School News, NZ - Term 1, 2020

SchoolNews The essential industry guide

Issue 48 | Term 1, 2020 | NZD $12 incl GST | schoolnews.co.nz

STEAM ahead

with new futurefocussed pathways

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School News is distributed to primary, secondary and intermediate schools throughout New Zealand by Multimedia Publishing Limited.

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Inside our term one issue Front Desk Editor's Note: Can we fix the digital divide?.................. 05

News In Brief 06 Education

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Special Report: What schools should do about teen vaping............................................................................................ 09 Principal Speaks: Partnering with parents transformed our school.................................................................................... 12 Help students choose the right pathway....................... 14

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STAFF WRITERS Mandy Clarke & Kate Jackson DESIGN & PRODUCTION Richard McGill, production@schoolnews.co.nz ADVERTISING Dee Dawson, advertising@schoolnews.co.nz

Be you the world will adjust................................................. 22 Incorporating sustainability in education...................... 24

Profiles Omakere School Journey: Environmental Manaakitanga............................................................................ 26

Administration Case study: Stanley Bay classroom design energises learners......................................................................................... 28 You’ll never say ‘face the front’ again................................ 29

Technology How can you video assist your class?.............................. 34

Teaching Resources STEAM ahead with new future-focussed pathways... 36 Book Reviews............................................................................. 44

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School News Classroom Resources Directory............ 44

Teacher's Desk Upcoming Industry Events Calendar............................... 45

What's Hot

46

E.O.T.C. Exploring Christchurch.......................................................... 48

PO Box 5104, Papanui, Christchurch, 8542, NZ Phone: (03) 365 5575 Fax: (03) 365 1655 mail@schoolnews.co.nz www.schoolnews.co.nz ISSN: 2624-2389 (Print) ISSN: 2624-2397 (Digital)

EDITOR Rosie Clarke, editor@schoolnews.co.nz

Neurodiverse learners need better equipped teachers....................................................................................... 18

Health & Safety Your school could save a life................................................ 50

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Sports & Recreation Don’t force sports day participation!................................ 53

Property Hidden allergens, colour psychology and zoning floor trends.......................................................... 56 What is your playground strategy?.................................... 62

CONTRIBUTORS Lucy Naylor, Carla McNeil and Adam Stride.

Playgrounds are leading cause of injury in schools..................................................................................... 66

KEY

Case Study: Proof is in the pudding for New Zealand Solar Schools.......................................... 67

Commercially funded supplier profile or supplier case study Supplier information or content Suppliers share their views in one-off, topical pieces General editorial. Case studies and features may cite or quote suppliers, please be aware that we have a strict ‘no commercial content’ guideline for all magazine editorial, so this is not part of any commercially funded advertorial but may be included as relevant opinion. Happy reading!

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68 FRONT DESK

Case study: Kaitaia College is a catalyst for change................................................................................... 67 Why schools should embrace solar.................................. 68 Case study: Riverview School installs 51 solar panels........................................................................... 71 Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

kia ora and welcome!

The most clicked headline on our School News newsletter this month read, ‘Teachers less likely to take phones away from white, privileged children’.

It sparked a conversation about how the new digital technologies curriculum might impact less privileged schools.

Rosie Clarke,

Editor, SchoolNews editor@schoolnews.co.nz

The article in question was penned

by US and French researchers, Emeline Brulé and Matt Rafalow, who found that predominantly white private schools viewed social media and video games as potentially useful to education while mostly working and middle class, multi-racial schools perceived it as irrelevant and at times even hostile to learning.

the Education Review Office confirmed that just 35 percent of schools even knew they were obligated to start teaching it in January 2020. Are we prepared?

New emphasis on a digital future makes sense as our socio-political spheres are now shaped by digital technology but not all schools have cutting edge digital tools.

The government set aside $40 million to invest in resources and training for a new digital technologies curriculum, which began rolling out this Term.

However, in August last year

A digital divide has plagued low decile schools for years, with many relying on charitable trusts to help families afford computers for their children. Mid-decile schools may struggle even more to supply

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

digital tools to learners as they are less likely to qualify for charitable donations. Meanwhile, students in higher decile schools are more likely to have access to higher powered computers either owned by the schools themselves or bought for them by their parents.

Internet packages can also be a struggle for low income families, particularly those that require direct debit payments. Tablets are often cheaper than laptops, but they are no longer considered suitable for most Secondary School requirements. To be at the forefront of education, schools need to be at the forefront of technology and that is difficult to do without an extensive budget.

It must be said that the new digital technologies curriculum content isn’t as reliant on devices as many educators initially believed. It is largely theory-based and gives teachers agency to interpret and apply it in innovative ways to real-world contexts. In fact, creative applications that don’t involve tablets or laptops feature heavily in the example learning

FRONT DESK

strategies provided by the Ministry. I.e. combining robotics and debate by organising teams to argue about whether ‘robotics will be the downfall of mankind’.

Still, it’s no secret that students who can access laser-cutters and 3D printers at their school, use smartphones and laptops in the classroom and access high-speed internet at home will benefit. The government has announced a new equity-based overhaul of school funding that will replace our current decile system. The goal is to provide more funding to schools with more disadvantaged students, rather than set funding amounts for decile numbers that don’t always reflect community needs. It sounds promising, although critics have warned the changeover could mean some low-decile schools lose funding.

As digital technology is increasingly vital to education, students without access to digital tools are increasingly disadvantaged.

Noho ora mai

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EDITOR'S NOTE

Can we fix the digital divide?

© anjokan – stock.adobe.com

Teacher-led research set to improve learner outcomes with $1.7 million

New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) funds six new projects as part of its Teaching and Learning Research Initiative.

Each pose significant curriculum impact, exploring topics likes mana as a wellbeing contributor, the new Digital Technologies curriculum, Māori engagement through pedagogy, the relationship between language and statistical learning, and mathematical learning experiences of Pāsifika learners outside school.

The Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) is funded by the New Zealand government and administered by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research | Rangahau Mātauranga o Aotearoa.

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Mana Ūkaipō: Enhancing Māori engagement through pedagogies of connection and belonging. Investigators: Dr Camilla Highfield and Dr Melinda Webber This project focuses on the extent to which interventions within a Kāhui Ako can make a positive difference for Māori students’ attitudes, motivation, and engagement in learning.

The project will involve teachers as practitioner researchers, working alongside academic researchers, to identify the specific interventions and teacher and leadership practices that Māori students and their whānau identify will support them to be successful on their own terms.

Particular attention will be paid to iwi-initiated projects and localised curriculum.

Funding: $135,440 over one year

Using home languages as a resource to enhance statistical thinking in a multicultural classroom.

Investigator: Dr Sashi Sharma The language of statistics can be challenging. All the more so in English medium classrooms for English Second Language learners, who must simultaneously learn English and statistical English, and be able to negotiate between the two. This collaborative project will research the use of home languages as a resource for multilingual students in learning statistical probability in two multicultural Year 9 classes. A teaching sequence for probability thinking that incorporates culturally responsive resources will be developed and refined over the two cycles. Findings will illustrate the potential of translanguaging to support

NEWS IN BRIEF

diverse learners of statistics.

Funding: $178,431 over two years Weaving our knowledge together: Uncovering Pāsifika learners’ mathematical funds of knowledge.

Investigator: Dr Jodie Hunter This project highlights how teachers can work with their students and parents/whānau to recognise and record the mathematical learning experiences of Pāsifika learners outside of school in home and community settings.

The project will then explore how educators can develop mathematically challenging group-worthy tasks which draw on Pāsifika mathematical funds of knowledge, and the impact of these tasks on Pāsifika learners’ mathematical learning, engagement, and disposition.

Funding: $200,000 over two years Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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This pilot action research project will explore teachers’ experiences of how mixed reality can be incorporated across STEAM domains to drive diverse learning outcomes.

The project is a teacherdriven investigation into how innovative technologies can be incorporated into the curriculum to support cross-curriculum teaching.

Funding: $111,900 over one year Refugee-background students in Aotearoa: Supporting successful secondary to tertiary education transitions. Investigator: Vivienne Anderson In this project, researchers will work in partnership with refugee-background students in Otago/Southland to examine how refugee-background students imagine, experience, navigate and negotiate the border between secondary and tertiary education.

The project will examine strategies students use to successfully navigate that change and will lead to the development of studentTerm 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

centred transition resources for refugee-background students and educational institutions.

Funding: $338,747 over three years ACT: Advanced Computational Thinking in the New Zealand Digital Curriculum.

Investigators: Andrew Gibbons and Ricardo Sosa Students and teachers who demonstrate advanced reasoning with digital technologies are able to ethically use, creatively apply, and critically question the values and impacts of technology in society.

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This understanding of the digital curriculum requires more of teachers and learners than the New Zealand Curriculum currently recognises within its conceptualisation of computational thinking.

This research project will systematically, collaboratively, and creatively explore a curriculum of Advanced Computational Thinking (ACT) within secondary school learning environments in order to recognise and develop the potential contribution of ACT and the digital curriculum to the broader educational aims of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Funding: $144,937 over two years.

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Experiences and reflections of teachers on the use of mixed reality technologies to foster cross-curricular learning opportunities. Investigator: Dr Kathryn MacCallum

NEWS IN BRIEF

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new rates were much needed as 90 percent of teacher aides are currently earning less than the living wage. She said:

School support staff voted late last year to accept collective agreement offers from the Ministry of Education, with the $21.15 living wage set as the new minimum pay rate.

"Our focus is now heavily on pay equity claims for various support staff groups. For teacher aides this will include working on a new pay scale and equitable pay rates that take account of experience, skills and responsibility.

This settlement represented a significant 19.5 percent increase for those support staff and kaiārahi i te reo currently on the minimum wage. While the offers were ratified on December 14, with pay changes effective November 29, the rates will not be implemented until March this year and backpaid "because of the complex changes to the payroll that will be required", according to NZEI. The agreements are for a term of 26 months.

Some schools are anxious about how they will afford the new rates and have called on the Ministry of Education to make some sort of announcement before the start of Term 1.

So far, the most recent comments from the Ministry advise schools that the new funds will come from "additional funding that will be provided to boards in their quarterly operational funding payments" and from the 1.8 percent operational granting increase that was also announced last year.

Principal of Auckland's Ahuroa School Michelle Nell told Stuff this information has not been enough to factor new budgets in for 2020. "If it has be paid out of the 1.8 percent operational grant increase - that's not even inflation," she said. "So we have to take money out of what we would normally be spending on kids."

"Another major focus of this pay equity work will be providing secure, sustainable and permanent employment for support staff through a new funding model. We will also be pushing for more career development opportunities."

The lack of clarity has schools concerned as the Ministry said it would confirm additional funding to secure the settlement by the end of January. As of publication, the Ministry has yet to make such an announcement.

Overview of the collective agreement settlement NZEI added that the new rates will be funded from new money provided to boards of trustees through the operations grant.

Positions funded to support individual children on the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) will also be covered.

The settlement includes a professional learning and development fund of $500,000 a year from July 1, 2020 to fund a pilot teacher aide learning and development fund.

The offer also responds to

© Rapeepat – stock.adobe.com

Where is the funding for support staff

several of our other claims.

This includes funding for cultural leave for support staff participating in Te Matatini, an increase in the motor vehicle allowance to align with the rate payable to teachers and principals, revision of the overnight allowance to ensure members receive their correct entitlements, and renaming the dirty work allowance the ‘tiaki’ allowance.

The offer also includes a commitment to immediate work on the administration and kaiarahi pay equity claims.

Does integrating school curriculum areas work?

Curriculum integration is common in primary schools and nearly two-thirds of secondary schools are combining two or more learning areas at some level of the school.

Curriculum Integration: What is happening in New Zealand schools? is the latest research report from the New Zealand Council for Educational

“We wanted authentic learning activities that could engage our students in problem solving and working like people do in the real world, [and to ensure] relevance, excitement, choice about what they did.”

- Primary teacher, Wellington The study found that teachers chose to integrate learning areas to make learning more relevant and equitable. Their difficulty was ensuring students continued to build knowledge in each of the learning areas.

Maths was especially difficult to integrate, and many teachers chose to continue teaching this as a single learning area.

“Schools reported positive outcomes from integrating curriculum areas. The challenge was balancing opportunities for student choice and agency with opportunities to build disciplinary knowledge,” - Sue McDowall, lead researcher

© Андрей Яланский – stock.adobe.com

Support staff include teacher aides, administration staff, librarians, kaiārahi i te reo, therapists and technicians in primary, intermediate and secondary schools. All other support staff currently earning at or above $21.15 per hour will receive an increase of three percent on printed rates and all members will receive a further three percent increase on printed rates in 12 months' time.

Ally Kemplen, an Auckland teacher aide on the NZEI Te Riu Roa negotiating team, said the

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Research. The purpose of the research was to learn more about teachers’ reasons for integrating curriculum, the ways they go about it, and the learning opportunities it offers students.

NEWS IN BRIEF

The study draws on the findings of NZCER’s 2019 National Survey of Secondary Schools and three workshops that researchers ran in 2018 with primary and secondary school teachers from schools that integrate curriculum areas. These findings come at a time of significant change in the education system. As part of the reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system, the government has committed to establish a nationally based Curriculum Centre to provide curriculum leadership and expertise.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

SPECIAL REPORT

What schools should do about teen vaping

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

We’ve all read the ‘vaping epidemic’ anecdotes from principals that hit headlines last year…

The only major survey asking young people what is going on...

Not to mention, the US horror stories: a 17-year-old boy became the 23rd person and first teenager to die following what health officials called “vapingrelated lung illness”. Without any conclusive reports on which substances cause the illness, which has now affected more than 1000 people in the US, some cases suggest marijuana vape products are to blame.

International hysteria

Meanwhile, casual depictions of teenage vaping in mainstream TV shows like HBO’s high school drama Euphoria and jokes about sweet flavoured vape products appealing to children on The Simpsons, drew criticism from parents and educators.

JUUL, a brand of e-cigarettes, gained popularity among US high school students because the devices resembled USB sticks and could supposedly go unnoticed by parents and teachers. They became such a problem in the US that JUUL CEO Kevin Burns apologised to parents. “I’m sorry,” he told CNBC reporter Carl Quintanilla, “I hope there was nothing that we did that made it appealing to them.” Amid criticism, the company shut-down its social media accounts and pulled fruitier flavours that may have appealed to teenagers. Most recently, the Trump Administration moved Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

© zef art – stock.adobe.com

The number of US high school students using e-cigarettes shot up 78 percent to 3.6 million in 2018 from 2.1 million in 2017, according to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The numbers prompted CDC director Robert Redfield to warn: “The skyrocketing growth of young people’s e-cigarette use over the past year threatens to erase progress made in reducing youth tobacco use.

It’s putting a new generation at risk for nicotine addiction.”

to ban flavoured e-cigarettes altogether, stirring up major backlash from anti-smoking advocates, the vaping industry and children of former smokers.

During one Maryland flavour ban hearing, a young boy told the committee he was afraid his dad would go back to smoking without flavoured vapes.

Anecdotes from NZ principals warn youth vaping is a problem

“The message about cigarettes has been heard fairly loud and clear, but vaping is not seen in the same light at all at this point.”

Auckland Grammar School principal Tim O'Connor told Newshub in August that half his junior students had either owned a vape or experimented with one.

In December, Nelson school principals called for vaping regulations after they claimed primary school children were found experimenting with a vape.

Principals told Stuff at the time:

Director of wellbeing at St Peter's Cambridge, Micheal Brown, told the NZ Herald that his school was developing a therapeutic model to help around 70 students with a nicotine addiction.

EDUCATION

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He said these students were ingesting vape liquid containing more than double the amount of nicotine in a single cigarette.

What is really happening?

Research asks NZ teens

Asthma & Respiratory Foundation New Zealand chief executive Letitia Harding

Is there a youth vaping epidemic in this country? No. Not according to the latest research, anyway. But some teenagers are vaping, and the numbers have increased since 2014.

Their findings did “not support the idea of a so-called youth vaping epidemic in Aotearoa New Zealand”, as lead researcher Dr Natalie Walker asserted in a University of Auckland media statement.

The report reads: “Between 2014 and 2019, an increase in the proportion of 14–15-year-old students who had ever tried an e-cigarette was observed, along with a general decline in the proportion of youth who had ever smoked cigarettes.”

School News spoke to Dr Walker at length about her findings to better understand the implications for principals and educators. She told us that this was the only major survey “actually asking young people what is going on” and “does not measure what is seen by the principals”.

Dr Walker said: “The findings support the views of the principals in that, yes, about 40 percent of 14 to 15-year-olds in 2019 had ‘ever tried’ vaping in their life, with this figure ranging between 30 and 60 percent depending on ethnicity, gender and school decile. However, very few students report using these devices on a regular basis (such as at least monthly, weekly or daily), and the ones that do are predominantly smokers.”

More regulation still needed According to the Ministry of Health’s Vaping Facts website: “Vape devices and e-liquids are

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© aleksandr_yu – stock.adobe.com

In January, a group of researchers from the University of Auckland and ASH New Zealand published results from an anonymous survey of almost 30,000 Year 10 students, examining the prevalence of teenage vaping in 2019.

regulated under the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990. However, this wasn’t designed for vaping and there are no safety standards on what can be sold.” The Ministry of Health has an online quiz designed for smokers to learn about vaping as a quitting tool.

Calls from schools to regulate vaping have been heard by the vaping industry. Vaping Trade Association spokesman Jonathan Devery told RNZ that while e-cigarette products are R18, it is important to “limit youth access and work with the government to ensure it’s damn near impossible for youth to get their hands on these products”.

He also said the government has stonewalled offers from the vaping association, which represents 50 different e-cig retailers, to share data.

Updates on regulation have been slow from the government but Associate Minister of Health, Jenny Salesa did tell RNZ that “amending the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 to cover vaping and vape products is no small task. This is a detailed, technical bill. It is taking time to work through the details so that we can have a future-proof framework ready to present to parliament”.

She also stressed last year that vaping may be key to reducing

high smoking rates among young Māori women. She advised the news outlet that "...the rate of our young people who are taking up smoking has really reduced.

In fact, in 2002 Year 10 young people who were smoking was at a rate of about 12.4 percent, but the latest information we have, 2018, it has actually decreased to ... only 1.9 percent.”

Asthma & Respiratory Foundation New Zealand chief executive Letitia Harding called for clearer restrictions around vape product advertising. She said it should be monitored, “not self-monitored”, and that stores selling vapes should “also provide mandatory information on smoking cessation services if that is indeed the role they say they are playing”. She advocated for a ban on window advertising and said shops should be specialised over-18 outlets.

She also said vape products should “require disclosure of ingredients on labels” and that the government should “set standards and robust testing to ensure all is safe”. “This is the bare minimum for any industry, and something they should be working towards.”

Despite slow government progress, it has been widely reported that New Zealand will move to ban most flavoured vape liquids, which some claim may dissuade regular smokers from switching to vapes or encourage people to mix their own flavours.

Dr Walker said: “I do think e-cigarettes/vaping and tobacco should be more regulated. Clearly youth under the legal age of 18 years are getting access to tobacco and e-cigarettes, so there needs to be some changes.

It’s complex though. You want to maximise the benefits of e-cigarettes (i.e. helping smokers, of any age, to quit tobacco-use), while minimising any potential harm (e.g. minimising use of nicotine-containing e-cigarette by non-smokers, of any age).

“Whatever the regulation is for e-cigarettes, the regulation should be more stringent for smoked tobacco (because it has the greater harm).”

EDUCATION

Dr Marewa Glover

Dr Marewa Glover, a tobacco control researcher at the Centre of Research Excellence: Indigenous Sovereignty and Smoking said that while she supports more government regulation of vaping products, it needs to differentiate between nicotine vape products and those that “now exist for vaping CBD or THC extracted from cannabis”.

“Cannabis-use is illegal. How will legislation about vaping products distinguish between vaping products? What implications does this have for monitoring and enforcement?”

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

© aleksandr_yu – stock.adobe.com

E-cig education in schools: good or bad?

While everyone we spoke to agreed the government should regulate e-cigarette products, less consensus was reached regarding schools.

Dr Walker said: “I think a coordinated approach is required, led by the NZ government. Smoking cessation services, especially those who are used to working with youth, should be part of the process as they understand how to support people who have a nicotine addiction. NGOs that don’t support the NZ government’s stance on e-cigarettes as a harm reduction tool and/or who are not trained in smoking cessation support, should not engage with schools, as the mixed messages they promote create distrust and confusion.”

Dr Glover was firmly against preventative anti-vape campaigns entering schools. She told School News: “It is important not to raise awareness or trigger curiosity about smoking, using alcohol, vaping or smoking or vaping cannabis, among children and youth who are not at-risk of experimenting with any of these behaviours. A very small minority of New Zealanders smoke tobacco and even less children than ever before are at risk of experimenting or taking up smoking. Any discussion of at-risk behaviours should be done within the context of standard education Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

practices, outside of that, information should be available for students who are most at-risk.”

The Asthma & Respiratory Foundation New Zealand has been promoting its new campaign, Don’t Get Sucked In, which is not government-funded and centres around an online vaping quiz designed for teenagers to test their misconceptions. The Foundation came under fire on Twitter when Dr Glover argued that “going in to schools and raising awareness and curiosity about vaping” is very likely “to increase vaping experimentation”.

Ms Harding told School News: “All the Foundation is doing is adding to [the] discussion. This is important when we have vape advertising out there… Vape shops have very colourful and enticing displays, which are attractive to youth… Vaping is harmful and currently youth aren’t being informed of this. The role that schools can play is to direct kids to the website if they want to have questions about vaping answered.

Its voluntary, we certainly aren’t going into schools ourselves, as we believe that the schools themselves know whether this is an issue or not, and that may differ around the country.”

What should schools do?

According to Dr Glover: “It is totally appropriate for schools to ban smoking, alcohol use, cannabis use and vaping on school grounds.

They should follow their standard

disciplinary procedures for talking with students and their parents, where a student has been found using, encouraging others to use, or selling any of these substances or products on school grounds.”

School News has seen several schools cross New Zealand and Australia formally ban e-cigs on school grounds, add vape discussions to health lessons or wellbeing programs, host discussions about vaping with parents, and/or talk to students about nicotine addiction. While Dr Walker told us she broadly supported these ideas, she had the following caveats…

On vape bans: “Schools ban phones during school time because they are a distraction, so banning e-cigarettes (another distraction) during school time seems appropriate. However, there are three groups that need to be managed. First, a small number of youths vape and smoke tobacco regularly; how do these children get through a school day without going into nicotine withdrawal and how are they supported to quit smoking tobacco as soon as possible? The school has a duty-of-care to identify and support these children during the school day – this support could be ensuring they wear a nicotine patch, or use nicotine spray, lozenges or gum during the day.

For some children this may include using a nicotine e-cigarette during the day – how this is managed within the school grounds is

EDUCATION

decided through respectful and positively-framed discussion between the school, the child, the child’s guardians (as appropriate) and (ideally) smoking cessation support services. Second, a very small number of youths vape nicotine daily (but don’t smoke tobacco). How do these children get through a school day without going into nicotine withdrawal?

Finally, some teachers smoke tobacco and/or vape: how are they supported on school grounds?”

On educating parents, Dr Walker noted that while this is important, “the education should be framed around harm reduction, and should support the NZ government’s position on e-cigarettes, as mixed messages create distrust and confusion. Some parents in the audience will smoke and/or vape – so the event should be a respectful and positively-framed discussion.”

On including vape discussions in health curricula, Dr Walker suggested this is “a good idea (and ideally started around Year 6), but the education should be around harm reduction.”

She clarified: “It’s a fine balance, because you want to minimise increasing the risk of a nonsmoker trying vaping (out of curiosity) versus ensuring a child is, first, supportive of friends and family members who vape (because they stopped smoking) and, second, encouraging to friends and family members who smoke, by supporting them to quit or switch to vaping.”

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PRINCIPAL SPEAKS

g n i r e n Part rents with pa d e m r o f trans

l o o h c s our

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By Lucy Naylor, Principal, Stanley Bay School Images: Stanley Bay School

We were keen to demystify how and what we were teaching - a ‘warts and all’ approach.

At Stanley Bay School, building strong homeschool partnerships goes hand-in-hand with developing a strong learning culture.

These regular Open Learning Days are led by students and backed up with Parent Information Evenings. For many parents, who haven’t experienced being in a classroom since they were at school, this has opened their eyes to a curriculum that prepares students for life in the modern world.

Connecting our parents and whanau to our local curriculum has been a strategic goal for the school over the past two years. Increasing our community involvement from discos and sausage sizzles to partnering with us to deliver a new pedagogical approach has been an exciting challenge and one that has led to a transformation across the school. There is much evidence that actively involving students in their learning leads to improved outcomes and, ultimately, we want our parents, whanau and community to understand and work collaboratively with us to develop student-led learning.

A few initiatives are helping us to meet this goal...

With these evenings, we aim to share our thinking behind the teaching that parents see during the open day.

This provides families with a deeper understanding of why we do what we do. Some of these events are presented in conjunction with the Board, who add further depth by explaining elements of governance, e.g., the finance that influences operational decision-making and therefore how the curriculum is delivered.

Parents have the opportunity to ask questions at these events (and they do!). We gather feedback and reflect on engagement to better plan subsequent events.

Our school doors have opened wide to encourage parents to join us during learning time.

EDUCATION

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

ON I S I V OUR ve, i t a e r c , t n nfide o c w o r g cted y we e a n B n y o e c l n e r a ho a At St w s r e d. n l r r a o e l w s r u e o d i i cur dw n a y t i n u m to the com

Communication has been key to support parents in understanding the curriculum and becoming better involved with their child’s learning.

We have streamlined school communications and set the expectation with staff about how and what should be communicated via each channel.

The website has evolved to become a static ‘landing page’ and the newsletter has moved from a weekly PDF to a live news bulletin using Hail. The bulletin enables us to provide regular curriculum updates, include images and video in real-time and, little-bylittle share with our community ‘how we do things around here’.

The introduction of learner-led conferences was initially met with confusion as parents were still expecting a one-on-one meeting with teachers to discuss their child’s progress. However, armed with a greater understanding of the pedagogical approach and curriculum delivery, there is increased support for the students leading the conference and sharing their learning journey.

We have also worked with our preschool parents, so that by the time their child starts school they understand what studentTerm 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

led learning looks like. At the termly ECE Morning, parents and preschoolers can come to class and experience our approach to teaching and learning and find out about our curriculum first hand, followed by an informal morning tea where teachers and senior leaders are available to answer any questions about the teaching and learning they have seen.

Future plans for our school As well as the open days, parent information evenings and ongoing communication channels; next year, all parents will be invited to a termly principal’s coffee morning where the agenda will be set by parents. With a focus on teaching and learning, there will also be a parent reference group that will inform the development of our local curriculum.

By offering multiple forums to share our thinking and hear many differing community views, we hope that we reach all our parents and offer them the chance to better understand how powerful it is for students to lead their own learning.

Working collaboratively will enhance the learning outcomes for all our students.

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13

Help students choose

the right pathway

Images courtesy of Ara Institute of Canterbury

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

and Technology merges all 16 polytechnics. Presently, it is developing things like an online delivery model, a learner journey map and an employer and community engagement model.

Tertiary and vocational education reform is on the horizon.

The new system officially kicks in this April, though the transition period stretches to December 31, 2022. When Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced the Vocational Education Reform Bill, he outlined key changes: 1.

The government establishes new advisory groups to shape reform, including Regional Skills Leadership Groups and Te Taumata Aronui.

2.

New Workforce Development Councils establish industry leadership.

3.

The newly created New Zealand Institute of Skills

14

4.

Centres of Vocational Excellence encourage curriculum collaboration between industry experts, providers, council groups and other bodies.

5.

The reform unifies vocational funding across all industry, provider and work-integrated training (including certificate and diploma levels 3-7).

What does vocational reform mean for schools?

When changes were originally proposed, the government said that current pathways

and collaborations between schools and providers would continue. As the reform shift takes place over the next few years, schools may see more regional skills opportunities and apprenticeships to inform students about. Of course, only time will tell whether the reform can meet expectation.

In October, Hipkins and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also announced funding for 4000 additional trades training spots for high school students. So far, vocational reform means there is a lot more to talk about with students, which is terrific news but quite overwhelming for teachers.

This issue, we spoke with three career advice specialists to find out how schools should best navigate these evolving tertiary and vocational pathways for students.

EDUCATION

Industry expertise EIT careers counsellor Eddie Carson took us through his key career guidance principles.

The process should ideally start at intermediate level. It’s a good idea for parents and children to think about any areas of interest or particular strengths when they are in Year 8 as this may affect which school and which subject options they choose when they move on to Year 9. The earlier young people are exposed to ideas about possible career paths and valuable skills, the better.

I recommend encouraging school students to remain in education, develop a self-understanding of their skills, interests and abilities, work values and personality characteristics.

16

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

You’re not alone. Not many career advisors have enough hours in the day to give students the amount of personal attention they need, let alone keep up with our fast-changing career landscape and the impact technology is having on industry and employment.

Swivel Careers can help.

Born from recruitment, with wide industry knowledge and relationships, Swivel leverages its lineage and diverse business knowledge to deliver real-life employability advice, work experience and personal one-onone coaching that is second to none.

After many years working with students privately, Swivel entered the school market and now works in schools around New Zealand.

Working closely with you, we design a bespoke programme that meets your needs, and supports your existing career and wellbeing activities.

Working 1:1 with students from Year 10 on, Swivel coaches inspire students with their own potential so they know how to leverage their strengths and skills across a range of careers.

Practical and engaging workshops enable students to practice key skills needed in the workforce and get up-to-date, real-life advice on employment.

Work experience placements give students a look at the

realities of employment, inspiring them to follow their dreams – or change their mind – before they choose study pathways.

Relevant information is fed through to you each step of the way so both you and their parents can continue the conversation. When students shape their career thinking earlier, your assistance with subject and tertiary choices, apprenticeships etc is much more valuable and effective.

We can provide adhoc assistance to help you with any areas you don’t have time for, or find it

hard to keep up to date with, but the ultimate programme takes students on a four-year journey from Year 10 to Year 13. Each year we help them understand themselves better, shape their career thinking and understand what, and how, to develop the skills they need to succeed in our future employment landscape.

Together, we can help your students more confidently determine what their future can look like and take steps to get there.

Visit swivelcareers.co.nz

To Do List

Help stud ents

Struggling to do it all?

09 601 1000 info@swivelcareers.co.nz swivelcareers.co.nz

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

with:

Tertiary co urse plan ning Scholarsh ip applicat ions One-on-on e time Reference s CRM updat es STAR and Gateway Work experi ence CV writing Employabil ity skills Interview practice Linkedin profiles Digital foo tprint Industry & tech ch anges

EDUCATION

We can support you.

Coming soon: • Professional development workshops • Confidence-building workshops for Year 7 and 8 Contact us to register your interest

15

them to learn more about the institution, the programmes on offer and the support services available to students.

14 Eddie detailed some EIT opportunities for students and other career pathways.

EIT has one of the largest and most successful Trades Academies in New Zealand, and offers the Hawke’s Bay Schools Trades Academy programme.

This year, we had 400 Year 11, 12 and 13 high school students from 21 Hawke’s Bay schools, plus 250 more students from twelve East Coast high schools graduating from EIT’s Tairāwhiti campus. Students choose from 20 programmes, including building and construction, engineering, automotive, hair and beauty, hospitality (culinary, bakery, front of house) and information technology, business enterprise, horticulture and farming, and integrated primary industries and trades skills; the latter two are designed to provide students with rich and diverse experiences.

The recent government announcement of 2000 additional Trades Academy places for New Zealand recognises the value of students commencing tertiary vocational training while still at school. A good range of scholarships are available: 1.

The government has a range of fees-free initiatives, including MPTT (Māori and Pasifika Trades Training Scholarship) Youth Guarantee. In 2018, EIT had just over 500 students enrol who were eligible for the fees-free subsidy. In 2019, this has increased 40 percent.

2.

There are industry scholarships in fields like engineering, plumbing, electrical, construction, etc.

3.

EIT specific scholarships include scholarships offered

16

Mark warned schools not to assume career aspirations based on hobbies or stereotypes.

Image courtesy of EIT careers by single EIT schools, e.g. nursing scholarships. The Year 13 Degree Scholarship covers one year of full-time study and is available to Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti (Gisborne) and Taupō-based students who are beginning an undergraduate degree in 2020 (approximately 80 students will receive the scholarship in 2020).

Mark Simons, youth and community development manager at Ara Institute of Canterbury emphasised exploring career options early.

Providing opportunities for students to flexibly explore a range of career options from Year

9 onwards (and relating them back to work completed in the classroom) will help students start forming stronger ideas about their career aspirations. In Years 11-13 the focus is more on drilling down to specific career and employment opportunities, and how training providers (polytechnics, universities, industry training) can provide students with the skills to get them where they want to be.

Training providers are always keen to visit and speak with students to help them make choices about their tertiary study options. They will have a range of resources readily available for students. Some, like Ara, also offer professional development days for teachers, enabling

Just because a student is passionate about a hobby or interest doesn’t mean they want to do it for a job. For example, I see young men encouraged to attend an automotive training course because they told their teacher they ‘like cars’. A lot of people like food but it doesn’t mean they all want to be chefs.

It’s important for schools to encourage students to explore beyond their existing interests and broaden their horizons to discover a potential career they hadn’t considered before.

There is a lot of focus within career guidance circles on the importance of soft-skills and transferable skills.

Students will likely have several different careers within their lifetime, and rapid advances in technology mean continual skillsbased training is important for people at all stages of their careers.

Students should be encouraged to give things a go and be reminded that they are never locked-in to a career just because that is what they studied at tertiary level.

The effects of vocational education reform will most likely be very positive for students. Bringing together all ITPs under one banner will mean a wider variety of programme options in more regions throughout the country.

Image courtesy of EIT careers

EDUCATION

Proposed Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) will provide specific training in regions with skills shortages, meaning greater employment opportunities for graduates too.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Encourage them to get as much work experience as they can before choosing a study or career pathway.

It may inspire them to commit or completely change their mind.

Schools must be consistently up-to-date on the evolving employment process, Pip stressed.

Pip Mehrtens

Pip Mehrtens, general manager at Swivel Careers explained what vocational education reform means for students.

If it delivers on its promise, the vocational education reform changes should see more apprenticeship opportunities become available. Employers having input into standards and skills will help ensure training keeps up with the rate of change in industry, and having consistency in qualifications and skills means better long term job options and transferability of skills.

By the time students enter the workforce, much of what they have learned will be out-of-date.

We must prepare them by creating life-long learners able to upskill.

Many students do not know the reality of their considered career.

Students have an online brand and it can make or break their job applications. Their digital imprint never goes away and all too often it is detrimental to their employability.

Employers tell me that many young people are not work-ready when they enter the work force. We need to set our students up for success by teaching them what employers expect and what constitutes acceptable workplace etiquette.

The employment process itself is constantly changing. Just like fashion, the look and style of CVs constantly evolves. Submitting an old-style CV could cost even the best candidate the job.

Algorithms are increasingly popular as a CV screening tool.

Using the wrong words in a CV and cover letter could prevent it from being read by a human. We need to make sure that students are not given out-dated advice or using old templates.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Hinemoana is from Nga Puhi subtribe Te Hikutu and grew up in the small community of Hokianga, which she adores and which inspires her work.

Most of the work she has completed has sold, which is one of the ultimate compliments for an artist. “It is very exciting to sell your work and I was able to buy a

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

When it comes time for school leavers to make choices that will give them the best shot at success, Ara Institute of Canterbury needs to be top of mind.

Ara offers more than 150 careerfocused study options that lead to internationally recognised qualifications. These range from certificates in trades and service industries through to diplomas and degrees in engineering, health, business, computing and the creative industries.

Ara programmes are taught by industry-experienced tutors who get to know students as

individuals and are committed to their success and wellbeing.

Students gain their skills and knowledge in Ara’s real-life learning environments, and undertake work placements, work-based projects and internships to ensure they’re work-ready when they graduate.

Throughout their study journey, Ara students have access to an extensive array of support services ranging from learning support, pastoral care and careers advice to health services and numerous social and recreational events.

To learn more about how Ara can help school leavers achieve a bright future, visit ara.ac.nz.

CREATING FUTURE OPPORTUNITES

C H EC K O UT FEES-FRE E STUDY*

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Northland student Hinemoana Tautari hasn’t had a chance to get homesick since enrolling for a degree in Māori Visual Arts at EIT’s Toihoukura in Tairāwhiti.

Already she has explored various art forms, including painting, tukutuku and photography and is considering which one to focus on. “I wanted to do Māori art forms to take back home to teach my hapū,” she said.

This way to a bright future

Take advantage of EIT’s Year 13 Scholarship which could provide your students with TWO YEARS FREE study across a number of degree programmes.

This includes two niche degrees: Bachelor of Viticulture & Wine Science

Māori Visual Arts degree student Hinemoana Tautari with her latest work in progress in one of the design studios at EIT’s Toihoukura in Tairāwhiti. plane ticket home to see my family.”

Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts.

Year 13 Degree Scholarship* Available for Year 13 students applying for degree study. Save up to $7,500 on one year of study.

Government fees free scheme + Year 13 Scholarship = 2 years free!

Hinemoana has been awarded a Year 13 scholarship which means that after her first year Government fees free, she will have only the third year of the degree programme to pay for.

Open July 27 2020 Closes October 31 2020

For more information contact us on 0800 22 55 348 or visit eit.ac.nz

eit.ac.nz | 0800 22 55 348 * Conditions apply for scholarships and students must meet the programme entry criteria.

EDUCATION

17

Neurodiverse learners need better equipped teachers Our society is weakened by its neglect of neurodiverse learners.

If we want the next generation to solve social, environmental, scientific and political issues that haven’t been solved before, shouldn’t we support our most diverse thinkers?

As our educational priorities shift increasingly towards inquirybased learning and problem solving, we would hope that students who learn differently or ‘think outside the box’ find it easier to engage with the school system. Yet, progress has been slow and there is still a lack of empirical data on the experiences and needs of dyslexic students in New Zealand. While 10 percent of the global population and around 80,000 school-aged children in New Zealand are believed to have dyslexia, their educational gifts and needs too often fly under the teacher’s radar.

18

Awareness and upskilling can be the first step towards improving this.

In the 1990s, psychologist Dr Beverly Steffart discovered an unusually high rate of dyslexia among students at the Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design in London (three quarters!). Her findings spawned more research around the world supporting the hypothesis that while people with dyslexia struggle with traditional approaches to reading and writing, they often excel in areas like art, music and sport. Plenty of famed entrepreneurs have dyslexia, including Sir Richard Branson, and a 2007 US study proposed that up to 35 percent of entrepreneurs show indicators they have the learning difference.

Yet, students with dyslexia are more likely to leave school early and struggle with traditional modes of written assessment.

How can we change this?

Learning how to identify and support unique cognitive styles like dyslexia in the classroom and designing interventions that support more flexible and diverse ways to learn curriculum content could open up doors for some of our most creative thinkers.

By diversifying their learning pathways, there’s no telling what problems our students can solve.

How can schools best support neurodiverse students?

Professional insights

The best way to support any student is to work with their strengths.

Discussing challenges that students with dyslexia face, we spoke to Dyslexia Foundation of New Zealand managing trustee, Esther Whitehead.

Remember, neurodiversity and dyslexia are not intellectual impairments but a different way of processing information.

Students with dyslexia can often have eroded self-esteem and unintentional shaming, because a child may develop the rationale of 'I can't read and write' to ‘I am dumb” to 'I am bad' because they are set up to fail repeatedly. It would be like asking a deaf child to try harder to listen, instead of accommodating them with a hearing aid.

Though this is illustrated glibly it's the most common story I hear from neuro-diverse thinkers.

To support neurodiverse thinkers, we need to begin school by teaching emergent literacy from an evidence-based approach, and we need to allow and enable students to engage with the curriculum to their preferred way.

20

EDUCATION

The biggest challenge faced by students with dyslexia and other neurodiversity is the constant and unrelenting focus on their basic skills of literacy, (often taught poorly through too great a focus on a whole language approach when they start at school) over and above their cognitive skills and their cognitive ability to access and engage with the curriculum.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

© freshidea – stock.adobe.com

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

© Fabio Principe – stock.adobe.com

As leaders, teachers and parents, we must think differently. If we accommodate neurodiverse students to access and engage with the curriculum, they feel empowered, they contribute, and they work to their strengths.

Accommodations can include extra time, speech to text, or text to speech, working with a peer to scribe, producing work

20

in alternative ways than only regurgitating printed material or recounting knowledge in linear written form. Schools are moving in the right direction and this is crucial in order to prepare them for graduating into a different working world.

What are some strategies that work for classroom teachers?

I hear from teachers with dyslexia and teachers who work with kids with dyslexia all the time. They usually call because they have little knowledge and don't know how to best help, this is because they have never been trained on learning difficulties.

Neurodiversity and dyslexia are not intellectual impairments They recognise this and are well intentioned but without the investment in them, it’s a challenge to know what best practice looks like.

They want to help but they’re overly reliant on remediation of the difficulty over and above anything else.

With this systemic issue where teachers feel unsure, they often do more of the same, and hope

EDUCATION

that the child 'comes right'.

There are many strategies to use in the classroom.

Our website has some resources, as does the MoE website being updated for 2020, but it's essentially about good quality, explicit teaching in the mainstream to catch more kids before they are referred to RTLB, RTLits, the new LSCs and SENCOs.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

© Andrea – stock.adobe.com

18 Students learn to read, and then read to learn, but for those who struggle with text, they are held back because of the obsession with their literacy, this then hinders their progress in learning.

I think in NZ we are not clear about what constitutes good quality, explicit teaching. By that I mean that there is not an explicit code and standard around what this looks like, so it's up for interpretation. This creates a lottery effect and inevitably ends up with inequity within and between schools.

Ask your school to create a PD budget for neurodiversity, which

upskills all staff. This will have a massive positive impact on the school culture, behavioural issues, academic results and peace of mind for teachers. In NZ, we have reached a time where awareness is such that we can no longer unintentionally fail our neurodiverse cohort of students.

How can schools prioritise screening without creating stigma for students?

There is much happening in 2020 from MoE, and this will require ongoing scrutiny.

be used to accommodate

understanding the profile of a learner and should and identify strengths as much as weaknesses.

Choosing a good resource

When neurodiversity is better understood and no longer invisible, there is no stigma as it recognises individual preferences to learn.

It's how we use the information that's critical, not how we label someone.

Why choose our Reading Pens for your students with dyslexia?

Teachers and consultants tell us they use the following criteria when selecting an educational programme for dyslexia:

• New Zealand voices: for easier understanding, familiarity and interest.

• Audio-assisted: the combination of visual and sound input to create a platform for an extremely high acceleration in learning.

MiniRainbows & Lingomagic are two such programmes that provide all of the above.

• Human-narrated audio: real voices to provide correct modelling of fluency, expression and prosody.

Screening is about

There is no stigma if we develop cultures that recognise diversity in every sense of the word.

• High-interest stories: for better engagement and attention-span.

As an added bonus, both of these resources can also be used for ELL (English language learners).

For more information contact us on 03 548 6587.

• Fluent voices • Word by word audio for most books • Enables independence • Improves comprehension Build confidence and engage your students with high interest stories.

Lingomagic is suitable for children and adults.

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Phone Daniel Pluck or Maria on 03 548 6587 Email: office@rainbowreading.org.nz www.rainbowreading.org.nz (OFFER ENDS 31/3/20)

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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21

© MarekPhotoDesign.com – stock.adobe.com

In 2007, some 13 years ago, the New Zealand Ministry of Education officially recognised dyslexia as a learning disability.

teacher is not knowing or having access to necessary knowledge, assessments and resources that would empower them to best teach students with diagnosed or undiagnosed dyslexia.

Many who operate in this space as consultants and experts now prefer to use the term learning difference. Recognition at that time was a breakthrough for those who had worked tirelessly in the field. James Chapman, a researcher at Massey University, shared the following statement at the time of the announcement:

What changes and/or actions can school leaders and teachers implement to make a measurable difference in the educational outcomes of dyslexic students?

“To have dyslexia finally recognised at this level as a legitimate area of learning difficulty and reading problems, should pave the way for further research and development of initiatives which support students, and better prepare teachers for dealing with it.”

While accessibility to knowledge, awareness, evidence-based support and school resources remains frustrating for teachers and parents, we are certainly on the cusp of revolution heading into 2020. A bit like that well-known Pantene

22

Carla McNeil, Dyslexia Consultant and Literacy Coach, Learning Matters

advertisement: “It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.”

We have been waiting for revolutionary change in our schooling system. The reality is that evolutionary change is more likely to be what leads to the evidence-based transformational, sustained change we crave. It does not serve us well to dwell on what might have been. Nor dwell on who is or isn’t doing enough to expand dyslexia awareness and understanding. It does not serve us to spend time listing the ways in which our peers demonstrate a lack of compassion or empathy.

Ultimately, the concern and challenge for a classroom

How can school leaders and teachers be the change we all want to see?

I would like to offer some steps for dedicated professionals to consider. Keep in mind that we hope to build a consistent approach to evidence-based knowledge and support across school communities nationwide. This means we need to work alongside others and build a team of knowledgeable experts.

There is nothing more frustrating for a dyslexic student (and parent, for that matter) than having a wonderful school year with one teacher, then having to start from scratch the following year with

EDUCATION

someone new to the subject.

It isn’t enough for one teacher alone to carry the can and be the so-called ‘dyslexia expert’.

Dyslexic students make-up (on average) 10 to 15 percent of every classroom. It is important that we all understand this learning difference, with all its strengths and challenges.

I hope it goes without saying that when we teach dyslexic student better, non-dyslexic students also benefit.

I have observed developing professional practice in various flagship schools and here are some discoveries I would like to share: 1. Knowledge is power.

There are many ways mainstream professionals can access support to build shared understandings across communities. I encourage you to access International Dyslexia Association factsheets online; the Learning Matters NZ Factsheet also online; Dr Lousia Moats’ text, Basic Facts About Dyslexia and Other Reading Problems; and the TKI website, which was recently updated to reflect more current research and evidence.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

2. Appropriate assessment tools are key.

move these students).

•

Fundamentally, they are attuned to which tools will give them the best insights, whether that is a potential diagnosis of dyslexia or a different explanation for why students might be progressing differently along their learning pathway. Tools should assess: •

Phonological awareness.

•

Alphabetic principle - phonology and orthography.

•

Reading fluency rates.

•

Working memory and processing speed.

•

Rapid automatic naming.

We observe that the consistent

© vejaa – stock.adobe.com

Mainstream teachers and intervention teachers (RTLB, RTLit, LSCs) aren’t usually qualified to diagnose, nor do they have the time. However, over the past two years, I have witnessed first-hand the growing body of schools recognising the importance of using their newfound knowledge to review (literacy) classroom and intervention assessment tools.

use of evidence-based assessment tools between mainstream classes and intervention settings leads to increased understanding and appropriate actions being taken.

3. Evidence-based approaches and resources.

Funding is a challenge for school leaders. This is an area that really does require review and a funding injection. So often, I hear “we can’t afford that” or “our budget doesn’t stretch to that”. As a former school principal, I completely

understand that what you focus on expands, and what you value determines your actions. Ultimately, we all choose where we spend our dollar. If your school wants to see children with dyslexia make progress, it needs to invest in at least some of the following: •

Professional learning opportunities for all teachers and teacher assistants.

•

A structured literacy approach (teaching phonics in isolation won’t

Decodable texts that bridge to the spelling concepts being explicitly taught and are designed to develop reading fluency.

I watch teachers and intervention specialists increase their knowledge, establish appropriate assessments tools, access resources and decodable texts, and ultimately become the best possible teachers to their students. No commercial programmes are necessary. The gold sits with the teacher teaching the student.

Focus on what you can change in 2020.

Take time to formulate a strategic action plan: Rome wasn’t built in a day, but small changes make a big difference.

Remember, we are all on this journey together and it really does take a village of dedicated professionals to stand up, be vulnerable, admit we don’t know enough and ask for help.

Let’s be the change we need and want to see in 2020.

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For further information or booking links www.learningmatters.co.nz

www.learningmatters.co.nz Email: admin@learningmatters.co.nz Waikato, Tauranga, Christchurch.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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23

Incorporating sustainability in education

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

How can we as educators develop students into “global thinkers” and “local shakers”?

This is the key question that we must ask when incorporating sustainability in education and Shay Wright presented it to attendees at last year’s uLearn Conference. He asked a large audience of teachers, principals and educators to reflect for themselves and their learners: ‘I ahu mai au i hea?’, ‘Where do we come from?’ New Zealand’s history and culture shapes our identity, he said, but how many of us grew up learning everything but our history? “I’m so stoked to hear we will be teaching NZ history in our schools.” He prompted everyone to carefully and critically consider how they might ‘become better ancestors’ and brainstorm what that might mean for learners and the wider curriculum.

It particularly resonates as we think about education for sustainability and discuss ways to incorporate sustainability into our student learning pathways.

How can we, as community members, local caretakers and global citizens become a force for environmental protection and safeguarding? What are the social, political, scientific, and corporate ramifications?

Shay emphasised the importance of helping students build stronger links to the places they are from.

Environmental stewardship, he warned, is a powerful tool for connectedness. He said that as citizens we increasingly live in a world where people are not connected to place; where our connection to nature becomes a ‘once a year’ holiday rather than a way of life. He criticised adults who have mocked Greta Thunberg, holding them up as examples of what not to do as a

24

teacher. Facilitators of learning should ask learners questions that might provoke them to think more deeply about global issues, rather than crush their interest. Similarly, projects that centre around sustainability should be inquirybased; not prescriptive dead-ends that stifle problem-solving. When we view teaching sustainability as building connection between learners and place, the role of the teacher-facilitator is to engage students in their communities.

How can they build a practice of responsibility and action for the sustainable future?

This is also how the New Zealand Curriculum advocates we teach sustainability.

“Mō tātou te taiao ko te atawhai, mō tātou te taiao ko te orange.”

“It is for us to care for and look after the environment to ensure its wellbeing, in doing so we ensure our own wellbeing and that of our future generations.”

In Educating for Sustainability in Primary Schools: Teaching for the Future, Neil Taylor, Frances Quinn, Chris Eames reflect on this statement as it pertains to teaching sustainability in primary schools. They write: “There is also increasing recognition that consideration of environmental issues requires us to see how cultural norms, economic need for resources, and political decision-making connect human societies to the environment.

Thus, we are now acknowledging that the environment is shaped by our cultures: our consumption habits, how we make our living, enjoy recreation, govern ourselves and consider the future.”

Culture is a huge factor in how we relate to our environment.

Advocates for an educational shift towards local histories, local stories and the integration of local heritage into our public schools argue that building local bonds between learners and their community benefits both. As Shay said: “I never learned about my own tribal history or the local context of our school even though my school was 60 percent Māori.

I encourage local community members to come in and tell local stories; to build bonds between students and place so that they can feel responsible for their place.”

In many ways, it is this responsibility for place that sustainability in education truly aims to teach. In that sense, true sustainability for education is so much more than learning about global warming, the woes of single use plastic or even refining systems for waste and recycling. Although, these issues and learning goals remain critical to sustainable study as taking a whole school approach is prioritised by the Ministry.

Often, sustainable schools tackle water conservation projects, team up with community action groups and plant or

EDUCATION

animal conservation efforts, reflect on and even participate in environmental protests, develop new recycling and waste management strategies, and more. We spoke with a group of primary school students recently who were working on a STEM project developing smart bins that would encourage better recycling at their school.

However, integrating sustainability for education in 2020 requires more of what Taylor, Quinn and Eames discuss in their book. It requires collaborative learning about “how cultural norms, economic need for resources, and political decision-making connect human societies to the environment”. STEAM projects, talks from local community leaders, environmental activists and conservationists, developing programmes that feature excursions to place all prioritise this to deepen your school’s approach.

The relationship between poverty and climate change is complex: in Australia, students from bushfire-affected communities are returning to school without supplies, homes, or even classrooms as parents, teachers and even some students volunteer to fight fires themselves. How can schools engage with these real community issues impacting their learners?

How can we grow food sustainably? How can we evolve industries to maintain economic growth? These are questions that your learners’ sustainability projects can tackle and that will ultimately prepare them to solve the biggest problems facing our world.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Waste Aware: Sustainably Empowered Students Make your students champions for the environment and leaders in sustainability with Napier City Council’s Waste Aware programme.

The initiative, rolled out by the Council’s National Aquarium of New Zealand, has been engaging and empowering primary and intermediate students for over 10 years and focuses on our solid waste problem, recycling and the protection of the marine environment.

Students will experience a series of school visits by the National Aquarium educators and offsite field trips, sequencing the children`s learning throughout the full term length of the course.

The offsite field trips are Omarunui landfill, Hawks packaging and the National Aquarium of New Zealand. After completing the course a teacher at Taradale

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

ends up in the right place and not the ocean. The school is hoping the video will encourage others.

Primary School commented “It created so much discussion back at school, especially around how we can reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in the landfill, many had never even thought about it before this experience, a real eye opener for all involved.”

In between visits the children are encouraged to research and implement their own

positive actions projects that focus on preserving our natural environment. One such project by Hereworth School saw the primary age students create a video that was posted on their social media page, where the children showed how much litter they had collected in 10 minutes. They challenged the public to collect as much rubbish as they could around their neighbourhood and to make sure it

EDUCATION

All of the students that participate in the Waste Aware programme grow in confidence during the term. Students’ learning outcomes are transferred to the whole school, even if there is only one classroom participating. At the end of the term the children are all very proud, especially when they get their chance to present their project to Jacque Wilton, the course educator from the National Aquarium.

Jacque says “The positive action really makes the children feel they are making an individual difference and influencing their families and the community.

It gets them out there protecting the environment.”

Visit nationalaquarium.co.nz

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OM A K E R E SCHOOL JOU R N E Y:

school and where the Kahikatea stand is situated) and farm manager Callum Sutherland.”

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

Omakere School, in Central Hawke's Bay, provides a vibrant and healthy rural learning environment for its local children.

She said: “The school year also centred around a whole-school inquiry about our environment so most of our class work including literacy and maths, activities, and artwork focused on caring for the environment.”

It is one of eight Enviroschools in the district, and was proud to share with us how the Enviroschools philosophy reinforces its values.

Enviroschools is a nationwide programme supported by Toimata Foundation, founding partner Te Mauri Tau, and a large network of regional partners. The Maori concept of kaupapa that underpins this programme is about creating a “healthy, peaceful, sustainable world through people teaching and learning together”.

School News spoke to Omakere School principal Sue Taylor about her experience with the programme. She said: “As an Enviroschool, we committed to a long-term, meaningful, sustainability journey where our students connect with and explore their local environment, then plan, design and take action in collaboration

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with their community, aiming for real change.”

The location of each Enviroschool, its ecology, history, culture and community is unique to the school and therefore Omakere School’s one-of-a-kind journey was led by its own team of learners, teachers and community members. Involvement in local projects that fit purposefully with the school’s Enviroschools ethos is essential to the journey. This one began with a yearly project to plant seedlings at Shoal Bay, Aramoana Beach as a restoration project for the local area.

Sue explained: “We have two shade houses at our school and students gather native seeds from Shoal Bay (nearby beach) and, with the help of our caretaker Carol Burkin, plant and grow native seedlings.

“In early 2019, we were invited to become part of an environmental initiative. This is an exciting project to restore and rejuvenation the historic old stand of Kahikatea.

We worked alongside Kay Griffiths and Craig Single from The Conservation Company, the owners of Amblethorne Station (across the road from

PROFILES

The Enviroschools values are naturally environmentally focussed, centring around teaching and learning that promotes student enquiry, decision-making, action, and reflecting on sustainable outcomes. Honouring Māori perspectives and the value of indigenous knowledge and wisdom, the school professes respect for diverse people and cultures, recognising the value of collaboration.

“Sustainable communities nurture people and nature to maintain the health and viability of the environment, society, culture and economy,” said Sue. “We are very proud to provide opportunities for our students to work collaboratively to develop tuakanateina skills and relationships.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

journey thus far in March and will hopefully receive our Bronze Award. We have already begun identifying potential projects around the school environment that we would like to develop further, such as our school orchard planted in a waste area that we would like to open up for the children to explore and help develop and maintain so we can enjoy healthy organic fruits.

“To showcase this in Term 3 last year, we created a whole school mural that reflects our environmental manaakitanga work, the Kahikatea stand restoration project, the planting at Aramoana Beach initiative, and classroom learning about our environment and animals within.”

Sam Bell, Omakere School, Enviroschools teacherin-charge discussed the process of becoming an Enviroschool in more depth:

“We have a beautifully planted native area that we would like to put a limestone walkway through and identify and label the different natives in this area.”

What were the main challenges?

“Raising awareness that environmental issues are big ones and we as educators owe it to our students and their families to have the hard discussions and get them thinking about what kind of world they want to live in and how the choices they make now will affect their environment and the environments of their children in the future.

“It has been important to expose them to different environmental problems through inquiry learning and having those active discussions around how we can help to fix them.

“To be honest, it has been an easy transition as we have been able to weave the Enviroschools learning and action into our everyday programmes through our inquiry learning and connections

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

What initiatives are you most proud of? to our local community and environment. The students’ urge to learn more about living a sustainable life has been a great motivation to incorporate the environmental weave through our teaching. Educating the whole school and community around the importance of eating healthy foods and reducing lunchbox waste while, at the same time, introducing litter-free Wednesdays, then watching and realising that litter reduction in lunch boxes was occurring was fantastic.”

Reserve, Te Angiangi Marine Reserve, Shade house workshops, native bush walks, Raised vegetable beds. Our motivated Green Ninjas (Enviro team), Waste Free goals, Other enviroschools that we have visited have been great inspiration.

What has inspired you along this journey?

What are your future environmental plans for Omakere School?

“Our amazing students, local environment, ocean, rivers, Kahikatea Stand, Ouepoto

“The pleasure that comes to our students when learning in and from the environment truly motivates. We are so lucky to have these resources at our doorstep living in our Omakere community.”

“We are currently looking forward to presenting our Enviroschools

PROFILES

“We have a native planting restoration programme collecting seeds from native plants which include the Ouepoto flax bush that survived the floods and slips of 2011. Our students take care of the seeds collected by potting and nurturing the seedlings in our shade house at school until they are strong enough to be replanted back in the Ouepoto and Te Angiangi, and Shoal Bay, Reserves.

“The children develop ownership and take responsibility for the new plants and their survival.

When it is time to replant, the kids are excited to be involved in this final process of giving back to the land as they have understood the journey involved and the importance of caring for our environment.”

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CASE STUDY

Stanley Bay classroom design energises learners Devonport’s Stanley Bay Primary School collaborated with Distinction Furniture to create inviting new flexible learning spaces.

Their aim was to develop innovative and impressive new learning environments that would embrace and support the school’s brand-new curriculum.

Stanley Bay wanted to replace its single cell classrooms and traditional desk layout to reflect its new pedagogy.

Principal Lucy Naylor revealed: “Our focus is on students developing skills and dispositions for future workplaces and so we have created spaces that encourage independence, collaboration, and creativity.

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“The spaces now support strengthbased teaching and create an environment that supports our pedagogical approach.

She described the collaboration process as supportive and dynamic: “Distinction Furniture supported our school over the past two years in the development of variable learning spaces throughout. One of the greatest assets has been their expertise and knowledge of the pedagogical approach we are developing, and the need for our spaces to facilitate learning.”

“The flexible nature of the furniture means students can create learning spaces to suit their learning style and the task at hand,” Lucy explained.

“Now, we have spaces for students to work well both collaboratively and quietly.

“For teachers, the flexibility allows for ease of teaching groups whilst keeping the structure of a robust learning program as well as offering practical solutions to access resources.”

engaged and motivated to learn.

“They enjoy the flexibility and freedom to move furniture. They enjoy creating their own ideal workspace for whatever projects they are working on,” she said.

How has the new learning environment impacted teaching outcomes?

“It has given them increased ownership, with students taking on greater responsibility to lead their own learning.”

According to Lucy: “Our new curriculum led to many positive changes! One is increased engagement, enhanced and supported by the flexible spaces we have created. In addition, by creating independent learning spaces around the school and utilising 'dead space' we have increased our useable teaching space and created a more open and transparent schoolwide learning environment.”

As for the students: they are more

ADMINISTRATION

As principal, what have you noticed since project completion?

“Our school is now a cohesive learning environment connected by many independent learning spaces. These flexible spaces connect learners and build that feeling of community and collective energy for learning, which has been an unexpected bonus.”

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

Where traditional teaching is peppered with calls for students to ‘sit up straight’ and face the board to pay attention, modern teaching facilitates learning. It asks learners to figure out for themselves how they need to sit, stand or move around so that they can pay more attention.

With this approach, students assert agency over their learning, their concentration and their comfort in the classroom.

Innovative learning spaces hand the keys to learning back to the learners. It is the true task of modern learning environments, then, to provide teachers with the physical tools they need to facilitate self-directed learning.

Perhaps it is more of a humbling realisation that teachers never had control over learning in the first place. If you walk into a room with rows of desks, you take on the mentality of trying to draw focus. ‘Eyes on me’ is a common classroom phrase and although the intention is to teach, to demonstrate a technique or respond to a question, there is also an illusion of control. Of course, this illusion is shattered whenever students don’t want to face the front, don’t want to sit down, or look up from their paper, or can’t concentrate on what you are trying to explain because they are busy rocking back and forth on their chair or talking to a neighbour. It can feel chaotic and your lessons become a battle to keep everybody ‘on task’ by facing you at the front.

These innovative new spaces demand something else from teachers too; they must relinquish some control.

However, walking into a new learning space where some students are on the floor, others in soft chairs, laying on cushions,

Image: Lundia

The humble classroom is in flux.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Image: Distinction Furniture

Image: Distinction Furniture

You’ll never say ‘face the front’ again

some in groups and others alone, perhaps engaged in reading or flipped learning on a device: you no longer need to control the chaos. Your role immediately shifts in this environment because the chaos is no longer in the way of learning but is actually how students are trying to learn.

You can move freely around this space, as can the students, and navigate their engagement with the curriculum by directing traffic rather than trying to force it. The focus is now on learners rather than on you as the teacher. It might even feel uncomfortable at first!

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29 Some trips and tricks we’ve picked up from talking to teachers new to innovative learning spaces….

Provide learning goals that direct students without confining them by asking questions like, what do you need to do to learn today?

If a student is getting distracted or agitated, redirect them to another seat. Trial and error comes with the territory: sometimes sitting near a window can help you concentrate and other times a standing desk might do the trick. Host staff meetings in your learning spaces!

Only by trying the environment out for yourselves will you understand how it impacts learning. Figure out what kinds of seating help you pay attention and use these insights to direct and facilitate students.

what about device charging?

Functionality and ergonomic design are crucial to creating an effective workspace. If seating is too slouchy or comfortable, students may be more prone to falling asleep than finishing their projects. At the same time, bean bags and relaxed seating is a valuable asset for encouraging group work and hosting class discussions.

Try to reformulate, reset and rework your learning space to best reflect immediate learning goals, and encourage students to get into this habit too.

The ability to self-regulate and maintain self-care in a working environment will be a skill that benefits them throughout their lives.

Industry opinions School News reached out to movers and shakers in the

innovative learning spaces field to find out about upcoming trends in 2020.

furnishings, bean bags or cubes, configurable ottomans which the students can move around, or booth seating for privacy.”

Hot trends and predictions Distinction’s senior account manager Suzanne RoxburghBlair explained how design preferences are shifting.

“Design is changing, especially in the architecture.

Play-based learning is more common in the junior areas and maker space areas are becoming popular within schools. Maker space areas often require versatile storage, which can be mobile and easily moved around the room. This could be included in the tables that are being used, or as mobile units such as tote trolleys and storage trolleys. Breakout areas are common and require a more relaxed seating style such as soft

Image: Scholar Furniture

Consider different sensory needs: window glare can be frustrating when working with devices and dark spaces don’t make great reading corners! Some people learn best by talking concepts through and white noise can be a valuable asset but for other learners, quiet reflection is a must. How can your learning space design meet both needs?

Outdoor spaces offer terrific learning opportunities but

Image: Furnware

Try to reflect shifts in content or project with environmental changes. Move desks, rearrange seating or reset the classroom to provide time for students to shift gears. Changing their physical space can give learners a chance to winddown or expend some energy.

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ADMINISTRATION

Scholar Furniture representative Rebecca Burke highlighted designs that facilitate more diverse teaching strategies.

“Flexible classroom spaces need to organically integrate technology, helping teachers to better engage students and facilitate the mix of independent, small-group and whole-class learning.

Design predictions involve continued evolution to facilitate the use of handheld devices, computers, and other technology in comfortable ways. I look forward to seeing more furniture pieces that allow teachers and students to easily reconfigure their learning environment to suit their needs.”

Furnware’s head of design Helen Jones and research manager Bill Roberts sat down to discuss some predictions for school learning space design in 2020. “Increased data use to measure and evaluate learning spaces, such as temperature, noise, air quality and light will have real impact on learning outcomes. We’re seeing the rapid growth of the ‘learning app’ – BYJU’s for instance has 33 million users, $5 billion turnover and sponsors the Indian national cricket team – a huge presence.

Other predictions include space design catering to introverts as well as extroverts; both literal and notional green spaces; and interactive display technology.”

National Lundia representative, Gina Quensell said: “Minimalism is having a resurgence, both in design and mindset.

32 Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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As costs increase, having fewer multi-use items of better quality means a longer replacement cycle that saves you more long-term. Eco-friendly is the hot topic of the day as Kiwis have a very close connection with our beautiful environment and are incorporating more of these elements into interior fit outs and furniture. They have the added benefit of softening institutional spaces.”

Creating ergonomic learning spaces “These spaces must encourage greater movement as students transition from one type of learning to another, often relocating furniture in the process,” Bill suggested.

Gina advised that “making room for movement in a space is key” and that ILEs should cater to this.

Rebecca said: “Simple ideas like flexible seating and classrooms that require students to move around can result in positive learning outcomes like more on-task behaviour. Research indicates that long stretches of uninterrupted sitting on a traditional chair can be highly detrimental one’s health and spine, and this is just as relevant for a young student as it is for an adult. Offering flexible seating in the classroom creates more active and alert students as well as setting students up to create healthy, lifelong habits.”

mid-height with chairs and tables; or up-high on raised tables where students can stand or sit on stools. Comfort is brought into the classroom with soft furnishings like cubes, ottomans and even couches as well as private spaces and rocking seats.

Must-knows for schools interested in flexible learning spaces “I’m fascinated by the vertical inner-city schools that have a smaller land footprint and so require compact multifunctional solutions and provide local access to high value community resources for learning,” revealed Gina. “Schools should identify the fixed unchangeable elements that they must work with, like resources and existing parameters. They must also consider which soft skills they may want to foster such as emotional intelligence (social), leadership (structure), and blue sky thinking (strategy). This will dictate things like what objects and layouts are required in the learning space as well as what elements could be eliminated.”

Image: Distinction Furniture

Image: Distinction Furniture

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“Modern classroom design can be challenging, and it can feel like you’re starting from scratch,” Rebecca warned. “However, with a little inspiration, you can apply a thoughtful design that catalyses learning in common spaces, libraries and media centres as well as classrooms. When designing a flexible learning space, the focus should be on creating a comfortable and aesthetically engaging environment. The design also needs to reflect the curriculum to ensure the layout is relevant to the school’s specific learning goals.

“Some questions a school should ask itself before embarking on a new classroom design include whether students can move around easily, whether the layout is intuitive and how the design reinforces learning goals. Design thinking is a crucial skill, not only for students but for educators as well. Creative, flexible classrooms can encourage now-crucial project-based learning, so consider how you want to help students learn, and then shape the space to meet those goals.”

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Suzanne said: “Schools should first consider the space itself and the number of students. If the space already exists, this will determine how much and what type of furniture it requires. Be mindful of existing built in storage units, features and windows.

Sound, light and sight lines will already be apparent, and furniture can help control and maximise these. For a new build, consider layout configurations and mobile storage options alongside built in storage/whiteboards and diverse seating.”

Image: Furnware

According to Suzanne: “Traditional usually means uncomfortable and less flexible. Furniture has changed over the last 10 years to prioritise comfort and flexibility. Most flexible spaces now offer children the chance to choose their seating style; either down-low, on pebble pads or mats, using kneeling tables;

Helen advised: “Consider how your school could integrate spaces for community interaction. Some new schools now have galleries, retail space selling student products, etc. The school has become the modern town square and schools are swiftly turning into fulcrums of the community.” Bill reiterated that no matter the type of space, purpose is everything.

“Clearly articulated, agreed and understood by all stakeholders, ask: How do we define and measure success? What are we trying to deliver and how will the spaces facilitate this?”

ADMINISTRATION

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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We provide an extensive range of quality education furniture with an easy shopping experience. Alternatively, reach out if you want to discuss any larger projects you may have coming up.

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How can you video assist your class?

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

Research over the last few years has shown that video-assisted classrooms, including flipped learning, can help learners better absorb content.

The University of Queensland’s Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation lists the following pedagogical benefits to video-assisted learning: facilitating thinking and problem solving, assisting with mastery learning, inspiring and engaging

students, and producing authentic learning opportunities.

Have you heard the phrase, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’?

According to research company Forrester, one minute of video learning is worth 1.8 million words. Video platform Kaltura’s

Panasonic Launches Lighter, Smaller Industry Camcorders Pro camera work is more accessible than ever!

Panasonic has catapulted two new lightweight 4K 60p camcorders onto the school scene, boasting enviable professional specs.

Connect to any wireless network and live stream easily to sites likes Facebook, YouTube or any other platform supporting RTMP streaming protocol. No need to connect to computers and complicated streaming software allowing easy sharing of events with family, staff and other students.

Industry’s Smallest and Lightest*1 4K 60p Professional Camcorders with a Wide-Angle 25mm*2 Lens and 24x Optical Zoom. Making this camcorder easy to hold and operate for

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students and teachers alike.

This performance combined with market leading image stabilization and auto focus will guarantee a professional video.

With over 4 hours battery life using the supplied battery this allows a high level of coverage for major events without the need to carry around or purchase expensive additional batteries.

For more information contact lumix@nz.panasonic.com

State of Video in Education 2018 survey noted that 92 percent of educators see video as improving student satisfaction with their learning experience.

Video-assisted learning is gaining momentum as the latest education technology (EdTech) trend and there is a huge variety of user-friendly video-assisted learning platforms already out there, with a multitude of educational videos for educators to choose content from. They support all learning areas from mathematics to medieval history.

YouTube is an obvious place to start but there are other dedicated educational video platforms like eTV, TEDEd and more.

Far from a lazy way to present new content, the video-assisted learning trend is certainly not about flicking on a movie to fill a last-minute lesson plan (although, there’s no shame in that!). Video-assisted learning is about enriching your teaching skills with a medium that can quickly engage students from the outset, particularly with complex or divisive topics.

Students can playback video in their own time, returning later to flesh out their understanding.

Projecting video during class-time can prompt group discussions, allowing teachers to facilitate questions, launch debates, or play devil’s advocate to spark deeper understanding of the topic. Used properly, video in the classroom is a tool to encourage active learning among your students.

If you intend to present video content to a group of students,

TECHNOLOGY

technology is important.

Projectors and display systems have pros and cons depending on your school’s needs. Projectors are more versatile than ever before and work well in flexible spaces. Picture quality may still be higher in a top-range display; however, projectors tend to be the preferred mode for schools. Newer projector/screen technology is interactive and wireless, easier for staff and students to operate and can be automated with motorised screens.

Your students have likely held personal accounts on video platforms since they were toddlers. If that sounds like an exaggeration, YouTube launched 15 years ago! Video is second nature to our learners, and they are used to high-impact, short form content. Teenagers are more likely to get their news updates from satirical 45-second TikToks than a newspaper.

So, take advantage of this capacity for ‘osmosis by video’. Allow them to find and share relevant videos with their peers. Challenge them to make their own videos parodying and explaining complex real-world issues. They are probably doing this on TikTok or Twitter for fun already!

Remember, videos in the EdTech world emphasise crowdsourced learning, which means global educators often make their content freely available online.

While teachers will always be central to teaching, harnessing the power of educational videos may just assist learning (and even free you up along the way).

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

HC-X1500 $2999

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Professional quality audio is achieved with Dual XLR connections (optional add on for the HC-X1500 with the VW-HU1).

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panasonic.co.nz

STEAM ahead with new future-focussed pathways

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

has done just that, paving the way for its students to pursue vital STEM careers in the future. We spent time with Westlake Girls High School TIC for STEAM and Pupuke Kahui Ako science and robotics teacher, Susana Tomaz.

One Auckland-based girls’ school

“At Westlake Girls High School

Susana gave us an in-depth look at how Westlake Girls High School’s ground-breaking STEAM programme has grown from a junior to senior pathway.

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TEACHING RESOURCES

we are STEAMing ahead by promoting partnerships with businesses and industries to help bridge the youth skills gap,” Susana said. She is excited to extend the school’s STEAM pathway beyond junior school in 2020 by adding a focus on entrepreneurship, “supported by our STEAM Power-ED initiative to enable us to establish new industry partnerships and incorporate work experience into the programme”.

Image: Engineering New Zealand

STEAM could go a long way towards reversing this trend by integrating the arts to develop more creative modes of inquirybased STEM learning. This shift towards creativity is why many educators tout STEAM as the next great educational frontier, and schools around New Zealand are searching for ways to become STEAMled or build an exciting new programme for their students.

Image: Caxton Education

It’s being described as a ‘synergy of discovery’, and the ‘exploration of design innovation’, combining skillsets across subjects like Science, Technology, Art, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Statistics vary but STEM career pathways are rapidly expanding.

One Pew Research Center study found that STEM employment has increased 79 percent since 1990, while an Australian government report predicted that opening up 75 percent of jobs will require workers with STEM skills by 2026. Pew also found that today’s STEM workers tend to earn more money than similarly educated workers and that women are underrepresented in many STEM careers. With a more diverse, creative approach to STEM learning, it is possible that a STEAM programme can better capture girls’ interest.

A report developed by Deakin University and the University of Melbourne, Girls’ Future – Our Future, researcher looked into this phenomenon, asking why girls aren’t studying STEM. The researchers found that despite equal mathematics ability, girls were often deterred from STEM subjects because they perceived them as lacking creativity.

Image: Bricks4Kidz

STEAM education drives innovative solutions for community problems.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Susana told us that Westlake has integrated four six-month courses for Year 9 students involving robotics, coding, electronics, design and food technology, with projects that link into several learning areas. She said: “Students are encouraged to be innovative and creative as they attempt to solve real-world problems.”

At Year 10 level, the school offers a six-month Kinetic Sculpture course incorporates aspects of creativity, design, art, physics and technology as students make a movable piece of sculpture and learn about filmmaking in the process.

Another six-month course, FutureTech Design, provides the opportunity for students to build on skills developed in Year 9 and create an interactive product that embeds principles of computer programming, using a microprocessor, and they can foray into future technologies like augmented reality.

collaboratively in community projects, developing an innovative technological solution to a real issue they have identified in their community. The community projects benefit from a mentoring programme and support from experts in the community.

“Students present their final prototypes to the community and five of them get chosen (via voting) to pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts, females working in lead roles within the STEAM field, who get a chance to also share their inspirational stories with our students.”

Real Westlake student community projects One group identified there was a lack of awareness about STEAM careers among children, so they developed a hands-on workshop for primary school students and tied it into a website with links to career information.

Another group invented the “Vibracelet” to tackle mental heath issues among teenagers.

Their bracelet interacts with the user to help manage or prevent panic attacks.

Image: Westlake Girls School

Starting STEAM learning with junior school students

“In Year 10, students also work

Meeting Dr Goodall: a STEAM student dream realised 2018 STEAM programme graduates and winners of the Community Project Challenge, Lily Winchester and Tara Vaughan, had the unique opportunity to showcase their community project to Dr Jane Goodall, Susana revealed.

“Their solution to a community issue involved creating storybooks, with local content, to teach young children about the impact of plastic pollution and how to take action. The book included embedded augmented reality auras and a virtual reality world which immersed the reader in the storyline.”

The girls reflected: “We used HP Reveal to make the books with augmented reality so they can scan the pages and they come to life on the screen. This fun way of learning encourages them to learn important things in creative ways. Our community project has given us so many opportunities including meeting Dr Jane Goodall and attending a STEAM conference.” 38

LASER CUTTERS – CENTRAL TO STEAM Laser cutters/ engravers are a popular choice with schools throughout NZ as they prepare & implement the new digital curriculum.

GENESIS “machines for creation” by Makerspace NZ are a popular choice for many reasons...With applications in both hard and soft material technology, the machines incorporate digital technology including design and prototyping.

It’s easy to see why so many schools are installing Genesis “machines for creation” laser Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

cutters/engravers to meet their curriculum requirements.

With simple to use software and control systems,plus Makerspace NZ’s turnkey approach, your teaching staff are quickly able to gain competency with the technology.

Schools frequently comment about how a laser cutter has freed teachers up to assist with design and digitisation of the project (rather than administrating or operating the machine) thanks to the inherent speed and ease of use that the laser cutter facilitates.

Individual projects are often cut/engraved in seconds to minutes rather than hours.

Contact us at 0800 810 365 or visit makerspacenz.co.nz TEACHING RESOURCES

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Image: Engineering New Zealand

Image: Makerspace

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Creating a senior school STEAM initiative Westlake’s STEAM programme now continues through to its Senior School with the first cohort starting this term. Susana explained: “Our programme is embedded into the school day as part of the curriculum. I would say the two biggest challenges are finding and sustaining a team of like-minded teachers that embrace curriculum integration and timetable limitations.

We heard directly from some of Westlake’s young STEAM learners. Their enthusiasm for the programme in general was clear but what stood out, particularly when hearing from parents, was confidence and excitability.

Learning in a new way by going to events, creating products and travelling to new locations seems to have sparked engagement.

Westlake student Ray gave thanks to her STEAM teachers: “I want to say that none of us would have been able to make these inventive and creative products without [their] help and guidance throughout the many weeks of work. A special shout out to Ms Tomaz for her spectacular leadership and determination with the programme and our many events.

“It has been a privilege to be in [these] classes and to be able to be a part of the Innovation Expo.

Ariana told us: “The STEAM programme was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have so much passion for STEAM.” Parents were more specific in explaining how the new STEAM programme seemed to have influenced their daughters.

One parent said: “It has captured my daughter’s intelligent mind and she absolutely loves learning and school in general.

This is a large turnaround from her previous school. She talks about going to MIT, she strives for excellence and we couldn't be happier with her progression. She is off to NASA with her three STEAM friends this year and she is so excited about that and her future.”

Another noticed a confidence boost in their child: “We noticed that she has developed confidence, she is more comfortable to face new challenges, and she has developed very dynamic thinking skills and problem-solving skills.”

What could STEAM do for your students?

STEAM isn’t just for girls, although it is an effective way to engage girls in STEM subject areas. The purpose of STEAM is to contextualise learning for all learners.

The programmes and projects that schools use and tout as STEAM enable students to apply knowledge from different learning areas to a real-world issue or problem within their community. Students use lasercutters, computer software, music and literature and an array of materials to design tools, artwork and product prototypes that may have a real-life impact within their own communities.

As Westlake students prove, the results so far have been astonishing! We cannot wait to see this generation of inventors forge new industries. The STEAM movement sure is one to watch!

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TEACHING RESOURCES

Image: MOTAT

Image: MOTAT

“The Year 11 STEAM programme will be taught over two integrated units: Innovation and Global Solutions, and Community Centred Enterprise.” Called the ESTEAM programme, “it allows students to take their prototypes to a final product by developing a business plan or social enterprise and engage industry stakeholders (investors), to support them along the way. We also incorporate a mini internship into the ESTEAM programme”.

What do girls think about STEAM?

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

DEVELOPMENT BENEFITS • Explore STEM concepts by utilising multiple learning modalities to engage visual, kinaesthetic and auditory learning styles

At Bricks 4 Kidz®, we learn, we build, we play with LEGO® bricks!.

Bricks 4 Kidz® STEM Educational Programmes brings STEM concepts into the classroom by increasing young students’ knowledge base and enhancing their current curriculum in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths using Bricks 4 Kidz® proprietary LEGO® models and lesson plans. The STEM curriculum at Bricks 4 Kidz® teaches important critical thinking skills that will create future problem solvers!

SCIENCE

ENGINEERING Engineering uses the practical application of science to design and create. Although they may not realise it, children use engineering skills to construct models, such as machines, towers and roller coasters.

TECHNOLOGY Use LEGO®’s software, sensors and remote controls to customise sound and motion.

This is an excellent introduction into the world of computer programming and robotics that will ignite children’s imagination and introduce them to the possibilities of today’s technological world.

Hands-on lessons that focus on topics such as laws of motion, amazing animals, interesting inventions etc, employ the concept of physical science, requiring the children to apply what they’ve learned to their build.

• Develop critical thinking skills through design thinking processes • Improved fine-motor skills • Build problem-solving skills • Develop social and emotional skills About Bricks 4 Kidz® Bricks 4 Kidz® is a #1 award winning global children’s enrichment franchise, recognised for its exceptional children’s programming. Since its inception, Bricks 4 Kidz® has served over 3 million children worldwide, in over 46 countries operating in over 15,000 locations.

MATHS Children are given the opportunity to invariably utilise maths skills as they estimate, count, measure and build with LEGO® Bricks. Problem solving skills will be highlighted whilst constructing new and exciting designs.

Currently Bricks 4 Kidz® is offering after school classes and in-school workshops in over 40 schools in Auckland.

To offer Bricks 4 Kidz® STEM programmes in your school, please contact us nz@bricks4kidz.com

www.bricks4kidz.co.nz

THEY THINK IT’S FUN, YOU KNOW IT’S EDUCATIONAL. #1 Global Children’s Enrichment Programme

After School Programmes

In-School Workshops

Holiday Programmes

Preschool Classes

Kids’ Parties

The STEM curriculum at Bricks 4 Kidz® teaches important critical thinking skills that will create future problem solvers!

Served Over 3 Million Children Aged 3-13

Aged 5 - 13 Aged 5 - 8 MOTORISED LEGO® MODEL BUILDING JUNIOR ROBOTICS CLASS CLASS Students use LEGO WeDo 2.0 “drag and ®

In these fun, educational classes, students will experience hands-on engineering fundamentals as they build motorised models using LEGO® Bricks. Bricks 4 Kidz® provides a curriculum which introduces children to science, engineering, and architecture principles.

Operating In Over 15,000 Locations Worldwide

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

drop” pictorial programming software to bring to life the robotic models they build, to spark and develop young students’ interest in science, computing, engineering and technology.

Age 9 - 13 aDVANCED ROBOTICS CLASS Bricks 4 Kidz® utilises LEGO® EV3 Mindstorms technologies with unique robot models, students are introduced to the EV3 graphic programming language.

STEM concepts and teamwork are combined in this action packed programme where kids learn real-life skills while having real-kid fun!

To offer Bricks 4 Kidz STEM programmes in your school, contact us at www.bricks4kidz.co.nz | nz@bricks4kidz.com | 0800 LEGO 4 K

TEACHING RESOURCES

39

The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) has an established reputation when it comes to sharing inspiring STEM learning outside the museum.

Their popular mobile STEAM Cell laboratories visit thousands of students in schools across Auckland every year and now MOTAT has launched another intriguing new ‘mobile’ service to help educators bring STEM learning to life inside their own classrooms.

MOTAT’s brand new, out-ofthe-box ‘Learnable’ kits are resource rich and come with an accompanying website, supporting information sheets, and a comprehensive selection of activities.

“Our aim with these Learnable kits was to provide educators with the resources they needed to continue extending their own student’s STEM learning once they’re back in their own classrooms” explains Julie Baker, MOTAT’s Education Manager.

“To do this effectively we had to ensure each kit was flexible and offered great value. This means all the supporting material is there if you need it, but the equipment itself is so comprehensive that if you prefer to just get stuck in without any extra input from our MOTAT team, then there is nothing holding you back from doing just that.”

MOTAT’s ‘Learnable’ kits offer affordable access to STEM resources and have also been

designed to develop students’ critical soft skills such as student agency, collaboration, communications, resilience and design thinking.

There are currently five kits available: Robotics Light & Mirrors Magnets Electricity Turing Tumble (Computational Thinking) While the kits are currently only available to educators within the wider Auckland area, according to Ms Baker, if demand is there

then expanding the delivery area will certainly be considered.

“These kits enable educators to utilise cutting edge learning resources at a fraction of the cost involved in purchasing the materials themselves. The kits are perfect for classroom-sized groups and we would love to see them within home-school environments too.”

To learn more about bringing MOTAT STEM learning into your classroom contact: MOTATeducation@motat.org.nz or visit www.motat.org.nz/learn

AT YOUR SCHOOL

‘OUT-OF-THE-BOX’ LEARNING STEM KITS FOR SCHOOLS TO HIRE

MOTAT BRINGS HANDS-ON STEM EDUCATION TO YOUR SCHOOL

Enquire today 09 815 5808 | bookings@motat.org.nz | motat.org.nz/learn

40

TEACHING RESOURCES

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Sparking wonder in STEM With skill shortages in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths, Engineering New Zealand has developed a fun programme to get young Kiwis excited about STEM careers.

The Wonder Project blasted off in 2019 with the Rocket Challenge, where students design, build, and launch their own water rocket. It’s a handson way for Year 5–8 students to get excited about STEM subjects that aligns with the New Zealand curriculum. This first challenge involved 13,500 students from 184 schools across the country – and plans are even bigger for 2020.

The Rocket Challenge will again run in Term 2, this time targeting 800 classes. But they’re also working on a second challenge to run in Term 4 for older students, as well as more regular opportunities for schools to connect with STEM

to take part. Thanks to support from Callaghan Innovation and Trade Me, schools are provided with kits that support the learning and online teaching modules.

The Wonder Project aims to get more young Kiwis excited about taking up careers in STEM fields, says Engineering New Zealand Chief Executive Susan Freeman-Greene.

The Wonder Project - taking young Kiwis on a creative, dynamic and fun STEM journey. industries through in-school talks or workplace visits.

With each of the Wonder Project challenges, schools are supported by industry

professionals who volunteer their time. They work alongside teachers and students to teach STEM concepts and inspire kids to think about a different career path. It’s also free for schools

“In New Zealand, there’s a huge skills shortfall in STEM – we simply don’t have enough young people pursuing careers in these fields. The Wonder Project aims to change that by taking young Kiwis on a creative, dynamic and fun STEM journey.

“Engineers make up just over 1% of New Zealand’s population. In 2014, 5% of New Zealand graduates had studied engineering. Compare that with the OECD average of 12% and we’ve lagging well behind,” Susan says.

Visit www.engineeringnz.org

I wonder how we can inspire the next generation?

Explore our free STEM programmes today at wonderproject.nz

POWERED BY

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

BACKED BY

TEACHING RESOURCES

41

Connecting All Strands Series You already know that CaxEd produces high-quality mathematical resources, and NZ Curriculum Maths – Connecting All Strands series is no exception.

communication. In response to educators’ requests, Online Teacher Support was developed to complement each Student Resource Book in the series.

This tool provides teaching ideas and notes, resource sheets, printable masters, interactive check-ups, and online games, vetted for suitability, relevance, and appropriateness. Each subscription is valued at $250 + GST, but by making these complementary, Caxton Educational continues its longstanding commitment to New Zealand maths teachers.

With this endeavour, authors Maryanne Tipler, Sue Timperley, and Jenny Holland strived to excite students and teachers in ways that promote deeper mathematical thinking and learning, while interweaving and fully encompassing the three strands of the New Zealand Mathematics Curriculum: number and algebra, geometry and measurement, and statistics.

The materials available in the series include both Student Resource Books and Online Teacher Support for curriculum Levels 2-4, corresponding to Years 3–8.

Teachers favourably note that the heavy lifting of gathering appropriate, differentiated, relevant activities is sorted.

For busy teachers who juggle

Get Maths Ready... multiple subjects and other duties, preparation is half the battle.

All the necessary resources are pulled together at their fingertips to meet the teaching objectives.

Teachers also love the extensive

mappings from the curriculum to the book to guide planning and the engaging rich tasks and questions that build confidence, encourage mathematical thinking, and enhance mathematical

The publisher, Caxton Educational Ltd, a leader in mathematics resources, was established more than 25 years ago. The expert team of authors, teaching consultants, maths advisors, proofreaders, graphic designers, and printers are all based in New Zealand.

Are you ready to take advantage of the all these resources offer?

To schedule a free workshop, ring Caxton Educational at 0800 MATH4U (0800 638 474) or flick an email to joel@caxed.co.nz.

BE MATHS READY Get your orders in early this year!

0800 MATHS4U 42

TEACHING RESOURCES

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

technology to show how these tools can be adapted and manipulated to solve our current real-life challenges.

Over the last five years Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) has found its voice as the museum that celebrates past technology while also championing stories of present-day kiwi innovation.

What’s more, MOTAT translates these stories into sources of inspiration that fire the imaginations of our next generation of kiwi inventors, thinkers and entrepreneurs – your students.

MOTAT is asserting itself as New Zealand’s innovation hot house – a ‘lightbulb’ institution, and there is no better demonstration of this ‘past, present, future’ vision than in MOTAT’s Learning Experiences

Outside the Classroom (LEOTC) programmes.

The museum’s heritage collection offers numerous options for classes wishing to delve deeper into learning opportunities.

Topics covered range from social sciences to STEM disciplines.

In 2017 MOTAT further enhanced its education offering by joining forces with specialist digital tech educators The Mind Lab. The Mind Lab run their Auckland school and holiday programmes exclusively at MOTAT with great results.

This partnership has enabled MOTAT to complement its own interactive collection with learning modules that focus on areas such as Robotics, Coding, Animation and 3D design.

Whether it’s a programme to kick start your enquiry learning or a programme to end your term and reinforce your students’ discoveries, MOTAT has the resources and expertise to develop a programme that is uniquely yours.

Talk to the education team at MOTAT about your plans and let them work with you to fire up some great learning outcomes for your students.

To speak to an educator email: motat.education@motat.org.nz To make a booking email: bookings@motat.org.nz www.motat.org.nz/learn

For example, building complex machines using the six simple machines, daily life in Victorian New Zealand, coding and the Internet of Things, and social change through the lens of telecommunication.

MOTAT’s educators guide students through hands-on learning opportunities that cannot be duplicated in a classroom. MOTAT’s heritage collection presents one unique aspect, but there are also opportunities for students to engage with advanced

Hands-On Minds-On Interactive Learning

Hands on with Digital Technologies

Enquire today about how MOTAT can enhance your students’ learning.

Bring your school groups to actively learn about digital technologies through hands-on creativity.

Book now for our Term One education programme combining the new Machine Makers Exhibition with an Invent-A-Machine challenge.

Designed by our expert educators to integrate with The Digital Technologies Learning Areas | Hangarau Matihiko Tupuranga of The New Zealand Curriculum.

Enquire today!

For more information contact 09 815 5808 | bookings@motat.org.nz | motat.org.nz/learn Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

motat.org.nz/mindlab

TEACHING RESOURCES

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New to the bookshelf this term...

The Boys in the Waka Ama For new readers

By Angie Belcher, Debbie Tipuna Penguin Random House Tahi, rua, toru, wha!

Hoea to waka! Meet the team of boys who are training hard for the big competition in this exciting story about waka ama racing!

Access the inaccessible!

With a lovely singing text and vibrant illustrations, this timely story celebrates all aspects of an incredibly popular and fast-growing sport so special to Aotearoa.

LEARNZ TAKES YOU THERE

Never Forget

LEARNZ award-winning virtual experiences take students to remote locations all over Aotearoa, Antarctica and beyond – and they’re FREE!

For age 4+

By Clare Hallifax, Simon O’Carrigan Scholastic Ideal for young readers learning about ANZAC Day, this unique picture book is inspired by works of art painted during the First World War. Illustrator Simon O’Carrigan worked closely with war museums to collate, curate and recreate original art.

TC and the Curse of the Exploding Doll

Enrol for virtual experiences learnz.org.nz/enrol20

TAKE THE LEAD ON SAFER SCHOOL JOURNEYS Road safety resources for teachers and school leaders.

• Curriculum units Years 1-13 • School Traffic Safety Teams manual • Advice for families and school policies

www.education.nzta.govt.nz

For age 7+

By Dave Hartley, Peter Baldwin Omibus Books A very funny book for junior readers, Dave Hartley’s latest installment is big on problem-solving and dealing with bullies. It also examines the Indigenous cultural legends of bunyips.

The Te Reo Māori Classroom thetereomaoriclassroom.co.nz

Haywire For age 9+

By Claire Saxby Omnibus Books Set during the Second World War, this middle-grade epic is a stand-alone novel following the lives of two boys that covers the history of Jewish refugees interned as ‘enemy aliens’ who arrived on the Dunera and were known as the ‘Dunera Boys’.

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Providing a full range of Te Reo Resources for bi-cultural Aotearoa Classrooms Contact Michele Coxhead on

thetereomaoriclassroom@gmail.com

TEACHING RESOURCES

Or join our membership club

Te Reo Club tereoclub.co.nz

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

MARCH 28-30

21

CONTACT: nzei@nzei.org.nz

2020 New Zealand School Leadership Forum, Auckland

WEBSITE: www.events.nzei.org.nz/fono2020/

CONTACT: Register interest via Conferenz

ABOUT:

The theme for Fono is Na leo i Ko'olau. Slam poetry champion Daisy Lavea-Timo will be a keynote speaker at the event, assistant principal Ria (Marie) Lemalie and All Black 7s rugby player Jason Tiatia will MC. Workshops will cover a range of subject areas and topics.

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2020 PPTA Education Conference, Wellington

WEBSITE: www.conferenz.co.nz/events/2020-new-zealand-schoolleadership-forum ABOUT:

Shay Wright is the keynote speaker at this year’s event. The forum looks at developing and identifying strong leaders, managing and dealing with HR issues, integrating Tangata Whenua concepts into school culture, and creating sustainable school governance relationships.

CONTACT: Claudette via ppta2020@confer.co.nz WEBSITE: www.confer.co.nz ABOUT:

APRIL 01

Building, Designing & Maintaining Modern Schools & Facilities, Auckland

26

WEBSITE: www.conferenz.co.nz/events/building-designing-maintainingmodern-schools-facilities

16

The first conference that PPTA have held in nine years, its theme is ‘advancing the dream of public education’. Pasi Sahlberg and Rawiri Toia are expected to speak.

MAY

CONTACT: milig@conferenz.co.nz

ABOUT:

NZEI Pasifika Fono, Christchurch

With the government promising to transform NZ schools, this conference looks at the drive behind the infrastructure upgrade at schools across New Zealand, case studies from new build and refurbished schools, and draws inspiration from Christchurch’s schools.

New Zealand Primary Schools Teachers' Conference, Auckland

CONTACT: events@penz.org.nz

Improving Wellbeing, Mental Health & Resilience in Education, Auckland

CONTACT: Register interest via Conferenz WEBSITE: www.conferenz.co.nz/events/improving-wellbeing-mental-healthresilience-education-0 ABOUT:

Targeted at the primary, intermediate and secondary schools, the 2020 conference aims to help delegates build both student & staff resilience and wellbeing. Delegates will listen to and engage with peers, experts, and field leaders in student and staff wellbeing and mental health.

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Rural and Teaching Principals' Conference, New Plymouth

CONTACT: nzei@nzei.org.nz

WEBSITE: www.nzptc.com/presenters/

WEBSITE: www.events.nzei.org.nz/rtpc2020/speakers

ABOUT:

ABOUT:

Confirmed keynote speakers include Dr Ihirangi Heke, Dr Nicky Mohan and Cam Calkoen. The conference programme includes approximately 75 professional development workshops as well as programmed collaborative sessions.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

TEACHER'S DESK

The theme is Relationships, Rejuvenate, Reinvigorate. The Taranaki-based planning committee has organised a visit to Parihaka, one of New Zealand's most important historic sites.

Speakers have yet to be announced.

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SAY HELLO TO THE AGILE MOVE DESK The Move offers a flexible desking option for both teachers and students in today’s modern learning environments. It’s lightweight design and caster wheels make it easy to move the desks around and configure the classroom layout for either individual or group work. The height-adjustable legs allow the user to alternate between seated and standing positions, whilst also catering to different heights and age groups. A range of sizes and colours available.15year warranty.

C Scholar Furniture P 0800 453 730

EMPOWER RELUCTANT READERS The C-Pen ReaderPen is a portable, pocket-sized device that scans physical text and reads it aloud with an English, Spanish or French human-like digital voice. This is a major technological breakthrough for those who suffer with reading difficulties, like dyslexia. Have words read aloud and the meaning defined using the Dictionary mode, or record thoughts using the Voice Recorder. Audio output comes through the built in speaker, or connect headphones to make this a discrete tool for reading in class. The C-Pen ReaderPen is a lifesaver - helping students gain self-confidence and independence as they can now read on their own.

C DTSL-Assistive Technology P 0800 864 382 E atinfo@dtsl.co.nz W www.atstore.co.nz

E sales@scholarfurniture.co.nz W www.scholarfurniture.co.nz

MAKE YOUR SCHOOL LOGO A FEATURE STANDOUT Make the most of installing acoustic wall coverings by including your school logo. This can be done simply and cost effectively, with maximum impact to your school identity in a busy area like reception areas and gymnasiums/halls. We can organise your school logo to be cut from the fabric and incorporated in the space of work. With years of experience Potter Interior Systems know just how to add impact to your investment.

This acoustic fabric can be more than just a wall lining, use this space to add your own artwork. Potter Interior Systems, your acoustic specialists.

C Potter Interior Systems P 0800 POTTERS W www.potters.co.nz

GET THE REAL DEAL WITH OUR POSTURA® Students won’t want to sit on anything else!

When you choose a Postura®, you know you’re getting the genuine item, the real deal, the fair dinkum “geez, that’s clever” original. Loved by over 11,000 schools and more than 5 million students since its creation, the Postura® is the biggest selling classroom chair in the world.

Proudly over engineered to be the best, the Postura Max® is the latest design member of the family. With 6 additional features compared to the original, the Max® is even more comfortable and ultra-durable than its ancestor. Available in practically every colour under the sun. Choose a custom colour or from our huge favourites range! Serious quality, serious warranty- 20 years.

C Distinction Furniture P 09 523 4092 E sales@distinction.net.nz W www.distinction.net.nz/term-flyers/

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WHAT’S HOT

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

THE ORIGINAL TEACHERS HUB

HOP IN TO COUPLAND'S THIS EASTER. Handcrafted from a Coupland's family recipe, we feel our Hot Cross Buns are the best in New Zealand. Made from the tastiest ingredients, bursting with real spices and fruit, then hand crafted from our expert bakers, giving you the softest, fluffiest buns. Toasted with a smearing of butter, we just know that you and your family will love them. With 25 stores throughout New Zealand, you are going to want to get your hands on Coupland’s Easter treats. Image is a serving suggestion only, strictly while stocks last.

Designed for, and in collaboration with teachers, this innovative and practical mobile desk allows you to move to where the learning is. The Teachers Hub’s compact and clever design may have a small footprint but comes with plenty of storage for laptops and personal belongings, including a lockable drawer for valuables. With two worksurface options: standing height or the pop-out desk for when you want to sit, add a whiteboard back to this flexible unit to create another small group teaching space. Contact us to find out how we can get you mobile in the classroom.

C Furnware P 0800 655 155 E enquiries@furnware.com W www.furnware.co.nz/products/storage/teachers-hub

C Coupland's Bakeries P 0800 366 887 E online@couplands.co.nz W www.couplands.co.nz

COST EFFECTIVE, EASY-TOCLEAN ENTRANCE MAT

SO HOT IT’S DANGEROUS!

Resistant to mould and fungus, UV resistant for outdoors, fire compliant, all supported by a 10 year-indoor and 3-year outdoor limited warranty.

This is DecoRIB and WideRIB, the ideal solution where a durable entry carpet is required. Slip resistance, coupled with a unique construction makes these carpets exceedingly durable, even in harsh conditions where foot traffic is high, and exposed to the various elements of New Zealand. DecoRIB and WideRIB provide the ultimate tough entry carpet, required to keep your floors clean and reduce accidents from slips and falls on wet floors, and survive New Zealand conditions.

C Advance Flooring Systems P 09 634 4455

Lundias’ latest design in the teaching shelving space has ramped up it’s call for modularity, multifunctionality, and I.T. compatibility as well as looking cool and interactive for both learner and teacher. Need to charge and lock away classroom I.T. equipment? Would mood lighting help calm the farm? Does fold-up desking help utilise space and secure your teaching tools? Want secure multifunctional units with hidden interactive T.V. module behind whiteboards? Must be easy to specify and design? Helpful to customise for special needs? Nice to add some School branding or themed decorative touches? ILE-walls – Integrated Learning Elements.

E sales@advanceflooringsystems.com

C Lundia P 0800 860 460

W advanceflooringsystems.com

E info@lundia.co.nz W www.lundia.co.nz

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

WHAT’S HOT

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By Kate Jackson, Industry Reporter

Christchurch has endured two shattering events over the last decade that have left their scars on a place once synonymous with gardens and gentle civility.

But this a resilient city. Following the long journey back from 2011’s destructive earthquakes, and after last year's horrifying shootings, Christchurch has emerged as a thriving, energetic and friendly metropolis.

As our reporter Mandy Clarke so eloquently said in the aftermath of last March’s attack, Christchurch is “filled with history and culture, amazing street art, innovative projects and a booming tourism sector,” and “state-of-the-art architecture that continues to form how the city looks, feels and functions, while cherishing its heritage.”

It is a place where the creativity

48

born of adversity blooms as vividly as the plants in its world-renowned botanic gardens, making it a fascinating and diverse destination for students to explore.

replacement for the city’s badly damaged Anglican cathedral, the stunning 28-metre-long, polycarbonate-covered creation in Latimer Square has become a symbol of the city’s endurance.

Art

For a more mainstream take on art, the gorgeously designed Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu features important works by homegrown and international artists. The gallery offers a rolling exhibition and events program and runs regular tours and activities designed around school groups.

One of the most inspiring responses to the 2011 earthquake which decimated the city centre was Christchurch’s proliferation of street art. Derelict city walls were turned into vibrant canvasses and the city is now listed by Lonely Planet as among the world’s best street art destinations.

Street art maps allow students to follow the colourful trail around the city. As one Christchurch accommodation operator puts it: “Be inspired in an urban jungle of cool graffiti, clever sculptures and humorous installations.”

Another artistic creation emerging from the ruins of the quake is the Cardboard Cathedral.

Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban as a temporary

And the city’s Centre of Contemporary Art, or CoCA Christchurch, offers modern and abstract collections it claims will “widen your horizon and challenge the way you view art”. The notfor-profit provides free access and says staff love “introducing students to contemporary art” through arranged tours.

Humanities The Canterbury Museum tells the

E.O.T.C.

story of Canterbury stretching back to its pre-European settlement days and features an extensive collection of rare Maori artefacts. It’s most recent permanent fixture, Quake City, will gives an insight into how disaster can shape a city’s - and a region’s - sense of identity. Featuring personal narratives of those who are living with the aftermath, this is must-see for those wanting to understand the impact of disaster.

History of a different kind is brought to life at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

A trove of national aviation heritage, it offers a range of free curriculum-based educational programmes across all ages and provides hands-on experiences including flight simulators and museum hunts.

Christchurch has been operating as a gateway to the Antarctic region since the early 20th century and its International Antarctic Centre, home to the New Zealand, United States and Italian Antarctic

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Image: Air Force Museum of New Zealand

Get out and about in Christchurch

programmes, is open every day.

It gives students a hands-on feel of the Antarctic, including getting stuck in the throes of an Antarctic storm and interacting with penguins and huskies.

whale and dolphin encounters.

Kaikoura’s many coastal walking tracks provide a range of hiking options from 30-minute strolls to full day adventures and cater to diverse abilities and fitness levels. School tour options are many and varied and can be accessed through local tourism operators and visitor centres.

Natural history The Christchurch Botanic Gardens are internationally renowned for their many species of trees, flowers and shrubs, making this a fantastic study destination for students interested in botanical sciences.

Guided tours are available.

But Christchurch also boast a number less famous but equally picturesque gardens, historic house gardens and wildlife sanctuaries which are open for viewing and offer guided tours and arranged lunches. Just check with local tourism authorities for details.

Getting out and about Christchurch’s grid layout and flat terrain makes it easy to navigate on foot. Ordinary buses are numerous, but tram and double-decker bus tours are great ways to view the sights and learn about the city. For

ranging from backpacker style accommodation and hostels to historic buildings and holiday parks. Managers can advise on how the layout and spread of rooms will work for your group.

If you’re staying for more than a week, you may want to consider multiple locations or make sure the rooms will be comfortable enough for an extended stay.

smaller groups, an Edwardianthemed punt down the Avon River is a unique way to explore Christchurch and its parklands.

Bikes are a popular way to traverse the Canterbury region and Christchurch offers a vast network of scenic road and off-road trails up and around the Port Hills. There are also aerial obstacle courses and mountain biking adventures available in and around the city catering for everyone from beginners to experienced thrill seekers.

Nearby

Accommodation There’s a ton of accommodation options catering to school groups,

Around 2.5 hours north of Christchurch is Kaikoura, a wildlife haven which offers several unforgettable oceanbased study activities, including kayak adventures and seal,

Education in an ejector seat!

Move stealthily through the jungles of the Pacific as you step back in time to World War Two. Make quick decisions as you take on a ration challenge. Get the adrenaline pumping as you ‘parachute’ out of a real (stationary) plane!

Just a 20-minute bus ride south of the Christchurch CBD is the town of Lyttelton, the departure point for the ferry to Banks Peninsula (also easily accessible by road).

The peninsula is home to Akaroa, a former French settlement and base for outdoor adventure camps offering activity programs through professional instructors.

Discover:J Theory of FlightJ AnzacJ Simple MachinesJ Rations ChallengeJ Airport AdventuresJ

Our free, curriculum-based programmes take education outside of the classroom to new heights! Covering a range of curriculum themes, there is always something new to learn at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

and more...J

INTERACTIVE AND FUN!

“Thank you so much for showing my class and I the museum, even though it was my third year coming to the museum I never get tired of it. You always make your talks fun and interactive and for some reason I always find myself getting strapped in the ejector chair!” - Liv.

FREE AND FLEXIBLE CURRICULUM-BASED PROGRAMMES FOR ALL AGES.

To discuss your specific learning outcomes, contact our Education Officer Chris Davey.

Email: chris.davey@airforcemuseum.co.nz Phone: (03) 343-9517.

45 Harvard Ave, Wigram, Christchurch

Watch our pre-visit video www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/learn Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Hanmer Springs, just under a two-hour road trip north and west, is home to natural sulphur and thermal pools, a relaxing alternative to the town’s adrenaline-fuelled bungy jumping, white-water rafting and jet boat rides attractions. Walking and biking trails are also abundant here, and again, school camps and guided day trips can be booked through local tourism operators.

www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/learn

E.O.T.C.

49

Your school could save a life

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

lead to delayed defibrillation.”

A scarcity of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) has experts concerned about public safety.

Schools are often centrally located in our communities and play host to a wide variety of public events and activities. Making sure AEDs are swiftly accessible can save lives. Register your AED to the AED Locations app so that anyone can find and use it in an emergency.

Around 2000 people suffer cardiac arrests outside hospital every year, according to the New Zealand Resuscitation Council. Studies have shown that defibrillating someone who has arrested within minutes, can save their life and provides them with the best chance at a positive neurological outcome. Every minute that defibrillation is delayed, chance of survival decreases by 10 percent, according to the American Heart Association.

However, AEDs are not nearly prevalent enough and schools could help turn that around.

A new study by Peter O'Callaghan, Janice Swampillai and Martin Stiles published in New Zealand Medical Journal late last year identified just 50 in the city of Hamilton with only three continuously available. It found: “Lack of signposting and restrictions to access would

Advice from the AED sector We cleared up some common misconceptions with key defibrillator suppliers to the school sector.

St John New Zealand product specialist Kwan-Lyn Lim explained: “Many people find the idea of using an AED daunting and at times scary. But AEDs are easy to use, with built in step-bystep voice prompts to guide you through the entire process and built in safety to ensure shocks are only applied when needed.

Anyone can quickly learn to use an AED! You don’t need to be a medical professional or specially trained. If you’d like to gain more confidence in performing CPR and using an AED, you

“Red Cross’s range of Powerheart defibrillators are supported by a comprehensive AED management programme. While fully automated and daily self-testing, Powerheart defibrillators also customise the size of the shock to each patient, maximising the potential for a successful revival.” – Michael Sharapoff, Red Cross

can download apps and video tutorials online for free. As for first aid training, there are a wide range of courses available to suit the different needs of

teachers, staff, students and schools. This can range from a two-hour course to a twoday long course, with some offering NZQA unit standards and first-aider qualifications.

“AEDs do not normally require regular servicing by a technician.

It is recommended that schools have a plan in place for regular AED checks by someone within the school to look out for any warning signs that the AED requires any maintenance actions. The ideal device performs a daily self-test to make sure that it’s always ready for use. This way, they do not require any other servicing as the unit performs a series of tests and will advise the user of any other maintenance actions via a chirp and/or flashing light.

“Lifepak CR2 AED Defibrillator provides the right amount of instruction and includes new cprINSIGHT™ analysis technology. Once CPR begins, cprINSIGHT technology automatically analyses and detects if a shock is needed.” – Johanna Verheijen, First Training

An AED should be placed in a well-known, central location that is easily accessible in an emergency. Schools can promote the location of its AED with clearly marked AED signage.”

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Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

HEALTH & SAFETY

Anyone can quickly learn to use an AED! You don’t need to be a medical professional or specially trained.

WE TEACH PEOPLE TO SAVE LIVES IN A FUN & INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT

First Aid for the School Environment (FASE)

First Training managing director Johanna Verheijen told us: “Every AED or defibrillator should have a tool kit supplied. In this tool kit there should be safety gloves, scissors for cutting clothing off, a medical razor for shaving hairy chests, a CPR face shield and some wipes or a small towel for drying the patient’s chest before placing the pads. You don't need expert training to use an AED either. Just switch it on - most devices have a green button, green for go! Just follow the voice prompts and make sure you call 111 for emergency care.

“However, first aid training should be undertaken by members of staff and we recommend that

all school staff have some first aid training that covers the use of an AED. Anyone taking EOTC, depending on the location they are taking their students to, I recommend they undergo outdoor first aid training. This is for isolated locations and longer-term care in case help is not available immediately.

“Where to place your AED is up to your school. Generally, the management and Board of Trustees decide on a spot. Some bigger schools may have several AEDs located around campus.

Popular locations include admin areas, sick bay, or gym area accessible to after-hours sports teams.

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4-hour course held at your premises at times to suit you. This is a cost effective course designed to give teachers confidence to cope with medical emergencies and accidents at school or on suburban trips. This fits with staff development and is based on Ministry of Education guidelines.

For further information and pricing for all first aid courses please email

info@first-training.co.nz or call us 0800 1ST AID

www.first-training.co.nz

Not all defibrillators

are created equal...

New Zealand Red Cross is 100% committed to ensuring our defibrillators (AEDs) save as many Kiwi lives as possible. That’s why we will never accept anything less than 100% reliability.

Achieving this 100% standard with over 2,000 AEDs nationwide comes down to not one, but TWO key factors: 1

Our Device

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Our Support Programme

Having the right equipment is essential when lives depend on it. New Zealand Red Cross has carefully evaluated the equipment needed for a successful AED programme. We have chosen Cardiac Science AED’s because of their ease-ofuse, reliability, and performance.

When the time comes to save a life, you need to have confidence in your AED. Automated daily self-tests of pads, battery and software, the Red Cross AED ensures you are always Rescue Ready®. We track every Powerheart’s maintenance schedule, stock all our own replacement parts and consumables, and provide full wrap-around support.

At Red Cross, we literally trust these devices with our lives.

We also make working with Red Cross as easy as possible with flexible invoicing options, bulk discounts, and even an AED rental option.

If you want to know more about our AEDs, go to: redcross.org.nz/aed

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

HEALTH & SAFETY

Red Cross is the worldwide leader in first aid. We practically invented first aid on a European battlefield in 1859, and we still train over 15 million first aiders every year!

NZ Red Cross is a not-forprofit organisation that’s been ‘Here For Good’ since 1911. By partnering with the Red Cross you’re supporting our work in Kiwi communities.

0800 RED CROSS save@redcross.org.nz redcross.org.nz/aed

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the battery capacity. These will be the keys to the success of a schools AED programme.

“The St John HeartStart FRx is great for schools! There is the option to have an infant/child key that instantly toggles from adult to paediatric mode and is lightweight but still suitable for demanding outdoor environments.” – Kwan-Lyn Lim, St John New Zealand | Hato Hone Aotearoa 51 Anyone who buys or rents an AED can share that they have one by adding its location to an AED Locations app, which was developed so members of the public can quickly locate the nearest AED in an emergency.

“While these devices do not require servicing, in the unfortunate event that an AED

is used, the pads and/or battery must be replaced so contact your supplier for replacement.”

Red Cross representative Michael Sharapoff said: “Reducing the time to deliver a shock is key factor in improving survival. When selecting an AED, review its ability to automatically customise the energy delivered for each patient. This is called variable energy. Generally, a

smaller child would receive less energy than a large adult without the need to change pads or adjust settings during a rescue.

“I come across many AEDs in the community that are not in optimal condition. Expired pads and batteries are the main problem. When selecting an AED, review its ability to self-test every day. This ensures the everything works, including pad expiry and

“When investing into an AED programme ensure all your AEDs in the community are Rescue Ready. Make sure all AEDs are managed in a free management programme and track the requirements of each AED. An outside prominent location is best. The right storage solution is important to protect the AED from temperatures outside that may damage the AED and not covered by device warranty. The best solution is a monitored Outdoor AED cabinet. They connect wirelessly to the internet of things (IoT) and send messages if the AED is used or needs attention.

“Together with the right equipment, training and support, gives rescuers like you the best chance of saving a life. At the end of the day having an AED will provide the best chance of survival for the school community should a sudden cardiac arrest occur so there is now an expectation by both staff and parents that AEDs are available.”

New Sports First Aid Kit Innovative injury-specific concept

Features > Injury-specific compartments that are removable, designed to help you quickly respond to and treat injuries > A black sturdy carry bag with four drink bottle compartments and rubber feet for added protection > Clinically approved $138 each. Bulk pricing is also available.

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HEALTH & SAFETY

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Don’t force sports day participation!

A badly planned sports event can cause staff headaches and negatively impact student wellbeing.

your school community’ at the forefront of all decision-making.

Mental health researcher Helen Street warned ABC that compulsory participation in sports days and carnivals can make them reluctant to exercise and take part in activities ever again. She said: “Forcing kids to compete when they're not wanting to can cause extreme anxiety.

When structuring activities, consider streaming events so that low-stakes games take place alongside competitive ones.

Include activities that require balance, navigational ability or problem solving to encourage learners of varied abilities to participate. Introduce silly prizes and prioritise fun. Consider sensory needs by setting up a ‘quiet zone’ for more relaxed activities. Encourage costumes!

“It can be really humiliating and stressful for them.” Teamwork, sportsmanship, resilience and physical stamina are all things that come about when students feel supported, not humiliated.

So, when planning your sports day, keep ‘bringing together

Consider how seating can build community and participation.

Retractable seating is a great option for larger spectator events and competitive activities. Tiered seating aids visibility, particularly if your school has a multipurpose 54 oval, court or hall.

Image: Edwards Sound Systems

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

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Consider how you want to MC your event. Schools too often report stolen horns, strained voices and stressful whistleblowing when PA systems can help keep participants and onlookers engaged, entertained and in-the-know.

When organising your equipment needs, don’t overlook safety: make sure school staff and chaperones know where they can access automatic external defibrillators and first aid kits.

We approached the industry to find out more about sports day equipment options available to schools.

Industry viewpoints Jonathan Neil from Edwards Sound System gave us a rundown of need-to-know PA system intel for schools.

'once-a-year’ thing (it is better if they can be used frequently).

A teacher can borrow it for temporary classroom use or one-off events. These are also useful in an emergency if the power is off and you have to marshal several hundred people on a field. (Keep it charged!)

“The latest amplifiers and electronics are more energy efficient than ever. The Bluetooth and USB players use a fraction of the power that a CD player used to, so when you pair it up with wireless microphones and extension speakers and you do have a portable broadcast studio that can be used in remote locations without mains power for hours.

“A modular portable PA system can reasonably easily be expanded – add more speakers or microphones without any extra management needed and you can speak to thousands of people if needed. Most

Image: Hercules Instant Shelter

He said: “A PA system is a necessity for effective crowd control and safety.” A portable PA system makes sense for schools planning sporting events as they can be used anywhere: “Not only on the school field for sports, but at any venue if you use a local sportsground for sports day. Ready in minutes, reliable and easy to set up and use; a battery powered PA system can usually run for 6-10 hours. These can be used for assemblies and school productions as well as sports days so it is not a

Image: Hercules Instant Shelter

For more intimate events and all-weather solutions, gazebos and flexible shade solutions can help you control and manage crowds. Customising colours to suit houses or teams can also help build rapport and encourage friendly competition between student groups.

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schools find that one master speaker is suitable for their needs, but it is easy to add extra speakers to expand the coverage. Wireless batterypowered extension speakers (slaves) are also available. These can be placed on the other side of halls, roads, tracks or structures that would otherwise make running wires difficult.

“These can also be connected to existing sound systems – for example, to make use of the wireless mics and Bluetooth music player, you could connect this to your hall system inputs.

Choose a system designed for the non-professional operator so that you don’t need training to get these working.

Designate some responsible students as the monitors and you’ve got your sound crew.”

Chelsea Deng from Hercules Instant Shelter advised School News on branding options and seating solutions.

“Nowadays, more and more schools are getting branded gazebos instead of just plain gazebos,” said Chelsea. “A school name and logo on a gazebo takes the school to the next level of professionalism.

Visitors can recognise the school simply by the logo printed on a high-quality structure. Instant shade solution is no longer the only reason for school looking for a gazebo for a school sports event. It is also a consideration of school marketing.

“Instant shelters provide instant shade solution to protect students from the elements,

SPORTS & RECREATION

such as sun, wind and rain. In New Zealand, where you could be at risk for overheating or serious sunburn if exposure yourself without cover to the sun for a long time. So, schools need to make sure they have something to protect students from hot sun and rain while they are staying outside. A PVC coating is commonly applied to the polyester canopy, this is to increase its performance especially resistance to water and UV. Make sure the gazebo they are getting has this feature, and the higher gsm, the greater thickness.

“Wind tolerance was one of the frequently asked questions. Some customers care about this very much as they are living in a windy environment. If wind tolerance is a concern for your school, I would recommend a superstrength aluminium gazebo model - make sure the gazebo is anchored by using tie-down ropes and pegs, and stop using the gazebo in extreme winds otherwise it could be at risk for damage or personal injury.

“Whether the gazebo is easily portable is important for a school sports event when it comes to transport. It is better to talk with a gazebo specialist if either the gazebo weight or storage space is an issue, they will give you professional advice to help you to get the right gazebo. As a professional gazebo supplier, they offer a large range of pop up gazebo styles to suit any needs and occasions.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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Perfect for any public address or speaking applications indoors and outdoors, with or without mains power - large rechargeable batteries built in that can power this for up to 10 hours at full power. Easily heard across a playing field, school hall or courts. Not only for sports fields…can be used for assembly, school productions too.

Expandable, add extension speakers.

Contact us today for complimentary consultation 0800 433927 | sales@edwardsnz.co.nz | edwardsnz.co.nz

Hidden allergens, colour psychology

and zoning floor trends

By Rosie Clarke, Editor

Have you noticed learners coughing in the classroom or assembly hall?

Your school flooring could be the culprit! A recent University of Otago study vacuumed patches of carpet in 136 primary school classrooms to measure allergen levels. The researchers detected house dust mite, cat, cow and horse allergens in 96.4 percent, 100 percent, 27 percent and 59.9 percent of classroom samples, respectively.

Samples from three schools detected a small amount of cockroach allergens and one school evidenced traces of peanut.

These are significant findings when New Zealand kids have some of the highest rates of asthma in the world. Fourteen percent of children (aged two to 14) receive ongoing treatment for the condition, according to New Zealand Health Survey.

A 2018 impact report from the Asthma and Respiratory Disease Foundation of New Zealand adds that respiratory disease is our nation’s third most common cause of death,

Cashmere High School, Photo: Advance Flooring Systems

and that “hospitalisation rates in children under 15 years were nearly three times the rates for adults aged 30-64”.

Cat allergens were most prevalent, a finding that could pose “major exposure risk” to students with existing sensitivities, according to the study. Cat allergies are relatively common and although rarely life-threatening, contact with

Freeman's Bay School, Photo: Advance Flooring Systems

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cat dander can trigger eczema, asthma, hay fever-like symptoms and other irritations. In the Otago study, 100 percent of the classrooms tested positive for at least low levels of cat allergen but around a quarter had high enough levels to trigger these health issues in sensitive children. The report suggests that as schools likely do not have cats roaming the halls, so these allergens likely transfer from children’s clothing and stick to the flooring. All the classroom floors tested in the study were carpeted, though it is not stated how recently they had been professionally cleaned or how old they were at the time of testing. Schools that have noticed a high allergy rate among students and/or staff should consider testing, cleaning and/or refurbishing their flooring. The researchers, led by Associate Professor Rob Siebers, suggested that

PROPERTY

schools concerned about cat dander in particular could look at smoother flooring types.

Although, they also noted that further research would be “required to demonstrate the benefits of replacing carpets with smooth flooring in terms of health outcomes”.

Carpets do also have lots of benefits for school environments. Carpets provide sound absorption, making them a popular choice for libraries, larger classrooms and common areas. Carpets also boast thermal resistance, which can help improve your school building’s energy efficiency.

Adhesive carpet tiles are versatile and efficient and could be a good alternative as schools can replace a few damaged, used or dirty tiles rather than strip out an entire carpet or wait until the whole carpet is worn enough to warrant a full replacement. 58 Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Advance Flooring’s has an extensive range of carpet tiles options available to meet every colour and design requirement.

Drawing on two world leading manufacturers you can be assured your every acoustic, environmental and durability requirement is met as well.

The right flooring supports both the design and practical requirements of schools. From entrances and classrooms to specialised spaces, Advance Flooring provide a complete flooring range.

When Freemans Bay School undertook a major rebuild in 2015–18, colour was planned into the innovative architectural design from the outset: both on the exteriors of the new buildings and in the dynamic open-plan interiors.

The bold use of colour not only reinforces the inner Auckland school’s diverse cultural identity, but also provides an

environment that inspires the imagination. Blue, green, orange and red thematically reference the sea, forest, sunset and earth respectively.

‘Colour is a relatively costeffective way to bring a project to life,’ says Moshin Mussa from architects RTA Studio.

‘Flexible teaching spaces are designed for a variety of pedagogical practice, as well as a multitude of subjects and disciplines, for use by the school and the community alike.’

To stop dirt and moisture at the doorways at Freemans Bay School Tapisom Modul Entry Tiles were used. Tapisom Modul is a needle-punched, polymixed modular entrance carpet tile designed to create a monolithic appearance or pattern.

Engineered for easy installation and long life, it comes in a range

of colours to work seamlessly with other flooring options.

Advance Flooring supply the complete package for schools, with products that are adaptable, durable, practical, attractive and sustainable.

These range from interior carpet tiles and indoor/outdoor matting for entranceways to multi-purpose gymnasium flooring and vinyl flooring solutions.

For more information, call a member of our team on +64 9 634 4455 or visit advanceflooringsystems.com.

Practicality is another watchword in schools, where high foot traffic demands that effective flooring solutions are essential for keeping dirt and moisture out of classrooms and maintaining clean indoor air quality.

Inspiring spaces to learn, play and grow.

We offer complete flooring solutions for schools: • • • •

Entry carpet Carpet tiles Vinyl and rubber flooring Multi-purpose sports flooring

For more information please call +64 9 634 4455 or visit our website: advanceflooringsystems.com

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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Image: Belgotex

used for lots of different needs.

Timber provides good shock absorption and works effectively for heavier bodies in gymnasiums and on dance floors, providing some resilience against injury and promoting noise reduction.

56 Moreover, smooth or hard flooring can be noisier, more difficult to replace and more slippery.

Material benefits, flooring options Typically, schools use a variety of materials and the most popular ones include carpet, ceramic or porcelain and vinyl composition tile. However, there are pros and cons to all materials. While carpets, vinyl and rubber flooring come in all colours and designs that can be customised to your needs and preferences, wooden floors are less customisable but can offer a warm and classic feel. Each material has different

acoustics and depending on use, you may want something soft enough for students to sit on or tough enough to withstand heavy equipment or musical instruments.

Acoustics are a critical concern for schools in 2020, particularly as awareness about sensory processing disorders continues to build.

All schools need quiet spaces to enhance student comfort and concentration. Noise levels can be improved by installing softer surfaces like carpet.

Sound absorption studies have shown that when comparing carpet to hard flooring, carpet is up to ten times more effective at absorbing sound. Mats and other coverings can also help.

Vinyl provides a visually warm and welcoming atmosphere, and it can withstand heavy wheel and foot traffic. Vinyl tiles are flexible, easy to fit and cost effective to replace and can be used all over your school because many brands offer non-slip, nonscuff qualities and they can be designed for use in gymnasiums.

For many installations, they provide a good balance between affordability and durability.

Rubber tiles are a resilient choice for schools and if they are composed of recycled tires it can help fulfil some of your building’s sustainability goals.

This flooring might also be better at reducing the hair-tingling noise from scraping chairs. Wood is a versatile option that can be

The key here is figuring out which materials have the most benefits to suit your school’s needs. The real takeaway for schools reading this study could be to carefully consider the impact of flooring on their learning environment.

What floor material best suits the needs of your learners?

If you have a high ratio of students with allergies and sensitivities you might want to investigate newer materials or enquire about hypoallergenic options. For cohorts with very severe allergy sufferers, schools could remind families that washing uniforms daily will help limit exposure to allergens.

Schools could also discourage learners from sitting on the floor altogether or create a flooring design in collaboration with a school flooring specialist that maximises functional space and minimises allergen levels.

The advent of the modern learning environment has sparked interest in creative floor designs that guide learners to different environments using different colours and materials in conjunction with building design and furniture options.

Re-designing your school’s learning environment from the ground up?

It starts with flooring. Specialists have told us that floor zoning and colour psychology are increasingly popular considerations for schools that want to reinvigorate their learning environment from the ground up.

Industry specialists shared the following flooring trend insights with us…

Papamoa College School, Photo: Jacobsen

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Nigel Macintyre, general manager at Advance Flooring Systems, said he expects to see schools “using colour in flooring to identify zones and create natural flow that children follow” in 2020 and indicated that schools are using “more subdued colours to avoid agitating children that are sensitive” to sensory stimulation. 60 Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

At Belgotex they believe that everything they do should creatively challenge the flooring / interiors status quo.

They have an extensive range of versatile and hard-wearing products with a dimension of eye-catching colours, patterns and textures to fit all areas within education facilities.

Flooring can incorporate brand colours to showcase unique character, highlight a focal point, create flow and even direct students to different areas within a space. They

love transforming boring spaces into stimulating zones to improve engagement and creative thinking abilities.

Their experienced design team always work towards creating something special for each individual project.

They provide complete solutions adapted to the education market with different products to cover all areas.

The constraints of hygiene, resistance and acoustics are important indicators to consider as being part of mandatory characteristics of education.

They have floor covering

solutions for all education facilities areas, big or small.

They understand that sound insulation is an important feature to prevent the transmission of sound disturbances. Their acoustic floorings helps to enhance learning through providing high sound insulation between rooms, as well as improving reverberation and ambient noise within a room.

While maintaining the technical performance and design of their products, their products are manufactured with the health and environmental concerns

of their users at the forefront of their mind. They provide the world’s most state of the art and environmentally friendly flooring solutions to New Zealander’s with protection for indoor air quality.

At Belgotex you can rely on high quality floor coverings that are environmentally responsible, easy to maintain, whilst adding real value to the learning.

Belgotex has a team of flooring experts throughout the country who can consult with you.

For more information call 0800 377 753 or visit www.belgotex.co.nz.

Bringing you a world of choice.

Carpet | Carpet Tiles | Vinyl | Needlepunch | Artificial Grass | Rubber Luxury Vinyl Tile | Rigid and Laminate (Luxury Floating Floors) | Amtico Custom and Design Carpet | ege Carpets | Best Wool Carpets

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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www.belgotex.co.nz

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Auckland Girls Grammer, Photo: Jacobsen

58 Teresa Ma'aelopa from Jacobsen has noticed “colour is being immersed in the design, rather than the occasional colour pop” and suggested that the move towards open plan learning and collaboration spaces has seen “an increase in the use of carpet tiles” giving a wide selection of colours and patterns “to promote wayfinding and define different spaces within the open plan environment”.

will be more visible. School flooring specialists can help strike a balance by aiming for a comprehensive design that takes different functionalities and area requirements into account.

Getting students in the zone with clever floor designs Choosing flooring types should depend on the location and

function of each area. Places like the school cafeteria, kitchen and science labs or storage rooms may be subject to heavy loads where a hard wearing, non-slip, easy-to-clean and resilient floor is required. In areas like libraries and study zones, flooring and floor coverings should promote quiet, calm and comfort. Think about what furniture will be used in the space and how often it will be moved so that

Colour psychology for classroom floors

Determine the relative temperature and humidity of the space. This is important for both the flooring and adhesive choice because changes in moisture can lead to expansions and contractions of a floor and lead to trip and slip hazards.

Make sure your flooring and adhesive is approved for use in educational areas: suppliers will be able to confirm this for you when you ask for quotes.

Foot traffic plays a huge role in flooring decisions both during construction and after installation. Ask your supplier and installer which materials meet the specific demands of each space and ask about the installation process to prevent class-time disruption.

Visit other schools that have undergone floor renovations and take note of wear and tear. Ask them about their budget and short versus long-term costs.

Studies show that young children pay more attention to bright colours, so muted designs could be less distracting. Cooler colours have been shown to have a calming influence on mood while warmer colours engender comfort. Interestingly, the colour red has been associated with increasing appetite and alertness by raising heart rates.

Image: Jacobsen

Schools always aim to choose flooring that is easy to clean and maintain. Dark coloured carpet won’t be very forgiving with dust or paper debris but hides spillages well and may inspire more frequent cleaning.

Meanwhile, paler carpets stain faster, and wear-and-tear

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you can pre-empt damage from scraping chairs and tables.

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Remember, in areas where professional-standard sports training is undertaken, it is required for schools to seek recommendations from the relevant international sport body.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

The breadth of range of quality carpet tiles, such as Shaw Contract and Desso, makes them ideal for this purpose.

Providing a warm, quiet and comfortable flooring that children will be happy to sit on with a variety of colours and patterns that allow you to complete a truly unique and inspirational design.

With a focus on delivering sustainable flooring both Shaw Contract and Desso offer the best quality carpet tiles with third party environmental accreditation. Both have Cradle to Cradle certification.

Desso also has GreenTag Green Rate and Shaw has Good Environmental Choice certification.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Tarkett iQ vinyl ranges do not require wax or polish for the lifetime of the flooring thereby reducing the maintenance requirements and costs.

GreenTag GreenRate Level A certification confirms the suitability of Tarkett vinyl for school environments with no Phthalates and VOC emissions below quantifiable levels.

Other Tarkett vinyls are also available with slip resistance, acoustic and antistatic (SD) properties.

Desso also offers, Desso Airmaster, which helps to remove fine dust particles from the air and improves indoor air quality. Both companies offer a cushioning or acoustic option, Desso Soundmaster and Shaw Ecologix.

Tarkett, Shaw Contract and Desso are distributed in New Zealand by Jacobsen Creative Surfaces. A private, family business established in 1962, Jacobsen has a reputation for quality products and has been providing expert service to the industry in New Zealand for over 55 years. Jacobsen has a full range of flooring products available covering carpet tiles, broadloom carpet, vinyl, linoleum, rubber, cork, LVT, laminate, wood and tiles.

High-wear flooring, like Tarkett vinyl, is ideal for areas that require durability such as science labs and bathrooms.

With an easy clean surface,

For more information on the Jacobsen product range, visit www.jacobsen.co.nz or call 0800 800 460 to speak to an expert.

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r u o y s i What d n u o r playg ? y g e t stra

By Mandy Clarke, Industry Reporter

Don’t settle for an ordinary outdoor play area or underestimate the importance of play time because it has a significant impact on development.

inspection checklist for future maintenance and auditing.

equipment required? What is

School playgrounds can be expensive projects, so research your options carefully. If there’s an existing playground at your school, your first step should be to inspect it closely and decide whether it needs a total overhaul or is still in good shape. Have the materials held up? Is new

the flooring? If you have noticed

the landscaping like? How about an uptick in minor injuries, take note of common causes. Is there a favourite piece of equipment that students are fighting over?

Do you have a problem with over-crowding or is it caused by the equipment or surfacing?

How long does it take to get a new playground off the ground?

A good time estimate for a typical playground project is six to nine months from when planning begins to final installation.

However, this does not factor in fundraising and flexibility is required in case of construction or manufacturing delays.

Looking for ideas? Get inspired by your natural environment!

You could incorporate natural slopes and hills with slides or use external walls for rock climbing.

Children can learn a lot by playing in gardens, sand pits, small streams, caves, labyrinths, and any other nature-inspired features that may be easier to replicate with play equipment than you think!

Twisty, challenging climbs, rock walls and other obstacle-type design needs nimble limbs and develops fine motor, strength and 64 forward planning skills.

Children spend so much time indoors behind smartphones and screens that it is more important than ever to inspire with creative outdoor learning opportunities.

Done properly, planning, upgrading or designing a new playground is an investment in your school’s educational ethos.

What should you aim for when planning your playground?

Crucially, remember that you can’t (and arguably shouldn’t) remove all risk. Safe, predictable and boring does not stimulate, developing minds but add the right amount of calculated risk or a sniff of danger and you won’t be able to get them indoors. Your playground should be designed to build confidence, resilience, a sense of curiosity, adventure and create opportunities for social development.

Playground projects can be daunting but whether you are starting from scratch or adding equipment to an existing set-up you need to learn how to garner support for your idea. Visit other playgrounds and schools for inspiration and note down red flags! Select a specialist school playground designer, manufacturer or installer to fill in your knowledge gaps about what is feasible, raise funds and flesh out your budget requirements. Finally, coordinate your purchase and installation but don’t forget to request an

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“The Orex Mega Spinner is a dynamic play activity that encourages children to climb and spin with a huge user capacity of 40 children!” – Jenny Mullins, Park Supplies and Playgrounds.

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Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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ENCOURAGE THEIR IMAGINATION AND PHYSICAL GROWTH ON A FUN AND CHALLENGING NEW PLAYGROUND. Park Supplies & Playgrounds create school playgrounds that students love.

Made in New Zealand all our playgrounds are customed designed to suit your school.

From single play elements, such as swings and monkey bars, to full custom designed play structures, fitness trails, bike tracks, and a full repairs and maintenance service. Park Supplies & Playgrounds are your design and build experts.

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0800PLAYGROUND

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To begin your school’s playground journey!

specialist advice comes in handy so make sure you shop your design plans around.

Outdoor play spaces can range from traditional swings and slides, to exciting hands-on new playground equipment and nature-based play landscapes, to seated cubbies or areas to socialise in, and open spaces for handball, running around and playing games like hopscotch.

“Cushionfall is New Zealand’s only 5-star-rated playground surfacing! It reduces impact, has no sharp edges and is non-toxic, dust-free, and being made from 100% recycled timber is the ultimate solution!” – Ted Edwards, Reharvest.

62 Social development and imaginative play can be nurtured with cubby houses, towers, tunnels and crawl spaces where small groups can build forts and the new kid can stumble into a friendship.

Once your ideas have formed, you will need to gather volunteers to help with research, planning, and to execute the project. Ideally, your playground committee will include someone with expertise in construction and safety (could be a parent with this background), someone who has some expertise in recreation and at least one parent of a child with a disability to advise on accessibility concerns. A successful project needs the support of the school community, school officials, and the larger community and you may need to make a case for why the playground is needed and what the benefits will be.

Involve students of different ages, because not only will they enjoy having some input when choosing and designing a fun-filled playground, but it is also a positive way to encourage school pride and ownership.

Older students may want to include a more adventurous, obstacle-style playground that is specifically designed and reinforced for bigger people.

You should discuss surfacing options with your play specialist to make sure the surfacing

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you choose fits the needs of your different age groups.

Choosing a perfect floor surface is vital, with a variety of options to consider and pros and cons identified from woodchip or bark mulch to artificial grass, sand and soft fall. The latter is a type of brightly coloured rubber, usually recycled, that can be

installed in different patterns or designs but may pose risk when very wet or in high temperatures.

Woodchip or bark mulch has its own pleasingly natural aesthetic and is easy to install but is easily moved during play and can hide trip hazards like stones or toys. A combination of surfaces in your design could also work well, which is where

If you are not starting from scratch you will need to decide what elements of your playground need to be improved on and whether there are any areas in which you would like to improve. You may want to encourage fitness-building amongst your students with an emphasis on spaces to run around, perhaps with surface designs that encourage friendly playtime. You may want to boost group activities with equipment that can cater to many children at once. A nature theme encourages focus on sustainability and could help promote calmness. A sensory focus may prompt your design to have designated quiet spaces or stage archaeology digs.

Whatever you have in mind, you should approach different suppliers to discuss your options as they are likely to have tried it all with different schools.

Funding, budgeting and fundraising Schools use board funding to build a playground and this may come from fundraising, grants from trusts and community groups, or bequests. You will need to contact your local council to find out whether your planned playground needs building consent and double check that it meets all safety requirements.

“TigerTurf’s Summer Envy 35 XWR is a beautiful alternative to natural grass, is highly durable, soft and comfortable under foot. Ideal for playgrounds and, with shock pads, is HIC compliant.” – Jos Mckenzie, TigerTurf.

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An ‘unsafe’ playground is usually one that wasn’t property planned for use. However, maintenance and regular cleaning should be kept in mind. It doesn’t matter how much you spend on safe equipment if you haven’t got the resources to maintain it to the recommended standard.

Items like trampolines and skate tracks are “high risk”, partly for this reason, so you need to be measured in your decision making and try not to be swayed by enthusiastic student votes!

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

Take advantage of the

School Investment Package With the newly announced School Investment Package you can upgrade your sports courts, playgrounds and paved areas to benefit all students and the wider community both now and for many years to come.

TigerTurf can easily quote, plan and install these upgrades well within the two year project window.

We are NZ’s only turf manufacturer with 40 years experience and many of TigerTurf’s artificial grass turfs have been approved and certified by world sporting bodies including FIFA, World Rugby, FIH, ITF and World Bowls.

Contact us today to plan your project and get the ball rolling.

Contact TigerTurf today on 0800 804 134 or email NZinfo@tigerturf.com // tigerturf.com

Playgrounds

ls o o h sc in ry ju in f o se u ca g in are lead

Among children aged five to 14, that is, according to an international study by The National Safe Kids Campaign.

The research found that a lack of supervision was associated with 40 percent of playground injuries and that children play without adult supervision more often on school playgrounds than in public park playgrounds or childcare centres. Approximately 58 percent of playground injuries requiring medical attention occur in schools, most often among 5 to 9-year-old girls and 10 to 14-yearold boys. Most injuries also seem to occur between 12pm and 4pm.

The NSKC released more facts for parents and schools: Their findings showed that falling is the most common reason medical attention might be required after a

Adam Stride, Certified RPII L3 and Indoor and Outdoor Play Inspector, Playsafe Ltd

playground injury. Approximately 70 percent involve falls to the surface and 10 percent involve falls onto equipment. This indicates falling either onto inadequate surfacing or onto hard objects within the falling space. The most common injury was highlighted to be a long-bone fracture (involving arms and legs) and these were most common from upper body, overhead hanging activities like monkey bars and monorails.

Certified Playground Compliance & Maintenance Safety Audit to NZS5828:2015

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This includes a comprehensive inspection of your play area by a certified Inspector and ensures that safety hazards and non-compliances are identified well before failure & injury.

“Our inspectors are independent, certified, police vetted and carry professional indemnity insurance for playground professional services.�

FOR PRICING AND BOOKINGS email: adam@playsafe.co.nz phone: 021 720 490 web: www.playsafe.co.nz

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This may be due to the height of the bars or the lack of quality impact attenuating surface below.

Protective surfacing under and around playground equipment can reduce the severity of and even prevent playground fallrelated injuries. The risk of falling related injuries onto a nonimpact absorbing surface such as asphalt or concrete is more than twice that of falling onto an impact-absorbing surface.

To promote good health and prevent obesity, much emphasis and effort is placed on increasing physical activity challenge. Play areas are key in the development of social behaviour, enabling children to interact with their peers and to provide risk managed physical challenges. However, with this increase in physical activity and play, there is also an increase in the risk of injury.

Lack of regular inspection and maintenance could also contribute to breakage and failure causing injury, so it is important that hazards including structural issues, entrapments, worn or broken components, falling spaces and many other non-compliances are identified.

A comprehensive audit of your school play area by a certified L3 inspector provides assurance that your playground is safe, and that any hazards and non-compliances are identified well before failure and injury. It is essential that play areas meet the minimum

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requirements of the NZS5828:2015 safety standard to minimise unnecessary injury risk. Proper risk assessment helps to ensure children enjoy themselves, grow and develop through safe play.

Here are my eight school play area recommendations for injury reduction and prevention: 1.

Equipment. Purchase age and demographicappropriate play equipment.

2.

Free height of fall. Ensure compliant fall heights.

3.

Surfacing. Use a certified impact attenuating safety surfacing material and meet minimum fallzone requirements.

4.

Supervision. Establish and maintain a consistent daily supervision procedure.

5.

Daily inspection. Routine inspection by property manager (free checklist can be found online).

6.

Annual inspection.

Comprehensive safety and compliance audit by a certified L3 play inspector.

7.

Surface impact test.

Undertake a head impact test every two years for synthetic surfaces only.

8.

Maintenance. Regular preventative operational maintenance, usually following comprehensive annual inspection.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

CASE STUDIES

Proof is in the pudding for New Zealand Solar Schools

Kaitaia College, Photo: Super Power

Flanshaw Road School, Photo: Power Technology

There is little doubt that solar power has well and truly come of age.

However, many schools do not have the benefit of knowing a school with solar installed that they can liaise with, nor do many have direct experience with solar to truly see its benefits and real-world applications.

We want to show you some successes that solar power is achieving with data from schools that have installed solar within the New Zealand Solar Schools programme.

Last year, we reported on two schools that had engaged with the programme and are now generating their own solar energy and enjoying those long-term cost savings.

Flanshaw Road School selected a 24.36kWp solar power generator, which is estimated to produce 34,679 kWh per annum. Since coming online in April 2019, the system has generated and delivered 28,078.63 kWh (28.07 MWh) to Jan 2020, saving the school over $5,050 dollars in power costs. The monthly averages for this array for November to January 2019 are over 4,000kWh/ month, evidence that the system will perform to meet or exceed modelling simulations and proving it will deliver

approximately 21.8 percent of the school’s power needs!

Completed mid-April 2019, Forrest Hill School’s 64 solar panels provide 19.2 kWp of solar power. This array has an estimated annual average yield of 26,583 kWh and has delivered 20,287.32 kWh (20.287 MWh) to Jan 2020.

That’s an equivalent energy cost savings of over $4,428 (excl GST) – in the first 9.5 months of operation. The monthly averages for this array November to January 2019 were 3,282.8 kWh/month – so there is no doubt that the systems will again meet or exceed expectations.

As you can see, solar is a proven performer and smart choice for schools. It allows them to generate, consume and trade their own renewable energy and save money with a silent, long-life operation that you can rely on. With the Ministry of Education now offering contestable funding for solar, there has never been a better time to join New Zealand Solar Schools!

New Zealand Solar Schools is administered by Power Technology and is a nationwide programme for all schools.

Find out more via www.powertech.co.nz, call +64 9 836 6744 or email sales@powertech.co.nz.

Kaitaia College is a catalyst for change There is little doubt that solar power has well and truly come of age.

In 2019, Kaitaia College broke new sustainability ground with a project to create the country’s largest solar powered school.

When this far north New Zealand low-decile school, partnered with SuperPower Technologies, the priority was not only to optimise the school’s energy efficiency but also stimulate student and community awareness of energy conservation.

Kaitaia College provides education for Year 9 to 13 students and more than 70 percent of its students are Māori. Not only did this project involve all the students and wider school community from the very beginning, it also promised to provide significant financial benefits for the school. Moreover, it acted as a springboard for students and the school community to develop an understanding of how to solve local energy problems.

The project was reported to have begun when the school, alongside SuperPower Technologies and other community groups including Muriwhenua iwi, developed an integrated curriculum around renewable energy. From this, a plan was formed to integrate energy monitoring within the junior curriculum, focusing on energy conservation.

SuperPower Technologies

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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confirmed that they arranged finance for Kaitaia College to purchase the solar power system, which was completed in early 2019. The 368-panel project is spread across the rooftops of multiple buildings on the school campus, the 101 kWp, 368 panel system is 25 times larger than an average household system and is spread across the roofs of the college’s gymnasium, library, science, and technology blocks.

The system promised to be cashflow positive for the school from day one and save the school tens of thousands of dollars over a 10-year payback period.

Ben Hancock, acting principal for Kaitaia College, confirmed: “We save approximately $1000 a month when evened out over the year, this is after we have taken the lease payments out. This is a saving of $12-15,000 per year.”

Project leader from SuperPower Technologies, Hadleigh Fisher added: “We are extremely proud to be part of this project, especially working with the principal and board members who equally see solar not just for its financial benefits but more a catalyst for change in renewable energy.

Having students actively involved to help the school further reduce its carbon footprint and overall power consumption, then take what they have learnt back into the community, is all extremely exciting.”

To find out more please visit www.superpower.co.nz.

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Why schools should embrace solar

By Kate Jackson, Industry Reporter

Once, not so long ago, switching to solar power was all about cutting costs and embracing clean energy.

Now, schools with solar panels are plugging into the educational benefits of the STEM-based activities presented by that technology.

Indigenous, farming and lowincome communities are most at risk of suffering mental health issues as a result of climate change fears, the APA says.

The loss of homes as a result of climate change threatens tradition, cultural practices and identity for indigenous children.

The non-compulsory government scheme, which will be offered to all schools with students aged 11 to 15, comes in direct response to New Zealand teacher concerns about students’ emotional welfare.

“One of the pieces of feedback we’ve got from teachers around the country is that they’re really crying out for something like this, because kids are already in the conversation about climate change,” said climate

change minister James Shaw.

“They’re seeing stuff on social media on a daily basis and none of it’s good news, and the sense of powerlessness that comes from that is extremely distressing.”

Solar power is a practical way schools can demonstrate to students, regardless of their cultural or economic background, that they share a commitment to environmental sustainability.

It’s a very public demonstration that a school understands student fears about the climate and that its vision for a brighter future is aligned with students’ own.

New Zealand has a strong record

Image: SkySolar

Every school in New Zealand will this year be given access

to materials about the climate crisis written by the country’s leading science agencies including tools for students to plan their own activism and to process their feelings of anxiety over environmental issues.

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on generating electricity through renewable sources, but it still relies on the combustion of coal, oil, and gas for around a quarter of the nation’s electricity supply.

Embracing solar energy generation is a commitment to kaitiaki. Solar reduces reliance on polluting fossil fuels and emits nothing, harnessing a resource which is clean, abundant and free. And it requires no water for power generation, unlike traditional electricity production.

Costs While solar panels require a substantial investment, there are financial plans and grants that help lessen the pain of the outlay.

Image: SuperPower

Eco-anxiety is prevalent: a recent US poll found negative news stories about the environment affected the emotional wellbeing of 72 percent of millennials, and the American Psychological Association reports millennials feel stressed and powerless about the state of the planet and the challenges of saving it.

Image: Powertechnology

But more significantly, it’s become clear that the emotional wellbeing of schoolchildren is linked to environmental concerns and a lack of faith in the ability of current leaders to protect the planet.

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL NOW

www.powertech.co.nz

0800 POWER NOW (76 93 76) sales@powertech.co.nz

Forrest Hill School – 19.2kWp Commissioned 2019

Welcome to New Zealand Solar Schools Programme.

New Zealand’s only dedicated school solar power company and education programme.

New Zealand’s Most Experienced Solar Company for Schools - Nationwide MOE Funding Application Support Flexible Finance Options to Suit Your School Design, Supply, Installation and Optional Operations & Maintenance

Online System Monitoring & Data sharing for Students & Staff Educational Learning Experiences & Resource Support with Professional Educators Thinking Solar? Get onboard with over 75 other schools nationwide and growing.

We make solar simple, affordable, reliable & accessible for all schools.

PROVEN. TRUSTED. RELIABLE. RENEWABLE. 69 Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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Image: Power Technology

Systems

“As of today, schools will be able to apply to a $5 million contestable fund for sustainability initiatives that reduce their environmental impact,” said education minister Chris Hipkins at the time.

“This funding will support innovative energy projects in schools, for example installing solar panels, replacing inefficient heating systems and removing coal boilers to help speed up change.”

Sponsorship through individual local authorities and businesses is also worth looking into. Hutt City Council's Solar in Schools is an example of a local grants project made available to low decile primary schools. The benefit of fundraising for a solar installation at your school is that the system will provide immediate financial return on your investment, delivering savings that can be poured into other areas.

Of course, even with subsidies most schools can’t afford the upfront cost of installing enough solar panels to power an entire campus.

Image: Super Power

A number of solar suppliers offer a ‘rent to buy’-style Power Purchase Agreement, through which schools initially pay for the electricity

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Image: SkYSolar

Image: SuperPower

As part of a planned transition to 100 percent renewable energy in NZ by 2035, the government announced in November a $16 million package to help fund energy efficiencies, including solar installations.

they generate (at a rate lower than through the grid) and after a contracted period of time they assume ownership of the system.

Maintenance and repairs are the responsibility of the system owner.

A PPA generally means low or zero upfront costs, but higher operational costs for a school than if it bought the system upfront.

Suppliers say their finance offers allow schools to install a Solar PV system and pay for it out of the energy savings the system generates in a win-win scenario.

For those preferring to own their system outright, one leading school solar supplier advises: “If a school is not financially able to purchase a large solar array in first instance, they can easily start small and add more solar panels over time. There is a solar solution available for every and any school in New Zealand.”

Once a solar power installation has been financed, the savings for schools can equate to thousands of dollars per year and the system may even generate income through power fed back into the grid.

Education The data generated from a school’s system can be an invaluable aid to STEM education.

"It takes this abstract idea of renewables as something that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and brings it home," says Gabrielle Wong-Parodi, an earth system science expert at Stanford University’s Woods Institute. schools can track and monitor their solar data online and access a range of solar-related teacher resources which are curriculum aligned and provide a real-world application for maths and science.

Some use data from their on-site solar energy systems to help students tackle fractions, for example, or see how shifting panel angles can affect power production and how weather and season influence the performance of the photovoltaic cells. There are other positive spin-offs which are not directly curriculum-connected, too.

A focus on renewable energy creation can create greater awareness of energy use among students and help them to come up with energy-saving initiatives of their own. It taps into a broader understanding of sustainability and connects with industry-led initiatives such Tourism New Zealand’s Tiaki Promise. And it sparks ideas about other ‘green’ ideas such as school veggie gardens and recycling improvements.

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Recent advances in solar cell efficiency and the tumbling cost of systems - the average solar installation costs less than a quarter of what it did a decade ago - are putting more powerful systems within the financial reach of schools across New Zealand.

Schools are ideally suited to solar energy because their usage is highest during school hours when the sun is shining most powerfully. They also make excellent candidates for solar conversion because they tend to offer large-roofed buildings spread out over a wide geographic area.

Most schools go for an installation of between five and 20kW depending on their size and budget, opting for something that helps meet their energy needs to varying degrees rather than fulfilling them completely.

There are a number of practical considerations that need to be taken into account, such as whether the building designated for panel mounting is permanent, whether it has a north facing, unshaded roof space, and whether there is safe access to the panels for cleaning and maintenance.

Electricity retailers can provide the school’s energy consumption figure for the previous year to help determine the requirements of the system, and it is then up to the school to decide the extent of its power generation - and whether it wants to build its solar capacity over time or invest wholesale.

Batteries for energy storage are a relatively new concept in the school space and an expensive addition, but they are a valuable resource and should be considered (even for future installation as prices inevitably drop).

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

CASE STUDY

Riverview School installs 51 solar panels

By SkySolar

We’re all pretty lucky to live in New Zealand.

The country is known for its clean, green image and needs adopters of renewable energy to keep it that way. With a SkySolar system installed, if the sun rises, you’ll have a zeroemission source of power.

Considering solar for your school is largely a calculation of return on investment. Choosing to power your school with solar is an investment that can be measured by dividing your total install cost by the yearly power savings it generates, giving you a pay-off period. After which it’s all cost savings – money for other projects and improvements.

Most schools simply get a power bill every month from their provider. This makes it impossible to determine which areas of your school consume the most power, and at what time of day.

SkySolar can solve that problem with an energy management dashboard, showing when and where your power is being used.

As part of our initial consultation, we will gain an understanding of your current power usage in order to specify the best solar solution for you and your school.

Riverview School in Kerikeri has become the first school in New Zealand to utilise the energy management system offered

by SkySolar, after installing a 51 panel SkySolar system to help save money on its power and to educate children about power conservation. The system developed for Riverview enables the students to analyse and compare power used by the day, the week, the month and the year across each block of the school.

"Riverview School's Going for Green-Gold Initiative helps inspire our students to protect the environment and conserve energy at our school. We knew starting out, however, that a big difficulty in conserving energy and reducing spend was that we really had no idea where our power was being used,” said Riverview School Board Chairperson, Gerry Buxton.

Going solar isn't just a financial decision, it's about reducing your school's carbon footprint and adopting sustainable energy sources to protect our environment for the next generation. What better place to start teaching the next generation about sustainable energy than their school?

3-2+ 93£!8 -92Z; /<9; ! )2!2$-!£ &'$-9-32T -;Z9 !#3<; 8'&<$-2+ @3<8 9$,33£Z9 $!8#32 (33;68-2; !2& !&36ধ2+ sustainable energy sources to protect our environment (38 ;,' 2'?; +'2'8!ধ32W ,!; #'ħ'8 6£!$' ;3 9;!8; ;'!$,-2+ ;,' 2'?; +'2'8!ধ32 about sustainable energy than their school?

38 9$,33£9 £330-2+ ;3 )2!2$' !££ 38 6!8; 3( ;,'-8 93£!8 -29;!££T >' ;!-£38 3<8 8'$311'2&!ধ32 ;3 #' 96'2&f 2'<;8!£W ,-9 1'!29 >' !-1 ;3 3ø9'; !££ )2!2$' $39;9 with power savings.

A full case study is available on our website - skysolar.co.nz.

Install solar with us before 20 July 2020, and get: MONTHS FREE MONITORING on our proprietary schools dashboard through PowerGenius.

Valued at $2,000 ($1,000 per year).

0800 759 765 skysolar.co.nz Image courtesy of SkySolar and Riverview School

Term 1, 2020 | schoolnews.co.nz

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SOLAR A BRIGHTER FUTURE SuperPower is proud to make solar energy attainable for every school in New Zealand. NZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 100% Sustainable Energy target is now one step closer.

We provide schools the tools and resources to reduce power costs, increase sustainability and empower students for a brighter future.

SuperPower - Powering your School with SOLAR Produce your own clean sustainable energy, while stimulating student and community awareness of energy conservation.

Is cost a barrier for your school? SuperPower provide a 10 year lease to own and assists with applications to the Government's Sustainability Contestable Fund.

SuperPower have proven experience with schools and pride ourselves on quality of service and workmanship.

We only source top quality equipment ensuring the schools investment will last the test of time.

Less reliance on the national grid, local lines and energy generators. Lock in your own pricing for the next 25+ years.

Have students actively involved to help the school further reduce its carbon footprint and overall power consumption, then take what they have learnt back into the community.

Best Community Energy Project 2019:

SuperPower Technologies for Kaitaia College

www.superpower.co.nz | info@superpower.co.nz | 0800 7777 69