All Articles
Asking the big questions
It is great to have the opportunity to contribute to Ako. I am really pleased that this issue is focussed on language, as it is top of mind for me.
To literacy and beyond: Te Totara School
Michelle Simms, the librarian at Te Totara Primary School, talks about some of the ways she supports literacy at the school.“Speaking my culture”
Nerra Lealiifano-Tamarua considers herself blessed. “I am one of the lucky generation of Pasifika New Zealanders who learned to walk in two worlds. I’m confident and successful as a Samoan and as a Kiwi – and that’s what I want for the students I teach.”Jumping into Māori immersion learning at Otari School
A number of mainstream schools like Otari School can date their Māori immersion units back to the late 1980s and early 1990s, developing alongside the Kura Kaupapa Māori movement.
Summer 2020: Children’s book reviews
Reviews of ten fantastic new books for children.
Embracing Multilingualism Across Educational Contexts
A review of Embracing Multilingualism Across Educational Contexts.
The Professional Practice of Teaching in New Zealand (6th edition)
A review of The Professional Practice of Teaching in New Zealand (6th edition)
Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching (6th edition)
A review of Educational Psychology for Learning and Teaching (6th edition).
Empowering students to build community
In a school with dozens of cultures and languages, equipping and empowering students to coach, guide and befriend their ESOL peers has huge benefits for all involved. At Christchurch’s Ilam School, 12 children in Year 6 are appointed as Cultural Leaders.
Kapa haka student leaders
Two student leaders of kapa haka at Kapanui School, Waikanae explain why they like it.
Teaching in a community new to you
A new teacher gives some advice to others starting work in a new community.
Home has been my classroom
Child of the mist, Tame Iti, says that “history has woven us together. We are the basket, the kete, that holds the future!”
Teaching – and reaching – online from Ohura
From her tiny school on the appropriately named Forgotten Highway, Anna Fourie teaches students across the country, using the internet.
The community of kapa haka
For nearly a decade, Kapapapanui School in Waikanae has been using kapa haka as a way of building community in and around the school – and the benefits have been extraordinary for both Māori and non-Māori students.Kapa haka at Kapanui School
For nearly a decade, Kapanui School in Waikanae has been using kapa haka as a way of building community in and around the school – and the benefits have been extraordinary for both Māori and non-Māori students.
Virtually connected
More than a quarter of New Zealand schools have fewer than 100 students. How can their students gain meaningful connections with the wider world and overcome their isolation?
Winter 2019: Children’s book reviews
Reviews of eight Aotearoa New Zealand picture books for children of all ages.
Girls and Autism: Educational, Family and Personal Perspectives
A review of Girls and Autism: Educational, Family and Personal Perspectives.
Pūrākau: Māori Myths Retold by Māori Writers
A review of Pūrākau: Māori Myths Retold by Māori Writers.
Jobs, Robots and Us: Getting a Grip on the Future of Work in New Zealand
Jobs, Robots and Us: Getting a Grip on the Future of Work in New Zealand
Strengthening, growing and reaching out
The interplay between a school and its community is complex and rich with potential – for personal connection, professional support and building capability. A range of schools throughout the country illustrate the myriad ways – and reasons why – school communities come together.
People power
School principals from around the country explain how strong communities of staff bring crucial benefits for children and whānau, from South Auckland to Southland.
Building bridges: from community to ECE to primary
The importance of whānau and community doesn’t lessen just because a child starts school, but it can be hard for educators to maintain these strong connections once a child leaves early childhood education. Jane Blaikie and Jane Arthur talk to educators across the country about the challenges they face when trying to build bridges between the child and their community.