-It’s “simple on the surface, genius underneath” approach says CEO Martin Neyland. “Teachers and librarians tell us what a massive motivator to learning our easy information access is. Our aim now is to do it better than Google.”
One Search functionality - less time searching, more time learning Schools don’t want to risk marginalising expensive collections of physical resources as the digital advance marches on. The answer lies in bringing those resources online to make them accessible from outside the traditional library. With Access-It for NZ schools, resources can sit side by side with moderated digital content - providing free access for students to EPIC databases such as Britannica, EBSCO and Gale resources. Students and teachers dont have to worry about user names and passwords for the different databases, as Access-It automatically logs them in and carries out their search with its unique One Search functionality. This encourages students to use a wider range of resources and gives them the ability to curate more authoritative resources – more pertinent than ever in an age of ‘random’ information overload. Additionally, Access-It’s One Search works to remove silos of information, allowing students to search across all content seamlessly. Martin Neyland says the seamless searching is one of the main reasons Access-It is the most popular system with schools here and why it is also continuing to gain such international acclaim. He says teachers appreciate the ability Access-It gives them to incorporate both physical and digital resources into teaching practice. They know that when they start a topic they can be confident of steering students to a library that will meet all their needs.
One click – the trick to get them researching ‘One-stop, one-click access to learning material is no longer a nice to have – but an essential’, says Bonnie Barr for Access-It. ‘If you have to do more than three clicks, people go away – and that means they don’t get information. Many librarians tell us that they had struggled to get students to use resources they had paid for, but with Access-It the students know that the first place to look is on the web-based OPAC because all the best digital content is discoverable directly from there’.
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Ease and mobility top the wish list. With Access-It you can use a computer, tablet or smartphone, wherever you are, and find everything you need.
“Librarians want kids learning rather than just searching. This system is intuitive to the point that it can interpret misspellings, partial words and phonetics - then, like an endlessly patient librarian, offers up a range of results tailored to each student’s needs - so there’s minimal time-wasting, frustration or ‘side road distractions’. We’re now hearing that students who previously resisted research are searching just for the fun of it because they’re getting instant and useful results’.
Analyse this – reading habits, search and title popularity at a glance. We ‘like’ it. Using Access-It, students manage their reading with their own dashboard. They can save reading lists and pre-select interests to receive alerts when new resources arrive. The system analytics on reading habits also reveals what items students ‘like’, and those not being used. It can also view right down to the activity of individual users – including seeing non-active borrowers - and allow librarians to consider how best to engage them, or whether to notify a teacher.
One Solution – cataloguing The list of integrations required in information systems today is greater than ever before – with staff and students accessing eBooks, videos, electronic documents and databases. Access-It will also catalogue nonprint based articles, such as musical instruments and art equipment. With one click, teachers can see equipment specs, where the item is and who has it. Collections can be open or hidden – allowing information to go into the system, safe in the knowledge that only authorised users will see what they are supposed to see. Librarians and school IT staff alike, report that they fi nd the system less clunky, easier to manage and more interactive than others they’ve used in the past. However, it’s the value of time saved on repetitive tasks that comes up the most often in conversation with librarians, who have traditionally had to spend huge chunks of their day on tasks such as catalogue maintenance. Access-It automatically generates QR codes when cataloguing links or PDFs, and Rapid Entry - with one scan of an ISBN number - gains access and generates information from many catalogue databases simultaneously, doing away with the need to reinvent the wheel each time. Access-It’s equivalent of ‘iTunes for libraries’ makes it possible to catalogue 5 or 500+ books at once – so books are on the shelves faster.
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Administration | Multifunctional Printers
How to choose a multifunctional printer
The printer is a key piece of equipment in any organisation; a high quality model can allow staff to maximise productivity while an unreliable printer causes disruption and delay. In a school, where efficiency is everything, choosing a printer is a very important decision. Today’s machines, however, are more than merely printers. Just as the cellphone and laptop have morphed into one “device”, so too have the office printer, photocopier and scanner. Modern school offices are equipped with multi-functional machines that can handle an impressive number of tasks. These are variously known as multi-functional printers (MFPs), document handlers or multifunctional devices (MFDs). The MFP is not only a space saver but considerably cheaper to run than several standalone machines. The cost per page of printing is
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Indeed, schools are warned not to opt for machines with all the bells and whistles, but to spend only after careful consideration of how the MFP matches the schools’ document processing requirements.
much lower than that of a standard desktop printer, and the cost in terms of efficiency is incalculable. The most important consideration is the total running cost of the MFP. “Quite often the price of the printer is relatively cheap, but the ongoing cost of consumables or cost per each copy outweighs the initial offering,” says Nika Osbourne from Epson. “With an EcoTank printer the upfront cost is all you pay for your printing for up to two years*.
After that, the ongoing cost of ink is minimal, $19.99 per ink bottle, by comparison with cartridges and toner, prices of which start from $30 and go up to $100+ with significantly less ink/toner.” Many MFPs have touch pad displays on which the size and order of icons can be customised. Web browsers are embedded, and cloud connectivity allows documents to be sent directly between the cloud and the
machine. This in itself can save a considerable amount of time. Epson’s L565 and ET4550 both feature WiFi Direct which allows printing from any device with a WiFi connection. Print quality is impressive, up to 1200 dpi x 1200 dpi in a middlemarket machine, but this is not necessarily a high priority in a school. Indeed, schools are warned not to opt for machines with all the bells and whistles, but to spend only after careful consideration of how the MFP matches the schools’ document processing requirements. David Mason, education sales manager for Toshiba, recommends considering what the agreement is that the school is entering into. “Does it have volumes associated with it or is it more flexible if needs change? Our professional advice for schools is not to enter into a volume base agreement but rather a rental and separate service arrangement.”
Administration | Apps
Look closely at the terms of trade - this is what the school is committing to – not what is written on a quotation, and reference sites of other educational users that use the brand being considered. Mr Mason recommends checking the reference sites for feedback on after sales service, too. “Does the account manager respond promptly to concerns or issues that may arise?
trend developing with schools wanting to print and copy less and concentrate more on document management solutions. Faxing is still available but most customers now scan and email.” With this in mind, schools are advised to ask for the nitty gritty on costs. Are costs fixed for the duration of the agreement? Is there a monthly charge for scanning, or charges for consumable deliveries?
“The most important consideration in our opinion is totally understanding the customers’ needs and once this is achieved finding the best solution to help them meet their objectives. Generally most schools as with customers themselves are aware of what they would like to be able to do with their multi-function device. Printing, copying and scanning are all standard with these units, but there is a growing
“A good service provider will help you complete a needs analysis in order to identify which product is suitable for your school’s needs,” says Mr Mason. “Look for a service provider who is wanting to foster a good, longterm relationship with the school. This is essential in the education sector.”
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By Anna Clements, Industry Reporter
APPS CASE STUDY Kiwitahi School, Morrinsville Kiwitahi School in the Waikato is the first school in New Zealand to sign up for School Stream and school principal Jordan Palfrey says it’s turned out to be everything they were hoping for. “We were looking for a solution to lost notices, and going paperless with notifications, permissions and absences – and we’ve found it. It is replacing our system of paper notices and newsletters, and the saving in time is considerable as we are not having to repeat information
to those whose notices have been lost or missed.” The school, which has a roll of 27, spent $600 on initial set up costs which will reduce for coming years, and reports that it has been a simple process. “It was extremely easy to get started, we have great support from School Stream and our parents love it. Communication is much improved now. “One of the more critical improvements it brings is being able to send out urgent messages which is something we needed, especially if there was ever an incident involving the students’ safety.”
Cartridge-free printers proving economical and efficient Epson’s EcoTank printers, launched in New Zealand 18 months ago, are revolutionising small office printing. The big deal about these printers is that the ink is not in cartridges but contained in integrated high-capacity tanks which allows a continuous supply. No pesky cartridge changing required, and the tanks contain two years’ worth of ink. These models, L565 and ET-4550, have become a favourite choice for schools and offices. In fact, the ET-4550 has been named by Buyers Laboratory (BLI), the world’s leading independent evaluator of document imaging hardware and software, the 2016 BLI Winter Pick for innovative ink products catering to both small office and home office. “Epson won the award thanks to the unique, cost-saving design which includes ink tanks that only need to be replaced every two or so years, and refill bottles that are very affordable,” says BLI spokesperson Marlene Orr. “All of this translates to a low total cost of ownership, low intervention rates and less waste, saving customers’ time and money.” All school staff recognise the importance of having reliable and economical tools in order to maximise efficiency and minimise waste. With EcoTank printers there is less downtime whilst sourcing and replacing consumables for the printer. The ET-4550 comes with enough ink to print up to 11,000 pages in black2 and 8,500 pages in colour2, meaning no costly, last-minute trips to buy ink. Other features beneficial to schools include Epson Connect™ and Wi-Fi Direct®3, two-sided printing, a 30-page
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auto document feeder, a 2.2" mono LCD screen, 150-sheet paper capacity and low-cost, easily refillable ink tanks. The use of ink bottles means there are no cartridges to change, ever. The ink tank can be topped up when required, and additional high-volume ink bottles with drip-free nozzles and resealable caps can be purchased. The replacement bottles also hold enough ink to print 6,000 pages in black1 ($29.99 each) and 6,500 pages in colour1 ($19.99 each). 1. 2 years' of ink based upon user's average monthly print volume (TNS Research – June 2013) 2. Quoted yields/CPP are extrapolated based on Epson original methodology from the print simulation of Test Patterns provided in ISO/IEC24712. Quoted yields/CPP are NOT based on ISO/IEC24711. Quoted yields/CPP may vary depending on the images that you are printing, the paper type that you are using, the frequency of your prints and environmental conditions such as temperature. 3. Requires a wireless connection to the internet.
Apps | Administration Supplier Profile | School Stream
Using an app to communicate with parents GIVEN THAT TODAY’S NEW ENTRANTS WERE BORN INTO A WORLD AWASH WITH APPS, IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE THAT THEIR PARENTS EXPECT TO COMMUNICATE VIA APP. School Stream is an app designed specifically to keep schools and families in easy contact. Parents can connect directly with the school via their mobile device to view event details, RSVP, and add to calendar. They can also lodge permission slips and absentee notes electronically, receive emergency alerts and newsletters. “People with school age children fall into the highest demographic of mobile app users, says company CEO Melissa Bridson. “Time spent on a smartphone continues to grow and is now higher than any other digital device.”
Schools using the app report big increases in parent engagement with 98 per cent of all push notifications being read, not least because the app translates into 109 different languages including Maori, Tongan and Samoan. Schools can use built in categories or customise their own, and the app integrates with existing technology to provide parents with mobile access to student management systems, parents portals, online canteens and uniform shops.
One of the more critical improvements it brings is being able to send out urgent messages which is something we needed, especially if there was ever an incident involving the students’ safety.
Parents can download School Stream for free from Apple or Google, and select streams relevant to them through the “custom categories” function. The school pays a license fee based on number of students.
platform,” says Ms Bridson. “Digital talk is cheap. No paper, no printing, no postage. The average school spends between $30,000$50,000 per year on paper alone. The cost of printing a weekly newsletter for 500 pupils clocks in at around $20,000 per year. Wouldn’t it be great to reallocate some of this budget into another area of school resources?
“Schools can expect to save a significant amount of time and money when they transition to the School Stream communication
“Schools which use the School Stream app have completely phased out, or are working towards phasing out printed
newsletters as communication via the app becomes the primary method of reaching parents. This is an obvious fit, with parents making up the largest demographic of smartphone users.” School Stream has just been launched into New Zealand after operating in Australian schools for the past three years. It has more than 75,000 users with 98 per cent of schools renewing their subscription annually.
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Teaching Resources | Book Reviews Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
family from ending up on his stack on squashed relatives, Limpy takes his quest to the airwaves. When a TV cooking show kidnaps Goliath to be their main ingredient, Limpy sets out to rescue him and ends up on camera himself. A saga of bravery, sacrifice and warts-and-all adventure.
By J.K. Rowling The eighth book in the Harry Potter series is actually a script from a play based on a story by J.K. Rowling and two others, John Thorne and John Tiffany. The play opened in London’s West End on July 30 and the book was released next day. The story is set 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and follows Harry Potter, now a Ministry of Magic employee, and his younger son Albus Severus Potter. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.
Picture Puffin Penguin Random House For readers 5 to 10
Blue Dog by Louis De Bernieres From the author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Blue Dog is the enthralling story of a young boy and his dog adventuring through the Australian outback. When a family tragedy means Mick is sent to the outback to live with his Granpa, it looks as if he has a lonely life ahead of him. However, after a cyclone hits, things change for Mick. He finds a lost and half-drowned puppy, and the two become inseparable as they tackle their lonely worlds together. Blue Dog is the prequel to the the bestselling Red Dog and, although intended for adults, will be enjoyed by advanced young readers.
Hachette For readers 10+
Speed King By David Hill and Phoebe Morris
Munro’s story – from his boyhood in rural Southland through to his motorcycling adventures which continued into old age - is recalled here by award-winning writer, David Hill, in compelling yet accessible text, and is charmingly illustrated by Phoebe Morris. A must for every school library.
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By Kyle Mewbern and Deborah Hinde This is a new edition of the 2004 favourite by popular children’s author, Kyle Mewbern. The writer invites the reader into his house to help search for an elusive Hoppleplop, and as each door is opened, a strange new creature is unveiled, whetting the reader’s curiosity as to what the Hoppleplop can possibly look like. However, the final reveal will draw gasps of surprise and joy. Teachers reading The Hoppleplop aloud will relish it as much as their young listeners, and there’s a bonus three pages for grown-ups in which the book’s production process is described.
Puffin Penguin Random House For readers 10+
Frankie Potts and the Sparkplug Mysteries By Juliet Jacka This book is the first in a new series of mysteries featuring Frankie, the red-haired mystery solver, Sparkplug the enthusiastic dog and secretive Grandma M. When Frankie meets Sparkplug outside her favourite sweet shop she instantly makes a new friend and together they solve lots of mysteries, such as why there are so many ants in the kitchen and when Grandma got that tattoo? This is a great read for seven to ten year olds – and anyone who wonders why things happen. Kids will love Sparkplug the dog who can dance on his hind legs and skateboard like a pro. I can't wait to see what they get up to next!
This is a wonderful true story about a very unlikely New Zealand hero, Burt Munro. Muno is the elderly chap who set a land-speed record at Bonneville, Utah, on his equally elderly motorbike back in 1957. That record remains unbroken today.
The Hoppleplop
Knopf Penguin Random House For readers 12+
Toad Delight
Lizard Lane Books For readers 4+
What Could It Be? By Sally Fawcett This concept book for kids is all about unleashing creativity, thinking outside the square and opening the mind to possibility. Part picture book, part artistic inspiration, What Could It Be? is an interactive adverture for pre-primary and primary school aged children organised into doublepage spreads. Each introduces a basic geometric shape (square, circle, triangle) and then opens the door for creative thinking by posting the question, “What else could it be?” The following spread provides the answer with the focus shape transformed into many objects in artwork. Pages provide a further interactive element as kids are encouraged to find specific objects and count the “hidden” shapes.
By Morris Gleitzman Limpy, our favourite slightlysquashed cane toad, star of Toad Rage, Toad Heaven, Toad Away and Toad Surprise, is back in another wart-tingling escapade for upper primary school readers. Even more desperate to save his
Puffin Penguin New Zealand For readers 7 to 10 Reviewed by Natalia Hinvest, age ten, Kaurilands Primary School.
Exisle Publishing For readers 4+
Te Reo Maori | Teaching Resources
Inside the digital Maori classroom Michele Coxhead
Ko Tawhirangi te maunga Ko Mohaka te awa Ko Ngati kahungunu te iwi Ko Michele Coxhead toku ingoa
Maori - Kura Auraki curriculum guidelines for teaching and learning Te reo Maori in Englishmedium schools and Totaiako. After ERO visited our school and commented on the excellence of our school-wide te reo programme, saying it should be a model for every school, I decided I would like to share the theories and planning behind that plan, with others.
As I write this, it’s Maori Language Week and the attention that Maori language is getting through the media and in supermarkets gives me a big warm fuzzy. Te reo is everywhere! It can’t be ignored and it is being embraced by many tauiwi as well as Maori. The New Zealand curriculum and Ka Hikitia affirm the value of te reo Maori as the indigenous language of Aotearoa. And increasingly, New Zealanders understand that te reo Maori and tikanga Maori are essential components of this country’s heritage. While they define Maori identity in particular, they are integral to the identity of all New Zealanders. This poetic language supports the development and celebration of our national identity, enhances the mana whenua of our indigenous people and contributes to a creative and successful economy. Ka mau te wehi! Ka Hikitia 2008-2012 reports that for all the positive indications of change, only three per cent of New Zealanders can actually converse in te reo Maori. If this is to change, all schools will need to provide their students with the opportunities to learn te reo Maori that are available through curriculum. There is this whole idea of promoting Mori, using te reo and normalising it. But for many of us kaiako, we have very little
Kaiako are expected to teach Maori but not provided with training to do so te reo Maori and are fearful of it. Many kaiako haven’t had an opportunity to learn any reo. In teaching colleges there is very little time to even nail the basic words, never mind learn a language, and very often we teach by simply regurgitating the same simple words picked up in college. We do have some quality te reo resources in our kura but part of the frustration is that the resources need “unpacking” and there is some basic knowledge of te reo needed to implement and organise these into sequential lesson plans. There has been some tension in the education industry because the Ministry of Education expects kura to teach Maori language but doesn't provide any extra professional development to do so at the level at which they are teaching it. Any extra Maori resource comes out of the
operational grant, the same as all other school needs. Meanwhile, the government allocated $10 million over five years to support the teaching of Asian languages in schools, starting in 2014. The government also has an agreement through the New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement to part fund 12 Mandarin language assistants to teach Mandarin. We are aware that we have trade agreements but we also have a Treaty agreement! So with all of this background scenario I decided to look at this and come up with a way that I could help. During the past ten years I have been teaching te reo in mainstream classes from years zero to eight, using Ka hikitia as one of my guiding documents and of course Te Aho Arataki Marau ma te Ako i Te Reo
There were no paid roles or occupations for this kind of work so I started my own; I interviewed myself then gave myself the job! Facilitating workshops and working in schools allowed me to share lots of the second language learning theory, but the unsatisfying aspect was that there was no ongoing support for attendees, feedback or feed forward. Also there are limited schools to engage with as it is Maori that is usually on the bottom of the list for professional development. For all of the above reasons, I decided to set up a digital te reo Maori classroom. Resources are free and include second language pedagogy, games and activities, current educational themes and theories, topical kaupapa and how it relates to teaching te reo, e.g. growth mindset, Please join me in www. thetereomaoriclassrooom.co.nz to help nga tamariki and kura/ kaiako gain confidence in using our native language.
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Teaching Resources | Broadcasting
Using in-house broadcasting to engage your school community
Every school day at 8am, 15 students report for duty at Cactus TV, the in-house broadcasting program at Glen Eden Intermediate School (GEIS). Together they work through the items for that morning’s news cast, ready to go live when the bell rings at 8.45am. Two students present the news while others are on duty for research, vision mixing, sound, cameras, visuals, teleprompt, floor managing and directing. The students are eleven and 12 years old – and totally at ease with the running of a broadcasting studio. It’s a set up that is featuring at an increasing number of schools around New Zealand. One of the more popular applications of video technology is daily news bulletins featuring sporting and cultural events and other activities from around the school. The bulletins are usually filmed with a green screen backdrop which is digitally replaced in real time to look like they’re sitting in a professional newsroom environment. The bulletins are streamed live to a secure web
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At Gencom, leading suppliers of broadcasting equipment, staff say that school pupils who are involved in a broadcasting programme benefit in many ways.
GEIS won the Fair Go school ad awards in 2015 page that students are able to access with a username and password. It’s also popular to film sporting events and stream them online for families and friends to watch live or on demand. It is now very easy and inexpensive to film with multiple cameras and switch between the different shots like you see on TV. You can even include simple on-screen graphics for live scoring and team branding. At GEIS, broadcasting is voluntary
work – and it’s highly sought after – more than 400 applications for 100 places every six months. Students timetable themselves for duty using the online roster, and in general take ownership of the show, says program leader Alan Diprose. He’s the school’s video production specialist and he set up Cactus 21 years ago. The school has built up an impressive collection of technical equipment and recently won a $7000 smart TV, first prize for their winning entry into the 2015 Fair Go school ad awards.
“Creating TV is highly enjoyable for the students as the action happens in real time and the results of their efforts can be seen instantly,” says general manager David Barnard. “Film production requires teamwork and students benefit from learning to work together as a group in a cooperative way. Each job on-set is unique and yet all jobs are equally as important. As students rotate through the different roles from director to camera person, graphics operator, cable runner and talent, they’re gaining exposure and developing a broad set of skills. In working with the technical equipment they gain computer and electrical skills in a fun and practical way, and putting the media spotlight on school activities compels the students to develop an active interest in what is going on around them and what others are doing.” That’s exactly what’s happening at GEIS. Year eight student Jessika Wanden-Hannay started
Broadcasting | Teaching Resources
a weekly sports section for the school broadcast to acknowledge student achievement. “It’s a way of recognising student success in and out of school, and it’s great to see the impact it has on the kids we feature. One boy told me that after he had been on the show he had kids going up to him to say congratulations.”
throughout the country both directly and through re-sellers such as Sitech Systems. Sitech is currently working with one school in particular that has had a radio station for several years. “They do very well with it and in fact it is an integrated part of their learning process with regular broadcasts to the classrooms and community on some specialist language subjects,” says managing director Garry Leet. “The radio stations also do especially well when installed in low decile schools, where they help students with their diction and confidence building. One principal from a low decile school confided that the radio station was the single best piece of equipment she had purchased in 15 years of being a principal.”
GEIS principal Maree Stavert says the biggest benefit of the program is in keeping all members of the 1029-student school in touch. “It’s about communication and building a sense of community. We have 33 classes and we all start the day with the same information about what is happening.” News is broadcast each morning and there are feature slots depending on what’s happening in the school. For example, during Samoan Language Week, two students taught the whole school some Samoan culture and language. Mr Barnard says video technology is also a valuable tool for administration to improve communication and engagement with students, parents and faculty. “Effective video production is a way to get students excited and engaged, and give parents a view of what their child’s daily life is like. It’s also a self-fulfilling marketing tool. It offers a way to show off what’s exciting and different about a school and its stakeholders. It’s also a great teaching tool –
not just for learning about video but for learning about anything. From recording guest lectures (or streaming them in from far away) to producing documentaries as class projects, video provides a new canvas for learning – and the best projects can be retained to help teach future students.” Happily, the set up costs continue to fall. “While it was certainly possible to make high-quality video on a tight budget ten years ago, the quality and usefulness that can be achieved for the same price today is at a whole different
level,” says Mr Barnard. “In 2006, an “entry-level” setup would have been a standard definition handy cam and an iMac to edit on. Some basic graphics could have been done, but forget about green screen and forget about live. To build a TV studio with live switching, graphics, and green screen would have cost $50,000 or more. Today you can get going with high definition video and live streaming around the school or out to the internet for a small fraction of that.” Gencom supplies to schools
While the GEIS students pick up all sorts of skills in production and direction, technical skill is not a prerequisite for a place on Cactus. “I try to spread it around to include a mixture of abilities and also those students who need a boost in confidence,” says Mr Diprose. “Everyone looks out for everyone else and they feel like they’re part of something." “Student agency is a key value here; instead of being told, the students do the driving,” says Ms Stavert. “They are making decisions for themselves and taking ownership of their learning.” By Anna Clements, Industry Reporter
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Food & Beverage | Case Study – Manurewa High School
Students cook their way to career excellence Cooking is a very serious subject at Manurewa High School, third time champions of the prestigious ServiceIQ Secondary Schools’ Excellence Award, at this year’s NZ Chefs’ National Salon in Auckland. The school’s talented culinary teams won gold in 2012 and 2013. With their repeat top performance this year, Daisy Chandra, head of learning area hospitality and catering at Manurewa High School is pleased she had a special shelf built to display the grand trophy. Their recipe for success is a lot of hard work and a professional attitude that wouldn’t be out of place for an Olympic athlete. “We are here to win and we motivate our students to succeed,” says Daisy. "All students are reminded that they need to focus and achieve high standards." Daisy has been at the school for 16 years and works with hospitality teacher and trained chef Sara Blackburn to help their students successfully achieve ServiceIQ’s levels one, two and three in cookery, and food and beverage training programmes. Creating award-winning dishes is all about maintaining motivation. “Sara and I spend good quality time with our students, including one-on-one help when we can. They do their own research for the competition and we stand by as mentors. Some have a natural ability and catch on really fast, while others need a bit more assistance.” So committed are the staff that they start early, finish late, work weekends, and lend a helping hand by giving students a lift home after an extra-long cooking class or driving them to cooking competitions. Studying cooking at school is a perfect entrée to a rewarding career: throughout the past few years, about half of the
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school’s hospitality students have transitioned to roles in hospitality – as café and restaurant chefs, cooks in catering businesses, food and beverage managers and flight attendants. Many former students now working in industry,
come back to help mentor the aspiring young chefs currently in school. Ms Chandra graduated from Otago University with a bachelor in consumer and applied science
and completed a chef scholarship at a tertiary institute. She now champions in-school and on-job hospitality training: “It’s great. Our students gain important skills at school and we help them into jobs.” The school also has a fantastic Gateway programme which facilitates level three cookery students into six weeks’ work experience at GateGourmet, the catering company supplying food to the airlines. Last year, four students graduated and gained full-time roles with the catering business. Manurewa High School hospitality students also gain valuable experience from working in the school’s full-scale commercial kitchen that includes 24 work stations. The students refine their skills by cooking for the school’s café, major functions and events, and catering for staff and other guests in the 26-seat restaurant which operates in the second term. “We just do it all because it’s part of what we teach our students,” says Ms Chandra. Full marks indeed. By Gary Bowering, Service IQ
GIVE YOUR STUDENTS
SKILLS FOR LIFE
Skills for Life is a great booklet we’ve produced for teachers, career counsellors and school principals. It outlines the fantastic in-school programmes and resources designed by ServiceIQ’s education experts to help your students get a job, and kick-start a satisfying career in New Zealand’s vibrant service sectors: tourism, aviation, hospitality, travel and retail. Chefs, Maitré d’s, pilots, tourism operators, flight attendants, aviation engineers, retail managers and more. Skills for Life
ServiceIQ Schools Programmes A HANDBOOK TO HELP YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS
GET YOUR COPY TODAY
To get a copy of Skills for Life, email marketing@ ServiceIQ.org.nz. Or talk to our dedicated schools team about the right options for your students.
Call 0800 863 693 or visit serviceiq.org.nz/schools
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Food & Beverage Supplier Profile | Sanitarium Healthier Vending Initiative
Taking Charge: Stories of Driving to Success! Alfriston College Principal, Robert Solomone is proud of the achievements of his year 13 learners who committed to working with the school’s Careers/Gateway Department to gain their learner’s level driver’s licences.
licence program and 60 per cent of those passing and the others being eligible for resits; this is a work in progress with a target of a 100 per cent pass rate. In addition, more than 25 learners who have been on a waiting list can now go ahead and begin working towards gaining a driver’s licence.
Given the number of learners who wanted to learn to drive, it was an expensive program and also required clever logistics of transporting learners to and from the local Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ) station. To meet the cost, Alfriston College utilised partner proceeds from the Sanitarium vending partnership initiative to enable learners to “drive to a successful career”. Many families within the wider Manurewa region of South Auckland struggle to find funds for rent and food, let alone cover fees for driving lessons and, as a result, many learners cannot get driving licences and therefore miss many employment opportunities. Without a licence, they are also restricted to tertiary education and job training within south Auckland. The “driving to success” programme is changing all this, and there is more coming through - in the future Alfriston College learners will be able to gain NCEA credits for getting a driving licence. Changes to the NCEA framework means that student are able to gain two credits towards NCEA level one by passing the learner licence theory test, four credits towards NCEA level two by earning a practical restricted licence, and a further two credits towards NCEA 2 by gaining a full licence. Careers/Gateway leader, Solomon Ah-Young says the school has been championing the concept of “driving to a successful career” for some time now. Even more important now are the efforts to build collaborative partnerships between the commercial sectors and education so that work-based initiatives at the college represent a realistic response to a matrix of economic and socio-political factors for when learners start looking for employment. “Our school is proud to see many learners achieving at all levels and this initiative in partnership with Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing is designed to eventually authenticate
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Term 3 - 2016
It is obvious the learners are fond of Mr Ah-Young; they say they appreciate how he is frank with them. “We do what we can do,” says Mr Ah-Young. “I’m an optimist.” He doesn’t dodge tough issues, but tackles them straight on. “The decisions they make now will make a difference later.” Each school day, many learners will connect in some way with the Careers/Gateway Department to update their career plans, book in for their driver’s licence times, arrange work experience and placements and discuss their transition from high school to the big wide world. learners who have passed the different levels, eligible for the credits at the different levels and these credits can added to their learning record,” says Mr Solomone. So far, the partnership has yielded more than $3000 in under one year, all of which has gone towards the
learners gaining driving licences. Mr Ah-Young says, “We could not do it without the partnership proceeds income; the school 2016 budgets would not have been able to direct new funding towards this initiative,” The program has enabled 21 learners being engaged in a tutored learner
“We want them to be aware of the consequences of their decisions,” says Mr Ah-Young. “It’s really, really important that they understand where they are heading in their lives. I make a conscious decision to connect with the learners, to know the learners and find out where they’re at.”
Food & Beverage
The Sanitarium partnership not only helps the learners to make healthy choices but to make a practical step towards the workforce. Mr Ah-Young says he is “truly gratified” to be able to make a difference in the learners’ lives.
Success stories Seanoa Iosua almost left high school at the age of 16 years, not because he didn’t think schooling was valuable, but because traditional schooling wasn’t an enjoyable learning experience for him – until he met Mr Ah-Young. “I was only attending school for the sake of it because I wasn’t enjoying the rest of it. My big passion is to become a general practitioner, and I also love music, but I couldn’t even get into the music course I liked because I had no qualifications and I needed my NCEA level 2,” says Seanoa. Within a week of registering with the school’s Careers/Gateway Department, I was offered support and encouragement that met my individual goals. I have a plan to go to Auckland University to study to be a GP when I finish school and also find work experience at Middlemore Hospital. “Mr Ah-Young has been amazing; he gave me so many options to pursue and before I knew it I was enrolled into the driver’s licence course .I have now completed my NCEA level 1, level 2, my learner driver licence and updated my curriculum vitae – and By the end of the year I will also achieve NCEA level 3 with my driver’s licence!” “The Careers/Gateway Department gives you a real sense of knowing what the goal posts are, and those who work with us are very focussed on guiding young people towards fulfilment as
well as achievement.” Seanoa’s, story is one of many - his individual needs were met, and his success is now an inspiration to those around him. “My confidence and self-esteem was quite low and I didn’t have much hope for a future. But look at me now – I feel better, my confidence is high and I also have lots of focus and direction which is cool. I also know that I’ve been a good influence on family and friends. My success has influenced my best friend to return to her education and she is now studying hospitality full-time!” Since finishing high school, Lastly Togafau has been trying to figure out what career she should pursue. She recently completed a Gateway placement at Novotel Hotel as part of this pathway. She is currently exploring her options and is interested in courses through NZ School of Tourism but is also looking at the options available through in-house training programmes offered by the large hotel groups. Her experience through the Gateway programme has helped her decide that her passion is definitely in the travel and tourism industry.
“I understand now all the options available to me and that to work in this industry it is very important that I had a drivers licence as hours will often mean that I will work shifts and be able to get to and from work safely. My plan is to continue doing the best I can in my final year at school and to work on myself on a personal level.” Before coming to Alfriston College, Isaiah Time, talked to a friend who was doing a Bachelor of Business degree at Victoria University. “I would like to manage and own my business start-up one day and move on to studying at a university. I still haven’t really made up my mind where I am going yet, but my options are most likely to be AUT University or possibly Victoria University. I will go to Wellington if I can find a scholarship, and I am so thankful to the Careers/Gateway department for giving me the opportunity to get a driver’s licence so that I can get around. I can imagine the possibilities of what I can do with my own business now I’ve got my licence, and I can help provide a means of income and employment for my parents and family. I have loved my time at Alfriston College.
The good thing is, with great support from Mr Ah-Young and the Careers/ Gateway Department, I can now put all the theory and observations I learned from my work placements and experience into real life. It was amazing to see the difference it made – there is so much more to business than just hanging around at school! The bond I have forged with everyone at Alfriston College has been really rewarding. I also enjoyed making friends with my fellow learners during our classroom days, and when I leave it will be like leaving family.” “I met many great people, learned a lot and also found a career that I thoroughly enjoy. Having this licence means I am now more employable and I now realise that it would have been very difficult to find work after I finish Year 13 if I was not focussed on ‘Driving for Success’. There were a couple of reasons for that – firstly I didn’t have any driver’s licence and secondly, because I am truly thankful for what Alfriston College has done to help myself and keeping us all on our toes and to fully prepare us for life after school.”
Supporting Local Communities Sanitarium Healthier Vending Partnership Initiative: Making a difference for our children, making a difference for our schools and paying dividends for life. CALL: EMAIL: POST:
0800 UPANDGO (0800 872 646) vending.enquiry@sanitarium.co.nz Sanitarium Health&Wellbeing, Attn: Sanitarium Healthier Vending Partnerships, Private Bag 91217, Victoria St, West Auckland, 1142 VISIT US: 124 Pah Rd, Royal Oak, Auckland
Term 3 - 2016
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Food & Beverage | School Canteens
Your canteen menu: a step-by-step guide When’s the last time you looked closely at the quality of your school canteen menu? It’s an important question because 50 per cent of Kiwi children regularly purchase food from their school canteen. Serving healthy food to students makes a big difference to their ability to learn in the classroom, and their ability to form long-lasting healthy eating habits. Your menu really does matter.
Planning – the recipe for success Careful planning is essential. By considering factors such as who your customers are, what resources you have, and what foods are available in each season, you’ll end up with a menu that ticks all the boxes. Many school canteens work to tight budgets, with small margins. Planning a menu can help you stick to budget by scheduling “specials” and ordering ingredients nice and early, which saves you making costly and unexpected top-up purchases throughout the week.
to feedback from students and staff. It’s also a great way to provide a record of the meals you’ve served up over time.
Let’s get started
Planning can also help you make best use of your staff. Food preparation and serving time in school canteens is often tight and, by knowing what meals are being served and when, you can book in staff accordingly.
The aim is to create a menu that offers some core items that rarely change, while providing variety through tasty seasonal and daily specials. We want to meet students’ nutritional needs but also keep them happy and satisfied. Not an easy task, but it is possible!
Furthermore, using a planned menu makes it easier to evaluate and improve your menu according
Here are some things to think about when planning your menu:
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•
Customer characteristics: think about your students’ nutritional requirements, preferences, cultural and religious backgrounds and special diets, such as vegetarianism
•
Food characteristics: consider variety and taste, appearance, cultural and social acceptability, seasonal variations, ease of serving at peak times, and cost
•
What do your customers actually want?
•
Resources: what do you have available in terms of
finance, staffing, preparation and cooking facilities, and storage capacity?
Now it’s time to plan the menu: 1.
Decide on your menu structure. Will your canteen be open for breakfast, morning tea and lunch? What kinds of foods will you offer at these times? And are there any special events or school theme days you need to factor in?
2.
Download a template from www.fuelled4life.org.nz, or if your menu is small and you
School Canteens | Food & Beverage
need to plan only sandwiches and rolls, try developing your own template. 3.
Refer to old menus, customer feedback, and recipe ideas from the Fuelled4life website and Fuelled4life School Catering Guide.
Now write in each menu item in turn:
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Fill in standard items that are the same every day
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Plan the main hot dish or dishes
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Plan hot snack items for morning and afternoon tea
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Plan sandwiches and/or rolls for lunch time
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Plan other items such as salads, sushi and cold snacks
4.
Look at the menu and make sure you don’t have repetitions of major ingredients, and that
you have provided a wide range of flavours and colours. (Variety will keep your students from getting bored!) 5.
Consider gaining customer feedback through a questionnaire, or student and staff forums. Revise the menu periodically based on the feedback.
How can Fuelled4life help? Fuelled4life is based on the Ministry of Health’s Food and Beverage Classification System (FBCS). It’s a free, practical tool which helps schools provide healthier foods. It aims to increase access for young people to healthier food and beverages, and to inspire food
services to provide tasty, nutritious products. Foods classified as “everyday” are those which are low in energy, fat and salt, and therefore appropriate for everyday consumption. “Sometimes” foods and drinks are those which are still good choices but are a bit higher in energy, saturated fat and salt and so should be eaten in moderation. “Sometimes” foods and drinks should not dominate the choices available.
Sign up to Fuelled4life One in three Kiwi kids is overweight or obese, but you can help change that.
If you are a teacher, principal, canteen manager, caterer or cook and would like to see your school offering healthier food and beverages, here’s what to do:
•
Sign up to Fuelled4life for loads of free resources to help you choose healthier options.
•
You’ll also get free access to the Fuelled4life website and newsletter with tips, recipes, special deals and information on ways to improve nutrition in your school.
For more information or oneto-one nutrition support, please contact the Fuelled4life team on 09 526 8550, email larissab@ heartfoundation.org.nz or go to www.fuelled4life.org.nz By Heart Foundation NZ
AffOrDabLe HeaLthy Food in Your SchOoL. Here’s how.
Fuelled4life is a practical tool that can be used to identify and offer healthier food choices to children. Sign up today at www.fuelled4life.org.nz to receive our many free resources.
wWw.FuellEd4liFe.oRg.nZ Term 3 - 2016
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49
External Learning | Out of School Care
Working with your out of school care service Out of school care programs are a fixture in many New Zealand primary schools. While the school day officially stretches from 9am to 3pm, the reality is that many children spend up to five hours each day in group care programs before and after school. For an increasing number, the day of supervised, group care and instruction begins at 7am and continues until 6pm – long days for small people. It is imperative, therefore, that the care programs are of high quality and providing genuine home away from hometype services. While not all schools provide the out of school care, they are inextricably linked by association with those either on-site, neighbouring or providing pick-up services, and are well advised
to collaborate with the service to ensure that good standards are maintained. Out of school care and recreation services (OSCAR) have been without a governing body since the OSCAR Foundation closed in 2012, however the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is stepping in to fill the void. Since December, 2015, it has been trialling a new set of standards and these are scheduled to be in place by October this year. Under the new process, OSCAR providers are required to meet:
•
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Level 3 Social Sector Accreditation Standards, and the new MSD Specialist Accreditation Standard: Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) programs.
Where applicable, OSCAR providers will also have to meet:
•
the MSD Specialist Accreditation Standard: Outdoor Pursuits and Camp programs for Children and Young People.
The roll-out of the new standards do not affect current approval statuses.
Caregivers To qualify for an OSCAR subsidy, caregivers must apply to Work and Income New Zealand and provide evidence that they:
1.
Are the main carer of a dependent child
2.
Do not have a partner who can provide childcare, and
3.
Are a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand
The child must be between the ages of five and 13, and in a registered OSCAR programme for at least three hours a week. The subsidy is then means tested with a maximum rate of $4 payable per hour for up 50 hours per week. OSCAR programs are run by all kinds of small and large organisations - community groups, private businesses, franchises, local government, marae, schools and churches, and are intended to provide care and recreation before and after school, during school holidays, and away on camps.
Bizzy Bodz Bizzy Bodz Ltd is an Aucklandbased business which began operating 12 years ago, in 2005. It offers quality before and after school care and holiday
Surfing Education for Schools Our objective is to teach and develop surfing skills for Primary, Intermediate and Secondary Schools, coaching students to be active and have fun in the ocean by increasing ‘Beach Safety’ through the enjoymeny of learning how to surf.
We offer NCEA Achievement Standards, surf tours, ‘Beach Surf Safety’ days and can assist your school camp or day excursion.
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P: 09 434 3843 M: 027 734 4877 surf@oneillsurfacademy.co.nz www.oneillsurfacademy.co.nz Surfing Northland, Matakana & Orewa
Out of School Care | External Learning
programs in “a fun, safe, caring and organised environment” in 12 Auckland schools. It is not a franchise, and is operated by director Jo Adamson and her team. All programs are operated from school sites and are approved by Child Youth and Family (CYF), enabling parents to access the WINZ OSCAR subsidy. Mrs Adamson says all staff are very carefully selected, are police checked and hold a current first aid certificate. “The programs are an important part of the school community, particularly for working families, and we value the important role the programs play in the lives of the children in our care. Communication with their families is vital in ensuring the continuing high quality of all programs.
“Our programs are structured – children are provided with a nutritious afternoon tea, free time, supervised homework time and access to quality, organised activities such as art and craft, games, baking and sports. Holiday programs have trips
twice a week from each venue, to places such as films, swimming, ice skating, roller skating, beaches, as well as specialist entertainment venues. “We also invite guests in to keep everyone entertained and busy, such as travelling farmyards,
ceramics tutors, clowns, balloon artists, artists, beadmaker, as well as loads of fun in-house activities. These range from drama, art and craft, to board games, quizzes, cooking, baking, sports, games and many more. And we do not have TV.”
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External Learning | EOTC
How building community connections grows resilient kids Technology is undoubtedly a wonderful thing. It allows us to connect, communicate, research and access entertainment at the literal press of a button. Conversely, excessive use of technology can cause us to disconnect from ourselves, from knowing who we are and how to relate to those around us. Given that we cannot stem the digital tide, it has become increasingly important to be mindful about making and maintaining physical connections. This is especially pertinent in a school setting, in which many students have only ever known a world of Google, smart phones and apps. They are laser fast digital learners, but a growing number have few physical social networks. Families continue to decrease in size with 16 per cent of children “onlies” and 31 per cent living in one-parent families. Added to this, family time continues to be whittled
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activities are not likely to be an option. However, the need to be part of a family, to have friends and to belong in a community has not diminished. Psychologists call this “sense of community” (SoC) and identify it as an important predictor of well-being. In fact, researchers from Auckland University found that “feeling like one belongs and is accepted in meaningful social groups is reliably linked to well-being and health-related outcomes”. William Pike away by the demands of work and, in some cases, commuting. Outside the home, access to opportunities for connection with the community is restricted by the ability to pay with most sports clubs and music groups requiring membership fees. Given that 16 per cent of children (128,000) in New Zealand live in households with an annual income of $20,000 or less, these types of community
It is this vital sense of belonging that is key to the William Pike Challenge Award (WPCA), a framework designed to help schools run highly successful programs for Education Outside of the Classroom (EOTC). The WPCA’s focus is to create conditions in which students can gain resilience, connectedness, leadership and a growth mindset. The schools are provided with support, resources and motivation to establish and
facilitate their own program. “Our flexible structure helps passionate educators deliver purposeful EOTC to develop a positive youth culture. By participating in the WPCA, youth embrace new challenges, develop life skills, knowledge and awareness of their community,” says director William Pike. Students in years seven, eight and nine participate in five outdoor activities led by the school, 20 hours of community service and passion projects. Outdoor activities are unique to each school, they are encouraged to use their own ‘backyard’. “Research shows that for positive youth development to occur, youth need to have an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging and to be valued. This can be achieved through making a contribution to their community. Community service is an integral part of the WPCA. It is through this service that students
EOTC | External Learning
establish strong connections across home, school, peer and community life,” says Mr Pike. Feedback from teachers testify to the program's impact: “The nice thing is that the connection has grown and is now particularly strong,” reports Marika Karshagen, deputy principal of Ngahinapouri School in Ohaupo. “Locals know our year eights do community service and I’ll get emails asking for help. We have a local apple farmer and he’ll let us know if there are apples on the ground which the kids can pick up and take to the Salvation Army or wherever. I constantly get requests for them to do this or that and many of my kids work all over, stacking firewood and all sorts of things which in my view is real community service because it is their community.” And while the community is
benefitting, those who gain the most are the kids, say teachers. “One of the best ideas is helping out the community - doing something for somebody else,” says one. “I, like William, totally agree that in helping other people you build your self-esteem. I have seen that already so that
is probably one of the biggest pluses.”
“To have resilient youth using
“Key competencies sit naturally within the WPCA program,” says Mr Pike. “Community service gives students an engaging and authentic context to become contributors to the well-being of New Zealand.
to participate confidently in their
knowledge, skills and experience communities is a step forwards to ensure we have actively involved lifelong learners.” By Anna Clements, Industry Reporter
The WPCA framework creates the conditions to build resilience, connectedness, leadership and a growth mindset through outdoor challenges, community service and passion projects.
Educators and young people use our innovative software to track progress, save time and access resources.
TO BUILD RESILIENT, CONFIDENT AND CONNECTED KIWI KIDS, GO TO WWW.WILLIAMPIKE.CO.NZ TO LEARN MORE.
Term 3 - 2016
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External Learning | In School Visits
Bringing the wider world into your school As a child, the most exciting visitor I remember coming to school was a dentist. He showed us some pearly whites in a very large pair of pink gums. He exercised his secret dream of ventriloquism, as the pink gums reminded us to always brush our teeth. These days, schools open their doors to all sorts of wonderful and exciting visitors - authors, illustrators, All Blacks, singers, emergency workers to name but a few. Educational benefits of school events are plentiful, and an exciting visit to home turf also creates a sense of shared experience for students to remember. The students are in their familiar environment, which, especially for younger children, can help them adhere to expected standards of behaviour and concentration, and teachers can focus their attention on creating opportunities for learning around the visit. Some experiences just can’t be brought to school, and excursions have their place, but they require planning, coordination and contingencies, that preclude them from happening too often. Hosting in-school visits can allow teachers and staff to avoid the inevitable stress of excursions, without sacrificing learning outcomes. Interestingly, educators can get more out of an incursion by choreographing the event themselves. “It’s much harder
New Zealand Playhouse brings a hilarious theatrical experience directly into the lives of your students, with a blend of drama, song and dance that is extremely entertaining theatre. Performing to more than 700 schools across New Zealand and Australia, New Zealand Playhouse makes it easy for you, while providing your students with the best. The popular and engaging company has productions to suit all ages.
In 2017, Playhouse will delight primary school audiences, and their teachers, with Puss In Boots: Pet Detective. Goldilocks is accused of the crime of the century – but did she do it? High school students will enjoy a laugh-a-minute re-telling of The Great Gatsby featuring beautiful people, riches and the decadence of the 1920s jazz era in Great Scott Fitzgerald! Gatsby Unleashed.
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The plays are high energy, interactive and wickedly witty. “I cried laughing. Such a treat!” praised Te Puru School in Waikato.
New Zealand Playhouse provides outstanding theatre that is simple to book and has schools inviting the cast back for more. “Definitely one of the best I have seen in nearly 30 years' teaching,” said Brightwater School in Nelson.
A magical theatrical experience that will inspire your students long after they’ve gone, the actors’ performances are inspirational and motivating, spilling over into the classroom and playground. The magic that happens on stage transports them for one hour, but students will talk about it for ages. “Wonderful energy, highly entertaining and a genuine learning experience,” said Katikati College in Tauranga.
The scripts are of the highest calibre, carefully crafted to maximise engagement and full of humour that appeals to children and hard-to-please teens.
For some students, these performances might be the only taste of theatre they get – so let's make it great for them.
to take kids out and get an experience. If you bring someone in, you actually have the resource right there, and you’re not at the whim of the place you’re visiting. You can actually tailor it to what your needs are,” says Kerrie Kirwan, a year four teacher at a school in Queensland, Australia.
le to book tandingly entertaining theatre • Simp your students long after we’ve gone •• Outs ring inspi and ging enga Interactive, hilarious, 000 students across 700 schools per year • New Zealand Playhouse entertains 150, W AT NZPLAYHOUSE.CO.NZ
BOOK YOUR SHOW NO
New Zealand Playhouse brings high energy, interactive theatre to your school
Ms Kirwan recalled a visit from an Indigenous educator, Lyndon Davis, who worked with all years in completely different ways. Her students were studying My Place, a piece of curriculum material that explores a place a child called home, but at different times through history. “With Lyndon they talked about this place [their school] and what it was like before white people arrived.” With the younger students, he conducted a dance workshop in their own environment. “So in this way, it also represents value for money.” Teachers spend their lives presenting and interpreting the world for their students. They find, select and present content, themes and ideas to their students on a daily basis. Through multimedia, students access enormous amount of information, but sometimes, you just can’t beat the real thing. Humans have always learnt best
by doing and emulating, and while education has changed, we haven’t so much. As Benjamin Franklin famously said: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” In-school visits can tie into the curriculum of any subject, be it science based, history, geometry or performing arts. Types of incursions include, but are certainly not limited to, a palaeontologist excavating your school, a theatre workshop, a colourful African drumming session, creating a worm farm at school, cooking workshops, endangered wildlife presentation, or an Indigenous education program. The possibilities are endless, and all add to the real life context of your curriculum, brightening up your school for the day, with excitement and engagement for all year groups. By Suzy Barry, Industry Reporter
Staying Active | Sports & Recreation
Why you need to keep moving Contrary to our image of being healthy, outdoors types, New Zealanders are worryingly unfit - the third most sedentary in recent research of more than a million people worldwide. Only people in the USA and China recorded worse results.
24 to 30, and another 30 minutes from ages 30 to 55.
Every beat counts
Total sitting time before 6pm
Wireless Heart Rate + Activity Wristband
US - 5hr 47min (5.783)
2.
China - 5hr 45min (5.75)
Teachers, with their heavy workloads and long working hours, are among the many workers who struggle to find the time to stay active and healthy, yet the perils of not doing so are literally life-threatening.
3.
NZ - 5hr 35min (5.583)
4.
UK - 5hr 29min (5.483)
5.
Canada - 5hr 25min (5.416)
6.
India - 5hr 23min (5.383)
7.
France - 5hr 15min (5.25)
Research shows that even with appropriate levels of physical activity, sitting for prolonged periods of time is associated with a significantly higher risk of heart disease, and each hour of sitting increases chances of heart disease by 14 per cent.
8.
Italy - 5hr 12min (5.20)
9.
Australia - 5hr 10min (5.166)
These findings, released by fitness gadget manufacterer Fitbit, reveal that on average, worldwide, people are sedentary for around 90 minutes at a time.
10. Spain - 5hr 2min (5.03) There are however, some simple ways in which you can adjust daily habits to improve your health.
See heart rate 24/7 to get more accurate all-day calorie burn, reach your target workout intensity, maximize training with simplified zones and get all day health insights.. See all the best stats like steps, distance, floors climbed and sleep quality to make the most of your day. Stay connected with Caller ID and wirelessly sync to your smartphone and computer to monitor trends. Get the motivation you need to push yourself further —every step, every beat, every day.
Start Workweek Hustle challenges in the Fitbit app with your coworkers, motivating everyone to get up during the day and increase their step count.
Email less, talk more
The three most sedentary times for New Zealanders were found to be:
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Pre-lunch: 11:00am-11:45am
Enjoy the sunshine
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Afternoon lag: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
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Post-dinner plunge: 7:45pm - 8:45pm
Out of all those surveyed, total sedentary time increased rapidly between ages 20 and 24, by about an hour during those years. Total sedentary time continued to increase with age, by about 30 minutes from ages
Make every beat count with Charge HR—an advanced tracking wristband that gives you automatic, continuous heart rate and activity tracking right on your wrist – all day, during workouts and beyond.
Challenge your co-workers
There are times when emails are necessary, but often a quick chat with someone will work just as well. So next time you’re tempted to ping an email to someone down the hall, get up and go to ask them in person. Your step count will thank you.
In New Zealand, the average time of being sedentary in one day was five hours and 35 minutes.
GIVEAWAY
However, this reduced after age 55, right when people were starting to reach retirement age.
1.
So it isn’t enough to squeeze in an occasional morning jog or an evening workout, the key is to move around at regular intervals during the day.
Fitbit Charge HR
RRP: NZ
$259.95
If you have willing participants, take things outside by going for a short walk for your meeting – studies show that walking improves creativity.
Stand up every hour Make sure you get up at some point during every hour, even if just to stretch or walk around for a few minutes. Walking to meetings or grabbing another cup of coffee counts!
To enter visit www.schoolnews.co.nz entries close 30th September 2016
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Health & Safety | Teacher Wellbeing
Staying sane when your workload is crazy
Ian Vickers Assistant Principal, Sancta Maria College, Auckland teacherwellbeingnz@gmail.com
While much of the population seems to be under the impression that teachers work six-hour days and have masses of holidays, the reality is that many in the profession are buckling under the strain of long hours and heavy workloads. Indeed, a recent survey of teachers in New Zealand revealed that many - 35 per cent of respondents – feel stressed or anxious most of the time at work, and that most, 79 per cent, cite workload as their biggest burden. Other big stressors were pressure from management, student behaviour and student needs. The research, undertaken by lobby group Save Our Schools, revealed that one third of teachers felt stressed by lack of support in the workplace. Not such a cruisy job after all. Teachers’ comments included “too many meetings…three a week”, “the paperwork (sometimes in duplicate) takes over”, and “Not enough time in the day to complete everything that needs to be done.”
How then can a teacher maintain wellbeing? Ian Vickers, deputy principal of Sancta Maria College, has long been urging education leaders to better support teachers and says that even some simple tweaks within school settings can greatly improve teacher wellbeing. “Teaching is a tough and very demanding job, with most of us working on average around 54 hours per week,” he says. “So whilst we work on fixing and reducing the main causes of staff stress and angst, we also look to giving some support of the symptoms of having a busy professional life.” Here are Mr Vicker’s guide to maintaining school wellbeing
Follow new health and safety guidelines Find out whether your Board of Trustees has started work on key component nine of HSWA
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achieve them by involving all staff and board members, all year.
Keep whims in check
2015, that is to take a “proactive approach to ensuring that staff, volunteers and workers can actively manage their own health and wellbeing”. Ask your principal how this is proceeding.
Check in with your colleagues Survey staff about their particular stresses and concerns at work. There are a few online surveys you can use such as that in the Wellbeing@School toolkit.
Meetings, meetings, meetings Are there too many meetings and are you overwhelmed with general administration? This comes directly from the school’s senior leadership team and middle managers. Do they know how to run an efficient and well directed meeting or are they random affairs that gobble up hour upon hour of time? Can general administration be delivered through other vehicles rather than the traditional talkfest staff meetings? Does the principal need professional learning (PL) to revise how to run an effective and efficient meeting?
Paperwork Paperwork is a headache for many teachers, particularly the workload that accompanies national standards/NCEA teaching and marking, NZQA and MoE documentation. There is no doubt that these contribute heavily to teachers’ health problems. Make 2016 the year your school reviews all layers of this area. Look at whether the number of assessments in subject
curriculums can be scaled back. Review how the assessment workload appears for a typical student. Can administrative staff assist teachers with data tasks?
Reports Traditional reports written every couple of terms take hours to write, more hours to proofread and a lot of time to organise to send home. In many schools this huge task is followed swiftly by several evenings of parent-teacher meetings. Can you prune this process? Use your online student/parent portals to regular update information on academic progress and achievement. Could you use your Open Day to showcase your school, bring in the community and also engage and connect with parents around their child’s learning?
Annual plans Every year, boards of trustees send their school’s annual plan to the MoE. Some principals enthusiastically list as many as eight goals as well as the business as usual goals. Although well-intentioned, this greatly increases the workload for all school staff and causes a stressful work environment as everyone scrambles to achieve the goals. In these settings, staff report confusion about how the goals link, and meetings which seesaw between unobtainable goals. Better to cut back on the number of goals and to intensify efforts to
I have worked with a few principals who loved launching new initiatives, especially after returning from a conference. The next staff meeting would be hijacked by the new idea and staff would be sent scurrying to implement changes. Inevitably the initiative would fizzle out after about a month, but not before staff stress levels had been heightened. Initiatives are great when well researched and introduced gradually, but too many in a short space of time is counterproductive.
Review your change process Change management takes time. As teachers we are great at bringing in new ideas, we have a few planning meetings and then launch our new idea. At the end of the year we think the change has been successfully executed without stopping to review the change process. It’s important to stop to plan the change process with generous timelines. Constant change is stressful for everyone. As I write this, Hekia Parata is in her 57th month as education minister. She is one of New Zealand’s longest-serving education ministers, the average length of service being just short of three years. Ms Parata’s six predecessors averaged only 22 months in the position so congratulations are in order on our minister’s staying power. I mention this because she now has a good grasp of the education portfolio and how things are in our schools. It is her time to make a difference and put some serious planning and major reforms into the significant issues that affect all teachers, senior leaders and principals. A good place to start would be to review teachers’ workloads and the levels of bureaucracy and red tape. Our focus as teachers needs to return to teaching and learning. I would like to think that as a member of a senior leadership team, we do try to reduce some
Teacher Wellbeing | Health & Safety
of the stress, workload and angst around some of the main causes mentioned above. Although we haven’t got it all figured out, I believe that we are making headway. So treat and reduce the causes where possible but I also advocate that we also treat some of the symptoms at the same time. To treat the symptoms, I like to refer to the work of James Harter of Gallup Management and his research on wellbeing. He points to the five essential elements of
wellbeing – career, financial, social, physical and community. I have used these broad strands in our wellbeing programme to support busy teachers with busy lives.
Physical - exercise themes, be active, nutritious lunches, drink water week, medical WOF checks, meditation, learn to STOP! and sleep advice
Each week, we have a different wellbeing theme with the aim of bringing some balance to life.
Social - random acts of kindness, special evenings with loved ones and friends, staff MasterChef challenge and leave early week
Career - time management, fight procrastination, work smarter not harder, avoid email week, fun in the classroom and laughter week Financial - Financial wellness seminar
staff appreciated and valued our wellbeing programme. Five years on, it is becoming embedded within the culture of our school. Have a splendid term three. The free 2016 Teacher Wellbeing Programme resources are
Community - new hobbies, gardening seminar, show and tell, attendance at spiritual events
still available so if you are
Feedback from a staff survey, revealed that 94 per cent of
and I’ll forward you electronic
interested please email me at teacherwellbeingnz@gmail.com copies.
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Health & Safety | First Aid
First Aid training for teachers and students When I worked for a group of preschools, one of our fouryear-olds saved his mother’s life. She had slipped into a diabetic coma and, after many hours of being unable to rouse her, the child had remembered instructions from police who had visited the preschool a couple of weeks earlier. “You dial 111 for help when there’s a fire or someone’s sick,” he recalled and, in textbook fashion, saved a life. This is first aid in its purest form - lifesaving help until medical expertise is available - and illustrates the importance of teaching even very young children some basic ways to cope with illness and injury. Accidents and medical emergencies can happen anywhere and at any time and, in a school awash with active children, they are inevitable. The key is in being able to respond adequately, and there are number of training courses available to teachers and students to help schools stay safe. And as Worksafe New Zealand points out, schools are required to do more than protect children and young people, teachers and other school staff have the same right to a healthy and safe work environment as the people using their services. By including first aid training in your workplace health and safety program, you not only meet your obligations, but also show your employees that you care.
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First Training provides courses in first aid education to students and teachers in a range of destinations throughout New Zealand. “We specialise in four-hour FASE (first aid for the school environment) courses for teachers covering the basics in dealing with accidents or incidents in the classroom, playground or in EOTC activities,” says managing director Jo Verheijen. Other courses are on offer too, ranging in length from one hour to three days, with all covering the basics of accident management, CPR, choking, bleeding, severe allergic reactions, medical conditions and injuries that are common in schools.
WE TEACH PEOPLE TO SAVE LIVES IN A FUN & INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT First Aid for the School Environment (FASE) 4-hour course held at your premises at times to suit you. This is a cost effective course designed to give teachers confidence to cope with medical emergencies and accidents at school or on suburban trips. This fits with staff development and is based on Ministry of Education guidelines.
For further information and pricing for all first aid courses please email info@first-training.co.nz or call us 0800 1ST AID www.first-training.co.nz
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person suffering asthma if they don’t have one?
“We run courses at a time to suit your group on week days and weekends, and all over New Zealand.” First Training also offers training courses for teachers, either a one-day workplace or a two-day workplace course lasting 12 hours spread over two days for those who go on school camps or work in a technology class, for example. However, tailored workshops can be arranged by request. “We teach everything from dealing with anaphylaxis to managing multiple casualties, recognising a broken bone and dealing with a badly bleeding cut. Anything can happen at school - and often does,” says Ms Verheijen. The good news is that first aid has gotten a lot simpler in the past two years, and a lot more common sense. Did you know that you can share your asthma inhaler with a
First Training can provide a program of learning experiences for intermediate school-aged children to empower them to act in an emergency. Instructors visit schools in many parts of New Zealand to provide young people with the skills and confidence to take action in response to an emergency situation. The program recognises the ability of children of all ages - to make a difference in an emergency situation. Modules on offer include responding in an emergency, disaster preparedness, accident prevention and injury care, and camping. The organisation is also developing new modules in caring for children and leadership, and caring in your community. First Training also specialise in outdoor first aid. This is an essential qualification for staff taking students on EOTC activities and school camps that go into remote areas. Outdoor first aid has NZQA credits for school students taking Outdoor Education in year 13. This is a very practical, handson course teaching students valuable skills for saving a life outdoors. By Anna Clements, Industry Reporter
Sun Smart | Health & Safety
Make your school cool – Be a SunSmart School It’s almost term four which means it’s time to remind staff and students to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap! Slip into some sun-protective clothing (a collared shirt and sleeves) and slip into some shade), slop on some sunscreen, slap on a broad-brimmed or bucket hat, or a cap with flaps, and wrap on some sunglasses. To help schools teach this message, the Cancer Society has SunSmart curriculum resources available online to download for free at www. sunsmartschools.org.nz These resources teach about and encourage behaviours that will protect children’s skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and getting sunburned. They are written by educational experts and are cross-curricular: numeracy, literacy, health, te reo and
science. They are also inquiry-based and can be used to assess National Standards. There are four PDFs available for free online, covering levels one to four of the New Zealand curriculum. For schools using these resources it’s learning by doing – there are hands-on lessons about the sun’s energy and how animals and humans adapt to it. There are also synthesis lessons, which develop new understanding and knowledge through inquiry. The SunSmart resources:
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develop numeracy and literacy skills
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provide opportunities to assess National Standards
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follow an inquiry approach.
Schools don’t have to be accredited to use them. They do help with teaching SunSmart knowledge
and behaviours though, and the Cancer Society hopes they will give teachers the confidence and tools to do this.
than the road toll. Too much sun exposure in childhood greatly increases the risk of developing skin cancer later in life.
If you or your school would like more information about the SunSmart Schools’ programme and access to the resources, please visit our website: www. sunsmartschools.org.nz
Students are in school when UVR levels are at their peak. Schools are uniquely placed to provide a sun-safe environment and educate students about sun protection behaviour that will reduce the risk of skin cancer.
Be a leader, Be a SunSmart School! Start protecting your children today. As part of the bigger health and safety picture, protecting students and staff from the sun is really important in terms one and four. UVR often goes above three in spring and summer, and can cause sunburn which in the longer term can result in skin cancer.
The SunSmart schools’ programme provides accreditation by the Cancer Society to New Zealand primary and intermediate schools. During the accreditation process, schools develop and implement a comprehensive sun protection policy and put SunSmart behaviours and education into practice.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of melanoma in the world, and the number of people dying of melanoma each year is greater
You can apply directly online and local Cancer Society staff will be in contact to help you with accreditation.
Be a healthy school - Become a SunSmart school For information and to join the accreditation programme, visit www.sunsmartschools.org.nz Being a SunSmart school shows that your school is: • committed to protecting students, staff and parents from the risks of ultraviolet radiation • raising awareness about the importance of skin protection in your community.
New online resource out soon Early childhood educators’ professional development module
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Property | Boarding Schools
Clever solutions for keeping boarding schools safe, efficient - yet still cosy Out of the 2,538 schools in New Zealand, 88 offer boarding facilities. Given the level of organisation involved in running a day school, one can only imagine the number of responsibilities assumed by principals of boarding schools. It’s a whole new level of duty with accountability for 24-hour security, accommodation, meals - and the ever present WiFi. All this while maintaining a feel of home away from home.
Accommodation Active and growing children need good quality sleep so cost-cutting on beds or mattresses is not an option. At St Mary’s Diocesan School in Stratford, an all girls’ school with capacity for 133 boarders, the chief consideration is beds suited to growing teenage girls that are also easy for them to
make, says principal Fiona Green. “Safety standards and attractive appearance are also vital. Underbed storage and a lockable cupboard are also important with adequate places to hang clothes and store valuables. Access to a plug for charging devices is also important.” Roger Harris, director of Haven Distributing Company Ltd which supplies product to boarding schools and university accommodation, agrees that safety, quality and space utilisation are essential considerations. “These are key components in the Haven designs. The development of space saving items, including under-bed storage, pull out, pop up and rollaway beds, extra use of tight spaces becomes extremely productive.” Security has been considered too, with the recently developed
Underbed Storage Locker designed for padlock use. Additionally, with air ventilation slots in both compartment ends, the contents are well aerated to offset any build-up of heat.
Furniture and linen Furniture for common rooms and dining areas in boarding schools need to be highly functional. “We select furniture that is primarily robust and value for money,” says Deb Bayliss, director of boarding at Southland Girls’ High School (SGHS). “We often buy second hand items but they need to be in very good condition and attractive, not ugly old stuff!” The SGHS hostel, Enwood House, is home to 112 teenage girls who provide their own linen and take it home to wash on weekends. “Those staying in for the weekend launder their own as girls prefer to
manage their own delicates etc. The hostel does have a selection of bed linen which we use during holidays for people hiring the hostel such as sports teams e.g pillows and duvets, but we hire the sheets and towels as we don't have the facilities to launder them and they provide such squeaky clean sheets and towels!” St Mary’s girls also supply their own linen as it helps them feel more at home, but it is washed on-site in commercial grade washing machines.
Catering If you thought that it was tricky to maintain a steady supply of nutritious meal for your family, imagine the logistics involved in keeping hundreds of busy teenagers well nourished. A school of 100 boarders needs to supply 2,100 meals each week, as well
Pinehurst School
Be SunSmart: 99% UV Protection
St John’s School Mairangi Bay
Sunnybrae Normal School
Dairy Flat School
Key benefits:
Outdoor Living Solutions
No need for sun hats under our canopies! Fresco Shades have custom designed outdoor canopies for Auckland schools and pre-schools for 16 years. A Fresco canopy provides sun and rain protection for students and staff alike.
v Extend your usable space v Shade in summer and sheltered areas for students all year round v Keep classrooms cooler in summer and increase productivity! v Strong PVC roof blocks 99% of all UV rays v Modern curved shape enhances any environment v Great for pools, walkways, entrances and school shops v NEW netball court canopies for increased protection We have many delighted customers in the educational sector, and would be happy to provide references on request. For an obligation free quote, please call (09) 443 3414 or 0800 Fresco (0800 373 726) Please ask for Grant or Tony.
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Boarding Schools | Property
as access to snacks and drinks. Despite this, most still have food prepared on-site, as is the case at St Mary’s. “We have an on-site chef who does all of our school food geared for the nutritional needs of teenage girls – no high sugar or junk food,” says Ms Green. “All girls get fruit and home baking for morning tea and a range of options for lunch and dinner. We cater for coeliac, gluten free, lactose intolerant, vegetarian, vegan, allergies, diabetics and fussy girls!” At St Peter’s in Cambridge, where more than 6000 meals are required each week for boarders, the task of food preparation is contracted out. The suppliers, Bidvest, cater to a wide range of diets including vegetarian, vegan, halal, nutfree, gluten-free and dairy-free. All menus are online and include detailed product information for
At St Mary's Diocesan School, consideration is given to how easy beds are to make as well as comfort and safety easy electronic ordering. Food can be supplied frozen, chilled or ambient, and is delivered in multitemperature trucks.
WiFi Internet access is a given in almost all schools now. In a boarding school, the hostel will normally share WiFi with the school with the same sites blocked. At St
Mary’s, the set up has evolved from access via plugs in boarders’ rooms to WiFi access across the boarding house meaning girls can use it in common areas for study groups and tutorials. “They can also use WiFi on their phones and we deliver a student learning system via Schoology which they can pick up with WiFi anywhere on campus,” says Ms Green.
“We manage and monitor access by collecting in devices at night for juniors, by shutting down access to certain sites between 7am and 10pm and by having programmes that monitor usage. We also build high trust and personal responsibility by having cyber safety education as a component of their learning programme.”
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Property | Boarding Schools
Most boarders have access to WiFi in their rooms and common areas
Access control Effective access control is essential in a boarding school where the safety of children and teenagers could be at risk from those who should not be on the premises. How it is managed depends on the school, but most have access control doors with swipe card or fingerprint access, and some have motion sensor cameras and security cameras - indoor and out.
“Security is always an issue but we have our buildings alarmed at night,” says Ms Green. “Girls sign in and out of the boarding house manually – they would lose swipe cards – but we may look at a phone app in the future.” At Wesley College near Pukekohe, security is tight with locked gates, swipe card access and dormitories physically manned at the entrance. There are some very sophisticated
systems available, for example VisTab School Management, a simple sign-in service in use at more than 500 schools in New Zealand and Australia. VisTab records the relevant information for pupils leaving during the day, and visitors and relievers coming and going, allowing the school to access critical information for health and safety, or in the event of an emergency, evacuation.
Born out of the rubble of the big Christchurch earthquakes, VisTab is a Christchurch-based business that evolved out of the need to have a people site management service that worked in a real emergency situation, as well as in normal day to day visitor management. The big thing about VisTab is that it can work without cloud/web access and supplied power.
Clever solutions for beds and storage Haven Commercial, a division of Haven Distributing Company, is a product developer, importer, and wholesaler of furniture, including bunks, beds and storage accessories. All furniture is constructed to high quality specifications to ensure compliance with AS/NZS safety standards, says Roger Harris, director at Haven Distributing. “Product design, safety and customer service are paramount to our hospitality and accommodation sleep systems.” These QA processes, direct importation and distribution within New Zealand and Pacific regions, combined with the use of a reliable nationwide delivery network, provides a prompt and efficient supply with a proven sales and service record. Customers include school accommodation facilities, backpackers, holiday parks and camping grounds. Recent developments in product include space-saving bed and storage options, extending Haven’s catalogue to a comprehensive collection and a one-stop shop for accommodation sleep systems.
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The design and addition of the Haven Underbed storage locker utilises the space under all Haven’s Bunks & Beds, and provides secure storage for occupant’s valuables and belongings. Additionally, through a procurement and supply association with NZ Comfort Group, Haven also offers a range of New Zealand-made Sleepyhead Commercial mattresses.
Boarding Schools | Property
Ensuring quality sleep for busy teenagers At A.H. Beard, the mission is to improve lives through better sleep.
Schools can:
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upload details all staff and students for quick and easy use of the system
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keep a log of all pupils who leave the school for any reason, for example appointments, music lessons, weekend leave
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in an emergency, have instant access to details of who is at school and who has checked out
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have instant access to do roll calls by remote and on other mobile devices
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provide repeat visitors with time saving sign-in codes or numbers
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keep track of student lateness.
By Anna Clements, Industry Reporter
Sleep has been recognised as the third pillar of health, along with diet and exercise, this is especially important for growing bodies. Between busy schedules, homework and sporting activities, teenagers need quality sleep to ensure they can be mentally and physically ready for the demands that each day brings as well as support their growing bodies. Studies show that a lack of sleep can affect concentration, decision making, and can impair the ability to consolidate the learning that occurs during the school day. A bad night’s sleep brought about by an unsupportive mattress can also impair the body’s ability to grow and heal after a hard physical day, resulting in a night full of tossing and turning and waking up stiff and not completely rested. A King Koil mattress has been developed in conjunction with the International Chiropractors’ Association to ensure correct spinal alignment is provided for growing bodies. This will promote a good night’s sleep. ICA King Koil mattresses are also durable meaning a more comfortable sleep so your students awake ready to start a fresh day of learning.
HAVEN COMMERCIAL
A Division of Haven Distributing Company Limited Haven Commercial is a division of Haven Distributing Company Limited; a product developer, importer, wholesaler and distribution company of furniture and homewares items through retailer and hospitality markets. Haven Commercial Division provides sleep system options to the hospitality sector, including bunks, beds and storage accessories; manufactured and tested to AS/NZS 4220:2010 safety standards and successfully distributed in NZ & Australia to Backpackers facilities, Holiday Parks, Children’s Holiday Camps and other accommodation operators. Haven Commercial also distributes quality NZ made Sleepyhead Commercial mattresses through their procurement & supply association with NZ Comfort Group, thereby creating a ‘one-stop’ shop for hospitality sleep systems. Haven’s factory manufacturing relationships provide Quality Control testing processes, direct importation and distribution in NZ, both directly and through distributor agencies. Haven’s delivery network provides prompt and efficient supply channels and a proven sales & service record from many years’ experience
importation and distribution in NZ, both directly and through distributor agencies. Haven’s delivery
Haven Distributing Company Limited 7E ORBIT DRIVE, ROSEDALE, AUCKLAND, 0632 PO BOX 924, WHANGAPARAOA, AUCKLAND, 0943 PH: +64 (9) 213 3024 FAX: +64 (9) 479 8476 EMAIL: sales@havennz.com WEBSITE: www.havennz.com
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Property | Audio
How audio can lock down your school Often when a new building is commissioned in a school, the intercom or paging system is left off the list. This leaves the new area uncovered by any announcements through the old system. Audio over IP allows connection of all areas in a school together over the school’s network. It will allow for the connection of the new system and the old system VIA the fibre link between each building, or the commissioning of a new school-wide system. Special boxes cover outdoor areas and more traditional looking speakers are designed for indoor spaces.
Single out specific areas
Two-way talk back
Every IP box can be addressed separately from the others making an IP intercom system as flexible as your needs are.
One-way and two-way systems are both available. Two-way systems utilise a special microphone designed to pick up voice all around the room. When the speaker is called, the microphone automatically engages and the teacher can talk back to the person who engaged the call. This is particularly useful after an emergency lockdown;
As well as being triggered from reception, emergency announcements can be triggered from a link on any computer or a hidden button. This means
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its own extension on the phone system – 301 calls classroom one, 310 calls classroom ten, and so forth. If you have rolled out a VoIP phone system in your school, any of the phones can become a paging station.
Accessibility IP audio is extremely accessible. Once programmed, IP microphones can be placed anywhere on the network for easy paging and triggering of pre-recorded content. Paging software for your PC or laptop is also a great way of accessing the system. Simply install the software onto your computer, select your zone and speak through the inbuilt microphone.
Silent triggering
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announcements can be made without disturbing a distressed child. Two-way systems also offer the option to listen to what is happening in any classroom or area anonymously.
Security All this accessibility might have you thinking that anyone can access the system. Your new IP intercom has different levels of security with each piece of software password protected.
Not just emergency one person can manage a roll call of each room centrally from the safety of their office or reception.
A new IP audio intercom does far more than just allow you to communicate in an emergency.
Integration with existing technology
Everyday communication from reception to individual rooms, pre-recorded content like wet lunchtime announcements and classroom clean up reminders.
A lot of existing technology will natively connect with your new IP audio system. One of the most useful connections is your VoIP phone system. As the two names suggest, VoIP speaks the same language as IP audio - through your IP network. This means each IP speaker in the school can have
Easily schedule your school bell and parent teacher day bells, even start a school radio station! By Jamie Cashmore, Edwards Sound Systems Ltd
School Wide Intercom and Emergency Paging Systems We’ll design you an intercom and emergency announcement system for free - with no obligation.
Sunnyhills Primary School
Flexible options for lease or purchase! Quick installation Traditional paging systems use 100v cable that must be run from the office to each classroom. With 2N IP Audio, everything is connected by simply plugging in to an existing LAN port. All speakers are controlled by a computer in the server room. Edwards can log in to make any adjustments or changes over the Internet, if required.
Easy operation No more cumbersome heavy boxes that have to stay in one place. A 2N IP microphone and a VoIP phone can be located anywhere in the school and remote control is easy from any computer on the network. Easily schedule the school bell or pre-recorded audio, adjust the volume and monitor speaker operation. Play ‘wet lunch’, lockdown messages or the school bell at the push of a button.
Separate Zones Page classrooms individually or in groups. One-way and two-way systems available.
Call us today for a free consultation! (09) 571 0551 - ext 2 Distributed in NZ by Edwards Sound Systems Ltd., PO Box 12 834, Penrose, Auckland 1642, New Zealand +64 9 571 0551 (ext 2) sales@edwardsnz.co.nz www.edwardsnz.co.nz
Property | Acoustics
Getting the acoustics right in an ILS Classroom acoustics are a vital component of learning. The ability to clearly hear and understand a teacher verbally communicating their lesson is crucial for students to process the information presented. Excessive levels of background noise and/or noise reverberation create auditory disturbances which detract from the lesson at hand – thus resulting in poor classroom acoustics. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASLHA - n.d.) poor classroom acoustics can affect students’ speech understanding, attention, concentration, reading and spelling ability, behaviour in the classroom and academic achievement. Students who are learning in a second language or are afflicted by hearing impairments and/or learning disabilities are further
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disadvantaged by these acoustic barriers. Teachers are also affected by poor classroom acoustics. Vocal strain – commonly resulting from speaking for long periods of time at elevated levels – is recognised as a serious occupational hazard for teachers. It is estimated that teachers verbally communicate approximately 60 per cent of their work day. A survey of New Zealand teachers revealed that 71 per cent found noise from within the classroom to be a problem, and more than one third said they needed to speak at a level that strained their voice (Oticon Foundation in New Zealand, 2002). These figures indicate that poor classroom acoustics are prominent in New Zealand and can cause additional harm for teachers that can be fairly detrimental to their performance and job satisfaction. A study
conducted on workplace injuries indicate that “teachers are 32 times more likely to have voice problems compared to similar occupations” (ASLHA, n.d.). The importance of speech intelligibility is further supported by Flavell’s educational research studies (as cited in Sutherland and Lubmanwhich, 2001) which indicates that “learning is dependent on the ability to communicate with spoken language and that perception of spoken language is the foundation for the ability to read and write”. The architectural design of a space is an important starting point in achieving clear classroom acoustics which are conducive to a better learning environment. Size, shape and surface finish all impact acoustic behaviour and therefore impact speech clarity. For example, large rooms with no acoustic treatment are prone
to acoustic reflections which increase reverberation times – this temporarily disrupts the desired signal and can also increase background noise levels (ASLHA, n.d.). National and international trends are seeing many educational institutions moving towards future-orientated education and Innovative Learning Spaces (ILSs) - also known as Modern Learning Environments / Flexible Learning Environments. These modern spaces typically incorporate large open-plan rooms with hard surface finishes; for this reason, acoustics need thorough and careful consideration when designing new or retrofit ILSs. In order to provide better learning environments for our students – the Ministry of Education (MOE) has been moving towards implementing ILSs throughout the country.
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A COMPLETE EDUCATION START WITH CL ARITY Remove negative noise and distraction with the premium range of education acoustics from Autex Industries. The environmentally-friendly, polyester range of high performing wallcoverings and ceiling tiles provide schools with real creative freedom whilst delivering effective sound absorbing solutions.
For information about our acoustic solutions for your school, contact Autex on 0800 428 839 or visit our website www.autex.co.nz
Property | Acoustics
In flexible learning spaces, hearing clearly is everything ceiling panels contrary to their recommendations. The ceiling was always having a pasteboard sub-lining for bracing so this then became the finished surface. (Plasterboard is highly reflective for sound).
Children are inefficient listeners who require optimal acoustic conditions in order to hear and understand (Valentine, Halstead, McGunnigle, Dodd, Hellier, Wood & Simpson, 2002). They are neurologically undeveloped and lack experience to predict from context, especially younger students who are only starting to grasp the basics of comprehension. Children who miss key words, phrases and concepts because of poor listening conditions may do poorly academically and suffer from behavioural problems. Innovative Learning Spaces (ILS) are emerging as a favoured classroom type to facilitate group work and benefit the children’s social development; promoting the sharing of skills, ideas and experiences. This takes place in open-plan environments where several class-bases share the same space, resulting in a large number of children in one larger area. However, many acoustic issues arise within an ILS such as high noise levels coming from other class-bases in the same space. Acoustic conditions often do not facilitate a good signal to noise, especially further away from the
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Once the classrooms were completed in April and June 2015, DLM Architects received complaints from teachers and the principal of the school relating to the acoustics in these new spaces.
teacher. This can be especially problematic for children who struggle to separate the signal from background noise. Furthermore, the larger spatial volumes lead to higher reverberation times that negatively affect speech intelligibility. Longer reverberation times also exacerbate background noise. AS/NZS 2107 recommends a reverberation time of 0.4 - 0.5 seconds. Designing an optimal acoustic environment prevents unsatisfactory acoustics affecting the listening capabilities of children at school. It’s not only
students who suffer from suboptimal acoustics either; loud or reverberant classrooms may cause teachers to raise their voices, leading to increased stress, fatigue and potential voice impairment and nodules on vocal chords. At Ellerslie School in Auckland, DLM Architects designed two new ILS classroom blocks. Their design included Autex composition coverage on all the walls, carpet tiles on the floor and direct fix acoustic panels on the pitched cathedral style ceiling. However, because of budget constraints, DLM Architects were instructed to remove the acoustic
There has been a lot of positive feedback from students, parents, teachers and principals; one school even claimed that their year seven student retention rate had increased from 48 per cent to a significant 98 per cent. There has however been some negative responses about acoustic performance of these spaces which reinforces the need to consider acoustics as part of the design process, rather than retrospectively. A good example of a welldesigned and successful ILS is that of the Westmount School's Kaipara campus. Created by global design firm Unispace, the new learning centre includes a
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Term 3 - 2016
Testing confirmed that the reverberation well exceeded the recommended times. One classroom had an average reverberation time of 1.06 seconds whereas the other tested at 0.80 seconds. Reverberation times above one second are incredibly detrimental to speech intelligibility. It was agreed to retrofit the ceiling at a later stage when funding became available. During the school holiday period, the classrooms were retrofitted with a T&R Interior Systems C Max Absorb 15mm suspended ceiling with an NRC of 0.95. Consequent retesting confirmed that this was essential to bring the reverberation time to acceptable levels. The same classrooms now had
large open collaborative area, banquette seating and glazed brainstorm and project rooms. Acoustic performance was considered right from the start of the project and was designed for aesthetic as well as functional properties. Unispace worked with acoustic professionals to create a unique acoustic ceiling fin system that was simple to install and provided exceptional acoustic absorption. The new learning centre has been well received by both students and staff and promotes a calm yet collaborative learning environment. Upon the success of this project, a new learning centre has recently been completed in the Westmount
Acoustics | Property
T&R Interior Systems Specialists in Education Acoustics
Suspended Ceilings Design Partnerships Acoustic Wall Coverings
a reverberation time of 0.45 and 0.42 seconds unoccupied. This highlights that in an ILS, the acoustic properties must be integral to the whole design; because of the larger volumes and low reverberation time required. It is not sufficient to merely treat a few surfaces. However, even though DLM Architects had correctly addressed the acoustics during the design phase, acoustic treatments are often sacrificed when the budget gets tight as in the Ellerslie School project. Ironically, retrofitting acoustic treatment into a room that is “unfit for purpose�
Christchurch campus and there are similar projects in the pipelines for Nelson and Hastings campuses. Effective acoustics are essential in all classrooms, whether they are traditional or ILSs. Classrooms are vital communication channels in which essential social, cultural and academic skills are taught. Creating learning environments that foster clear acoustics are essential for speech clarity and should be the goal of all educational institutes. If you believe your classroom environment suffers from poor acoustics, contact
ends up costing the client (MOE) considerably more. Specific criteria for acoustic measurements in classrooms are currently not included in the New Zealand building code, and this responsibility falls with architects and designers. However, guidelines for acoustics in education spaces can be found in AS/NZS 2107 and in an ILE assessment tool sheet . The MOE encourages schools to ensure that acoustic conditions in teaching spaces provide the best possible outcome and strongly recommend that schools remedy any acoustic shortcomings. By Hedda Maria Oosterhoff T&R Interior Systems (MArch, BMus)
an experienced acoustic professional or consult the MOE. By Caroline Page, Autex References:
/t/ 0800 666 556
/w/ www.tris.co.nz
TIME & ATTENDANCE SYSTEM Admin & teachers are able to record students movements between classes & activities, and access reports and see trends as they happen Parents are given real-time updates on the whereabouts of their children Easily adaptable options for fast input from students and they love the instantaneous nature of it
American Speech-LanguageHearing Association. (n.d.). Classroom Acoustics. Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/public/ hearing/Classroom-Acoustics/ Oticon Foundation in New Zealand. (2002). Classroom Acoustics: A New Zealand Perspective. Retrieved from http://www.oticon.org.nz/pdf/ Classroomacousticssummary.pdf Sutherland, L.C, & Lubman, B. (2001). The Impact of Classroom Acoustics on Scholastic Achievement. Retrieved from http:// www.quietclassrooms.org/library/ ICA2001.htm
Call ScanOne today to see if you are eligible for a 30 day trial system
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0800 44 77 00 | info@scanone.co.nz Term 3 - 2016
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Property | Acoustics
Wide range of design choices in acoustics for teaching spaces
According to the Ministry of Education (MOE), many principals and teachers may not be aware of the quality of the acoustic environment of their teaching spaces. Yet considerable research confirms that good accoustics contribute and make for quality learning environments and poor acoustics can impact on a student’s ability to learn and a teacher’s ability to teach. Unfortunately, many learning spaces have excess noise
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and high reverberation times (unwanted sound we would choose not to hear if we had the choice). The MOE recommends sound transmission of less than 0.6 of a second of reverberation in open plan classrooms. This can be achieved with a variety of practical acoustic solutions available from Potter Interior Systems for both new buildings and retrofitting of existing. A common material for sounds absorption in classrooms and schools is acoustic wall coverings. Acoustic wall
coverings allow for custom design with a vast range of colour options, custom prints, patterns and cut designs providing an attractive, vibrant, durable and hard wearing surface. With adaptable learning spaces forefront, acoustic wall coverings allow the surface to not only offer acoustic and aesthetic properties, but also act as a multifunctional surface suitable for drawing pins, and are Velcro receptive allowing easy display of work, tasks and notices. In a classroom or learning environment, it is often recommended to use a combination of acoustic sound absorbing ceiling tiles/panels and plain/reflective tiles. The proper choice of an acoustical ceiling is imperative to creating a better learning environment. Potter Interior Systems offer a wide range of education ceiling panels to ensure the perfect choice
for classrooms, auditoriums, gymnasiums and all school zones. Ceiling applications may include traditional ceiling grid with tiles, direct fixed, clouds, canopies and baffles. Perforated plasterboard is also available and a great option for open corridors, libraries, halls, and reception areas, contributing to the overall acoustics to a school. Potter Interior Systems manufacture in New Zealand an unlimited range of whiteboards and acoustic pinboards with fully customisable options. Their range also includes aluminium partitions (New Zealand-made), wall, ceiling, and insulation products to meet your innovative learning environment and acoustical requirements, servicing nationwide. By Glenn Thomsen, Potter Interior Systems
ACOUSTIC SOLUTIONS FOR QUALITY EDCUATION
INNOVATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS Acoustic wall coverings Ceiling tiles and panels Perforated plasterboard Heradesign wood wool acoustic panels Pinboards Combination whiteboard and pinboards Aluminium glass partitioning Insulation
Solutions for new buildings and upgrading existing.
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At Woods, we believe that education is of the utmost importance – not just for the children of today but for our world tomorrow. This belief has driven our team, for over half a century, to study how children learn – from a behavioral, ergonomic and cognitive perspective – to develop furniture that is flexible, adaptable and stimulating. It’s this philosophy that inspired our innovative Hokki Stool. An intelligent ergo-dynamic stool designed to improve motor and muscular-skeletal development of growing children. To find out more about our innovative range of educational furniture visit woodsfurniturenz.co.nz or call 0800 196 637. We’re for flexible learning 72
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