Equity through Education Symposium 13 Feb 2019

To open the Specialist Teacher Programme for 2019, First Year and Second Year Students and some others (Masters Students and some previous students) were invited to Equity Day.  The day started at Massey University, Albany Campus with a Mihi Whakatau with approximately 300 First Year students, one of the biggest intakes since the Programme had been offered. The Programme is a collaboration between Massey University and the University of Canterbury. 

 

How I got there...
I was lucky enough to come across a post on the Learning Support Network that I had subscribed to explaining that applications were open for study awards from the Ministry of Education (MoE) for Post Graduate Diplomas in Specialist Teaching and there were a range of endorsements to specialize in.  I read through all the info and decided to apply.  I was working as the Diverse Education Leader at Haeata Community Campus supporting diverse learners across Years 1-13.  I wanted to learn some new skills and knowledge to contribute back to the community and the ākonga of Haeata.

 

Following my application, I was approached by one of the Learning Support Service Managers from the Ministry of Education about considering a secondment to a role as Special Education Advisor for a year so I looked further into that and began discussing my options with my Principal.

 

What a real blessing to have been successful with the study award and to be able to take on the secondment with the support of my school team, Principal and the Board of Trustees.  I have found since starting at the MoE that I have been given lots of autonomy to manage and direct my own workload which has been both challenging and rewarding, particularly for my professional learning.  I feel very privileged to be able to have space within my work to learn and develop my skills and knowledge in a new and interesting professional context.

 

Some of the words from one of the waiata (Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, a song written for Massey University) from the Mihi Whakatau really resonated with how I was feeling about the start of the year and all the learning opportunities in front of me:

Te ara mātauranga

Ka whakarewa e

Te māramatanga ka kitea e

Kimihia, rangahaua kia whita e.

 

The pathways to learning

Can be inspirational

And deeper understandings can enlighten

Therefore, seek out and grasp knowledge

Judge Andrew Becroft, New Zealand Children's Commissioner was the Keynote:







The question that framed his keynote - "Is New Zealand the best place in the world to educate a child?"

 

He went on to point out that New Zealand has one of the most inequitable education systems in the world and asked if there was a new approach required in 2019.  He explained why there needs to be a commitment to change across our educational system.

 

Judge Andrew discussed four challenges:

1. Understanding the impact of child poverty and material disadvantage


2. The pressing need to do better for Tamariki Māori and Pasifika


3. The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders


4. Being truly child-centred and hearing young people's voices

He went on to talk about the stats, how 20% of our 0-18 year old population is struggling, 10% who face significant disadvantage and 2% who face overwhelming disadvantage.


Judge Andrew then went on to challenge whether this inequity was to do with our cultural approach and his call to action was to, genuinely empower and to channel the voices of all students to school leadership and to consider their concerns in decision-making...


Following this Keynote, we heard from Mere Berryman and John O'Neill who are part of the Tomorrow's Schools Review Taskforce.  They presented some of the findings thus far and that they had established there is a case for change in our education system so that it is fit for ALL.  Mere explained the phrase, Manaakitia a Tātou Tamariki and that the 'tātou' word that these Tamariki are our responsibility, all of ours and they are all our children.  This really made me sit up and listen.  Our society is becoming more and more diverse so what's the response of our education system? We need to be future-focused but what does that look like?  They asked for us to participate in Kōrero Mātauranga Feb-Apr 2019 to have our say - who am I standing for and who is standing behind me?