Kāhui Ako ki Orewa

Weekly News Update # 31

16 November 2018

Orewa Kāhui Ako Conference ‘19

A huge thanks to all those who have put together workshops for our second Kahui Ako conference. There is a definite increase in depth of coverage and the abstracts all reflect a growing  level of expertise across our Kahui Ako. This ability to share expertise through workshops by teachers for teachers is going to be a real strength of our Kahui Ako. Ka pai everyone!

Thank you to all that have signed up for their preferred workshops. If you haven’t put your selection in yet, please remember that today, Friday 16 November, is the deadline. Here is the link to the workshop descriptions. And here is the link to the workshop selections. This link is also where you note your dietary requirements.

PD Reflections

Albany Senior hosted a conference for across school leaders on Friday 16 November. We attended a session called Ensuring Effective Collaboration in a Kāhui Ako. The challenge they put to us was how to work in a space of disruption. They led us through the following questions: How to find a new way of being for your community. What ingredients do you need to ensure that you lead change across your community that ensures sustainable effective collaboration? It was an interactive workshop led by Nikki Urlich and Shona Smith. More information on this conference in next week’s newsletter.

School Visits

We are continuing to build a Kahui Ako leader presence through ongoing school visits this year. It is an excellent way to strengthen networks and share understanding of the strengths, needs and processes of individual schools.  

This week Sandy and Sorrel visited Orewa Primary and met with the Principal and in school leaders for the third time to update what is happening with Kahui Ako focus areas – Learning Support, Maths, Te Reo and Writing.  Along with these focus areas, future directions were noted, as the initial surveys and processes to work on Maths and Writing have been completed, with moderation processes beginning to be well imbedded.

It was suggested that we consider looking at how we might work towards integrating the new Digital Technology curriculum into schools as a Kahui Ako prior to 2020.  This would be a great way of using the strengths of collaborating across our community to see how other people are working on this and share best practice.

With all the innovative practice across our Kahui Ako, the visit also highlighted the importance of initiating an in depth discussion around how we assess and report. With the removal of National Standards and move toward LPFs and  trials of PACT this assessment discussion needed – what are other schools doing, what changes are coming, what is worthwhile, what not, when, how much. How does what primary schools do regarding assessment and reporting lead into college – assessment pathways. The possibility of a sliding scale on reports to more clearly indicate progress during the year was touched on, to cover learning in wider areas which may not show movement from one level to another from one report to another. This could be a good focus for our CoL.

Linda Rubens had her regular visit at Orewa North where Rhonda Beet, Debbie Waller and Linda worked on their presentation for the conference. Rhonda and Debbie are presenting their inquiry which is based on keeping reading alive in your classroom.
Te Reo nga tikanga Maori

The Te Reo nga tikanga Maori is completing a draft curriculum framework which references Tātaiako and the te reo Māori curriculum. The goal is to support integration of Te Reo in the classroom across our Kahui Ako by providing clear pathways with links to resources targeted at our teacher and learner needs.  They continue to build a glossary of pedagogical vocabulary available here to use in professional contexts.

Learning Support

Our Learner Support Register is being drafted and will be used to collect data from the beginning of 2019 from each of our schools. This will then be collated to inform  our future direction with the Northern Presbyterian Support Services. Over the next few weeks Sandy Blackburn and Linda Rubens will be contacting school SENCOs to share protocols on completion of the register.

Maths

The unpacking of the Learning Progression Frameworks for mathematics has been completed and a matrix created for quick reference by Lesley Carruthers and her team of in school leaders. This process has ensured a real familiarity with this tool and a deeper understanding of the LPFs and how to apply them for assessment. The matrix will be made available for in school leaders to share when the appropriate CLs have been added and will be a useful assessment reference tool for all teachers of mathematics.

Writing

The matrix of LPFs that will be used for moderation is now available and also can be viewed on our Kahui Ako Google+ Community Page.   The LPFs have been linked to appropriate curriculum levels.

Professional Listening and Viewing

• Try learning how to say over 100 different things in te reo in less than an hour with Graeme and introduce your students to algebraic thinking at the same time!
• Find out the #1 beginner mistake in Te Reo.
• Build strong learning partnerships is a short look at how learning focused partnerships can develop networks of learning between learners, teachers and the community and whanau.

If you know of colleagues who have not yet joined our Orewa Kāhui Ako Community Page  on Google+, please do share this link with them.

NEXT WEEK:

In school and across school leaders meeting: 22 November