26 FEBRUARY 2024 | VOL. 103 | NO. 2
Learning aspirations grounded in culture Supporting early language and biliteracy for Pacific learners
Driving a passion for science and Māoritanga
Cultural awareness through history of the dawn raids
The Wonder Project’s got you covered. The Wonder Project is a hands-on schools programme designed to inspire young Kiwis with the wonders of STEM. We supply everything you need, free. Curriculum-aligned ākonga modules, detailed lesson plans, challenge kit, and where possible, an industry professional to make your experience teaching STEM everything you’ve ever imagined.
Register now for 2024 wonderproject.nz
@WonderProjectNZ
ISSU E 1 03.2
Contents 4
Former students return to drive passion for science and Māoritanga
10
Supporting early language and biliteracy for Pacific learners
14
Embracing cultural awareness through the history of the dawn raids
18
4
Marine science extension programme inspires gifted students
22
How movement and play can unlock learning progress
10
14
26
Supporting change in our schools and kura
30
Ākonga discover thousands of pathways beyond school Marking 100 years of school transport
36
Attendance support in 2024
22
26 FEBRUARY 2024 | VOL. 103 | NO. 2
18
34
Learning aspirations grounded in culture Supporting early language and biliteracy for Pacific learners
Driving a passion for science and Māoritanga
On the cover Page 10. Ina Ropu Tengaru shares a dual language story session with a keen reader at Toru Fetu Kindergarten in Porirua, one of the early learning services participating in the Pasifika Early Literacy Project.
Cultural awareness through history of the dawn raids
26 26 February 2024
Tukutuku Kōrero
1
E D UCATION GA ZET TE ON LI N E
Read: Libraries expanding free internet access for ākonga National Library’s Aotearoa People’s Network Kaharoa (APNK) is enabling secure eduroam Wi-Fi across all libraries they currently support so that domestic and visiting students can seamlessly connect to the internet when they go to the library.
Share: We need your stories! There are several events, awareness days and milestones coming up for early learning services, schools and kura across the motu, including features for Education Gazette such as 100 years of school transport, New Zealand Sign Language Week and Matariki. Scan the QR code to see learning ideas from the Ministry of Education, and if you’re doing something you would like to share – let us know! Email gazette@education.govt.nz.
Subscribe: Get this edition straight to your inbox Read each new edition in your inbox before the magazine hits your staffroom. We send out e-newsletters with each print magazine, and sometimes in between, with bonus content such as online articles and podcasts, and links to the latest vacancies and notices.
To view the PLD, general notice listings and vacancies at gazette.education.govt.nz
PLD
NOTICES
VACANCIES
Scan the QR codes with the camera on your device.
2
PUBLISHED BY Education Gazette is published for the Ministry of Education by NZME. Publishing Ltd. PO Box 200, Wellington. ISSN 2815-8415 (Print) ISSN 2815-8423 (Online)
STORY IDEAS We welcome your story ideas. Please email a brief (50-100 words) outline to: gazette@education.govt.nz
All advertising is subject to advertisers agreeing to NZME. Advertising terms and conditions www.nzme.co.nz/ media/1522/nzme-advertisingterms-sept-2020.pdf
VIEW US ONLINE Web: gazette.education.govt.nz Instagram: @edgazettenz Youtube: youtube.com/ edgazettenewzealand
Education Gazette
SUBSCRIPTIONS eleni.hilder@nzme.co.nz
KEY CONTACTS Reporter gazette@education.govt.nz Display & paid advertising Jill Parker 027 212 9277 jill.parker@nzme.co.nz Vacancies & notices listings Eleni Hilder 04 915 9796 vacancies@edgazette.govt.nz notices@edgazette.govt.nz
DEADLINES The deadline for display advertising to be printed in the 18 March 2024 edition of Education Gazette is 4pm on Friday 1 March 2024. This publication is produced using FSC® Certified paper from Responsible Sources.
gazette.education.govt.nz
EDITOR’S NOTE
Cultivating cultural confidence
N
au mai, welcome to the February edition of Tukutuku Kōrero | Education Gazette. In this edition, we summarise some of the key supports for schools and kura to implement the Government’s new education policies.
Our lead story explores the Pūhoro STEMM Academy, where ākonga embrace science, technology, engineering, and maths alongside their Māoritanga. Kaihautū share the transformative impact of this kaupapa, shaping future STEM leaders who stand strong in their identity as Māori. In early learning, discover how the Pasifika Early Literacy Project values and celebrates Pacific languages and cultures, observing positive shifts in children’s attitudes towards reading and reading at home. In Tāmaki Makaurau, kaiako are empowered to embrace cultural awareness and local curriculum through the history of the 1970s dawn raids. Meanwhile in Canterbury, Otago, and Southland, gifted students extend their learning with a deep dive into scientific discovery at the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre. In Rotorua, Otonga Primary School is using movement to breathe life into learning, recognising the positive effects of quality physical activity on cognitive, social, and mental development. As we approach 1 April 2024, marking 100 years of school transport services in Aotearoa New Zealand, we invite your stories to help us celebrate! Please get in touch via gazette@education.govt.nz. Toru Fetu Kindergarten is supporting the cultural identity of early learners as they engage with language and literacy.
Kia pai te rā, nā Sarah Wilson Ētita | Editor
EXPLORE, ENGAGE AND CREATE TOGETHER AT AUCKLAND ART GALLERY TOI O TĀMAKI From interactive Gallery tours to hands-on activity sessions, embark on a creative learning journey together. FREE LEARNING PROGRAMMES for ECE, Primary, Secondary and Tertiary. FREE BUS OPTIONS
Photo courtesy of David St George
More info
EXPLORE. ENGAGE. CREATE. 26 February 2024
Tukutuku Kōrero
3
Students at the first Te Tai Tokerau Wānanga held in 2023.
ĀKONGA MĀO RI
Former students return to drive passion for science and Māoritanga Pūhoro STEMM Academy is fostering an environment where ākonga develop a passion for science and pride in their Māoritanga. Described as a kaupapa that supports ākonga, cheers for them, and provides them with a range of opportunities, the mahi is having a significant impact. In this follow up article, we kōrero with the kaihautū who are leading ākonga on this pathway after completing the journey themselves.
4
Education Gazette
gazette.education.govt.nz
T
he success of Pūhoro STEMM Academy is reflected in those who have been through the programme. Ākonga – past and present – speak highly of their time with Pūhoro, saying it always felt like there was someone in their corner. The secondary-school phase of the kaupapa – Te Urunga Tū – supports ākonga in Years 11–13 by placing each year level group with a dedicated kaihautū who will follow them through their final three years at secondary school.
From ākonga to kaihautū
Amber Te Tau and Annaleise Faint were once students, navigating their school journey with the support and guidance of their Pūhoro kaihautū, Leland Ruwhiu and Apiata Tipene. Now, they’re the ones providing the support for tauira. Both Amber and Annaleise joined Pūhoro in 2017 while students at Palmerston North Girls’ High School. Amber was in Year 12, and Annaleise was in Year 11. Amber became a kaihautū after tutoring students in the kaupapa while she was studying a genetics degree at Massey University. Meanwhile Annaliese stepped into the role in 2021. They say being part of Pūhoro when they were students has given them a unique perspective as kaihautū. “I can see a lot of myself in a lot of the students that I work with. And that’s something that I find exciting because I know that my journey has been positive and successful, and I know that with the support we provide, I can now make that happen for other tauira as well,” says Amber. Annaleise says she had only been out of school for just over a year before becoming a kaihautū, which helped her relate to students. “It was like, hey, I’ve just done that assessment. Here is some stuff that I’ve done for it. Here are some resources I was able to find for it. So that’s always helpful,” she says.
Pūhoro kaihautū Amber Te Tau with student Gabby who graduated in 2023.
Culturally anchored opportunities
Locwood Ruwhiu, principal kaihautū, says Pūhoro plays an important role in providing a “culturally anchored platform” which nurtures rangatahi passion for STEM through exposure, wānanga and the many other events the programme provides. “When I talk about that deep sense of belonging, a lot of our students don’t feel that way when they join the kaupapa. We do a lot of building that connection and helping them realise their tupuna – they were scientists, they were engineers, they built waka that travelled the oceans, they built whare that housed their hapū, they knew the best time to harvest and plant kai and fish,” he says. Annaleise says Pūhoro opened the door to many opportunities. In 2018 she went on a trip to Houston where she met astronauts at NASA and connected with members of the indigenous community. She also attended the New Zealand Defence Force Camp, participated in Hackathon and once she left secondary school she completed three internships with Pūhoro.
26 February 2024
Pūhoro kaihautū Amber Te Tau with student Quitara who is studying health sciences this year.
Tukutuku Kōrero
5
The first was at Fonterra where she worked alongside engineers. She then interned at Bragato Research Institution where she worked with scientists and chemists to learn about keeping diseases off vineyards. Her final internship was at the University of Otago where she worked with Dr Simone Bayer looking at the effect of kiwifruit on gastrointestinal disease. “I’m not sure if I’d be able to do what I’m doing without Pūhoro backing me, or without the opportunities I’ve been lucky enough to get within Pūhoro.” Quitara Naera, who completed her final year at Feilding High School in 2023 and is now studying first year Health Sciences, says Pūhoro opens students’ eyes to the range of career options in STEM. “A lot of my friends who are Māori, they don’t see that they have potential to succeed in STEM. So, I think it’s a good kaupapa to show them that they can do it, and that they are capable.” Jess Matthews, a kaihautū for the Pūhoro tertiary, trades, and forces phase Te Urunga Pae, says it’s “very common” for students in the kaupapa to choose a STEM pathway after secondary school. “I would probably say it’s about 50/50 for a lot of them, if not more. One half of them will go to STEM, the other half will work or go to defence forces. One thing we saw an increase in last year is the number of rangatahi wanting to go onto the defence forces. The camps are a huge part of that,” she says. Locwood Ruwhiu, principal kaihautū.
“They’ve really shown me that being Māori is an asset and being Māori in STEM is important. They’ve really helped me gain that sense of belonging as a Māori student in STEM pathways.” Quitara Naera
Embracing Māoritanga
Jess Matthews, a kaihautū for the Pūhoro tertiary, trades and forces phase Te Urunga Pae.
6
Education Gazette
Annaleise says prior to being part of Pūhoro, all she knew about her whakapapa was that she was Ngāti Kahungunu. The support she had from Pūhoro to reconnect with her culture was the most significant impact on her life, she says. “Growing up I had no connection to te ao Māori so learning where I’m from and what it means to be Māori, it completely changed my life and my family’s. My mum started doing te reo Māori classes just from my interest in Pūhoro.” She says it was her trip to Houston that helped her reconnect.
gazette.education.govt.nz
“We were just driving back from an amusement park over there and my kaihautū, Api, he went around everyone in the van and was like ‘what’s your iwi? Oh, this is a story of your people.’ He got to Kahungunu and he was talking about how he got his wife Rongomaiwahine. That was the first time I learned Kahungunu was a person and that I am a descendant of him.” Annaleise says from that point, Apiata continued to support her to connect with her whakapapa. On top of that, being part of Pūhoro also enabled her to visit marae and experience pōwhiri. “Even though I was like ‘I have no idea what I’m doing, this is my first time doing this,’ we felt really safe because they taught us everything we needed to know.” Gabby Hillas completed her last year at Palmerston North Girls’ High School in 2023 and is studying for a Bachelor of Agribusiness this year. She says Amber, who was her kaihautū, has helped reaffirm her Māoritanga. “She was helping me look at scholarships and I didn’t even think to look at my iwi because I haven’t been immersed in it. But she said when she was applying for scholarships, she was in the same boat and just because you hadn’t been immersed in your culture or grown up on your marae, it doesn’t mean you’re any less a part of your iwi.” Quitara says the same of Amber and the Pūhoro team. “They’ve really shown me that being Māori is an asset and being Māori in STEM is important. They’ve really helped me gain that sense of belonging as a Māori student in STEM pathways,” she says.
Annaleise Faint, kaihautū.
Pūhoro ‘has our back’
“No matter what we’re doing, or what we’re going through, we knew we had not only our kaihautū backing us up, but all of Pūhoro, which I think was mint.” That’s how Annaleise sums up the support she had from Pūhoro during her time as a student – and she’s not alone. Quitara says being part of Pūhoro means having “aunties and uncles” that come to your aid. “There have been heaps of times where I’ve messaged my kaihautū Amber and been like ‘I’m stuck, please help’ and they’ve just come in and saved me all the time,” she says. Amber says Pūhoro is a “really important” movement. “Breaking those barriers, disrupting the narrative, all the things we used to quote all the time are very much true.”
Read more in Pūhoro carves out STEMM pathways for ākonga Māori at gazette.education.govt.nz. Amber Te Tau, kaihautū.
26 February 2024
Tukutuku Kōrero
7
Science resources shaped by te ao Māori A collection of educational materials is showcasing bio-culturally informed science resources that aim to bridge the gap between science education and real-world applications in Aotearoa, and to empower ākonga to think critically and holistically. Tere Porter-Rawiri (Te Ātiawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Mutunga), a Master’s student and research assistant at Te Kawa a Māui School of Māori Studies, Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, has written a collection of seven educational materials based on key research findings. Under New Zealand’s Biological Heritage – Ngā Koiora Tuku Iho National Science Challenge, a research team led by Professor Phil Lester, Associate Professor Ocean Mercier (Ngāti Porou), and Research Fellow Symon Palmer (Ngāi Te Rangi) gauged Māori views on novel tools and strategies for invertebrate pest control like RNA interference (gene silencing). This gave rise to the concept of developing an educational tool that offers insights into RNA interference technology through a te ao Māori lens. “What surfaced from our research is the importance of a tikanga standpoint on this very complex conversation,” says Symon. Associate Professor Sara Tolbert from the University of Canterbury has emphasised the long-standing need for additional resources in the science curriculum, empowering ākonga to develop critical evaluation skills and apply scientific knowledge along with other forms of knowledge.
A sense of connection Tere’s transition from NCEA biology to university genetics courses revealed a substantial gap in her secondary school education. Her university courses were more
8
Education Gazette
engaging as they offered contemporary scientific topics and made the significance of te ao Māori in science very clear. Tere reflects, “I would have found these resources valuable as a Māori student studying NCEA sciences. The resources demonstrate how to apply cultural concepts, promoting a strong sense of connection for ākonga in approaching learning from a unique perspective.” In addition to the informative articles, the research team’s collaboration with the Science Learning Hub allowed them to create an activity that encourages scientifically informed responses and offers teachers practical ideas for using the content in their classrooms. “Our resources aim to encourage classroom discussions that include te ao Māori concepts, supporting ākonga to appreciate different forms of knowledge,” says Tere.
Curriculum links Tere says the resources align with Living World – Evolution at levels 7 and 8, and Nature of Science – Participating and Contributing at levels 5 to 8. “These resources prompt ākonga to consider cultural and societal perspectives to make a science-informed response to the use of RNAi for pest control in Aotearoa.” Read this article online at gazette.education.govt.nz for links to these resources and more.
gazette.education.govt.nz
LITERACY
Supporting early language and biliteracy for Pacific learners The Pasifika Early Literacy Project (PELP) was created to support both whānau and teachers to create an educational environment of multiple literacies in which to celebrate, value, and utilise the heritage languages and cultures of Pacific peoples. Ko toku tokiga e mau ai toku hikohikomaga. A Tokelauan proverb that underlines the way in which language and culture are interwoven with the learning environments of children.
Ina Ropu Tengaru shares a dual language story session with Gloria and Meari.
10
Education Gazette
gazette.education.govt.nz
T
he Pasifika Early Literacy Project (PELP) delivers professional learning and development workshops, in-school visits to teachers, and family fono with Pacific communities, each facilitated by PLD facilitators, researchers, and experienced Pacific bilingual teachers. PELP was first piloted in 2014 by a team from the University of Auckland, led by Dr Rae Siʻilata, and contracted by the Ministry of Education. The pilot supported the use of Sāmoan/English dual language books to foster biliteracy learning in Pacific languages and in English, with 27 teachers across seven schools in the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland area. It was expanded to include the five Pacific languages of gagana Sāmoa, te gagana Tokelau, lea faka-Tonga, te reo Māori Kuki ‘Airani, and vagahau Niue in 2015-2016. Primary school clusters in Tāmaki Makaurau continued to participate in PELP in 2018-2019, and since 2020, early learning services have also been included. Last year the project was expanded to include Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington region. As one of a group of researchers and facilitators associated with the project, Dr Rae Siʻilata is an honorary academic at the University of Auckland and a director of Vaʻatele Education Consulting, the team currently contracted to provide PELP PLD. Rae references the promotion of language, culture, identity, and wellbeing, saying PELP is all of those things enacted in practice. “It promotes Pacific languages as the languages of our hearts, minds, and spirits. The project encourages teachers and whānau to share their own lives with tamariki, and to support tamariki to share their lives and experiences at early learning and school. We want children to feel at home when they come to learn.”
Shared PLD experience
PELP project coordinator and workshop facilitator Kyla Hansell explains that the PLD sessions are delivered Pacific-style. “There’s singing and lots of laughter with a whole team of facilitators – not just one person talking at you for the day. It gives the teachers the chance to explore teaching pedagogy and cultures in a safe, non-judgemental space.” Bronwen Walters, a non-Pacific teacher at St Joseph’s School in Levin, found the sessions immensely inspiring. “I think it was the best PLD I ever did. Up on our feet, talking, singing, and dancing. It spoke to my heart about how these children will best learn.” She relates an example in the power of shared experience, which occurred after her partner told her that he had spotted a large fishing net on the front lawn of a student’s home nearby, a boy from Kiribati who had previously struggled with writing. “I like to pull together different stories around a theme, so we were talking about fishing, and I mentioned the net. Suddenly he was coming up with a whole bundle of stories and we were able to use the books as a catalyst to get them down together.”
26 February 2024
PELP has opened up opportunities for both personal and professional growth.
“Reading should fun, enjoyable, and a place where parents and tamariki can share their experiences that relate to the stories in the books.” Dr Rae Siʻilata
Dual language books have been created in five Pacific languages.
Tukutuku Kōrero
11
PELP has supported Pacific learners to view language and literacy as relevant and engaging and to use oral language and prior knowledge to inspire meaning. Many learners demonstrate levels of metalinguistic awareness that enable them to make distinctions between different Pacific language texts, and English. To access more information and resources, read this article online at gazette.education.govt.nz.
Toru Fetu Kindergarten is one of the early learning services participating in the project.
“Children in the past, present and future have different gifts and we all need to support them in their education journey.” Sheila Tagiilima-Lemalie Fono sessions
The project’s fono sessions can be an emotional setting for families, who bring their previous experiences of education to the table. “Pacific parents really want the best for their children and fono nights provide an opportunity to affirm what they’re already doing at home,” explains Kyla. “They don’t have to stop what they’re doing to be successful in education.” Sheila Tagiilima-Lemalie has two children attending Toru Fetu Kindergarten in Porirua and found the first fono that she attended was a great opportunity to refresh her thoughts as a teacher, mother, and carer. “It reminded me of all the important little things that add to their learning and development each day. Everything around us these days affects the way we respond to things. At the same time, not everyone is learning the same way as other children. “Children in the past, present and future have different gifts and we all need to support them in their education journey.”
Dual language books
Rae explains that a key difference between PELP and other literacy programmes is that these books validate and value children’s ways of being, languages, cultures, and lived experiences. PELP supports tamariki and whānau to see that Pacific languages are included in the valued knowledge of early learning services and schools. “Reading should be fun, enjoyable, and a place where parents and tamariki can share their experiences that relate to the stories in the books.
12
Education Gazette
“During the second fono we also talk about how to engage in deeper conversations with tamariki about the messages in the books, but we do it in ways that are culturally authentic and real.” Marama Ruau’s daughter also attends Toru Fetu. Marama has found that the dual language resources are having a positive impact on all her family. “As parents who speak our reo fluently we want our children to learn to do the same.” Along with helping her daughter to pronounce and understand words in her language, Marama’s other two primary school-aged children get to be involved in the learning too.
Retaining identities
Ngaretta Strong (Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa) and Ina Ropu Tengaru are the learning communities liaison and senior head teacher respectively, for Toru Fetu and Nuanua kindergartens. Both have found that families are initially most focused on the importance of their children learning English. “Being part of the PELP has been a journey. We feel privileged but it’s also such a huge responsibility, because we know we need to sustain this project on behalf of our community,” says Ina. The two feel that the project embodies a need for a mind-shift towards asking the children: who are you and what are you bringing? “It’s about unpacking and removing the westernised perspective, so that we are fully supporting the cultural identity of our children. This is the gift that teachers and whānau can give.”
gazette.education.govt.nz
Pacific talk about Education and Learning A unique Professional Learning Development programme (PLD) tailored for teachers, boards and principals across Aotearoa New Zealand which support schools to strengthen their Pacific capability. Pacific talk about Education and Learning for teachers is delivered by Tātai Angitu Massey University and CrossPolynate over 12 sessions utilising the Talanoa Ako: Pacific talk about Education and Learning resources. It focuses on: › reflective teaching practices › privileging Pacific voice › success factors and barriers › achievement from a Pacific centric base › evidence base › a community of learning › the Action Plan for Pacific Education.
Talanoa Ako: Tāhūrangi – NZ Curriculum website newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi. education.govt.nz/talanoa-ako/5637167086.p or you can order hard copies through Down the Back of the Chair by visiting thechair.co.nz. Register your interest for the Talanoa Ako: Pacific Talk about Education and Learning, PLD programme by emailing Talanoa.Ako@education.govt.nz.
H ISTO RI ES
Embracing cultural awareness through the history of the dawn raids Discussing the 1970s dawn raids and how to teach this culturally sensitive subject has been the focus of kaiako capability building in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland – showcasing how to localise curriculum and make learning more meaningful for ākonga.
Workshop participants at Wymondley Road School in Ōtara.
“I
t’s a very hard topic to discuss; how to teach it poses a lot of questions,” says Pacific education advisor Darius Apulu of dawn raids history in Aotearoa New Zealand. But Darius is eager to help kaiako tackle the topic with sound knowledge and sensitivity in 2024. He is tasked with enabling kaiako to deliver empowering education to their Pacific ākonga, and he has been sharing new resources and enriching classroom experiences by sharing learnings through the Tapasā framework. “It’s important to look back before we can move forward,” says Darius. “That includes talking about difficult subjects like the dawn raids. These were the start of a chapter in the context of how Pacific people came to be here and what happened to them.”
14
Education Gazette
Darius’ grandparents were born in Sāmoa and were first generation immigrants to Aotearoa. Although a former teacher aide with Te Kura, most of his experience comes from being part of a proud Pacific Island community. He is pleased to be sharing the stories of his grandparents’ generation to enrich cultural identity and, ultimately, aid students to achieve.
Looking back to look forward
New Ministry of Education video resources share accounts of the dawn raids in the 1970s, as told by a young Pacific Island presenter. The videos narrate the struggles of a real family’s experience, and pose questions around how this knowledge can be used positively for greater understanding, encourage
gazette.education.govt.nz
discussion, reflection and explore lessons learned. It’s a powerful and personal platform, providing relatable perspective through the school-aged storyteller. “We may not be able to change the past, but we can work together for a better future,” the video narrator concludes. The dawn raids resource is being developed by South Auckland-based provider Bright Sunday, with funding from the Ministry. The three-part series is complemented by teacher support material which is still being developed and is expected to be released early this year. Darius explains the three Turu that sit within it, saying, “These are about being culturally relevant and capable with students and their families, being collaborative between teachers, families and community groups, and pedagogical teaching methods that research shows work well with Pacific students.” The resources are designed to be intentionally broad, so the videos can be used across different learning areas such as social science, English and drama. “I hope that teachers will feel comfortable to use the resources and continue considering how Pacific students can learn about other topics in a culturally responsive way too.”
Respectful conversations
Curriculum lead Renu Sikka and Darius collaborated to co-lead Teacher Only Day workshops last year at both Edmund Hillary and Wymondley Road schools in South Auckland. Throughout these sessions, Renu emphasised the imperative need for healing without assigning blame or resorting to shame. Reflecting on the experience, she expressed how incredibly insightful it has been, acknowledging personal growth and learning. Renu also emphasised the importance of using the dawn raids resource as an entry point to teach and integrate historical narratives into the Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories curriculum, recognising its significance in teaching history comprehensively. Teaching staff and leadership at Edmund Hillary School engaged in respectful, yet emotionally charged, conversation when addressing these topics. “Pacific people came over here for jobs. We looked different and we spoke differently. There was a lot of misinformation spread that Pacific Island people were taking other people’s jobs. People still have a long way to go in their understanding of what happened during that time,” says associate principal Elisapeta Leitu. Increasing that understanding is the aim of the resources, as Darius explains, “We don’t want people to be marinating in the past trauma … But we do need to give context that can sit behind the way people think.” Concerns around the sensitive subject matter were not ignored, with discussion diving into age-appropriateness and depth of sharing. “We have children who are not ready to deal with these things at a Year 6 level,” felt one workshop participant. “But this gives the foundations and provides students from Year 7 with the basic facts. We have to prompt students to think whose perspectives we are looking from in this, we have to validate who gave us this information.”
26 February 2024
Darius Apulu, Robyn Wills, Renu Sikka and Fleur Petelo.
Darius Apulu and Renu Sikka led discussions at Wymondley Road School.
Tukutuku Kōrero
15
Empowering kaiako
Darius appreciates the nuances involved in teaching such history. “It’s hard because none of these facts are without bias. It’s not about me telling you how to teach, but building confidence and relationships, not only with Pacific students but with their families. “We must accept that this is not only a Pacific Island history issue; it’s a New Zealand history issue.” A Year 7 teacher at Edmund Hillary School, Lorraine Makutu welcomes the resources as a teaching tool and a basis for deeper discussion. “When we first heard that we were having to teach the dawn raids, we felt this topic is daunting. Teachers can be unsure how to go about teaching this. Students need to be encouraged and to be able to validate where facts and stories have come from.” New teacher Zoe Martin says she feels the weight on the shoulders of those in her profession when educating young minds. “As a teacher, we have so much responsibility, especially when we are teaching topics students know nothing about. I don’t want students’ first impression of the dawn raids or Te Tiriti o Waitangi to be wrong, so we have a lot of responsibility when teaching these topics.” Darius wishes to empower teachers to use the resources as they feel best befits their students.
Empowering ākonga
Robyn Wills has been teaching at Wymondley Road School for seven years. She sees many benefits of tackling this topic, with the ultimate goal of inspiring her students to know their identity and strive to achieve their potential. “In order to help our students, we need to make sure they are strong in their cultural identity. Their past can help them
understand people’s perspectives and navigate them. “Our families want their children to be happy, first and foremost, and have good values. It’s important to ask, ‘are you a valuable member of society contributing to making the world a better place?’” Lorraine at Edmund Hillary School agrees, saying, “One of the great things we can do as teacher, I feel, is to find the culturally responsive practices and normalise them.”
Connecting current events to the past: The Dawn Raids The dawn raids story is part of a wider narrative about the settlement and experiences of Pacific people in Aotearoa New Zealand and the exercise and effects of power. Kaiako and ākonga can use this story as an entry point for learning about: » the migration experiences and settlement stories of Pacific people » how immigration policy has been used to exclude some peoples and to restrict conditions for entry and citizenship » the social action led by the Polynesian Panthers and other groups to contest power and address injustices » our collective and diverse identities as New Zealanders.
For more information, visit aotearoahistories.education.govt.nz.
Discussions on teaching the dawn raids at Edmund Hillary School in Papakura.
16
Education Gazette
gazette.education.govt.nz
Fakailoga Tino A unique Professional Learning Development programme tailored for teachers across Aotearoa New Zealand, Fakailoga Tino was developed and co-designed by teachers, principals and Pacific leaders to address racism concerns highlighted by Pacific parents, learners, and teachers. The programme is delivered by Polynesian Panthers and Vasa Consultancy over 12 sessions providing teachers with a thorough understanding of: » Pacific migration to Aotearoa » Tangata Whenua relationships » Institutional racism » Tools for how teachers can be cultural disrupters. Fakailoga Tino has successfully been piloted in seven schools across Auckland and is now offered to 11 schools through 2024 to 2025.
Register your interest for the Fakailoga Tino programme to Talanoa.Ako@education.govt.nz.
Wymondley School principal Fleur Petelo in workshop discussions.
26 February 2024
Tukutuku Kōrero
17
SC I ENC E
Marine science extension programme inspires gifted students For more than 20 years, gifted school students in Otago, Canterbury, and Southland have been able to explore their interest in the marine world through science extension programmes run by the University of Otago’s New Zealand Marine Studies Centre (NZMSC).
Surveying the intertidal zone using Marine Metre Squared.
18
Education Gazette
gazette.education.govt.nz
Gooseneck barnacles found during rocky shore survey.
M
entored by postgraduate students, gifted ākonga can experience an authentic research environment through laboratory investigations, coastline fieldwork and expeditions aboard a research vessel with the NZMSC. Their science extension programmes focus on in-depth projects that blend marine science and the nature of science. The programmes range from one to five days and cater towards specific levels between Years 6 and 12. In 2023, the themes were: » Expedition: Deep Thought (research vessel experience for Year 11) » All about Rimurimu (kelp research programme for Years 9–10) » Science and the Sea (variety of marine science projects for Years 6–8) . Activities ākonga have been involved in are diverse and range from transect surveys on the research vessel Polaris II , to researching the outlook for kelp forests, to the link between plankton and birds. “Doing field work is a great and fun experience, and working alongside the mentors is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” says one student who participated in ‘All about Rimurimu’.
Hand-on experiences
Hanna Ravn is the professional practice fellow currently managing the NZMSC science extension. She says the programmes were developed for students who were identified as gifted in the sciences and needed more hands-on experiences. The projects relate to the expertise of the postgraduate mentors. The hands-on experiences begin with ākonga being informed about the equipment available and the areas currently being researched, and then they decide what they are interested in. “They come up with questions and turn them into hypotheses, they gather their gear, and they help form field plans. When we go into the field, we guide them along the first rounds of surveys that they do. Then we stand back so they have a full hands-on research experience, led by themselves. We support them whenever needed but they get to be the decision makers in all these steps. “We always aim to spend at least one full day doing field work. For example, if they are researching sharks, they’ll drop baited video cameras under water from wharfs or boats. Some students may be surveying sea lions on the local peninsula and some will be working on the beaches surveying biodiversity in the intertidal zone,” explains Hanna. Ākonga learn how to turn their questions into hypotheses and can sometimes struggle if their findings disprove their hypothesis.
26 February 2024
“After the programme, when I am down at the beach or on a rocky shore, I have a newfound appreciation for all the different forms of life that call these places home.” Ted, student
Tukutuku Kōrero
19
“A tricky thing for them is learning to accept that what they thought was going to happen in their research, may not actually be the result. That’s a big experience for them, and especially for older students who very much have a mindset that if something turns out to not be right, then they have failed. We show them that ‘failing’ can make it more interesting!”
Diversity important
Participants can be selected by their schools or can selfnominate, and Hanna is adamant that ‘giftedness’ is not just about being good at maths and standard classroom science. She says it needs to include consideration of all aspects of giftedness signalled on Te Kete Ipurangi. “There has been a tendency to take the top maths students and send them to science extension programmes they don’t have a passion for. When sending out applications forms, we’re clear that this is also for gifted students in terms of being creative, active in conservation and marine science, and who want to come out and do some research and make a bit of a difference,” she says. Hanna says they had a student apply through selfnomination for a senior programme, but the application wasn’t supported by his school’s gifted coordinators. “To us, it was a strong application, he ticked the Ministry of Education’s criteria of being keen and interested and had hobbies like spear fishing and diving. He also did well in biology at his school. We accepted him
Investigating pāua behavioural responses in the lab.
20
Education Gazette
and he did a physical oceanography project, probably one of the most highly technical projects we have, with a lot of statistics. He played a big part in carrying the team through that. “It was interesting for us to see that there was someone who was not seen as gifted but was exactly the kind of person that will get a job in marine science – he had passion and grit,” she adds. In the past two years, NZMSC has linked some of the extension programmes with Coastal People: Southern Skies (CPSS), a National Centre of Research Excellence that has core values based on kaitiakitanga and mana. It’s a collaboration connecting universities and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific. “For these programmes, participants work alongside scientists and local iwi connected to the research they are doing, and all projects are with a focus on a taonga species. “For example, in 2022 it was Year 9–10 students doing ‘All about Pāua’, which was linked to pāua conservation. Our fieldwork was in Karitane around the Huriawa Pā site, led by local kaitiaki Brendan Flack and scientist Dr Gaya Gnanalingam,” explains Hanna. NZMSC has been running specific programmes for Māori and Pacific students, with some programmes such as research into pāua in 2022 and the theme of rimurimu in 2023 having a larger te ao Māori influence.
For information about the NZMSC programmes, see marine.ac.nz. For information about Coastal People: Southern Skies, see cpss.org.nz.
gazette.education.govt.nz
“For these programmes, participants work alongside scientists and local iwi connected to the research they are doing, and all projects are with a focus on a taonga species.” Hanna Ravn
Working on data identification and analysis.
26 February 2024
PHYSICAL ACTIVIT Y
Otonga Primary has embraced wheels at break times working with students to co-design some rules (like wearing helmets and not going down the steep ramps) to ensure safe play.
How movement and play can unlock learning progress Otonga Primary School Te Kura o Tihiōtonga in Rotorua is bringing learning to life through movement and supporting tamariki to develop a love of physical activity in the process.
22
Education Gazette
gazette.education.govt.nz
O
ver the past four years, Otonga Primary School has worked with the Healthy Active Learning team at Sport Bay of Plenty to enhance the learning of students through the development of a student-centred physical activity environment. Movement is now integrated across learning areas, fun is prioritised in physical education, and ākonga have many opportunities to learn through play. “We learn how to build stuff instead of just sitting in class,” says Year 3 student Kanoa. During break time ākonga scoot, skate, and climb trees, build see-saws with loose parts from the multiple Magic Play Boxes around school grounds and pull each other around on plastic carts. Meanwhile kaiako observe and identify opportunities to enhance learning in the classroom. “If there is a child that really loves football and that is their passion, how can you explore that passion within the learning? Can you write about football? Can you read about football? Can you see how far you can kick the football and measure the kick?” says principal Gareth Cunliffe. “We are still teaching children structured literacy and maths, but we are connecting it with what their urges are by providing invitations and provocations through play. It’s about linking into what they are already doing and then making it more complex.” Gareth, previously a professional clown (a red nose still lives in his office drawer), a father of two, and local futsal coach, has seen first-hand the positive impact that quality physical activity and play experiences can have on the cognitive, social, and mental development of young people.
Movement and cognitive function
As outlined in the Value of Sport Report published by Sport NZ, the developing brain is particularly responsive to exercise, and doing more physical activity during childhood can have positive impacts on cognitive function. There is also a positive association between physical activity and higher test scores, improved reading and maths skills, and better attendance and behaviour at school. “Building things, making things, playing with sand, playing with water, running, jumping, throwing, and climbing. There is a huge amount of evidence that says that physical activity like that is conducive to learning,” says Gareth. That’s why, as well as personalising learning based on students’ interests, ākonga at Otonga are learning science, maths and literacy through movement, often outdoors. There’s a class that learned place values through games of ‘Rob the Nest’ and another that integrated a physical education unit focused on improving throwing skills with a science unit about flight.
26 February 2024
A science lesson encourages curiosity and play.
“Have you got time to get outside and continue with what you are doing in the classroom? If it is in a worksheet, you can cut it up and turn it into a movement activity.” Kimiora Insley
Strategic planning
The school’s Healthy Active Learning advisor, Kimiora Insley, has led PLD sessions for kaiako, and helped the school embed physical activity into their strategic planning and access funding through Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa. Kimiora says schools play a key role in encouraging young people to enjoy physical activity. “Our tamariki sit for too long now. They are not moving so much anymore and many don’t have the confidence and self-esteem to get involved in formal sport or physical activity. The more we can get them moving every day and being active with others, the more confidence they have.” Kimiora also recognises that maths and literacy are priorities for teachers and she has seen how learning through movement can help, as well as develop the physical literacy skills of tamariki. She says it also encourages teachers who may not feel “sporty enough”, or feel that they have the time, to get moving with their students through simple activities. “Have you got time to get outside and continue with what you are doing in the classroom? If it is in a worksheet, you can cut it up and turn it into a movement activity.”
Tukutuku Kōrero
23
Making it fun
Gareth is equally committed to ensuring all ākonga can be active. He says that tamariki naturally want to move and it’s up to schools and those adults in their lives to ensure their environment allows them to do so in a mana-enhancing way. He is a big advocate for Balance Is Better, an evidence-based philosophy which reinforces that early specialisation and an over-emphasis on competition in sport for young people increases the chance of them dropping out in their teenage years. Fun is now the primary focus of school sport events at Otonga. This is exemplified by the school’s new colour run – an evolution of its historical cross-country event. “I have never seen so many children running around so
much,” Gareth says. “Healthy competition is good, and we have these events too, but when it becomes ‘win at all costs’ it is detrimental. So, what is the key? Fun.” He also has words of advice for other schools wanting to integrate movement across the curriculum. “You have got to be brave. When you are moving from a traditional model of education where children are just spoken to, to asking them for their voice, you’re going to have a bit of push back – especially from those adults who were taught like that,” he says. “There is a misconception that we chuck down a whole lot of toys and ākonga just play. Actually, it is as much teacher directed as it is child centred. We are teaching the curriculum in a way that engages.”
“There is a misconception that we chuck down a whole lot of toys and ākonga just play. Actually, it is as much teacher directed as it is child centred. We are teaching the curriculum in a way that engages.” Gareth Cunliffe
Principal Gareth Cunliffe encourages other schools to embrace play and physical activity as a tool to enhance learning.
24
Education Gazette
gazette.education.govt.nz
Learning through physical activity made easier Sport NZ and its partners have a range of support available to help all schools and kura to integrate physical activity opportunities for ākonga into the curriculum.
Find out more about each of these at sportnz.org.nz.
More resources
Healthy Active Learning: Healthy Active Learning supports schools and kura to improve the wellbeing of tamariki and rangatahi through healthy eating and drinking and quality physical activity. It is a joint government initiative between Sport NZ, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand. Mātaiao: A kaupapa Māori initiative supporting kura and kaiako to implement a te ao Māori approach through whakapapa and matauranga Māori to connect tamariki to te taiao (the environment) for better health and wellbeing outcomes. In partnership with Ngā Pākura, and supported by the Ministry of Education, Mātaiao is a culturally distinctive pathway within Healthy Active Learning. In Our Backyard: A project supporting schools and kura, sporting organisations and local communities to work together in a collaborative way, engaging ākonga in new, different, and innovative ways to help them learn through sport. MoveWell: A joint initiative between Sport NZ, Physical Education New Zealand, and ACC, supported by the Ministry of Education. MoveWell is a practical games-based resource that has strong links to the health and physical education learning area in The New Zealand Curriculum. It is available in hardcopy or online.
Exploring te ao kori – Resource collection. (newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi.govt.nz)
Case studies of quality physical activity environments in schools.
» PENZ | Physical Education New Zealand. Information, resources, and events to help teachers and educators provide relevant and engaging quality physical education. (penz.org.nz) » Education Outdoors New Zealand. Professional learning, workshops, and examples of good practice to support education outside the classroom. (eonz.org.nz) » Seeing is Believing. Free values-based teacher resources which aim to change perceptions of disability through the lens of Paralympians, Para athletes, and the Paralympic Movement. (paralympics.org.nz/pathway/strengthen-adapt)
Teach STEM with our easy-to-use resources NEW!
Free PLD for teachers on renewable energy, presented by Nanogirl.
• STEM teaching resources including full lesson plans available online.
26 February 2024
• E-Books available in te reo Māori and English.
Find out more at: schoolgen.co.nz/teachers @schoolgennz or use the QR code
Tukutuku Kōrero
25
POLI CY & SU PPO RT
Supporting change in our schools and kura During terms 1 and 2, schools and kura will be making any changes that are necessary to implement the Government’s new education policies. The Ministry of Education, directors of education and their teams are available to provide advice and support.
Phones away for the day
As soon as possible in term 1, 2024, and no later than the start of term 2, new regulations require that all schools and kura have rules in place so that ākonga do not use or access a personal phone while attending school, including during lunch time and breaks. This change has been introduced to remove distractions and to help maximise class time to lift achievement. Schools can make their own decisions around managing this change after consultation with their communities. This includes where phones are kept, processes around any breaches of their rules, and the procedure for managing exemptions. Schools must allow ākonga access to a phone if needed
26
Education Gazette
for health reasons, to assist with a learning support need or disability, or in special circumstances. The Education Review Office (ERO) will begin monitoring the new regulations from term 2, 2024. Many schools and kura already have existing phone rules; these will just need updating to reflect the new regulations. More information, and guidance for boards, principals, and teachers, can be found at education.govt.nz/school/digitaltechnology/cellphones.
gazette.education.govt.nz
‘One hour a day’ – reading, writing, and maths
From the start of term 1, schools and kura with ākonga in Years 0–8 are required to teach reading, writing and maths, or pānui, tuhituhi, and pāngarau, for an average of at least one hour a day in each subject. It’s important to safeguard time for teaching and learning these foundational skills, as they’re used across all areas of the curriculum and are needed for ākonga to do well in school. Teaching techniques like investigations, collaborative learning, and games can continue to be used to reinforce and extend that instruction. Specialist schools and some kura (those with specified boards) will introduce this rule as soon as practicable but have an extended timeframe (term 1, 2025, and term 3, 2024 respectively). The Ministry of Education is providing guidance and support for schools and kura through curriculum leads and leadership advisors.
More information is available on the online curriculum hub Tāhūrangi at tahurangi.education. govt.nz/one-hour-a-day.
Review of English and mathematics and statistics
The Government has established a Ministerial Advisory Group to review the mathematics and statistics and English learning areas of The New Zealand Curriculum for Years 0–8. The group will provide the Minister with recommendations on these learning areas, the draft Common Practice Model, and phase-by-phase guidance for teachers. It will also provide clarity on year-by-year teaching expectations and how teachers embed effective practices that reflect the science of learning, and this will inform future decisions. Schools and kura will still be required to use the refreshed mathematics and statistics and English learning areas from the start of 2025.
Support for NCEA 100-day action plan changes
In December 2023, the Government requested that additional resources and supports be made available to schools to help implement the new NCEA Level 1 Achievement Standards in 2024. The Ministry received help from a range of subject associations and subject experts to create these additional resources. Reflecting this input, the available resources now look slightly different.
It’s important to safeguard time for teaching and learning the foundational skills of reading, writing and maths, or pānui, tuhituhi, and pāngarau.
26 February 2024
Tukutuku Kōrero
27
On the NCEA website, schools can find: » Subject Learning Outcomes (SLO) documents to help identify the knowledge and skills that should be taught for each Level 1 Achievement Standard. » Ngā Putanga Ako for each wāhanga ako, which lays out the mātauranga and skills being assessed in ngā Kaupae 1 Paerewa Paetae. » a teacher guide that kaiako can use to walk through all of the resources available to support their implementation of NCEA Level 1. Also available will be: » links to NCEA Level 1 subject associations to help kaiako access resources developed by pilot teachers, to be added throughout February. » registration details about subject-specific and wāhanga ako workshops for kaiako which will be offered through term 1. These will be largely online, after school, led by NCEA implementation facilitators with support from subject associations to support kaiako with the subject changes. » exemplars for NCEA Level 1 Achievement Standards and Paerewa Paetae, developed by NZQA. The Ministry welcomes feedback on the new supports and will continue to work with subject associations on them, following comments from schools and kura. Any questions can be directed to ncea.review@education.govt.nz. The Ministry intends to develop similar supports for NCEA Levels 2 and 3 in due course. To be awarded any level of NCEA, the requirement that learners will need to achieve the new 20-credit NCEA Co-requisite remains the same. This involves the assessment of NCEA foundational literacy and numeracy skills. Learners only need to complete the co-requisite once. They can attempt the co-requisite multiple times. During 2024 and 2025, learners will be able to meet the 20-credit co-requisite through achieving either the new standards in LiteracyWriting, Literacy-Reading, Numeracy, Te Reo Matatini, and Pāngarau or by gaining 20 credits from a small list of literacy and numeracy-rich standards. This will allow schools, kura and all NCEA providers time to adjust to the changes. Any credits learners already have can be used towards the new NCEA qualifications, and there is no time limit on completing NCEA. If learners gain part of their qualification, they can return to study at any time. Course and certificate endorsement requirements also remain the same.
The Ministry has developed a suite of additional resources to help schools and kura better understand the new NCEA Level 1 Achievement Standards and Paerewa Paetae. Check them out at ncea.education.govt.nz.
Early childhood education (ECE) changes
For all up to date information, visit the Ministry of Education website at education.govt.nz.
28
Education Gazette
The Government has decided that the 4.6 percent increase to 20 Hours ECE funding rates announced in Budget 2023 will go ahead, and retained the funding condition that home-based educators can charge parents top up payments. It has however decided, as signalled in October, not to extend 20 Hours ECE to two-year-olds. The Ministry and its Te Mahau regional offices will continue to support schools and kura with information and guidance with any further education changes announced by the new Government in the coming months.
gazette.education.govt.nz
Ministry of Education’s Schools Buying Team We can help your school save money and time, while also reducing risk, when buying goods and services. We can assist your school with: joining and using the Ministry’s and wider Government’s common goods and services contracts for purchasing: › Printing Equipment
› Rental Vehicles
› Furniture
› Office Supplies
› IT Hardware
› Facilities Cleaning
› Banking Services
› Electricity
› And more.
› Vehicles
› Reticulated Gas
finding the ‘right supplier’ for the ‘right price’ when purchasing many other goods and services, including: › Bus Transport
› Uniform Clothing Apparel
› And more.
If you would like to learn more or have any questions about buying goods and services, contact us at: school.buying@education.govt.nz
See information on the Ministry’s website at:
We’re here to help you, if and when you need us.
common-categories/
education.govt.nz/ buying-advice-for-
PATH WAYS
Ākonga discover thousands of pathways beyond school Most tamariki aspire to one of just nine jobs as discovered in national survey, Drawing the Future. ‘Inspiring the Future Aotearoa’ is working to introduce ākonga to real stories of people in different careers, showing students just how vast their horizons can be; that they can aspire to 9,000 jobs, not only nine.
Inspiring the Future role models reveal their jobs to students at Newtown School, Wellington.
30
T
apawera Area School ran its first Inspiring the Future event last year. It’s a free programme for students aged seven to 13 and can be run at school and online. Ākonga take turns asking the ‘role models’ different questions, with the end goal of guessing what their career is. Afterwards, the role models share their career journey. “The students responded really well to the event. They enjoyed the game show aspect of guessing and asking questions,” says Gemma Walsh, the school’s career coordinator. There is a diverse range of role models available, with more than 1,000 volunteers currently signed up with the programme. Tapawera School had a marine biologist, a recruiter, an engineer, a graphic designer, a commercial construction worker and an employee from the hops industry, which is a profession local to the Nelson area. “We ran the event with our Year 7–10 students, and it was about opening up jobs ideas they had probably never thought of, jobs that are not careers in their circle, and careers their parents don’t do,” says Gemma. “It opens doors for ākonga and shows them what else is out there. If they don’t know, they don’t know. It’s very easy to stay in your bubble.”
Broadening horizons
Raelene Miller from Waitakaruru School has run the programme three times over the past two years. She is also an across-school lead within her kāhui ako and has run the event for 10 other small schools in her rohe. During the events they have run, Raelene says the schools have seen “quite a list” of different role models, ranging from marine biologists to an Olympic cyclist, a regional security manager for Asia-Pacific and a fire engineer. Raelene explains the students get excited working as “detectives” to figure out each person’s career. “But even better, they then get to sit down, choosing which mentor they want to learn more from, and ask them questions.” She also puts the students in different groups to rotate around each role model, so they don’t zone in on just one career and are instead exposed to many. It’s about broadening students’ horizons, she adds. “They [students] never thought that a job as say, a crime analyst would be exciting, but when that role model described what she did and how she investigates people using social media, the students were captivated – they thought it was so cool,” says Raelene.
Addressing assumptions
Raelene also made sure to have a variety of role models attend her school’s events and has made sure to involve veterinarians. She says a veterinary career is quite popular with students in her farming community. “However, what students think vets do and what vets actually do is quite different. Being a vet is not just cuddling cute animals all day.”
26 February 2024
Inspiring the Future role model demonstrates how she uses a skateboard in her job as an occupational therapist.
“I want our tamariki to understand you shouldn’t just look for a job, you should work in an area that inspires you and enables you to make a difference.” Chris Steffensen Tukutuku Kōrero
31
As many of Raelene’s students come from farming backgrounds, she says many only know about farming careers. “Our students just aren’t naturally exposed to the huge variety of jobs that city-dwelling students can be.” But she says Inspiring the Future is opening their minds to all that is out there. One of her students comes from a family of generational farmers, but he doesn’t want a farming future for himself. When he met with a role model who designed irrigation systems, Raelene says he was captivated. He saw a new and exciting future for himself still tied into his skillset.
Challenging stereotypes
The events also help challenge students’ internal biases. Raelene says a 25-year-old Māori loan partner fascinated her students. The students originally thought he was a model. Then they thought he worked as a bank security guard. “It was all assumption. The students thought he didn’t look old enough to be a home loan partner.” Another time, they had a female role model in her 40s. After the students worked out she was in the medical profession, they all guessed she was a nurse. But she was in fact, a specialised surgeon. “They made this assumption she couldn’t possibly be a doctor because she was female,” says Raelene.
“It was crazy the students, even at that young age, are prone to stereotyping. They based their guesses on small things, like age and how they looked. But it was really important to show the students that all of that doesn’t matter.”
Empowering opportunities
Chris Steffensen, principal of Plimmerton School says he runs the event at his school as he wants to show his students that life is greater than the grades they receive while studying. “I want our tamariki to understand you shouldn’t just look for a job, you should work in an area that inspires you and enables you to make a difference.” Chris says he’s made sure the role models speaking at his events have jobs within reach for students based on their local environment, but also careers not limited by gender, university degrees or focused solely on money. “I believe we shouldn’t simply expect our learners to know what they want to be at 12 or 13 years of age or pigeon-hole their thinking towards one direction or purpose. The world we live in is changing before our eyes, so enabling our tamariki to think about what their skill sets are now, what they might need to focus on if they have a goal in mind or even empowering them to try different things, is important.” The programme can be run in person or online, meeting the needs of each school.
Avalon Intermediate students try to guess what jobs the role models do at their Inspiring the Future event.
32
Education Gazette
gazette.education.govt.nz
“It opens doors for ākonga and shows them what else is out there. If they don’t know, they don’t know. It’s very easy to stay in your bubble.” Gemma Walsh
Iwi Bennion has helped run the programme online at Tokoroa Intermediate School. She says the event gave her students “food for thought.” One of her students has dreams of becoming a professional footballer. Through the programme, she got to meet and interact with several role models involved with the Phoenix Football Club. “This programme is great for people like young Taylor, who is adamant about what she is aiming for,” says Iwi. “But also, not all of the students are going to be like that, and so it still opens everyone’s minds that there is so much out there for them to choose from.”
How to inspire the future The Inspiring the Future programme provides teachers with everything they need to run an event, including step-by-step instructions and a database of role models. » Find out more by visiting inspiringthefuture. org.nz/schools. You can also email inspiringthefuture@tec.govt.nz or call 0800 601 301. » Host your own event by signing up online with your Education Sector Login (ESL). You will be guided to schedule an event and choose role models. Everything you need to run an event is provided for free and you can request planning calls. » Trial Inspiring the Future with the team, who host multi-school online events for ākonga in Years 5–8. Email inspiringthefuture@tec.govt.nz for dates and registration. » Join a ‘How to’ webinar on Wednesday 20 March from 3.15–4pm. You can learn how to schedule and run an Inspiring the Future event.
Scan the QR code for more information.
Students have a kōrero with an Inspiring the Future role model about her job as a builder.
Lining up to catch New Zealand's first school buses at Piopio.
SCHOOL TRANSPORT
Marking 100 years of school transport On 1 April 2024, school transport services in Aotearoa New Zealand will celebrate a mighty milestone with its 100-year anniversary.
I
t was the morning of Mona Mills’s eighth birthday when the school bus rolled up to take her to school in rural South Waikato. It was the first day of April 1924, and Mona’s birthday excitement was doubled as her ride from Te Mapara to Piopio was a New Zealand first. She was among 30 children ‘packed like sardines’ ¹ onto one of three identical Model T Fords converted for the purpose of being New Zealand’s first fleet of school buses. In mid-1923, the Government’s education policy set in motion a process of consolidating existing sole-teacher, remote rural schools. These would be replaced by a ‘central, consolidated school, with good buildings, efficient staff, and modern equipment’. However, consolidating these schools would only be possible if the children could be transported to their new school. A contract to transform three one-ton trucks into school buses was awarded to the Phoenix Motor Company of Petone in January 1924, and three months later, three refashioned Model T Fords rolled up to transport pupils from Arapae, Paemako and Te Mapara, to Piopio. Each bus cost the Government of the time £60 [about $7,240 today]. With the routes involving round trips of up to two-and-aquarter hours, the inaugural New Zealand school bus drivers each spent half the day behind the wheel. Without windows, the wooden-seated school buses had drop-down, side curtains. These were rolled up in fine weather or down in bad weather to shield passengers from rain or wind. In later life, Mona recalled when it rained and those canvas curtains were rolled down, ‘the interior of the bus, although tolerably dry, was dark and claustrophobic’. ² The start of shared travel by bus (rail had already been used to transport pupils in the Wellington area) meant the beginning of many new friendships among children who lived up to 20 miles away from each other. Up until then, children had been schooled alongside their siblings or close neighbours.
34
Education Gazette
Marking history
Former principal of Piopio College, Brian Tegg, unearthed stories of the pioneering role his school had in the development of school transport and made moves to mark this piece of history, way ahead of this year’s centenary. “I happened to be in Dunedin, where my car was being repaired in a garage, and I picked up a vintage car magazine,” he explains. “In it, there was a man who restored Model T Fords, so I got in touch to ask him what we could do, to try to replicate one of these first school buses.” When Brian saw a Model T Ford for sale, conveniently nearby where he was travelling to visit his son in Auckland, he saw an opportunity to realise this project dream. He bought the 1923 truck and took it back to Piopio, with a suggestion to the school board chair that they replicate the original bus. “We found a boatbuilder, which was surprising in inland Piopio, who had the skills needed to rebuild the chassis and transform it, according to the plans we had in the archives. It’s all authentic, constructed out of wood, just like the original.” Brian, who was principal at Piopio College for 23 years before his retirement, spearheaded the project carried out by Piopio College Trust over eight years ago. He feels it is fitting that modern day rural school buses are also replicating the original design, returning to their roots in terms of engineering. Passenger compartments are once again being built onto commercial chassis here in New Zealand, instead of buses being imported, he says, likely a cheaper option. The replica school bus is now on display on the main street of Piopio, with a plan to transport it to Hamilton Fieldays in July among other ideas for marking the 100-year milestone. A trip to the capital for the 1920s Model T Ford may also be on the cards to celebrate the centenary, and the fact that the wheels on the bus have continued to go round and round Aotearoa ever since. ¹ - A History of School Buses, by John Addison, page 7. ² - Dominion, 15 August 1923, as quoted in New Zealand Journal of History, 40, 1 (2006), ‘Boarding the School Bus’, by Logan Moss.
gazette.education.govt.nz
Does your school or kura have a school bus story you wish to share?
A history of school buses A brief summary of the history of school buses as written in ‘Boarding the school bus’ by Logan Moss, published in the New Zealand Journal of History, April 2006.
We’d love to hear from school transport managers, school bus drivers and passengers, past and present, with interesting or amusing travel tales, photos or memorabilia as we look to mark this 100-year milestone in April this year. Please email gazette@education. govt.nz with your stories.
The first buses rolled down the driveway of the first consolidated school at Piopio in South Waikato on 1 April 1924.
Replica of New Zealand's first school bus which is on display in Piopio.
For many of the children boarding the buses that April Fool’s day, travel by motor vehicle, if not completely unknown, was a novel experience.
The Education Act of 1877 made school attendance compulsory for all children living within two miles of a school. An amendment to the Education Act in 1886 made it compulsory for all children living within two miles of a railway station to attend school. In December 1923, Cabinet granted the funds necessary to purchase, construct and maintain the first Piopio School buses and pay the drivers. The completed buses were delivered to the Department of Education in mid-March 1924.
By 1936, on average, 9,643 children were travelling to school by bus each day. Today, over 100,000 students use Ministry of Education school transport each day. Read this article online to see more about the history of school buses in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Your trusted partner in safe and reliable school transportation. Go Bus is proud to be the preeminent supplier of school bus services to students across the country. Safety and reliability are our number one objective. For all your school trip, camp or any educational transport needs, contact us. Get on board with gobus.co.nz/CharterHire PG 18901-0224
26 February 2024
Tukutuku Kōrero
35
AT TEN DANC E
Attendance support in 2024 The latest term 3, 2023 results show only 45.9 percent of students are regularly attending schools and kura.
Attendance is linked to both student wellbeing and to attainment.
F
or too long, the number of students attending school regularly has not been good enough. Attendance is the first step in accessing learning and is essential to achieving education success and improving wellbeing and lifelong outcomes. This is crucial if we are to deliver high-quality learning that enables students to progress and achieve. Parents, caregivers, families, and schools have the greatest impact on getting our students to attend school. School and kura-led initiatives are some of the most effective ways to influence attendance, and it is important this continues. The Ministry of Education is evaluating recent attendance initiatives and will share findings with school leaders as soon as they are available so that effective initiatives can be scaled up quickly. Given the importance of regular attendance, schools and kura need to continue to reinforce with parents and caregivers their legal obligations. Schools and kura with higher attendance rates have clear processes to identify and manage attendance issues, including an escalation process, as well as setting strong expectations and highlighting the impact unjustified absence (including holidays during term time) is having on learning.
36
Education Gazette
The Ministry is working on initiatives, including supports with escalation processes and being clear on expectations, to support schools and kura with this.
Attendance indicators
The term 3, 2023 results show that illness continues to impact attendance. The attendance indicators introduced last year monitor the extent to which schools are obtaining and coding the reasons for student absences by the end of each week. This is reported publicly in the Schools Response to Absence report. The Ministry have heard that more clarity is required in how absences are treated and coded and they are working on improvements in this space. Existing support for attendance is in place and remains available to schools and kura, parents and caregivers. This includes the Attendance Service which has attendance officers available to work directly with schools to help analyse and understand the drivers of absence and share a range of responses and practices, and attendance advisors who can work with students and their families to address underlying issues impacting attendance. Regular attendance has a direct link with educational achievement and leads to better life outcomes across the duration of a student’s life. We all have a role to play making the difference we need to make.
gazette.education.govt.nz
N OTICE B OA R D
G EN ERAL VACANCI ES
‘Reading to Learn’ Adaptable reading guides for NZ chapter books, 10-14 ys Written by busy teachers for busy teachers Visit: https://sites.google.com/ view/kidslovingreading/home
To view the PLD, general notice listings and vacancies at gazette.education.govt.nz
Professional learning and development
Notices
Vacancies
Scan the QR codes with the camera on your device.
Further support Updated resources are available at education.govt.nz.
Complete a quick attendance self-review with the Additional Indicators school user guide. Read the Schools Response to Absence report at educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/attendance. Schools can also contact their local Te Mahau office if they need additional support or information.
26 February 2024
Tukutuku Kōrero
37
Inspire the future for your ākonga Most tamariki aspire to one of just nine jobs. Introducing them to real stories and experiences can open their eyes to the possibilities. Inspiring the Future is a free programme that connects students aged 7 – 13 with role models from the world of work at fun and inspiring events either at school or online.
Find out more
inspiringthefuture.org.nz/schools inspiringthefuture@tec.govt.nz 0800 601 301