Growing strong foundations Hui - Exploring the potential of the National Curricula for all students

What stood out for me at the HUi. Some food for thought:

Helen May - Emeritus Professor University of Otago: 
- Readdressing mismatch between ECE and primary school
- Framework should be of Te Whariki move into school - appropriate assessment for young children in schools
- Young children should be happy and healthy - "they should learn to work and play with other children, his mind kept lively and eager and full of wonder" H.G. Mason (Minister of education 1944)
- Children learn through play - child agency (free play and discovery) This use to be so important, it was done first thing in the morning.  (Sand, wood, water, paint)
ECE plan: Turn the profit tide. Strong and equal partnership between ECE and Jnr School, not ECE responsibility to ready children for school. 
- Children could bring the ECE portfolio's to the new school when starting. NE Teacher could view portfolio's before new students start and set up something from that portfolio that the child likes a lot e.g. lego's .
LET THE CHILDREN PLAY _ WE MUST ALLOW OUR CHILDREN THE TIME TO PLAY.
Could we create a more playful early years curriculum for the junior classrooms framed around learning dispositions and the principals and strands and the 3 R's?

Melissa Corlett & Helen Taylor-Young
- Research show that young children learn with a different part of their Brain than adults. When young, it is more about social and emotional development. They are only ready at 6 and a half to learn. (Disposition as we force young children at 5 to learn)
- The downward push in assessment practices into the first year of school in response to NS is having a undesirable effect on teaching practices.
- We think that the earlier we teach children the clever's they are, but there is no relationship to how successful they will be as an adult at 65. What matter is how much you love learning. 

Dr Bobby Hunter and Dr Jodie Hunter- MATHS
- How are we assessing children against what matters to them and their families and not the dominant majority?
- Problems: Less qualified and experienced teachers especially in low decile - only BT's applying not experienced teachers - every time they have to start again, high teacher turn-over, less money per student, poorer funded buildings and facilities, mis-match of teacher and students which supports deficit views of students and their family and community
- Culture is a strength - know who your children are by knowing who you are (What are your values and beliefs) Values and beliefs takes a really long time to change. Each culture different.
How do these values and belief affect your interactions in the mathematics classroom?
Ask yourself:
Who has more opportunities to participate and learn within these interactions? e.g. putting up hands encourages individualism.
Who has less opportunities to participate and learn and why?
Solutions: Smart tool: Communication and participation framework, mixed ability grouping, group worthy (problematic tasks with a low floor and high ceiling), culturally responsive problems.
When students in your class don't learn as expected, what do you find are typically the problem? Teachers easily blame students - but what could we change? When the maths is about us and about my culture, it makes me feel normal and makes the work feels normal.
NZ should no longer put all the emphasis on Literacy, Maths is just as important.

Georgia Jensen-Procter - experienced decile 1 teacher - SENCO
http://inclusive.tki.org.nz/  Helpful information for Teachers and Principals
Children who learn together love together - unknown author

Helen Collins - Teacher - DMIC (Developing Mathematical Inquiry Communities: Learning maths together) and Inclusive Practices
Being a good Mathematician means that you can explain how you got your answer. Every child is able to be a mathematician.
Collaboration: Let the children set the rules for group work. Make it visible. Group work is a shared responsibility.

What is going to change for me?
Thinking carefully about what activities are available for my class. What I wonder about....Play based learning?? Is it possible in a Year 2/3 class if they missed out when younger? Will this not settle my class and set the foundation for learning? Will this not engage my class more and encourage writing? Whats the difference between play based and practical experiences?

Frazer Smith -  Principal Oturu School Kataiya
AWESOME schooL. ENVIRONMENT - beehives, ponds with tadpoles, olive trees, making products, selling products, flying kites, making boats, drama, dance, art.

Teachers are not confident to teach in the arts. We should teach the arts through integration across the curriculum. Dance and Movement will strengthen confidence, cooperation, language. Teachers need to let go of NS. Make learning purposeful and 'fun". Don't be scared of incidental learning. Grab opportunities as they arise. these are precious teaching moments. 

Perry Rush - Hastings Intermediate - Principal
Post NS:
Look at the diversity if learners and the complexity of the human condition. How??
- Make learning problem-based
- Primary Experiences that activates senses (not digital devices)
- Memorable learning experiences - everywhere I go I need to make a mark - how can you grab their interest?
- Make learning perform with power e.g. rubbish on beach - collect, divide rubbish in classes-make inferences on who dropped the rubbish - then develop a plan to change the behaviour. Not just stopping at inquiry knowledge, it's what you do with it.
- teach and learn with maximum creativity -
- Activate synthesis between competing ideas....constantly
- And iterate the same concept in multiple contexts - smash up previous ideas....building on previous year's inquiries - school wide - revisit big ideas to get to deep learning.

Tony Trinick 
There is no limit on what you teach, but there is still a bit of gate keeping in order to meet NCEA levels.