School News, NZ - Term 4, 2020

SchoolNews The essential industry guide

Issue 51 | Term 4, 2020 | NZD $12 incl GST | schoolnews.co.nz

Principal Speaks: Creativity, problem-solving, sustainability and wellbeing Special Report: The fight against racial bias in the classroom Essential Reading for Principals • Department Heads • Teachers • Professionals

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Inside our term four issue Front Desk Editor's Note: We made it!............................................................... 05

Education Special Report: The fight against racial bias in the

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EDITOR Rosie Clarke, editor@schoolnews.co.nz STAFF WRITERS Mandy Clarke, David Carroll & Grantlee Kieza DESIGN & PRODUCTION Richard McGill, production@schoolnews.co.nz ADVERTISING Dee Dawson, advertising@schoolnews.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS Obu Ramaraj, Narelle Umbers and Anna Wallace.

classroom.................................................................................................... 06 Principal Speaks: Creativity, problem-solving, sustainability and wellbeing........................................................... 08 Interview: Five minutes with Dr Hana O’Regan

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Suppliers share their views in one-off, topical pieces

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Profile St Peter’s School Cambridge: Land use and winemaking sparks entrepreneurship...................................... 18

Accurate accounting: The cost-effective time-saver...... 20

Teacher's Desk Entering the upskilling era: PLD prep for 2021................... 22 COVID-19 has impacted skills....................................................... 23 Op-Ed: Financial wellbeing is important for teachers... 26 Can COVID-19 reverse the teacher shortage? ................. 26

Technology

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Tomorrow's engineers are our pandemic heroes............. 28

Teaching Resources Classroom Resources Directory.................................................. 30

EOTC Post-COVID lessons for children out of school................. 32

Food & Beverage Case Study: Schools nurture kids with nutritious

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programme................................................................................................ 34

Health & Safety Workplace first aid training could save your life................ 36

What’s Hot

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Sport & Recreation Scoreboards turn sporting fixtures into events.................. 40 Why are sports hall acoustics important?............................. 42

Commercially funded supplier profile or supplier case study

General editorial. Case studies and features may cite or quote suppliers, please be aware that we have a strict ‘no commercial content’ guideline for all magazine editorial, so this is not part of any commercially funded advertorial but may be included as relevant opinion. Happy reading!

Literacy programs to help Kiwi kids decode....................... 12

Administration

KEY

Supplier information or content

(Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha)................................................ 10

28 FRONT DESK

Property No such thing as a healthy tan: Shade structures for schools.......................................................... 44 Let the teaching power of green space flourish................ 46 Green spaces are vital for learning and wellbeing.....47 Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

the four principles guiding innovation in curriculum and learning at her school. “Creativity, problem-solving, sustainability, and wellbeing,” are the concepts that drive her pedagogy, and she takes us through some of Marsden’s impressive and exciting initiatives, which include a variety of ‘Trash to Flash’ activities, a junior technology curriculum revamp, fashion design, and an Artist in Residence programme.

It has been a disjointed, frightening year for everybody. But, hey, we made it! Term 4 is in progress.

It doesn’t mean the pandemic is over. As I write this, an Auckland student has just been placed into isolation after a family member tested positive for COVID-19 and until there’s a vaccine we will have fits and starts of lockdown restrictions. However, the initial panic is over. By-and-large, we know the drill. Online teaching and distance learning are things most of us are now familiar, dare I say comfortable, with. Teachers and students both adapted quickly and while the journey has not been easy, everyone has made it to the finish line.

Schools, principals, and teachers around the country should pat themselves on the back for steering the ship so proactively and confidently all year. Our

Rosie Clarke,

Editor, SchoolNews editor@schoolnews.co.nz

school leavers are graduating far better prepared and having experienced a far better year than they would have done without all your hard work.

In the spirit of celebrating school triumphs, this issue of School News features two schools whose staff are doing phenomenal work with students.

In our Principal Speaks column this term, Principal Narelle Umbers from Samuel Marsden Collegiate School writes about

St Peter’s School, Cambridge, has two game changing projects on the horizon between its Owl Trees and winemaking initiatives. Our profile on the school looks at how its forward-thinking agriculture and horticulture students were able to develop a new business venture by utilising vacant land on an adjoining property to grow some very special trees.

St Peter’s winemaking journey started five years ago, when a student keen to study viticulture

asked Head of Agricultural and Horticultural Science Mike Kilgour, “Why haven’t we got grapes growing here?”

We also hear from CORE Education’s new Tumu Whakarae | Chief Executive Officer, Dr Hana O’Regan, about her passion for education, community, history, and equity this issue. She says: “If we don’t reimagine learning and success now, we will be perpetuating inequities, inefficiencies and negative outcomes in a greater way than before.”

You’ll find a range of features to comb through this term, on the literacy shift towards decoding, accounting tips for school leaders, PLD prep for 2021, as well as some awesome learning outside the classroom ideas to help shake off the dust from lockdown.

Enjoy this issue of School News, and stay safe!

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FRONT DESK

05

EDITOR'S NOTE

We made it!

bias in the classroom

By David Carroll, Industry Reporter

The impending launch of a pilot program aimed at lifting ākonga Māori achievement has key stakeholders hopeful that it will go some way to addressing the racial inequality in Aotearoa New Zealand’s education system.

In October, the Ministry of Education launched Te Hurihanganui in six communities across the nation, with a $42 million commitment to support those communities for three years.

Ellen MacGregor-Reid, Deputy Secretary, Early Learning and Student Achievement at the Ministry of Education, said Te Hurihanganui will support communities to work together to address racism and inequity so they can accelerate the achievement and wellbeing of ākonga Māori and their whānau.

“What works in communities will then be built back into the education system so that we see transformative shift for all ākonga Māori and their whānau throughout the education system,” Ms MacGregor-Reid said.

Racial inequality and bias in New Zealand’s education system is well-documented. A UNICEF study ranked New Zealand 33rd out of 38 OECD and EU countries in terms of educational equality with further analysis revealing Māori and Pasifika students were disproportionately represented in the children who underachieved.

Professor Mere Berryman, who chaired the team which developed Te Hurihanganui, has been quoted as saying New Zealand’s education system has under-served Māori learners for a long time.

Prof Berryman said many of the factors which contribute to this underperformance stem from the racism and bias inherent in

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© arloo - stock.adobe.com

SPECIAL REPORT

The fight against racial

the education system. She said other factors include negative bias in teacher judgements, low expectations of ākonga Māori, devaluing mātauranga Māori and te ao Māori, and poor knowledge of and access to te reo Māori.

Ms MacGregor-Reid admitted discrimination was an issue in New Zealand schools, saying they do not operate in isolation from society.

racism and discrimination in education, also offers guidance for schools and educators.

“We all know racism exists in New Zealand, and many students experience it,” she said.

“We acknowledge there is discrimination and unconscious bias in our education system which we are working hard to change.”

Ms Macgregor-Reid pointed to the Education and Training Act 2020, which came into effect in August, as a symbol of change.

The Act states that one of the primary objectives of a board in governing a school is to ensure the school takes all reasonable steps to eliminate racism, stigma, bullying, and any other forms of discrimination within the school.

The Ministry also has a suite of strategies and programs designed to address the inequality in place which schools and educators can access.

These include Ka Hikitia - The Māori Education Strategy - and Tau Mai Te Reo - the Māori Language in Education Strategy.

Both documents highlight the need for equity for Māori students across the education system and provide examples of how this can be achieved.

The Action Plan for Pacific Education, which commits to confronting systemic

which allows people to work and learn at the same time and financial support for those studying while about 60 per cent of the 2020 allotment of TeachNZ scholarships were offered to students who identified as Māori.

Another issue which has been identified in the fight against the inequality and bias in New Zealand schools is a glaring imbalance between the number of Māori and New Zealand European/Pakeha teachers.

Research shows students of colour benefit from being taught by people who look like them with the students experiencing a more positive sense of their own ethnic and racial identities, yet existing figures highlight an imbalance between students and teachers who identify as Maori and their NZ European/Pakeha counterparts Only about 10 percent of New Zealand teachers identify as Māori and almost 60 percent as NZ European/Pakeha but almost 25 percent of the nation’s 815,000 school students are Māori and 50 percent are NZ European/Pakeha.

Existing strategies in place to address this imbalance are showing some positive signs, with the number of Maori teachers in New Zealand classrooms last year up 366 on 2018 but Ms Macgregor-Reid said getting more Māori teachers into classrooms is a “priority”.

To that end, pathways have been put in place, including providing employment-based Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

EDUCATION

There is also a range of actions available to support existing teachers to increase their cultural capability, from the development of high-level strategies to specific initiatives and programs in schools.

Examples of initiatives include: •

The Māori Achievement Collaborative which provides leadership support and facilitated networks for principals to challenge racism.

•

Tautai o le Moana which provides leadership support and facilitated networks for leaders of Pasifika learners.

•

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori which aims to grow and strengthen the ability of teachers, support staff and school leaders to use te reo Māori in their teaching practice.

There are also two cultural competency frameworks in place, Tataiako for Māori learners and Tapasā for Pacific learners.

These are designed to support culturally responsive practices that are beneficial to all learners.

A common goal of these initiatives is to develop critical consciousness amongst teachers so they are able to recognise diversity of identities, including culture, gender, sexuality and ability and take action to amplify the views of those students and their communities who may have been marginalised.

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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EDUCATION

07

PRINCIPAL SPEAKS

Creativity, problem-solving, sustainability and wellbeing These are four magic words for Samuel Marsden Collegiate School and Principal Narelle Umbers explains why…

Creativity, problem-solving, sustainability, and wellbeing are important principles guiding innovation in curriculum and approaches to learning at Marsden.

Actively seeking opportunities to embrace these principles has been a stimulating challenge for staff and has enlivened our curriculum offerings.

Our first Trash to Flash Day for Years 7 to 9 students set out to meet this challenge. Girls opted into a range of hands-on creative activities for the day. From beekeeping to go-kart making, girls were supported by local artisans and entrepreneurs to upcycle and make the most of everyday resources. A highlight was definitely the go-kart making! Having constructed their ‘wheels’ from pallets and old tyres, girls were keen to test their roadworthiness on slopes around the school.

In another project, students combined design ingenuity with technology to make beautiful laser cut bird houses. Yet another group

Narelle Umbers,

Principal, Samuel Marsden Collegiate School

worked with end of season fruit to learn the traditional secrets of marmalade-making. A collapsed timetable, a whole day to focus on an enjoyable project, learning new skills and considering the many ways we can re-use and re-purpose products made it a worthwhile day for everyone. As a Visible Wellbeing™ school, we aim to embed a wellbeing dimension across all learning. With that in mind, Trash to Flash strengthened relationships and explored building new habits and goals.

A 2019 revamp of our junior technology curriculum bolstered creativity, problem-solving and awareness of sustainability. In Year 9, Creating Taonga is a course where students use traditional and modern construction methods to create precious pieces while

Minkyung and Amy designed and made a traditonal Korean hanbok

exploring Māori and Pasifika design. Community experts share their expertise in skills such as tivaevae, inspiring students to experiment with laser cut or 3D printing to create taonga.

materials. Girls connected with local entrepreneur Bernadette Casey, founder of the Formary, an innovative New Zealand business that established the Textile Reuse project.

In Year 10 Fashion Designer, students work sustainably with fabric and alternative

Learning from a design and business expert inspired Year 10 student Amy and her international

Designing and making go-karts

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Making bird houses

EDUCATION

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Testing their self-designed and made go-kart

2020 Marsden Artist in Residence Jasmine Chalmers, working with senior students

classmate Minkyung to collaborate on designing a hanbok, using packaging from Bluebird chips to Watties Beanz to sew New Zealand flavours into their traditional Korean dress. This fantastic cross-cultural learning opportunity enabled the girls to deliver a sustainability message with fun and creative flair.

A regular feature in the Marsden calendar is our Artist in Residence programme, now in its 22nd year. Bringing a practising artist to work alongside our students for a five-week residency is an exceptional opportunity. The in-depth conversations, skills, and excitement of working alongside

the Artist in Residence connects the classroom to a rich and diverse world of art. Our photography students recently enjoyed the rare opportunity of exhibiting their work in a public gallery, when their prints hung alongside the whimsical still life photos of emerging photographic artist and 2020 Marsden Artist in Residence, Jasmine Chalmers. Connecting creatively with the community in this way is hugely rewarding.

The Marsden Art House is a stimulating hub in the school; we love its energy. It is also a calm and contemplative place where students have space to re-centre and focus on positive emotions.

Junior Art options seek to capture the vibe of the Art House.

Year 9 Photo Magic and Year 10 Paint to Pixels are lively courses where art and technology collide.

Students are encouraged to think outside their conventional view of art while enjoying opportunities to experiment and play. Having the courage to take artistic risks in a managed space builds resilience, a vital skill in the social and emotional toolkit.

At Marsden we are proud of learning outcomes that foster creativity, harness essential social and emotional skills and connect students with the community.

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Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

EDUCATION

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09

INTERVIEW

Five minutes with

Dr Hana O’Regan (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha)

By Anna Wallace

Hana O’Regan’s passion for education and community, history and equity, is evident when we interview her as CORE Education’s new Tumu Whakarae | Chief Executive Officer.

What’s been your initial impression of CORE Education?

It’s incredibly exciting to be back in education. The enthusiasm and commitment of this big and beautifully diverse whānau is incredible.

One of the things I love about this sector and this organisation is that people have views, people are invested in the kaupapa | vision to achieve equity for all our tamariki.

I’ve watched what CORE has done in the past and I’m familiar with its impact. The commitment to innovation, growth and equity has been there for a long time; the currents might have changed but the momentum has never stopped. I feel privileged to join this team and bring what I can to it.

Why are you and CORE a good fit?

Since my mid-twenties I’ve been working to raise awareness of Māori achievement and Māori within our education system as I saw inequities in the way that Māori were engaged; systemic bias and institutional racism that the history had created.

Dr Hana O’Regan, CORE Education’s new Tumu Whakarae | Chief Executive Officer

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Initially, I tried to help people understand our history – the Treaty – what happened in contrast with what people thought had happened. The absence of that story meant that people, including educators, developed strong preconceptions about Māori learning and ability. I tried to raise awareness about where those inequities lie and to do something about them. I

EDUCATION

spoke to judges, social workers, corporates – anyone I thought had influence. After the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 though, I had to prioritise my family and what I did so I decided to only speak to educators as I felt that’s where I could have the biggest influence.

Teachers then said they needed their leaders behind it, so I went to a lot of principals’ conferences!

But after 10, then 15 years, it felt that things weren’t shifting at anywhere near the speed they needed to. I believe that educators have a huge influence on a child’s self-belief, and I don’t think we do enough to support teachers to be able to respond to the weight of that influence. CORE does that.

What attracted me to CORE is that we have made an evidencecommitment to build teachers’ capability, working to come up with solutions to their challenges. We take a learning-centred approach to address not just negative issues, but to realise potential for a thriving Aotearoa. I wanted to be in a place where I thought I could be working with people to make the change, not just talk about it.

Why is CORE’s work so important right now?

I got emotional last year when the government announced that New Zealand history would be taught as part of the curriculum. I was driving home, and I had to pull the car over because I was crying! I thought finally as a country we are going to have the conversations that might shift thinking.

In my previous role at Ngāi Tahu we looked at a range of factors that impact Māori achievement and life outcomes such as employability, financial sustainability and the role education has on that. At the same time, we were dealing with the historical effects of educational challenges, like the predominance of Māori and Pasifika in illiteracy statistics and Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

challenges with numeracy. We saw a tidal wave of issues coming, as the data said inequity for Māori and Pasifika was going to rise in the next 5-10 years if we carried on the same. The introduction of AI and technology’s replacement of jobs would impact those who were disengaged from education or in low-paid, low-skilled jobs.

when the world as you know it is no longer. We are in a similar situation with the pandemic; having to adapt to an unknown environment. If we don’t reimagine learning and success now we will be perpetuating inequities, inefficiencies and negative outcomes in a greater way than before.

Then, we had a pandemic. COVID brought that 5 to 10-year horizon forward to the present. It really has played out; for instance, we knew that a significant number of people in the lower socioeconomic group are likely to have less access to technology in the home. We knew before COVID that if you don’t have equity of access you won’t have equity of outcome.

What do you bring to the table as a leader?

In these high-pressure situations it feels really good to be able to do something about it.

What do the recent uLearn conference themes of ‘Reimagine learning’ and ‘Reimagine success’ mean to you?

I think the kaupapa, the theme of reimagining learning is the exact place we need to be in now. One of the things we learned after the Ōtautahi earthquakes was the importance of adaptability

despite them having the benefit of educated role models, and being bilingual children with strong cultural identities. When I saw how they got treated within our community and within education, I wondered how it would be for people who don’t have the resources that my children had around them. How is it for kids who don’t have the security and resilience factors that mine had?

I’ve been incredibly lucky to be involved in a range of advisory panels and think tanks where I’ve learnt about strategy development and what might be required to shift things. I’ve realised that having an appetite for insight ensures you don’t just get data without translating that into action.

That’s where my head and work has been at – seeing outcomes and coming up with solutions.

How does one start on the path to achieving equity?

One of the biggest challenges with equity is you don’t see it unless you’re looking for it. You might have empathy but unless you’ve been directly exposed to inequity, you don’t see it or hear it. I even saw my own children experiencing systemic issues

A lot of people get really shocked when they hear stories about racism and prejudice. When you start to use an equity lens over what you do, what you think, how you behave – all of a sudden you see a different result.

The journey of an equitable Aotearoa for me is encouraging us to put on those glasses, to start reviewing ourselves and what can be changed. Start by asking the question – is there another story here?

Who was an influential educator in your life?

I have a few...

Within my own understanding of the world, my parents were trained teachers who valued thinking and learning, and they created an environment where my

own thoughts were considered – they opened up my world.

Mrs Goodfellow was an English teacher at my Māori boarding school who enlightened me around the role of teacher expectation.

Initially, we hit heads but I was actually incredibly homesick, so I disengaged from learning. I would write in my journal and she noticed this and one day she said she saw my potential and how much I wrote, so suggested that I share some of it with her. I selected a page out of my journal and she gave me an A-! She found a way to connect with me and I became the most engaged, passionate student who topped English and wrote poetry. I even composed my first waiata in Māori. The way she made me feel had a positive impact in every other class.

In a Māori world, it was a kuia from Ngāti Maniapoto who had a big role in my life from early on. She was an expert weaver, an expert in Māori language. The way she imparted her knowledge without any ego – by bringing people into the learning process and helping them to understand the art by empowering them to be creative themselves – I loved that.

Cultural capability Mātauranga Māori Te reo Māori Leadership Digital technology and fluency CORE’s vision is for an equitable and thriving Aotearoa – through learning.

We’re everywhere that learning happens – from early years to tertiary, to organisations, businesses, government ministries and departments.

Our staff work in both te reo Māori and English.

Local curriculum design Inclusive learning Wellbeing

Our approaches are innovative, culturally responsive, inclusive and future-focused.

CORE is Tiriti-honouring. We partner with you to co-design learning solutions that lead to transformational change.

learning@core-ed.ac.nz

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

core-ed.org/transformation

0800 267 301

EDUCATION

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©lassedesignen - stock.adobe.com

Literacy programs to help

Kiwi kids decode

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

New Zealand’s teens are no longer avid readers, according to the latest literacy report from the Ministry of Education.

The report found that 52 percent of 15-year-olds would say, “I read only if I have to”, which is a devastating jump from the 38 percent who agreed in 2009.

There was also a 10 percent increase in the number of kids who agreed that “for me, reading is a waste of time”.

PISA reading scores have also consistently fallen for NZ 15-yearolds over the last two decades.

This international test, PISA 2015, was a big wake up call for many countries including New Zealand because it established that literacy proficiency has been on a hasty decline. In the time since, educators have been

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reassessing the ways in which literacy is taught to brainstorm what kind of paradigm shift might reverse the trend.

The Ministry’s report singles out a couple of possible causes for the reduced interest in reading: social media and NCEA. Professor Stuart McNaughton, the Ministry of Education’s Chief Education Science Adviser, said it is possible that social media competes with recreational reading time. Young people are spending increasingly more time online and this could be impacting how much time they spend reading. Another possible cause could be NCEA, according to Professor McNaughton.

He acknowledged in his report that the introduction of the standardised testing framework may have widened the skill divide between poorer and richer students.

Over the last two decades leading up to PISA 2015, schools have taken more of an implicit approach to teaching literacy where children decipher meaning based on contextual clues.

Implicit learning paints language as functional and contextual rather than an objective, intersecting list of rules. It’s a bit like learning by osmosis: in this paradigm, students are expected to understand how a letter might reference a particular sound, or how punctuation works, by piecing it all together as they read a text, like a puzzle. Classroom teachers taking an implicit approach will encourage students to read and write as much as possible and offer assistance whenever and wherever they can. It requires a lot of time and effort for learners and teachers, yet research has increasingly shown that children who struggle to learn to read

EDUCATION

also struggle to improve in this approach. Students with dyslexia and other learning differences find this type of literacy learning particularly difficult but research has shown there are benefits to more structured decoding strategies for all students.

A 2019 Massey University study showed that training teachers to take a more structured approach to literacy results in much improved outcomes for students, particularly those who scored lowest prior to participating in the study. In response, literacy experts are now calling for more focus on structured literacy teaching and decoding to get kids’ reading skills back on track.

School News spoke to program specialists, literacy experts, and industry publishers to find out what programs are doing to boost early engagement and improve reading rates.

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Accelerate Reading Proficiency “We are very excited by the results. We have not experienced rates of improvement such as this in past years.”

Deputy Principal, Melanie Kindley, Mission Heights Junior College, Auckland

Comprehensive Assessment

Comprehension Vocabular y

• Diagn ostic profile for each student

Self-improvement Belief

• Data-driven starting point for practice and instruction

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of decodable texts with children is very interesting.”

Ms Trembath agreed: “The latest research highlights that successful foundational literacy development starts with assessment of letter knowledge and phonological awareness, followed by systematic decoding instruction, and regular progress monitoring that guides instruction. The success of these teaching practices is supported by the 2019 Massey University Early Literacy Research Project.

In his research, Professor McNaughton suggested that more relevant reading materials could help motivate learners to engage in reading.

Dame Wendy Pye has also been vocal about the importance of including diverse and relevant books in the New Zealand Curriculum. As Publisher of Sunshine, print and digital, Dame Wendy Pye told us: “Children come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Books should be selected on their New Zealand appeal with stories that reflect real-life situations and are fun and relatable.

“Non-fiction should be easy to read and topical with lots of photographs, diagrams and illustrations,” she advised.

“These are valuable for secondlanguage children. Well-loved stories are also valuable in the classroom, written and illustrated by some of our famous New Zealand writers and illustrators.

Animation and interaction in digital programs assist comprehension and fluency for English Language Learners.

Image courtesy of ITEC

“New Zealand publishers working together can come up with solutions that provides resources for te reo Māori, the many different cultures living in New Zealand and refugee children.”

initiatives. The take-up on daily use of the digital resources has been encouraging and teachers have been able to allocate reading and extension activities for children at home.”

Janine Trembath, from literacy program specialists The IT Education Co NZ, praised teachers for their work facilitating interesting reading activities for students during lockdown. She said: “Teachers have been amazing with their

How should teachers teach literacy today?

Dame Wendy Pye said teachers should take an interest in decoding: “The work currently underway in researching the use and value of a range

“Many literacy programs are research-based. This is a good starting point, however, the implementation of programs that are not only research-based but research-proven will provide students with resources that have peer reviewed research and scientifically based evidence of significant positive impact on learning. The most effective foundational literacy programs employ a systematic scope and sequence that builds upon prior skills knowledge throughout.”

Dr Wendy Pye added: “The [lockdown] experience showed how capable our teachers are in the primary grades

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EDUCATION

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when developing meaningful curriculum outcomes using online resources.

They can interact with families and children learning at home by using reports, data, and tracking. However, we found there was still a gap for children without access to devices or broadband. I hope that this gap is narrowing with the supply of more devices. Ultimately, we have seen how it is possible for us all to work together in times of difficulty as a team, helping children learn to read.�

Engaging learners and tracking engagement “Each student’s appropriate start level should be determined by an initial assessment,�

Ms Trembath pinpointed. “Learning should automatically personalise to each students’ needs, by continuously adapting the level of skills practice and instruction according to their responses. Reliable up to the minute progress data monitoring facility is important to enable teachers to provide individual data-driven support based on student progress and specific

that Term 4 will bring full classes.

During the lockdowns, the free resources grant provided by the Pye Foundation reached over 100,000 children daily. This grant helped to support daily reading and activities to encourage reading fluency and literacy skills. “What was highlighted during this time was that digital learning is here to stay so the resources need to be accessible and easy to use.�

Image courtesy of Massey University

management system, so that the data can be easily produced and accessed. After all, the children are most comfortable with the technology.�

skills needing more work.�

Dame Wendy Pye said that “most New Zealand schools use the colour wheel, and texts are carefully graded�. “This includes New Zealand decodables. In the teachers’ books, there is assessment for each level. The program management system used at the school should allow teachers to allocate and track children’s progress with fluency and understanding of the texts. I hope that in the future teachers feel more comfortable with using an effective

Ms Trembath added: “The COVID-19 lockdown increased online learning but also highlighted the need to discern which programs facilitate blended and scaffolded learning, providing continuity of learning for students at school and at home.�

Literacy during lockdown

Playing catch-up in 2021

“There has been a challenge to keep them reading� Dame Wendy Pye said, addressing some of the issues that teachers have faced during the height of COVID. “Due to the disruption with lockdowns, children did not attend school for many weeks, and some children have not yet returned to school, although it is hopeful

Janine said: “As school staff plan for 2021 adaptability will be a key consideration. A whitepaper

by Lexia Learning cites that “although the instinct is to throw out the playbook and start fresh, it is more important now than ever to rely on proven frameworks and instructional strategies to create remote learning plans�.

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Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

EDUCATION

15

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Relationships built with communities, empowering teachers to step up and become instructional leaders, and rigorously tested and proven online/blended programs are listed as fundamental aspects of scalable and sustainable plans.

on compensatory strategies to read unknown words, they rarely focus closely on the word. Close focus on the spelling patterns (orthography) is essential for making a map of the word for later retrieval and for that word to eventually recognised by sight.

What is decoding?

Why is decoding receiving so much attention?

By Dr Christine Braid, Kaitakawaenga | Facilitator, Massey University Decoding is one of the key components needed for reading success.

International and national data show there is a persistent difficulty with reading achievement in New Zealand.

Teachers are realising that the current teaching approach is not sufficient for many children.

One of the key problems is the range of spelling patterns in the words in the commonly used levelled books.

Learners have to be directed to use strategies other than the printed code so they can work out the words. The approach makes learning to decode hard for many children and it makes teaching of reading difficult too.

In order to teach children to become strong in decoding, teachers need strong teacher knowledge about the code, support of a scope and sequence of skills, and books that are decodable along that scope.

Decodable texts introduce spelling patterns gradually, giving children time to make orthographic maps and allowing teachers to teach the patterns of print explicitly and systematically.

Effective classroom practice for ensuring good decoding skills includes:

Good decoding skills combine with a reader’s language comprehension to enable meaningful reading of a text.

Decoding skill requires knowledge of the alphabetic principle, which is the connections between the sounds in words and the letters associated with those sounds.

A reader who has good decoding skills can read familiar and unfamiliar words accurately and rapidly, as Hoover and Gough’s 1999 research showed.

Capable readers are capable decoders; they can read a list of words, whereas a struggling reader cannot. Readers with weak decoding skills rely on the sentence’s meaning and structure to compensate for lack of skill with the code. When readers rely

16

Teaching decoding skills in the classroom

•

poems, rhymes, alliteration, hearing sounds in words, phonological awareness training

•

securing alphabet: letter shapes, sounds, names, and formation

•

explicit teaching of blending sounds for decoding and segmenting for spelling

•

multiple opportunities to read and spell words successfully

•

children applying skills to read decodable books and write dictated sentences.

For reading to be successful, decoding skill is not sufficient, but it is absolutely necessary.

EDUCATION

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Transforming literacy teaching:

more than meets the eye

When you look in Ms G’s class at literacy time, the lessons may seem familiar. You will see shared reading and shared writing in lessons with the whole class.

focuses on specific teaching of skills rather than a lesson dominated by guiding children through a book.

But take a closer look and you will see differences in Ms G’s from what has been common in New Zealand classrooms.

“I used to spend all the small group lesson helping children to read a book that had so many different word patterns and it was really difficult for them. I always felt like I was rushing to get the children to the next colour level.

What I really like is that I now know exactly what to teach. I get time to make sure children don’t have gaps in knowledge that I didn’t notice before.”

What is this change in approach?

In small group lessons, Ms G

The focus for the small group session in the changed approach

You will see Ms G taking small group lessons for closer teaching and children are engaged with independent literacy tasks.

is teaching the knowledge and skills needed for a strong foundation in reading and writing. In each session, Ms G checks previous learning and ensures children are secure with letter knowledge and formation. In first lessons, the focus is on teaching words with dependable patterns, consonantvowel-consonant words.

Early lessons might focus on words that use vowels a, i, o and children will read and write these words. Children get to read decodable texts and write sentences that use these patterns.

Tātai Angitu Enhance teacher knowledge

Ensure progress for every learner

Have reliable tools for monitoring progress

PLD for improving literacy success

Use a scope and sequence for teaching and learning

x

06 951 7490 or 021 170 9286

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Sustain learning partnerships with whānau

Consider appropriate resources

v

e3@massey.ac.nz

R www.tataiangitu.ac.nz

EDUCATION

How did this change happen? Ms G and her teaching colleagues attended training with Tātai Angitu, Massey University. The training provides teachers with increased knowledge about what contributes to success in learning to read and write.

The facilitator also supported Ms G and her colleagues in their classrooms to implement the change in approach.

Prior to the specific training, Ms G, like many New Zealand teachers, did not have the necessary specific knowledge or the supporting resources to teach in the way that many in her class needed. Ms G remarked, “I didn’t realise what I didn’t know about how words work in print and what really happens in our brains when we read”. Her comments at the end of the training reflect those of many of the teachers. “The training has transformed my teaching and my students are making such good progress. I can’t unknow what I have learned.

My literacy teaching now has to be a structured approach”.

Many schools report higher numbers of children having difficulty making progress in literacy skills. A structured approach has been making a difference for teachers who have begun to implement the approach.

If you are interested in support to implement a structured approach to teaching literacy, please call 021 170 9286 or 06 951 7490 or email e3@massey.ac.nz

17

St Peter’s School Cambridge

Land use and winemaking sparks entrepreneurship

area of .2 ha. Approximately 50 Year 10 agriculture/horticulture students planted the seedlings, cutting old school carpet into squares and placing them as weed mats. “Students measure a random selection of seedlings to measure fortnightly to get data for growth information.”

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

St Peter’s agriculture and horticulture students have developed a new business venture, utilising vacant land on the adjoining Owl Farm property to grow some very special trees.

Protection from pests has also been considered; students will place old milk cartons around the seedlings to secure them from hungry rabbits and other pests.

Aptly named Owl Trees, the school’s homegrown initiative aims to “educate St Peters students on how to plant, prune and harvest Pinus Radiata while running an environmentally sustainable and profitable business”.

The business venture is the brainchild of St Peter’s Year 10 students who, along with senior Agribusiness students and teacher Rebecca McGuire, presented their concept to management from St Peter’s and Owl Farm.

All students from Years 9 to 13 use the venture as a way to learn marketing and accounting skills to ensure the business runs at a profit. As well as investigate environmental sustainability concepts that are at forefront of any primary industry businesses.

Any profits made over time will

18

The plot will be planted in stages over three years to ensure sustainability. Adjacent land has also been earmarked for future agricultural use by the students and current feasibility studies are being undertaken to determine the best crop for the area. be returned to the Agricultural departments to further develop concepts and assist with class fieldtrips and equipment.

“We are fortunate enough to have the owl farm as part of the school,” one of the teachers involved told us.

Students have turned the sloping area measuring approximately .4 Ha into a

radiata pine nursery and they intend to grow the plants to a size suitable for a Christmas tree. Incubation period is approximately two years, which means the trees will be available for sale in December 2022.

Pine seedlings have been in the ground since August, a teacher confirmed, with 280 seedlings planted. In an approx

PROFILE

A teacher confirmed: “We have been waiting for a piece of land (sidling) to be made available for projects and retired from the dairy platform. This was made available; however, a lease payment plan has been adopted for this land so that an accurate business model is adopted and the students learn realistic costs to setting up a business and costs associated with diversifying land use.”

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

the name, label, and style of the striking Blue Ruru bottle label. Ruru is the Māori name for our native owl – the morepork, thus nodding to the St Peter’s Owl and the higher wisdom, learning and inner knowing it proudly represents.

Treemendous curriculum tie-ins St Peter’s Year 10 curriculum is about where primary products come from. One of the teachers explained; “We often look at our food industries - grass to glass, paddock to plate, and the many horticulture crops around - and it is easy to find these examples in the waikato. The pine trees helped give practical application to plant growth, alternative land use, soil structure study, and the introduction to carbon emissions trading.

Earlier this year, students and staff volunteered to harvest the 2020 crop. Collectively, they hand-picked 1.5 tonnes of grapes on a clear March morning and the bounty was delivered to Volcanic Hills Winery at the base of Mt Ngongotaha in Rotorua.

There, winemaker Brent Park set about producing the blends over the next four months.

“Other Year levels certainly made use of the horticulture business concepts. Year 11s were studying soil management practises and looking at distribution of primary industries within NZ while forestry was one of our studies so it was perfect timing for the students to actually see the planting process and the challenges.

“Year 12 and 13 agribusiness students completed cashflows and land use analysis which will continue into the future as other projects start. Another .2 Ha has been sprayed for sweetcorn which will be planted in the next few weeks for a harvest in early February when students return to school in 2021 to sell at markets.

It’s a curriculum programme rich with real-world potential, and the school is rightly proud of the work being done. Executive Principal Dale Burden told us: “To be able to offer such a wide range of learning across our campus and the adjoining farm, is what St Peter’s is all about.

“Our students will gain many practical skills during this process.”

Space to grow great wine The 2020 Blue Ruru Pinot Gris and Rose has landed at St Peter’s, Cambridge, in partnership with Volcanic Hills Winery in Rotorua, and the proud result of lots of hard work!

The journey started five years ago, when a student keen to study viticulture asked Head of Agricultural and Horticultural Science Mike Kilgour, “Why haven’t we got grapes growing here?”

Mike thought, “why, indeed?” He took the concept to Mr Burden and the senior leadership team, who supported the project and with vines donated by the Thorp family from Sunrise Nurseries in Gisborne, and input and guidance from Charlie and Debbie Johnson, the idea was planted.

Choosing the varieties to grow was key, as the Waikato is not traditionally a grape growing region. Settling on Cabernet Franc, Pinotage for the reds and Chardonnay and Pinot Gris for the whites, 40 of each variety were planted on-site at St Peter’s school behind the school’s playing fields. The wine itself is made off-site and not made to be sold.

Students from across the curriculum and year groups have been involved in bringing the wine to reality: •

•

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Year 9 and 10 Agriculture and Horticulture Science students pruned the vines.

IB Chemistry had the important job of titration to determine the amount of pH and acid levels in the wine, determining the best time to pick.

•

Science classes used a refractometer to measure the brix (sugar) content in the grapes.

•

Design students developed

PROFILE

With the very limited quantities produced, those actually enjoying a glass will be few.

Executive Principal Dale Burden comments “being able to deliver an authentic learning experience for our students, from the planting of the vines through to the harvest and production, is an opportunity we are excited to offer our students.”

The teaching team who got the project off the ground had some advice for schools wanting to do something similar. They said: “My advice to any other school thinking of doing something similar would be to make use of the parent body as generally they are only too happy to be part of projects like this.”

The teacher facilitating the Owl Tree project said: “I wonder if other schools could work with local councils and perhaps could use green belts that could be used more for educational purposes, or land around the local area could be leased by schools to set up their own businesses, some of the ideas could be quite profitable.

However, the importance of the education and learning is always at the forefront.”

Ideas for further innovation at St Peter’s “In the future, I would like to set up trials so students can gather data for assessments,” said one of the teachers overseeing the Blue Ruru project. “E.g. using wildflowers between the rows to see if we can use beneficial insects to control pests. Another idea might be to compare fruit yield between an irrigated plant and one with no irrigation.”

19

: g n ti n u o c c a te a r u c Ac

©lovelyday12 - stock.adobe.com

The cost-effective time-saver

By David Carroll, Industry Reporter

Managing finances effectively is one of the most important, complex, and often timeconsuming elements of running a school.

From creating and balancing budgets to managing contracts and maintaining assets, school leaders are required to establish and maintain sound financial policies and procedures. They also have an obligation to adhere to Ministry of Education and auditing requirements.

With the education sector having been allocated $813.6 million in the Government’s 2020 Budget this is no small responsibility.

Financial management involves a series of daily, monthly, and annual tasks and while they might at first appear daunting, there are multiple resources available to make these processes

easier and less confusing.

The Ministry of Education provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and managing school finances.

Keeping thorough and upto-date accounts is chief among the Ministry’s tips for maintaining sound financial management practices.

One of the key suggestions contained within the Ministry’s resources is for schools to use a financial management software package to achieve a more organised and consistent approach to their finances. Using digital finance management and accounting platforms involves a data entry process

so that you can generate all necessary reports. The Ministry does however caution against schools doing the data entry themselves as a moneysaving practice, warning it is neither “safe nor sensible”.

Fraud is a genuine issue in our schools with the Office of the Auditor-General’s 2019 annual report on fraud highlighting 118 incidents of fraud in New Zealand schools in the past eight years.

The most common fraud was theft of cash with credit or fuel card fraud also prevalent and more than 30 per cent of the cases happened because the school’s financial policies and procedures were not followed.

© strichfiguren.de - stock.adobe.com

The board of trustees is in the first instance responsible for

the financial management of the school but will generally delegate the day-to-day responsibilities to the principal.

The board does however retain a financial governance role and every trustee has an ongoing responsibility to understand the school’s financial situation.

20

ADMINISTRATION

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

The report highlights the need for schools to not only implement sound financial policies and procedures but also for the need to rigorously police them.

Budgeting is another important element of sound financial management.

The Ministry says when it comes to budgeting, good financial practice means managing money and money processes, so the budget is aligned with the school’s strategic plan.

This also requires the establishment of monitoring systems to ensure the school is on target to meet the budget and if not, making sure steps are in place to correct it.

Reporting, on a monthly and annual basis, is another key element of keeping your financial systems secure and successful.

The Ministry’s outlines indicate that before each board meeting your executive officer or financial service provider should prepare a management report. This should include income statement, balance sheet and notes associated with these reports.

As a minimum, the reports should include information to date, budget amount and percentage spent.

A variance report is also recommended, along with bank reconciliation for all accounts the school uses and progress reports on any capital expenditure planned or underway.

Financial management and accounting requires good habits to deliver good outcomes.

School News Editor Rosie Clarke spoke with the Managing Director of Education Services, Peter McBreen, to find out more about outsourced accounting and what it can offer schools.

“Schools’ most common ‘accounting mistakes’ include not accounting for leases correctly and not including provision for maintenance or depreciation into their monthly reports,” Mr McBreen advised.

“This results in end of year financial statements that are significantly different to the monthly reports, causing board members to make decisions on hugely inaccurate monthly reports.”

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Q: How much involvement do school staff have when accounting is outsourced?

A: “Still a significant amount, but they are more involved with managing than doing, and concentrating on things like internal controls that reduce risk to a school. It is fair to say, however, that generally, school staff spend less time on accounting if it is outsourced – and that is one reason it is cheaper for a school.”

Q: How might schools benefit from training and other external support?

A: “The first bit of training we provide is how to read the reports, so folk know what they are looking at and are knowledgeable. Then, the next thing we train on is things to look out for so that they can spot a problem before it becomes an issue. With regard to external support, we keep an eye on all our clients’ financial performance and position so that they know we will highlight something for them. It is like having a second pair of eyes.”

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Q: Do you have any top tips for budgeting?

A: “Put your income in first, then your fixed costs, before you put in your variables like amount of teacher aide hours. If you put in variables first, it makes getting to a positive result very, very difficult. Schools should also get advice and assistance on the hard figures, such as depreciation, leases, provision for maintenance, etc. Don’t try to calculate these if you don’t have the knowledge because they will likely be wrong. Finally, have good spreadsheeting tools that add for you as you go.”

No software needed at the School, all reports, ledger, queries, creditor schedules etc through the cloud 24/7 and we train your staff.

Let us take all the worry out of your Financial Management For a no-obligation quote please contact Pete on 06 757 5489 or email to pete@educationservices.co.nz Education Services has seven offices that service Schools anywhere in the North Island.

Q: How can schools benefit from outsourced accounting?

A: “It is more cost efficient; you get a better product from the experts and you can spend more of your valuable time on education, rather than accounting. The biggest advantage is school accounting experts deliver a quality product.

When a school produces reports internally, unless a principal or board member goes and checks all the figures (and they are accounting trained), there is no way of knowing the report is accurate.”

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ADMINISTRATION

21

Entering the upskilling era:

PLD prep for 2021

By David Carroll, Industry Reporter

A report published by the Education Review Office reinforces the importance of professional learning and development (PLD), identifying it as a central tenet for maintaining and improving teacher quality.

The report identifies that teaching is a “complex and demanding profession” and acknowledges teachers require high quality support and training throughout their careers to ensure they have the strategies and skills to continue to meet the needs of learners.

The report was published more than a decade ago yet its overview

still rings true today with New Zealand educators confronting a rapidly changing environment.

meaning teachers and school leaders can apply against them in Term 4 for delivery in Term 1, 2021.

The changes extend beyond the classroom for teachers and school leaders with the Ministry of Education having reset its PLD guidelines, identifying seven new priorities with regionally allocated PLD needing to align with one or more of the priorities.

The new priorities have been established to support the Government’s vision of a New Zealand education system that meets the needs of all learners, no matter who they are or where they come from, but not all agree the changes will deliver the desired outcomes.

The new national priorities for English medium settings focus on cultural capability, local curriculum design, and assessment for learning while Mātauranga and te reo Māori, marau ā-kura and aromatawai are the new priorities for Māori medium settings. Digital fluency remains a priority for teachers and leaders in all schools.

The new priorities were introduced at the beginning of Term 3,

Workshops for Educators are tailor made for teachers, teacher aides and other professionals working with autistic students. “Many autistic children with high support needs thrive in mainstream schools, as long as that school has sound knowledge of autism and takes the time to learn about each students’ individual autism,” she said.

“This right environment includes sensory accommodations, and appropriate, targeted

22

Monique, now a Learning Support Coordinator based in Levin, said the first professionals she asked to come to the workshop she organised in late 2018, were teacher aides.

They’re the ones who are not only supporting the autistic children, they can see a lot more than the teachers in many instances.

“The pace of educational change requires a much more significant investment in PLD and across a much broader swathe of curriculum,” he said.

While the regionally allocated funding is linked to the new priorities, there are other PLD opportunities available for

Are you a teacher aide working with autistic students?

for teachers on autism

professional learning development for all staff working with autistic students.”

Mr Rush also said there is insufficient funding for PLD and what money is available is contestable so that many schools seeking support miss out.

Perry Rush, national president of the New Zealand Principals' Federation, said it is cause for concern that regionally allocated PLD must align with one or more of the seven priorities. “This has the effect of only ensuring those priorities are supported and that there is a contestable market for PLD applications. This means that some schools are supported,

Practical tips Monique Gunther of Manawatu highly recommends the training she and other education staff received from Altogether Autism because it offered practical tips for use in a classroom setting rather than theoretical learning.

and some schools miss out,” he said. “It also means that schools that have bespoke needs around particular development goals not recognised in Government priorities, must source and fund their own professional learning and development.”

Take advantage of the new Ministry of Education Teacher Aide professional learning development pilot fund and register for a course which allows you to learn by asking questions about autism in a supportive environment.

Specialist facilitators will provide best practice skills and strategies to teach autistic students and support their families.

Through an interactive workshop you will learn practical strategies to use in the classroom.

Gaining knowledge, understanding and strategies can make a dramatic difference when teaching autistic students.

Content includes:

• Understanding autism • Encouraging flexible thinking • Coping with change

• Meeting sensory needs • Managing meltdowns • Developing communication and social skills

“This is truly one of the best courses I have ever attended, and you have equipped me with knowledge and tools to take back into our environment to support our akonga to the best of our ability!”

“You have the ability to pass on information that we can take on board in a practical way and feel like we can strengthen our practice and understanding, in working with tamariki that have Takiwātanga.”

Contact us for more information

“If a teacher aide has that knowledge, they’re the ones who can make it happen,” she said.

TEACHER’S DESK

Email info@altogetherauitsm.org.nz or visit our website www.altogetherautism.org.nz and search for Workshops for Educators

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WORKSHOPS FOR EDUCATORS

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

educators, including working together informally to improve knowledge and understanding.

Informal professional learning activities include providing or receiving feedback from a colleague on teaching practice or new teaching materials and discussing with colleagues different teaching strategies to use with students. For those pursuing

formal PLD activities there are study awards, sabbaticals and study support grants available to help teachers and school leaders.

The teachnz website provides details about funding available for teachers and principals looking to pursue study and there are opportunities to apply for three, five or 10-week

sabbaticals to complete a professional learning activity or for reflection and rejuvenation.

For teacher aides, a new $2.29 million fund has been rolled out this year designed to provide easier access to PLD opportunities.

The fund has been made to support teacher aides to pursue training opportunities within

their school or cluster. It can also pay for classes offered by private providers, polytechnics and universities and covers both face-to-face and online delivery.

For those schools looking to apply for regionally allocated PLD, a new online system has replaced the previous manual system in a bid to simplify the application, allocation and planning processes.

COVID-19 has impacted skills

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand has revealed 1000 student teachers will graduate this year without the usual requisite classroom experience.

It is becoming clear that COVID-19 has impacted skills.

2021 looks set to usher in a new era of upskilling for teachers on all fronts and at all stages.

While lockdown has forced

educators to rapidly pick up and develop existing skills in areas of digital learning, it has become apparent that those skills need further development. If digital learning is the future of teaching, teachers need to learn how they can best take advantage of this trend to enrich pedagogies.

Teaching and working remotely, collaborating virtually, and innovating real-world-applicable projects and lesson plans through digital technologies are all relatively new tools in the teacher toolbox that will require development and training.

Students who have ASD and/ or other learning differences have faced unique challenges and benefits to their learning this year. While many have enjoyed the reduced pressure to engage with the social elements of schooling, curriculum engagement over lockdown has varied from learner to learner.

Without an in-person classroom environment, teachers, teacher aides, and particularly new teachers, have not had as much time with individual students to gauge engagement or build practical experience working

with students who have sensory needs. Upskilling is one way to help make up for lost time, as educators can learn how to encourage flexible thinking, develop communication skills, and work with a variety of sensory needs more effectively.

If teachers and educators are able to extend their skills in this area, it may drastically improve the quality of learning for students with ASD as they return and adapt back to the in-person school environment.

Southern Cross supports teachers to make a positive difference to the mind health of Kiwi kids Improving student wellbeing has been at the heart of the Pause Breathe Smile programme since its introduction into schools in 2013.

Developed in Aotearoa at the Mental Health Foundation, the programme has reached students from over 380 schools which have been trained by Grant and Natasha Rix, formerly of the Mindfulness Education Group and now Directors of the Pause Breathe Smile Trust.

Southern Cross, New Zealand’s leading independent health and wellness provider, has now joined forces with the Pause Breathe Smile Trust and the Mental Health Foundation.

Together they share a vision of equipping every child in New Zealand with the tools to achieve positive mind health.

Through this partnership the Pause Breathe Smile programme Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

will be available at no cost to any primary and intermediate school from term four 2020.

Evidence-based and curriculumaligned, research on the Pause Breathe Smile programme shows increases in wellbeing, reduction of stress, boosts conflict resolution skills and enhances self-awareness.

“It was a fantastic workshop and I am looking forward to working with my students to further develop the skills and strategies outlined in the programme.”

– Post PD Survey Response Pause Breathe Smile’s facilitators provide whole-school training to teachers via a one-day workshop.

The workshop is supported by online tools, a teacher wellbeing course and educator handbook that includes full lesson plans and sample scripts to support implementation. Teachers then integrate the eight-week mind health programme in the classroom and include mind health practices as part of daily teaching practice.

“I enjoyed this Workshop / Programme and believe it to be some of the most important professional development I have done in recent times.”

– Post PD Survey Response Each lesson of Pause Breathe Smile is designed to support health and wellbeing within the four domains represented by Te Whare Tapa Whā. In doing so, it utilises a model of wellbeing that is both universally relatable and culturally appropriate for indigenous New Zealanders.

When it is mindfulness time they are ready and focussed and fully engaged. Totally ready to try anything with an open mind.

Initially I had some concerns with the senior students and the idea that they came into it with negative ideas that it was silly, uncool, what was the point etc, but they have changed these attitudes and it astounds me that not even one child is disengaged.”

– Mariella Brunton, Classroom Teacher, Waitetuna School, Waikato.

Find out more visit pausebreathesmile.nz or email info@pausebreathesmile.nz

“The children have just taken this totally beyond my expectations.

TEACHER’S DESK

23

Education changemakers

on is that educators need very little incentive to stay curious – evident in the sheer numbers who signed up to learn in what has been an incredibly challenging year.

What we have been reminded of is the resilience, courage and boldness of educators to dig deep and do whatever it takes to ensure maximum success for their pupils; what we have experienced is that anything is possible when done as a team.

By The Mind Lab

Our recent 7th birthday has encouraged us to look back as we step forward, to reflect on our purpose and evaluate if it is still as valid and relevant as it initially was.

The Mind Lab opened its doors in 2013 with the goal of growing a community of leaders who could change the face of education in New Zealand so that learners are able to thrive in a contemporary world.

Having a futurist as a founder in Frances Valintine, and an executive education provider in Tech Futures Lab as a sister company, we are continuously informed about the future workplace and the skills needed to thrive in this future.

Frances’ biggest motivation is the departure from the industrial era model of factory “clock-in, clock-out work” and “professional skills developed for a linear career that lasted for life”. Although successful for decades, this model is no longer sustainable, and our education needs to reflect that.

The Digital Technologies

24

learning areas | Hangarau Matihiko tupuranga of the New Zealand curriculum are proof enough that change is needed, and COVID-19 has further accelerated that change.

The skills that current and future business is demanding correlates directly to those our children should be developing.

And for children to learn the skills, educators need to learn the skills.

The story of The Mind Lab is really one of continuous, circular inspiration: the Postgraduate Certificate in Digital and Collaborative Learning (DCL) was

a result of educators witnessing their students “switching on” and engaging with learning and wanting to be a part of that transformation. The DCL inspired such confidence and joy in curiosity that the Master of Contemporary Education (MCE) was created to further facilitate meaningful change.

Because our programmes rest on collaboration to enhance impact, more and more educators are inspired to learn with us. In turn, more and more pupils embrace the joy of learning – the key to thriving in an ever-changing digital age.

What we have reflected

TEACHER’S DESK

We measure our success on your growing confidence and joy; we evaluate our outcomes on your growing capability to create and lead change; we celebrate our progress when another learner joins our ever-growing community of leaders and change-makers.

The contemporary world is an ever changing one. Now is exactly the right time to choose curiosity over uncertainty, to teach skills over tools and to team up with other educators looking to change the world, one pupil at a time.

Lifelong learning is what keeps us open, enquiring and kind and The Mind Lab is dedicated to supporting people who embrace it.

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Join our community of life-long learners We’re building a community of innovative learners, changing the face of education in Aotearoa.

Postgraduate Certificate in Digital & Collaborative Learning • 35-weeks, part-time • Flexible, fun and future-focused programme designed to build confidence in a studentcentered and collaborative approach to learning • Full and partial scholarships available for all state and independent school educators Master of Contemporary Education • 1.5-2 years, part-time or full-time • Practice-based programme designed to support the development of teachers and education leaders in a rapidly evolving education environment • Scholarships and discounts available Intakes starting in January 2021 Learn more at themindlab.com TEACHER’S DESK

Op-Ed:

Financial wellbeing is important for teachers

By Obu Ramaraj

O – Organise your spending

Teachers spend hours in classrooms doing their very best to shape our future generations.

Once you’ve identified what truly matters to you, the next step is to allocate funds towards each of these categories. As educators, you plan classwork every single day. When it comes to organising your finances, it does not have to be that hard. We all have fixed and variable expenses. It is relatively easy to apportion money towards fixed expenses. Create a wish list of your wants and desires and assign a portion of your income for fun experiences.

Good money habits are often not taught at school as a part of the curriculum and most of us learn from our environment, parents, and friends. It is important for teachers to consider ways they might improve their financial wellbeing.

Not only so that they can benefit themselves, but so they can pass on basic understanding to their students and break the pattern.

Here is the CODE of financial wellness for teachers.

©pim pic - stock.adobe.com

But how do they take care of their wellbeing? Especially their financial wellbeing… This year has been a true challenge for everyone, and teachers have gone through a lot of stress, anxiety, and challenges trying to balance face-to-face learning with home schooling.

D – Decide how much you have for spending

C – Consider what you are going to do with your $$$ Teachers work long hours and are true givers. But life extends beyond work – you only have one body, one mind, and one life to live. If this is the case, the money you earn is not just for essentials, but for fun too. With some planning, you can achieve all your goals and dreams.

There is no ‘one right way’, but set goals based on what you want (not your friends, family, or anyone else).

This is where a lot of people, including teachers go wrong.

When the pay comes into the bank account, most people spend first and save if there is any leftover. Sometimes, if there

is not enough, credit cards and/ or personal loans seem to be the solution. This is a case of entitled spending. It does not have to be this way! The opposite of entitled spending is called intentional spending. This means being intentional with what you spend, how you save and invest.

E – Engage with your vision/ goal to make it happen If your ‘why’ is not clear or important to you, the how gets harder. With so much happening around you, it can be hard to focus on your goals. As teachers, you are skilled at engaging students in classrooms, so use those skills to help yourself engage with your vision,.

My wish is for every teacher to be a master of their finances and lead a financially successful, happy life.

Obu Ramaraj is the CEO of Smart Money Solutions and author of two books.

Her latest book is Smart Women, Smart Habits: Powerful practices to create your ideal financial future. Obu’s free workbook, Crack the code : 5 steps to help you identity your spending patterns, take control of your money and be happy, is available for download at www.oburamaraj.com/crackthecode.

Can COVID-19 reverse the teacher shortage?

By David Carroll, Industry Reporter

While our chronic teacher shortage continues, the coronavirus pandemic could provide an unlikely boost for the industry.

Amid warnings that the economic effect of the virus on New Zealand could be greater than the impact of the global financial crisis, some universities have reported an increase in enquiries about enrolling in their teaching programs.

People are losing their careers, so they are looking for a more stable profession, such as teaching.

programs comes on top of the university recording a welcome rise in enrolment numbers this year.

“We’re certainly seeing a larger interest in coming into teacher education next year.”

Professor Klinger said enrolments in the university’s school teaching programs had climbed in 2020 by about 10 per cent but were well short of the 15-25

The increased interest in teaching

“We have done very well in that, as have the other universities in the country, but the reality is we are not meeting demand.”

A search of the Education Gazette this week confirmed the teacher shortage remains at crisis levels with more than 1000 vacancies for teachers at schools around the nation.

Don Klinger, pro vice-chancellor of education at the University of Waikato, said people are now identifying teaching as an attractive career option in tough economic times.

“We are just not graduating enough teachers for the demand in the country,” Professor Klinger said.

“It’s a positive we’ve got more people showing an interest.

How well that translates into enrolments … time will tell.”

“As much as we wish COVID doesn’t have an impact on our economy, it is,” he said.

26

percent increase targeted by the Education Ministry. “We did very well with our secondary numbers this year. We were up on last year and our primary numbers were solid,” he said.

TEACHER’S DESK

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

UPGRADE AND BELL SYSTEM WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY

“IP audio” simply uses your network to connect speakers.

They look like regular speakers, but you get some extra advantage:

CD Quality Audio

Quick Installation

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Automatic bell scheduling and any music or effect you want to use for the bells

“IP audio” means there is no limit to distance - if you move your offices you just unplug the microphone or speaker and reconnect it in the new location.

Lockdown and evacuation messages play at the press of a button

SCHOOL BELLS & BUZZERS MADE IN THE USA

Add new classrooms, new blocks, configure it in software, add the new speakers and plug them in.

Once the initial IP audio system is in place, future maintenance is quick and easy.

With the built-in remote scheduling function on the Netball products, it is super easy to expand your timed alert and school bell system.

• Control and program your bells easily from any PC • Simple to setup program • Easily extendable • Free Software is only needed to setup the scheduling – does not need a dedicated PC

ES FOR G A K C PA GTERM N O L / L RENTA AND SALE S LEA E LE NOW! AB AVAIL

THE LEADERS IN SCHOOL IP AUDIO PAGING AND BELL SYSTEMS

sales@edwardsnz.co.nz TEACHER’S DESK www.edwardsnz.co.nz

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engineers Tomorrow's

are our pandemic heroes

By Mandy Clarke, Industry Reporter

Unrelenting and unforgiving: the COVID-19 crisis has been catastrophic but surprising heroes have stepped up across the globe to help produce and supply protective clothing, masks, and PPE equipment using 3D printers, CNC routers and laser cutting equipment.

From libraries in Christchurch, New Zealand, to an innercity school in London UK, and an Australian University; even budding engineers have been using machines while quarantining at home to make a difference and save lives.

COVID-19 has brought to light how vital and innovate this technology is! While not all schools have the equipment, and when they do it is usually reserved for design and technology lessons or afterschool craft and hobby activities, enterprising teachers and pupils with the means and drive made

Images courtesy of Makerspace

PPE for front-line staff and community groups. Libraries with the technology also helped by making masks for community groups and medical workers.

Not taking into consideration the lifesaving abilities of these machines, they are an incredible addition to design and technology learning spaces.

Students vastly benefit from being able to plan and design their own projects, make prototypes, and produce original, marketable products. The creative potential is limitless, and some have even been able to patent their creations!

Music students can make their own instruments, art students their own jewellery, and engineers can create unique tools that help a local community venture or business.

See a need, fill a need, is the problem-solving approach these machines instil in students. They provide real world opportunities to enhance creativity and entrepreneurial skills.

The flexibility and speed of router and laser technology, and the variety of ways it can be used to solve problems has never been more apparent than during the pandemic. They are not just exciting learning resources but community investments.

28

TECHNOLOGY

CNC router or laser cutter: what is the difference?

Laser cutters, or engravers, were once only affordable for industry but they are now much more compact, fast, and accessible. Depending on need and price-point, anyone from an ‘at home hobbyist’ to a design and tech department in a school or university can use laser level accuracy to cut into all sorts of materials (depending on laser power) from leather and wood to glass, plastic and even metal.

A CNC router is a machine that cuts hard materials like wood, stone, and metal but it can also be used on soft materials like plastic and foam. The machine is controlled by a computer and users can input their designs.

CNC routers cut directly through the material and can create a vast array of products ranging from simple cut-out shapes and engraved signage to 3D models, such as boat hulls and faces.

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

CNC routers continue to evolve, with the latest technology centered around greater flexibility and integration with other processes. Modern CNC router interfaces make controlling the machines as simple as operating a tablet device. These machines are built with inherent safety features, but they are still capable of causing injury if not treated with respect. Students must always be supervised when using them and never allowed to operate the machine on their own.

User levels can be set on the machine to restrict access to more complex functions, which should reduce the opportunity for students to access functions that they are not trained to use.

Image courtesy of Makerspace

As CNC routers are widely used in many different industries their use in schools creates a greater understanding of construction and manufacturing careers and the processes involved in those industries.

future workplace. Laser cutters work by burning materials and so the most important factor to consider when purchasing a laser cutter is safety. To reduce burn risks to small fingers always double check the safety standard of the machine before you purchase.

This gives students the opportunity to gain excellent knowledge and skills preparing them perfectly them for the

Furthermore, the laser cutter you purchase should be easy to use and able to create a fun learning experience.

The laser cutter machine and the software must integrate well.

Moreover, choose one with power and size that best suits your needs - you may not need an industrial-sized laser cutter!

Industry insiders tell us there is a growing market for laser cutter use in textile and soft material work. It is also becoming more common for educators to prefer not to choose

between a 3D printer, a laser cutter, or a CNC Router, but instead aim to have all three!

And why not? These machines are now more affordable, are a tool for teaching, and invest in community problem-solving.

Giving students the opportunity to choose the machine that is more suited to their project is perhaps a more accurate reflection of the real world.

LASER CUTTERS – CENTRAL TO STEAM Laser cutters/ engravers are a popular choice with schools throughout NZ as they prepare & implement the new digital curriculum.

GENESIS “machines for creation” by Makerspace NZ are a popular choice for many reasons... With applications in both hard and soft material technology, the machines incorporate digital technology including design and prototyping.

It’s easy to see why so many schools are installing Genesis “machines for creation” laser cutters/engravers to meet their curriculum requirements.

With simple to use software and control systems,plus Makerspace NZ’s turnkey approach, your teaching Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

staff are quickly able to gain competency with the technology.

Schools frequently comment about how a laser cutter has freed teachers up to assist with design and digitisation of the project (rather than administrating or operating the machine) thanks to the inherent speed and ease of use that the laser cutter facilitates. Individual projects are often cut/engraved in seconds to minutes rather than hours.

Contact us at 0800 810 365 or visit www.makerspace.co.nz TECHNOLOGY

29

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• Students identify transport issues and design solutions • NZC-aligned for years 5-13 • Open and adaptable scope

We are the Financial Reporting Specialists.

Many other year 1-13 teacher resources available.

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We would be delighted to provide you with a peace of mind solution to all of your Financial Reporting needs.

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No software needed at the School, all reports, ledger, queries, creditor schedules etc through the cloud 24/7 and we train your staff.

Equip your students to thrive in Asia Free student workshops Funding for cultural events

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Classroom resources and lesson plans Find out more: www.asianz.org/education

For a no-obligation quote please contact Pete on 06 757 5489 or email to pete@educationservices.co.nz Education Services has seven offices that service Schools anywhere in the North Island.

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Property Services We provide long term maintenance plans and project supervision in the Taranaki, Wanganui and Manawatu regions.

For more information contact Mel on 06 349 0902

LEARNZ award-winning virtual experiences take students to remote locations all over Aotearoa, Antarctica and beyond – and they’re FREE!

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LEARNZ TAKES YOU THERE Enrol for virtual experiences learnz.org.nz/enrol20

TEACHING RESOURCES

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Post-COVID lessons for children out of school content of an exciting programme would involve sports and games, arts and crafts, baking and cooking, science and discovery, and structured free play.”

By Grantlee Kieza, Industry Reporter

Keeping kids busy and entertained during COVID lockdown has been a powerful lesson for New Zealand educators.

With schools and day care centres closed for two months early in the outbreak, sales of board games and Lego kits went through the roof and social media boomed with reports of parents, many forced to work from home, helping their children with all manner of indoor and outdoor activities ¬– everything from walking or running, bike riding, scavenger hunting; painting and drawing; creating images from leaves, sticks and flowers; colouring-in with picture books on computer apps; or using video tutorials to make all sorts of paper shapes in origami.

Researchers are considering how lessons from the pandemic can help educators continually challenge active, young minds and bodies with new ideas and adventures. They assert that a child’s exploration and learning does not stop just because the school bell has gone. In out of school time, they say, children need choices, a sense of freedom and the chance to participate and connect with others in their own way, in their own time.

Physical activity is fundamentally important to children’s health and wellbeing and the World Health Organisation states that a lack of physical activity is the leading cause of premature death and a significant risk factor for stroke, diabetes, and cancer.

Images courtesy of Kelly Club

though and continued warnings, a 2018 global survey found that the majority of children in New Zealand, Australia and other developed countries failed to meet the daily physical activity and screen time guidelines. In fact, staggeringly, only a quarter of children aged 5–17 from the world’s wealthiest countries actually met the recommended amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity – one hour a day.

In New Zealand, play and recreation activities dominate at more than 1200 providers of Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) offering before/after school and holiday programs.

The centres are based in schools and other community venues.

The New Zealand Now government website reports that children under the age of 14 must not be left alone without reasonable care and supervision. Before school care (7:30-8.30 am) and after school care (3:00-5.00 pm) is usually available from either private or community childcare providers.

Developing positive lifestyle habits at a young age has been reported to have a positive impact on growth, development and general health well into adulthood.

By contrast higher levels of recreational screen time among children have been associated with unhealthy eating, increased risk of obesity, increased risk of depressive symptoms and reduced sleep duration and quality.

Despite this hard evidence

32

EOTC

When it comes to out of school care, “the biggest misconception is that all providers are the same,” says Paul Jamieson from out of school care provider Kelly Club who provided his industry view to School News this issue.

He explains: “Before and after school care programmes are either based at schools or in local community halls.

“In theory, they are achieving the same result of caring for children while their parents and caregivers work, but a quality programme will also attract kids that don't necessarily need care, but want to attend because they see the cool things that are happening, and they want to join the action.

“Holiday programmes are a little different, where you see more specialised programmes such as arts, drama, and sport-specific and outdoor activity programmes along with the traditional mainstream school and community-based programmes. A well-rounded care programme should offer a variety of different activities. The core

The oscarnz website says that the after-school programs aim to help children transition out of their busy school day with flexible and responsive programs that cater for their needs and interests.

Children may be enrolled in after school programmes because their parents are working or in training, or simply because of the activities that are on offer.

“Most OSCAR programs revolve around child-directed play and fun group activities, rather than further schooling. Children are encouraged to have a go and there will often be time to simply hang out and unwind. “Belonging to an OSCAR group helps children learn valuable social skills and the importance of helping others.’’

Most OSCAR participants are aged 5-13.

OSCAR services do not affiliate under a single governing body and mostly operate independently of each other. However, some do collaborate for support, advice and professional development through The Out of School Care Network (OSCN), based in Auckland and The OSCAR Network, based in Christchurch.

New Zealand’s Ministry of Social Development says an OSCAR Fee Subsidy is available.

Ultimately, when it comes to out of school care, Mr Jamieson says, “looking after kids is a very privileged thing to do, so schools should ensure that their out of school care provider is OSCARapproved, has a comprehensive safety plan, and robust up to date policies and procedures including risk assessment forms and daily checklists for staff to complete. Regular engagement and communication between the school and the out of school care provider should also be happening to ensure that all expectations that the school and community require are in place and being adhered to while the programme is running.”

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Inspiring over 4 Million Kiwi Kids since 2007! and lots of fun in a safe and nurturing environment.

Kelly Club is a New Zealand owned and operated childcare and education business that’s been part of school communities since 2008.

Our sister brand is Kelly Sports!

Child-centred, authentic and fun kids sports and teacher development programmes.

Our inspiring coaches are natural role models for kids.

Our founder Paul Jamieson started out on the Hibiscus Coast with a passion for giving kids the opportunity to learn, be active and have fun. This vision embodies who we are today.

Our teams across the country create a partnership with our schools. Your values are our values and we ensure that our partnership positively impacts your school culture. We listen, collaborate and will continue to meet schools and communities current and ongoing needs.

We are not just a hall-renter, Kelly Club is a self-sufficient revenue-share model that’s seen

Kelly Sports reputation for safe and quality programmes mirrors our knowledge and passion for inspiring kids!

some schools earn $40,000 per year in additional income.

Along with building positive partnerships with our schools, understanding the busy and unpredictable lives parents lead is also an important part of our model. We have developed the nation’s most flexible

booking system. With same-day cancellation and parents only paying for the care they use.

Kelly Clubs mission is to be a kids’ home away from home.

With our quality and trusted staff, no two days are the same at Kelly Club- action-packed

If you would like more information about our programmes or would like to get in touch with one of our partner principals to hear first hand the impact that we have had on their school and community, please feel free to get in contact with Paul. He’d love to hear from you.

P | 021 409 241 E | paul@kellyclub.co.nz

Inspiring kids is the greatest job in the world!

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

EOTC

33

CASE STUDY

Schools nurture kids with nutritious programme Since partnering with their first school in 2005, the driving passion of Libelle Group, and its owner Johannes Tietze has been to fundamentally change the eating habits of every school pupil in New Zealand.

From running Tuck Shops in over 70 schools to privately funding lunches for over 400 students in Wellington in 2018, everything was geared towards serving healthy, nutritious food to hungry learners.

The culmination of this was the announcement of the launch of the Free Healthy Lunches in Schools programme in February 2020. It was a natural evolution for Libelle to begin serving lunches under this programme to 13 schools in the Bay of Plenty region. They have since added 10 more schools under Tranche 3 of the programme to bring the total to 23. This means that in total, Libelle provides healthy lunch school options to around 80,000 students at around 90 schools throughout New Zealand. The clear mission for Libelle was to provide a hasslefree, easy-to-implement set of solutions for every school in the programme, while recognising that each school is individual and needs a solution tailored to them. This can range from working in the canteen in the heart of the school, to setting up custom-built Foodtrucks

34

Images courtesy of Libelle Group

to working offsite. Meals can be served in everything from sustainable sugar cane containers to buffet-style service in school.

This has been done successfully, as explained by Craig McFadyen, Principal of Ngongotaha School: “I had several key factors each supplier had to meet. First, I wanted people working in our kitchen who had a connection to our school. Four Ngongotaha community members were employed by Libelle, all mothers or grandmothers of children attending my school. This has made a huge difference as they know our children and are related to many of them.

“Second, I wanted a menu that was healthy, nutritious and would allow the children the opportunity to try new flavours.

This is not just about a lunch, however for some of our children it's the most nutritious meal they have each day, it's actually about education too. Trying

different types of food has been a fun part of this process.

“Third, I wanted the lunches to be made on site. This way if there is an issue, we can rectify it and the children still enjoy lunch every day. We do not have a kitchen big enough to cater for 400 children. Libelle brought in food caravans for the kitchen team to work in each day.

“Finally, I didn't want it to be more work for classroom teachers.

Teaching is a busy job. Heating or serving meals is not something I expect my teaching staff to do.

All lunches are delivered straight to the classroom door and then taken away again for recycling.

“Recycling is important. Creating 400 lunches each day generates a fair bit of mess. Libelle uses recyclable products to serve their food in each day. Food scraps are sent home with one of our teacher aides for her pigs.”

Libelle also recognised that

FOOD & BEVERAGE

a key part of the programme was educating the current generation of students on the wonderful world of healthy food.

As described by Garry De Thierry, Principal of Rotorua Intermediate School: “A wise person once said, ‘We all eat, and it would be a sad waste of opportunity to eat badly’.

“Sadly, many of our students were eating badly or not eating at all while at school. Now, our students have the opportunity to eat a healthy, nutritious meal every school day. They are experiencing a variety of different flavours and food blends, and most importantly, this opportunity is better preparing them, not only to learn at school, but making them aware of the importance of healthy food in their everyday life.”

Johannes adds: “Schools teach, we cook.” Libelle has the knowledge and experience to provide a complete wraparound solution to whatever challenges a school faces.

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

FEEDING HUNGRY LEARNERS GREAT FOOD

APPROVED

SCHOOL

LUNCH SERVICE

PROVIDER

Healthier food options for New Zealand’s hungry learners.

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Top quality, freshly made school lunches.

On-site or delivery service, tailored to suit you.

Professionally audited food control plan.

Trained, qualified & 100% local staff.

It’s simple: Let our professionals feed hungry students, while your professionals feed hungry minds.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

BE PART OF THE JOURNEY. LET’S TALK. +64 21 709 138 | www.libelle.co.nz

WE TEACH PEOPLE TO SAVE LIVES

MediTrain Ltd is recognized as one of the leading First Aid training providers in the country We teach First Aid courses across New Zealand and we are registered with NZQA as a Private Training Establishment under the provisions of the Education Act 1989 and its subsequent amendments.

Our First Aid courses are recognised by the Ministry of Education, and our courses exceed the minimum workplace requirements specified by Worksafe NZ.

Šasiandelight - stock.adobe.com

Workplace first aid training could save your life

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.

Our audio-visual training presentations, First Aid manuals and all training materials are sourced, written and filmed in New Zealand for New Zealanders.

We offer First Aid courses designed for the public such as CPR only, Childcare Centres, Workplaces, Grandparents and Home-Based Educators. We also offer on-site training at your premises.

And lastly, our MediTrain for Schools programme is popular with Year 12 students as we regularly teach one-day courses for students around the country.

See our website www.meditrain.co.nz for more details or contact MediTrain Head Office on 0800 084 543 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 36

HEALTH & SAFETY

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

officer or paramedic. Nominated first aiders are required to keep their qualifications up to date with a certificate generally valid for two years with a grace period of three months.

By David Carroll, Industry Reporter

While the Act states schools must have the appropriate safety policies, procedures and resources in place to provide an environment that is without risks to safety, accidents continue to happen, and injuries remain common.

Figures released by the Accident Compensation Corporation reveal more than 65,000 students and almost 6000 staff members were injured at New Zealand schools in one 10-month period.

The figures reinforce a need to be diligent when it comes to managing the multitude of health and safety risks associated with running a school and highlight the importance of a thorough first aid policy.

ŠLisa F. Young - stock.adobe.com

The Health and Safety at Work Act requires school leaders to ensure their learning environments are safe places, ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’, for students, staff, and visitors alike.

Key to providing appropriate first aid care for your school community is ensuring an adequate number of staff are trained to administer first aid.

for early childhood education centres, stating they must have one first aid qualified person present for every 50 children attending, at all times.

How many first aid qualified staff you require depends on the size of your school, but it is important to remember the Act states everybody who is involved with a school has a responsibility for health and safety. The Education and Training Act 2020 does provide a concrete figure

To be recognised as a qualified first aider you must either have a current New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approved first aid qualification, be a registered medical practitioner or nurse with a current practising certificate or be a qualified ambulance

There is, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, likely to be some flexibility with this grace period to account for people being unable to attend refresher training because of pandemic management plans.

Those staff who have a current first aid certificate or recognised nursing qualification are eligible to receive an allowance if they are a designated first aider in the school.

The cost (up to a maximum of $160) for a designated first aider to obtain or update a first aid certificate is to be paid by the school and staff required to attend a first aid training course can be eligible for paid leave or time in lieu.

There are numerous providers who deliver first aid training for schools but WorkSafe stipulates training must be delivered by an organisation approved by the NZQA.

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shop.stjohn.org.nz Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

HEALTH & SAFETY

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©rh2010 - stock.adobe.com

When considering a course, look for one that covers: •

resuscitation and choking, bleeding, shock, fractures, sprains and head injuries

•

hypothermia, burns and poisoning

•

medical emergencies, including asthma, diabetes and epilepsy

•

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

•

severe allergic reactions

©Robert Przybysz - stock.adobe.com

©madrolly - stock.adobe.com

©Ljupco Smokovski - stock.adobe.com

Another crucial element of a thorough first aid policy is providing first aid equipment that is easily accessible, clearly marked and stored appropriately in dustproof boxes or cabinets or the school’s dedicated first aid room.

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The contents of the first aid kits should be replenished at regular intervals and while kits come in all shapes and sizes there are some basic supplies that you should stock.

These include, but are not limited to, bandages, sterile dressings, adhesive wound dressing strips, sterile eye pads, antiseptic liquid, stainless steel scissors and splinter forceps, accident register and pen or pencil, first aid booklet, list of local emergency numbers and disposable gloves.

It is important to remember that the responsibility to provide a safe learning environment extends beyond the school grounds to include any places that are visited for school purposes, such as official excursions and camps.

While the school may not be able to influence and control all of the risks associated with education outside of the classroom activities, it needs to ensure it consults with any external providers to ensure that they are suitably qualified and have robust systems in place for the management of health and safety.

A word from the experts: School News talks to some first aid suppliers…

When it comes to first aid kits, First Training Managing Director Johanna Verheijen recommends that for any EOTC activities, school staff ask the following questions: “Have the students,

HEALTH & SAFETY

staff, and helpers filled out an up-to-date health form? For those with medical conditions, what are their triggers? The more information the better. Where is their medication? When do they expect to get better? When do they require medical assistance?”

“First aid certifications should be revalidated every two years to keep up-to-date with any changes and maintain skill and knowledge level. It is one of those things that you hope you will never need and it's always unexpected.” Johanna adds: “Learning first aid is a life skill and some courses give you confidence when it counts, though practical hands on scenarios, that are fun and interactive.

“For Year 11-13 students needing NZQA credits, a Workplace First Aid course covering the 6400, 6401 and 6402 standards is a must and looks really good on a CV. For students and teachers playing in the outdoors then an Outdoor First Aid course is a must.

This covers NZQA unit 424.”

Meditrain representative Chris Banks says: “One consideration for schools is that the Workplace course is delivered over eight hours (plus four hours of precourse work) and therefore does not fit within a single normal school day, whereas the Basic First Aid course is delivered over six hours (plus pre-course work) and therefore can be completed within a single school day.”

The requirements for a first aider travelling with a sports team, he explains, “would be a current first aid certificate and having access to a first aid kit.

In terms of first aid supplies, I would suggest beginning with a standard kit and adding extra supplies relevant to a sporting context (for example, ice packs and compression bandages)”.

“There are a variety of different kits available including customised kits and suppliers may also provide a restocking service, sending someone to replace used and expired items.

The standard kits provide a good starting point, then people can add additional supplies based on common injuries or any specific risks identified for the school.”

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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NEW ZEALAND DECODABLE SERIES This Sunshine programme of 70 titles is in high demand by schools wanting successful phonics resources with illustrations and stories that relate to the experiences of our New Zealand children. The books feature the adventures of one family, their pets and friends. The first 50 titles cover the 44 phonemes in English and the last 20 titles cover the graphemes. The programme has two Teachers' Books to help with lesson plans, activity sheets, word banks and assessments. The decodable texts can support all beginners and struggling readers. Free sample available on request to admin@sunshine.co.nz C Education and Literacy P 09 525 3575 E sales@sunshine.co.nz W www.sunshine.co.nz

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Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

HEALTH WHAT’S & SAFETY HOT

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Scoreboards turn sporting fixtures into events

By David Carroll, Industry Reporter

indoor scoreboards, protective nets or cages are available.

School sport remains a key element of education and a quality scoreboard elevates the experience.

Customisation: If the scoreboard is to be used primarily for just one sport, consider a sportspecific scoreboard which can result in lower purchase price. If, however, the facility and scoreboard are to be used for multiple sports, there are numerous multi-purpose scoreboards available which include built-in custom layouts to suit the chosen activity.

Many of the latest video scoreboards can be programmed to display team and player profiles, stream live footage and replays, and display school announcements and advertising – all adding to the atmosphere of the event.

For schools planning to install a new scoreboard, there is a dazzling array available that can satisfy almost any criteria; from low-tech, flip-style scoreboards to high-tech customised multipurpose video scoreboards that include the latest full-colour electronic display technology.

What to consider when it comes to sourcing a new scoreboard for your school: Cost: Price is often the deciding factor when it comes to planning a purchase but don’t immediately rule out the more sophisticated scoreboards. With the cost of technology coming down, some of the high-tech alternatives are becoming an option for more and more schools.

Images courtesy of WiPathCommunications

field – like rugby union, rugby league or hockey – will need a board with 300mm character display or bigger. Some scoreboards come complete with a brightness control which can be used to adjust the display to account for the conditions, an important consideration in an outdoor setting.

Visibility: When planning where to locate the scoreboard, be it indoors or out, ensure it is

placed where it is visible to the maximum number of spectators.

Durability: Outdoor scoreboards must withstand the elements so sturdy, waterproof, and rustproof construction with a durable finish is required.

Polycarbonate panels can be installed over LED displays for further protection against the elements and vandalism and for impact resistance in the event of an errant ball. For

Size: Determine where the scoreboard is to be installed and purchase accordingly.

Bigger is not always better.

The size and shape should suit the available space.

Streaming: Many of today’s scoreboards offer internet connectivity and the quality of the high-resolution displays on the market means they can also be used to stream video or screen movies, providing the option to use them for more than just sports days.

Branding: When planning the shape and size of the scoreboard, consider the potential for including advertising and signage on the cabinet. Digital options can also provide commercial opportunities with many delivering the capacity to screen advertising and promotional deals.

Whatever your final choice, it must be remembered today’s scoreboard communicate much more than a match result.

Readability: The importance of size also impacts on readability with the character display a crucial consideration.

Most manufacturers provide options with character display ranging from 100mm-400mm.

Scoreboards for smaller courtspecific sports – like basketball and netball – where the crowd is reasonably close, may only require a 100mm-150mm high character but those on a large

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Communication: Options include wired, computerbased and wireless controllers.

The key to all is ensuring the software and controllers are user friendly to avoid repeat training for novice users.

Supplier experts soundoff on scoreboard specs to excite students School News Editor, Rosie Clarke, asked two scoreboard experts to fill us in on all the latest tech and trends.

The sport predominantly being played will inform the type of content you want to flaunt on your glorious new screen, SPORTS & RECREATION

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

When installed in the right location, he says “a video board extends use to other curricula activities such as productions, assemblies, meetings and video replay. The video processor can take in video feeds from a number of devices and scale to play on the video board.”

©makieni - stock.adobe.com

For WiPath Communications Managing Director Craig Meldrum, custom-built scoreboards offer schools a range of capabilities and designs. He says: “Although some of the more basic ones are based on fairly standard designs, there are a huge variety of scoreboard options available, from ‘do it yourself’ modules that a school or club on a budget can install themselves, right up to full stadium-type video screens of any size.”

according to HTS Group representative Colin Robson.

“A basic level scoreboard will show two team scores, game time, period, and home/guest or custom stickers to indicate teams. Intermediate level boards will have electronic programmable team names, display team fouls, timeouts and possession, as well as certification to FIBA levels.

High level boards will also

He says that every scoreboard and school billboard should be made from the highest quality components. It “makes them a little more expensive but they will last a lot longer and therefore provide the best long-term investment”.

“The type of integration depends on the type of scoreboard.

display player fouls and have multiple timeout timers.”

A video board provides a whole new set of capabilities for scoreboards, according to Mr Robson. “Video board integration is absolutely possible with existing onsite infrastructure,” and can “include video content from other onsite applications, cameras, video replay, web streaming and recording”.

Standard scoreboards that show scores tend to just have a simple stand-alone controller that connects to the scoreboard wirelessly. For more sophisticated scoreboards, such as stadium types, the integration can be somewhat more involved depending on the functions required, there is no one-size-fits all.”

Picking out the right pixel count Mr Robson says schools should eye up scoreboards that balance pitch, pixel count, and cost. “The human brain stops identifying the individual pixels at the Visual Acuity Distance, so 1mm pixel pitch is 1m minimum viewing distance.

“To get a viewable video picture, the number of pixels needs to be appropriate for the content.

For many outdoor school gate displays, the pixel count isn’t sufficient to cleanly display the graphics intended but would have been terrific for a textbased display. For a scoreboard / video board in a school used for live interviews and replays, aim for a board with about 2.5m x 1.5m at 6mm or 8mm pitch.

SCOREBOARDS

©Monkey Business - stock.adobe.com

Desktop - Wall mounted - Videoboards

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

SPORTS & RECREATION

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www.htsgroup.co.nz 41

Why are sports hall acoustics important? treatment, an acoustic engineer can measure the RT of your space and provide a reverb report.

As sports halls are multi-use spaces, and each learning activity has different RT requirements, the acoustic treatment should meet the most conservative of these requirements.

By Autex

From PE class to kapa haka, sports halls can play host to a variety of activities on any given day.

Most schools treat their hall as a flexible learning environment, and for good reason! As large open spaces, halls are perfect for big groups and loud activities.

However, due to tight budgets and dated architecture, many Kiwi school halls do not meet the Ministry of Education’s acoustic requirements and are consequently battling with disruptive echo and reverberation.

Due to a high amount of hard reflective surfaces, sports halls are prone to excessive noise. This contributes to low speech intelligibility, making it difficult for students and teachers to communicate effectively. Fitting sports halls with acoustic treatment not only ensures they are fit for purpose but increases the overall wellbeing of occupants.

There are multiple elements

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Images courtesy of Autex Industries

Many Kiwi school halls do not meet the Ministry of Education’s acoustic requirements that need to be considered when looking to retrofit acoustic treatment in sports halls: reverberation time (RT), room volume (m3), surface finishes, and room use. Room-specific RT’s are

dependent on the volume of the space, and can be found in the Ministry of Education’s Designing Quality Learning Spaces Acoustics v2.0 (2016). To help you choose the right acoustic

SPORTS & RECREATION

The Ministry of Education’s Acoustics v2.0 (2016) recommends installing acoustic panels across the entire ceiling and available wall space (equivalent to at least 20 percent of the ceiling area). To suit a wide range of activities, a highperformance broadband absorber like Quietspace® Panel is best.

The Quietspace Panel is designed to absorb echo and reverberation across the frequency spectrum, reducing the RT of the space and improving speech intelligibility. Applying ample acoustic treatment ensures learning environments are comfortable and productive, and teachers and students are able to communicate without straining—increasing overall student and teacher wellbeing.

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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No such thing as a healthy tan:

Shade structures for schools

By Mandy Clarke, Industry Reporter

New Zealand and Australia have by far the highest susceptibility to skin cancer in the world, according to statistics.

This news is not new.

In 2018 the skin cancer index published by German medical analyst group derma. Plus revealed “almost 2500 new melanoma cases are diagnosed in New Zealand every year. New Zealand ranked top and Australia in a close second. European countries and the US filled out the top 10, but well behind”.

Horrifically, SunSmart NZ also points out that more New Zealanders die from melanoma than die on our roads each year. However, the good news is that most melanomas can be successfully treated by your doctor. The reason why New Zealand has such high skin cancer levels is that sunlight has particularly high levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and this can cause skin and eye damage.

UV damage accumulated during

Images courtesy of Archgola

childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with an increased risk of skin cancer later in life, but you can protect children by being SunSmart.

Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and so by protecting your students from the sun and modelling good sun protection habits, alongside providing plenty of shade you

are investing in their long-term health. UV can damage skin even when it is cloudy and overcast, which is why it is important not to rely on temperature to decide whether sun protection is needed.

imposing rigid hat rules, studies do show that older children are more prone to removing their hats and therefore putting themselves at a high risk of sun damage and cancer.

It is easy for students to forget that UV rays can make their way through cloud and can even be stronger because of the reflection factor. Despite schools

Schools can help reduce this risk by providing a system of both natural and built shade structures around the property so that students can both seek shade and be shaded as they walk from class to class or participate in outdoor activities such as swimming and sport.

Assess your property and create a shade plan. Trees, bushes and overhangs may already provide welcome shade, but a variety of other installations may be required to block the sun, especially at the most dangerous time of day and don’t forget it will also cool the space.

Sails and canopies can provide easy and fun solutions when creating additional protected outdoor space, especially outside classrooms. Umbrellas are a portable solution for occasional events, perhaps afternoon tea with parents? But they are not the most effective long-term solution.

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PROPERTY

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Throwing shade!

It is clever to use of a variety of shade structures and make avoiding the sun a nobrainer for your students.

Schools can take advantage of the benefits of any natural shade that they have available.

If there are trees available this is a quick fix however, if there is an absence of established natural shade it will take time and effort to grow the type and placement of trees or bushes required. The wrong type or poorly placed tree can be an expensive liability.

Quality metal roof shade structures provide strength and longevity, if they are well planned and designed these structures can develop and evolve as the school grows or as students’ needs change.

It is important to talk to the company or design team from the outset of the project to ensure the engineering design is suitable to be extended, developed or enclosed in the future.

If you need more flexibility in your shade options consider sails, awnings, or canopies. They

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

can all come in a wide variety of fabric or hard structures and they provide an easy and versatile solution to increase both shade and outdoor learning spaces.

Furthermore, they can be fitted in exposed areas throughout the whole school from car park to amphitheatre, from walkways to playground and sports areas.

Insights from the industry: choosing a shade solution According to Sandra Grocott, the General Manager at Archgola Limited, schools are increasingly interested in flexible shade options.

down to preference of style and functionality, but canopies have proved very effective as a permanent long-term option.

“By that, I mean, schools need to create spaces that can be used year-round in any types of weather and, in particular, provide protection from the increasingly harsh UV rays we’re experiencing in New Zealand,” she clarified.

She continued: “Strong steel frame canopies that have a premium polycarbonate roof and are engineer-designed to suit each building structure offer a good solution for schools.”

For schools, learning the shade lingo can be a challenge all its own! Sandra explained the key differences between canopies, shade sails, and other offerings. “It tends to come

However, she said: “The options school choose will depend on the space they need to provide cover for. Umbrellas can be moved around but for permanent fixtures, I would recommend a canopy.”

PROPERTY

Schools are increasingly teaching outside, so School News asked what options Sandra would recommend for teaching in different weather conditions.

She said: “Here in New Zealand we get such different weather patterns, so some schools will enjoy more sunshine hours, while other schools will need to equip their space to cope with high winds, heavy rain and even hail or snow. A solid supportive structure is essential, as is roofing that lets light in while also providing protection against the elements.”

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Let the teaching power of green space flourish

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

Educators are breaking down old school barriers between outdoor and indoor learning with innovative green classrooms.

Filing outside for a quick lunch is no longer the status quo because schools have caught on to the effectiveness of outdoor learning.

Every space on campus is a potential learning space, and there are infinite ways to make use of a well-maintained lawn or sports field in an education setting.

The knock-on effect is that maintaining grassy green space has become a full-time gig for schools, particularly in multi-use areas where sports, playtime, and outdoor lessons are in near-constant rotation.

Do different spaces require different maintenance?

We spoke to a couple of industry experts who specialise in grassy maintenance equipment for schools to find out more.

Ken Johnston, the general manager at Commercial Outdoor Machinery, advised us the goal would be to “use the one tractor for everything”. He said that “mowing, edges, trimming hedges, blowing

Image courtesy of Commercial Outdoor Machinery

leaves, shifting mulch, moving rubbish bins, towing trailers, brooming the path, aeravating the field, turf renovation like reseeding” can all be handled by a specialist tractor and any additional components can be hired.

He informed us that there have been technological advancements that schools can benefit from too. “Especially around health and safety, which is critical in today’s environment where if an operator hurts themselves, management can be held liable.”

Mean Green Mowers’ Bruce Scott specialises in large, electric machines for lawn maintenance.

“Commercial electric mowing is a reality,” he explained. “All school mowing can be done electrically” and, he argues, “there is really

no excuse not to, particularly for schools whose children are demanding action on climate change”. For those who may not be familiar with electric mowers, Mr Scott said it was important for people to realise they “are not toys, but fully commercial machines that inevitably save money in the long run”.

Key considerations for mowing your green space: specialists soundoff It’s a no-brainer for Mr Johnston: he told us schools should “get a comfortable mower that becomes the caretaker’s best friend. He can use it to shift rubbish bins, and do the full works, so it becomes much more than ‘just a mower’.”

He also suggested schools think about how they can transform their green spaces into usable learning areas: “I have seen a school that was so wet they couldn’t use the field for six months of the year because it was so waterlogged! They made the right investment, and this year was the first year they could play home rugby games in a winter!”

Image courtesy of MeanGreen Electric Mowers

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“If you have hard fields, you undoubtedly get more kids getting injured. If you lift your foot 30cm up off the ground, stomp it back on the floor, and feel a shock wave come almost up to your knee – that is how the kids feel every time they run on an over-compacted field.

PROPERTY

Running a tractor with specialist attachments over the ground to lift the soil level will fix this. So, safety is one benefit but there’s also better grass growth, etc.”

Mr Scott strongly believes the environment must be a significant factor for schools investing in green space maintenance. He told us: “Children are marching the streets demanding action on climate change, so compare the leasing costs of an electric machine with your spend on petrol/diesel and maintenance of conventional mowers.”

Mr Scott explained: “A lithiumion battery in a 74-inch machine offers eight hours of continuous mowing. For example, it could mow larger fields, like the eight-hectare stretch of lawn at Christchurch Boys High, in around five hours.

Auckland Grammar could be mowed in three hours. It’s a simple calculation really: compare all the diesel and maintenance required for a tractor mower with the minimal costs of running an electric machine. Then, add all the other benefits like low noise and zero emissions. However, probably most significant are the health benefits to both operators and the school community.

“One large diesel machine is equivalent to around 10 cars per year in terms of carbon emissions, so leadership is required from principals and boards to specify the electric mowing of school grounds.”

Term 4, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Green spaces are vital for learning and wellbeing

By David Carroll, Industry Reporter

The value of green space in schools continues to rise with a growing body of evidence supporting claims that access to natural surroundings improves a child’s mental and physical health.

A study out of the US has demonstrated that exposure to green space - including native vegetation, vegetable gardens and lawn areas where children can learn and play - helps individuals recover from the mental fatigue that disrupts attention and concentration that are requisites for academic learning. Other research links access to green space to

Set An “Electric” Example

academic achievement on several levels while a study conducted by the team at Spain’s Centre for Research and Environmental Epidemiology found green space at schools boosted brain development.

The 12-month study of 2593 primary school children aged seven to 10 found “exposure to outdoor surrounding greenness was associated with a beneficial impact on cognitive development in school children” with participants’ overall working memory increased by an average of 22.8 per cent over the study period.

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