What's Happening in Elementary Schools in New Zealand? Presentation at the South Carolina Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference Greenvie, SC September 28, 2012 Presenters om Furman University: Dr. George Lipscomb, Dr. Shirley Ritter, Whitney Becker, Morgan Black, Sarah Beth Caldwe , Olivia LeCompte, Maria Morrison, Audrey Neumann, Sarah Odom
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What's Happening in Elementary Schools in New Zealand?
Presentation at the South Carolina Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference!Greenville, SC September 28, 2012
Presenters from Furman University: Dr. George Lipscomb, Dr. Shirley Ritter, Whitney Becker, Morgan Black, Sarah Beth Caldwell, Olivia LeCompte, Maria Morrison, Audrey Neumann, Sarah Odom
Some ContextAbout 4.3 million in entire country!
Primary Schools (years 0-8)!
Focus on Literacy, Maths!
Diversity (Maori, Pacific Islanders, etc.)!
Social Studies integrated???
May Experience 2012
Key Takeaways from VisitEarly Childhood Education!
Technology!
Reading and Literacy!
Multicultural Education!
Environmental Issues/ The Outdoors!
Morning Tea
New Zealand!Early Childhood
Education
A “student-centered” !approach
• A child can attend school immediately after their 5th birthday – Once the child turns 5 years old he/
she can enter the classroom at anytime in the year
– Each child is allowed to occasionally visit “their” classroom before they turn 5 years old to meet the teacher
• Year 1: ages 5 and 6 (multi-aged
classroom) – Most go to pre-school before age 5
• NZ School year: January- December (four- ten week terms)
• Government pays for 20 hours per week
– If child attends school more than 20 hours, than the parents pay the difference
How does it !compare to the U.S? • New$Zealand$approach:$
– Naturalis4c$integra4on$of$students$(January)$
– Referred$to$as$Year$1$in$“Primary$School”$
– Must$be$5$years$old$– Most$aFend$preschool$before$the$age$of$5$$
• United$States$approach:$– All$enter$at$the$same$4me$in$the$school$year$(August)$$
– Referred$to$as$“Kindergarten”$
– Must$be$of$legal$age$• More$concerned$with$if$the$
child$is$developmentally$ready$for$Kindergarten$$
$
Technology in the Classroom
New$Zealand$2012$
Background!
• Greatest0progress0has0been0seen0in0the0lower0decile0schools0due0to0the0Manaiakalani0Education0Trust00• Set0up0in0January020110• Established0to0facilitate0the0purchase0and0
distribution0of0netbooks0to0students0in0the0Manaiakalani0Cluster.0For0around0$450,0each0student0can0have0a0fullIfeatured0netbook0to0take0home0as0their0own0and0keep0after0three0years0
• Shown0to0improve0inquiry,0literacy,0and0participation.
Inquiry(Tamaki&Primary&School&in&
Auckland&&
• New(inquiry(unit(for(every(term(that(each(year(level(focuses(on(and(incorporates(into(the(curriculum.((
• “How(movies(are(useful(for(exploring(our(world”(• Students(experimented(with(
iMovie(and(planned(their(own(storyboards.((
• Results(showed(huge(progress(between(ages(five(and(six(with(improved(literacy(and(inquiry(skills(due(to(technology((
Literacy)Cycle ))
Quality(teaching(of(literacy(
Creation(of(digital(learning(objects(
Publishing(in(an(online(environment(
)
)
Pt.$England$Primary$School$$
• One6to6one$technology$• each$student$has$his$
or$her$own$netbook$and$e6learning$is$incorporated$into$every$subject.$$
• Owning$a$device$and$academic$achievement$go$hand6in6hand.$$• Fosters$sense$of$
independent$learning$away$from$the$teacher$$
$
Participation**
• By*having*confidence*in*the*digital*world,*these*students*will*become*more*confident*and*successful*in*the*real*world,*outside*of*
school**
Overall'Positive'Impact''
• Fosters'independence'• Students'learn'to'
structure'their'time'• Use'Google'calendar'
to'plan'their'day'
• Instills'confidence'
• Provides'students'with'skill'sets'• Can'bring'those'skill'sets'
back'to'their'home'
Literacy)in)Primary)Schools)
Audrey Neumann and Sarah Odom
Key$Competencies$O Required by the Ministry
of Education O Obvious use of key
competencies throughout the schools O Using language, symbols
and texts
Self%Regulated%Learning%- Students are given
list of assignments they must complete within a given period of time
- Students determine how long they want or need to spend on a given assignment
- Helps develop time management
What%is%the%Literacy%Cycle?%O Quality teaching of the “traditional” concepts
of literacy O Reading, writing, etc.
O Creation of digital learning objects from the outcomes of literacy
O Publishing the digital learning objects in a Web 2.0 environment
Literacy)Cycle)at)Pt.)England)School,)Auckland)NZ)
- Data collected has shown that this process has improved students’ ability to read and write
Literacy Cycle
Multiculturalism in New Zealand Schools!
By Whitney Becker!
What is multiculturalism?!• Multiculturalism is “the
preservation of different cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation.” (Dictionary.com)!
• New Zealand has high populations of Maori and Pacific Islanders!
• Teachers attempt to incorporate all the different cultures found there, particularly the Maori culture.!
• Kura Kaupapa is a type of primary school where they teach only in Maori!
Background Information!
• The New Zealand Curriculum reflects the bicultural and multicultural nature of New Zealand society!
• Approximately 23% of students are English Language Learners from 163 different ethnic groups speaking 115 different first languages. The largest cultural groups represented in New Zealand are Samoan (22%) and Tongan (12%)!
Examples of Multiculturalism in schools!
• Queenstown Primary!
• represents 31 different cultures throughout its 560 student body!
• St. Pius X!
• 100% Pacific Islander student body which creates learning issues due to language, poverty, and access to learning!
More Examples!
• Weymouth Primary!
• greeted with songs and dances!
• High levels of Maori and Pacific Islander populations out of 464 student body!
• Weymouth Primary School Welcome
• Finlayson Park!
• Finlayson Park is comprised of fifty-three percent Maori students and is a language immersion school; greeted through a special Maori welcoming ceremony. !
• Language units in which the students are taught half of their lessons in English and the other half in the language of their choice !
• allows students to celebrate their backgrounds and personal beliefs!
• allows students to the path that is best for them.!
• Choose from Tongan, Maori or Samoan.!
• Unit dedicated to fluent Maori learning, where the students do not speak English in class until the age of ten, and an English/Maori unit, where both languages are spoken from Year 1. (Must attend Maori preschool to get into the Maori unit)!
• Tongan and Samoan units did not have “fluent” counterparts, but were similarly conducted.!
• The goal is for students to be strong in both languages when they leave.!
• Finlayson Park Welcome
OUTDOORS IM
PORTANCE
B Y MA R I A M
O R R I S O N
OUTDOORS IN NEW ZEALAND EDUCATION
• Maori tradition • Whole World class room • Educating the whole person • Recess • PAL’s • Sports
MAORI TRADITION STILL PRESENT
• No shoes, closer to the earth • middle school • Physically connecting to nature
• Kinesthetic learners • Almost every where requires them to start wearing shoes
in Learn better if have done activity • Learn better by doing it first hand
• Respect for nature and surroundings • Customs and rituals
Child walking without shoes on to play sports with his class.
“MAKING THE WHOLE WORLD THE CLASS ROOM”
• Want wireless internet everywhere • Can study outside if weather is nice or negative
household
• Science • Life cycle • Environmental studies
• Teaches Responsibility
RECESS • Give an hour for lunch and recess
• Child decides how much time is spent on which • Freedom
• Children do what they please • Play grounds
• Student designed • Large
• Fields • Large spaces to do activities
• Scheduled runs after recess • Get energy out, boost attention level
PAL’S PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEADERS
• Run by the children • Elected
• Job to make sure everyone is active and exercising at recess • Look for lonely kids and invite them to join
• Promotes leadership and confidence in children • Gives them a role
• Wear hats with “P” on them • Stands out • Makes them feel important
SPORTS
• Everyone participates in them • Regardless of level • Different levels
• House competitions • Serious sports outside of school • All children play
Children rugby players with the Professionals at Forsyth Barr Stadium
Morning TeaOur favorite pastime
Text
What is it?During the school day, staff, teachers, and students receive a morning break which they call “morning tea.” !
The teachers and staff gather together for tea, coffee, and tons of yummy treats. The students are also welcome to have snacks during this time or just go outside and play during the break.
Why it is essential?
A distinct part of NZ culture, each school provided us with some form of a “tea”!
benefits: community, comfort, and cookies!
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