Tōtika - Balance

Mahia i runga i te rangimārie me te ngākau māhaki

With a peaceful mind and respectful heart,
we will always get the best results

Kia ora e te whānau

Welcome back to the start of Term Two.  I hope you all managed to include some down time for yourselves over the holiday break and feel refreshed to start the new term.  One of the unintended benefits of the discussions surrounding the Tomorrow’s Schools Review, has been the acknowledgement that, as a profession, you have a highly stressful job.  To avoid burnout, means reducing stress levels.

Discussing the Review has drawn out those aspects of the current system that are creating the most stress and without doubt it is the failings of special education and learning support that bring you and your teachers the most stress. Compliance issues are also in the mix because they consume so much of your precious time.  Lack of support for you as leaders is another issue and why you wholeheartedly support having access to the services of a business unit and a curriculum support unit and why you support more advisory services. The NZPF submission reflects these issues on your behalf.

Teaching Council Podcasts
The Teaching Council has been producing podcasts as a means of communicating with clarity in a way that is convenient. One issue that has recently been captured in a podcast is Teacher Appraisal. The podcast makes it clear that appraisal is about driving best practice which helps both learners and teachers. Those who have viewed the podcast have found it very helpful and you might like to share the link with your teachers.

This page on the Teaching Council website has the podcast (as well as the other 6 episodes from last season).

A transcript of the podcast is also available here.  

Launch of Te Ahu o te Reo Māori
Te Ahu o te Reo Māori is a Government initiative led by the Ministry of Education that aims to grow and strengthen an education workforce that can integrate te reo Māori into the learning of all ākonga in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Investing in Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, as a new and innovative kaupapa, provides opportunities for the education workforce to enhance interactions and relationships with ākonga, parents and whānau. It also enables te reo Māori and mātauranga Māori to be more deliberately acknowledged and reflected through our education system.

Te Ahu o te Reo Māori aims to strengthen all levels of te reo Māori proficiency, from beginner level to fluent speakers and will be piloted by local mātanga in Taranaki-Whanganui, Waikato, Kāpiti-Horowhenua and Te Waipounamu

Each region will apply their own method of delivery to strengthen the use of their local dialect, learn about local history and traditions and help to build meaningful relationships with iwi and all education environments. This is a step towards normalising te reo Māori across the education system.

If you have questions or would like to find out more, please visit the website or contact the Te Reo Māori Group at tereo.maorigroup@education.govt.nz.

PLD
Have your say on a proposed change of national priorities for locally-allocated PLD. Current priorities focus on specific learning areas; members of the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement Reference Group have worked with the Ministry to develop priorities that focus on the foundations of good teaching practice.

The online survey for English medium closes 10 May, take part today.

The online survey for Māori medium closes 10 May, take part today.

Ngā manaakitanga

Whetu Cormick
whetu@nzpf.ac.nz