Education Gazette 101.10

15 AUGUST 2022 | VOL. 101 | NO. 10

The Arts Enhancing ākonga wellbeing, and fostering creativity, collaboration, and community Using music to tell the stories of local histories

Choir calls community together in Tairāwhiti

Photography a leading line to self expression and resilience

ISSU E 1 01 .1 0

Contents Spotlight on arts education

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26 30 10

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36 40 44

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Choir calls community together in Tairāwhiti Our garden, our tūrangawaewae A journey through time in Shannon He haerenga tahi o tēnei rohe o Hanana Photography a leading line to self expression, resilience Using music to tell the stories of local histories Pacific students thrive on stage School librarians support teaching and learning in a fast-changing world Exploring global citizenship through virtual travel Music kaiako helps ākonga orchestrate their own success

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15 AUGUST 2022 | VOL. 101 | NO. 10

On the cover Page 18. Photography is supporting ākonga like Isla at Hastings Intermediate School to explore wellbeing and learn more about self-expression and creative strengths. Photo by Lucy Collett, PhotoLife.

The Arts Enhancing ākonga wellbeing, and fostering creativity, collaboration, and community Using music to tell the stories of local histories

Choir calls community together in Tairāwhiti

Photography a leading line to self expression and resilience

30 15 August 2022

Tukutuku Kōrero

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E D UCATION GA ZET TE ON LI N E

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Lifelong creative learning

K

o Toi te uri o Mahara Pōhewa. Art is the child of imagination.

The New Zealand Curriculum outlines how the Arts stimulate imagination, thinking, and understanding.

The Arts, it says, are an essential element of daily living and of lifelong learning, and powerful forms of personal, social, and cultural expression that affirm the identity of ākonga.

In Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, Ngā Toi comes from a unique and special kaupapa by Māori, for Māori, within the four strands of Tuhura (exploration), Mahi (creating), Mohiotanga (knowing) and Maioha (appreciation). Ngā Toi celebrates and acknowledges the skills and knowledge of the past and empowers and challenges the thinking of the now and the future.

While they have their own unique paths in both curricula, the Arts and Ngā Toi are relevant across all learning areas, as ākonga explore, investigate, manipulate, interpret, make, compose, write, draw, create, critique, evaluate, problem-solve, communicate, and understand. Often a collaborative and contextual journey, they also add strength to the ties between ākonga, kaiako, whānau and communities who come in to support and enrich learning opportunities.

You will read all of this and more in this issue of Tukutuku Kōrero, and it was a privilege to capture but one brush stroke of the creative mahi happening within schools and kura across the motu.

Many of these projects and programmes were achieved with the support of Creatives in Schools funding through Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | The Ministry of Education. More information about this programme, and the current round of funding, is on page 13.

While not inherently part of the Arts, we also spotlight a strong and passionate part of our education sector in this issue: school librarians and information professionals. The role they play in supporting teaching and learning is critical, particularly in this age of misinformation and disinformation.

Enjoy this issue, and please do get in touch if you have something you would like to share in future editions. We are always open to ideas and suggestions.

Kia maiea tō rā Sarah Wilson Chief Editor

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I NCLUSIVE ARTS

Choir calls community together in Tairāwhiti For the past decade, Gisborne Boys’ High School has had a choral group in place – an eclectic group of students from kapa haka, the Pasifika group, the First XV/school rugby teams, and LGBTQI students.

G

isborne Boys’ High School choir is a safe place where all students are valued equally.

“What I love is that they bring joy,” says choir founder Gill Armstrong.

“People love to see and hear them singing in harmony.

Families who might not come to the school for any other reason will come to hear our students sing.”

History teacher, careers advisor and school choir manager Maria Jefferson agrees.

“Few people would go past boys singing. Singing brings people together.”

After bringing joy to gatherings at prize-givings, cultural events, competitions, local schools and rest homes, the choir’s concert performances were put on hold for two years when the Covid-19 pandemic hit New Zealand.

Now, with the support of Maria, Gill, English teacher Angela Preddey, and three young tutors known as

Pictured here working with Year 9 student and singer Salem (right), former Gisborne Boys’ High choir member Kereopa Ria enjoys sharing skills he learned with the boys and giving back to tutors who helped him. “I know it makes me feel good at the end of the day,” he says.

creatives, the choir is in preparation for a public concert later this year called the Tūranga Tāne Choral Group Showcase.

“After two years without a public performance, these students deserve to be on stage,” says Maria.

“After Covid we’re trying to bring the school community back together through the arts.”

The concept for the showcase has since expanded to include items sung by Pasifika and kapa haka students and solos from boys who performed in the Smokefree Rockquest. The showcase will also include an exhibition of carving from the whakairo students.

“The event is a chance for people to see that schools are places where educational achievement is important and where personal growth and passion create important opportunities,” says Maria.

“Not everyone can make the top kapa haka team or be Rockquest winners, but everyone can be in the choir. We work to make it a really inclusive environment. If you come, we teach you how to sing and be part of a brotherhood.”

A choir is born

The choir began as a “vocal ensemble” of about eight in 2006 after Gill saw an opportunity to bring together the many boys at the school who could sing.

She knew the boys could sing, she says, and she knew teacher Andrew Ulugia could inspire and lead them.

“I’d heard he was good at singing and said to him, ‘I think you’re going to be my guardian angel’. He became a singing coach, and I was in a support role. I knew with the right person we’d get a great group of students and that’s what happened,” says Gill.

The vocal ensemble, known then as Da Corinthians, made its first foray into public performance when the boys took part in the 2006 inter-school Big Sing festival.

Their debut won them the audience prize.

“They take pride not just in singing but in themselves, in their behaviour and appearance.

It gives them confidence many of them lacked,” says Gill.

“Choir is something they get hooked on once they’ve been once or twice, and see people care for them.”

Angela joined the team in a supervisory capacity after hearing the choir perform.

“I was amazed. I wanted to be involved. I see the difference it makes in their lives. It gives a sense of belonging, of whānau connection and of community connection.”

The choir is now made up of 20 singers across a range of age groups and backgrounds. A significant part of the choral group’s strength is due to the work of the three creatives.

After Andrew moved on, various tutors took on the role of choirmaster until former choir members Kereopa Ria, Riley Horsefield and Rongonui Kahurangi proved the best fit as tuākana-tēina for the students.

The Tūranga Tāne Choral Group Showcase will underline the value of having creatives who can help develop the boys’ singing styles, says Gill.

“The event is a chance for people to see that schools are places where educational achievement is important and where personal growth and passion create important opportunities.”

Maria Jefferson Giving back

Kereopa Ria, the school’s longest serving choir student, former deputy head boy and Tū Te Manawa Maurea kapa haka member, was a 10-year-old Manutuke School student when he joined the choir in 2010.

“I got in through my brother,” says Kereopa. “He was part of the choir in 2008. He babysat me after school and took me to rehearsals. I’d been going since I was eight or so and learned the songs. Maria heard me sing and got me to join them.”

Twelve years on from joining the group his role as creative involves taking the singers through voice warm-ups and breathing techniques to help hold notes and scales.

When the choir learns a new song, they begin with the basses and from there build the tenor and soprano parts, says Kereopa.

“Before practice I generally have an idea of what I want the song to sound like but if the choir begins with another sound that is a bit different, I work with that.”

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Kereopa sees the showcase as an opportunity to give back to the students and others.

“The students won’t get that experience anywhere else. It’s something to look forward to at the end of the year and an opportunity to give back to the community.”

Riley is another former school choir member with a strong background in music and kapa haka. He and Kereopa have worked in schools in a voluntary capacity as tutors, teacher aides and guitar-accompanists for kapa haka groups.

A Year 7 Awapuni School student when the choir performed at his kura, Riley was inspired by the singers.

“A couple of boys stood out for me in the way they sang, their presence on stage, the way they presented themselves – I wanted to be that.”

A year later he got his chance when he enrolled at Gisborne Boys’ High and joined the choir.

Initial contact with secondary school was overwhelming, says Riley.

“When I got to Boys’ High and saw all the talent, I didn’t know where to fit in but the choir was a good start.”

A brotherhood of support

Riley says he feels nervous before and during performances, but he is happy and at ease afterwards.

Choir has also been “a coping mechanism” for other parts of his life.

Riley was 15 years old when lost his father. He was unhappy, and left school during his final year.

“I went down a rough track and bunked school for my last two years. But in my last year Miss Jeffo got things together for me. I went back and carried on for a couple more months to get credits.”

Music took a back seat while Riley focused on his tertiary study in hospitality, hotel management and tourism. On completing a year of study, he returned to Gisborne and, while dropping his brother Tobias off at choir rehearsal, saw Maria.

“She asked if I’d come back, and I fell back into it.”

The choir is a brotherhood, he says. All his best mates are in the group, and he enjoys the sense of support and inclusivity.

“When you come to choir, you’re trying to sing. There’s no shame in being flat or anything. We don’t put people down. If someone hits a bad note we’re there to support each other.

“With choir you connect with others. Barriers dissolve.”

He believes the September showcase will have an impact on both the singers and the community.

“When people come and see what the choir does, they’re blown away. It’s the expression on their faces that makes our boys and tutors feel they’ve done something worthwhile. They get that positive vibe.”

Now a teacher aide in te reo Māori and tikanga, and choir creative at Gisborne Boys’ High, former choir member Rongonui Kahurangi (left) walks Xavier through some finer points of his part.

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An incentive to learn

Now a teacher aide in te reo Māori and tikanga, Rongonui Kahurangi was also inspired as a primary school student by a Gisborne Boys’ High choir concert at his kura.

“I told myself, I’m going to be in the choir when I go to Boys’ High.”

Because some friends ahead of him at Manutuke School had already enrolled at Boys’ High, and joined the choir, the transition was easy, says Rongonui.

After leaving Boys’ High in 2018 he returned four years later as a teacher and choir creative.

Choir incentivises the boys to attend to their schoolwork, says Rongonui.

“Maria is adamant if you want to stay in the choir, stay on top of your studies. She always has time for the boys. It helps the boys be more onto it because they don’t want to disappoint Miss.”

The showcase will give back to families of the choirboys, says Rongonui.

“It’ll show their own whānau what they’ve achieved.

We take their sons away for two hours a week and they’ll see what the fruits of their labour is.”

Welcoming and open

Among students in the creatives’ care is Tobias, a Year 13 student with tertiary study in music in his sights.

Tobias was a Year 9 student when he started singing

with the choir.

“When I started, my brother Riley was in his last year.

I’d always wanted to be in the choir. I was a bit nervous walking into a room with all those talented singers but they all knew my brother so that was good.

“When I started, I was in lead notes. This year I stepped out of my comfort zone and into the tenor part.

It’s made me project my voice more. When I started I was quiet. Now my voice is fully out there.

“What I’ve learned is everyone is different. Getting to know the Year 9 boys in the choir, I loved that they were so open and honest. We welcomed them in.”

Year 9 student Salem was introduced to the choir through his brother’s involvement.

“He was like the best singer in the group. I like singing and learning ways to get my voice better. When I come offstage now, I can’t stop smiling. Choir has boosted my confidence.”

A one-off funding package has given the school an opportunity to present the Boys’ High choir to the world again, but the aim is to make the group sustainable, says Maria.

“My hope is the showcase will act as a reset so the choir will go on. We need to continue to promote the arts, and sport. It connects students and leads to better outcomes. We can all be part of a group that has a purpose.”

Young singers in the Gisborne Boys’ High choir enjoy the creatives’ guidance and the mutual support of their choral family during practice.

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The choir is a brotherhood, says former Boys’ High student and choir member, Riley Horsefield (left).

Now a creative with the choir, he is pictured here working on a song with his younger brother, Tobias.

Whānau feedback “Keanu and Akira feel safe with, and supported by the tutors, who have high expectations, and clearly believe in the abilities of these rangatahi,” says the Year 10 boys’ mum, Janelle Bartlett. “They enjoy the relaxed and positive atmosphere of the weekly choir sessions.

The practice of tuākana-tēina is strong, and my sons are surrounded by good role models. I always look forward to their performances.”

Katie Mackey, mother of a former choir member and a current Year 13 choir member, says choir builds on the young men’s natural talent.

Singers from a range of age groups and backgrounds enjoy the sense of brotherhood and shared love of music.

“This leads to confidence in our boys. Our whānau have been privileged to be part of the choir whānau for more than 10 years. The teachers and tutors find that special something in each student and encourage them to bring out that natural talent. It’s beautiful to see and hear.”

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SUSTAI NABI LIT Y

Our garden, our tūrangawaewae A project to transform the garden at Arapohue School allowed ākonga to create, collaborate and connect both with their wider community and with Papatūānuku, to strengthen tūrangawaewae.

Arapohue School children took ownership of every aspect of their garden project from landscaping through to fine art. Photo by Mac Piper.

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W

hen Danya Hewetson arrives at Arapohue School in rural Northland, tamariki are on red alert, ready to go.

“Is it our turn today? When is our turn?” they ask, eager to get to work in the garden.

Danya has been working with ākonga as part of Creatives in Schools, a programme designed to support student wellbeing through provision of creative learning experiences.

Her partnership with Arapohue School to design and develop an interactive garden has captured students’ imagination far beyond anticipation and piqued the interest and engagement of whānau and the wider community. The mahi has become an exemplar of sustainability in action, a community working together.

“The community buy-in has been fantastic,” says Danya, a trained secondary teacher. “We’ve had parents, grandparents, past students and local businesses all get involved. There’s a lot of generosity in this community.”

Connecting indoor and outdoor spaces

The project started as a plan to improve the school’s outdoor spaces to ensure that the physical environment supported learning programmes.

“There was a complete disconnect between the classrooms and the playground,” says Danya. “There was a path that just ends, and in winter there was no way to get to the playground without having to run through mud. I thought it would be great to fill that area with something more engaging, so that was the start of our conversations.”

The garden, Te Wā, was designed to foster children’s sense of belonging and connection to the school, to develop their creative skills, and to provide a space with restorative benefits.

“As a school, we have been exploring who we are and our connection to the whenua, the sustainability of the land and the life cycles of it and those it feeds,” says principal Kylie Piper.

“While we had a concept of a therapeutic garden including sensory paths, sculptures, carving, mosaic tiling, murals, play space and incorporating Rongoā Māori, we were keen to let our students complete learning inquiries to enable them to design their own projects, to encourage greater levels of engagement and ownership.”

Making it our place

Everyone wanted more trees, and ākonga – 40 students across Years 1–8 – had special requests for a mud kitchen with a café, a fairy garden, a relaxation spot, and a blackboard to use for scoring, games, and art. As part of the inquiry, the whole school explored public gardens in Dargaville and Whangārei, noting what they’d like back at Te Wā.

15 August 2022

Tamariki were extremely enthusiastic about the Te Wā project

“As a school, we have been exploring who we are and our connection to the whenua, the sustainability of the land and the life cycles of it and those it feeds.”

Kylie Piper

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“We did a lot of intentional teaching around looking at the landscape design aspect of public and private spaces, how different spaces have different purposes,” says Danya.

“In one area we decided to build raised beds planted in sections to relate to the five senses. The beds now contain flowers, a ceramic bird bath, bee stations, wind chimes, herbs, and fruit trees.”

Reuse, recycle, reconnect

In keeping with the school’s quest to be sustainable, most materials were either repurposed or donated by the community.

“The community embraced the project. We had heaps of cool donations such as totara fence posts from farmers and limestone from a family that has a quarry, which was delivered by a dad from a trucking company. Another dad brought in his digger to dig the koru and sensory paths, and these were later boxed up ready for concreting by a builder dad.”

The koru path has metal manu/bird sculptures positioned on a tree stump. It links to the playground and relates back to the school logo. The sensory, or

Ākonga are proud to share their mahi with whānau.

“feelings path” has been laid with river stones, bamboo, bark, bricks, limestone, and scoria to create a variety of textural experiences.

A sponsor-a-plant fundraiser yielded more than 70 trees. Most of these were natives, to attract native birds, along with some fruit trees to address the taste aspect of the sensory garden, and as a starter for the school orchard.

Again, there was great enthusiasm from the community. Each tree comes with a copper tag on which the sponsor can write a message that stays on the tree as it grows, a continuing legacy.

“One of the things that surprised Kylie and me the most was how much past pupils and locals wanted to buy into that part of it,” says Danya. “It was awesome.”

A community working bee was highly successful, with 25 whānau and ex-ākonga showing up for hard physical work on a Saturday.

“There was path preparation, filling raised beds, putting down limestone, and putting in gardens – one for succulents and another to be planted with wildflowers in spring – and a lot of dirt moving!”

Adding personal touches

However, the mahi stretched far beyond design, digging and planting. Te Wā is decorated with fine art created by ākonga during weekly Make and Create sessions.

Junior children, Kākano, who had been investigating native birds and how to attract them to the māra, extended their learning by creating metal birds for the garden. This project, which started with tamariki drawing birds then refining them to silhouettes, was a huge undertaking made possible with help from Danya’s partner, Hamish Douglas, a graphic designer, and a school grandfather, Jeff Bibby, who had access to the necessary machinery. The corten steel, time, and process, which would have been prohibitively expensive, was donated.

Meanwhile, the middle children, Māhuri, used their learning about native trees as inspiration to plan and create an intricately painted border for the outdoor blackboard. This was a continuation of learning around symmetry, reflection, and rotation that they had been exploring in maths and art with Pacific-inspired printmaking techniques.

Student in Years 7 and 8, Rākau, took on leadership roles, poring over ideas and plans to identify common themes then refine a plan. Rākau also took on the task of eco-sourcing seeds that would have the best chance of survival in Te Wā.

Danya says ākonga were the most enthusiastic she’d ever worked with. “The children have been amazing with their mahi. They’re practical and hands-on; they’ll shovel and dig. One boy turns up in his gumboots every Wednesday with his spade.”

Sustainable practices

Te Wā encompasses a number of sustainable practices.

With a whole school approach, all children were involved in decision making which allowed them to gain a strong sense of ownership. Whānau and community were highly engaged, allowing all to strengthen bonds both with each

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other and with whenua. Students’ mahi to develop the outdoor space allowed them to develop kaitiakitanga, and to gain an emotional connection to the land.

“At a grassroots level they’re out there getting dirty, they’re getting their hands and feet into the ground. There’s no stronger way for them to get a connection to their place; they’re contributing to it and they’re leaving their mark, their legacy,” says Danya. “That gives them a real sense of connectedness and a feeling of tūrangawaewae.”

Junior children created metal birds for the garden.

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If your school is running a creative project in 2023, you are highly encouraged to apply for funding.

Schools, kura and creatives work together both to apply for funding and to deliver the programme. Projects are eight to 20 weeks, and for ākonga in Years 1 to 13.

Creatives in Schools is delivered by the Ministry of Education in partnership with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatū Taonga and Creative New Zealand.

Applications close 11.59pm Sunday 21 August 2022.

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CO M M U N IT Y C O N N E CTION S

A journey through time in Shannon He haerenga tahi o tēnei rohe o Hanana Shannon School has embarked on a mural inquiry that will bring colour and interest to the school environment, as well as teaching about creative processes and art forms through local histories.

Ahakoa ōna piki me ōna heke ko te ara akoranga te mea nui. Although we have our ups and downs the pathway of learning is a great thing.

I

n her kōrero with Education Gazette, Shannon School kaiako Lois Erceg-Erkilic (Ngāpuhi) recalls many whakataukī that capture the mahi of the kura, and the mural inquiry. One you read above. Another she shares is ‘E kore au e ngaro te kākano i ruia mai i Rangiātea, I will never lose the seed sown from Rangiatea our spiritual homeland’.

Shannon School is in Horowhenua, and has a rich connection to the land, and to Mana Whenua Ngāti Whakatere.

Lois says an important outcome of their mural inquiry is to build and strengthen productive partnerships with parents, whānau and hapori.

It is equally important that tamariki discover and nurture a deep sense of personal identity and fulfilment

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from this creative experience.

Lois says the school embraces an open and innovative learning environment that encourages inclusiveness and personalised learning – where each tamariki co-constructs their weekly learning contract with kaiako.

“We aren’t always in closed units such as classrooms, so if I’m talking about the senior hub where I work, we’re working from Year 4 through to Year 8.”

This environment means that ākonga may be working in different break-out groups learning music, maths, or dance simultaneously, but then come together for combined activities and inquiries such as Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories, science, technology, kapa haka, karakia and other overarching inquiry themes.

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Telling stories through art

The school has close links with the community. Learners are encouraged to be seen and be part of community events ranging from singing to the elderly, taking kai to people who are unwell or have lost whānau, planting trees, visiting the marae, and many other community events. These strong links to the community are part of the inspiration for the school’s mural inquiry.

Ten years ago, the school combined with local kaumātua to find stories that related to the area. These stories, reflecting the history of the area and the school, were then placed on a heritage website. This process of inquiry as to where learners come from, and their heritage, has been ongoing.

The next step for the school was to find a way to express these stories artistically. This began with discussions with local artist Wendy Hodder.

“The principal was keen to bring some murals into the school. That was just something that was noticeably missing. The school that he previously came from had murals everywhere. So, he arrived and thought, ‘Gee, a lot of blank walls here’,” says Wendy.

It was important for the murals to go beyond just decoration, to tell a story, a deep rich kōrero.

“We looked to see how we can fit the kaupapa of the mural with the values of the school; Kotahitanga (unity), Manāki (caring), Hautoa (courage), Kaha (effort) and Whakamana (pride). We want to draw together the different strands of learning and then this will be what we reflect,” says Wendy.

“If we’re talking about the child at the centre of every decision that is made, then we’re going to come up with the right decision, the right outcome.”

Lois Erceg-Erkilic

Students are observing and drawing nature.

Learner voice is a key part of Shannon School, and is pivotal in encouraging learner engagement.

The combination of the learner voice and the open teaching and learning environment can bring challenges and constant evolution to teaching practice.

But, Lois says, “If we’re talking about the child at the centre of every decision that is made, then we’re going to come up the right decision, the right outcome.”

Staff also have a voice as to what happens within the school and use their strengths to teach collectively.

“We have a teacher aide who works with two of our diverse learners, but there’s a certain time each day when she leaves them and goes to teach the music curriculum.

She teaches the school band, because she’s a musician.”

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“Ko te ngako o te ngākau ko te matauranga. Knowledge affects the reasoning of the heart,” adds Lois.

Expressing the unique nature of the school symbolically has been done before – the kapa haka uniforms also tell a story in their design.

“If you look at the top panel on our kapa haka dress, you’ll see lots of stars. Why is that? It is because our children are people from Iraq, people from Ireland, people from England, and no matter where we are in the world, we all can see the stars at night. So, the stars are a way to show how all these children are part of our community. This is the voice of the children when they helped to design the kapa haka uniform,” says Lois.

Aspects of the kapa haka uniform will be incorporated into the final murals, along with the school logo which symbolises its link to the history of the region.

The logo includes the harakeke plant which was a primary industry in the area after the forest had been cleared in early years. Harakeke also demonstrates the values of the school and symbolises the whānau.

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Wendy with one of her murals.

“We looked to see how we can fit the kaupapa of the mural with the values of the school … We want to draw together the different strands of learning and then this will be what we reflect.”

Wendy Hodder “The centre’s new growth symbolises our pēpi who need our utmost care and sustaining. Then we have older brothers, sisters, cousins and parents; our whānau, who protect us – this includes teachers and community. Finally our older people – our kaumātua who are the wisdom bearers. They are represented by the outer leaves of the harakeke plant. When they finally pass away, their leaves replenish Papatūānuku (the land) and rejuvenate new growth,” says Lois.

“He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he whānau, he iwi. What is the greatest thing of this world? It is man. It is family. It is people.”

Inquiry process

The process of developing the murals revolves around weekly visits

by Wendy. Prior to her visit learners will work on aspects that will relate to the session – for example working on art through the use of colour wheels.

When Wendy visits, this corresponds with a visit from a member of the community who shares stories about the history of the area. Learners have prepared questions to ask and discuss what has been said.

These sessions are reflective of the school’s inquiry-led approach – all the required areas are taught but might be in ways that were not previously planned for.

“The learning inquiries aren’t prescribed; you’re developing them, you’re looking back and moving forward. You’re seeing what the need is, because you might come in today and you had something planned but then something else valuable happens. So, if you think that’s a priority, the plan goes on the back burner and that priority steps up.

“Me titiro whakamuri kia kōkiri whakamua. Look back to reflect in order to move forward.”

The inquiry process is being incorporated into the creative collaboration. For example, Wendy relates how ākonga had recently been learning about the idea of Te Kore and Te Pō.

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“The students had been learning the karakia waiata, Ko te Pū, which is about the growth of the seed – planting that seed, putting down roots, and the unfolding of the shoot, and different ways of approaching this idea of coming from the darkness into the light, like Te orokohanga o te ao Māori, the creation of the Māori world.

“We used this to start talking about black and white, the darkness, the light, and viewing it as a creative process,” explains Wendy.

The school also arranged for a trip to Levin to see some of Wendy’s other artwork, and to see how local community and history can be represented visually.

Learners also visited Ōhau, where the community had wanted murals for their newly constructed underpass, built after some students had died crossing the highway. Wendy told the students about the struggle to work out how to communicate what the community wanted through her artwork.

“It’s powerful because it’s about asking how you can use your art as an effective way of symbolism as well.”

The visits also helped to spark discussion on technique.

“We were looking at colour wheels and just working with limited monochromatic and complementary colours. Then we went for a visit around some of the murals that I’d painted, and they were asking some questions about how colours were put together. So that was really guiding our exploration into colour and tone and composition,” explains Wendy.

Sustainability

The environment and sustainability are important to the school.

They have their own gardens and have a kitchen to create lunches for the students rather than buying lunch from other suppliers. Learners can also pick pears and apples, then make apple or pear crumble.

These values have included environmental observation of local birdlife, which will also be incorporated into the mural.

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Kapa haka uniforms also tell a story.

Lois explains how students first became acquainted with birds through online images and sounds, then went out to see what birds were around and draw them. This allowed the learners to produce art, but also to understand their environment.

The junior school is also looking at how the environment can inspire ideas for beautifying the school.

“They are focusing on the river and the flow of the river, so they will collect stones from the river and paint them and then they’ll be cemented somewhere around the school. They will also learn about their mountain ranges (ngā pae maunga) to create artworks.”

Looking ahead

When the artwork is completed, it is planned that there will be a day-long celebration starting with a dawn ceremony where students will have the chance to stand by their work and explain what it means. They will speak to their interpretations of what they have learnt about the region.

Wendy is looking forward to the benefits that the completed inquiry will bring.

“There’ll be images of the forest, the birds, the river and the mountains, but also of some more specific things relating to the histories, that people will be able to identify with. There will also be the sense of brightening up the school – that you come around the corner and there’s something bright and colourful. It just has a sense of being uplifting.”

Lois loves the way that art can support learners. It allows them to develop their character, their mana. It allows them to think about their environment, the people, and who they are.

“Your character is going to stay with you for the rest of your life. When you pass away, people don’t always talk about ‘how well you knew your times tables’. They talk about what kind of person you were,” says Lois.

The school’s motto is “Kia mau te puāwaitanga o to Mana” which means nurturing the mana of the learner.

“The beautiful message within this motto is that we are all blossoming learners along the journey of life.

“Haumi e Hui e Taiki e. Join and bind together for it is done.”

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Top left: Faithe’s students are now taking powerful images using new skills, like the rule of thirds. Photo by Betty.

Top right: Students are given challenges such as finding reflections. Photo by Kallan.

Bottom: Faithe’s student uses weekly visits to Riding for Disabled to practise her skills. Photo by Betty.

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VISUAL ARTS

Photography a leading line to self-expression, resilience Photography is supporting ākonga and kaiako to explore wellbeing and learn more about themselves and their creative strengths.

M

andi Lynn is a professional photographer and tutor.

She first became interested in using photography to help improve feelings of self-worth when witnessing a five-year-old who was suffering from body shaming.

Mandi started a process of travelling around the country photographing women of different shapes and sizes whom she covered in gold.

From there she started working with young people in South Auckland, who were frustrated by negative publicity that overshadowed their good work and voices.

“There was extreme frustration about the lack of youth voice and the fact that they had no real way of being able to tell their own story. We happened to be working with cameras at the time, and they’re like, ‘You know, if we really learned how to use these cameras, we could tell our own story.’ So that planted the seed for what I do now.”

Mandi developed a course through online sessions and then in-school visits. She developed a method grounded in four key themes – Head, Heart, Guts, and Ground.

“The head is all about the ability to think creatively, to have critical thinking skills, and to deal with ideation.

“The heart is to do with their capacity to work collaboratively with other students and to develop their community – we have developed our online community, which is quite a strong little group,” explains Mandi.

Guts has to do with mana and resilience and the ability to deal with what is called the ‘grit pit’. This concept relates to how the students deal with creative challenges – how they might fall down into a ‘pit’ but then climb their way out of it.

“You’ve climbed out of the grit pit; you know you have shown resilience and you are now developing mastery of your skill set through doing it. Each time you climb out of that pit, each time you are hit with a new challenge, you’re strengthening your creative muscles,” she says.

Ground relates to building a body of work and finishing

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what you start. It is also about making an impact.

Students and teachers can take part in a year-long programme in which they are challenged to build a portfolio of work and to also seek out a non-profit group that they will create imagery for.

“The goal is for them to learn how to use their craft to make an impact on the change they hope to see in the world.”

Wellbeing key for kaiako

Manda Dagg, Faithe Hanrahan and Yani Ferens are three kaiako who have engaged with the photography programme.

Manda is a visual arts teacher at Hastings Intermediate who also takes extension courses, which is how she became involved with the programme. The school also received Creatives in Schools funding this year.

“The first thing that grabbed my attention was that it was at no cost to the school or the students. So that was really appealing. I looked further, and saw it was not just about developing photography skills. Mandi focuses on wellbeing and improving self through photography, which I think is important to Year 7 and 8 students,” says Manda.

“They need someone to tell them how good they are at something, and they need positive influence. Sometimes with arts, they might feel that they can’t draw, and they start to feel down about things that they might want to express in a creative way, but don’t really know how. Photography can break down some of those barriers.”

Barriers are further broken down as the course does not require students to have access to high tech cameras. Students can use iPads and cell phones. Mandi can also supply cell phones for the students to use if needed, as well as cameras.

Manda chose to do the course over six weeks with her students. Students learn new skills, start taking photos, edit them, and then provide each other with constructive criticism.

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“They develop self-worth through instant feedback in talking about each other’s work and how they can make improvements. It’s a feeling that they can achieve something because you can see it straight away on the screen. You can see how you can make an improvement.”

Each session can incorporate many areas of the curriculum. For example, learning about the ‘rule of thirds’ can be related to maths. This is a concept related to composition, where the photo is divided into thirds vertically and horizontally and the subject of the image is placed at the intersection of those dividing lines, or along one of the lines itself. As such, this ‘rule’ can bring in maths concepts and guidelines.

Manda has been pleased with the results of engaging in the programme, “The students are gaining practical photography skills, but also developing themselves, and their personality.”

Developing digital art

Faithe Hanrahan was appointed arts coordinator at Ōpōtiki Primary School three years ago. The eastern Bay of Plenty school has a roll which is 94 percent Māori.

One of her jobs was to revamp the visual arts programme.

When she was doing this, she noticed that there wasn’t anything specifically in there for digital art. It was not an area of strength, so she was mindful of having to upskill.

Above: Students created photos showing their treasures in different colour schemes. Photo by Wairua.

Below: Students tried different angles to create their pictures.

“The goal is for them to learn how to use their craft to make an impact on the change they hope to see in the world.”

Mandi Lynn “That’s how I ended up doing this summer school programme with Mandi. I also work with autistic children, and I thought this was a good medium to work with for students who were not very verbal but can take photos.”

At first, Faithe enrolled some of her students in the summer programme but found they did not have the resources to cope with doing the course on their own.

She felt she needed to hold their hand, so told Mandi that she would train so she could then pass those lessons onto her students.

One of Faithe’s success stories relates to a 12-year-old girl who is on the autism spectrum. The student loves to take photos and has been given the photographer role when she and other students do ‘riding for the disabled’ on Tuesdays, a programme that teaches students with additional learning needs how to ride horses.

“She was leaving off heads or half the body of people when they’re riding the horses. But she can now take a nice photograph of a horse. It may seem like a little thing for some people, but for her, that was amazing, being able

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to hold the camera still and frame it, using the rule of thirds. It’s good to see that she’s practising new skills. I’m really proud.”

Team environment

Faithe is also working with students who are part of the Manutaki student leadership team, who take part in planning activities in the school. Over the last two terms they have been learning basic skills and in term 3 they will focus on capturing the school values of manaakitanga, tohetoa and kaitiakitanga.

The aim is to have students go around the school and photograph examples of the school values in action. The project will be completed with an exhibition of the work.

She can see the other skills that students learn through using the photography programme, such as constructive criticism and problem solving.

The process of providing each other with critical feedback involves not just saying “I like that”, it also involves the student asking questions such as “What would happen if you did...?”

Another way in which Faithe sees the students exercising problem solving and teamwork is when they work in groups.

“When they’re out looking for subject matter for an image, you’ll see them saying, ‘oh, what about if we go over there’ and ‘let’s try going against the fence instead of over there by the trees.’ You see them as a team working out solutions.”

Faithe continues to learn skills herself and sees the value of being a learner alongside her students.

“I say to the students, ‘Well, you know, I’m still working at composition – it’s something you get better at with every picture you take,’ and we talk together. So, I’m a learner as well and at the same time sharing what I have learned.”

Students embraced being creative with a fashion parade.

Capturing taonga

Yani Ferens is a teacher at both Ngataki and Te Hapua schools, who also received Creatives in Schools funding this year. They are unique in that they share the same principal and a local curriculum that embodies mātauranga Māori and the sciences.

“The aim is to really empower the children through learning outside the classroom and really connecting to the environment through a te ao Māori lens and then also through Western science.”

The two schools have teachers moving between them to capitalise on strengths, but they are always open for new opportunities.

As such, when Yani saw the information about Mandi’s holiday programme she was keen to explore it, along with some of her students. Mandi then visited Ngataki School for a one-day workshop.

“Mandi captivated the students from the moment she came into the classroom. She put her boxes out which were filled with beautiful colours of fabric and jewels and all kinds of treasures,” says Yani.

Each student had to bring in a taonga, or they went around the school to find natural treasures they felt connected to.

Mandi then talked to the students about composition and using monochromatic settings to enhance an image.

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Photography allows students to engage outside of the classroom.

After the morning break students used clothes and materials provided by Mandi to dress up and create a fashion parade. Mandi created a backdrop, had music, and photographed the students letting go.

“It was just such a joyful, playful experience because the students that she was working with were Years 9 and 10.

With that age group, they’re already quite self-conscious and developing their identity so it was just really fabulous to see them playing like that again, just being free,” explains Yani.

After lunch the students were given instruction on editing and more photography challenges, one of which was to work with ‘leading lines’. These are lines that appear in a photograph that have been framed and positioned by the photographer to draw the viewer’s eye towards a specific point of interest. One of Yani’s students had shown talent in this area during the day, so stepped up to become a class leader despite usually being quiet.

“There was an opportunity for him to be a bit of a leader in that space and you could see him becoming proud.

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“He shared a little bit about what his thoughts were around the leading lines and how to create it. Then Mandi added to that, so it became a co-constructed lesson.”

Yani sums up some of the benefits of the day, saying: “It helps their creative mind and to give things a go and push their personal boundaries and think in a different way.

“There was also that empowerment component of the dressing up space where they were able to talk about honouring your true self and being brave.”

For further information about this programme, contact Mandi at clickhappy.org/schooljam.

More information about visual arts pedagogy can be found at artsonline.tki.org.nz.

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Mandi with Faithe, students, and Mandi’s teaching companion, her dog Gritty.

“[Students] need positive influence. Sometimes with arts, they might feel that they can’t draw, and they start to feel down about things that they might want to express in a creative way, but don’t really know how.

Photography can break down some of those barriers.”

Manda Dagg

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A voice for youth Mandi’s photography programme has the goal of impact and providing a voice for youth. One way is through the production of a magazine Create Happy. The magazine follows the head, heart, guts and ground philosophy, and the first issue relates to ‘head’ and is all about innovation, ideation, creative problem solving, critical thinking and wairua (spirit or soul).

Lola, 14, is the editor of the magazine. Growing up with a mix of home-schooling and at-school learning, Lola talks to Education Gazette about finding her passion in magazine production.

Lola met Mandi in 2019 when her mum booked a flower girl photoshoot for her. When the prints came back there were also tickets for a body positivity workshop, which Lola attended with some friends.

“It was a full-day workshop. We learnt so much, it was so awesome, especially for young me to learn and connect with other people,” says Lola.

For the adults, this workshop included writing down negative thoughts and then destroying them, something that Lola found empowering as she watched from around a half closed door.

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Lola in action interviewing for Create Happy.

The next time Lola engaged with Mandi was when her mother found Mandi’s photography programme website and asked if Lola wanted to do the course. This was in 2020 during lockdown, so Lola was pleased to have the opportunity to interact with other people through the course.

“So, in the lockdown of 2020, I began my photography journey.

We had Zoom calls every week and just talked photography and showed our work and we received challenges.”

One of the challenges was an exercise from the first workshop – creating something that is negative, whether it is writing a letter or a drawing, and then destroying it. This was one of the challenges that Lola found stuck with her as she loved the sense of freedom that came from releasing the negative.

From there Lola was contacted in December of 2021 to ask if she would be a mentor for other students. This involved being part of a 450-strong online community, split into regions.

During this progamme, Lola noticed that the other youth had a lot to say about current world issues, and after recognising a lack of youth voice in the media, decided to act.

“It has become an empowering magazine that promotes a voice for youth through creativity and hope,” says Lola.

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The magazine is compiled by a crew of youth aged 12-16 contribute their strengths. One of the articles in the first magazine relates to the rainbow community. The article and the photos are brilliant works of expression.

“Everyone in our crew has different abilities and strengths and skills, and so as the editor I have to try to cater for that.

With the LGBTQIA+ piece, we have a student journalist with us who is so passionate. They really wanted to write about this. I said, ‘Go for it, get your team together. We have so many rainbow students. Just get them all together and write the section. Do it. Go for it’. So, they did, and it was awesome. They made a group chat. They wrote all their ideas down and the end result was incredible.”

Putting together the first magazine was a challenge for Lola – to be organised and to communicate across different contributors to produce the final result. There were interviews, including with Mattheus Elwood, New Zealand Geographic’s 2021 Young Photographer of the Year. There were also contributions for creating art projects and competitions.

What started as just a photography magazine has become so much more. The aim for the magazine is to eventually move to being a print edition rather than just online. One of the goals is to have a subscription base of 500 by 2023 and then position the print magazines into

[INSPIRE DAILY.] [LEARN ALWAYS.]

places such as supermarkets and pharmacies as well as educational outlets.

“We want to send these magazines out to young people and to have schools and libraries using them for resources, as well as the Ministry of Education using our materials to give to schools as an education resource.”

One big aim in reaching youth is to not only give them a voice, but to also give them encouragement.

“Right now, it’s so stressful and so hard to be a young person, we want to focus on the good and focus on the projects that you can achieve and the things that you can do. We want to send out a message of not just hope but of empowerment.”

Lola would be keen for more students to join the Create Happy crew.

For more information and to read the first edition, please go to createhappy.org or visit @createhappymagazine on Instagram to find out more and go behind the scenes.

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15 August 2022

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AOTE AROA N EW ZEAL AN D ’S H ISTORI ES

Using music to tell the stories of local histories An Auckland school is combining Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories, the arts, and digital technology to bring their community together in developing a resource for the school – the sounds of their shared histories.

Abi, Ella-May, George, Sasha (Creative), Yuna and George are developing skills and knowledge necessary to create a soundscape.

“When sitting and really watching and listening to the soundscapes the children have worked on, I’ve seen how engaged they are, and how well they’ve thought about the different elements of music that they wanted to incorporate into their piece.”

Sasha Gillies

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B

ayswater School in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland uses innovative learning environments (ILE) to teach, and takes pride in being forward-thinking in their studentcentred approach.

The school’s recent Creatives in Schools project is one such innovative project, allowing ākonga to experience the joy of being artists while also upskilling kaiako in the arts.

As a multicultural and inclusive school, principal Marianne Coldham says the introduction of the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum content has brought with it a plethora of opportunities as it embraces the histories of all people who live in Aotearoa.

“It enables us to refine our local curriculum/marau ā-kura to reflect the histories of our community. It will help ākonga understand there are multiple perspectives on historical and contemporary events and help them develop their critical thinking and inquiry skills.”

In terms of the histories they connect with, Marianne says the stories will come from tamariki, from whānau, from the community, and from reading and research.

“Children are learning and discovering through class programmes with guidance from kaiako using Dorothy Heathcote’s Mantle of the Expert dramatic inquiry approach, and both the ‘Understand’ and ‘Know’ elements of the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum.”

The project is enabling ākonga to consolidate their ideas and complete the trio with the ‘Do’ element: thinking critically about the past and interpreting stories about it.

“This project is a meaningful, authentic, and creative celebration of Aotearoa New Zealand’s history.”

An idea springs forward

Marianne says initial motivation for the nature of the project came from discovering some teachers were leaving teachers’ college without an arts skill set that enabled them to feel comfortable teaching music.

“It started off as an opportunity to have somebody come in and upskill kaiako in teaching music, but also then connecting that to storytelling and to Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories.”

During term 2, ākonga focused on learning about music and how it can work to tell a story or add a mood or effect to storytelling. This initial music journey was combined with the theme of ‘Planet Earth and beyond’ which used the Mantle of the Expert approach to engage student learning.

This approach to learning uses inquiry but also incorporates drama and imagination. As ‘experts’, ākonga engage in role play to investigate what is required for a fictional commission.

The use of the dramatic inquiry (role play) allows the children to encounter authentic tasks and learn in a way that seems like ‘play’. This helps to incorporate the ‘Understand’ and ‘Know’ elements of the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum content.

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Another Mantle of the Expert inquiry at the school, and a first connection to looking at histories, was about land use. Ākonga were given a commission from a ‘shady’ company wanting to build a fun park on an area of land.

They researched and discovered why building a park would be detrimental to the environment by focusing on relationships between different groups and the use of natural resources.

When it came to presenting their findings, whānau came in and pretended to be members of the company board, so there was full family engagement.

This same concept is being expanded in term 3 to accompany the schoolwide theme related to Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories.

Using music to tell a story

The Creatives in Schools project will see all ākonga create a written piece, either a story or poetry, that tells either a personal, local or a wider piece of Aotearoa New Zealand’s history. Ākonga will then develop a soundscape using percussion instruments to complement the story.

The school is focusing on percussion rather than tuned instruments, but if ākonga are able to play tuned instruments, they can. The school has purchased several instruments, so ākonga have a greater variety to play.

“The children have been learning about rhythm, beat, composition and timbre, so that they know how to tell a story even with percussion instruments,” says deputy principal Claire Edwards.

All soundscapes and stories will be shared with whānau and some of these will be included in a performance put on in term 3.

The next step will be incorporating digital technologies to record the presentation for a collection of creative pieces telling either a personal history or an Aotearoa New Zealand history.

The school has been able to engage in the project through Ministry of Education funding, and they say this not only supported them to commission a creative and purchase equipment, but also allowed for release time for a teacher to coordinate and manage the project – something that can be hard to achieve in smaller schools.

Claire urges other schools to investigate the Creatives in Schools funding as the use of art, along with dramatic inquiry, has proved to be a valuable tool in discovering and elevating local histories.

“We are able to see things from different perspectives because art can be subjective, and it can also be objective.

So, the children will be able to view things from other people’s perspectives and learn how to present that to the world. Our children are creative, so we are happy that we can give them the skills they can use to do that,” says Claire.

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“We are able to see things from different perspectives because art can be subjective, and it can also be objective. So, the children will be able to view things from other people’s perspectives and learn how to present that to the world.”

Claire Edwards

Below: Nellie recording the voice over for her story and soundscape.

Right: Nate and Caiden working collaboratively to develop their soundscape.

Uncovering the stories

Ākonga have already been looking into their own histories and whakapapa and will build on this by learning the stories of others in Aotearoa.

The process of ākonga learning their own histories has been guided by visits from whānau and using the dramatic inquiry. Ākonga across the whole school were first hooked into the inquiry process using the sophisticated picture book Taniwha by Robyn Kahukiwa, which sparked discussion about what is considered taonga.

“Students went on imaginary journeys to look into their classmates’ histories, what was important to their ancestors, and where different people have come from,” says Claire.

“After that we were able to do more meaningful work on their pepeha and where they themselves have come from.”

Claire enjoys the way that dramatic inquiry and using the Mantle of the Expert can assist ākonga in understanding multiple perspectives. She says it allows them to think about other stories that may not be initially seen when looking at evidence or writing about histories.

The creative element

A key part of the school’s journey with the Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum content, and Creatives in Schools project, is using instruments and music to accompany storytelling.

The school recently tapped into whānau links, commissioning a parent to create a traditional Māori instrument for them, a pūkāea, which is a long trumpet traditionally used at events and welcoming.

The instrument arrived in time for their Matariki celebrations and was gifted with the name ‘Matariki and nine rings to represent the stars.’ A ceremony to celebrate and bless the gift included burying the wood shavings from the kauri instrument beneath a new kauri tree planting.

“We’re hoping that part of the creative project will become the children learning how to play so that they can use it where appropriate in their storytelling,” says Marianne.

As well as ākonga learning to play, teachers will also be tutored in the use of the pūkāea.

The ākonga have also expressed their enjoyment in creating music.

“I love finding the right music for the right pictures. We looked at the picture and it was cloudy, so we found the right instrument for that. If the person in the picture is sad, we might find sounds that are sad,” says Mae, Year 5.

Upskilling for kaiako

Teacher development has been a big part of the project. When the school’s creative teacher conducted lessons for ākonga during terms 1 and 2, teachers would also attend to discover the music.

Sasha Gillies, the creative at the school for this project, understands some teachers may have been initially reluctant.

“In my experience as a creative at Bayswater I’ve learned that allowing children to be creative can look and sound chaotic, which is maybe where teachers lose the courage to try it in class.

“But when sitting and really watching and listening to the soundscapes the children have worked on, I’ve seen how engaged they are, and how well they’ve thought about the different elements of music they wanted to incorporate.”

This view is shared by other teachers at the school, who are delighted with the progress of ākonga.

“One of my special moments was watching two little girls (who have trouble focusing in class) really engaged in their music. They played me their piece. It was lovely. But what was even lovelier is they played it again for another teacher and it was exactly the same! They had really written a piece and performed it accurately and beautifully,” says kaiako Norah Wilson.

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A Pacific Story by Rangikura School won both the Wellington and National ShowQuest junior competition for 2022.

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PACI FIC STU DENTS

Pacific students thrive on stage A Pacific Story by Rangikura School has won both the Wellington and National ShowQuest junior competition for 2022. It is a story of hope, and remembrance and celebration of the past. Its journey to the stage is also a story in itself, one that shows how music, arts and culture support Pasifika students and communities to heal, and to thrive.

W

inning the National ShowQuest is “the icing on the cake of a lot of hard work”, says Rangikura School deputy principal Sarah Nui. Eight weeks of hard work led the school from Ascot Park, Porirua, to triumph in five categories out of nine in the regional finals – live music, video wall, props, theme, and soundtrack. Nationally, the school also won the award for Best Cultural Story, Best Live Music, and a shared award for Best Use of Props.

During the live show at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington, students and teachers embraced the stories of their grandparents, aunties, and larger family, telling and unpacking their histories in Aotearoa New Zealand.

A Pacific Story narrates the migration of Pacific Islanders to Aotearoa, the Dawn Raids in the 1970s and the contribution Pasifika have brought to society.

Rangikura School teacher Michael Nui oversaw the performance on stage and coordinated the work behind the scenes.

Community involvement

Watch A Pacific Story and all other finalists in the 2022 ShowQuest National Final online at showquest.nz.

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A Pacific Story is one of two successful projects by Rangikura School, funded by the Ministry of Education’s Pacific Education Innovation Fund. The project helps reach one of the fund’s outcomes – Pacific engagement with the community.

During the past years, the school has involved the Pacific community with the design of the curriculum, but this time they went further.

“A lot of parents came out of the woodwork; a lot of the

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The show is a story of both difficult and celebratory memories of the Pacific community in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“More schools need Pasifika. Because Pasifika children thrive on arts and music. That’s a second nature for them.”

Teokoitu Obeda community came out and actually talked about it. The stories were open wounds,” says Michael.

“We spend a lot of time looking forward, but it’s important to look at the past.”

The school double-checked with the families before putting the stories on stage, and after the show, when the lights went on, they found parents were crying for joy, singing, and dancing.

“Through music you allow the students who aren’t always seen as academically successful, to shine.”

Student-led

A celebration of the past and at the same time a collection of “hard to hear” memories, the collective story was woven together by students sharing their own experiences.

Year 8 students Persia-Bentley and Neihana were the captains of the team.

They were both nervous at first, but then they realised they had the support of other people – and excitement drove them to a moving performance.

“Getting to sing on a live stage has been my dream since I was a little girl,” says Persia-Bentley. She was one of the lead singers and played many roles on stage.

“We were honouring our ancestors and what they did,

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and what they had to go through. It was sad and cool to perform.”

She says putting the story into perspective and representing her ancestors was a feat. She felt comfortable having the assistance of other people and managed to defeat her own fear of being on stage.

“There are people out there, they are there and could pick you up.”

Neihana is glad he had a chance to tell the story of his nana and got to develop a bond with the teachers who taught him to play the drums and be part of a band.

“If you have an opportunity to tell a story, you should push through and take it.”

Teachers at the heart

All the students recognised the huge input of teachers Michael Nui and Teokoitu Obeda.

A music teacher at Rangikura School, Teokoitu’s dream was to support every student to experience music. In pursuit of his dream, he was the director of music for the live show and made sure the band was coordinated with the video wall behind them.

“More schools need Pasifika. Because Pasifika children thrive on arts and music. That’s a second nature for them,” he says.

gazette.education.govt.nz

Student performance leaders Persia-Bentley, Gloria, Neihana and Matthew.

Teaching primary school children to execute a coordinated act on stage wasn’t as hard as some might think, he adds.

“They were learning, but they had it already in the back of their minds,” says Teokoitu.

After the show, he says the students became such great music enthusiasts that the school now has three bands.

In the future, Rangikura School is planning to organise a summer festival in Porirua – a celebration of Pasifika music and culture.

“We have never had anything like that in Porirua and we are inviting other schools to participate,” says Teokoitu.

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Principal Eddie Uluilelata says having the opportunity of telling stories from the past was vital for the community and whānau.

A Pacific Story wasn’t only about learning and sharing a story, but also celebrating whānau and a long journey of healing, he says.

Year 8 student Matthew was part of the band and played the piano on stage.

He says it is important for people to know what happened in the past and his advice for Pasifika who might have a talent but were scared to showcase it was: “You should be confident in what you like.”

A singer and an actress in A Pacific Story, Year 8 student Gloria says the performance was a moving moment for her.

“Don’t let anyone put you down,” she says to other students who would like to compete and represent Pasifika.

15 August 2022

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Tukutuku Kōrero

33

LI BRARIANS

School librarians support teaching and learning in a fast-changing world The benefit of having a school library with librarians who upskill continually cannot be overstated. Education Gazette hears from school librarians about how their role has changed to support teaching and learning.

Librarian Beverley Harrison at Lindisfarne College supports ākonga to navigate online content and filter out misinformation.

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R

esearch tells us that school libraries and library staff can have a big impact on student achievement, positively affecting reading test scores and attitudes to learning.

To stay relevant, and to support schools in a world where change is the only constant, library staff access regular professional development.

Beverley Harrison is the school librarian at Lindisfarne College, a state integrated school for boys in Hastings. She says the essence of the school librarian’s mahi is unchanged, but that the environment of information and research is unrecognisable from even 10 years ago.

“People think of librarians as operating in beautiful, quiet libraries, surrounded by books, but that’s not our job.

Our job is about people. And when people come in with queries, whether it’s a teenager looking for information or staff wanting help with their professional development, we respond.

“In that regard, the work hasn’t changed at all, but what has changed is the resources that we have available to us.

Keeping up is a challenge, and you must cast a critical eye.”

Staying relevant

“One of the most important jobs I do is curating information for students to make it more accessible to them. Author Neil Gaiman described librarians as ‘knowledge navigators’ because information was difficult to find. He said it was ‘like a flower growing in a desert – you had a long way to walk, but a librarian could take you to the flower. Now it’s more like flowers growing in the Amazon jungle and you’re trying to find a specific flower’.

“We are still looking for the flower, but the environment in which we’re looking for it has changed dramatically. We’ve got to keep up to date with technology and resources so we can find the information our community needs.”

Beverley says recent PLD she has accessed through the School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA) has been especially helpful. The course, A Bit Sus, is targeted directly at school librarians who want to know in a limited timeframe how best to support ākonga as they navigate the internet.

SLANZA offer a number of opportunities for PLD and networking, but what is especially important is that it is created for school librarians, by school librarians.

The internet jungle

“The online environment is extraordinarily challenging for young people,” says A Bit Sus creator, Mandy Henk.

“They are up against highly trained, well-paid, and wellorganised disinformation campaigns led by both state and non-state actors. It’s also very challenging for the adults around them. There is an incredible risk of young people being led down dangerous rabbit holes and even into radicalisation.”

Mandy says New Zealand is not well set up to do the necessary “mitigation work”.

“Unfortunately, while there are useful policy solutions that need to be implemented, they are not ones that New Zealand can do alone. It requires international coordination and cooperation for that to happen.”

Mandy says education, one of the levers available to

15 August 2022

New Zealand, has been shown to be very effective.

“Finland has a population that’s been subject to highly coordinated and intense Russian disinformation campaigns for a very long time. They invested very heavily in education starting in kindergarten and they’ve seen that that’s helped them to create a population that is resilient to this.

“But they took a lot of time and a lot of money to make that happen and unfortunately, we are going to have to do the same.”

Mandy is the chief executive at Tohatoha, an organisation working to counter the spread of misinformation in ways that rebuild trust, social cohesion, and support the spread of evidence-based interventions.

“If you think about what happened in the US, for example, and you look at the way in which you’ve had specific media outlets penetrate, and radicalise folks, that’s what we’re really worried about.”

Unraveling the maze

The first cohort to dive into A Bit Sus, 15 school librarians from across the motu, completed the 10-week course online during term 1, exploring “best practices for supporting youth and schools in countering misinformation and preventing its spread”.

The course includes an escape room activity designed to have participants personally experience various misinformation tactics and thereby realise their own vulnerabilities.

Interactive puzzles address key issues such as misleading data, deepfake images and videos, and social media bots.

Mandy says the appeal of the escape room is its capability for improving young people’s awareness of the spread of misinformation.

Course participants were greatly surprised by some of the lessons.

“We covered all sorts of things such as what misinformation is, and the difference between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. I hadn’t heard of malinformation until I did this course,” says Beverley.

Misinformation is when people put out or pass on information that is incorrect, but they do it for reasons that are not malign. Disinformation is when it is passed on for malign reasons, to deliberately mislead people, and malinformation is when the information is correct, but it is passed on with malign intent. An example of this would be circulating a sex tape with the intent to discredit or embarrass; the content is real or true but the reason for circulation is malign.

Participants also looked at what makes people vulnerable to misinformation, for example, confirmation bias, the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of existing beliefs.

Fighting fake news

Strategies for combating misleading and malign information were discussed, for example, debunking and prebunking.

“Debunking is proving the misinformation wrong, but it has been proven to be very ineffective because once people have taken on ideas, they are very reluctant to discard them,” explains Beverley.

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“So prebunking becomes important, when you give people information and make sure that your message is clear and out there so that when the misinformation comes along, they say, ‘Ah-ha, but I’ve heard about that already’.”

Another technique that the librarians found to be very powerful is lateral reading, the act of verifying what you’re reading as you’re reading it. This is in stark contrast to vertical reading, in which the reader gathers information from one source only and assumes it to be reliable and valid.

Julia Smith, librarian at Kerikeri High School, says learning about vertical reading “completely flipped my idea of web evaluation on its head”.

“The use of lateral reading to verify credible resources and authors made complete sense in this digital age. I had to immediately alter my teaching of information literacy skills to incorporate lateral reading, algorithms, and misinformation.

It’s a fascinating topic made more relevant given the protest that was unfolding in Wellington at the time.”

Delivery of A Bit Sus was funded by grants from the New Zealand Libraries Partnership Programme, InternetNZ, and the US Embassy in New Zealand.

Opportunities to upskill

There are many other opportunities for school librarians to upskill. This year, the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA), and SLANZA established a new tertiary grants project. This is designed to encourage more qualified library and information professionals working in the sector, and attract younger people into tertiary training opportunities in libraries.

Rachel Esson, national librarian, Te Pouhuaki National Library says the grants are an exciting opportunity to address skills gaps, particularly in mātauranga Māori and digital skills.

“I’m looking forward to seeing a wide range of people, from different backgrounds and experience, take up these grants and bring their perspectives to our workforce,” she says.

The grants are available to cover tertiary qualification fees and other costs to help people get a new library and information qualification. This includes qualifications relevant to public, school, tertiary, national and special libraries.

Further support SLANZA provide opportunities for school library and information professionals to develop their professional skills and network across the motu, in a way that is expressly relevant to the school and kura environment.

Utilising SLANZA and LIANZA PLD, school librarians can access online training, professional registration, national conferences and networking, and study grants.

Read the online version of this article for more information and links.

Evaluation and impact LIANZA’s evaluation and impact programme supports library professionals to work out what exactly needs to be evaluated, how to measure what matters and ways to communicate effectively about the impact their library makes for their school or community.

Esther Casey, a teacher librarian at Sylvia Park School, used the opportunity to research what difference the school library made to ākonga.

“The project aimed to find out which of the resources, services and programmes in our school library, Te Puna Ngoi, make the most difference in the target aspirations of hauora (wellbeing) and pakirehua (inquiry).”

Esther engaged two focus groups of students in Years 4–6 who gave the initial rounds of data for the project, then drove development of the evaluation tool to use with senior students.

Together, they learned that the three things making a difference to most students’ hauora are: » Te Puna Ngoi is a safe, relaxing place » Reading makes me feel calm » Watching the livestream makes me feel good.

The three things making a difference to most students’ pakirehua are: » Books help me to learn » I learn how to be a better researcher

For more information on the tertiary grants, visit librariesaotearoa.org.nz.

For more information, and to register for the second cohort of A Bit Sus, visit tohatoha.org.nz.

» I learn about different and reliable websites.

Professional registration Professional registration offers the opportunity for librarians to have their PD recognised and formalises the learning process.

“It shows your employers that you have a commitment to learning and professional competence,” says Ana Pickering, chief executive at LIANZA.

“People think of librarians as operating in beautiful, quiet libraries, surrounded by books, but that’s not our job. Our job is about people.”

Beverley Harrison 38

Education Gazette

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Inspiring young authors and illustrators Support for school libraries and librarians is also available from Read NZ Te Pou Muramura. Previously known as the NZ Book Council, this is a small arts organisation dedicated to promoting reading for pleasure.

Read NZ Te Pou Muramura runs programmes and campaigns to research reading habits and barriers to reading, to advocate for the importance of reading, and to encourage New Zealanders to read. They offer rich programmes to schools. One of these is ‘Writers in Schools’ in which authors and illustrators are matched with a teacher, classroom, or school. These visits happen year-round across the motu, and schools can request different sorts of writers such as poets, journalists, adult novelists.

Another is ‘Writers in Communities’, standalone projects lasting a term or longer, within a school or cultural community, and often the result is a book of published writing from the community.

‘Hooked on NZ Books’ welcomes readers aged 12 to 19. They are supplied with a book written by a New Zealander, and they have one month to submit a review. Readers are then supported with the editing process before the review is published online.

‘The School Library’ also delivers new books supplied by publishers to teachers and school librarians who supply a short review. These are compiled and published in a bi-monthly newsletter.

For more information, visit read-nz.org

15 August 2022

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G LOBAL C ITIZENSH I P

Exploring global citizenship through virtual travel A new digital game designed to spark interest in the Asia-Pacific region and promote the values of global citizenship is now freely available to schools and kura in Aotearoa New Zealand.

T

he concept of Aotearoa Explorers, a digital tool for exploring the Asia-Pacific, was first presented at the Global Citizenship Teachers’ Forum in Hamilton last year, where it received an overwhelmingly positive response.

It’s a browser-based learning tool designed for ākonga in Years 5–8 and is available in both English and te reo Māori.

The learner, or explorer, creates an avatar and then takes virtual tours of countries in North Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.

In each country, the student can select up to three communities to explore – typically a city, a rural region and one that is more traditional. They can then interact with

locals and learn more about the place they are visiting with encouragement from a series of prompts.

At the start of each level, the player sees a pop-up delivered by a friendly kākāpō, a companion that accompanies them throughout their adventures. The pop-up tells them what they need to look for, for example, in Japan it might be that they need to interact with a Sumo wrestler and find out more about them.

After every interaction, the student receives a notification in their online scrapbook so they can keep track of their experiences with the locals. And at the end is a quiz based on information shared throughout that level.

Virtual travel through the Asia-Pacific allows ākonga to develop global citizenship values.

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“It’s a way to get those conversations started, a prompt for teachers.

The goal is to demonstrate the diversity of the Asia-Pacific region and what it has to offer.”

Hélène Eunson Demystifying Asia-Pacific

Project manager Hélène Eunson says the game is designed to demystify the Asia-Pacific and the cultures that are becoming increasingly visible in New Zealand.

The Asian population of New Zealand is predicted to rise to 26 percent (one in four people) by 2043 meaning that respect for each other’s lifestyles and culture is imperative.

Similarly, the number of Latin Americans living in Aotearoa tripled in the decade to 2018 (Stats NZ) and is predicted to continue rising.

According to the New Zealand Centre for Global Studies, global citizenship education fosters a curiosity to examine the interdependent and interconnected nature of our shared humanity. Being a global citizen begins with young people exploring who they are in the world. This involves developing a deep understanding of self within local, regional, national, and global communities. It is about being aware of, and interested in, the wider world.

In Aotearoa, global citizenship education is embedded within the vision, values, principles, and key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum and can be integrated across a range of learning areas.

The learner creates an avatar and sets off to explore different places and cultures.

A cross-agency effort

Hélène is based at the University of Otago and works for the Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPEs) which is a consortium of four universities funded by the Tertiary Education Commission and formed to help New Zealanders prepare for and find success in the Asia-Pacific region.

CAPEs commissioned the game and Hélène led the project, collaborating closely with developers Māui Studios, academics from the University of Otago, and teachers across Aotearoa.

The idea for the game came about as a solution to pandemic restrictions which prevented Hélène and her colleagues from their usual mahi with schools, delivering workshops about New Zealand’s relationship with the Asia-Pacific.

“We kept having to postpone or completely cancel workshops, so we needed to find a way to reach schools without being compromised by Covid. We also needed a solution to reach rural schools that often get left behind and which had expressed a desire to benefit from our initiatives.”

The solution also needed to address both teachers’ and students’ needs, that is, being educational yet fun and engaging.

The team consulted widely with kaiako and ākonga, the CAPEs education team based at the University of Waikato who advised on promoting global citizenship, and a diverse academic group at the University of Otago.

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“The CAPEs themselves focus on an individual region (North Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America), regions are represented by three teams, and within the teams they have a lot of expertise and links with those specific regions.

They’ve been able to ensure the visuals are appropriate and that cultures are represented correctly,” says Hélène.

Ākonga are similarly taken with the game.

“I really liked the fact you could pick your avatar and that there was different music for each place,” says one student. “And I enjoyed the different little things you had to take photos of in each place and the people you have to talk to. I enjoyed walking around and exploring.”

Kaiako input

A prompt for further learning

Hélène says the teachers’ conference was an excellent opportunity to share the concept with teachers and principals. People were able to ask questions and give suggestions, and some took it back to their schools to share with ākonga.

Kaiako especially liked that they could use a teacher’s dashboard to keep ngā tamariki safe online, and that students did not need to create accounts. The dashboard allows teachers to track students’ progress and to switch between two modes of free play.

Teachers’ feedback also prompted developers to change the font to a plain, easy-to-read type and the text box colour to make it more accessible to children with visual difficulties. Hélène says the team is also looking at ways to add audio as an alternative way to engage with the content.

Māui Studios’ idea to add an option to Explore Aotearoa was a hit.

“We hadn’t planned to but then we thought, ‘Our understanding of global citizenship starts with understanding our own identity and also it would be fun’.”

Patrick Husseym, director of Māui Studios, says working on Aotearoa Explorers was “wonderful”.

“We tautoko the work CAPEs are doing to inspire a passion for cultural learning and bringing awareness of the importance of the Asia-Pacific region to Aotearoa New Zealand, and the world.”

A booklet containing information and ideas, in both te reo Māori and English, is available to help teachers make the most out of the game by linking in-game experiences to deeper learning about the concept of global citizenship.

“It’s a way to get those conversations started, a prompt for teachers,” says Hélène. “The goal is to demonstrate the diversity of the Asia-Pacific region and what it has to offer.

“We can’t represent all the diversity in those countries and all the different cultures, but what we can do is spark interest and give ākonga a taste of those places. We can make language learning more meaningful by giving them motivation to learn a specific language or help them understand why it’s important to speak Spanish, for instance, when they explore Argentina.”

Kaiako will also be provided with a support email address and access to a private Facebook group in which they can share how they use the game in their classroom, what challenges and successes they encounter, and what else they might need.

The team is now working on a short documentary about the making of Aotearoa Explorers and the kaupapa behind the project.

“There will be content in there for teachers who want to understand where this is coming from and why it’s important,” says Hélène.

www.aotearoaexplorers.nz Aotearoa Explorers has been developed for students in Years 5–8.

Have you already applied for Creatives in Schools ?

Apply now creativesinschools. tki.org.nz

Applications close 11.59pm Sunday 21 August The Creatives in Schools programme provides funding of up to $17,000 per project.

Creative projects can cover a wide range of artforms such as painting, sculpture, music, dance, drama, film, digital, Pacific arts and ngā toi Māori.

If your kura or school wants to run a creative project for your students in 2023, apply now for Creatives in Schools in partnership with an artist or a creative professional.

Up to 200 projects will be selected.

For support with your applications, please contact CiS regional coordinators at:

cisregionalsupport@core-ed.ac.nz For questions, email

CreativesinSchools@education.govt.nz

COM M ERCIAL MUSIC

Music kaiako helps ākonga orchestrate their own success Jason Wilcox, head of Guitar and Commercial Music at St Peter’s, Cambridge, is also a professional musician who shares his knowledge with his music students.

I

Jason Wilcox shares his passion for music with ākonga.

t is 4pm on a Saturday and Jason Wilcox has just taken a break from rehearsals for the St Peter’s production of School of Rock.

“This weekend is set aside as production camp, so the students are here for the whole weekend. They will also be working into the evening on it, and they’ll be working all day tomorrow on it as well,” explains Jason.

The current production has both an off-stage orchestra, which plays the bulk of the production, as well as an onstage band that is part of the storyline. This has meant one of Jason’s students has had to run between the two as he is in the orchestra and also performing on stage.

Jason is proud that this student is expanding his skill set by doing this, and that his other students have put the work into memorising their pieces as there are no music stands on stage.

“They are architects of their own success in every way; everything that they do they’ve done for themselves. I guide them and give them what they need, of course. But essentially the motivation comes from within them. I just nurture it and water it.”

Jason Wilcox

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The joys of music

This type of dedication and engagement on the part of Jason and his students is not uncommon. Since the creation of the head of guitar and commercial music position in 2020, Jason has assisted many students to discover the joy and benefits of producing music.

The course is structured so that students work through different levels of skill development. It is based around the stages that may occur in the career of an artist. The students start in the ‘garage’ where they learn to work with each other and practise together as well as developing technical skills.

“This is about the nuts and bolts of things; how to operate the equipment, how microphones work, how we can avoid having feedback, having bad sound. So, we’re setting ourselves up for success in the physical realm, where we make sure that we’re set up right, we’ve got our stuff ready to go,” says Jason.

They then move to working on their creativity, which may be re-working cover songs or writing their own music.

This leads into performing first shows and recording their work. Future developments in the course would include building positive industry relationships and learning how to book and manage a tour.

Student-driven development

The course is flexible so students can start at whichever level suits their abilities.

“You might be Year 7 and already up to stage three because of prior work, or you might be 16 years old, but you’re just starting, so you’re in that stage one area.”

Each group of students brings in different needs for artistic development. While there are some constant threads, such as learning technical skills for setting up a PA system, the direction of musical styles and artistic development is student driven.

“They are architects of their own success in every way; everything that they do they’ve done for themselves. I guide them and give them what they need, of course. But essentially the motivation comes from within them. I just nurture it and water it. That’s all I do.”

Jason feels that a key to helping students achieve is being able to understand how the students are placed mentally and emotionally.

“Students need to be brought into the right frame of mind. It can be hard to walk out of a class where you’re studying one thing and then jump straight into music mode. Music is a very emotional thing for many of us, and we need to be in the right space to do it well,” he says.

Achieving the right space means ensuring students are heard and respected when voicing their opinions. This environment of respect and teamwork is fostered through the students forming their own music groups (bands) to work on their craft.

These groups tend to stay together through their music journey at the school, allowing them to work on more than

15 August 2022

just music theory.

Whilst music theory can be helpful, Jason says, “If all you know is music theory, then you may become limited as a musician. You need to develop feel, you need to develop the ability to play at tempo, and to listen to the musicians around you to play at the appropriate level so you’re fitting into a group.”

Advice for kaiako

For kaiako who are not music specialists, Jason says to always remember the greatest resource is the people around you.

“Get to know the staff at school. The itinerant tutors should have a grasp of what material is good for particular year levels, or what the students may like in terms of current contemporary music.

“You may well have a maths teacher who is also an excellent AV tech. Maybe your science teacher plays the drums, or you have an IT person who is an accomplished rock guitarist! Many of the people around you can be excellent sources of advice or resources.”

Jason also suggests joining the musicnet email group available at lists.tki.org.nz, which gives access to the ongoing discussions of New Zealand music teachers.

“It’s good to know there is support, and many of those in the teaching community are very generous with their time in helping out fellow teachers.”

Education Gazette has published more articles on inspiring music kaiako.

Read about an Ōtautahi music teacher who hit the charts with student backing.

The School of Rock production is helping to extend the skills of students.

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STUDENT WELLBEING:

Digital Tool Design Competition Innovators of the future

Help us design a tool that will be used to measure the wellbeing of ākonga in New Zealand

Prizes include up to $5000 for your school

the end of term 3!

Competition is now open: entries close at The Ministry of Education is committed to understanding and improving the wellbeing of ākonga in NZ schools. We have been actively engaging with students and listening.

Now it’s time for ākonga to use their significant digital knowledge and design thinking skills to lead the way in helping us design a tool that we can use as a measure of wellbeing.

This is a conceptual design competition based on design thinking. It is aimed at students in any subject area who wish to think through the issues and develop a solution. Students will work as a team and are not required to build a tool prototype.

Entries will be judged by an expert industry panel. Finalists will be invited to a prizegiving ceremony in December. Prizes include up to $5000 for your school as well as individual prizes. We intend to use the winning entries to develop our final tool solution so your team entry may end up being used by students across the country!

More information and registration available: Scan the QR code or use link: www.education.govt.nz/wellbeing-tool-competition Please contact the Project Team at: swm.competition@education.govt.nz

TEACH ERS Y0-8 N OTICE B OAR D

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Thesetoinclude highly successful school with state of the Performing Arts Theatre, World Leading Library and a Lego Education art property and resources. These include Sports Complex, Performing Arts Teaching Suite. We are seeking caring, inspirational teachers committed Library and aCertified Teacher to excellence andTheatre, learning.World If youLeading are a Provisionally Lego Education Teaching Suite. then ERO “this is the place to be”.

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to excellence and team we would If you would like toteachers be a partcommitted of a supportive professional learning. If you are a Provisionally welcome your application.

Please send to Jane Milner, Certified Teacher then ERO states Principal, Redoubt North School, 47 Diorella “thisDrive, is the Clover place toPark, be”. Auckland, 2019 or by If you like to be a part of a email towould office@redoubt.school.nz supportive professional team we would welcome your application.

Applications close on 31 August 2022 at 12.00pm and should include Please send to Jane Milner, Principal, a current CV, letter of application and contact details of 3 referees.

Redoubt North School, 47 Diorella Drive, Clover Park, Auckland, 2019 or by email to office@redoubt.school.nz

S EN IOR LEADERSH I P Y0-8

To view the PLD, general notice listings and vacancies at gazette.education.govt.nz

Applications close on 31 August 2022 at 12.00pm and should include a current CV, letter of application and contact details of 3 referees.

Professional learning and development

Notices

Vacancies

Scan the QR codes with the camera on your device.

15 August 2022

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SEN IOR LEADERSH I P

PRINCIPAL U4 ST JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL, STRATFORD.

Full Time Permanent: Primary and intermediate (Years 1–8) / kura tuatahi, Principal Our School cares and shares like Jesus, through serving others.

ARE YOU OUR NEXT PRINCIPAL? We seek a practising Catholic who will be: • an inspiring faith and education leader of our passionate students and staff.

• relentless in their desire for all learners to reach their full potential.

• experienced in educational leadership.

• an articulate, strong and positive communicator with an ability to communicate the Gospel message.

• fun loving and have a strong faith presence.

• visible and engaged in all aspects of school and parish life.

• warm, approachable, and connected with all our school’s whānau.

• innovative with strengths in organisation and systems’ management.

• advocating for personal and professional development.

CATHOLIC SPECIAL CHARACTER Willingness and ability to participate in religious instruction appropriate to the special character of the school is a condition of appointment.

St Joseph’s School Stratford is a State Integrated U4, full primary Catholic school with a current roll of 190 children, situated in Stratford, Taranaki.

Application Packs: Please request a pack from our consultant, Kevin Boyce: boyce.kevinr@gmail.com Applications close: 5pm on Friday 2 September.

For further information contact: Sven Hanne, Presiding Member 027 705 7487 or mailbox@svenhanne.com Website: http://www.stjosephs-stratford.school.nz

Te Kura o Waiutuutu Ilam sits on beautiful grounds on the border of the University of Canterbury. Children from approximately 60 different cultural and national backgrounds attend Ilam School, where we celebrate this diverse community. A school that values being Respectful, Kind, Positive and Safe, we prepare our learners to face their futures wellrounded, with a richness of experience, and a strong moral ethic to do the right thing.

This position offers an opportunity for an experienced leader who: • Excels at communication and leads with clarity, competence and care • Is empathetic, openminded, visionary and inspirational • Puts belonging, inclusivity and connection central to learning • Shows commitment to te reo and tikanga Māori and its integration • Creates a safe and activated learning environment, in which all students can reach their full potential

Principal Vacancy Applications close at 5pm on Monday the 5th of September

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Education Gazette

• Integrates curriculum knowledge with current pedagogy, best practice and creativity • Has operational expertise, with strength in planning, systems and processes • Is a strategic thinker and practical problem solver, with the passion to harness opportunity To learn more about our school and apply for this position, please visit: www.ilam.school.nz

gazette.education.govt.nz

MOUNT ROSKILL GRAMMAR SCHOOL Deputy Principal 7MU + 1 SMA We are seeking an experienced and innovative leader for the position of Deputy Principal to join us in 2023.

The successful applicant will be an energetic and skilled educator with a record of teaching excellence, administrative capability and the ability to lead learning.

For application information please contact: Tului Fox, Principal’s P.A. by emailing tului.fox@mrgs.school.nz or Ph. (09) 621-0050.

Applications close on 29 August 2022 at 4.00pm

Do you have a vacancy that you would like to advertise to the education sector?

Place an advertisement in the vacancies section and reach both the passive and active jobseekers by contacting Jill Parker: jill.parker@nzme.co.nz 027 212 9277

PRINCIPAL/TUMUAKI (U14) Howick College is a large (2000+ students), co-educational, culturally diverse secondary school located in Howick, East Auckland. A rare and exciting opportunity has arisen to lead Howick College in the next stage of its development as an advanced, high performing secondary school of choice.

Our College has an outstanding reputation for preparing young people for life after school. We want our new principal to build on this success, continue to grow our reputation for educational achievement and deliver on the College’s vision to “inspire a community of passionate learners”.

The Howick College Board invites suitably qualified and experienced candidates to apply for the position of Principal of our College. The successful applicant will be a confident, visible and innovative leader and educator with a deep commitment to and vision for excellence in a New Zealand secondary education context.

The ability to think strategically and creatively about education and the future of Howick College is vital, as are commitments to integrating te reo and matauranga Māori into our ways of being and the skill of providing professional and collaborative leadership in an environment that fosters and creates success.

Our new leader will uphold and actively promote our school values of courtesy, commitment, curiosity and courage and be able to demonstrate high performance in all key areas of educational leadership. You will embrace opportunities to engage with our community and actively build connections which support the College’s ability to provide enhanced educational opportunities.

Application packs are available from: petergall@edsolnz.co.nz

Applications close: 4.00pm, Thursday 8 September 2022

Principal / Tumuaki Marcellin College

The Marcellin College Board invites applications for the position of Principal, to offer inspiring leadership of Marcellin College, an Integrated Catholic co-educational Year 7 – 13 school in central Auckland. The College maintains a strong Catholic character and Marist Champagnat charism with a focus on nurturing leaders and people of service in the way of Mary.

The new Principal will have the gifts and skills to be the faith leader of the college, the vision to inspire our capable team to build on Marcellin’s recent academic achievements and co-curricular success, and the ability to lead our thriving college into the future. A willingness and ability to take part in the religious instruction appropriate to the Special Character of the school shall be a condition of appointment.

Applications close at 9 00am on 19th September 2022.

For enquiries and an online information package, please contact Alan Burton Ahead Associates Ltd Email: alanburton@aheadassociates.co.nz Mobile: 021 616 061

Instead of endlessly asking kids to pay attention, let’s teach them how.

Pause Breathe Smile is a mind health programme that includes development of students’ inner skills. The programme cultivates self-awareness, attention control and emotional regulation. This allows students to manage themselves better by choosing their behaviours based on mindful attentiveness rather than impulse reactivity.

Southern Cross’ support makes it possible for Pause Breathe Smile PLD to be made available free of charge to any primary or intermediate school.

Train your team. Email Lindy at coordinator@pausebreathesmile.nz

pausebreathesmile.nz

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