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Kia ora e te whānau
Where does one start after such a spectacular gathering in Rotorua at our National Conference?
The camaraderie was magnificent and the speakers superb - connecting seamlessly to the conference themes. Every presentation built a layer on the last, creating a powerful coherent message across the conference about the sort of education that is vital to modern Aotearoa New Zealand.
And then, the entertainers! The Kapa Haka performances from Rotorua Intermediate and Kaitao Intermediate were spine-tingling. Nikau Grace (RGHS) and Jasmine Hulton (John Paul College) drew tears of joy as the beauty and purity of their voices soared ever higher and stronger and as they moved through their routine of harmonies and duets, in five different languages, we were awestruck! The excellent Forte Choir from Western Heights High School added glorious humour to their art, and finally the young leaders of the future, interviewed in a panel discussion by Master of Ceremonies, Jehan Casinader, about the experiences and thoughts of being a young person.
I tip my hat to Rohm Dixon and Paretoroa Webster-Tarei (Rotorua Boys’ High School), Helena Dou’ble and Hope Smith (Rotorua Girls’ High School), Zach Jans and Haeun Kang (Western Heights High School), and Isidora Gonzalez-Diaz and Aryan Emile-Chura (Rotorua Lakes High School). The clarity of their vision for our country, the place of whānau and whakawhaungatanga in their lives, the deep and thoughtful grasp of big issues-their quick-witted humour and optimism for the future was inspirational. The future of our country is indeed in very good hands.
A big thank you to everyone who attended. Make sure you block out 14-16 September 2022 for the NZPF Conference which returns to Otautahi, Christchurch. The conference is to be hosted in Te Pae, the splendid new conference facility.
Mathematics – The remedy-a dose of common-sense!
A conference highlight for many was the presentation by mathematics expert Audrey Tan. Audrey does not peddle a politically correct message and as such she cuts through the mire of current mathematics pedagogy.
I congratulate her for her doggedness in consistently raising concerns about our poor mathematics achievement and what can be done to improve.
Audrey’s 6 step simple recipe for rapid improvement provides absolute clarity around how we can build back success for all.
I particularly like her critique of the numeracy project, an approach that has been consequential in the decline in mathematics achievement-the international and national data is awful! This has led to negative consequences for many students who simply struggle with the emphasis on mental gymnastics when a simple taught and practised procedure would help grow the sense of capability a learner needs to persevere and flourish.
Audrey Asserts that:
- Confidence comes ‘before’ understanding. Building automaticity with taught procedures is key before a student is encouraged to use multiple strategies. With the emphasis on mental strategies, many students are experiencing cognitive overload and this is damaging mathematics confidence.
- Our decimal number system is a place-value system. It was designed to be used in columns. Embrace it and numbers will start to make a lot more sense.
Audrey’s conference paper is available to all principals via her website including explicit direction on what to focus on Years 1-4 and 5-8. Please use the URL link below to access it. Principals don’t need to wait for the Royal Society Experts to tell us what we already know. Audrey articulates common-sense ideas.
It is time that practicing professionals exercised decisive leadership in mathematics. I urge you to read her paper from cover to conclusion. Afterwards, I’d be surprised if you didn’t make some significant shifts in your approach to mathematics.
Primary Principals’ Collective Bargaining (PPCB)
It is my great pleasure to inform you that the new union entity called Primary Principals’ Collective Bargaining (PPCB) will be formally registered as a Union next week.
At the NZPF Conference in Rotorua, I announced Denise Torrey, Principal of Somerfield School, and former President NZPF, as Head of Union.
Denise is an outstanding and much-admired leader with strong established relationships across the education domain. She has real integrity and grit in her determination to get the job done. She is a special talent.
I can now announce that she will be joined on the bargaining team by two other outstanding principals.
- Hayley Read, Principal of Whangarei Intermediate, Whangarei and,
- Tom Paekau, Principal of Merivale School, Tauranga
Hayley and Tom are fizzing at adding their strong advocacy to the team. They are both generous people who bring strong professional values and determination to their work.
The team is purposely small to enable it to be focused and nimble so that Denise, Hayley and Tom can build relationships with PPCB members and take their voice to the bargaining table.
They will have the advice and support of Paddy Ford (Ret), former President NZPF and Principal at Balclutha Primary School, and Patrick Walsh, Principal of John Paul College, an experienced SPANZ negotiator.
This team has the experience to bring a strong practice-based lens to collective bargaining to ensure the conditions of employment that principals deserve. Denise and her team are ambitious and values driven. They are positively disposed towards NZEI and expect to work in genuine collaboration to achieve change for principals.
This is a watershed moment in the industrial representation of primary and intermediate school principals, so get excited.
PPCB is working towards a 30 August launch of their website. It will communicate details of the PPCB’s goals, services, staff, comprehensive FAQs and e-sign up.
The fee to join PPCB is $9 per fortnight.
The NZPF Executive supports the establishment of PPCB. As a membership driven organisation, NZPF has responded to calls for a bespoke principals’ industrial voice in collective bargaining.
Please look out for further updates as we get closer to launch date.
Bruce Jepsen
We thank Bruce Jepsen who has stepped down from the NZPF Executive after an outstanding 18 months of service. Bruce was recently elected President Te Akatea Māori Principals’ Association and needs to focus his time on leading Te Akatea. We thank Bruce sincerely for his commitment. Ko te pae, tawhiti, whāia kia tata; ko te pae tata, whakamaua kia tina.
We welcome the next highest polling candidate in the last election to join the Executive at our August meeting. Congratulations Blair Dravitski, principal at Lemonwood Grove School in Christchurch.
Ngā manaakitanga
Perry Rush
perry@nzpf.ac.nz
NZ Principal Magazine also Online
You and/or your team members can easily access the NZ Principal Magazines online, as an e-magazine or as a PDF. Additionally you can search for a previous issue, an article by title or by the author of the article. All magazines back to Term 1 2012 are available in this format. To view or search click here.
Free Items For Schools
NZPF has been approached by the Civil Aviation Authority of NZ and the Aviation Security Service, who would like to offer schools relinquished Items from airport passengers and Excess IT equipment and devices as a donation.
Although the items published in last week's newsletter have already been allocated to schools who requested them, there is an ongoing supply of scissors and batteries on offer.
To claim these items, please send your request to the Donations Team at: avsec_caadonations@caa.govt.nz
NZPF assures its business partners that, as members, you will contact them to have a conversation if you are purchasing products, services or solutions for your schools that a business partner supplies. Please support our partners as their assistance to NZPF means better membership services to you.
