AS GOOD AS GOLD Banqer creator Kendall Flutey’s mission to make financial literacy mainstream HEKIA PARATA MOVES ON

SCRAPPING SUBJECTS Relating learning to real world topics

Lost in translation Conversing with the next generation

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IDEAS WWW.PRINCIPALSTODAY.CO.NZ ISSUE 114 | TERM 2, 2017

6 | SEVEN QUESTIONS FOR ANDY KAI FONG

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Level 6 10 Scotia Place Auckland

Haeata Community Campus principal, Andy Kai Fong talks about Christchurch’s first ‘super school’

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8 | HOMEWORK – A HELP OR A HINDRANCE?

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It seems homework, like almost everything else, isn’t a case of ‘one size fits all’

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PPTA president Jack Boyle says the implications of over-assessment are not just felt by students – teachers are struggling too

12 | LOST IN TRANSLATION

Banqer creator Kendall Flutey’s mission to make financial literacy mainstream

Each generation has its own unique set of communication preferences – so conversing with one generation doesn’t guarantee you’ll make sense to the next

LEARNING SPACE 16 | DIGITAL DOLLARS How taking payments online ‘more than pays for itself’

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News | Viewpoints

Jack Boyle PPTA president

Hekia Parata Education Minister

The risk of over-assessment

Hekia Parata signs off This will be my final contribution to ‘Principals Today’, as I head into my last week as the Minister of Education before standing aside on May 1, 2017. Long before becoming more formally involved in politics some years ago, I had wanted to be the Minister of Education. I asked for it and asked for it, and in December 2011 I was delighted to receive the portfolio delegation by the Prime Minister.

This Government has taken funding for Vote Education from $8 billion to over $11 billion, the highest investment in education ever, and in fact no other OECD country spends a higher proportion of its budget on education than we do.

When we came into Government, Māori and Pasifika students were being left behind at an alarming rate.

It is always pleasing to see that investment delivering tangible outcomes. Real results for real kids. There has been so much improvement across our education system.

Turning those statistics around has been an absolute driving force for me during my time as Minister, to make sure learning can happen for every child and that all our young people have a chance to succeed.

For example, it’s particularly pleasing to see our $359 million Investing in Educational Success initiative is bedding in, with over 197 Communities of Learning established so far, incorporating more than 1,600 schools, creating career paths for over 1,100 teachers and principals, helping them to share best practice across schools, and provide expert skills to help raise student achievement.

I am proud to be able to talk about the fantastic gains in achievement that all our young New Zealanders have made over the last few years. In particular, our Māori and Pasifika students. Final Year 12 NCEA Level 2 results for 2016 show achievement by Māori students has increased from 51.6 percent in 2008 to 74.9 percent, and achievement by Pasifika students increased from 50.5 percent to 79.5 percent, while the overall average has lifted from 65.5 percent to 78.4 percent.

Our innovative new schools and classrooms are seeing students, teachers and whanau equipped to thrive in 21st century learning environments. There is of course always more to be done.

We have asked a lot from the education sector and it is paying off.

It has been an absolute privilege to serve as the Minister of Education for the past five and a half years, to be able to move some of the big system levers – funding, legislation, professional learning and development, and data with our children at the heart.

Across the board, achievement in Year 11 NCEA Level 1 is 75.5 percent, up from 62.5 percent in 2008. Year 12 NCEA Level 2 achievement is 78.4 percent, up 12 percent since 2008. Year 13 NCEA Level 3 achievement is 64.5 percent, up from 53.4 percent in 2008, and achievement of the University Entrance Award is up 0.6 percent to 49.2 percent.

A system built around all of our kids achieving, all of our teachers and principals equipped with the right tools, and our schools and Kahui Ako thriving.

These statistics tell the story of real kids. Thousands more students are leaving education with the minimum qualifications for success in life. NCEA Level 2 opens doors into tertiary study as well as employment. It gives young people real options for life.

Together we have produced some immense successes and I am excited about what lies ahead for our education sector. As principals, you are in the driving seat to make sure learning happens for all of our young New Zealanders, and you have my full appreciation. Ngā mihi nui.

These results deserve celebrating and they have not happened by accident.

The results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Wellbeing Survey released in April, while distressing, probably shouldn’t be too surprising. They show that anxiety amongst our learners - particularly around assessment – is the worst in the OECD. Such findings corroborate what teachers and many parents and students already know: high stakes assessment for three consecutive years, combined with being enrolled in an average of twice the number of credits needed to attain each level of NCEA, is over-assessment and it is having a number of consequences. It is certainly easy to see how constant assessment might correlate with increased anxiety. While this may seem straightforward, the causes of increased anxiety were not investigated at all, leading many to blame teachers. Sadly, such a view may be a missed opportunity... some students reported their perceptions of teacher interest in their learning as negative, while student perceptions of teacher unfairness were just above the OECD average. Of course these initially sound concerning, but at the same time, overall student perceptions of teacher helpfulness are still well above the OECD average. Without wanting to appear defensive, it is worth noting that the implications of over-assessment are not just felt by the learners themselves – teachers are struggling too. Twice the number of assessments as necessary means twice the amount of administration, marking, moderation and feedback. This excessive workload is eating into the time when teachers should be focusing on teaching. It is affecting teachers’ well-being as well as children’s learning. Correspondingly, a dearth of centrally funded and accessible professional development for teachers around

behaviour management and an increased focus on assessment in learning programmes (perhaps leading to a subsequent reduction in learning time, formative assessment and feedback), may well play a part in such perceptions of teachers. The PPTA believes it is time the government examines whether or not the current policy settings and practices in our schools are effective and sustainable. We need to take stock of whether our current system is meeting the needs of students, the profession and the wider community, and if it’s not, fix it. Should students be enrolled in 120 credits per year for three years? Is only that which can be formally assessed important as a focus of learning in our schools? Are the impacts of a focus on assessment in our schools for teachers worth considering? PPTA’s Workload Report found NCEA to be the biggest contributor to excessive teacher workload, with administration and moderation seen as largely unproductive tasks. And what of the findings from the main PISA study in 2015, which shows New Zealand students’ performance slipping at the same time that NCEA performance (namely the number of students attaining the qualification) is improving? Whose decision should it be what the focus in our classrooms should be? What could the future of education look like? While the PISA survey is just one measure, it appears to corroborate other findings that current policy settings and targets are having negative effects on learners and teachers in New Zealand. It is our view that the PISA survey is a warning bell that must be heeded.

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www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 2, 2017 | 5

News | Principal Q&A

Seven questions

for Andy Kai Fong By Natalia Rietveld

Christchurch’s one and only ‘super school’ has just completed its first term. Haeata Community Campus, located in the eastern suburbs, was formed after the post-quake closure of three primary schools and one secondary school in the area.

It has been a controversial project and has seen its fair share of media spotlight. The new campus is unlike any school Christchurch has seen. The sheer scale of the campus is to be admired, but it’s the new learning style that’s turning heads.

3. How has your previous experience prepared you for this role? For me, when you’ve been in education for a while you hear a lot and read a lot of what it should be, and what it is and what it isn’t, and typically education is pretty slow to make change.

Teachers are known to students by their first names, students are encouraged to lead their own learning while still sticking to curriculum guidelines, and classrooms are taught in a collaborative manner where students’ passions are at the forefront.

This role was an opportunity to take all of the rhetoric and turn it into reality. It’s an opportunity to redesign and reimagine what learning looks like. That’s a pretty exciting opportunity as an educator and that’s what attracted me to this.

Haeata Community Campus principal, Andy Kai Fong, has been teaching for more than 26 years. He spoke to Principals Today about his teaching career and his role at Haeata.

My former experiences have all contributed to my preparation for Haeata. Lower decile schools were part of my training (Mangere College), middle leadership (Porirua College) and senior leadership experience (Hornby HS). Fiordland College was a Year 7-13 school and Hong Kong exposed me to the Year 1-13 area school model. So I feel there have been little parts of my experience over the last few years that have come together in this role.

1. Why did you get into teaching? It wasn’t what I wanted to do initially. I set off to university to pursue other things; during my science degree I picked up physical education and teaching was a natural progression from there, so I just went with it and here I am. 2. Before Haeata, what were you doing? I was in Christchurch as principal of Hornby High School prior to heading over to Hong Kong. I got a job in Hong Kong setting up a new international school. That was 2008 and I finished there at the end of 2015. The school in Hong Kong was a private international school which went from Year 1 to 13, but I only had the secondary end, which was Year 7 to 13. It was a completely different curriculum (International Baccalaureate). After eight years, it was time for a change and this role was appealing and so I applied.

The opportunity to open a new school in Hong Kong was amazing - a ‘once in a life-time opportunity’, so to have it twice, I feel very fortunate to have secured the role. It is a chance to put your money where your mouth is and see what can be created for our children.

There were all the tensions you may expect that are naturally going to exist so community engagement and trying to educate people and let them know what we are about - that’s really important. Are we there yet? No, that will be an ongoing process in terms of winning over a community. The size of the roll (920) is some endorsement in terms of what we were able to achieve last year. We have got a lot of work to do in terms of supporting families to understand the style of learning that we are trying to create which is a big change. When you make change, managing people and supporting people is going to be tricky. Some people are on board from the get-go and others do struggle to get their head around it, so we just need to keep plugging on. 5. What does Haeata offer that the original schools perhaps did not? I’m not here to comment on the other schools - that was a decision beyond our control and the Minister saw it fit to create another model. The model itself I think is brave. It’s an area school model in an urban setting. It’s bringing together four schools and four ever-so-slightly different communities, and trying to mould them into one.

4. How has the community taken to the transition? It has been a three or four-year process if you go back to the post-quake decision, to Hekia Parata’s decision, and to it finally happening.

There was fear from the community about mixing younger children with the older ones and what that would look like, and add on top of that a different style of learning - it’s a lot to take on.

With Haeata existing for the year when the other schools were in their final year, there’s been a lot of change for the community to deal with.

We are privileged here with having 920 children - the scale of the buildings and the facilities are second to none. Particularly when you look at

“ Be a good person be the best version of yourself.”

state-funded primary schools, they don’t typically have the specialist facilities that we have. The scale and the nature of the school allows us to offer, right through the year levels, specialised equipment and a lot of space. I think the 1-13 model fits in well with some of the extended family cultures that populate our area as well. 6. What are some of your highlights from the first term? The staff have done an amazing job of settling in and getting things up and running. We thought we would open with around 600 students predominantly from the closing schools - we have 920 children here that have come from 120 different schools. So the social demographic is much more diverse than we thought we would get and it’s created a different place than what we thought we would have. The relationships the staff have built with the children is amazing work and we have had some great feedback from parents 7. If you finished your career tomorrow and only taught your students one thing, what do you hope that one thing would be? To be a good person - be the best version of yourself.

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News | Student life

Homework – a help or a hindrance? By Lydia Truesdale

During the Progressive Era (1890-1920), reformers crusaded to abolish homework on the belief it was a “sin against childhood” (Gill and Schlossman, 1996). Today little has changed. On one side of the argument are still those who believe the nuances of life allow no time or mental capacity for effective study outside school hours. On the other are those who believe homework strengthens the understanding of what is taught in the classroom.

collaboration outweigh the potential negative consequences of tension between parent and child? Unlikely.

Acting head of early learning and achievement at the Ministry of Education, Karl Le Quesne, says homework can either support or undermine student progress and achievement “depending on how it is designed, and depending on how parents get involved.”

The impact of homework on academic achievement The issue is not isolated to New Zealand. A 10-year study conducted by Gerald K LeTendre, professor of education at Pennsylvania State University, suggested that a significant percentage of elementary (primary) school children around the world are struggling with large homework loads.

The impact of homework on family relationships “Homework is valuable to many parents because it gives them a good sense of what their child is learning. Talking with their children about the learning, rather than merely supervising, is particularly effective,” Le Quesne says. Here, parents and children are spending time together, learning together, and to an extent, achieving together. But do the positives of this

“Where homework becomes an area of conflict between a parent and a child, it ends up having a negative effect on learning,” Le Quesne says.

From approximately 2005 to 2015 LeTendre investigated international patterns in homework using databases like the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Students from all 59 countries that participated in TIMSS reported being assigned homework. LeTendre’s research found that the highest homework loads are associated with countries that have

“Where homework becomes an area of conflict between a parent and a child, it ends up having a negative effect on learning.” Acting head of early learning and achievement at the Ministry of Education, Karl Le Quesne

lower incomes and higher social inequality. So exactly how much homework are we talking? “Almost 10 percent of fourth graders worldwide (one in 10 children), reported spending multiple hours on homework each night. Globally, one in five fourth graders report 30 minutes or more of homework in math three to four times a week.” And yet “in East Asia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan – countries that had the top rankings on TIMSS average math achievement – reported rates of heavy homework were below the international mean. “In the Netherlands, nearly one out of five fourth graders reported doing no homework on an average school night, even though Dutch fourth graders put their country in the top 10 in terms of average math scores in 2007.” When contemplating the question ‘is homework related to high academic success?’ LeTendre concluded that, at a national level, “the answer is clearly no. Worldwide, homework is not associated with high national levels of academic achievement.” The impact of homework on students LeTendre’s research states that empirical studies have linked excessive homework to sleep disruption, indicating a negative relationship between the amount of homework, perceived stress and physical health. “What constitutes excessive amounts of homework varies by age, and may also be affected by cultural or family expectations. Young adolescents in middle school, or teenagers in high school, can study for longer

8 | Term 2, 2017 www.principalstoday.co.nz

duration than elementary school children,” he says. “But for elementary school students, even 30 minutes of homework a night, if combined with other sources of academic stress, can have a negative impact.” So he established that homework is more detrimental than otherwise to his target age group, younger (primary/ elementary) students. However, he also concluded that homework, in fact, is an important component of education for students in the middle and upper grades of schooling. While he admits to feeling that homework is currently an ‘easy option’ teachers use to meet arbitrary achievement goals, lack of planning time or little autonomy over curriculum, “if teachers are careful in… weighing the student’s age, family situation and need for skill development – then homework can be tailored in ways that improve the chance of maximum positive impact for any given student.” The danger here is that the onus is put onto teachers – the ones best capable of designing a personalised homework programme for their students – and yet the majority of teachers in New Zealand feel, and are, already working overtime with limited resources. We need to consider what effect this extra strain will have on their ability within the classroom. LeTendre’s is just one study, but there are an abundance more in agreeance. Even French President Francois Hollande proposed banning homework as part of a series of policies designed to reform the French educational system. Undoubtedly, giving a student homework when they lack the mental or physical commitment is only going to influence a negative attitude towards the subject and perhaps even education as a whole. Rather, encouraging younger students to collect ‘take home’ resources at their own will that will further their interest, understanding and/or simply allow them to better explore a topic at their own pace, is going to cultivate generations who are independent and proactive in their learning and, as a result, in their career choices; as opposed to expecting life to be designed for and delegated to them.

News | Cover story

AS GOOD AS GOLD

By Natalia Rietveld

Financial literacy is not a common trait – but it could be. Too often we see adults living pay cheque to pay cheque, drowning themselves in debt and making bad financial decisions. If our children are to survive in the real world, teaching them the ins and outs of finance is vital, because money does in fact make the world go around. According to an OECD study, financial habits and attitudes begin before children reach the age of seven, so the sooner you can start teaching sound financial habits the better. Banqer chief executive Kendall Flutey is making that possible in a way that is getting children excited about money.

“It’s crucial that we teach our children to be financially literate. On a personal level it ensures that as they grow up they won’t be misled or deceived, or form poor financial behaviours like failing to plan for retirement or over-extending themselves when borrowing. “But beyond that base level protection, if we can get an entire generation of children to be financially literate, we’re going to see thriving communities, informed decision making, improved market efficiency and reduced regulatory intervention.” The idea came about in 2014 when Kendall had returned home for a visit and got talking to her then-11-year-old brother. “I was at my family home in Christchurch for the weekend and my little brother was completely blowing me away.” Kendall was dumb-founded by all the “complicated personal finance” questions he was throwing her way. Dumb-founded and impressed, she decided to delve in further and she discovered it was his teacher who was using a ‘funny money’ scheme in the classroom that was having a huge impact on the way her brother saw money. Wasting no time, Kendall met with his teacher Micah Hocquard the following day. “It was clear that Micah was spending a lot of time on his manual system. I thought I could automate it for them and save him some time. “On top of that it would be a more realistic experience of how we deal with money, a mostly cashless experience.” Banqer is now being used by more than 30,000 pupils and Kendall is hearing great feedback from teachers. According to those using Banqer in their classroom students are talking more freely about money and are even going as far as to open up their own bank accounts and KiwiSaver schemes. “Talking about money is really the first step in becoming financially capable, so it’s great to hear this,” Kendall says.

Banqer allows children to gain confidence when dealing with money. It’s a simulated online banking system which provides a hands-on environment for children to explore the world of finance and fits in with what is already going on in your classroom. No need to squeeze in an extra subject on an already tight time frame. Teachers can ‘pay’ students for positive behaviours and for completing classroom tasks. You can explore budgeting with your students as they learn valuable life skills by managing the rental of their desks and paying for class privileges. Pupils from as young as six years old can explore topics ranging from savings and interest to tax, real estate, and insurance. It’s fun, easy, and grows with your class. From the initial launch it was clear to Kendall that Banqer would be a global product. “Financial illiteracy is a borderless issue and we have the potential of a borderless product.” After the success Banqer has seen in New Zealand, Kendall has made the move to Sydney, Australia, and is getting started on the leg-work necessary to build up a support network. If Australia goes as planned, Kendall will continue to prepare as many children as possible for the financial world that awaits. “Entrance into the Australian market is the big goal for this year. We have a roadmap extending past this but it all hinges on Australia going as planned.” Being a social enterprise Banqer is hugely driven by its mission to ensure that all children are prepared for the financial world ahead. “It’s just as important for us to report a social impact as it is a profit,” Kendall says. Because of Banqer the social impact is spreading, children are not only becoming better prepared for life ahead, but are enjoying the process. If the momentum keeps up - bad financial decisions will be a thing of the past. To get Banqer in your classroom got to: www.banqer.co.nz. www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 2, 2017 | 9

All about flexible learning At Woods, we believe that education is of the utmost importance – not just for the children of today but for our world tomorrow. This belief has driven our team, for over half a century, to study how children learn – from a behavioural, ergonomic and cognitive perspective – and to develop furniture that is flexible, adaptable and stimulating. Our product range positively enhances the educational environment, ensuring our children are reaching their full learning potential. Though it may not be known by many, Woods has been supplying products to the New Zealand market through a sales agency since 1996. And while we have had much success with our ever-popular PantoFlex chair, Hokki stool and DuraPos chair, we felt it was time to make our entire product range available to New Zealand customers. Therefore, we’re extremely excited to introduce our full range of products which inspire education and allow students to perform better in a flexible and stimulating setting. There is an added benefit here – value for money; by buying direct from the manufacturer, on-selling costs are a thing of the past. At Woods, not only are we committed to providing inspired and flexible learning environments, we are also passionate about providing a better world for future generations. At our factory we have adopted processes of utilising solar power, harvesting rainwater, waste minimisation, resource conservation, recycling and sustainable manufacturing decisions and processes.

WE’RE FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING.

It is this consideration that sets us apart and this is the contribution we are making to the world of tomorrow. Additionally, we proudly manufacture our products to the highest quality standards, of AS/NZS 4610, ensuring our products meet the demands of classrooms today and well into the future. We back this promise with a 10 year warranty on the entire Woods range.

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We create furniture that inspires and enables students to reach their full learning potential, and contributes to a better future for them and our planet.

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Catering to students at all levels far and wide Woods supplies furniture to preschools, kindergartens, primary schools, high schools and tertiary institutions throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. Setting the standard Woods Student Chairs conform to the highest standards: AS/NZS 4610.2, AS/NZS 4610.3, ISO 5970 and EN 1729.

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We believe that furniture can improve the learning environment.

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Flexible learning solutions Project and team work, social learning and collaborative behaviour need the high flexibility that Woods’ designs offer. With a large range of products tested and approved by AFRDI, Woods can confidently guarantee their furniture for 10 years. Flexible Flexible furniture such as desks and Storage Porters™ on castors allow for the interior space of the room to be changed around to suit various activities. Adaptable Adaptable furniture such as Iris Tables™, Byte Tables and Triquetra Pods™ can be used for collaborative learning styles and also as individual desks. Stimulating Stimulating learning environments are made easy with Woods’ colours and imaginative shapes that have been designed by experts to improve the pedagogy. Woods’ colours, product designs and expertise in creating successful learning environments bring education to life.

Environmentally friendly Woods is committed to a more sustainable world for future generations. Now, perhaps more than ever before in human history, we need to be acutely aware of our ‘footprint’ on the earth. So we are playing our part in reducing the impact of the industry on the environment and all the company’s products are developed with this key criteria in mind.

Product range Seating solutions The Woods Educational Furniture range offers seating for your school including seating for classrooms, science, art, music, computer seminars and conferences.

Security lockers The Woods Educational Furniture Security Locker range and storage solutions are available in numerous configurations, to suit any school environment from corridors to sporting facilities. Student desks Woods Educational Furniture manufactures a range of tables and desks including classroom tables, computer desks, workstations, staff desks, meeting tables, multi-purpose benches and adjustable tub desks. To find out more about our innovative range of educational furniture contact: Aron Fuller on 0275 344 282 or email aron@woodsfurniturenz.co.nz

News | Life in the classroom

Lost in translation Inter-generational communication: How to converse with the next generation By Lydia Truesdale

Each generation has its own unique set of communication preferences. These preferences are sculpted by values and attitudes of the past and present, cultural upbringings and behaviours, and other things. While this set of preferences provides, intra-generationally, a comfortable and fluid stream of internal and external communication, inter-generationally these nuances can be complex, making communication often misunderstood, misinterpreted, and effectively not serving its purpose. The majority of students going through school at the moment belong to Generation Z, also known as the Post-Millennials or the iGeneration. The remaining few are the Millennial tail-enders. A significant aspect of each of these generations is their digital fluency and widespread usage of the internet from a young age – having information and interconnectivity at their fingertips. Millennials Author, speaker and overall human resources expert, Susan M Heathfield writes that “positive and confident, Millennials are ready to take on the world. “Millennials seek a challenge and do not want to experience boredom. Used to balancing many activities such as teams, friends, and philanthropic activities, Millennials want flexibility in scheduling and a life away from work [school]. Millennials need to see where

their career is going and they want to know exactly what they need to do to get there.” Her tips for communicating with Millennials are: • Provide structure • Provide leadership and guidance • Encourage Millennial’s selfassuredness, “can-do” attitude, and positive personal self-image • Take advantage of Millennial’s comfort level with teams; encourage them to join • Millennial employees are multitaskers on a scale you’ve never seen before • Capitalise on Millennial’s affinity for networking • Provide a fun, student-centred school environment. Generation Z “Growing up in a time of uncertainty (the post-9/11 world, the Great Recession) and changing norms (increased racial diversity, shifting gender roles), Gen Z is mature, selfdirected, and resourceful,” writes website IID. “They know how to self-educate and find information. As we learned in our own recent research on teens, 52

percent use Youtube or social media for typical research assignments. “Social listening reveals that Gen Z are determined to ‘make a difference’ and ‘make an impact’. Social entrepreneurship is one of the most popular career choices. This backs up our own teen research showing that Gen Z tend to be nicer than we had expected. “They’ve learned traditional choices do not guarantee success as a result of witnessing the struggles of Millennials, and have resolved to make different choices.” IID’s tips for communicating with Generation Z are: Communicate across multiple platforms: The more screens the better. Responsive design is paramount. Let the Gen Z choose how they receive your content. Give them control and preference settings. Connect through images: Whether it be emojis, symbols, pictures, or videos, Gen Z wants your message to be visually digestible. They are over reading blocks of text. The text should be completely on point with no frills or unnecessary details.

Communicate through snackable content: Once again, be precise. Know what you are trying to say and have a succinct theme and delivery. But be careful about thinking ‘simple equals dumb’. See them as diverse: The same divisions that existed just one generation prior no longer apply. Gen Z is a vocal amalgamation of everything, a proud melting pot of all the things. Don’t talk down, treat them as adults: Assume they have opinions and are vocal, even influencing family decisions. Feed Gen Z’s curiosity: Tap into the entrepreneurial spirit. Make stuff and help Gen Z make stuff. Collaborate with them and help them collaborate with others. Educate and build expertise, they want to be experts. Help them to achieve it. An interesting and useful theory for anyone looking to better understand and communicate with emerging generations is the StraussHowe generational theory, which surmises that four generational archetypes repeat throughout Anglo-American history.

Scrapping subjects By Natalia Rietveld

The education system in New Zealand is going through a period of major change. We are stepping away from the ‘sit down and listen to what I have to say’ method of teaching, to a more collaborative way of teaching, in an attempt to cater for different learning styles and abilities.

Finland’s approach hopes to rid that question all together. They’re calling it ‘phenomenon-based learning’ (PBL). Rather than studying your typical subjects such as mathematics, science or English, students will study phenomena or real-world topics such as the European Union or climate change. They learn these topics in their entirety, which in turn will touch on the traditional subjects, but instead of the student wondering ‘why am I learning this’?, it relates directly to the real-world topic of interest.

present about this world. By using this power, educators have created projects where, with the guidanceand support of the teacher, even children in early childhood education can learn through phenomenon-based learning.” Ultimately that’s what education should be about, learning about realworld scenarios so when children are ready to step out of school, they are prepared for the situations they will come across in their day to day lives.

Finland has made the decision to scrap traditional school subjects -and it’s not as crazy as you would first assume.

Finland’s Skylar Education expert, Anni Silvola says that PBL is developed in children as young as five.

But just as no two people are the same neither are two schools. From the age of seven to the age of 16 basic schools in Finland must have at least one extended period of multi-disciplinary, PBL in their curricula. How long they choose to focus on it, is entirely up to the individual school.

How often as an adult have you looked back on specific subjects you were taught in school and said to yourself ‘why did I learn that, I’ve never needed it’.

“Children at the age of five to six years are already really curious about different kinds of phenomena, for example in nature, and they have so many interesting questions to

Anni says, for the rest of the Western world the most important thing to know, is what do students need to learn to survive in our own society now and in the future?

And it seems as though ours is not the only education system getting a shake-up.

12 | Term 2, 2017 www.principalstoday.co.nz

“After that, we have to figure out, how do we help students to learn those things? “Phenomenon-based learning is inspiring and working (in Finland), and when teachers know how to implement it in the classroom, it will definitely become popular. “But as an approach I would say that different learning-centered methods, where students acquire good learning skills, collaboration skills and motivation to learn more, will be the way forward for Western countries.” PBL is ultimately derived from the realisation that the traditional way of teaching is no longer working in today’s society. There will never be a one-size-fits-all solution to education, but developing strategies that take a holistic approach to teaching is a step in the right direction and hopefully in time these changes will spark some positive developments among students.

Resources | Gifted education

Preparing for winter | Safe surfaces

Supporting gifted kids Safe surfaces and entrances The New Zealand Centre for Gifted Education (NZCGE) is a charitable organisation operating nationwide specifically for gifted children in the education sector. We are the largest provider of direct-tochild gifted education services in New Zealand. Ten percent of New Zealand schools have one or more children participating in one of our programmes and we want to share our resource and expertise with your community. We offer pathways of support for children from pre-school through to early secondary via face-to-face and online forums. Additionally, our consultancy supports the adults in the lives of these children, both educators and whanau. At NZCGE we believe giftedness is about who you are and not about what you do. It’s about how you’re wired. It’s about high ability waiting to align with opportunity and chance. We try to take away the chance factor. Gifted kids are generally extremely curious, passionate about their areas of interest and strength. They learn fast, they need greater depth and complexity, and they make connections conceptually - so we teach them differently to meet their needs. These children need programmes where differentiation and acceleration are core components, and where there are regular opportunities to be challenged, to think alternatively and

Small Poppies

to pursue learning according to their own passions and strengths. The Centre is dedicated to delivering evidence-guided, quality programmes directly to our gifted learners. Our staff are dedicated professionals with specialist qualifications and experience in gifted education. We have developed our own services and our own evidence-based curriculum. We continually review, evaluate, refresh, update and evolve just like the children we exist for. We complement and supplement the NZ Curriculum for some of your gifted and talented students. We know that the educational pathway for our children is better when we work together, when our students return to their home schools and are able to transfer the learning they undertake with us. We can help your gifted students, your teachers and your school through developing programmes with you, or offering you access to the programmes we already deliver. To find out more information please contact us on admin@nzcge.co.nz, 0800 769 243, or www.nzcge.co.nz

MindPlus

Gifted Online

Doorway threshold ramps Custom made threshold ramps provide equal access to any doorway, ranch slider, walkway, ramp or deck. The ramps create anti-trip entry for the visually or physically impaired. With threshold height and doorway width measurements, Burgess Matting can provide the recommended complaint slope/length and an obligation free quote for ramps of all shapes and sizes. They are perfect for providing easy access in both home and commercial settings. Decking, stairs and ramp matting This matting provides excellent traction for foot traffic and wheelchairs on wet, slippery access points and inclines. The matting is made to your design requirements and is 10-15mm thick. Features: • Very durable, non slip and is easy clean • Great for outdoor use as water drains freely away • Impact absorbent, reduces noise and vibration • Available with bevelled edges and is polymerically bonded to provide a hard-wearing all weather surface. Impact tiles Rubber tiles provide good acoustics, insulation, anti-fatigue, nonslip and

impact resistance while being easy to install and maintain. Suitable for internal, external, horizontal and vertical applications the tile provides durability, warmth and comfort. Rebond duraseal Long lasting coating applied to timber decking and stairs to provide an antislip, all-weather surface with reduced impact noise. Can be applied to aged timber to improve the life span and is available in a range of colours. Playground matting Modular long run Playground Matting Rolls are laid out in the play area to form a large, safe, non-slip surface and are available in a range of colours. Burgess Matting T 0800 80 85 70 E admin@burgessmatting.co.nz www.burgessmatting.co.nz

PROVIDING RECYCLED RUBBER SAFETY SOLUTIONS CUSTOM MADE TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONS PLAYGROUNDS, SPORTS AND RECREATION FLOORING, RAMPS AND ENTRANCES HEALTH AND SAFETY, ANTI-FATIGUE

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Preparing for winter | Energy efficiency

Getting ready for Winter As the cold stats to bite, so do heating bills. Hence energy efficiency needs to be designed into both new buildings and existing buildings and systems at schools. The most cost-effective time to improve energy performance is at the design stage of a new building. Consider energy efficiency in any building project, including an upgrade. Look at the entire life cycle of products and building systems. You can then make decisions on which heating and cooling systems to use in terms of their whole-of-life cost. Whole-of-life considers the costs and benefits of getting the best performance, reliability and safety over the life of an asset. The best value for money might be in a high-performance building ‘envelope’. In this way, energy efficiency is incorporated in every aspect of the building design. The aim is to reduce the need for heating and cooling as much as possible.

GreenStar-rated schools A number of New Zealand schools now have GreenStar ratings for sustainability. For more information about the programme and a list of accredited professionals, go to the New Zealand Green Building Council website: www.nzgbc.org.nz. Upgrading or converting coal heating systems Many schools with boilers and central heating use coal. Generally, it’s a relatively cheap energy source. However, because of tougher local emissions standards and concerns about pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, many schools are considering replacing or decommissioning coal boilers. Switching to renewable wood energy may be a cost-effective alternative to coal. Most coal boilers can be converted to burn wood fuel. It tends to be a cost-effective option for heating the whole school. Although its costs vary by region, wood fuel has lower ongoing energy costs than natural gas or electricity. Installing energy / building management systems Energy or building management systems are information technology

14 | Term 2, 2017 www.principalstoday.co.nz

The difference between an energy efficient and energy inefficient house

“A number of systems suitable for schools are available. Their upfront costs are quite high, but they can cut energy costs significantly.”

(IT) systems and software that can completely automate the energy use of a building. They:

school. For example, one important thing is raising awareness, in particular, encouraging people to ‘switch off’.

• Switch power to different appliances and areas of a building on and off as needed

In most schools, heating takes up around half of all energy use. Some tips for increasing efficiency include:

• Work with heating, lighting, IT and other energy uses.

• Ensuring windows and doors close snugly • Making the most of passive heating by ensuring north-facing windows are clean • Ensuring you have good insulation and ventilation • Having a plan to insulate all rooms and double-glaze when you upgrade • Using blinds to screen out sun in rooms that can overheat.

A number of systems suitable for schools are available. Their upfront costs are quite high, but they can cut energy costs significantly. An energy manager or auditor can advise you on how long it would take to recoup capital costs through energy savings. Simple steps to energy efficiency There are many small, low-cost things you can do to make efficiencies at your

Information supplied courtesy of: www.education.govt.nz.

REFRESH YOUR PASSION With a TeachNZ Study Award, Study Support Grant or Sabbatical, you can take time out to enrich your career, and open up whole new avenues to explore. Principal Jim Dale strengthened the connection between Sacred Heart College in Auckland and the roots of their faith, travelling to France to explore the history of Marist founder St. Marcellin Champagnat and establish a student and staff pilgrimage. “The opportunity to gain added perspective for my current role as Principal of SHC was immeasurable,” Jim says. Undertake research, complete a qualification or add to your area of expertise. For the full range of 2018 Study Awards, visit TeachNZ.govt.nz/studyawards

FUNDRAISING - A NEW INITIATIVE

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Working Space | Performing arts

Learning Space | Technology

Stages and seating designed for high performance

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Stronglite Staging’s range of performance stages and staging equipment are made in New Zealand to the highest standards. The list of what’s on offer is impressive and includes: • Stage platforms • Choir, chorus, orchestra and audience seating risers • Portable grandstands • Ramps and bridges • Steps • Lecterns • Ballet barres • Trolleys • Drapes and frames • Group photographic stands • Wenger products USA. Stronglite Staging® supply safe, durable, versatile, simple and easy to use equipment to support your performance or presentation. All products are compliant with the latest health and safety standards and codes. Take your pick: a stage extension, catwalk, seating by the pool or field, dance, choir, orchestra practise or theatrical shows, kapa haka and more. Invest in quality by Stronglite Staging®. KEY FEATURES Strength: Stronglite Stage and Seating products are designed and

manufactured to be strong and durable and are tested to make sure they meet our high standards of performance under live and static load conditions. Lightness: Innovative design and use of material creates equipment that is light and easy to handle, saving time and possible injury. Safety: Engineer’s design certification, documented test results, qualified tradespeople, monitoring of product in the workplace, established safe working loads, and our products conform to or exceed industry regulations and guidelines. Simplicity: Superior design ensures our products are quick, simple and easy to transport and assemble, saving you time and effort. Versatility: Particular attention has been paid to designing stage/seating systems that are multi-use wherever possible, including indoor and outdoor use. Portability: We design for easy handling, transporting and storage, eg. choir risers fold up and wheel away, equipment quickly disassembles for easy transport and storage. Achieve your best with the Stronglite Staging® range of top quality products. Stronglite Staging® Limited Sales 0800 78 78 99 Hires 0800 12 12 33 www.stronglite.co.nz

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HOW TAKING PAYMENTS ONLINE ‘MORE THAN PAYS FOR ITSELF’ Ellerslie School finance manager, Dawn Findlay

Ellerslie School began using online school payments portal, Kindo in January 2016. The decision to take payments online was influenced by the fact that Kindo fully integrated with eTAP and allowed parents and caregivers to handle all their financial transactions with the school through a single login. After almost 12 months of hands-on experience, we checked in with Dawn Findlay, Ellerslie School’s finance manager, to find out how it’s gone. “We’re seeing a huge saving of time and manpower in the office,” Dawn says. “Integration with eTAP is fantastic and has boosted our donations payments way beyond the level we usually expect.” The school saw a 20 percent increase in the number of school donations paid last year, with 50 percent of payments made online. Dawn attributes this increase to the fact that Kindo is “just an easier way to pay”. “We were really surprised at the uptake and the number of donations we received through Kindo especially when you consider the fact that we didn’t tell the parent community about the online system until the start of the year.” Currently around 60 percent of school families are signed up and using Kindo, with 80 percent of new families adopting the system as soon as they join the school. And it’s not just the office staff who benefit, the system has been helpful for teachers too. “They’re no longer caretakers of money and trip permission slips,” comments Dawn. “When that’s taken care of online, they can focus their attention on teaching.” Fundraising was very successful at Ellerslie School in 2016. Kindo’s ease of use has led the admin team and PTA to run more fundraisers than usual, generating an extra $10,000 for the school. “We’ve run a couple of movie fundraisers that had Kindo as the

only payment option. I was a little concerned before we ran them but they both sold out – and they created so much less work than a conventionally run fundraiser.” Dawn says most parents love Kindo and have no complaints at all about the usability of the system. “It’s been particularly good for things like uniform sales. “Our uniform shop is only open one hour a week, so parents love the fact that they can buy online and get orders sent home with their child. Parents also like to have the flexibility to order uniforms over the holidays and just run in to pick it up on a certain day, just before school goes back for term one.” When asked about Kindo charges, Dawn seems relaxed. “We are creating so much more revenue for the school that the charges become completely insignificant. I know that some schools may be concerned about charges, but we are going through a period of growth and would have had to employ more staff in the office this year without Kindo – it more than pays for itself.” Ellerslie School currently handles trips, uniforms, sausage sizzles, sushi, ezlunch, Pita Pit, mufti days and a school-wide pizza lunch each term, as well as school fees and donations. Dawn sees great gains from the integration with eTAP. “Integration with eTAP has saved us so much time, I’ve reduced the amount of time I spend each week on banking by 75 percent and the financial information is easy to access, handle and share.” Twelve months on, Ellerslie School has increased its locally raised revenue by 12 percent. Student numbers have increased over the same period from 675 to 725 without the need to employ additional administration resource. In fact, a teacher aide who used to help in the office during busy periods is now back in the classroom full-time, thanks to moving school payments online. “More than anything though, our savings have been in time rather than resources,” states Dawn. “I’m a complete convert.”

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Working Space | Healthy canteens

Ordering in

Choosing an external school food provider Ordering school lunches is fast becoming the new normal for many Kiwi families. A growing number of kids eat food that’s freshly made by school canteens or external food suppliers. As a result, many schools are now using a lunch order programme where meals are provided by local food suppliers, such as bakeries and cafés. If your school is thinking about going down that route, here are some ideas to help you find a great provider. Have a clear idea of what your school is looking for: • Does your school have a food and drink policy? • How many students are you expecting to cater for? • What are your students’ budgets and spending patterns? • What are the ethnicities of your students? • Do you have an online ordering system? If not, would you like to introduce one? Where to find potential suppliers: • The Heart Foundation’s Fuelled4life ‘Fresh Made’ offers individualised nutritional advice to food suppliers and school canteens that provide freshly-made lunch services. Its website has a list of registered companies who supply healthier food choices • Personal recommendations are an ideal starting point for sourcing any new suppliers • Food outlets in your local area – your local café or bakery may be able to deliver into your school • Trade shows and magazines • Your local Heart Foundation nutrition advisor. Contact fuelled4life@heartfoundation.org.nz.

How to choose the right supplier: • Visit the supplier to find out more about their processes and how they source, make, pack and deliver their products • Ask for testimonials and feedback from existing customers

Foundation can assist on menu and recipe assessment and provide advice on this • Healthier foods are competitively priced against the less healthy foods

• What are your supplier’s policies for food safety management?

• No occasional foods should be provided, such as confectionary, deep-fried foods and sugarsweetened beverages

• Are the fresh food items prepared daily?

• The menu is able to accommodate different ethnicities.

• Do they require a minimum order quantity?

How to create a service agreement with your supplier: • When you find a supplier you like, it’s important to create a service agreement. For example, make sure your food and drink policy is included, delivery times and frequency, level of order fulfilment or your policy on product substitution

Checklist for a healthy menu: • Most food choices are made from fresh wholesome ingredients and come from the four food groups: vegetables and fruit, milk and milk products, breads and cereals, and lean meat, fish, poultry, seafood, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds • Most of the foods supplied, whether packaged or fresh, should meet Food and Beverage Classification System Guidelines – the Heart

• With these agreements in place, your new supplier will know exactly what’s expected. Once you have settled on the suppliers you’d like to work with, negotiate terms and conditions and draw up contracts. How can Fuelled4life help you? Check out our online Fuelled4life resources for many more tips on how to choose an external food provider. Fuelled4life is based on the Ministry of Health’s Food and Beverage Classification System (FBCS). It’s a free, practical tool which helps schools provide healthier foods. It aims to increase access for young people to healthier food and beverages, and to inspire food services to provide tasty, nutritious products. Foods, beverages and recipes are categorised according to the FBCS Nutrient Criteria into either; everyday or sometimes.

18 | Term 2, 2017 www.principalstoday.co.nz

• ‘Everyday’ foods and drinks are lower in energy, fat and salt so they’re appropriate for everyday consumption • ‘Sometimes’ foods and drinks are still good choices but are a bit higher in energy, saturated fat sugar and salt, so should be eaten in moderation • Sometimes foods and drinks should not dominate the choices available. Sign up to Fuelled4life One in three Kiwi kids is overweight or obese, but you can help change that. If you are a teacher, principal, canteen manager, caterer or cook and would like to see your school offering healthier food and beverages, here’s what to do: • Sign up to Fuelled4life for loads of free resources to help you choose healthier options • You’ll also get free access to the Fuelled4life website and newsletter with tips, recipes and information on ways to improve nutrition in your school. For more information or one-to-one nutrition support, please contact the Fuelled4life team on (09) 526 8550, email fuelled4life@heartfoundation. org.nz, or go to www.fuelled4life.org.nz.

AFFORDABLE HEALTHY FOOD IN YOUR SCHOOL. HEREâ€™S HOW. Fuelled4life is a practical tool that can be used to identify and offer healthier food choices to children. Sign up today at www.fuelled4life.org.nz to receive our many free resources.

THINKING ABOUT AN APP FOR YOUR SCHOOL? Not all school apps are created equal. WE believe we have the best functionality, and easiest to use app available in NZ.

MySchool Apps

How does MySchoolApps work? As soon as your school registers with MySchoolApps we will configure your school mobile app. This is a fast process, enabling your school to quickly start creating content categories and uploading notifications and/or documents.

WHAT DOES MYSCHOOLAPPS OFFER?

WHAT IS MySchoolApps? MySchoolApps is an easy to use app which immediately provides parents and caregivers with everything they need to know about what is happening at the school. MySchoolApps is a convenient, reliable way to receive school notifications. Gone are the days of notices getting lost in children’s schoolbags!

MySchoolApps’ flexibility means it can offer: • Unlimited free instant Push message notifications (Push anything instantly) • Unlimited Push message categories for parents to subscribe to: Alerts - Events - News - Newsletters - Timetables • Information pages (create unlimited content pages easily and quickly) • Permission notes • Parent eForms for Sick Note/Absent and Change of Details

With MySchooApps school notices, newsletters, any alerts, or other important information will be communicated directly and immediately to the parents or caregiver’s smartphone.

• Links to website pages

MySchoolApps communicates directly with iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows Phone devices.

• Create your own unlimited custom eForms with payment and signatures if required

SCHOOL SIGN UP Schools can sign up for a 30 day trial of MySchoolApps at our website www.myschoolapps.co.nz If you choose to trial MySchoolApps, you will receive the full functioning iPhone, iPad, and Windows Phone version to trial in your school for 30 days. If you choose to subscribe to MySchoolApps after the trial, we will then build the full functioning Android version. If you choose not to go ahead, we will simply remove the iPhone app from the Apple App Store.

• Embedded PDF documents • Embedded videos/maps and GPS directions

• Unlimited content categories (created easily and quickly) • RSS Feed and Google Calendar integration • Social media integration with Twitter and Facebook • Social media sharing (option for parents/students to share app content on their own Facebook/Twitter feeds ) • Website integration (post content once and publish everywhere) Includes free MySchoolApps website which syncs seamlessly with the app • Reply by SMS and email (great for parent/student feedback) • Unlimited photo galleries (create a photo gallery on any content entry) • Password protected content.

MySchoolApps is easy to update PRICING Ask if your school qualifies for a free app. We do this by placing tasteful advertising on some of the pages. Or set up is $1250+gst + $2 per student per year. We will also make a free website for your school that seamlessly integrates the app. However if you’re happy with your existing site we can integrate with that too.

Teachers and staff can update the status of any event with the easy to use admin tools from their computer or their smartphone.

www.myschoolapps.co.nz

We will also make a FREE website for your school that seamlessly integrates the app. However if you’re happy with your existing site we can integrate with that too. For any queries, phone Julianne Eady on (03) 961 5050 email: julianne@academy.net.nz

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Academy Group

Published on May 4, 2017

Principals Today #114

Issue 114 of Principals Today magazine

Principals Today #114

Published on May 4, 2017

Issue 114 of Principals Today magazine

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