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What’s In This Issue
| INSIDE
Celebrating Māori Language Week and aspirations for change Term 3, 2018
Issue 42
news 05 Ministry News
education
Available Now!
School News & Classroom Activity Resource Inspired by Māori Lan guage Week
Essential Reading for Principals • Departm ent Heads
SCOREBOA
08 Principal Speaks: All the time, every time, all of us, everywhere! 17
Special Report: On compulsory reo Māori in schools…
profiles 22 Casebrook Intermediate School: When students love homework – The Casebrook Challenge
what's hot 24 What's Hot: The latest trending education industry products
administration 28 Library Management Systems: Does your library offer a magical experience? 30 School Photography: Not just for grandma’s fridge: the usefulness of ‘picture day’ 32 Seating Trends: Ergonomics, flexibility and practicality – easier said than done?
teacher's desk 36 Industry Events Calendar
teaching resources 37 Book Reviews 38 Interactive Teaching: You’re teaching creators now, not children 42 Special Needs: Some students need additional support – is flexibility the solution? 44 Sneek Peek: School News Activity and Classroom Resource
• Teachers
RDS & DIG
ITAL SIGNA
Full colou r LED, simpl indoor sport e to use. s ∙ outdo roadside or sports or entrance ∙ information boards ∙ board graphics, ENTRY LEVE text or slides s L SCOREBO hows ARD
S FROM
• Professi onals
GE
$2,495.00
+ GST
enquiries@p roto.c 022 681 7579 o.nz www.proto.c o.nz
food & beverage 45 Water Options: Water’s not optional, but its packaging is up to you 48 Healthy Canteen Choices: Warming, healthy menus over winter
L.E.O.T.C. 50 Exploring Christchurch: ka rawe Christchurch! A real school trip to the city of resilience
health & safety 52 Cyber Safety: The landscape is a’ changing 54 First Aid Training: Preparing teachers and students for the worst case scenario
sports & recreation 56 School Fitness: It’s smart to get kids moving but how smart are your facilities? 60 Sporting Team Equipment: The darker the uniform, the meaner the team?
property 62 Energy Management: Making energy eff iciency part of your school’s culture 65 Acoustic Solutions: How to treat the acoustics in existing classrooms 67 Acoustic Solutions: Flexible learning environments must keep the noise down
School News has been inspired by the passion of educators around the country, and of School News contributor Alice Patrick, who has penned a thoughtful essay for this issue dedicated to the teaching of Māori in NZ schools. There’s nothing more contagious than true, unbridled enthusiasm, and that’s the quality that has seeped into the glossy pages of School News this quarter, after hearing from so many principals and teachers eager to make change in their sector. From the impending (as of August 1, when this note was written) teachers’ strike, to the bold move enacted by a newly formed coalition of 70 principals to publish a full-page advert in the national Sunday newspapers branding the Minister of Education’s review a “fail”. Change is in the air for New Zealand’s education system, whether by need, trend, or time. When it comes to policy change, we will likely be in it for the long haul. As NZEI Te Riu Roa president Lynda Stuart said, following a surprise backtrack on class-size from the National Party, “Teachers will want to see the colour of their money, not just words. “The teacher shortage crisis we face today is a direct result of the National Government’s policies over the past nine years, and that legacy will not be quickly forgotten or fixed quickly.” Talking about the strike ballot, she also referred to educators’ drive for change. Adding, “It is obvious that teachers are committed to working for change to ensure all children get quality teaching and learning. They are saying that it’s time for them to be valued for the professionals they are, that we need to attract and retain teachers, have more time to teach and to have truly inclusive schools where all children can learn and thrive.”
SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES: $42 for 12 Months $72 for 24 Months Phone (03) 365 5575 subscriptions@schoolnews.co.nz www.schoolnews.co.nz KEY CONTACTS: ADVERTISING Dee Dawson - (03) 365 5575 d.dawson@schoolnews.co.nz EDITORIAL Rosie Clarke - (03) 365 5575 editorial@schoolnews.co.nz PRODUCTION Richard McGill - (03) 365 5575 r.mcgill@schoolnews.co.nz CONTRIBUTORS: Mandy Clarke, Kat Donaghey, Alice Patrick, Iain Taylor and Sarah White, Caroline Page, Anje Webster & Pauline Spence. VIEWS AND OPINIONS: Views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or Multimedia Publishing Limited. Every eff ort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in accom management guide, however the information contained in accom management guide is intended to act as a guide only. The publisher, authors and
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Beyond the need for policy change, there are trends within the sector that are completely revolutionising what a school looks, feels and sounds like. From flexible and modern learning environments, to the types of work students are able to do as part of their class-time or assessment, and the technology schools now have access to. Change is everywhere. But a sprawling ILE isn’t the only way to provoke positive change. In this issue alone, you will hear from the 2017 Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Supreme Award recipient Iain Taylor as the principal of Manurewa Intermediate School. In his Principal Speaks column, Iain reveals why he made the move from a “relatively easy, successful, large decile 9 central Auckland school” to “a decile 1 school in huge strife” and illustrates many of the changes he put in place to get it succeeding, excelling and inspiring. Today, Manurewa Intermediate School boasts backto-back 4-5 year ERO reviews, effective school leaders and happy students.
Key - For easy perusal Commercial supplier profile or supplier case study Supplier information or content Suppliers share their views in one-off, topical pieces 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 commercial advertorial but may be included as relevant opinion. Happy reading!
editors expressly disclaim all liability for the results of action taken or not taken on the basis of information contained herein. We recommend professional advice is sought before making important business decisions.
ISSN 1178-9964
Rosie Clarke, School News editor, editorial@schoolnews.co.nz
ADVERTISING CONDITIONS: The publisher reserves the right to refuse to publish or to republish without any explanation for such action. The publisher, its employees and agents will endeavour to place and reproduce advertisements as requested but takes no responsibility for omission, delay, error in transmission, production deficiency, alteration of misplacement. The advertiser must notify the publisher of any errors as soon as they appear, otherwise the publisher accepts no responsibility for republishing such advertisements. If advertising copy does not arrive by the copy deadline the publisher reserves the right to repeat existing material. DISCLAIMER: Any mention of a product, service or supplier in editorial is not indicative of any endorsement by the author or publisher. Although the publisher and authors do all they can to ensure accuracy in all editorial content, readers are advised to factcheck for themselves, any opinion or statement made by a reporter, columnist, contributor, interviewee, supplier or any other entity involved before making judgements or decisions based on the materials contained herein. School news, its publisher and staff, is not responsible for and does not accept liability for any damages, defamation or other consequences (including but not limited to revenue and/or profit loss)
claimed to have occurred as the result of anything contained within this publication, to the extent permitted by law. Advertisers and Advertising Agents warrant to the publisher that any advertising material placed is in no way an infringement of any copyright or other right and does not breach confidence, is not defamatory, libellous or unlawful, does not slander title, does not contain anything obscene or indecent and does not infringe the Consumer Guarantees Act or other laws, regulations or statutes. Moreover, advertisers or advertising agents agree to indemnify the publisher and its’ agents against any claims, demands, proceedings, damages, costs including legal costs or other costs or expenses properly incurred, penalties, judgements, occasioned to the publisher in consequence of any breach of the above warranties. ©2018. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. School News is proudly published by: MULTIMEDIA PUBLISHING LIMITED PO Box 5104, Papanui, Christchurch, 8543, P 03 365 5575 F 03 365 1655 M mail@multimediapublishing.co.nz www.multimediapublishing.co.nz School News welcomes editorial contributions and images on relevant topics for features, new product profiles and news items. Please email to editorial@schoolnews.co.nz. Editorial queries should be directed to the editorial department on (03) 365 5575.
Ministry News
| NEWS
Primary teachers and principals vote to strike NZEI revealed that frustrated primary teachers and principals voted overwhelmingly in favour of a three-hour work stoppage on 15 August, and are still in talks, as of this magazine’s publishing day, over whether to extend the strike to a full day. At packed paid union meetings in June, primary principal and teacher members of NZEI Te Riu Roa expressed their anger at the Ministry of Education’s pay offers. Principals and teachers had asked for more time to teach and lead, more support for children with additional learning needs and a pay jolt to stem the teacher shortage. Instead, the vast majority of teachers (about 86 percent) are being offered a pay rise ranging from about 2.22.6 percent a year for three years, and just 12 minutes extra a week of time to work individually with children or plan and assess learning. The offer was far from the 16 percent over two years that members had identified as being necessary to address recruitment and retention issues that had grown during the term of the previous National government. The request to fund a Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in every school to assist children with additional learning needs was also ignored. The lead negotiator for teachers, Liam Rutherford, said there was a growing sense that the current crisis would become a disaster if the Government did not get serious about the issues facing the profession. “At many of the meetings, members felt that a stoppage from 1.304.30pm did not send a strong enough message, and there were many calls for the strike to be for a full day. The lead negotiator for principals, Louise Green, said teachers and principals were very conscious of the inconvenience for students and families, “but we’re taking action now to avert the very real threat of larger class sizes within just a few years”.
Ms Green said the ongoing support of school communities and whānau was essential to the success of the campaign. A recent survey found widespread community support for a significant pay rise for teachers. “We want to be able to give every student a quality education that meets their needs, and our parent communities understand that ,” said Ms Green. “Primary teachers have not taken industrial action in New Zealand since 1994 and the fact that we are taking such a step shows the grave concerns we have for the future of quality public education. The Government needs to take some courageous decisions now for the sake of children and their learning.”
Spokesperson for the coalition, Glen Denham, Principal of West Auckland’s Massey High School, said the changes followed an urgent meeting with the Minister, including with the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand (SPANZ) and the PPTA’s Principals’ Council. While the PPTA’s Principals’ Council believed the current process is working well, the Minister has nevertheless agreed to seek Cabinet agreement for changes that partly
address the coalition’s concerns. Specifically, the Minister says he plans to establish a new Professional Advisory Group, including principals and teachers, to advise him on the outcomes from the review process next year. In addition, the current engagement process will be extended until October 19, 2018, from the planned September 16. “We are grateful to the Minister for meeting with us and welcome these initial changes as a good start,” Mr Denham said.
It worked: school principal coalition welcome change after sit-down with Education Minister The seventy schools in the Principals NCEA Coalition have welcomed changes to the Government’s NCEA review process advised by Education Minister Chris Hipkins. The Principals NCEA Coalition was formed ten days ago in protest at the Minister of Education’s NCEA Review. The Principals - who represent a diverse range of public, private and charter secondary schools from Kaikohe to Bluff claim the review process is rushed and does not adequately consult with them. The coalition had published full-page advertisements in the national Sunday newspapers marking the Minister of Education’s review a “fail” – and damning the process as rushed, flawed and without proper consultation.
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Contact Craig for more information on (03) 366 9408 or craig@mashkids.co.nz Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
05
NEWS |
Ministry News
work on his Māori MP colleagues who remain curiously silent. But the school communities and the Māori electorates those MPs serve won’t be silent for long. We’ll have those MPs all sitting up and taking notice over the coming weeks and months.
“As a 70-strong coalition, we will now begin work on our vision for NCEA and the details of how it should operate, and New Zealand’s remaining secondary schools are very welcome to join us.”
government’s Māori MPs – who know the schools and were all for them in opposition – is one of the most stunning things I’ve seen in NZ politics.’ •
Op-Ed: The Minister has a “foot on our throats,” say partnership school leaders All eleven partnership schools have received termination notices from the Minister and are being shut down by the government on December 31 but Sir Toby says that he has personally undertaken “more consultation with the affected schools than Minister Hipkins has done during his entire term in Parliament”. “What I discovered shocked me. School leaders have been given clear signals from government that they are to keep quiet now or risk being cut out of consideration for starting an alternative statecontrolled school for their students next year,” he says. Sir Toby lists a string of comments that he credits as direct statements from partnership school leaders: •
‘The Government and Minister Hipkins have put their foot on our throats.’
•
‘They have muzzled us and made us squirm.”
•
‘This is just the biggest kick in the face. They act like these 1500 kids are just a drop in the ocean and nobody will even notice what happens to them.’
•
‘One boy who is thriving at our school is the only member of his family that isn’t in jail.”
•
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‘The silence of the
schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
‘Make no mistake about it. All of these schools are being closed down. The talk about ‘converting’ them into something cozy run by the State is pure snake oil spin.”
•
‘The cynicism and supreme arrogance of this Minister just takes my breath away.’
•
‘I want it to go down in history that we are being forced to close a school that is turning young lives around.’
• •
‘We have to find a way of keeping this kaupapa alive.’ ‘This is purely about politics and ideology. They haven’t even acknowledged our successes. What makes me really angry is that they haven’t even got the courage to visit us and front up to our students and their parents.’
•
‘The more I think about it, the bigger I feel the injustice is.’
•
‘We want the public to know that we’re being forced to shut great schools down.’
“The Minister has been fooling the New Zealand public into believing the kids will be just fine, and a ‘designated character’ school is something different to what it actually is. Call them what you want, he is putting Māori children right back into a state school system that has failed them over and over again,” Sir Toby added. “Now the school leaders tell me they have had enough. The Minister’s carrot-and-stick approach may
“The Minister - and all of his ‘silent’ partners in government - needs to halt the closures, put the proposed Education Act amendments on hold, and instead undertake genuine consultation with everybody who is affected. “There’s a saying that just because you have silenced a person, it does not mean you have beaten or converted them. I’m confident that whatever happens now, this is a movement that will not lie down. It will continue to grow, and the Minister will soon find he’s on the wrong side of history."
The people have spoken and they want pay equity for teacher aides Research into public attitudes shows strong support for ending the historic underpayment of teacher aides and early childhood educators, who are working towards pay equity settlements. NZEI Te Riu Roa commissioned The Navigators to undertake the research. Ninety-one percent of the 1015 New Zealanders surveyed agreed that students with additional learning needs require more support, and there was strong agreement for
more support (90 percent) and increased pay (85 percent) for teacher aides. NZEI President Lynda Stuart said: “The days of employers saving money by underpaying femaledominated workforces are thankfully coming to an end. The government has made it clear that it wants to end this injustice, and this research shows that New Zealanders agree.” The new research coincided with NZEI's pledge for governmentfunded pay equity for school support staff and early childhood educators. School and centre leaders, boards of trustees, staff groups and others can sign the pledge and display it to show their support. The pledge is part of the Mana Taurite, Fair’s Fair pay equity campaign, which aims to end the historic underpayment of workers in female-dominated education roles. NZEI has negotiations underway with the Ministry of Education for pay equity settlements for ministry support workers, teacher aides, ECE workers and school administration staff. “This work is mainly done by women and should be valued and paid fairly. It is about your daughter, mokopuna, niece, aunty, Nan and cousin having decent jobs that value the skills and mahi they do. The handful of men in these jobs will also benefit from a pay equity settlement because they're also being underpaid for doing 'women's work.'”
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EDUCATION |
Principal Speaks
All the time, every time, all of us, everywhere!
In 2008, Manurewa Intermediate wasn’t the school it was today. There were many, many issues and challenges to deal with in some pretty important places and areas of school operations – all clearly articulated in the Education Review Office reports for a number of years. The Ministry of Education had put in an intervention programme and an LSM was in place. This included the quality, and, therefore, the professional support of staff ; the delivery of the curriculum; school organisation and lack of resources – not a computer in sight for kids to use; finances; the state of the property – classrooms with blackboards and most rooms untouched for a good 25 years with vandalism galore (the school had had the highest MOE vandalism reimbursement across the country); behaviour management and overall student engagement. The principal’s position came up and I pondered long and hard as I was perfectly happy in my
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relatively easy, successful, large decile 9 central Auckland school, so why go ‘southside’ to a decile 1 school in huge strife? The challenge, I kept saying, and to prove you can do great things in tough schools, and the pull of the school where I was a ‘form 1 and 2’ kid in 1978 and 1979. I had had two years of huge excitement and fun at this school and I seriously wanted every kid to experience that. So off I went for a pre-application visit in two minds about whether I would actually apply or not, one minute thinking no way would I and then the next minute thinking
I would. Most people saying why would you, with just a few saying do it! During the visit, I saw first-hand how bad it was – how run down the plant was, let alone everything else I saw – with the most significant observations on the day seeing chewing gum etched over every imaginable walking surface, seeing the myriad of disengaged and clearly ‘just hanging in there’ teachers; let alone so many bored and belligerent kids! Walking around the school was eye opening - a desk came hurtling out of a classroom door, accompanied
by the screaming of the person who had thrown it – a teacher! If I thought this was a one-off, a few rooms further showed me that it wasn’t – this was just as bad, with a chair biffed through an open sash window, followed by a some very loud choice words exclaimed by the student who had flung it as he stormed out of the room. However, I also saw potential, and a handful of staff who clearly cared and loved the school and these kids! This was certainly going to be way more than a challenge, it would certainly be stretching me, and I smiled and thought yes – I am going to love this! When a school is in total meltdown and unloved, making a plan is so important. Not only does it give you direction, but it also lets the staff, students, board of trustees and the community know that you mean business and that everyone has some responsibility in making their school better than it was before. The plan was fairly simple, yet was also like standing at the foot of Everest!
| EDUCATION supplier profile SKIDS
A positive ‘whanau vibe’ with out-of-school care There is “a great ‘whanau vibe’ with sKids,” says Manurewa South School principal Tone Kolose, and this is due to their positive philosophy “around supporting families, and providing students with life skills and different experiences through the programmes they run”. sKids – Safe Kids in Daily Supervision – has been providing structured out of school care for Manurewa South School since 2012. We chose sKids because “they were an established before/after school programme” says Mr Kolose. “Multi Site Owners Rose and Luke are awesome to work with and are a very special part of our school community. They are very accommodating, for example, when the school has had to close early for parent conferences they supervise students whose parents are unable to get them earlier,” he explains. “sKids also go above and beyond what you would expect from an Out of School Care Provider. Not only do they provide our students with before, after school care and holiday programmes. but our kids also get opportunities to develop new skills through their specialty cooking programme ‘FoodStorm’ and music programme ‘Jellybeans’ and we ALL love these programmes – the kids because they have so much fun, and the school, because sKids come in and deliver the programmes so we don’t need to worry about finding extra staff.” In addition, sKids “give back in many ways to our community through their Charity Kiwi Kids Education foundation,” Mr Kolose says. “Through supporting students who require care (before or after school), and making costs affordable for our families to attend, they always find ways
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to make things work financially, supporting the school with activities that relate to current learning programmes.” Feedback from parents and teachers is always positive, Mr Kolose says. And if there are any issues they are dealt with immediately and in a way where there is a win-win outcome.” Of particular importance is health and safety, where once again Skids gets a big thumbs up. “The adult ratios are always what they need to be, whether they are based at school or on a trip during the holiday programme. The quality of the programmes sKids offer are obviously working because their roll is booming.” If you’re interested in learning more please contact sKids on 0800 274 172 or visit www.skids.co.nz.
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Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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EDUCATION |
Principal Speaks
perspective of big open class spaces and lots of class and steel and concrete and double stories; not that we have the funding from 5ya for such refurbishments anyway, as I believe an ILE is perfectly doable within the confines of the historical single cell space and, anyway, the jury is still out on these spaces. However, in saying this, I do acknowledge that some communities of learners would fare better in these open spaces compared to our learners.
I devised a plan separated into two parts, with quality and positive action permeating everything. Both parts, however, had the same ultimate goal. That was to have engaged and achieving kids.
immediately. Giving a very clear message!
Both parts also had the same vision in how we would achieve the ultimate goal. That was to positively increase and improve culture, tone and systems.
“School Improvement; motivating Manurewa!’ in my next 290 days in the school – the Saturday after the end of the school year, and ending on the anniversary of my first year i.e. September 28, 2009.
Both parts also had the same focus in how we would achieve the ultimate goal and vision; having high visibility, communication (communicate, communicate, communicate!) and an interest in kids! Finally, both parts also had the same vehicle in how we would achieve the ultimate goal, vision and focus via kids, the board and community, staff and the environment. A catchy phrase was needed, a phrase that everyone would click into, that they would understand and that they would remember. So each of the two plan parts had a specific name.
Countdown 75: ‘Setting the standard/changing the ways’ in my first 75 days in the school. I left my previous position on the Friday at the end of Term 3, 2008 and I was in at Manurewa the very next day – the first Saturday of the Term 3, 2008 holidays; accompanied by three mates, who had nothing to do with teaching, helping me waterblast the entire school. I was changing the ways
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schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
Day 75 was the last school day of term 4 2008.
Rocketing 290:
Obviously it sounds pretty simplistic here, but underlying these two phrases was a pretty clear direction and plan, both in my head and in writing, to ensure we did achieve these goals! The first day of Rocketing 290, or Day 76, the painters moved in to paint the entire exterior of the school from top to bottom, along with the builders to make over two of the rooms so we at least had two rooms to ‘show off .’ School improvement had started – motivation would increase! Tidy up the place: When we talk about ‘tidying up the place’ we are not just talking about the physical environment – we are also talking about the tone and feel of the school, the culture and the way we talk to and with kids, but one easy way to start addressing this challenge is through the physical environment. I am a total believer in the Early Childhood Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, which can also work further up the school levels I believe. One of the tenets of this philosophy, along many other
things, is that the parent is the first teacher, the teacher is the second teacher and the environment is the third teacher. For us, in our context, we flipped it upside down and talked about the environment being the first teacher. That is from an aesthetic perspective and from an inter-personal perspective where the school culture is positive and the tone is calm and happy and where adults talk nicely to and with kids, and with each other and have fun. (The next section talks about this in more detail). I knew right at the outset of our plan that the kids, staff and community needed to feel pride in their school. One of the very first things on the list was to get the school looking beautiful. Our kids deserve a good looking space! So, we set out to transform rundown buildings and outdoor areas into a place that anyone would be proud of. To create soft-scapes and intimate physical areas that kids enjoyed being in. Now, when you drive past our school, you can’t help but admire how attractive and well-kept it is, how clean and tidy it is, and this makes a massive impact on how a kid feels about their school and this has a direct impact on how they behave and learn in school. The same can be said of how the community feel about the school. The proof of this is that we have not been vandalised or broken into since 2009. We have not gone down the whole ILE route from a physical
Our kids really flourish with routines and boundaries and it is this that we have endeavoured to create within our varied environments. Environments that really are beautiful and accompanied with outstanding facilities, albeit old school-style, being a school birthed in 1966, like our school marae complex, our skate park, our outdoor learning coliseum and our fully covered artificial sports turf. Mixed in with this is our huge environmental education focus with sustainable practices around rubbish, compost and worm farms; and our myriad of edible gardens, chickens, pigs, beehives, an orchard and nursery. I am conscious some may see this as superficial, but I assure readers the environment does have a massive positive effect on learning and behaviour and is integral when it comes to giving our kids and community pride in their school.
Overhaul the culture. Love the kids! Kids needed to feel safe. They needed to have consistency surround them in everything they did and what was expected of them. They needed a place that made school cool and somewhere they wanted to be. We knew that a lot of our kids were disengaged or disengaging with the schooling system. We knew many of our kids had far more issues to deal with at home than any of us could ever comprehend or realise but this was no excuse for us. School had to be their safety net, their safe place to enable their learning. We knew we had to make school the best part of our kids’ lives.
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EDUCATION |
Principal Speaks
and our future generations of kids coming needed to know their big brothers, sisters, cousins, friends, neighbours developed them, not the teachers. This ensured kids owned them and bought into what they meant. They are really simple:
The way we did almost everything had to change, and quickly. Only having our kids for two years meant the way we set up our school culture had to be intense and furious! School singing, our whanau (house) competition, exciting new learning contexts and experiences, school wide events, annual school survival camp, a plethora of ‘extras’ that made our kids go ‘wow!’ – these are the things that got our kids through the gate and kept them coming back. Positivity, school spirit and high energy raced through the school’s veins and spread through every single classroom and individual. The kids now wore a brand new uniform, sported whanau bands on their wrists, and were living the new school vision: adventurous risk takers, persistent focussed achievement. I openly tell our kids how much I love my job, how excited and incredibly happy I am in my job... and how I love being at Manurewa Intermediate with them. I tell them I want to get to know
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them, I want to work with the staff to help them... and I want them all to love being here as much as I do! I tell them all the teachers and all other staff like them and they want to be here working with them, helping them, coaching them. And if the adults don’t, then they shouldn’t be here. This makes our kids proud to be here when they know we care and want to be with them.
We look after each other. We look after property and environment. We look after ourselves. From now on, these simple sentences guided our kids both inside the classroom and out, be it the school grounds or community at large; and it put the focus on them being at school to learn.
We were tough, but fair on kids!
Our kids are the best! Nobody had really told them that before, though, so we started telling them.
Every year I tell our kids it is a two-way street and that they also have to take a significant slice of responsibility for their learning and behaviour and give back; and how they do this is nothing new or innovative to any of us, nor is it difficult. It is just expected!
We told them by letting them know that we expected better things from them. A new set of school rules, although we don’t call them rules, they are called Our Keys to Success, were developed by kids working in a focus group with me and our DP: Pastoral Care over 1.5 years. It took a long time because I knew we had to get it right – they would be our lynchpin for the years to come for everything we did
They are expected to use their common sense, and to practise and demonstrate practical and old fashioned values that are still fully pertinent to the world we are all living in now, yet may not have been transparently taught as they grew up. That is, they follow our school Keys to Success which are positive and together they help and ensure all kids can learn and grow and contribute in a safe, inviting
Expect more – of kids and the adults!
and attractive environment; and likewise for all staff – that they also can work in a safe, inviting and attractive environment. Our Keys to Success are all about self-responsibility – about them monitoring themselves so that no one else has to. A lofty goal but with the right staff, the right environment and the right attitude, it is a goal that we have proven to be achievable. It involves our kids being responsible, respectful and treating people the way they want to be treated. It also means that to be successful here, they will communicate, they will accept their role, they will influence others and they will be a positive competitor – never, ever giving up. It is as basic as behaving well, trying hard, being polite and respectful to themselves, to other people and to our whole school property and environment. We all like nice things, being in a nice place and this means we have clean, rubbish-free grounds, we are graffiti and gum-free, and this means we’re proud of our school! We developed a Graduate Profile which detailed how and what we wanted our kids to leave intermediate with. That is as confident, self-directed, reflective and sensible risk takers, passionate about and turned on by the concept of lifelong learning and with a love for learning.
Principal Speaks
| EDUCATION
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This is one of the realities of life and I believe it is important that we help learners know how to deal with this in the context of a safe, empowering and positive learning environment. Our kids needed to be accepting of consequences for their choices, actions or decisions, be they positive or negative, understanding that consequences, like success and failure, are part of life. Kids need to know where they stand and they were always expected to follow reasonable expectations. I believe in drawing lines and if they go up to the line, they are fine, but cross the line and they’re in trouble. We talked about not complaining when they suffer the consequences because they were told not to cross the line. Some may think these concepts are of the last century, or even the
one before, but I disagree – they are good old fashioned values that work and kids need to know what is acceptable or not, and accept the consequences either way.
We were tough, but fair on staff as well! We had to expect more from them and many of them had to take more responsibility. As someone wiser than I said, ‘Kids deserve an excited adult’. So our staff had to be this. Our kids need to feel safe, valued and successful. So they needed, and deserved, staff who were ready to explore and laugh with them all day, someone who was looking for those magic moments, full of high fives coming down the line with energy and passion. Our kids want and need us, the adults, to come to school every day ready to surround them with love, encouragement, hope and positivity. Our kids need the best adults, every single day – and I often said they needed to be the teacher they would want their very own kids to have in front of them every day! When this is said, it is very confronting as it really does make one look at what you do, how you speak to the class and the effort you exert for them.
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We told them we wanted them to feel great about themselves and their abilities, but also, always striving to ‘be better than before’. Healthy competition will be an element of the school and they will know how to appropriately deal with success and/or failure. We wanted them to know if something was not good enough or if it was simply unacceptable and they would know when they achieved highly.
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EDUCATION |
Principal Speaks
So yes, this is tough. Teachers have a demanding enough job just teaching, let alone encapsulating the whole gambit of the relationship stuff. But I seriously believe it is the relationship stuff that you have to get right first, before you can even teach effectively, and if this is nailed then teaching is a breeze! So we made sure the systems and structures in place make it easier for teachers to teach, with affirmations and other things to recognise this. This is another topic in itself and I won’t comment on what we do here in this article. A rigorous and robust appraisal and support system, focussing on acknowledging positive success and contribution, increased responsibility and raising capacity was set up; devised by a focus group of staff to ensure that that responsibility was indeed a focus. Teachers knew that they had to put in the hard yards for our kids. Support systems were put in place to ensure staff got the help they needed, when they needed it. Not just in regards to planning lessons or managing behaviour, but also in building relationships, engaging with whanau, contributing to the life of the school, and staying on top of everything that is thrown at you as a teacher. Many thrived, many did not. And those that did not needed to go.
Teaching and learning – how do we make this better? Active and involved learners, and high achieving, independent individuals will be the norm, not the exception at Manurewa Intermediate! Freedom of expression and differences will be valued – ideas and opinions will be examined openly and objectively. A pretty tough ask in a community like ours, one could say, and yes that is true: we are a decile 1 school but we don’t use this as an excuse.
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schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
community were heavily involved in working out what it was our school stood for from a strategic perspective.
We thought about achievement and what this could look like for our kids? So we went about defining what we believe achievement looked like in our place. We decided it was the value added to the holistic wellbeing of every child, at every opportunity. This then drove us. We knew our programmes needed to be of real interest to the learner, delivered using a mixed method approach of an inquiry and how to, with a pinch of a didactic style and what/or knowledge based (perceived now as old fashioned and not good… something I totally disagree with!) that was motivating and exciting for each and every one of our learners who arrived at our doorstep from 27 different contributing schools. They obviously arrived with a wide range of educational experiences, both
good and bad and this is a huge challenge as you can imagine. We needed to take them from wherever they were, not making excuses, and allowing them to discover, to take risks and to have fun. We wanted our kids to always be wondering, imagining and excited about the educational journey they were on. I also believe that the learning process has to be exciting, fun and motivating for all children! This has been a real focus in our school, coupled with academic excellence – happy, interested and motivated kids are successful kids, and this means they are learning! We constantly encourage kids to take risks – just like our school vision statement says – and tell them don’t worry if you fail… making mistakes is a learning opportunity and shows you are taking a risk. Move on and learn from it! At the same time, our board and
Very, very successful whanau and aiga hui were held over 1.5 years to develop our revised vision, values and qualities, and strategic goals. This experience was so heartening and dovetailed so nicely with all we were trying to do inside the school day. The support of, and from our parents and community was huge, and they wanted us to be successful and they wanted their kids to be successful! This spurred us on. Our new vision statement, ‘Adventurous risk-takers; persistent focussed achievement’ was collaboratively decided upon, our values were devised and then followed up with the development of our five main strategic goals. These fed into our annual Operational Plan where the guts of what we were doing each year was articulated and explained. We, the staff, now needed to find and develop the vehicle to achieve what our community, rightly expected of us, to ensure we had a teaching structure and a learning programme that would indeed ensure our kids were adventurous risk-takers and persistent in seeking higher achievement. We needed to have students who strive to reach their potential, who are socially aware and active, behaving in socially acceptable ways as part of the community, and are academically powerful. So we needed a new, innovative, relevant and child-centred programme. After intense discussion and inquiry into what could work best we made the decision to marry the best of the primary schooling model with the best of the secondary schooling model. That was marrying teaching the individual and caring intensely for them, within an integrated programme alongside teachers teaching a subject they were passionate about, and therefore, hopefully, highly competent in.
Principal Speaks
Moving into a specialist teaching model meant that our teachers could choose (year-to-year if they want to) one subject area to teach. This harnesses the passion that they have for a subject, ensuring a better level of instruction. Having a timetable – much like a high school does – also ensures that our kids get a chance to experience the full breadth of what the New Zealand curriculum has to offer. Dovetailing with this was the development of our own Broadening Horizons Inquiry Model, adapted from Pohl and Dixon’s model. We went from kids being taught by only their form teacher, to them moving around the school and getting targeted, engaging lessons within a 10 module programme from teachers who were really pumped up to be teaching math, humanities (reading, writing, social
studies), science and PE, as well our “module” subjects like art, X-PLO tech, foods, sustainable enterprise, music, digi-comp, performing arts and languages. By integrating the typical specialist teachers all intermediate schools have as part of their staffing entitlement and to use other staffing entitlements we were able to seriously lower class sizes by creating more form classes – from 32-33 per class to classes of 23-24. Form teachers also teach their own class Hauora, Monday Magic and Friday Frenzy. The latter two covering curriculum areas around health, media studies, financial capability, communication literacy, service, careers, education for sustainability, communication literacy, global discoveries. Every single student gets exposed to all of our subjects – no exceptions. Most
of these subjects are taught in an afternoon programme where other opportunities also exist for students to choose their own project or subject to work on. Marrying the best of an inquiry approach, with a hands on project based curriculum. But it was not easy to maintain the primary integration ideas across the subject areas. We have got there now, but really only in the past three years after much review, trial and error. This topic is in itself a whole separate article but briefly all teachers are in a whanau (or syndicate) with other teachers who teach different subjects, not a curriculum or department area like secondary schools are, and plan together around the same inquiry and big idea to ensure the cross curricular teaching and
| EDUCATION
learning happens when classes move around from one teacher and subject to another teacher and different subject area. This can best be described, I guess, by people remembering the best practise of one big open plan classroom from the old days but in the physical environment of a separate class space, with the learning from one context to another related. The best of both worlds and, as described by documentary journalist Bryan Bruce in his 2016 NZ education documentary, by Redsky Productions: “…Well I’ve searched the world for an answer and I think I’ve found it right here in Manurewa Intermediate, but if any school has got the secret of how we can prepare our kids for the future I think it’s this one!”
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EDUCATION |
Principal Speaks
Leadership structure Another significant change was the move away from the traditional leadership structure of a primary or intermediate school, where there are a couple of deputy principals and a swathe of team or curriculum leaders, where responsibilities are spread wide, and at times not met effectively, with messages often getting diluted somewhere along the chain from Principal to classroom teacher and back up the chain. We switched to having a very different model: Principal, Associate Principal(2ic), and five Deputy Principals, each responsible for a very clear and defined across school portfolio, as well as a defined curriculum area. Each leader also has a .4 (two days/10 periods) teaching component every week across the whole year, enabling them to model to teachers and showing they are effective at the core business, thus enhancing respect from staff and kids! This also ensures that leaders are realistic, and cognisant of the day to day demands on the classroom teacher, therefore keeping our own demands and expectations on and of teachers real!
No more ‘middle management’ positions. While there has been some criticism of a lack of a career pathway this is in fact incorrect as over the past ten years eight of the leadership staff members have moved into principalship in their own schools and half their replacements have come from within our own school. The consistent fluidity of our leadership team is a real plus and I am rapt that as people move on in their leadership journey new and sometimes pretty inexperienced leaders move up and bring their own new ideas for the benefit of our kids and staff. Weekly leadership meetings, which also include an element of professional development at each meeting, have led to increased
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schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
making sure we have a staff that our kids deserve. As a principal, this is a lot of work. That’s fine – school leaders should be working their butts off!
Be the teacher you would want your very own kids to have in front of them every day clarity and coherence, as well as being able to have more focus and a stronger sense of direction at the top. This structure has also enabled leaders to all have a real mentoring focus with their team members and it means that classroom teachers can focus on being exactly that – a classroom teacher.
Some things changed straight away. Other things took a bit of time. As always, staff buy in was mixed. Most totally did. Some totally didn’t and were moved on. Staff that initially weren’t fully on board started coming around and really buying in to the new way of doing things. The effects that the changes had on the kids were astounding. They were proud of Manurewa Intermediate. They loved what was happening. They switched on to their new subjects. Attendance skyrocketed! Over the past seven years we annually average between 93-96 percent, which shows that kids want to be here. Behaviour issues decreased. Lines of kids at deputy principal’s offices were a thing of the past, as kids didn’t want to miss out on their learning anymore. There is no graffiti at our school. Our kids care for their property and environment. Quality of teaching increased. Teachers stayed focused on one
curriculum area and developed their practice. Winning the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Supreme Award in 2017 was the icing on the cake. It told us that we were doing the right thing. Getting back-toback 4-5 year ERO reviews was also another affirmation. We know, based on years of experience, and lots of trial and lots of error, that the systems and structures in place really do work for our learners and for our whanau. As our ERO report said last year: “The school’s processes and actions very effectively help to achieve excellence and equity for learners… attributable to highly effective school leadership; a deep commitment to strong engagement between the school and its community; a responsive curriculum, effective teaching and opportunities to learn; the building of professional capability and collective capacity that increases teachers’ knowledge, skills and adaptive expertise; and the use of internal evaluation, inquiry and knowledge building for improvement and innovation”. However, as everyone in our profession knows, there is no time to rest on our laurels. Teaching is an extremely dynamic profession and continually examining the way we do things, to be even better, is a major part of what we do. Teaching is also facing so many challenges right now, with one of the major challenges being how most schools are finding it hard to get teachers. We feel this just as much as any other school, and a lot of our time and energy is spent
We’re here for the kids. We will always set out to make the day the best day possible for each and every kid, helping them to be better than before. But something at a much higher systemic level must happen to ensure every school is in fact able to ‘keep being better than before’. The challenge we have, and I guess all school leaders have, is maintaining what we do. And that is hard on all staff, especially with the constant turnover of half the kids every year. We have urgent business when they arrive, and we don’t have the time to waste with only eight terms to do it. We all know that starting strong is great! When at the beginning of a challenge, or a new job, or a new school year we have loads of energy, stacks of vim and vigour, and mountains of passion for the ‘new stuff’ but it is finishing with this that is epic! And to be able to do this you must get the staff culture right – without a doubt vital in any school, but for an intermediate, as previously mentioned, this need is even more perverse with half the school population brand new every year, and half leaving every year. This means it is the staff that must set the tone, the culture and the vim as each new cohort arrives and for these new kids every single year to buy into the vision and oomph immediately – only possible if every staff member is displaying this in buckets! And this is a big ask! We are fortunate to have a staff team that really is resilient and consistently passionate – and it is this, along with surrounding myself with highly competent and ‘great’ personalities in our leadership team that really is the secret ingredient! By Iain Taylor, Principal, Manurewa Intermediate School
Special Report: Compulsory reo Māori
| EDUCATION
On compulsory reo Māori in schools…
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What will this cost the taxpayer?
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Should there be incentives for teachers?
Fac t
Proc
s
Cr
ea
tiv e t h i n ki n
g
upskilling teacher trainees and current teachers; providing resources?
nal and int tio
•
Tēnā koutou katoa. He uri nō Koterana e mihi nei. Ko Benechie te maunga. Ko Dee te awa. Ko North te moana. Engari, he Māori āku tamariki, nō Ngāti Awa. Aku taura here ki te kaupapa o te reo Māori me te mātauranga Māori ko rātou ko āku mokopuna. Ko Alice Patrick tōku ingoa.
e benefi t n th
What about the practicalities of implementation e.g.
Focussed o
Are there benefits non-Māori?
•
d leading an
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The diagram right shows an overview of de Bono’s six different ‘thinking hats’ that elicit a broad range of perspectives on an issue.
Emo
Will it help improve Māori achievement rates?
al
•
ing ideas ess
Should te reo Māori be compulsory in schools? If so, at what levels?
utionary an Ca
pposition do
•
ive thinkin uit
en riv
In this article, Alice Patrick (mother, kui, and PLD facilitator) uses de Bono’s hats to explore different perspectives associated with the thorny issue of Māori language being compulsory in English medium (primary) schools.
g
So many viewpoints, no unified voice; so many questions, no single answer
l and data d ua
“In the supporting role”
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EDUCATION |
Special Report: Compulsory reo Māori
way in making Māori language compulsory (generally up to Year 9), showing that they value the language e.g. King’s College. Some subjects are already compulsory in schools – deemed to be important for everyone (e.g. Maths, English, Science). So why not te reo Māori?
Pōtae mā i.e. objectivity. What do we know? What are the facts? Under the Treaty of Waitangi, te reo Māori is a taonga to be protected – as the indigenous language of this country. Moreover, it is an official language – unique to Aotearoa New Zealand. Māori language was suppressed by successive governments, which has contributed to its demise and the 2013 census showed that Māori language fluency levels had dropped in the past 10 years. It is predicted that, by 2038, only 12 percent of Māori will speak their heritage language1. Each school must provide information in its Charter about the recognition of Māori language and tikanga, and the provision thereof. One of the principles in the New Zealand Curriculum (p9) is that all students will have the opportunity to acquire knowledge of Māori language and culture. There are curriculum guidelines (produced by the Ministry) for the teaching and learning of Māori language in English medium schools (Years 1 - 13). Most Māori students (approximately 97 percent) are being educated in English medium schools, where access to their heritage language is variable. There is sufficient flexibility in New Zealand schools to embed te reo Māori me ōna tikanga into the local curriculum, in consultation with communities.
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Recent research (2018) by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and the School Trustees Association indicates that students want Māori language to be compulsory. Both teachers’ unions (NZEI and PPTA) are seeking compulsory reo Māori in schools. There are many aspects of Māori language already visible in New Zealand society – including signage in public places, street names, national anthem, kapa haka in schools, macrons in newspapers, passports, website banners. Government policy is ‘universal availability’ of te reo Māori, as a first step – where Māori language is integrated into the primary curriculum by 2025. (It is worthwhile noting government’s avoidance of the word ‘compulsory’. This is no doubt due to emotions that are stirred up when people are made to do something). The Labour Party’s coalition party in government, the Greens, want compulsory Māori language in primary and secondary schools by 2030. Their co-leader, Marama Davidson, wants to ensure that te reo Māori doesn’t just survive, but thrives as a living language, normalised in New Zealand society. The ACT party opposes compulsory Māori language in schools – because they favour people exercising choice.
For example, there are 13 secondary schools in Taranaki – nine of whom offer te reo as a core subject in their junior classes.
They predict that compulsory Māori language will fail – based on overseas experiences, especially Ireland, where (according to the 2011 Census), only 1.8 percent of people speak the native Irish language outside school, despite learning it compulsorily at every level of their schooling. The NZ First party is also opposed to compulsory reo Māori.
Some prestigious high decile schools are boldly leading the
However, their spokesperson, Shane Jones, states: “We are not
Some local areas embrace the teaching of Māori language in their schools.
schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
antagonistic to the reo, but we know that if we move straight into any sort of compulsion, Anglo boils and warts will emerge.”
Pōtae whero i.e. intuition. What are people’s gut feelings/reactions? Nervous feelings and lack of confidence can get in the way of teachers embracing Māori language – for fear of getting it wrong and being subjected to criticism from Māori whānau. They consequently become inert and immobilised. Some teachers have had poor experiences learning other second languages (e.g. in their own schooling), and their negative feelings are transferred to learning and teaching te reo. Furthermore, many teachers are faced with having to painstakingly unlearn years of bad Māori pronunciation, which takes energy, effort and commitment in an already- busy classroom. Some non-Māori teachers feel they have a role to play in the revitalisation of te reo Māori. However, others feel that their lack of ‘ownership’ of the Māori language is a block that prevents them being open to learning (and teaching) te reo. Their efforts feel disingenuous/ contrived. And they feel insincere/ awkward. Findings from a national survey for Year 4 and Year 8 students and teachers, carried out as part of the NMSSA programme, indicated that 86 percent of those teachers believed it was important for students to learn Māori. And 88 percent of them reported that they promoted Māori cultural values in the classroom. New Zealanders are increasingly showing that they value Māori language – by learning it; using it in speeches and the media; supporting their children’s learning
at school; and endeavouring to pronounce it properly. Feelings of indignation were raised recently, when a voice artist was asked to deliberately mis-pronounce a Māori place name, Waimate, to appeal to the masses in an advertisement. He was asked to pronounce it ‘the white way’– and refused. I had a similar experience years ago while working at a telephone exchange during my university holidays. Locals living in Piopio were quick to criticise my correct pronunciation of their township. They were adamant that it should be pronounced ‘the local way’ i.e. Piupiu – which is incorrect. Dr Paul Moon, a nonMāori academic, believes that people are being turned off learning Māori language because of there being too much focus on precise pronunciation. Human nature is such that people do not like being made to do something. Making things compulsory can irritate people and get them offside. They can become negative; and consequently instigate a backlash, due to their resentment. Despite being an official language, it does not feel as if te reo Māori enjoys the same status, and visibility, as English.
Pōtae kākāriki i.e. creativity. What are the opportunities and new ideas? Because the emphasis in New Zealand schools is on flexibility and self-governance, there are opportunities for teachers (together with whānau and board members) to create new opportunities for Māori language. There is a need for more quality Māori language PLD opportunities (in service and pre-service) to be provided
Special Report: Compulsory reo Māori
to every teacher and teacher trainee. Teachers could maximise online programs and apps to learn Māori language independently, or as a collective staff, without needing to enrol in a formal class. There needs to be more Māori language materials developed that are suitable for English medium teachers and students. There are opportunities for teachers and students to learn together – in the spirit of ‘ako’ (with the teacher is a learner). Such a precedent has already been set with the Ministry’s Learning Languages Series for year 7- 8 students and teachers e.g. Ka mau te wehi; Si; Oui; Ja. More specialist reo teachers could be trained to become resident Māori language experts allocated to each school (or a cluster of schools) to: 1.
continually upskill staff in their Māori language ability
2.
plan and demonstrate (a sequence of) Māori language lessons
3.
develop a Māori language progression across the school
4.
make Māori language resources, to engage students and make the teaching easier
Teachers who specialise in te reo Māori could be rewarded with financial incentives. Schools could factor te reo Māori into their performance appraisal systems, at all levels of the school i.e. beginning teachers, registered teachers, leaders (e.g. by using the cultural competencies in Tātaiako) – to enhance the accountablity for Māori language delivery.
Pōtae pango i.e. negativity. What opposition is there? What are the difficulties/ risks? Wales and Ireland are examples of countries that have instigated
the compulsory learning of Welsh and Irish respectively, as part of revitalisation efforts. However, these models are not readily transportable to the New Zealand context, because Māori language is representative of a minority group. That is, ethnicity is a factor – which is not the case in Wales nor Ireland. The leader of the ACT party, David Seymour, describes as a failure the attempts to revitalise the Irish language (Gaelige) by making it compulsory in schools. In his words : “They’ve had compulsory Gaelic for 90 years. It’s turned Gaelic into… the Brussels sprout of languages in Ireland. People ‘eat’ it only because they’re forced to – and it makes them resent it.” The issue of proprietary rights is an argument raised by some Māori people who are opposed to compulsory Māori language in schools, which they regard as a form of cultural appropriation. They want the language to be reserved for Māori – because it is their cultural heritage and they are the ones who will genuinely value it. Some Māori people have reservations about mispronunciation, poor grammar and difficulties with tikanga if all teachers (no matter how well-intentioned) are compelled to teach te reo. Furthermore, some Māori people believe it is a waste of resourcing to provide opportunities for non-Māori to learn the indigenous language – because they will not have the same investment as someone whose heritage language it is. They would, therefore, prefer the money to be allocated to whānau and community members learning te reo. There are Māori parents who are advocates of te reo Māori being compulsory in schools – yet they are remiss at home, reverting to English. This means that the education system takes all the responsibility for the revitalisation of the language, which is not ideal. There is no long-term vision or policy to embed compulsory Māori language in schools. There is a shortage of Māori language teachers i.e. supply issues. And the current reality is that,
generally, there are low levels of Māori language proficiency amongst most English medium school teachers. The NMSSA research (2016) found that primary teachers were only able to provide basic Māori language tuition – such that students were familiar with some words (colours, numbers, body parts, and pōwhiri); knew some waiata; and could respond to some questions, greetings and classroom commands. The researchers recommended that: “Increasing the number of teachers who speak te reo Māori, and the level at which they can speak it and use it with their students, should be a priority.” There are high profile dissenters around the prospect of compulsory Māori language in schools – like Former MP for the National party and ACT party Don Brash and journalist Mike Hosking. They publicly air their views about the lack of value and relevance of te reo Māori for most New Zealanders. Brash would prefer to see the teaching of Mandarin due to its commercial value in terms of New Zealand-Asia trade. He believes that the only use for Māori language is in tourism. Hosking believes that people don’t want to bother with te reo – and that compulsion is never a good reason to do something. The latter view is supported by the former Minister of Education, Hon Hekia Parata, a speaker and a supporter of Māori language. She described compulsion as the ‘antithesis of motivation’. Other dissenting voices simply describe the notion of compulsory Māori language in schools as politically-correct nonsense, bringing no good for anyone. They fear that adding Māori as a compulsory subject will detract from other core subjects like Science, English and Maths – subjects that are highly valued by future employers. Most English medium teachers are unfamiliar with a Māori world view, where te reo and tikanga are so important. This makes it hard for them to impart to students. The expectation that teachers will teach Māori language compulsorily may deter prospective applicants from entering the teaching profession – or it may make current teachers leave the profession, because of the added pressure of teaching Māori
| EDUCATION
language in an already crowded curriculum. Too often, students are exposed to the same repertoire of basic Māori language every year, irrespective of class level. That is, there is no language progression across the school. To this end, the NMSSA report recommended that it was, “… important to keep raising the level at which te reo Māori is taught in English medium schools”. To exacerbate the situation, there are few teaching materials to support the teaching and learning of te reo Māori in schools, and there are few PLD opportunities targeted to this area. Making Māori compulsory in primary schools would require a lot of government expenditure to: 1.
increase the Māori language proficiency of teachers and pre-service trainees in the English medium sector;
2.
develop quality materials, suitable for the teaching of Māori in English medium settings; and
3.
provide ongoing professional development to help teachers maximise materials and facilitate interactive learning opportunities.
Pōtae kowhai i.e. positivity. What are the benefits/ strengths/advantages? Māori language is easier to learn than most other languages. The orthography is simple i.e. five vowels, eight consonants and two digraphs (ng and wh). And, because it is a phonetic language, pronunciation is easier than English – which is plagued with homonyms e.g. air/heir; ball/bawl; adds/adze; write/right. Māori grammar is also simpler than English. Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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EDUCATION |
Special Report: Compulsory reo Māori
For example, there are no verb conjugations to indicate tense – unlike English e.g. run, running, ran. And there are no noun declensions to indicate plural – unlike English e.g. dog/dogs; baby/babies; beach/beaches. Instigating compulsory reo sends a positive message about the value placed on the indigenous language of this country. Respondents to an online survey conducted by Te Ipukarea (at AUT) suggested strong support (among Māori and Pākehā ) for compulsory Māori language in primary schools. Moreover, both Māori and Pākehā respondents thought that Māori language was important because of its association with New Zealand national identity. However, it should be noted that the 5391 respondents were users of the online Māori dictionary e.g. students, researchers and Māori language speakers/learners. As such, it is likely that they were already invested in Māori language. Consequently, this finding cannot be generalised to the wider New Zealand population. Research suggests that there are potential benefits for hauora/ health. Medical researcher, Hine Elder, asserts that “New Zealanders being bilingual in te reo and English could have a powerful impact on improving quality of life in the older years, by delaying the onset of dementia”. Her claims are based on international evidence published in the 2012 Dementia Report. There are other benefits too, for Māori and non-Māori students; namely: 1.
sense of national identity;
2.
enhanced linguistic ability;
3.
knowledge of another culture/worldview, with another set of values;
4. 5.
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broader career opportunities; cognitive challenge and
schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
the development of neural pathways; 6.
enhanced ability to socialise in different contexts; and
7.
appreciation of identity and the value of diversity.
Making Māori language compulsory in primary schools would help to increase New Zealand students’ understanding of New Zealand history (including the Treaty) – so that they become more informed about New Zealand citizenship. Through increased exposure to Māori language, students would grow up to correctly pronounce Māori place names and people’s names, instead of the violations or outright avoidances evident today; for example, pronouncing Paekākāriki as Piecock; Karepa St as Creeper St; Heretaunga as Herrytonga – or avoiding the correct pronunciation of the All Black, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, by referring to him as Triple T. Data from tertiary institutions indicates that there is unprecedented demand for Māori language tuition from adults (including teachers) – and the demand is increasing every year. For example, AUT is reportedly swamped with enrolments, such that they have created waiting lists. Similarly, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Wellington reports that their classes are full until September 2019. And Community Education in Wellington has a waiting list of over 300 people – even though they are running ten Level I courses this year. According to these institutions, the demand is coming from all sections of New Zealand society.
performance appraisal – to enhance accountability?
value the language. Māori language is becoming more visible in the media – which may have contributed to the aforementioned demand for Māori language classes. Examples include journalists Jack Tame on Breakfast TV and Guyon Espiner on Radio New Zealand. In the main, people in the media are endeavouring to correctly pronounce Māori place names in weather reports and Māori people’s names in news broadcasts.
•
Do you believe that Māori language should be compulsory in primary schools? To what extent do the benefits (Yellow Hat thinking) outweigh the risks (Black Hat thinking)?
Final comment As the grandmother of Māori mokopuna, to whom I speak in te reo, I’m obviously very keen for Māori language to be compulsory in our schools. The prospect of the next generation being exposed to the language at school, far more than my sons were, excites me. However, I acknowledge that a lot of work needs to be done prior – in terms of putting things in place to equip teachers with targeted PLD and quality materials. There is a long way to go.
Pōtae kahurangi i.e. reflection and synthesis. What next? What are our plans for action? Because this kaupapa directly affects classroom practice, especially in Years 1-8, teachers and leaders could consider facilitating some discussion around the issue of compulsory reo Māori (using de Bono’s hats or another technique to draw out different viewpoints). Questions to consider could be: •
How important is it for teachers/students/whānau to learn Māori? Why (not)?
Many learners are Pākehā (often in government jobs). Some are immigrants (open and keen to embrace the indigenous language of their new country).
•
Are teachers using the Māori language curriculum guidelines provided by the Ministry i.e. Te Aho Arataki Marau? Why (not)?
Such demand would seem to run counter to some people’s thinking that Māori language has no application today. In fact, it suggests that, increasingly, New Zealanders are showing they
•
What type of PLD do teachers need?
•
What materials are needed?
•
How can we work this aspect of our teaching into
I’m also acutely aware that, being non-Māori, I must respect the right of Māori to exercise their tino rangatiratanga and determine the best way forward to revitalise their language e.g. making decisions about how best to allocate resourcing; and how to ensure the quality and status of te reo Māori remains intact. He taonga i tuku iho, he whakakai marihi – nō reira manaakitia. By Alice Patrick References: 1 According to the incoming briefing to the Minister of Māori development, Nanaia Mahuta.
‘Education Matters to Me’ exploring the experiences of 1500 students nationally (primary and secondary) in the education system.
2
3 As described in the research findings of an online survey by Ipukarea, the National Māori Language Institute at Auckland University of Technology. 4 The National Māori Language Institute at Auckland University of Technology. 5
83% and 80% respectively.
6
95% and 94% respectively.
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PROFILES |
Casebrook Intermediate School
When students love homework: The Casebrook Challenge It is every teacher’s wish to positively engage students in the learning process but for some this can be an uphill battle: especially when it comes to channelling student enthusiasm for homework tasks. At School News, we believe that it is often the simple yet innovative ideas that succeed the most, so when The Casebrook Challenge came to our attention curiosity took over and we had to investigate this novel approach to (the dreaded) homework... A Christchurch school full of opportunities, Casebrook Intermediate School created “The Casebrook Challenge”, a strategy to replace standard homework practices. With approximately 440 students Casebrook specialises in meeting the needs of the “emergent adolescent” by offering a broad curriculum and an extensive range of experiences to give students the best opportunities to learn and develop their capabilities. Sharon Keen is the principal of this impressive intermediate
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Why did you decide to take such a unique approach to homework? The Casebrook Challenge is not just a replacement for homework, it also represents the unique culture of our school. Our aim is to cover the broader curriculum and enable students to further develop passions and interests in areas of their choice and perhaps most importantly we wanted to provide an opportunity for whānau involvement.
school and was happy to satisfy our curiosity and answer our questions: Please tell - what is The Casebrook Challenge? It is a series of challenges/ activities designed to make homework more enjoyable, applicable and relevant to each individual student's learning, it also encourages the involvement of parents, whanau, teachers, and the whole community. The activities may include: learning a musical instrument, visiting a Christchurch event, making
sandwiches for the family at lunchtime during the weekend, cooking a meal or going swimming with the family. Students have the option to work towards a bronze, silver or gold level badge each term but there are two compulsory challenges in the programme. The first is reading on at least four nights of the week, the second involves a “Basic Fact programme” which helps to increase the speed and accuracy of our student’s factual knowledge.
The aims of the programme are self-management, and to drive interests towards productive and creative family time in this increasingly busy world that we live. Aside from the optional interest based learning experiences, students are able to adapt the programme to meet the sporting, artistic, cultural or performing needs of their afterschool lives. We also include compulsory basic maths facts and reading aspects to The Casebrook Challenge.” This seems such a great way to really engage and motivate students, please tell us more about The Casebrook Challenge.
Casebrook Intermediate School
Our school culture centres around three key values of respect, excellence and perseverance. We call our students Casebrook REPs to demonstrate the importance that we place on our values and they are expected to display these traits in their learning interactions with peers and staff, and in the community. The REP programme came about through our connection with the PB4L Schoolwide PLD through the MOE 6 years ago. This positive approach to all things behaviour and learning has made a huge impact in our school and our community. What are the biggest advantages of this programme? The expectations and the differentiated model for success allows skills such as self-
management and engagement to be developed and most importantly the motivation to achieve alongside peers and receive a badge. The students do value these badges and student voices express regularly how much importance they place on them. We find that students quickly buy into the school culture of becoming a Casebrook REP along with involvement in the challenges and this has resulted in stronger ties with our community. What kinds of responses have you had to the programme? For teachers, the response has always been extremely positive because they have input into the content of each set of term challenges. There is ample flexibility to enable special focus
| PROFILES
on certain curriculum areas as and when students find their strengths and classroom learning focuses on specific interests. Aspects such as mathematics or science badges can also be integrated into the challenge.
of The Casebrook Challenge in our school culture. The number of students who cross the stage to receive their badge increases throughout the year because peers also seek the rewards of hard work.
WhÄ nau regularly reports that The Casebrook Challenge is a great way to engage students in learning at home, increasing their life skills, and learning through activities that families can do together. These activities may include: family excursions, planning events or holidays, witnessing things together, family sporting activities or even a grandparent and a child making something together in the shed.
Finally, how has the programme evolved since it began?
Students are highly motivated, even more so after our first term celebration assembly and they identify the embedded nature
We have adapted the original structure of our Casebrook Challenge to be more in line with the vocabulary and language of our REP culture. Learning academically is always a goal, but we aim to develop well rounded, and interested learners – preadolescents require a broad curriculum of experiences to move ahead and this is one element of our school curriculum strategy that we feel adds value to the age group.
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y d n a d l o o c d o l approve e v r a m n e e k t u o t s u j d n a m h g groovy inde u o s t n e c e r r a l u p o p y h c a e b neat nifty p a f l o o c e t u n i m e h t o t p u y d super tren
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SCHOOL ALERT PAGING SYSTEM At challenging times when educational institutions need to initiate their security drill and procedure, it is important the teaching staff can be confident the emergency messaging system is reliable, robust and operates from all areas within the campus—without fail. This is where Salcom can help. Salcom solutions have been used for many years by emergency & first response organisations throughout New Zealand and beyond, including Fire & Emergency NZ (FENZ), the Order of St. John (NZ), NZ Police and by many government departments, including the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM). Salcom systems are known for their reliability and fitness for purpose.
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Arahia bilingual books (big and small) now have audio support available on a magical reading pen … providing an excellent model and support for teachers and students. The big books come with teachers’ notes, a downloadable link containing digital and audio files, and a mini-book template for taking home. Flash cards are also available. Arahia resources align with the Māori language curriculum guidelines, help teachers to maximise their use of He Reo Tupu He Reo Ora and support them to meet the requirements of the first Standard for the Teaching Profession; namely, the Treaty of Waitangi partnership
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HIGH ACHIEVER MEDALLIONS The ultimate form of recognition whether it be Academic or Sporting, nothing beats a Medal. Best known for their use at the Olympic Games, medals become lifelong treasured memories. The team at Emblems NZ know that a sculptured medallion is more than just a work of art; it is the mark of distinction bestowed on those who have strived for ultimate success and achieved their goals. Be it Dux Medals, Sportsman Medals, Sportswoman Medals, Proxime Accessit to the Dux Medals, they are the ultimate reward. These are the four main achievement medals used Nationwide. Alternatively, we can custom make your School’s own unique Medallion. Medals are the affordable form of recognition and can come with presentation boxes.
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Term 2 - 2018 schoolnews
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ADMINISTRATION |
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ADMINISTRATION |
Library Management Systems
Does your library offer a magical experience? Libraries... the smell... the silence... the perfect alphabetical order... Mmmm absolute page flippin’ paradise in my (book nerd) opinion! Remember when laborious library tasks were once performed manually, with a stern Miss Librarian using order slips, sourcing items via catalogues, flicking through an indexed card system and when dreaded fines were collected by local bailiffs. Users signed books out manually and a punch card system managed the library circulation. When I think of a library I see it Harry Potter style, with never ending books piled into cathedral high pillars. To be fair, it would be a nightmare to manage manually (luckily, Hogwarts has a nifty magic spell system in operation) a little magic is something real libraries need and that’s where integrated library management systems come in. My favourite real library is the Library of Trinity College Dublin (swoon) have you heard of it? It dates back to 1592, the largest library in Ireland with “over six million printed volumes with extensive collections of journals, manuscripts, maps and music reflecting over 400 years of academic development” and it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. An institution of great antiquity, the main chamber of the Old Library is The Long Room; at nearly 65 metres in length, it is filled with 200,000 of the library’s oldest books and is one of the
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most impressive libraries in the world. Fact: in 1860 the roof was raised to allow construction of the present barrel-vaulted ceiling and upper gallery bookcases. Over centuries, historical and monolithic libraries like Trinity have pioneered manual methods of resource discovery and developments in the teaching, learning and research processes but technology dramatically changed things in a very short period. The way library users’ now source and receive information has been revolutionised and, with so many digital resources and products available, the shift towards automated school library systems has naturally occurred. Many schools and college libraries now use automated systems with many software companies offering a variety of products and services related to library management. And, while using the right technology for your library is vital, the overarching focus must be on achieving successful experiences for the users during each and every interaction. The most modern automated library systems are available as cloud-based library management systems. It is advisable to talk to the leading providers of library management systems for schools to find out what variety of high class software products and automated systems they provide. These providers can help a school build and maintain an efficient school library. Most of all, school libraries should be personalised to the user, collaborative with other libraries
and sustainable because every library needs to have the best systems available to operate now and to adapt well into the future. Moreover, staff must be empowered with the best tools available. A library’s most technological challenge tends to be around operational efficiency or its ability to serve users and these issues can only be solved by a company that provides the complete package for you. Great systems also offer teaching and learning features that encourage students with different/unique learning styles to engage with the library or in their home and classrooms.
What else to look for from your management system: In terms of being online – it should really showcase your library. Training systems – ideally you want a series of training videos, so you are supported every step of the way and everything from data migration to technology integrations with the school’s IT infrastructure need to be covered professionally and collaboratively.
Mobile app – find one that works well with the variety of devices that students can utilise. Time-saving features – like automatic cataloguing, quick scan and is it customisable to your needs. Consider user’s individual needs – for instance, a graphic visual search for topics and video trailers for books is especially helpful for students with dyslexia. Accessible everywhere and user-friendly – for both the user and the librarian. Interactive – so that new users can easily learn how to research topics. Technology and innovation has helped libraries solve their most pressing technological challenges, improve operational efficiency and ultimately their ability to serve their users. Make sure the integrated library management system and service that you already have (or choose) ensures your library’s long-term success and never wait around for a magical solution. By Mandy Clarke, Industry Reporter
| ADMINISTRATION supplier profile WiPath
New school signage stands out... Northcote Intermediate School engaged WiPath, a leader in electronic school LED signage to provide an electronic signage solution for their studentcentred learning environment. Now proudly displayed at the front of the school is an impressive plinth style digital LED sign. WiPath was chosen for this project, due to the its extensive experience of installing electronic school LED sign solutions in schools, with over 300 school installations to date. Their solutions incorporate both static and dynamic signage, on a wide variety of customised structures to suit individual school environments and allows for any special community requirements. School principal, Ben Kelsey told us: “We believe in promoting a love of learning and an interest in the local and global environment through our curriculum. We wanted our signage to reflect our values, look great, promote our school, and make communication with the wider community easier. However, our biggest demand was for us to be able to effectively share our student’s outstanding success stories in: sport, culture, and performing arts. After a consultation with WiPath a huge double-sided sign was chosen
and mounted perpendicular to the road to ensure the best visibility for passing traffic in both directions. Unlike traditional signage that requires skills in graphic design and signwriting, this electronic signage required skills in electronics, IT and communications and this is where WiPath’s expertise came in. With its track record of supplying over 80 percent of electronic school signs in New Zealand since 2007 WiPath was trusted by Northcote Intermediate School to provide the high-quality solution they sought. One that would meet their unique requirements. Ben said: “Not only does our new digital signage look fantastic it is also very easy to use. It is quick and simple to upload messages, this suits our needs because we like to share information often, this digital signage solution saves us time.” He added: “We are very happy with our new sign, we believe that it perfectly reflects our studentcentred school ethos. WiPath supplied and installed the sign and we were satisfied with the total cost of the project. I was particularly impressed with how well they communicated with us before, during and after the installation, the attention to detail, follow up and after care service was superb. I would highly recommend WiPath.”.
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ADMINISTRATION |
School Photography
Not just for grandma’s fridge: the usefulness of ‘picture day’ It’s an annual event that no-one should avoid, no matter how selfconscious or ashamed they are of their current hairstyle. For students, it’s a rite of passage; for parents, it’s a prized record of their child’s growth; for teachers, it’s a bit of a pain to organise and a bit of a laugh to take the staff pic. But for schools, picture day presents a few unique opportunities.
Marketing Marketing is the first thing: a chance to create a visual map of the school, all it’s groups and sports teams; competitive success stories and musical triumphs. It’s also a chance to come up with some glossy new staff headshots for the school publication, and any number of prospectivefriendly happy snaps to showcase a school’s culture and range of activities.
Fundraising Fundraising is another opportunity posed by picture day that’s, perhaps, too often overlooked. One option is for schools to arrange to have photos taken that can then be used as part of a fundraising campaign. For instance, if the senior drama class will be performing a theatre production at the end of the year, they could take the opportunity to take ‘headshots’ or cast photos to then use on t-shirts or as merch to sell to family and friends. Similarly, sports teams and school bands could pose for group photos to use on flyers or posters, press releases, social media posts, etc. Having polished, professional photos can make a big difference in reaching a wider audience.
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The day before Remind students that photo day is tomorrow, and explain how they can best present themselves. In schools without a uniform, some classes agree on a class colour or style; jeans and white t-shirts for example. Schools with uniforms should remind students to have the correct attire. Encourage students to wash their hair the night before so it will be clean and shiny for their photos. They may like to take a hairbrush for a last-minute groom before the shoot. If your school has a strict dress code, refresh the memories of your students and parents with a note or email.
Another fundraising option is to make a commission on photo sales. Different school photographers will have different rates and offers that schools can weigh up but, depending on the size of your school, this could add up quite considerably. Ask your photographer for terms; photo day fundraising could buy a lot of books for the school library.
Some companies offer parents the option to order images on a wide range of products like diary covers, key rings, mouse mats and coffee mugs. Professionalism. In this age of digital wizardry, there is no excuse for poor quality images. School photographers typically take a series of shots of each grouping
On the day Check that students are clean and neat before they leave the classroom. Encourage them to look at one another to make sure clothing is buttoned properly and faces are free of food smudges. Let the photographer run the show. School photographers have worked with thousands of children and are experts in eliciting the best expressions.
then scrutinise the results for the best image, using technology to swap heads between images if need be. It is fairly standard now for suppliers to also offer digital versions of all photos, whether they charge extra or provide as a complimentary bonus to the hard copies.
Aesthetic While the full-scale, movie star photoshop is somewhat out of the question for hundreds of pupils, you can expect a light retouch of all final shots, such as a clean-up of runny noses, dirt marks on tops, and elimination of unwanted items in the background. Something to ask the photography company about is whether they allow parents to see a version of the photos before buying – in many cases this is standard but for others it’s not part of the process, or they may leave that decision to the school. Increasingly, photographers are offering a range of styles for class, team and individual portraits. Schools can select a style that is in keeping with their culture whether traditional or contemporary. Some schools are asking for more casual posing with children sitting on the floor, under a tree or draped around the playground. Others want silly, playful or creative shots, while some schools prefer black and white. For yearbook photos, there may be a theme that can be catered to. Photographers report that parents want more than just individual portraits of their children, which is good news for schools eager to sell as many photos as possible. Parents often want sibling shots, photos of friendship groups and all different genres of ‘team photos’.
School Photography
| ADMINISTRATION
What’s involved? School photography explained Geography
Planning
Innovative learning space groupings are a challenge for photographers; it’s a lot of people to get into one shot.
Ask your supplier to do a site visit before the event so they can be clear about space, layout and best venue according to the lighting. Create a photo day timetable so everyone knows when and where they’re expected. Discuss how many photographers and/or set dressers will be coming along, and what spaces will be utilised.
Some suppliers have changed their approach to ease the process and offer the option to photograph students individually then digitally create a class photo. In this way, each student’s face is clear, eyes unblinking, and the group is evenly spaced. It also means that students who are absent on photo day do not have to miss out as they can arrange a makeup session with the photographer. If schools prefer a ‘real-time’ group photo, where the whole school is lined up on tall benches, as many of us will remember posing for in our youth – this is something run by suppliers in the initial planning stage.
Clear communication is paramount – between the photographer and the school, and between the school and the parents. Find out what sort of preparations will be required; will the photographers need before-hours access or to have the school hall cleared? What about contingency for a rainy day? Check too what happens if a parent is not happy with the product, is there a money-back guarantee? By Rosie Clarke, Editor
Inspire Photography director, Simon Elwell spoke to School News about the ‘school photo’ process. “Our service costs nothing to organise and we return 12 percent of the sale price back to the centre or school. This can make a significant contribution towards fundraising for the year. The more we sell, the more schools earn – and the high quality of our individual, sibling and friend portraits make them a popular choice with parents. There is no pre-booking, everyone gets photographed (individuals, siblings and friends) and we give a choice of photographs on our online ordering system, plus we take care of the payments and orders therefore offering less of a disruption to the office staff and management.
receive a laminated group shot from their schools, we provide the school with a digital file of each child to input into their database. Students benefit by having fun and relaxed friends photos during the break times and also fun and relaxed portraits for their parents to enjoy.
“We provide each school with a large framed selection of the group photographs, all teachers
“Plus, any teacher headshots for website or staff boards are provided free of charge.”
The ordering process Today’s parents don’t want to be bothered with paperwork, they expect to be able to view and order images online, and they also expect to be able to buy digital files. This is hugely beneficial in reducing the administrative work for school staff, making photo day an altogether more enjoyable occasion.
C R E AT I V E P O R T R A I TS F O R M O D E R N S C H O O LS When you choose Inspire, you’ll find we’re more than just a friendly and professional school photography service. We know how to get the best out of your children and we take the kind of photos that parents love to buy.
04 384 8009 Untitled-1 1
www.inspirefundraisers.net.nz 14/07/16 10:17 am
Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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ADMINISTRATION |
Seating Trends
Ergonomics, flexibility and practicality – easier said than done?
Can classroom seating make a positive difference to student learning?
or boxes at traditional table height. Rows of desks may be rearranged to enable students to work collaboratively in groups, pairs or alone or to sit or lie on the floor.
Flexibility is still the prevalent furniture buzzword
Seats that can be rocked or swivelled are offered to fidgety students to help burn energy and improve concentration.
Versatile classroom designs have been merging with traditional furniture for a more vibrant variety – with low, medium and tall seating to suit students of different sizes.
Just as libraries are undergoing major makeovers to turn tired spaces into popular social hubs, classrooms are being given a touch of renovation magic – with new colours, styles and innovations – in the hope of increasing student engagement.
In some of New Zealand’s schools, students may rise above the class on stools while others crouch on the floor in meditation-style cushions and others sit on cubes
Advocates of flexible seating espouse a philosophy in which the “teacher-centred” classroom is
replaced with one that is student focussed. Teachers such as online blogger Kayla Delzer, who has posted photos of her classroom transformation, claim the benefits of flexible seating include increased motivation and engagement, creating a better oxygen flow to the brain, and improving core strength and overall posture. If current trends are anything to go by, there is a growing school of thought that familiar style desks and chairs can blend with modern designs to better help connect students to their learning. More teachers are experimenting with an array of seating styles –
from ball chairs to wiggle seats, bucket chairs, floor cushions and crates - that can transform the visual appeal of classrooms from staid to innovative. But are these design changes superficial – only altering the mood of a room – or can a comfortable or ergonomically designed seats actually make a difference to a student’s report card?
Modern classroom seating trends Is the traditional classroom – with rows of front-facing desks and a teacher standing at the front of the room – becoming a relic memory of New Zealand’s past?
Seating selection to suit individual schools Distinction Furniture spokeswoman, Suzanne Roxburgh-Blair spoke to School News how seating styles should suit different school landscapes. “The landscape within schools is changing and not one style of seating suits all. We research the best seating options to suit needs, ensuring our clients get the very best quality and value. “Seating products can range
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from classroom seating with chairs such as our Postura Max, which come in a range of bright colours to suit the new trends, Booth and ottoman seating for quiet spaces or small work groups. Bean bags and cushions for break-out spaces, High stools for bar leaners, café seating for canteen areas, tiered seating for large work groups, etc. “I worked recently with a school where a few students varied in heights. We changed the furniture and seating heights
allowing the student(s) the freedom to move around to use different spaces.” “Not all students fit the same chair or want to sit on the same
chair. Flexible seating allows the students to choose which seating best fits there learning needs, allowing the student to feel comfortable and safe while they are learning.
ADMINISTRATION |
Seating Trends
Increasingly, we are seeing schools employ weird and wonderful seating plans that experiment with functionality, ambiance and flexibility for students (and teachers too) but many schools stand by the ‘tried and tested’ old school approach. While more ‘extreme’ examples of an MLE have been talk of the town, such as Pegasus Bay School in Christchurch, which has had photos of its modern learning environment plastered across the internet – students lounging in bean bags and sitting atop indoor tree logs. Principal Roger Hornblow even told Stuff.co.nz: “I remember when we got here one child came up to me and said, 'it feels like this school was made for us'. They can choose where they sit, how they sit and who they sit with.”
But what does the research say about super flexible classroom seating? And is it appropriate for all age groups? In a discussion of desks and workstations, the Ministry of Education emphasises the
More teachers are experimenting with an array of seating styles – from ball chairs to wiggle seats, bucket chairs, floor cushions and crates
importance of ergonomics, regardless of furniture style. Notably, the Ministry found that the ability to adjust keyboards when using desktop computers provided more effective ergonomic support for students and noted that this is not possible with laptops – in fact, students using laptops were better off using them on their laps or on a lower surface, then adjusting the screen angle so they can type without bending their wrists or over-flexing their necks. Particularly in secondary schools, where students complete much of their work on laptop computers, this is especially relevant.
But not all school work involves typing, or even writing. Things like reading, science and even maths involve activities that don’t necessarily implicate the same sitting position.
Soft seating options and questions For most adults, reading comfortably tends to involve lounging on cushions or even on carpet or grass. Why should children be expected to read bent over a desk? For kids who aren’t avid young book readers, the idea of sitting still at a classroom desk to read might be an even bigger turn off.
Soft seating, ottomans and even bean bags, on the other hand, cater to a more naturalistic setting for passive activities. They may also work well for group tasks or activities that involve multiple students. One of the points made by the Ministry of Education in its ‘The impact of physical design on student outcomes’ report, is that “A cluster of desks of different heights would not impact upon a discussion exercise, but would cause difficulties for students attempting to share resources or work on a collaborative practical activity,” (Wadsworth, 2000; Watson et al., 1998). The report advocates that chair/ desk combinations work best when they cater to the size of each individual student but acknowledges that this isn’t always practical. If classrooms had soft seating areas or alternatives to traditional chairs and desks, this problem may be mitigated. “Some research indicates that students are not able to focus on learning for longer periods of time if chairs are not cushioned (Bullock & Foster-Harrison, 1997), although cushioned chairs are harder to clean and maintain
Options for comfort and need in an ILE classroom On the subject of seating trends, Scholar Furniture business development manager, John Marshall told School News: “With the focus in schools today, on creating ILE (innovative learning environment) style classrooms, there is a need for the furniture to be both flexible and collaborative. “Scholar supports peer learning through our range of collaborative furniture options such as tables that compliment both small and large group learning sessions, to formal student chairs, chairs
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with writing tables and ottomans, which can be placed to make separate seats or joined to cater for group activities. “For those students who like to work alone, we can offer them an
option like a study carrel, which provides them with the space they need. The most important aspect of in an ILE classroom, however, is the ability to move furniture around to create a
learning environment that is conducive for a student to thrive in and maximise their potential. At Scholar, our furniture is designed for flexibility, collaboration and connectedness, catering to all learning styles.”
Seating Trends
(Wadsworth, 2000). The use of cushioned chairs and other soft furnishings should be considered in association with the acoustics of the room in which they will be used (BRANZ Ltd, 2007a), as soft furnishings will have the effect of dampening reverberation within the learning space. This has implications for IAQ, as soft furnishing can attract dust, which lowers air quality (Smedje & Norback, 2001), and cushions and other soft furnishings made with synthetic foams may release volatile organic compounds, which also affect IAQ.”
Chair sizing: one-size doesn’t fit all Regarding chairs in particular, sizing is a critical issue that has historically been benchmarked by age but this isn’t always effective. The Ministry notes: “Ninety-six percent of students in the three New Zealand secondary schools studied were seated in furniture
that was not suitable for their size (Legg, Pajo, Sullman, & MarfellJones, 2003).” Children whose legs cannot reach the floor when seated risk increased pressure on their thighs, causing discomfort and there are various postural aches and pains associated with un-ergonomic chairs. Three solutions are offered in this report: foot rests, adjustable seating or a system of differently sizes chairs fitted to individual students’ popliteal heights. One problem with having a range of differently sized chairs is stacking and storage – this can be mitigated by employing a system, such as colour-coding, but for schools low on space this could prove problematic. Another disadvantage here might be the logistics for middle and senior schools, where students move from class to class and may not always find their ideal seat-size. Adjustable seating (that can
be raised, lowered and even swivel) are terrific when students know how to adjust them properly, so this would have to be addressed. Primary school children, in particular, may have trouble operating some of the mechanisms. Adjustable chairs also need to be durable, as wearand-tear is tenfold in schools and the chairs will likely be catering to many different sizes and agegroups.
Tiered, retractable, wider school options There are many areas outside the classroom that require seating, particularly auditoriums or halls that are multi-use. On any given day, a school hall may be used as a cafeteria, a sports stadium, an assembly hall, a lecture room, or even to house an after-schoolcare program.
| ADMINISTRATION
for schools: these seats can be fixed or mobile, have wall mounts, foldaway storage options, and some can also be motorised and controlled from an external panel. Benches and stackable plastic chairs are other alternatives, with cushions or padding also available. For younger children, scaled down seating can save space in common areas and ensure that no-one is sitting on the floor during assembly. Tiered seating is also important to aid visibility. Depending on the space available, a custom tiered option may be ideal. Ask your chosen supplier what will best fit your space and cause least disruption.
So seating flexibility is a must.
In echoing auditoriums, well-lit aisles built from noise dampening materials can be a huge time and voice-saver for teachers and guest speakers.
Retractable seating is one option
By Rosie Clarke, Editor
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TEACHERS' DESK |
Industry Events Calendar
SCHOOLNEWS 2018 Industry Events Calendar AUGUST
12-13 | Research Conference 2018
10-12 | uLearn18
8-9 | Education Leaders Forum 2018: Valuing Educators Revaluing Education
International Convention Centre, Sydney CONTACT: www.acer.org/researchconference#registration WEBSITE: www.acer.org
SKYCITY Convention Centre, Auckland CONTACT: becky.hare@core-ed.ac.nz, 021 930 367 WEBSITE: www.core-ed.org
ABOUT: Held annually, Research Conference highlights the latest national and international research in education.
Millennium Hotel, Rotorua CONTACT: admin@smartnet.co.nz WEBSITE: http://www.smartnet.co.nz/elf-2018 ABOUT: Valuing educators and revaluing education are imperatives in an age of technological disruption. Teachers are more important than ever as knowledge navigators in an ocean of digital data. The ELF18 themes are timely as the new Minister of Education foreshadows wholesale changes, such as improving participation rates in higher education and overhauling assessment.
9-10 | New Zealand International Education Conference and Expo 55 Cable St, Wellington CONTACT: +64 4 499 6909 WEBSITE: www.nziec.co.nz ABOUT: This year’s theme is ‘Inspiring Global Leaders’ and Education New Zealand has put a call out for speakers to present at NZIEC. Registration is open as of May 2018.
22 | Area schools conference 2018 Crowne Plaza hotel, Christchurch CONTACT: lesleym@mangakahia.school.nz WEBSITE: www.nzasa.org.nz ABOUT: The conference will include a keynote speech from Education Minister Chris Hipkins and is run by the New Zealand Area Schools Association.
OCTOBER 2-4 | PPTA Conference Brentwood Hotel, Wellington CONTACT: enquiries@ppta.org.nz WEBSITE: www.ppta.org.nz ABOUT: The conference will touch on issues relevant to the Professional Association and Union of Teachers. PPTA Te Wehengarua is the professional association and union of teachers and principals committed to improving secondary education for New Zealand students.
ABOUT: The conference is part of a learning continuum and ongoing cycle of development that helps build a national professional learning community across the education sector. This is critical for developing and extending the vision and capability of school leaders and teachers. There will be a range of workshops, speakers, tools and resources available and School News will be in attendance.
10-12 | NZPF Conference Wellington CONTACT: becky.hare@core-ed.ac.nz, 021 930 367 WEBSITE: www.nzpfconference.com ABOUT: The conference title – Creative Leaders, Flourishing Futures - signals a desire to encourage and celebrate creative and courageous leadership in New Zealand’s schools, which allows children to flourish. “We want to explore the ways in which we can be creative, while acknowledging the tension between this and the need to be compliant with Ministry policy. As always, the NZPF kawa (way of working) will guide our work. This incorporates manaakitanga (leading with moral purpose), pono (having self-belief), ako (being a learner) and awhinatanga (guiding and supporting).”
Linewize and Family Zone have teamed up to deliver cutting-edge technology plus specialist support and education – across the entire school community!
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schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
Every student safe, on every device.
09 888 9285
Book Reviews
| TEACHING RESOURCES
f l e h s k o o b e h t New to The Tricksters For ages 7+ By Sally Sutton Scholastic
For YA readers By Margaret Mahy Hachette This will be a Christmas to be remembered, where long-buried secrets will be revealed and no one will ever be quite the same. Charming, enigmatic and sinister, the three brothers have come to stay. Only 17-year-old Harry questions their strange ways, but even she isn’t sure what is real anymore: are they really related to Teddy Carnival, said to have drowned on that beach many years ago, or are they tricksters - conjured by her overactive imagination?
All These Beautiful Strangers
Rainbow Magic: Cara The Coding Fairy
For YA readers
For age 5+ By Daisy Meadows Hachette
By Elizabeth Klehfoth Penguin Random House Charlie finds herself thrust into the centre of a decades-old mystery - one that implicates her family in not one terrible crime, but two. Uncovering their past may destroy everything she knows - or give her the answer she's always craved: Who or what was behind her mother's disappearance ten years ago?
Three stories in one! Join Rachel and Kirsty for a magical adventure with another fairy friend in this bestselling and much-loved series for girls aged 5 and up! Best friends Rachel and Kirsty are very excited to be going to a coding convention! They can’t wait to start building their own programmes and apps. But naughty Jack Frost has other plans - to steal the magic of coding for himself!
Miniwings Firestorm’s Musical Muck-Up For ages 7+ By Sally Sutton Scholastic A new series for children to fall in love with! Imagine having six gorgeous little winged toy horses that come to life when the adults aren’t looking! Firestorm is the hero – or chief troublemaker – in this fourth book in the series. Clara and Sophia are preparing for their performance in the school orchestra, but those sneaky little Miniwings stow away in their instrument cases. Surely, they won’t press the fire alarm…
Girltopia #1 For age 11+ By Hilary Rogers Scholastic Clara is the sort of girl who hates getting into trouble. She even hates it when others get into trouble. But when every single man and boy in the city are struck down by a mysterious illness, Clara realises this is no time to be worrying about being good. It’s time for a daring rescue mission! Maybe the boys and men will just wake up, Clara thinks. Maybe everything will go back to normal. Clara doesn’t know how wrong she is. Only one thing is for sure – the girls are in charge! A debut novel from blockbuster children’s publisher-turnedwriter. This is life-affirming fiction for girls in upper primary with strong female characters. Fabulously zeitgeist-y and in the spirit of Rebel Girls. First in a daring new trilogy – books 2 and 3 coming in 2019.
The Stolen Stars of Matariki For ages 3-7 By Miriama Kamo Scholastic Behind dusty orange hills, where the sky stretches down to the sea, there’s a magical, wild, windy place called Te Mata Hāpuku. Sam and Te Rerehua love to visit their Grandma and Pōua at Te Mata Hāpuku (aka Birdling’s Flat). They like to collect agate from the famous gemstone beach and go eeling late at night with their grandparents. While lying on the stony banks looking up at the stars, Grandma tells the children stories, with a backdrop of whipping wind, flashing torchlight, and the splash of Pōua’s gaff in the water. But one night, Grandma notices something mysterious. Someone has stolen some stars from the sky. And then the patupaiarehe come out to play on the beach... Can Sam and Te Rerehua save the Matariki stars? Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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TEACHING RESOURCES |
Interactive Teaching
You’re teaching creators now, not children
How many of your students want to ‘be a Youtuber’? Frankly, most of New Zealand’s youngsters are already content creators online. Whether they are Snapchatting, Instastorying, Facebook Liveing, or streaming their video game skills on sites like Twitch, children and teenagers have a wealth of technological creative outlets.
Without delving into a debate on whether under-18s should be allowed to broadcast content online, the fact remains that they can and many do. Rather than keep a personal diary, teenagers can write a public blog, or vlog to an audience of YouTube subscribers. They can create their own webseries on Instagram or curate a podcast on Spotify. They can create, edit, produce, publish and broadcast songs, e-books, movie reviews, short films, comedic skits, and anything else they like, all from their laptop or phone. There are so many resources online now that they can teach themselves
an awful lot along the way. Educators frequently talk about the task at hand; to educate a generation of children who will grow up to invent industries and professions that don’t even exist yet. It’s a tricky task to say the least, but when we look at what that generation is currently doing – it’s creating content in some way or another. In fact, you may be surprised by how many mini-experts you have in your classrooms. Some of the most disengaged students in your school may have a substantial following online because they stream their
video gameplay or post popular content on social media. Is it possible to engage more students by integrating their self-taught digital skills and innate online abilities with classroom subjects? One thing to remember is that digital-savviness isn’t spread equally. It is hard to assess schoolwork on a medium you are unfamiliar with: if students have the option to write an essay or create a VR film, for example, how can there be a fair comparative assessment? And what about students who don’t have access to newer technologies?
On device compatibility and interactive functionality “With school uptake of BYOD technology, it’s vital that interactive projectors allow the teacher to connect to a variety of devices, including Windows, Mac, iOS or Android devices,” said Epson’s spokesperson. “It’s important that this technology allows multiple displays on a number of device screens simultaneously, so as to accommodate all students around the classroom. Interactive functionality is also available without a PC connection, so drawing on
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through, anything that streamlines delivery and enhances the pace could be seen as a plus. With this objective, Epson has created solutions that lay down learning pathways for achieving ‘digital literacy’ in students before they face the complexities of an increasingly digital world as adults. the projected screen is now possible when connected to other devices, such as visualisers or DVD players. “With the volume of curriculum today’s teachers are wading
“While some teachers find the new developments daunting at times, developers have been working on ensuring operation is straightforward and interfaces are intuitive. Education solutions have
proliferated in recent years, and teachers really can expect smart and interactive technologies to challenge the parameters of what’s possible in class.”
With Epson, 100% of your class can focus on your lessons. ON A 70� DISPLAY ONLY 42% SEE IT ALL – GO BIG WITH EPSON When you are looking to inspire the next generation, ensure you engage your audience right to the back of the room. When considering which SUHVHQWDWLRQ WHFKQRORJ\ WR FKRRVH UHVHDUFK FRQÀ UPV WKDW DXGLHQFHV DUH PLVVLQJ RXW ZKHQ YLHZLQJ FRQWHQW RQ D LQFK à DW SDQHO 79 YHUVXV a 100-inch projector screen*. You put too much hard work in to your lessons to fall down in the last mile. ,Qà XHQFH VWDUWV ZLWK \RX DQG HQGV ZLWK D VFUHHQ VL]H WKDW PDWWHUV For more information visit: www.epson.co.nz/thelastmile /HDGLQJ LQFK FODVV N UHVROXWLRQ à DW SDQHO LQ D ¡ ZLGWK E\ ¡ GHSWK FODVVURRP VW\OH DUUDQJHPHQW :KHQ DVNHG WR FRS\ GRZQ VL[ VKRUW LWHPV RI LQIRUPDWLRQ IURP VOLGHV EHLQJ GLVSOD\HG RI VWXGHQWV DJHV FRSLHG DW OHDVW RQH LWHP LQFRUUHFWO\ %DVHG RQ DQ LQGHSHQGHQW TXDQWLWDWLYH VWXG\ FRQGXFWHG E\ 5DGLXV 5HVHDUFK LQ multiple U.S. markets.
TEACHING RESOURCES |
Interactive Teaching
While it makes sense to give students technical tools to create content in the classroom that will enrich their learning environment in any subject, it’s difficult for school leaders to pinpoint how. In order to successfully teach young creators, it’s vital that schools are able to offer teachers platforms to interact with them digitally. A critical part of this is fitting out classrooms with the right products and technologies. Another part is upskilling, which we dove into last issue, and yet another piece of the puzzle is integrating different types of content creation into the learning environment.
Interactive tech: classroom product options When choosing products for interactive teaching in the classroom there are a few crucial things to take note. Connectivity – Whether it’s a projector, a whiteboard, touchscreen or multi-touch display, in order for teachers to make full use of it they need to
be able to connect their (and their student’s) device. Consider flexibility across iOS, Android, Microsoft, Google and Mac. It’s not going to be the most productive use of time if students have to export every document, video and image file to a different format before they can share it with their class or teacher. Direction – How do your teachers like to teach? Are they stood at the front of the class or do they move from location to location? Are students seated in rows and columns or small and scattered groups? What is the timetable flow? All of this is important because it tells you whether a stationary projector or interactive whiteboard will fulfil
the classroom needs or whether a mobile multi-touch display, teaching station or central touch table is going to better suit your school’s teaching style. Collaboration – While multitouch teaching tables, for example, can seat a small group of children around a screen to create or complete a classroom activity together, front-ofroom interactive whiteboards, projectors and flat panel displays allow the teacher to turn individual work into collaborative learning. Sharing students’ work up on the big screen, or having the whole class engaged in a project or resource, such as a video or digital worksheet can be just as engaging.
Pros and cons – With projectors, lighting can be an issue as the room needs to be dark for the projection to be visible. Some students may find themselves sleepy or distracted in the dark, tempted to talk or disengage once the lights switch off. For other students, a change in atmosphere may help to engage them. Projectors vary in ease-of-use, expense and versatility – some have VR and 3D capabilities and can be controlled via a mouse or even touch screen. They do require thought regarding installation to make sure the projection is visible to all students, alignment is good and the projector itself is safely mounted or placed.
Versatile and engaging tech alternatives
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“The future is bright! Interactive touchscreens offer a more vivid, versatile and more engaging alternative to an interactive whiteboard,” shared LeasePlus spokesman Stephen Philp.
and multiple students to work on the screen at once, directly, from various devices or even remote locations.
“These displays react to touch like phones and tablets so that users can pinch, tap, swish, and scroll just like handheld devices. The most significant difference, apart from size, is the multitouch facility, allowing teachers
“We lease Newline’s TRUTOUCH UB series of large, 4K resolution interactive touch displays, from a 65” for school application to 86” for the tertiary lecture environment. All models have special anti-glare
schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
“Touchscreens do not generate much heat so do not require any noisy fans. Easy: there is no calibration, bulb changes or special pens required, just finger touch to type, draw, move and interact. screens and transmit light from the screen itself, eliminating disruptive reflections and shadows so pupils can clearly see content no matter where they sit.
TRUTOUCH UB Series displays are straightforward to set up and come ready to go loaded with Windows 10 Pro, plus an easy-to-use Android system.”
Interactive Teaching
Interactive LED whiteboards, screens and panels benefit from being visible in daylight, so lighting isn’t so much of a concern. They are usually fixed to a wall, so there is less flexibility in terms of location but this does tend to mean less cabling and day-to-day fuss. They vary in size and weight, which should be taken into consideration when fitting technology for a particular space – factor in wall-size and proximity to students. Ask your prospective supplier about energy efficiency, warranties and longevity as these items will be heavily used. Practicality – Don’t underestimate the power of a simple interface. There’s nothing more disheartening and disruptive in a classroom than new technology not working and the IT guys (and gals) having to
| TEACHING RESOURCES
Is it possible to engage more students by integrating their self-taught digital skills and innate online abilities with classroom subjects?
be called out every three minutes to resolve a software issue. Basic instructions for new users should always be expected when new tech is brought into the classroom but teachers need to be able to teach without having to undergo a six week training course just to navigate a touchscreen. So choosing a product with a relatively intuitive interface, where teachers and students can reasonably navigate how to open and close documents, find different apps and programs, etc., is imperative.
For the indecisive: have you considered leasing? Don’t forget that renting tech
products is an option. If you aren’t sure what products will work best for your staff or students… Particularly, if you are undergoing a substantial refurbishment or converting your classrooms into a more flexible/modern learning environment and want to test out different types of available technology before committing to something that may not be optimal for your setting – leasing different items could be the ideal interim solution.
Future proofing students From STEM to fine arts, history to sports, content creation is deeply embedded in the digital future of all industries. Why? Because
the future of every industry rests with today’s children and today’s children are digital content creators. Learning to film and edit video, for instance is no longer just relevant to students interested in a media career – it’s an expectation in most white collar industries and critical for self-employed small business owners who market themselves online. The digital revolution of the last 25 years has entered an evolutionary phase, where the skill to create will continue to be paramount for young people entering the workforce. By Rosie Clarke, Editor
Are your teaching tools as bright as your students? Talk to LeasePlus Whatever level of education you provide, LeasePlus can help you stay up-to-date with the latest and best educational equipment, giving your teachers and students the tools they need to teach and learn, now. Large interactive touchscreens are the latest musthave, offering a more vivid, versatile and engaging alternative to interactive whiteboards or monitors. LeasePlus are currently offering great deals on Newline TRUTOUCH UB series interactive touchscreen displays, from a 65” for school application to 86” for the tertiary lecture environment. Newline screens react to touch just like familiar smart-phones and tablets do, but also have a useful multi-touch capability, allowing teachers and multiple students to work on the screen at once, directly, from various devices or even remote locations. Lease finance to get the equipment you need thru LeasePlus is an easy, flexible and smart way to equip or upgrade your educational capabilities. Preserve your capital and smooth your funding fluctuations with easy-to-manage monthly payments. For more information and to see the extensive range of education equipment options open to you, go to:
www.leaseplus.education 0800 800-325 • sales@leaseplus.co.nz Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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TEACHING RESOURCES |
Special Needs
Some students need additional support – is flexibility the solution?
The comings and goings in a classroom where children with different abilities are encouraged to explore various activities, areas and learning mediums works well for many students but for others is it can be a chaotic sensory overload that fails to meet their specific needs. In theory, the push towards ‘Flexible Learning Spaces’ should support a diverse range of students as the principles are strongly based on inclusivity. Yet, how many stories have we read online so far this year about children with special needs being excluded from schools? In April, NZ mum and business consultant Erika Harvey penned an open letter to the Prime Minister on her blog (piperslove. com) urging the government to increase funding for special needs students. Referring to the financial deficit of her daughter’s Decile 2 school, which she
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explained has 24 ORS-funded special education students, she wrote: “The school’s success in assisting their ORS funded students, (to which they refer to as their ‘treasures’ because they have added so much joy to their school) is actually sinking them! With their deficit this year totalling $-118,482.26.
exclusions, unable to provide the correct support required by these students. “It's worrying that boards and schools are finding themselves in this position,” Ms Kerr told the website. Perhaps there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach to education; even an approach like FLE that aims to be child-led. The type of learning support that a student with ADHD might need can differ substantially from the support required by a student with different sensory issues, or a physical disability.
“They follow their legal obligation of providing an inclusive education to all children, never closing their doors to a child with special needs, while other schools find ways to manage these high need, ‘expensive’ children by expelling them for disruptive behaviour, forcing many parents out of work and in to homeschooling.”
Why aren’t we getting it right?
Elsewhere, President of the NZ School Trustees Association Lorraine Kerr told Stuff.co.nz in June that she has noticed more students are attending primary and intermediate schools with significant behavioural issues related to conditions like foetal alcohol syndrome, which has had the ripple effect of school boards submitting more queries about student suspensions and
The vision of the New Zealand Curriculum is for classrooms to be an inclusive space for students who require additional physical or learning support. The Ministry of Education suggests, using the principles of Universal Design (UDL) for best practice; a research-based framework to help “teachers plan learning to meet the diverse and variable needs of all students”.
Evidence shows that classroom design does impact student outcomes and that physical design and teaching practise need to be closely aligned. Taking a FLE approach means that teaching tools to assist the learning of students with special needs must be a priority. The terrific news is that there are a plethora of products, technologies, strategies and programs that teachers can put in place to help young learners – and the flexibility of a modern learning environment may even allow these to blend seamlessly into the fabric of the school. But, if the teaching tools are available – why do we keep seeing stories about students slipping through the cracks? One reason cited often is funding.
Funding: How? Where? and why aren’t more students receiving it? A substantial 3057 of the 10,000 applications for Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) funding were turned down by the Ministry of Education between July 2011 and September 2017,
Special Needs
according to Stuff.co.nz. The ORS scheme has nine criteria that must be met in order for funding to be granted, and these covers five “need areas”: learning, hearing, vision, physical, and language use/social communication. According to the government, “to meet ORS criteria, students must have: ongoing extreme or severe difficulty with any of the need areas, or moderate to high difficulty with learning, combined with very high or high needs in any two need areas.”
But is it all about funding? Talking about his own experiences of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and what worked well for him at school, Matt Frost a 32-year-old policy analyst chatted with Chrissie Butler on YouTube, both members of Te
Toi Tupu's reference group for inclusive practices. Matt said: “I was fortunate to have teachers who allowed me to develop and grow as I needed to develop and grow, and really allowed me to engage with what I was interested in and they did that in a really natural way.” Matt went on to describe an example of how his teachers recognised his love for reading non-fiction books and would source suitable books above his reading level for him to enjoy. The lesson here is that Matt remembers a very simple intervention from a teacher that recognised his uniqueness and his specific educational needs. Providing the right support (early) can significantly change learning outcomes and there are often simple solutions to help
all individuals who struggle with communicating, interacting, and taking in information, visual and spatial skills, non-verbal problem solving, and visual and auditory memory. For every student who learns in a unique way, there may be a simple human intervention that can help. Alternatively, simple adjustments to technology or equipment can be sourced. Technology provides solutions and a plethora of alternate ways to access and interact with information, but some students may not be able to use a standard keyboard in the usual way so text to speech, eye tracking, head tracking, word prediction, or alternative keyboards or mice may be required. There are expert suppliers who will help you find a solution from
| TEACHING RESOURCES
software, computers, touch screens and hand-held devices, to toys and sensory equipment that provide auditory, tactile and visual stimulation. For dyslexia, simple coloured overlays are a proven, research-based solution to their visual stress problems or even pens that scan a tricky printed word and read it aloud. Too often, making a positive difference to a student’s learning experience requires a long and exhausting battle for extra funding and learning/behavioural support but effective human interaction, building positive relationships and sometimes finding solutions from trial and error is the first step to success. Remember, it is sometimes the simplest intervention that opens the world to a student. By Rosie Clarke, Editor
A fififfi-fifivfir for fifiofifi wfio fififffir from rfifififing fififfifififififififififififififififififififififififififi “C-Pens are amazing! In fififi worfifi of AT, fifififi fifi fi fioofi fivfirfionfi nfififififi Wfifififin mfinfifififi’ fififififinfifi finfi fifififififirfi firfi fififing fififi pfinfi fio rfififi workfifififififi, vofifibfififirfi worfifi, bfifi fififififififififi finfi fivfin fifikfi mfifi bofifififi” - K. White, AT Specialist, June 2016
Available in three options: For more information visit fififififififivfifififififififiofinz or a call 0800 864-382 Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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: SNEAK PEAK
School News Activity & Classroom Resource An exclusive FREE resource by Alice Patrick, inspired by Māori Language week
1
PLAY with the included flashcards to learn the Māori words for different lunchbox items.
2
USE the included flashcards for matching the Māori words to the pictures.
āporo
merengi
kāroti
rōpere
3
FOCUS on the food items that belong in a lunchbox, to create a Māori game of ‘lunchbox’ picture bingo (6 - 12 squares). You can use the pictures from the flashcards OR you can use your own pictures. The teacher (or a student) calls out the Māori word, and the others cover up the equivalent picture.
5
SEPARATE lunchbox food items into 2 categories, using Māori ie He Kai Hauora (Healthy Food) and He Kai Kino (Unhealthy Food)
7
LEARN the Māori days of the week (transliterations) by singing the waiata below i.e. ‘Mane, Tūrei, Wenerei’ (to the tune of ‘Day O’).
Mane, Tūrei, Wenerei Ko ngā rā o te wiki ēnei Tāite, Paraire, Hātarei Ko ngā rā o te wiki ēnei Rāhoroi, Rātapu,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday These are the days of the week Thursday, Friday, Saturday These are the days of the week Saturday, Sunday,
Ko ngā rā o te wiki ēnei
These are the days of the week
4
ASK students to write down a shopping list in Māori of food that the whānau will need for lunchboxes this week eg He …, he …. , he … etc (A/some …, a/some …., a/some …. etc)
6
ASSIST the students to use the included lunchbox template to draw and label in Māori their favourite lunchbox kai
8
CROSS CURRICULAR INTEGRATION Hauora – Students design a healthy eating guide (based on the Heart Foundation’s visual food guide) and label the kai in Māori.
REPEAT LAST 2 LINES
9 10
WORK OUT which food items are transliterations i.e. converted from English to Māori e.g. banana to panana.
RECORD a kai diary i.e. students record in Māori (each day, for a week) one (or more) food item(s) in their lunchbox.
Mane
Tūrei
he āporo
he panana
(an apple)
(a banana)
Wenerei he miraka tepe
(some yoghurt)
R FULL COPY U O Y D A O L N W O D
Tāite
Paraire
he paramu
he hanawiti
(some plums)
(a sandwhich)
For more information visit heartfoundation.org.nz
www.schoolnews.co.nz/activities
Water Options
| FOOD & BEVERAGE
Water’s not optional, but its packaging is up to you Whether you’ve thought about your water options or not, students and staff will be drinking water throughout their time at school. Worst case scenario; they’re drinking unfiltered tap water that leaves them with a bad taste in their mouth and, in the case of children, doesn’t encourage them to properly hydrate. Young people live in a world where it is often cheaper to purchase a syrupy frozen drink from a convenience store than a bottle of water. So if schools want to promote the hydrating and healthy benefits of water, it needs to be a conscious effort. Cost aside, if a child wants to fill up their water bottle from the school bubbler or tap, how does it taste? Metallic, warm water is going to be off-putting to most people and the last thing a school should want is its students trying not to drink the on-site water. Hydration is absolutely critical to optimise learning and performance. A study conducted by Ghetti, S. et al. tested the hypothesis that “changes in hydration status throughout the day may affect cognitive performance with implications for learning success in the classroom”. The study was published in academic journal, Appetite, in an article titled ‘Hydration status moderates the effects of drinking water on children's cognitive performance’.
The study involved 52 children aged between nine and 12 years, and tested the following hypothesis: ‘does the benefit of drinking water on working memory and attention depend upon children's hydration status throughout the day’. It seems that it does. The results suggested that “focusing on adequate hydration over time may be key for cognitive enhancement”. The study also found that “changes in hydration status throughout the day may affect cognitive performance”. While the study was conducted with children, the implications are clear for the entire school community. Adequate hydration is vital to ensure students and teachers give their brains the best chance of succeeding at the important work of teaching and learning, and the best way to hydrate is with water.
What are some of the drinking water options available? The simplest form of water to take care of in any workplace environment is boiling: you need to make sure your teachers, staff, and, in some cases, older high school students can make themselves hot drinks. A decent kettle and safe in-room space to boil and pour should suffice, although there are more technologically advanced staffroom options out there such as combined hot and cold water fountains.
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FOOD & BEVERAGE |
Water Options
Ambient water is best served filtered, and this too can come in a variety of forms. In a main lobby, for example, where prospective parents and visitors will be arriving you can set some attractive jugs or beakers next to stacks of reusable cups on the
reception desk or near a seating area. This too is a good option for the school sick bay and/or cafeteria to encourage hydration amongst the student body. On that note, make sure that fresh water is accessible between break and lunch times.
Bubblers and water fountains are terrific public area solutions because they provide filtered water access to all students, visitors and staff. Classroom or on-campus bubblers can easily be stocked with water filters and even coolers if they are located
Promote sustainability, accessible drinking water for schools “We are a family business that has been supplying NZ’s education sector since 1990, with a focus on personal and friendly customer service,” shared AquaGo ChemChek spokesman John Simpkin when asked to describe its water products and services for schools. “Our Elkay EZH2O units promote regular hydration with chilled and filtered water as an alternative to soft drinks, helping reduce student sugar intake, and our Green Ticker Bottle Counter promotes sustainability by
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schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
counting the number of bottles saved from landfill. “Our Pedestal CCTBPI/CHBFPD Outdoor Series is a cost effective option for schools looking to make new installs or replacements. Then, for wall mount applications, our AquaGo EDF20C is an ideal choice, with additional side mounted push button bubbler, for refilling bottles. We have full Colour Signage Wraps also available for schools wishing to further promote a visual message.” Mr Simpkin added that all of the company’s bubbler units are fully recyclable and the components are interchangeable.
outdoors and summer is looming. While bubblers and water fountains are dotted over most school grounds, but teachers don’t always have time to seek them out, nor the desire to bend at the waist to take a drink amidst a robust game of ‘tiggy’.
Water Options
| FOOD & BEVERAGE
Is plastic okay? Bottled water requires a responsible approach, against the backdrop of the worldwide push against its use, while cities and institutions are banning the sale of bottle water outright, with mixed success. A research paper titled ‘The Unintended Consequences of Changes in Beverage Options’, published in the American Journal of Public Health found a total ban at The University of Vermont actually increased the number of bottles being thrown out. People just drank more sugary beverages – and consumers tend to reuse water bottles, but discard soft drink bottles. Perhaps this means focussing on the bottle itself is advised. What is going to happen to those bottles after use, and what sort
of care is being taken in their production? Making sure you have an effective recycling system inside your school is essential to minimise your carbon footprint. Remember that not all students will prioritise recycling, so it’s part of your job as principals and teachers to educate your pupils as best you can on the importance of recycling etiquette – which is something many schools have taken on as part
of their curriculum. Many plastic containers are now available BPA-free. BPA stands for bisphenol A, which is a chemical that has been used in the industrial production of plastics and resins since the 1960s, and can leach into food or beverages from containers.
cardboard cartons are some of the many alternatives out there, they aren’t always the most practical for a school setting.
Open a conversation within your school community to find out about the BPA content of their water bottles.
The best bet is to open a discussion within your school community to find out what the prevailing consensus is, and talk to a range of suppliers about the different products on offer in your area and how they can best match the ethos of your school.
While glass bottles and even
By Rosie Clarke, Editor
Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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FOOD & BEVERAGE |
Healthy Canteen Choices
Warming, healthy menus over winter
At this time of year, our immune system is working extra hard to fight off winter bugs. There are simple steps we can all take to strengthen our immunity – healthy eating is a great place to start. If you’re providing food in an early learning service, school or canteen, here are some menu tips and recipe ideas to help children stay fit and healthy over the cooler months.
The menu A healthy dietary pattern is based on foods that are as close as possible to how they’re found in nature. When planning your menu, include plenty of vegetables and fruit, some whole grains in place of refined grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and other sources of healthy fats such as oily fish. You may also choose to include non-processed lean meats, poultry and/or dairy. Providing a balanced and varied menu will help ensure students are getting nutrients needed to support good health. Here are just few ideas to include on your winter menu:
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Vegetables and fruit They’re bright in colour and rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Include plenty of vegetables and fruit on your menu (e.g. fresh seasonal fruit) or in recipes to help students arm their body with immuneboosting nutrients. Warm up with our veggie-packed recipes like old-fashioned vegetable soup* or vegetarian pasta bake*.
Whole grains Offer students a warm bowl of porridge* to kick start their day or serve mains with a side of steamed brown rice. Serve burgers in whole-grain buns and pizza on wholemeal bases or pita pockets.
Along with energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals, whole-grain foods (like oats, barley and brown rice) contain phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are found only in plant foods and are believed to enhance our immunity. In fact, they’re what plants produce to protect themselves from infection and disease. Other foods that provide phytonutrients include fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Legumes, seafood, lean meat and poultry Slow cookers can be a handy appliance to have on hand. Nothing beats the smell of a hot, slow cooked stew or curry.
For flavour inspiration, see our chicken curry* or red lentil dhal*. Along with protein, these foods offer key nutrients for immune health: •
Zinc – we only need small amounts of this nutrient, but it has many important functions (including maintaining a healthy immune system). Seafood and lean meat are excellent sources, but it can also be found in milk, grains, lentils and nuts.
•
Iron – the cells that fight infection depend on adequate stores of iron. Animal products (such as meat, seafood and poultry) are the richest sources of haem iron, while plant foods (such as dried peas, beans, lentils and fruit) contain nonhaem iron. It’s much easier for our bodies to absorb haem iron than non-haem. To enhance iron absorption, serve these foods with fruit and vegetables high in vitamin C.
Nuts We don’t need lots; just a small handful of mixed nuts can help support immune health.
Healthy Canteen Choices
| FOOD & BEVERAGE
How can Fuelled4life help? Trail mix or scroggin makes an ideal snack on the canteen menu. Other ideas include using ground nuts in baking or nut butter spread.
Yoghurt Low-fat yoghurt and other fermented dairy products with live cultures can provide probiotics (good bacteria) to help you maintain a healthy digestive system. Plain yoghurt is an affordable and versatile ingredient to have in your kitchen. Dollop as a garnish (e.g. on nachos or soup) or give our fruity yoghurt cups* a go. Don’t forget, winter wellness goes beyond making healthy food choices Along with healthy eating, there are other lifestyle factors that can help us all keep fighting-fit over the winter months, such
as minimising stress, increasing physical activity and ensuring a good night’s sleep. Although it can be tempting to spend more time indoors, it’s important to keep kids moving. This could be walking to or from school, sports games or extracurricular activities (outdoor or indoor). Find a form of exercise that’s fun and suits their schedule. By Sarah White, Fuelled4life Programme Manager, Heart Foundation
Fuelled4life is based on the Ministry of Health’s Food and Beverage Classification System (FBCS). It’s a free, practical tool which helps schools and early learning services provide healthier foods. If you are a teacher, principal, canteen manager, caterer or cook and would like your school to offer healthier food and beverages, here’s what to do: •
Sign up to Fuelled4life for loads of free resources to help you choose healthier options.
•
You’ll also get access to the Fuelled4life website and newsletter with tips, recipes and
* Recipes available at fuelled4life.org.nz Sarah White works for the Heart Foundation as the Fuelled4life Programme Manager. She is a New Zealand Registered Dietitian and is passionate about food, cooking and enjoys helping others make healthier lifestyle choices.
information on ways to improve nutrition in your school. For more information or one-to-one nutrition support, please contact the Fuelled4life team on 09 526 8550, email fuelled4life@ heartfoundation.org.nz or go to fuelled4life.org.nz
HeaLtHier ChoIces Made Easy. Fuelled4life is a practical tool which makes it easier to provide healthier food at your school. Sign up today at fuelled4life.org.nz for our free resources.
FuellEd4liFe.oRg.nZ
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LEOTC |
Exploring Christchurch
ka rawe Christchurch! A real school trip to the city of resilience The effects of technology on education has been earthshattering. Almost overnight, education has been shook, rattled, questioned, pushed to its limits and certainly altered but will the tenacious and creative blending of old teaching practices with new technologies lead to transformation and triumph? If we liken the technological overhaul of education to an earthquake, perhaps Christchurch can show us how a transformational event can inspire innovation. Virtual reality (VR) is the latest technology to shake up education: this interactive computer-generated experience allows students to be immersed in augmented environments (fantastical or ordinary) and impart learning experiences to students without them ever having to leave the classroom. Imagine being able to take your students to explore the Roman Colosseum one term and walk on the Acropolis of Athens the next, enjoy destinations without having to supervise a noisy bus/train or plane load of excitable kids again!
Image courtesy of christchurchnz.com
environment and encourage them to absorb different learning experiences it helps build a multitude of important life skills on many different levels. Real school trips can also improve behaviour (although a VR experience removes risk) research shows that taking students
In some ways, VR is an exciting prospect but can it really replace a good old-fashioned school trip that’s considered a vital part of existing school-based education. The benefits of school trips are both strikingly tangible and subtle; when you remove a student from their usual study
with behavioural problems on school trips can have a positive effect on their overall behaviour. Attendance may be improved through participation in regular school trips, with research also suggesting trips can be an effective way of reducing truancy. When choosing where to take
It’s within walking distance of bus stops and a big shopping centre, and offers a variety of accommodation choices: a lodge, cabins, motel units and sites for tents and motor homes. Lodge facilities comprise ten
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schoolnews Term 3 - 2018
Dignified and diverse, Christchurch typifies a mix of heritage, struggle and resolve. Today, it continues to rise from the rubble of the massive 6.3 magnitude earthquake on February 22, 2011. Uniquely, this city strives to honour and rediscover its past while busily creating an exciting future.
The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial steps, Image courtesy of christchurchnz.com
Group accommodation in Christchurch city A popular choice for school groups visiting the garden city is the five-hectare Christchurch TOP 10 Holiday Park, located halfway between the airport and the city centre.
your students, there is no right or wrong answer – you can travel near or far but for School News there is something symbolic about the South Island’s largest city, historic Christchurch. This city exemplifies struggle, change and evolution, so it is a destination that’s very relatable to our young New Zealanders with much for them to learn and a range of educational adventures to participate in.
units, each with a bunk room, shower and toilet, and cooking utensils. All visitors have access to communal kitchen, dining areas and barbeque areas. Groups are provided with a lockable storeroom and fridge for food storage, and commercial-size cookware is available for hire. There is a minimum group booking requirement of three rooms and parties of up to 100 can be accommodated. On-site attractions include an indoor heated swimming pool, two playgrounds, a jumping pillow, four-wheel bikes, table tennis and pool, and a coin-operated games room.
Exploring Christchurch
ever before and - I guess - the point is that you must literally (not virtually) walk the streets to experience that profound emotion of sadness, strength and hope that Christchurch evokes.
The emerging Christchurch is thriving, energetic and innovative, where urban regeneration, and creativity reverberates deep. It is full of history and culture with amazing street art, innovative projects, a booming hospitality scene and state-of-the-art architecture that continues to form how the city looks, feels and functions, while cherishing its heritage. The city can be easily explored on foot or by double-decker bus, vintage bicycle, gondola, tram or the classic Edwardian punt. Visitors can escape into the award-winning Botanic Gardens with the Ōtākaro/Avon River meandering through it after a visit to the rebuilt Arts Centre (a significant heritage building) nearby. Christchurch’s Art Gallery Te Puna O Waiwhetu is also home to one of New Zealand's most important public art collections. This issue, School News suggests three simple and economic ideas for interesting, thought provoking self-guided field trips in Christchurch…
1. Organise a Christchurch city street art walk The brilliance of street art is not just beauty and colour but also its commentary of the here and now culturally, socially and politically and this contributes to the city’s newfound urban culture. The city was a blank canvas when inspired street artists flocked to it, expressed themselves and made Christchurch the animated street art destination it is today. To help plan your day, go to the Christchurch City Library website where you can find information on all the city’s fantastic murals, graffiti and street art.
2. Organise a tour that illuminates the resilience of the people of Christchurch with a post-earthquake tour of its buildings. Christchurch’s CBD is evolving into a modern architectural hub,
| LEOTC
Hot tip: let students explore this pedestrian-friendly city in small groups, so they can discover the Margaret Mahy Family Playground, which is rather unique for being as popular with teenagers and adults as with children – the play equipment and environment built to support all sizes and abilities.
The Christchurch Cardboard Cathedral, Image courtesy of christchurchnz.com
with restored heritage buildings alongside stylish new venues that still draw on its rich British and Maori cultural heritage. Venture from the battered Gothic-revival style Christchurch Anglican Cathedral (once one of the city's main tourist attractions) now awaiting restoration, to the transitional “cardboard” cathedral in Latimer Square, the work of Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, who pioneered the use of cardboard as a structural material. See many incredible pieces of architecture born out of the earthquakes along the way and of course, pay respects at the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial that opened in 2017 which marks the disaster more formally.
Why Christchurch? Quite simply, there is no other city like it in the world. It has found a novel way of blending old with new. You can feel the city is alive, adapting and growing, it’s greener, more artistic and stimulating than
The keen streets of Christchurch city centre have also been known to surprise visitors with giant arcade games, shopping centres made out of shipping containers and much more. By Mandy Clarke, Industry Reporter
3. A visit to the historical Christchurch Botanical Gardens and punting. Here you can take in the various seasons and the wonderful wildlife and plant life activity. See ducks of course, native ‘tuna’ or eels (these amazing creatures can live for over 100 years in the river) also rainbow and brown trout, introduced from North America. Numerous species of exotic trees, including oaks, willow and chestnuts (to recreate the English parkland look), and a giant Californian redwood. Plus, spot the various manner of other watercraft, including rowboats, kayaks, open canoes and ‘pedalo’ paddle boats.
Christchurch TOP 10 Holiday Park 0800 396 323 39 Meadow Street Papanui, Christchurch
christchurchtop10.co.nz
With room for everyone, our park is the ideal space for your school or sports group. Motels | Units | Cabins | Sites • Motel 2 bedroom • Self-contained units • Lodge sleeps 40 • Cabins • Group kitchen/dining • Indoor heated swimming pool/spa • Games room • Jumping pillow • Playground • 5km from City Centre, close to Northlands mall
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HEALTH & SAFETY |
Cyber Safety
The landscape is a’ changing The internet affords new ways of working, learning, socialising and playing and our schools, kura, and young people are harnessing incredible learning opportunities and possibilities. Our current education system not only encourages schools’ uptake of technology, it now explicitly addresses the development of students’ digital skills, knowledge and practice as introduced in the New Zealand Curriculum Technology Learning area and in the Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, the Hangarau Wāhanga Ako.
No two schools have the same approach to the use of digital technologies for learning – some have embraced BYOD, others provide one-to-one school-owned devices, while others have opted for a slowly, slowly approach as they navigate what all this means for their school. What is certain are the new online challenges emerging for young people, children, and those who support them. Where access to digital technologies and online platforms designed for older teens and adults are often within reach of much younger children now, there’s reason to prepare at all ages and stages. The increasing reliance on digital technology and rapid technological change have created a complex environment to keep safe and secure and schools, including kura, need to undertake effective and sustainable approaches to online safety. By Anje Webster & Pauline Spence, Education Advisers, Netsafe
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This sounds great – but how? The new Netsafe Kit for Schools officially launched in July 2018. It provides schools with a suite of resources, tools and advice to help schools and kura as they seek to create safe online learning environments for students and staff. The Kit provides a framework for a strategic approach across critical areas of the school, surveys for students, staff, and community, classroom resources, ideas for engaging with the community, support for managing online incidents, guidance on policies and user agreements and much more. The Harmful Digital Communications Act (2015) is an essential piece of legislation that provides a pathway forward for those young and older who encounter harm online that has already or could seriously affect them. Schools need to be familiar with the legislation and Netsafe’s role. The Kit provides information on what schools need to know.
The safeguard framework
‘Self-serve’ approaches
At the core of the Kit is the Netsafe Safeguard Framework which provides a structured approach to online safety for schools including kura.
Knowing that schools need to be able to pick and choose what best suits their current situation and needs, the Netsafe Kit encourages flexibility for schools.
It helps schools to support their students to:
At the core of a school’s approach are fundamental concepts and “must haves” but what else a school chooses to do, and the way it puts everything together is up to each individual school. Sometimes as educators, we want a few ideas and then the freedom to develop and create bespoke programmes and structures for our schools. Other times we just want someone to show us what it looks like and how to do it. Netsafe and the Netsafe Kit offer and support both approaches – the ideas, tools and resources for schools to pick up and run with, and also an enthusiastic team of passionate people who can show you the who, where, why, what and how. The complexities and challenges that come with living and learning in the online space are not going away, so adopting a proactive approach is essential for schools. Jump online, check out the new tools and resources and let Netsafe help your school ensure the online space is a safe environment for students and staff.
•
be confident in their identity, language and culture as a citizen of Aotearoa New Zealand; and
•
become socially and emotionally competent and resilient; and
•
become successful lifelong learners; and
•
participate and contribute confidently in a range of contexts to shape a sustainable world for the future.
The Framework identifies seven key areas of focus, each with a defined target state. When schools have achieved the target state in each key area, they can be assured that they are doing everything they can to safeguard their school, students, and staff from online safety challenges.
Netsafe Schools The Netsafe Schools Programme allows schools to establish, develop and promote online safety within their school community. Any school can join the programme, and many will already have in place the practices needed to be a Netsafe School.
Cyber Safety |
HEALTH & SAFETY
supplier profile FAMILY ZONE EDUCATION SERVICES
Smartphones and device use, in combination with student mobility, present major challenges. Students can easily bypass school network filtering by downloading a VPN app, or by arriving at school with their own data plan. The rapid increase in mobile device use brings with it raised student wellbeing concerns, including incidences of cyberbullying. Mobile devices provide real-time connecting, recording and uploading capability. Teachers now spend a significant amount of their time dealing with digital distraction. Challenges for schools include: • Lack of student compliance with school internet policies • Unrestricted internet access, including to inappropriate content • Cyberbullying, with schools unable to regulate social media use
By taking this approach schools can: • Keep students safe online, including on mobile devices. • Manage digital distractions • Improve teaching and learning outcomes • Digital distraction and addiction, with students online constantly In the words of one teacher, “They all know how to avoid internet filtration. I am constantly monitoring and they know I can see them but they cannot control the urge. It’s a drug, gaming. Devices are harder to monitor and even if I move or sit near a student on a device, 60% of the time I catch them out gaming on Halo, Fortnite or some other e-game.” Why choose Family Zone? Linewize has merged with Family Zone, with a shared vision to align
Community Engagement
parents and schools to protect students online and deliver a safe and consistent experience across every device. Laptops, tablets AND smartphones. Every device can be a learning device, in full compliance with school internetuse policy, on or off the school network.
Getting parents on board with cyber safety can be a particular challenge for schools. We help parents and schools work together to solve the challenges technology and mobility pose for children, and our team provide a supportive framework to facilitate this.
A whole new paradigm is required to help schools deal with the smartphone challenge. Mobile devices in classrooms is blurring the line between school and parental responsibility when it comes to student internet use.
We are offering a FREE TRIAL for a limited time to help schools understand potential on-network cyber safety issues. We can also demonstrate our Student Wellbeing module, with reporting available on at-risk indicators.
Linewize and Family Zone have teamed up to deliver cutting-edge technology plus specialist support and education – across the entire school community!
Linewize
Keeping students safe at school
Mobile Zone Keeping students safe when mobile
Home Zone
Keeping students safe at home
Cyber Experts
We call it a unique eco-system. You’ll call it the cyber solution you have been looking for.
info@linewize.com
Every student safe, on every device.
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HEALTH & SAFETY |
First Aid Training
Preparing teachers and students for the worst case scenario First aid training shouldn’t be reserved for senior management or a small group of teachers or coaches. In fact, every single person in your school would benefit from becoming a first aider and even primary school-age children can undergo training. Accidents happen. Whether there’s a medical incident, someone takes a tumble on a school trip, or a classroom slip-up results in an injured child, first aid preparation can reduce nasty outcomes, limit risk and ultimately save lives. Plus, as Worksafe New Zealand highlights, schools are required to do more than protect children and young people - teachers and other school staff have the same right to a healthy and safe work environment as the people using their services. Including first aid training in your workplace health and safety program helps you meet your obligations and show employees that you care about their well-being.
Age appropriate student training Infant and junior school children
Even infant and junior school children can be taught some basic health and safety or first aid knowledge can be taught some basic health and safety or first aid knowledge. For instance: how to recognise an emergency and call 111, how to talk to a paramedic or police officer, how to remember their parents’ contact details, etc. Older children can learn more responsibility; how to empower themselves and others in a crisis situation by responding appropriately. This may include what not to do and what actions to take in different emergent situations – for instance, whether they should move an injured person, and how to recognise a dangerous situation. High school students can even undertake training and gain credits through many of the available first aid courses and programmes. Most students will be physically capable of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and senior students can access a Gateway
programme to be workplaceready with first aid knowledge, a valuable skill for a school leaver. For teenagers, it’s vital they learn how to react and respond in situations where drugs and/or alcohol is involved. Preparation in case of driving-related injuries and incidents would also be helpful in keeping your students safe as learner drivers and passengers in cars being driven by learners are particularly at risk.
Teacher training – what’s recommended? Anyone working with children should feel more comfortable with a secure knowledge of (at least) basic first aid. In school environments, the nominated first aiders are required to ensure that the school has adequate first aid resources, keep their qualifications up-todate, and provide immediate assistance to anyone who has
suffered an injury or illness while at work. The more qualified first aiders on your school roster, the better, but keeping know-how up-to-scratch is also important, with memory refreshers and follow-up training a great resource for teachers – particularly in the lead-up to school trips or camps. There are many providers available to deliver first aid training to school staff. There are usually different courses for different needs – for instance, first aid courses that focus on medical emergencies and those that look at outdoor first aid with EOTC activities in mind. Whatever kind of training you have in mind, look for a course that covers the basics of: •
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
Essential first aid for teachers and students “Equipped for Life” is our by-line and we believe all teachers and students should have access some first aid training.
environment) courses for teachers covering the basics in dealing with accidents or incidents in the classroom, playground or in EOTC activities,” says managing director Jo Verheijen.
First Training provides courses in first aid education to students and teachers in a range of destinations throughout New Zealand. They are a registered PTE with NZQA and have been operating for more than 15 years.
Other courses include level one Workplace First Aid to Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, all of which cover the basics of accident management, CPR, choking, bleeding, severe allergic reactions, medical conditions and injuries that are common in schools.
suit your group during school term or holidays or weekends,” says Ms Verheijen.
workplace first aid courses to
“We run courses at a time to
First Training also deliver
credits.
“We specialise in four-hour FASE (first aid for the school
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students in years 11 , 12 and 13 which can earn them NCEA
First Aid Training
Planning a first aid kit The exact amount of first aid supplies a school needs to have varies based on the size of the school, but should certainly include: •
•
roller bandages (including crepe bandages 50 mm and 75 mm sizes) sterile dressings (75 mm x 75 mm packets)
•
scissors – surgical or equivalent stainless steel (pair)
•
splinter forceps, fine point stainless steel
•
accident register and pen or pencil
•
first aid booklet (issued by the Departments of Labour and Health or Red Cross/
•
adhesive wound dressing strip (100 mm packets)
•
waterproof adhesive plaster (50 mm wide reels)
•
sterile, non-adhesive pads (100 mm x 100 mm packets)
•
•
sterile eye pads
Good planning, even simple
•
container for use in pouring water over the eye (e.g. plastic squeeze bottle)
procedures such as ensuring
receptacle for soiled dressings (e.g. bucket with foot-operated lid)
reduce risk.
•
•
•
antiseptic liquid approved by the Medical Officer of Health safety pins
| HEALTH & SAFETY
Order of St. John) •
a list of local emergency numbers
WE TEACH PEOPLE TO SAVE LIVES IN A FUN & INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT
First Aid for the School Environment (FASE) 4-hour course held at your premises at times to suit you. This is a cost effective course designed to give teachers confidence to cope with medical emergencies and accidents at school or on suburban trips. This fits with staff development and is based on Ministry of Education guidelines.
disposable gloves – large size or multi fitting (pairs)
the first aid supplies are properly maintained, can significantly
If all staff and students can perform basic first aid, your
For further information and pricing for all first aid courses please email
school is in a strong position to
info@first-training.co.nz or call us 0800 1ST AID
keep everyone safe.
www.first-training.co.nz
By Rosie Clarke, Editor Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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SPORTS & RECREATION |
School Fitness
It’s smart to get kids moving but how smart are your facilities?
Along with a long list of other health benefits, it has also been shown that kids who are more active are also smarter. Surely, for any school, this information is gold? When kids are inspired to move and improve their fitness, you are probably already aware that a reduction of obesity is one result; prevention of chronic disease is recognised as another, and you also know that having a good fitness regime and an interest in physical activity from a young age is essential in the development of lifelong healthy habits.
But were you aware that physical education can also improve your school’s academic results?
It’s true, the mind and body of a learner is entirely interconnected. Shouldn’t all teachers (not just the PE teachers and sports coaches) be invested in school fitness? Especially as fitness knowledge gained by kids will be shared with their families, it’s in the best interest of parents, whānau and the whole country to get behind any campaign or project that gets kids moving. At a time when academic results were much more of a priority than physical education in school curriculums, growing research began to recognise the importance of a healthy body to a healthy, smart mind. Many studies link physical activity and improved cognitive function: neuroscience researchers have even shown that exercise can increase the size of children’s brains. A recent Australian study at the University of Canberra called, ‘The effect
of acute treadmill walking on cognitive control and academic achievement in preadolescent children’, also found fitter children had better cognitive function and higher academic scores. New Zealand’s Ministry of Education recognised the important role schools play in fostering young people’s interest in physical activity when they included effective physical education, recreation and sport in their school programme for all ages and abilities. You can find Physical Activity for Healthy, Confident Kids: Guidelines for Sustainable Physical Activity in School Communities available online. SPARC, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education, in consultation with the Ministry of Youth Development agreed on these guidelines for children and young people. It recommends
that children should: “Throughout each day, do sixty minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity; be active in as many ways as possible, for example, through play, cultural activities, dance, sport and recreation, jobs, and going from place to place; be active with friends and whānau, at home, school, and in their communities; spend less than two hours a day (out of school time) in front of the television, computers, and game consoles.” The guideline also suggests that limited facilities or resources should not place limits on physical education and cocurricular physical offered. “It is important, though, to ensure that all available facilities, equipment, and other resources are managed to allow easy access and maintained in a usable and safe condition.”
Schools benefit from Industrial Athletic custom design Provide customised gym fit-out solutions to schools that seek results from an environment that “inspires constant improvement, functional strength and fitness for everyday health and performance,” says Industrial Athletic owner Amber Holah. “The path to creating a world class strength and conditioning
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facility is simple. Start with an idea, or a defined space, create a wish list and a design, then set about building it. “We can help with every step in the process including your layout, photo realistic designs, equipment priorities, budgeting and school specific finance too. We can provide everything - from the racks and the barbells, to the rehabilitation gear that will teach athletes of all levels to prevent injuries from a young age.”
Saint Kentigern College
Design Concept
Saint Kentigern College
As a small, family owned NZ business, we place a huge importance on the future of Kiwi kids. We are contributing to future proofing the next generations in health, fitness and well-being. We supply and manufacture premium strength and conditioning equipment, that will ensure kids develop a base level of strength and fitness, for success in all other sports - we want to prepare them as best we can for everything life will throw at them.
Functional Training Room
Canterbury Rugby
For more information and to discover our products and service, please visit our website, call Joe on 027 304 4426, or drop in-store at 7a Piermark Drive, Rosedale, Auckland.
Eclipx Finance options available
www.industrialathletic.com
SPORTS & RECREATION |
School Fitness
Researchers are still finding out what types of activities are the most effective for students, but current guidelines encourage a “full range of physical activities during school time, provided in a safe physical and emotional learning environment” to cater to a “range of abilities and cultures”. New Zealand already has a long and strong heritage of physical activity with widespread participation and great success in team sport, such as rugby and cricket, this attitude and pride must be cherished and continued. Be warned that the vast choice of passive leisure activities (from a multitude of technologies) is a huge threat to this generation’s interest and participation in physical activities, more than any previous generation. The biggest challenge that faces teachers is to motivate kids to move, rather than sit in front of a screen or gadget. New Zealand has seen a trend in the last several years towards the installation of fitness studios and gyms inside school sports complexes. Along with a variety of outdoor equipment it gives PE teachers a wider range of physical education equipment to encourage all kids to keep active. The Ministry of Education’s guidelines for ‘Designing schools in New Zealand’ also talks about
the importance of whānau, involvement in planning halls or multi-purpose buildings used for indoor sports or gymbased learning activities. “Halls are frequently used by the community during non-schooling hours either as meeting venues or for weekend sporting activities. Consider the ease of community access against the ability to secure this away from other school buildings on the site.”
love of physical activity. It seems that offering variety and choice promises the best chance of inclusion.
Improving student’s fitness tips...
Encourage partnerships with the local community.
Physical education trends have developed recently to incorporate a greater variety of activities. introducing students to activities like: skipping, bowling, walking/ hiking, or Frisbee at an early age to help students develop a
Some teachers have incorporated stress-reduction techniques such as yoga and deep-breathing. And some include non-traditional sports hoping to provide extra motivation to increase their students level of activity while students also learn about different cultures.
When equipping your fitness centre contact an expert school fitness equipment supplier/ provider to help you to assess your needs, create a plan/itinerary of equipment that is above all safe and strong, fits in your space and offers the flexibility of equipment to encourage the inclusion of kids of ages and abilities.
Industry opinion from Amber & Rob Holah at Industrial Athletic: Tell us why is fitness so important? One of the most important things is instilling a foundation of strength in Kiwi kids as the future of New Zealand in sport, health and fitness - especially for prevention of injuries and obesity. Effective fitness equipment teaches kids about the importance of overall wellbeing, in particular how to use their body as the machine rather than using 'machines'.
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Our main driver for wanting to get involved in schools was discussions we had with key strength and conditioning coaches - kids were arriving completely ill prepared with zero skillset or movement pattern awareness - they were having to break them down and start again. We recognised that the kid’s range of motion and techniques needed to be improved and addressed. What is the most important thing to remember when equipping a school fitness area? It is important to fit out your school with quality strength and conditioning equipment, that suits kids who are just looking to develop a base level of fitness, through to children focusing on the demands of high performance sport. Have you noticed any recent student fitness trends? Yes, the use of the human body as the machine, rather than the usual suspect fitness 'machines' (moving parts). We are seeing more and more kids starting functional strength and fitness programmes and getting into things like Olympic weightlifting (especially young girls), which is awesome as it's not often at the forefront of children's minds like rugby or cricket - despite functional fitness giving one of the best bases of strength for other sports. By Rosie Clarke, Editor
LOOKING FOR AN ACTIVITY THAT GETS EVERYONE ACTIVE? SELF DIRECTIVE JUMPING TEAM CHALLENGES FITNESS CLASSES
“10 minutes on a trampoline is equivalent to 33 minutes running!” - NASA
This is a physical activity that all the kids will want to engage in! FOR RULES AND INFORMATION - SEE OUR WEBSITE: WWW.JUMPWITHUS.CO.NZ > GROUPS > JUMP.schools
SPORTS & RECREATION |
Sporting Team Equipment
The darker the uniform, the meaner the team? Sports uniforms, equipment, merchandise, apparel and prizes have special significance around the world. They represent culture, identity, even community values and loyalty to something greater than oneself. So much so that people might don the sports jersey of a team they’ve never played for, or seen play in person just because they want to subscribe to that tribe. Whether it’s an offset of sporting obsession, celebrity endorsement, geographical location or cultural heritage, sports stuff is important to people. And it’s no different in schools. In fact, it may be why sports teams are so important to have in schools; and why school sports uniforms are such a big deal. Particularly in schools without a regular school uniform – sports teams are an outlet for that tribal mentality all teens (and most folks full-stop) possess. There’s some interesting psychology surrounding sports uniforms, too. In a 1988 journal article titled ‘The dark side of self and social cognition: Black uniforms and aggression in professional sports’,
Mark Frank and Thomas Gilovich talk about how the colours that make up a sports uniform can influence a team’s behaviour. By asking non-sports fan participants to rate uniforms on whether they perceived them as nice or mean, timid or aggressive, etc., the study found a correlation between the negative associations and darker coloured uniforms. Furthermore, the researchers spotted that in the
70s and early 80s, NFL and NHL teams with black uniforms were penalised more frequently.
For New Zealand this presents an
In a blog post on Psychology Today, Gregory R. Maio wrote that supplemental studies undertaken in 2012 “revealed that, when seeing the same play, referees were more likely to call a penalty against a team when it wore black uniforms compared to white uniforms”.
Blacks. Interestingly, the NZ Herald
School badges, trophies and medals Director of Emblems NZ, Penni Schaare, spoke to School News about how customising rewards for students can be a big deal.
wooden trophies, badges, medals, plaques and acrylic trophies all of which can be customised. Schools can select awards from our catalogues or design a one-off piece of art. In fact, custom awards are our specialty.
She said: “School awards are an important part of school life, recognising the achievements of the highest academic and sporting achievers. Students strive for successes and admire those who achieve.
“Trophy, medal and badge design really is only limited by imagination, and if you are not sure exactly what you need, we are specialists in award design and manufacture.
“We carry a huge range of stock trophies: glass, crystal, silverware, silver cups, plastic figurines,
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“With a design in mind and a plan in place, we can quote your project and provide delivery timeframes. We would love to help.”
interesting notion, given the fame of its Rugby Union team – the All published an article in 2016 on the All Blacks’ stats, which read: “Since Steve Hansen took over the All Blacks in 2012, they've played 59 tests. 2012 was also the last time they received a suspension courtesy of Andrew Hore.
Sporting Team Equipment
| SPORTS & RECREATION
How do your school sports teams compete? When it’s inter-school, there’s less control over the award-winning but when it comes to in-school sports and competitions there’s nothing stopping you from innovating your own award system.
Referees were more likely to call a penalty against a team when it wore black uniforms compared to white uniforms
In those 59 tests, they have been penalised 47 more times than their opponents, the count being 616 to 569. Similarly, they received the most yellow cards, 28 to 22. On 35 of the 59 games played, the All Blacks have had an equal or higher penalty count.” Coincidence or correlation, perhaps sports uniforms do hold a little more weight than we give them credit for… and who’s to say whether the bias works in or out of a team’s favour.
Out of interest, what are the colours of your school sports teams’ uniforms?
Of course, uniforms aren’t the only sporting goods that have a surprising impact on student life. Sporting awards also play a big role. While there’s been a fair bit of debate over the last decade (since around the time the word ‘millennial’ was coined) on whether schools should hand out participation trophies; the science points to a definitive ‘maybe’. According to a write-up in Psychology Today by Assistant Professor Jonathan Fader, “Kids who are praised for their effort rather than their ability tend to strive harder, enjoy activities more, and deal with failure in a more
resilient way.” But in sports, he adds, “I coach tons of world-class athletes, and the pride they feel from a big win doesn’t come from a ring, or a trophy, and it doesn’t come from someone else telling them they’re the best. That moment of pride comes from out-performing the best of the best, from knowing that years of relentless training led them to the performance of a lifetime.” So, it would appear that awards mean more when they mean something specific. In other words, winning an award as a reward for hard work – whether your team won or not, is what’s important.
The right award at the right time can motivate an entire student body, not just one individual student, so it’s well worth the consideration. There’s also nothing more disheartening than hearing a student say ‘there’s no point in trying because so-and-so wins every year’. Coming up with an award system that levels the playing field a little bit, rewarding improvement, effort, time spent, sportsmanship and determination can go a long way. Thinking outside the box, too; perhaps getting students involved in managing, cheering or promoting teams and arranging prizes for some of those roles. Teamwork makes the dream work, but only when a team actually works, so it’s terrific to see students get involved in physical activity for their health, fitness and enjoyment, but having them consider how their sports team impacts their personal identity, cultural values as well as the wider school community adds a whole new dimension to the game. A uniform’s not just a uniform and a trophy’s not just a trophy. By Rosie Clarke, Editor
Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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PROPERTY |
Energy Management
Making energy efficiency part of your school’s culture Saving on energy costs isn’t the only incentive for schools to take control of their energy usage. Prioritising efficient energy consumption and management not only helps reduce costs but, according to the EECA, increases productivity, staff wellbeing and performance. Of course, there are also environmental benefits for schools that are able to reduce their overall carbon footprint. Here are some quick tips to make your lighting, heating and electrical-use more energy efficient: 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Label switches to remind users to ‘turn off’ or post signs on doors to ‘turn off lights’ and ‘close me’ to keep in heat during winter. Nominating a few students or staff members as ‘energy allies’ to make sure things are switched off or unplugged when not in use. Ensuring computers, projectors, monitors, and any other electrical devices are set to enter ‘sleep mode’ when not in use. Set energy reduction goals and keep the school community updated to keep everyone invested. Perhaps set reward targets, such as competitions or group activities. Reinvest energy savings into upgrading your school infrastructure to further improve efficiency, such as installing solar panels. Ensure that you carry out regular audits, and/or install an energy monitoring system so that you know what areas to improve.
Industry insights from energy management specialists School News spoke with a couple of expert suppliers to uncover their opinions on the subject: challenges they see for schools
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within the sector and solutions that are available.
How to know where to start? When you don’t know where to start, the best place is an audit. This will help you identify how much energy your school is using, how much it costs and where the problem areas are, or where the excess usage is coming from. “A quality energy audit provides a school with a list of priority projects for enhancing the learning environment and saving energy at the same time,” said Erin Roughton from Emsol. “It also helps a school understand where most of its energy costs occur and how it can improve lighting and comfort to achieve a better learning environment.” Enercon’s Alastair Hines recommended carrying out a Type 2 audit: “By having a Type 2 energy audit carried out, a school gets a very good understanding of where their energy is being used, i.e., heating, lighting, pool, etc., and receives a list of costed potential energy savings measures along with the savings that could be achieved with each measure. These can then form the basis of any ongoing maintenance program, such as lighting replacements or future capital investment.”
To make the most of your school’s energy audit, have the results play a key role in future planning for the school grounds. Mr Roughton explained: “An audit is ideal to help develop a 10-year property plan so that investments and cost savings each year are included in budgets.”
Balancing energy efficiency with classroom comfort This is a challenge most schools will be familiar with, as the learning environment can be heavily influenced by things such as heating/cooling, lighting and ventilation. Mr Hines said: “If the environment is too hot or cold or too stuffy then this has a negative impact on students’ ability to concentrate and learn.” A focus of any energy management system must be whether school facilities are operated efficiently, maintaining a good learning environment, without excess energy-use or excess energy-related maintenance costs.
Re-considering construction Mr Roughton specified: “Heating and cooling spaces
in poorly designed buildings is a main energy efficiency challenge. Sometimes these poor constructions are found in new buildings.” Energy management is undeniably related to the layout and construction of the school building itself. “While performance improvements and savings can always be made, it is more expensive and less effective to retrofit energy efficiency measures into existing facilities,” said Mr Hines. “Including energy efficiency into the design of new facilities and reviewing new build designs from an energy perspective prior to construction is the best option.” Boilers are another point of contention for schools looking to upgrade their energy management system. Suppliers informed School News that another main challenge for them is “transitioning from old, inefficient central boiler systems to alternative heating options”. Mr Roughton noted: “This challenge includes developing a cultural change at school, such as learning when and how doors and windows can be left open so as to avoid unnecessary heat loss while maintaining adequate ventilation.
| PROPERTY supplier profile ENERGY MANAGEMENT ENERCON
Energetic and efficient: getting to know the Enercon team Enercon is a national leader in energy and utility consulting. Established in 2004, Enercon has a reputation for delivering practical recommendations for improving efficiency that can be easily implemented. Enercon’s employees have a passion for energy and strive to provide the best quality service to all clients. Divisional Manager Alastair Hines has over 35 years of experience in the energy sector with the last 20 years working with New Zealand’s major energy consumers and energy services providers to improve energy management. Alastair has a strong technical background with extensive experience in electricity retailing and distribution. Alastair has extensive experience in building strong, professional relationships with clients and stakeholders using both his technical and commercial skills. Principal Consultant Kees Brinkman founded Enercon in 2004 and has 40 years’ experience in energy and design consulting. Kees has worked as a HVAC design engineer, energy consultant, project manager, principal design engineer for multi-million dollar projects in the USA and as Energy Manager for the Christchurch City Council. Kees is an Energy Masters accredited energy auditor and specialises in thermal systems including refrigeration, boilers and utility systems. Principal Energy Engineer Sam Roose is an Energy Masters accredited energy auditor who has been working in energy management and energy efficient design since 2003. Sam specialises in design reviews including energy modelling, analysis and optimisation of building fabric and HVAC systems. Sam’s career has seen him working as an energy consultant for existing and developing facilities in both in NZ and internationally, ranging
from residential scale to campus/district scale. Senior Energy Engineer Alelign (Alex) Gessese is an Energy Masters accredited energy auditor and process heat specialist who has been working in the industry for more than six years. Alelign specialises in commercial and industrial energy auditing, process heat system design, design reviews, feasibility studies, and energy systems optimisation. Grad. Energy Engineer Simon Yip joined Enercon in 2016 and has been involved a both commercial and industrial energy audits, electricity tenders, energy management, data analysis and building management systems optimisation. As part of the team that designed and built the world’s first fully recyclable plastic car, Simon represented New Zealand at the 2017 Shell EcoMarathon Asia; a competition focused on energy efficiency. info@enercon.co.nz | 03 384 7905 | www.enercon.co.nz
www.enercon.co.nz info@enercon.co.nz | 03 384 7905
A National Leader in Energy and Utility Consulting Enercon was established in 2004 and has a reputation for delivering practical recommendations for improving energy efficiency that can be easily implemented. Energy Audits
Project Management
Design Audits
Energy Procurement
Energy Management
Building Control Optimisation
Enercon are experts at identifying energy savings opportunities and reducing energy costs in all government sector buildings and operations. As an EECA Business Programme Partner Enercon can access government funding for energy efficiency projects.
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PROPERTY |
Energy Management
Grants and incentives that schools may utilise: Mr Hines advised: “The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has grants and an interest free loan scheme, which is available to schools through EECA’s programme partners and is publicly funded. In general, grant funding is available for energy audits for schools with energy spends in excess of $200k per annum and interest free Crown Loans are available for projects that meet EECA’s simple savings payback criteria. EECA’s grant funding programmes are subject to change so grants are processed and approved on a case-by-case basis.” Mr Roughton echoed the EECA
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as a useful source for schools, and noted: “If projects are big enough then using an interest free Crown Loan is a popular option. Innovative or new technologies with replication potential can be 40 percent funded if eligible. Some schools apply to community trusts, electricity lines company trusts, energy retailers, or other sponsors, to help fund projects such as solar electricity generation.”
What energy saving solutions do suppliers recommend?
•
•
Operating heating only as required and introducing effective controls.
•
Ensuring there are effective lighting controls and switching in place.
Upgrading lighting to LED technology and maximising use of natural light.
•
Ensuring outside air is used to best advantage and is only at a level that is required to provide sufficient ventilation.
•
Developing a culture of energy efficient behaviour with both staff and students.
Mr Hines suggested: •
Reviewing automated building controls to ensure energy systems only operate when required and provide adequate comfort and service levels.
Mr Roughton’s suggestions included: •
Improving controls on boilers and heating radiators; replacing inefficient heating with heat pumps or solar
passive building designs, and increasing insulation. •
Weaving energy savings into all curriculum topics (energy management involves much more than upgrading technologies).
He said: “Often, energy efficiency projects have many other benefits, such as reducing maintenance costs or improving health and safety. For example, if more shade is required in outdoor areas then construct a shade using solar panels, which can also be used as an environmental education feature. “In addition, some projects help with transitioning to a low carbon economy, which includes replacing fuel based heating systems with electric technologies such as heat pumps.”
Acoustic Solutions
| PROPERTY
How to treat the acoustics in existing classrooms
Autex Cube panels direct stuck to ceiling provides acoustic absorption for Takanini Child & Family Centre.
Classroom acoustics are a vital component of learning. The ability to clearly hear and understand a teacher verbally communicating his or her lesson is crucial for students to be able to process the information presented. Excessive levels of background noise and/or noise reverberation create auditory disturbances, which impact speech clarity and detract from the lesson at hand, resulting in poor classroom acoustics. Background noise, also known as ambient or residual noise, comes from a range of internal and external sources such as chatter, noise in adjacent rooms, nearby traffic, etc. While low levels of background noise are tolerable, high levels can be
significantly disruptive to student concentration. Research indicates that background noise levels in unoccupied New Zealand classrooms range from 28 - 60 dB (The Oticon Foundation in New Zealand). This exceeds the Ministry of Education’s current requirement that ambient noise levels in a flexible learning space or celluar (traditional) classroom should not exceed 35 – 45 dB. Noise reverberation is defined as the time it takes for a noise to decay below the threshold of audibility. As the sound travels it reflects off hard surfaces and bounces around the space – the more reflective surfaces and the larger the space, the higher the reverberation levels. Achieving a good balance of reverberation is important as excessive reverberation can comprise speech intelligibility.
Problems with poor classroom acoustics According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (n.d.) poor classroom acoustics can affect students’ speech understanding, attention, concentration, reading and spelling ability, behaviour in the classroom and academic achievement. Students that are learning in a second language or are afflicted by hearing impairments and/or learning disabilities are further disadvantaged by these acoustic barriers. Research conducted into classroom acoustics revealed that speech intelligibility rating is at 75 percent, indicating that on average, every fourth word is misheard (Seep, Benjamin., Glosemeyer, Robin., Hulce, Emily., Linn, Matt. Aytar, Pamela). Teachers are also affected by poor classroom acoustics. Vocal strain – commonly resulting from
speaking for long periods of time at elevated levels – is recognised as a serious occupational hazard for teachers. It is estimated that teachers verbally communicate approximately 60 percent of their workday. A survey on New Zealand teachers revealed that 71 percent found noise from within the classroom to be a problem and more than a third said they need to speak at a level that strains their voices (Oticon Foundation in New Zealand, 2002). These figures indicate that poor classroom acoustics are prominent in New Zealand and can cause additional harm for teachers that can be fairly detrimental to their performance and job satisfaction. A study conducted on workplace injuries indicate that “teachers are 32 times more likely to have voice problems compared to similar occupations” (American SpeechLanguage-Hearing Association, n.d.). Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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PROPERTY |
Acoustic Solutions
Autex Composition creates a vibrant acoustic pinboard in a retrofitted Whangaparoa Primary Classroom.
Improving classroom acoustics In order to improve classroom acoustics, it is important to consider acoustic performance and requirements from the start of the project. The architectural design of a space is an important starting point - the size, shape and surface finish all impact acoustic behaviour and therefore impact speech clarity. For example, large rooms with no acoustic treatment are prone to acoustic reflections, which increase reverberation times – this temporarily disrupts the desired signal and can also increase background noise levels (American SpeechLanguage-Hearing Association, n.d.).
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Creating learning environments that foster clear acoustics are essential for speech clarity and should be the goal of all educational institutes. Project managers must consider the range of learning activities that will take place within the classroom. For example, allocating space for large group activities at one end and quiet, individual learning activities to run concurrently at the other end. It is also important to assess any existing unsatisfactory acoustic characteristics. Excessive reverberation, for example, can be reduced by strategically installing absorptive acoustic panels on ceilings and walls. Another example may be that the teacher is finding it difficult to project
their voice. Reducing internal background noise and excessive reverberation levels can be accomplished by minimising the volume of reflective surfaces with acoustic treatment. It is important to follow the standards set out in the Ministry of Education’s Designing Quality Learning Spaces document. When retrofitting a traditional cellular classroom, The Ministry of Education require that background noise levels should not exceed 35 – 45 dB and recommend “full ceiling coverage with a with a high performance absorptive product (minimum NRC* 0.85)”. It is also recommended that acoustic absorptive products are applied to every available wall space with a minimal equivalence of 20 percent of the absorption properties provided by the treated ceiling. There are several options when considering acoustic treatment for the ceiling space such as installing acoustic ceiling tiles into a T grid or direct fix grid, direct fixing acoustic panels to the ceiling or suspending acoustic baffles. To
reinforce the acoustic performance of the treated ceiling, wall options include 10-15mm thick acoustic pinboard or 50mm thick acoustic wall panel. The suitability of these options will vary from project to project and will ultimately be impacted by existing structural limitations, planned learning activities and existing acoustic characteristics. There are many acoustic products available for these applications. It is important to choose products that are of good quality, high performing, durable and safe for space users – if in doubt ask a professional or check product accreditations. Effective acoustics are essential in all classrooms; understanding and planning for the acoustic requirements and existing acoustic problems will ensure the retrofitted classrooms will support learning activities. Classrooms are vital communication channels’ where essential social, cultural and academic skills are taught. Creating learning environments that foster clear acoustics are essential for speech clarity and should be the goal of all educational institutes. If you believe your classroom environment suffers from poor acoustics, contact an experienced acoustic professional or consult the Ministry of Education. By Caroline Page, Autex *Noise Reduction Coefficient refers to the rating of a materials sound absorption properties
Acoustic Solutions
| PROPERTY
Flexible learning environments must keep the noise down Large open spaces for flexible learning – that’s the goal for many schools around New Zealand now but have those schools considered how that will impact acoustics? Externally, wide, open spaces come with lots of roofing, which in turn comes with lots of noise, whether it’s from rain, snow, wind or other types of weather. This should be considered during construction, with every effort made to keep rainfall noise low. Some tips to mitigate outside disturbance include: walls, earth landscaping and fencing, absorbent decking or paving, window and door glazing, noise deflecting room separators and other physical barriers. According to the Ministry of Education, designers are required to achieve a roof and ceiling
sound performance of Noise Criterion 45 or less. It is also recommended that construction carried out in more extreme climate areas should seek advice from an acoustic specialist. Internally, flexible learning spaces need to cleverly consider minimising ambient noise with different absorption techniques and solutions whether a school building is undergoing construction or a refurbishment. There are a variety of materials known to absorb sound and they tend to be soft, dense and fibrous. The MoE’s report, ‘ Designing Quality Learning Spaces – Acoustics’ recommends, “Use a variety of thicknesses of sound absorption materials. Thin products (less than 50 mm) can provide a good level of absorption at high frequencies, but less absorption at low frequencies. Teaching spaces need a variety of treatment thicknesses to absorb
high and low frequency sounds.” Sound reflection is a key issue in classrooms and school environments like halls, canteens and other indoor facilities. Making sure that any hard surfaces are surrounded by, and particularly opposite-facing, soft materials is vital to avoid bouncing and reverberating sound. Porous coverings can also be helpful, there it’s perforated metal or fabric. Some indoor tips for minimising noise include: in-room partitions, soft furnishings and plush coverings, bookshelves and mobile screens, carpet and wall/
ceiling treatments. For special education learners, schools should also consider installing sound reinforcement delivery systems to benefit hearing aids, and make sure that ‘quiet spaces’ or rooms are always available to students who need them. An acoustic specialist will be able to help schools solve noise issues in particular rooms or areas; for instance, optimising sound in a music room or theatre. If you have issues with road-side noise, or playground noise it may also be worth consulting with a specialist. By Rosie Clarke, Editor
supplier profile AUTEX
Students benefit from revitalised classrooms Three local Gisborne Schools recently underwent a much-needed retrofit of their older and relocatable, kitset classrooms. The project was initiated when it was identified that these types of buildings had potential structural failings and an upgrade of the structural integrity would present several benefits and extend the building life a further 20 years. Developing the existing classrooms to extend their building life was considered highly cost effective compared to a new build classroom. A requirement of this project was to bring the acoustic performance up to an acceptable High performing and durable Autex Quietspace® Panel was the perfect product for this project. Custom cut and slotted into aluminium joists; the Quietspace Panels faced with Atlantis coloured Autex Vertiface® provided
teachers commented on how easily students were distracted by both internal and external sources of noise, resulting in teachers having to raise their voices. Post installation, teachers have noticed that students were much more focused and external noise sources were no longer a distraction. Teachers also loved the finished look of the classrooms, in particular, the colours used and the overall calming effects the retrofitted classrooms evoked. a great cost-effective solution for the classroom retrofits. The combination of Quietspace Panel and Vertiface together achieved a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 1.40, exceeding the Ministry of Education’s required minimum NRC of 0.9. Koala coloured Autex Composition® was also used to transform walls between classrooms into acoustic pin boards, increasing overall acoustic
performance and reducing noise spilling into adjacent rooms. Made from 100% polyester fibre; Composition won’t stain, rot or break down making it a safe, nontoxic, long-lasting and sustainable acoustic wall treatment. Teachers had nothing but positive feedback on their freshly renovated teaching environments and believe that all schools would benefit from the upgrade. Prior to installation, several
Experienced with the acoustic requirements of varying educational environments, Autex are able provide reverberation time models for existing classrooms and advise on the best options to achieve the industry standards. If you want more information about classroom acoustics and how Autex can help. Get in touch today! 0800 428 839 | www.autex.co.nz Term 3 - 2018 schoolnews
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