Explanation of model on opening slide:
The model incorporates the Yin and Yang principles - in this case the twin Yin and Yang of Teacher and Learner; People and Land.
The four are inextricably interconnected in my opinion.
The Yin and Yang lend themselves to Koru - a New Zealand context and with strong imagery for new life and learning.
New life and learning relate directly to all four elements - people, land, teacher, learner.
Please note the model is a poor representation, with a professional artist it could look vastly better.
There are five sub elements to each of the four main elements.
In the case of Teacher and Learner - this is a correlation connection between each of the five sub elements.
Eg Coach correlates to Doer; Critical Thinker correlates to Critical Friend; Change Catalyst to Creator.
In the centre of the model is Sustainability - this applies to all four elements.
For example Teacher sustainability depends on support, stress management, professional development, empowerment through consultation etc.
Learner sustainability for example can include foundational learning such as Reading, Writing and Maths, as learners need these skills to be sustainable in the real world.
Also in the centre are Relationships and Wellbeing - these along with sustainability are like the three sides of a triangle - the strongest shape in nature. They are interdependent on each other and at the very heart of everything. (Again the next iteration will show these as a triangle I am thinking).
In order to effect change we need active intervention.
This is where the change project focus of PALS comes in.
The People And Land Savers cradle the four elements. They are like the potter’s hands on the wheel - another metaphor I use in my assignments for a “return to original practice”.
The model incorporates the Yin and Yang principles - in this case the twin Yin and Yang of Teacher and Learner; People and Land.
The four are inextricably interconnected in my opinion.
The Yin and Yang lend themselves to Koru - a New Zealand context and with strong imagery for new life and learning.
New life and learning relate directly to all four elements - people, land, teacher, learner.
Please note the model is a poor representation, with a professional artist it could look vastly better.
There are five sub elements to each of the four main elements.
In the case of Teacher and Learner - this is a correlation connection between each of the five sub elements.
Eg Coach correlates to Doer; Critical Thinker correlates to Critical Friend; Change Catalyst to Creator.
In the centre of the model is Sustainability - this applies to all four elements.
For example Teacher sustainability depends on support, stress management, professional development, empowerment through consultation etc.
Learner sustainability for example can include foundational learning such as Reading, Writing and Maths, as learners need these skills to be sustainable in the real world.
Also in the centre are Relationships and Wellbeing - these along with sustainability are like the three sides of a triangle - the strongest shape in nature. They are interdependent on each other and at the very heart of everything. (Again the next iteration will show these as a triangle I am thinking).
In order to effect change we need active intervention.
This is where the change project focus of PALS comes in.
The People And Land Savers cradle the four elements. They are like the potter’s hands on the wheel - another metaphor I use in my assignments for a “return to original practice”.
|
Practical Plan to Prioritise People & Land pdf | ||
Practical Plan to Prioritise the People and the Land:
Purpose Statement
To implement a change in focus for curriculum, for teaching and learning approaches and for place-based learning that ensures Original Practice Principles are applied.
This involves learning Manaakitanga for the People and the Land.
This is achieved through establishing a deep connection to the original values of Whanaungatanga, Whakapono, Whakamana, Manaakitanga and Turangawaewae.
The approach will incorporate Tuakana Teina principles.
Response - Wellbeing - Care - Respect - Guardianship - Oranga Tonutanga - Hinengaro
Wellbeing applies to People and Land - our goal is “Thriving People in a Thriving Land”.
Wellbeing can be taught through a ‘Heart-Mind’ focus.
The OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) and UNESCO have concluded that new realities demand that people bring a different set of competencies to the workforce than what was previously considered required for success.Today teamwork, problem solving and interpersonal skills top the list. These employment essential qualities translate directly to having Heart-Mind well-being.
The 3 Arguments for a Focus on Well-Being. (2015). Heart-Mind Online. Retrieved 1 May 2019, from https://heartmindonline.org/resources/the-3-arguments-for-a-focus-on-well-being
Wellbeing for the land can be taught by teaching reverence for Papatuanuku. Earth is our mother, the source of all good things. Our relationship with our mother is key to the life and success of us both.
Areas of ‘land’ focus are being ‘Zero Heroes’ as we work towards becoming a Zero Waste school, our enviro-garden and a repurposing (up-cycling) programme. These are part of our focus on learning to live sustainably and protecting the earth’s ecosystem.
We will introduce and implement the concept of PALS - People and Land Savers.
The process will involve identifying issues involving the People and the Land, implementing a Plan To Action process, and sharing the outcomes and learnings through a PAL-X presentation at its conclusion.
Identified Problem - the Age of Consequences
We have now entered the ‘Age of Consequences’. This is the time where a lack of concern for the People and the Land - failed policies and practices and greed - have resulted in disenfranchised, dispirited, disadvantaged, indigenous people, and a deeply damaged and suffering environment. It is the age of ubiquitous plastic, climate change, gun violence, racist policies and rhetoric, and hate-speech thoughtlessly shared by anonymous ‘keyboard warriors’.
Response
In “Thrive: Schools Reinvented for the Real Challenges We Face:” by Valerie Hannon, Valerie focuses on the question she was tasked with answering for a report on the Future of Learning - “What Is The Purpose of School?”
“Thrive: schools reinvented for the real challenges we face” - InnovaDon Unit Press - 2017
Valerie started with WHY, which is what Simon Sinek - https://startwithwhy.com/ - teaches we must always do.
Valerie contends our great purpose must be ‘Learning to Thrive in a Transforming world’ - she refers to the theory we are on the cusp of change so great that there has never been a time of greater promise or greater peril.
Valerie identifies three key challenge areas requiring disruptive thinking, the first of which is:
Our Planet
All three of these sub-points reference humankind’s negative and destructive impact on our planet. In response to this, I contend we have now entered the ‘Age of Consequences’. This is the time where a lack of concern for the People and the Land - failed policies and practices and greed - have resulted in disenfranchised, dispirited, disadvantaged, indigenous people, and a deeply damaged and suffering environment. It is the age of ubiquitous plastic, rising sea levels, gun violence, racist policies and rhetoric, and hate-speech thoughtlessly shared by anonymous ‘keyboard warriors’.
In light of these observations, it becomes apparent that the ‘why’ we need to find needs to be directly related to and embedded in the two elements of The People and The Land.
Our ‘Why’ is thus twofold
Project Goals
Explanation - Whakauka - Sustainability
To achieve Whakauka - Sustainability - requires a paradigm shift that takes us back to original practice. This is practice that focuses on what makes us human, focuses on community, empathy, and a service mindset.
Living sustainably means living within the capacity of the natural environment to support life and ensuring our current lifestyle has minimal impact on generations to come. Sustainable practices relate not only to the natural environment, but also our society and culture, including aspects such as consumerism and community well-being - the People and the Land.
Practicing sustainability empowers children to construct knowledge, explore values and develop an appreciation of the environment and its relationship to their worlds. This lays the foundations for an environmentally responsible adulthood.
Our teaching and learning focus must aim to instil a strong love of the Earth (reverence for Papatuanuku - mother earth) so children understand what they are working to preserve.
Teaching towards sustainability lends itself to place-based and project-based approaches to pedagogy. Although sustainability is a global goal, its problems and solutions are always importantly situated in local ecologies and communities.
Impact of Project
A paradigm shift away from the industrial - three Rs, compliance and conformity model - to a model that looks at learning through the twin lenses of the People and the Land (land encompassing all aspects of our environment - which may in time include space).
Our initial focus within these two lenses is on
We address these foci through the principles of
Culturally responsive practice includes cultural locatedness, which means teachers shifting (physically, mentally, emotionally and professionally) learning, teaching and practice into locations or spaces that are safe, comfortable that culturally ‘fit’, and are receptive to the learner.
Tapasā - Cultural competencies framework for teachers of Pacific learners.
Ministry of Education - Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga - 2018
Kindness is also a key component and focus of this project. It falls naturally out of our focus. Kindness is regarded as one of the most important things we can teach our children if we are to bring about change in our world. Prime Minister Adern made this one of her key points at her address to the United Nations in 2018.
“‘I want the government ... to bring kindness back’. (2017) - Prime Minister Adern on Checkpoint with John Campbell.
Prime Minister Adern in her address to the UN in 2018 - “In the Māori language there is a word that captures the importance of that role – Kaitiakitanga. It means guardianship. The idea that we have been entrusted with our environment, and we have a duty of care. For us, that has meant taking action to address degradation, like setting standards to make our rivers swimmable, reducing waste and phasing out single-use plastic bags, right through to eradicating predators and protecting our biodiversity.
The race to grow our economies and increase wealth makes us all the poorer if it comes at the cost of our environment.
Perhaps then it is time to step back from the chaos and ask what we want... If I could distil it down into one concept that we are pursuing in New Zealand it is simple and it is this. Kindness. In the face of isolationism, protectionism, racism – the simple concept of looking outwardly and beyond ourselves, of kindness and collectivism.
New Zealand remains committed to … being pragmatic, empathetic, strong and kind.”
Ardern, J., Braae, Beard, & Chapman. (2018). Kindness and kaitiakitanga: Jacinda Ardern addresses the UN. The Spinoff. Retrieved 29 April 2019, from https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/28-09-2018/kindness-and-kaitiakitanga-jacinda-ardern-addresses-the-un/
Our Prime Minister’s message was widely received as being exceptionally important.
We therefore should all care.
Explanation - Place based learning and culturally responsive place-based practice.
Changing the Cultural Face of our Environment:
We reflected on what could our Maori children in particular look to, and lay claim to, within our school’s physical environment that spoke particularly to them From this, a process of consulting, discussing and reflecting began. Out of this came a whole new front of school environment, featuring five huge Pōhatu Tūmu. These rocks as ancient as the earth represent the five foundation values our school is built on:
These five Pōhatu Tūmu are at the heart and core of everything we do now. At one end is Whanaungatanga, at the other Turangawaewae. This represents the People and the Land - encompassing the other three.
Every class, at the start of each year from now on will come out and sit on and among the rocks and hear the story of each one.
As we share and celebrate this sanctuary, we emphasise the universal nature of the values represented here. We share - and invite our children to share - how these stones connect to their culture, their stories, their values.
One of those core values is Manaakitanga
We address kindness in many ways - through Bucket Filling, the Love in Love to Learn to Lead and through our focus on Pay It Forwards for every class every year. We also focus on Empathy and Service Leadership.
Our goal is to see Kindness become the Lingua Franca (meaning the language we all speak) of WHS - something that we address and aspire to every day.
This focus on kindness is designed to ensure we are educating the whole child, and best preparing them to be caring, contributing, connected citizens. Such qualities will be of increasing value and importance as robots and AI take take over more and more traditional jobs and workforce tasks. This also offers the opportunity to ensure collaborative learning focused solutions to improve teaching and learning practice.
Each class chooses their own ‘Pay It Forward’ project each year. This is an opportunity for children to get together and research needs in their school, community or even wider world.
They select the need to address and draw up an action plan to achieve it. In many cases, this is a complex endeavour involving all manner of communication, planning, organising and doing.
Project Deliverables - A change in Mindset, Language, Daily Habits and Practices.
Explanation
The wellbeing of our people and our environment is a priority for all members of our learning community.
That priority is evident in our daily actions and activities
The words of Albert Einstein will guide us, ““A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe… Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
A quote by Albert Einstein. (2019). Goodreads.com. Retrieved 8 May 2019, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/369-a-human-being-is-a-part-of-the-whole-called
Purpose Statement
To implement a change in focus for curriculum, for teaching and learning approaches and for place-based learning that ensures Original Practice Principles are applied.
This involves learning Manaakitanga for the People and the Land.
This is achieved through establishing a deep connection to the original values of Whanaungatanga, Whakapono, Whakamana, Manaakitanga and Turangawaewae.
The approach will incorporate Tuakana Teina principles.
Response - Wellbeing - Care - Respect - Guardianship - Oranga Tonutanga - Hinengaro
Wellbeing applies to People and Land - our goal is “Thriving People in a Thriving Land”.
Wellbeing can be taught through a ‘Heart-Mind’ focus.
The OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) and UNESCO have concluded that new realities demand that people bring a different set of competencies to the workforce than what was previously considered required for success.Today teamwork, problem solving and interpersonal skills top the list. These employment essential qualities translate directly to having Heart-Mind well-being.
The 3 Arguments for a Focus on Well-Being. (2015). Heart-Mind Online. Retrieved 1 May 2019, from https://heartmindonline.org/resources/the-3-arguments-for-a-focus-on-well-being
Wellbeing for the land can be taught by teaching reverence for Papatuanuku. Earth is our mother, the source of all good things. Our relationship with our mother is key to the life and success of us both.
Areas of ‘land’ focus are being ‘Zero Heroes’ as we work towards becoming a Zero Waste school, our enviro-garden and a repurposing (up-cycling) programme. These are part of our focus on learning to live sustainably and protecting the earth’s ecosystem.
We will introduce and implement the concept of PALS - People and Land Savers.
The process will involve identifying issues involving the People and the Land, implementing a Plan To Action process, and sharing the outcomes and learnings through a PAL-X presentation at its conclusion.
Identified Problem - the Age of Consequences
We have now entered the ‘Age of Consequences’. This is the time where a lack of concern for the People and the Land - failed policies and practices and greed - have resulted in disenfranchised, dispirited, disadvantaged, indigenous people, and a deeply damaged and suffering environment. It is the age of ubiquitous plastic, climate change, gun violence, racist policies and rhetoric, and hate-speech thoughtlessly shared by anonymous ‘keyboard warriors’.
Response
In “Thrive: Schools Reinvented for the Real Challenges We Face:” by Valerie Hannon, Valerie focuses on the question she was tasked with answering for a report on the Future of Learning - “What Is The Purpose of School?”
“Thrive: schools reinvented for the real challenges we face” - InnovaDon Unit Press - 2017
Valerie started with WHY, which is what Simon Sinek - https://startwithwhy.com/ - teaches we must always do.
Valerie contends our great purpose must be ‘Learning to Thrive in a Transforming world’ - she refers to the theory we are on the cusp of change so great that there has never been a time of greater promise or greater peril.
Valerie identifies three key challenge areas requiring disruptive thinking, the first of which is:
Our Planet
- The sixth great extinction
- The Anthropocene age
- Climate change
All three of these sub-points reference humankind’s negative and destructive impact on our planet. In response to this, I contend we have now entered the ‘Age of Consequences’. This is the time where a lack of concern for the People and the Land - failed policies and practices and greed - have resulted in disenfranchised, dispirited, disadvantaged, indigenous people, and a deeply damaged and suffering environment. It is the age of ubiquitous plastic, rising sea levels, gun violence, racist policies and rhetoric, and hate-speech thoughtlessly shared by anonymous ‘keyboard warriors’.
In light of these observations, it becomes apparent that the ‘why’ we need to find needs to be directly related to and embedded in the two elements of The People and The Land.
Our ‘Why’ is thus twofold
- Thriving People
- Thriving Land
Project Goals
- To introduce Sustainability practices.
- To introduce Place-Based education focus that connects learners to their land, their culture, and our shared values.
- To introduce PALS programme - People and Land Savers with a Tuakana Teina emphasis of working together.
- To introduce the principles and practices of Original Practice by ensuring more hands-on, place-based, direct experience, socially based cooperative learning opportunities and experiences.
- To introduce PAL-X Learning Expos where project teams share their learning problems, plans, process, outcomes and next steps.
Explanation - Whakauka - Sustainability
To achieve Whakauka - Sustainability - requires a paradigm shift that takes us back to original practice. This is practice that focuses on what makes us human, focuses on community, empathy, and a service mindset.
Living sustainably means living within the capacity of the natural environment to support life and ensuring our current lifestyle has minimal impact on generations to come. Sustainable practices relate not only to the natural environment, but also our society and culture, including aspects such as consumerism and community well-being - the People and the Land.
Practicing sustainability empowers children to construct knowledge, explore values and develop an appreciation of the environment and its relationship to their worlds. This lays the foundations for an environmentally responsible adulthood.
Our teaching and learning focus must aim to instil a strong love of the Earth (reverence for Papatuanuku - mother earth) so children understand what they are working to preserve.
Teaching towards sustainability lends itself to place-based and project-based approaches to pedagogy. Although sustainability is a global goal, its problems and solutions are always importantly situated in local ecologies and communities.
Impact of Project
A paradigm shift away from the industrial - three Rs, compliance and conformity model - to a model that looks at learning through the twin lenses of the People and the Land (land encompassing all aspects of our environment - which may in time include space).
Our initial focus within these two lenses is on
- Wellbeing
- Mindfulness
- Relationships
We address these foci through the principles of
- Social Emotional Learning
- Culturally Responsive Practice
- Belonging
Culturally responsive practice includes cultural locatedness, which means teachers shifting (physically, mentally, emotionally and professionally) learning, teaching and practice into locations or spaces that are safe, comfortable that culturally ‘fit’, and are receptive to the learner.
Tapasā - Cultural competencies framework for teachers of Pacific learners.
Ministry of Education - Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga - 2018
Kindness is also a key component and focus of this project. It falls naturally out of our focus. Kindness is regarded as one of the most important things we can teach our children if we are to bring about change in our world. Prime Minister Adern made this one of her key points at her address to the United Nations in 2018.
“‘I want the government ... to bring kindness back’. (2017) - Prime Minister Adern on Checkpoint with John Campbell.
Prime Minister Adern in her address to the UN in 2018 - “In the Māori language there is a word that captures the importance of that role – Kaitiakitanga. It means guardianship. The idea that we have been entrusted with our environment, and we have a duty of care. For us, that has meant taking action to address degradation, like setting standards to make our rivers swimmable, reducing waste and phasing out single-use plastic bags, right through to eradicating predators and protecting our biodiversity.
The race to grow our economies and increase wealth makes us all the poorer if it comes at the cost of our environment.
Perhaps then it is time to step back from the chaos and ask what we want... If I could distil it down into one concept that we are pursuing in New Zealand it is simple and it is this. Kindness. In the face of isolationism, protectionism, racism – the simple concept of looking outwardly and beyond ourselves, of kindness and collectivism.
New Zealand remains committed to … being pragmatic, empathetic, strong and kind.”
Ardern, J., Braae, Beard, & Chapman. (2018). Kindness and kaitiakitanga: Jacinda Ardern addresses the UN. The Spinoff. Retrieved 29 April 2019, from https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/28-09-2018/kindness-and-kaitiakitanga-jacinda-ardern-addresses-the-un/
Our Prime Minister’s message was widely received as being exceptionally important.
We therefore should all care.
Explanation - Place based learning and culturally responsive place-based practice.
Changing the Cultural Face of our Environment:
We reflected on what could our Maori children in particular look to, and lay claim to, within our school’s physical environment that spoke particularly to them From this, a process of consulting, discussing and reflecting began. Out of this came a whole new front of school environment, featuring five huge Pōhatu Tūmu. These rocks as ancient as the earth represent the five foundation values our school is built on:
- Whanangatanga - Family Always
- Manaakitanga - Caring Always
- Whakamana - Our Best Always.
- Whakapono - The Truth Always.
- Turangawaewae - Our Home Always.
These five Pōhatu Tūmu are at the heart and core of everything we do now. At one end is Whanaungatanga, at the other Turangawaewae. This represents the People and the Land - encompassing the other three.
Every class, at the start of each year from now on will come out and sit on and among the rocks and hear the story of each one.
As we share and celebrate this sanctuary, we emphasise the universal nature of the values represented here. We share - and invite our children to share - how these stones connect to their culture, their stories, their values.
One of those core values is Manaakitanga
- Caring for ourselves, others and our land
- Kindness to ourselves, others and our land
We address kindness in many ways - through Bucket Filling, the Love in Love to Learn to Lead and through our focus on Pay It Forwards for every class every year. We also focus on Empathy and Service Leadership.
Our goal is to see Kindness become the Lingua Franca (meaning the language we all speak) of WHS - something that we address and aspire to every day.
This focus on kindness is designed to ensure we are educating the whole child, and best preparing them to be caring, contributing, connected citizens. Such qualities will be of increasing value and importance as robots and AI take take over more and more traditional jobs and workforce tasks. This also offers the opportunity to ensure collaborative learning focused solutions to improve teaching and learning practice.
Each class chooses their own ‘Pay It Forward’ project each year. This is an opportunity for children to get together and research needs in their school, community or even wider world.
They select the need to address and draw up an action plan to achieve it. In many cases, this is a complex endeavour involving all manner of communication, planning, organising and doing.
Project Deliverables - A change in Mindset, Language, Daily Habits and Practices.
- A more sustainable environment for the people and the land.
- Kindness is the Lingua Franca of our school.
- Pay It Forward Projects completed by every class.
- PALS and PAL-X programme operating successfully - based in our senior school but with Tuakana Teina approach to include and involve younger children.
Explanation
The wellbeing of our people and our environment is a priority for all members of our learning community.
That priority is evident in our daily actions and activities
- Recycling food scraps
- Recycling paper
- Longopac smart bags
- Worm farm
- Envirogarden
- PALS Projects
- Kindness is the Lingua Franca of our school
- Awareness raised through sharing on web, at Whanau Time, in newsletter and particularly through PAL-X Expos.
- Kindness is evident in words and actions
- Kindness to self
- Kindness to others
- Kindness to our world
- Evident in Pay It Forward projects and the wairua of our school
- Visitors are welcomed
- Hugs are the norm
- Everyone in our school receives a hand-delivered card on their birthday
- Children are happy and proud
- Children and community are connected to and with our school
- New parents receive a full welcome from principal and have our cultural ways, practices and principles explained
- Our Pōhatu Tūmu are the foundation for our school Vision, Mission and Values
- Our Pōhatu Tūmu are the basis on which our Strategic Plan is built
- We have our own new Western Heights Waiata based on our Vision, Mission, Values and Pōhatu Tūmu. Children know it and sing it with pride
- We have our own new Western Heights Haka based on our Vision, Mission, Values and Pōhatu Tūmu. Children know it and our Kapa Haka Ropu perform it with pride, mana and passion.
- Parents and extended family can be seen in classrooms, the staffroom, playground and Leadership Team member offices - obviously comfortable and at home
- It is apparent to all that we are living and learning with sustainability principles and practices to the forefront.
- It is apparent to all that we put people and the land first, that we are a family and the principles of Whanaungatanga and Turangawaewae are embedded in all we say and do.
The words of Albert Einstein will guide us, ““A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe… Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
A quote by Albert Einstein. (2019). Goodreads.com. Retrieved 8 May 2019, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/369-a-human-being-is-a-part-of-the-whole-called
