8 minute read
A collaborative approach to curriculum delivery at Avondale Primary
Avondale Primary students in Tāmaki Makaurau have been exploring local history and learning to ask the big questions through the power of names. The redesigned way of learning has proved rich and meaningful, as their principal and teachers drive equitable access to a refreshed curriculum.
When Avondale Primary ākonga and kaimahi started digging into the names and stories of their school and community, they uncovered unexpected rewards.
“It wasn’t just a normal suburb, it had lots of rich history,” says Darcy; while classmate James explains that the Auckland suburb of Avondale’s original name, Hui Kōrero, referred to what was once a meeting place for iwi.
Using the local Whau River as their road, iwi would gather to connect and trade resources and knowledge, says fellow student Isaiah, who adds that he feels quite lucky to live in a place with a wealth of history.
“I learned that names have lots of power in the meaning of them,” he says.
Avondale Primary’s schoolwide inquiry “what’s in a name” also surfaced far more than just facts for teacher and syndicate leader Ashleigh Robinson.
“What moved me most was the reaction of the children when they learned the name Hui Kōrero and its connection to local history,” says Ashleigh.
“Many students expressed confusion and sadness about why such a meaningful name was replaced. Their empathy, curiosity and sense of injustice really stood out to me.”
For Ashleigh, this socio-political angle aligned with the context of social sciences and showed how a collaborative approach to curriculum delivery was already bringing positive, powerful outcomes.
The power of a name
The new “what’s in a name” ako began in the school holidays, when ākonga were asked to find out how they got their own names.
Isaiah learned his name means ‘the salvation of the Lord’, “and that’s the name of a prophecy”.
James was told his name means “calm and content”, while Darcy found out her great-great grandfather’s second or last name was Darcy – and mum liked the name, too.
Principal James Williams says coming up with the seemingly simple question for the inquiry was “huge”. It had to be a question that was inviting and exciting for all ākonga and, says Ashleigh, the inquiry team worked collaboratively to make sure the kaupapa was accessible and meaningful across all age groups.
“We adapted the content and delivery to suit the learning needs of each cohort while keeping the core theme consistent,” says Ashleigh.
“Our Tūī syndicate (juniors) focused on personal identity and the meanings of their names, exploring these through oral narratives and plenty of storytelling. Older students investigated deeper historical perspectives and local place-based history.”
Ultimately, all students were able to answer the key question, “what’s in a name?” and understand both the importance and the power that names hold, says Ashleigh.
Once-in-a-lifetime chance to design change
The ako was the product of a changing curriculum, the catalyst to a fresh approach to teaching and learning at Avondale Primary.
“How often in your teaching career do you get an opportunity to design a curriculum?” says principal James, who has been in education for 23 years. For him, leading such a change is a first.
“Leading a refreshed curriculum was an exciting thing. I thought wait – hold up. There is a real opportunity here to get their knees deep in it.”
He also knew that, as principal, there were many other things that prioritised his time. So, it was imperative he got everyone on board.
Drawing on his own strengths in relational-based things like reciprocity and connection – “I feel like I’ve learned that from my mother” – James knew he wanted to weave the individual strengths of his staff into the change process.
Through talanoa and kōrerorero, he looked to remove barriers that minimised those strengths.
“When you know you are valued, when you know your leader puts you in a strengths space, you just want to do well.”
Avondale Primary also reached out to other schools “determined to find the good” and share it, says James.
Some schools were guarded, which he understood. Others were very open.
James wanted to be in “excellent research-based spaces with this work, so we can stand on it in front of anyone” in the way the curriculum was finally enacted.
Taking the results of their research, the team looked at how they could weave it into their curriculum along with their strengths.
“What did I need to put in place to guide people towards this once in a lifetime opportunity and really embrace it as something wonderful? The whole school approach landed on that,” says James.
“Curriculum never stands still, it’s always evolving and knowing that is the concept and power of collective – in this context, collectively truly discovering, exploring, designing a curriculum.”
The driving force
Underpinning Avondale Primary’s approach is a fundamental belief in equitable access to pedagogy and curriculum.
“It’s complex but it drives us,” says James.
In practice, it looks like “very big picture” thinking on his part, which is taken and broken up into “really manageable, relevant, reliable, robust learning experiences” by his leadership team and, soon, the whole staff.
“I wanted a whole-school discipline, not just this set of random great ideas; I wanted rigour and consistency, and cohesion.”
A move away from ‘silo learning’ to integrating the multiple learning areas and the whole school kept James questioning his approach.
“My constant thinking was always around how am I going to do this? What’s the point? What could be the driving force for me? I have to be careful and clear in myself around those things.
“Student agency starts with the right conditions in the environment so we have to be carefully navigating that.”
Curriculum extraordinaires
At the end of term 1, the ākonga, kaimahi and whānau of Avondale School gathered for their regular community picnic. This time, along with the usual sausage sizzle and tākaro, two proud ākonga from each class stood in front of the crowd and talked about the Hui Kōrero mural and what they’d learned.
“I got to speak in front of the whole community and I felt really brave,” says Isaiah. Classmate James enjoyed seeing how other classes combined and collaborated to make their letters.
“[It was] just this stunning thing where I was observing children being articulate, prepared, clear in their voicing of what they’d learned, the meaning of their responsibility and participation in that learning and in this artefact,” says James.
“That was the kind of stuff that we want – to me it assures our community that we are taking learning seriously and that your child has the ability and is capable in engaging in deep concepts.”
James says the positive feedback from whānau at the school gate the next day spoke volumes. Three ako later, he continues to notice an increasing depth of questioning from ākonga, “from a surface level of ‘what’ to ‘how’.”
Ashleigh, too, has noticed a shift in how the school structures inquiry learning to allow more time for studentled exploration.”
“This inquiry laid a strong foundation for place-based and identity-rich learning. We now plan with the inquiry process in mind, allowing time for student curiosity and community connections to drive the direction.”
As a result, the school will continue to prioritise local history and student voice in future ako, says Ashleigh.
“We are also more focused on finding ways to share learning outcomes with whānau and invite the community in.”
Meanwhile, James appreciates the hard work of his staff, saying they can step back and “celebrate the dedication and the real commitment of being curriculum extraordinaires”.
“My job as a leader is to make sure there are the right conditions for everyone to thrive. I don’t want surviving, I want thriving.”
History brought to life
Avondale Primary teacher Ashleigh Robinson says professional development with mana whenua Te Kawerau ā Maki allowed kaimahi to confidently explore local pūrākau for their inquiry, “what’s in a name”.
Principal James Williams says they wanted “clear, meaningful connection with mana whenua and their concept of naming, and the power of naming”.
Te Kawerau ā Maki gifted stories of their tūpuna says James, in particular Hape, “who is considered to be the naming ancestor”.
Using visuals, stories of tūpuna and local maps, ākonga were introduced to historical thinking by asking guiding questions like “whose stories have been told?” and “whose voices are missing?”
They focused on respectful listening and inquiry, helping students understand that history can be seen differently depending on perspective, says Ashleigh.
The inquiry eventually widened to include local street names, geographical reference points, and then Tāmaki Makaurau and across the motu.
The ako culminated in a mural of Hui Kōrero, designed so every class could contribute a shared, collective outcome. Darcy, James and Isaiah’s class were given the letter R and designed kete to reflect the area’s role as a meeting and trading place.
Kupu | Vocabulary
Hui Kōrero: Meeting place (original name of Avondale)
Ako: Teaching material
Kete: Basket
Kōrerorero: Discussion, conversation
Tāmaki: Makaurau Auckland
Tākaro: Games
