Kāhui Ako ki Orewa

Weekly News Update # 01

8th February 2019

Welcome back to another exciting school year in the Orewa Kāhui Ako. Each Friday we will post a weekly update for our Kāhui Ako, communicating our progress, providing professional reading and connecting our community together.

Reflection:

Kāhui Ako Conference ‘19

Thank you to all who attended and presented at our combined Orewa Kāhui Ako Conference on the 29th of January. To start our school year altogether as a ‘community of colleagues’ really reflected our theme – Whiria te tangata. Resources and links from the conference can be found on the Orewa Kāhui Ako Community Page We will be building these up so that you don’t feel inundated with too many posts. Feedback and comments about the day can be emailed to our Aross School Leaders.

MARCUS AKUHATA-BROWN

We have received only positive feedback on our keynote speaker MARCUS AKUHATA-BROWN. Marcus shared the realities of “glass ceilings” consequent self doubt and the need to perceive the “potential of all learners and educators.” His unique delivery style was refreshing and he had the ability to connect with us all using his gift of storytelling. His strong message to be educators who “make a difference for learners” challenges and motivates us to take action to enrich the learning of all.

Introducing our Across School Leaders

Meet the team:

Across School Principal

Kate Shevland: I enjoy being involved in the education of young people, encouraging self-management and preparing them for the next stage of their lives, and keeping our education relevant and future focussed. Leading a group of such professional, dedicated staff is rewarding and inspiring. Education is rapidly evolving towards more self direction, more personalised learning, more relevant technology and more involvement with opportunities to work in business and social partnerships beyond the school. This brings challenges within the school and across schools, challenges we face with enthusiasm and optimism.

Across School Leaders

Leanne Evans: After two years as an In-school Kāhui Ako Leader, I am excited to be taking on the challenge of Across School Leader with key responsibility in Learning Support. I bring experience in assisting teachers with Priority Learners, information gathering, strategy recommendation, curriculum differentiation and adaptation, removing barriers to meet a variety of learning and behavioural needs. I am primary trained and have worked in both secondary and primary settings, enjoying collaboration with colleagues and working with learner support agencies.

Linda Rubens: I am a Year 9 – 13 English teacher. I have been teaching at Orewa College for 11 years and currently I am in the role of a lead teacher in the Kāhui Ako. I really enjoy working with students and teachers from across our wider community and I would like to further develop these links. I believe that we have expertise across our community that we need to tap into and network with. In my own class, I encourage independence and strive for students to find their own learning path. I use a blended approach with a variety of teaching tools and resources to suit the individuals that make up the class.

Sandy Blackburn: I am a Year 5 and 6 teacher based at Wainui Primary. I have really enjoyed being part of the initial Kāhui Ako Across School team and look forward to continue our journey in building a thriving Community of Learning. I recognise the potential of the collective impact across our six schools: ‘Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi’, so the strength is not in the individual, it’s in the collective. I see my role as helping to develop systematic, sustainable and self-improving practices, where our children’s and young people’s learning pathways are supported and their transition through the education system is improved.

Mark Ralston:

Tēnā koutou katoa
Ko Pukeora tōku maunga
Ko Okura tōku moana
Ko te Weiti tōku awa
Ko te Herenga Waka o Orewa tōku marae
Ko Ngāti Pākehā tōku iwi
Ko Ralston tōku tangata
Nō te kura tuatahi o Silverdale ahau
Ko Mark ahau

I have been a classroom teacher at Silverdale School for seven years. For five of those years, I have led the development of te ao Māori in our kura. I am dedicated to engaging students, motivating and leading staff, developing teacher practice, building links across schools and fostering relationships with our community, whānau and marae. For me, my new role as an across school leader in our Orewa Kāhui Ako is a dream come true. I look forward to learning from and developing teacher practice across our kura to raise the status and performance of te ao Māori for our students.

Nāku te rourou nāu te rourou ka ora ai te iwi

With your basket and my basket the people will thrive

Professional Development:

Sylvia Duckworth has written a number of books based on Sketchnoting. Sketchnoting is a form of visual note-taking to document thought processes. We are very excited to announce that, not only is she touring New Zealand in April, she will be hosting a workshop at Orewa College. If you are interested in hearing more about the benefits of sketchnoting for our students, and also learning the basic elements of sketchnoting, here is a link to book your ticket.

Ngaio pukapuka kōrero / Professional Reading:

Student agency is changing the way children learn – enhancing local curricula and parent and student voice. It has particular relevance to individualising learning for children with additional needs. Follow the link here to recent article in the Ako journal

Culture is everything: The culture of the school has to be in place first, says Donald McLean, president of the West Auckland Principals Association. At Fruitvale School where he is principal, culture encompass delivery of curriculum as well as extra-curricular activities. Follow the link here to read the article in full.

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.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Kahui Ako across school and within-school leaders meet every fortnight on a Thursday, 3:30 pm Orewa College staffroom.