Thinking forward to next year...

What achievement challenge are you considering as an area of focus in 2021 and why? Include in your WHY both evidence and your own passion/expertise

  • As a school, our data shows that learners (particulary Māori boys) are not succeeding in writing. This has been my inquiry focus this year and I hope to continue with this further next year. I love teaching literacy and hope that my inquiries over the last 2 years have been helpful for other teachers. This year I have learnt a lot around challenges for these children such as limited vocabulary and engagement. I am working hard to build my knowledge about te reo Māori and I hope to inquire into whether integrating te reo Māori into writing lessons will give Māori learners more of a sense of belonging and purpose to the writing process. 


What learnings from the 2017 - 2020 CoL teacher inquiries have informed or inspired your thinking.


  • Jannie Van Hees research around oral language and all the inquiries that used her research. In my previous inquiries, I feel like I only touched on this research and I think there is still so much to learn in this space. 2020 COL inquiries are particularly interesting as they share so much learning and reflection during the 2 lockdowns. It has been so interesting to read the experiences other teachers have had - what they have found difficult as well as their successes. 


How would your work support Manaiakalani pedagogy and  kaupapa?


  • I see huge benefits in designing learning with create elements and think that creativity is a huge part of the writing process. At SFS we use Schooltalk instead of blogging which relates nicely to the learn and create kaupapa for Manaiakalani and makes learning visible for learners and parents but I think there is a space for more sharing. I believe that my inquiry could support this. A recent conversation with Fiona made me wonder if that is what our children are missing? Could simply sharing their writing and receiving feedback in a different way make writing more purposeful for them? How could we have a space for learners to receive feedback on their writing from their parents?


Which elements of the extensive Manaiakalani research findings inform or challenge you as you think about this?


  • Research around learning on digital devices. 2 years ago I was teaching in a school in London where we had one desktop computer in the classroom and pretty much only the teacher used it to do some planning and printing so when I first arrived at Stonefields, the thought of teaching with 1:1 devices was quite daunting.. I was so lucky as I got to attend the DFI course. I loved every minute of that course and I particularly loved learning about how Manaiakalani was so progressive when it came to using digital devices for learning. It’s easy for me to make comparisons to how learning for our children is visible, ubiquitous which  then leads to them being connected and empowered. 


How would you like to be supported in 2021 as you undertake this inquiry?


  • I love learning and sharing my learning and I know that Manaiakalani supports me with this. I thoroughly enjoy the conversations with other CoL teachers in our CoL meetings. I also find the Manaiakalani learn, create share meetings really interesting and an awesome space to connect with other teachers across the cluster. In terms of supporting me with my inquiry, I would take any opportunities for PD or conversations with experts around my inquiry topic. 


How would you plan to support your colleagues in your school with THEIR inquiries and/or teaching in the area you are exploring?


  • I love to share everything I learn! I enjoy running optional workshops for other colleagues around some of my findings for example oral language and digital curriculum. I would like to continue doing this with my findings about writing and how to integrate te reo Māori into my daily practise. I am always available to my colleagues who may have questions around the inquiry process and my research findings. I am thinking about how I could use my release days to get into the other learning hubs and work a long side teachers to support with my findings from my inquiry.

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