Session 1: Starting Back! And Community Engagement that Strengthens Success for Pasifika Students

Wednesday 19 February 2025, 9.30am - 2.30pm

Morning:

Refresher information regarding the Induction and Mentoring Programme;

Revisiting the codes and standards, setting goals in alignment with your school procedures;

Reflecting on our classroom/learning environments, management and organisation;

Developing connected, positive relationships;

Working with children with challenging behaviours and creating inclusive environments;

Revisiting health and wellbeing, growth mindset and mindfulness.

Presented by Jo Williams

Afternoon:

Community engagement that strengthens success for Pasifika students;

Guidance around effective communication with parents/caregivers/community;

So’otaga – making connections, building on values, beliefs and a sense of belonging;

Exploring Pasifika culture, values, proverbs, celebrations, protocols and co-constructing

learning that encompasses cultural Fa’a Samoa that aligns with NZ key competencies;

Opportunities to learn greetings, instructions and simple songs through practical activities, useful websites and resources;

Discussion around Pasifika people’s achievements (artists, authors, mathematicians etc) that can be shared with our students;

Further reading/research recommendations.

Presented by Saga Vaisagote-Frost

Session 2: Enriching Your Mathematics Programme

Wednesday 19 March 2025, 9.30am – 2.30pm

Revisiting the learning progressions within the Refreshed New Zealand Curriculum;

This session will continue to build both teachers’ and students’ confidence and knowledge in all areas of maths;

Alongside pedagogy, this practical session will demonstrate the importance of explicit teaching and how to apply engaging maths activities and use various resources in order to reinforce and embed vital maths concepts in primary and intermediate students;

Focusing on building the knowledge needed for all ākonga at their level and examine ways to be sure each and every student in your class has this knowledge;

Exploring effective ways of developing student collaboration, communication and problem-solving skills.

Presented by Jill Smythe

Session 3: Celebrating and Supporting English Language Learners (ESOL)

Wednesday 30 April 2025, 10.30am – 12.30pm, Zoom Meeting

This session will provide opportunities for discussions around English language learners, what they bring to our classroom, what they need and how best we can support them and scaffold their learning. Practical ideas, activities, resources, documents and websites will be explored.

Presented by Jo Williams

Session 4: The Importance of Oral Language, Sensory Experiences, Play and the Foundation Skills that Lead to the Development of Reading and Writing

Wednesday 21 May 2025, 9.30am – 2.30pm

This session will:

Revisit current information around the literacy curriculum;

Highlight how oral language, sensory experiences, play and the foundation skills are fundamental to the development of reading and writing in young children;

Aim to increase teachers’ pedagogical knowledge of the foundation/developmental skills that children in the 0-3 age range need to continue developing alongside all literacy skills;

Present cross-curricular ideas for integrating oral language, the foundation skills and writing skills, including using play, exploration, sensory opportunities and day to day experiences as a platform for writing;

Presented by Jo Williams

Session 5: Inquiring Through the Visual Arts – Building Agency Through Self Expression

Wednesday 18 June 2025, 9.30am – 2.30pm

Thinking about The Arts as a toolbox for exploring, discovering and presenting;

Developing ideas through making and doing Visual Arts;

Practical guidelines for organising arts activities.

Presented by Juliette Laird

Session 6: Fostering Creative Thinking: How we ensure that we continue to develop an inquiry, thinking and questioning learning culture and celebrate creativity And Digital Technology/Digital Literacy

Wednesday 13 August 2025, 9.30am – 2.30pm

Morning:

This session aims to provide teachers with a ‘thinking and questioning’ toolkit of ideas, formats, organisers and resources that can be applied each day and integrated throughout the curriculum. If we explicitly encourage a questioning and thinking culture, it opens up the way for teachers to see how and why our ākonga think the way they do which builds a better understanding of how they will be engaged and how they learn; an integral part of teaching and learning in the diverse landscape we are in. We also know that effective questioning helps learners to consolidate, deepen and extend their thinking and learning.

At the core, this session aims to present an opportunity for us as educators, how we think or might re-think! We too should be on an inspiring, creative, questioning and thinking learning journey alongside our students.

Presented by Jo Williams

Afternoon:

An opportunity to discuss with colleagues what digital technology looks like in schools in the current climate, exploring cyber safety, management tips, integrating digital technology/literacy across the curriculum and an opportunity to explore some of the best websites and apps.

Presented by Glenn Pressnell

Session 7: Neurodiversity

Wednesday 10 September 2025, 9.30am – 2.30pm

This session will outline neurodiversity whilst sharing skills, approaches and practical ideas to support children with diverse needs in a respectful relationship focused way. The main goal in helping children with learning differences is to enable them to achieve their true potential as a learner whilst also building their self esteem;

Teachers will be provided with current and detailed information around the range of neurodiversity and develop an understanding of some basic indicators of neurodiversity;

Exploring approaches and strategies that make a real difference to our ākonga;

Build teacher confidence around developing equity in our learning environments;

Highlight a strengths-based approach that focuses on participation, achievement, success, challenge and opportunity;

Explore effective communication and ways in which we can help to remove barriers and make the learning easier;

Useful resources will be presented including digital resources.

Presented by Lisa Sparey

Session 8: An Insight into Physical Education And Teachers’ Presentations

Programme Conclusion

Wednesday 15 October 2025, 9.30am – 2.30pm

Morning:

“Physical Education is the most effective means of providing all children and youth with the skills, attitudes, values, knowledge and understanding for lifelong participation in society” UNESCO 2015

The intention of this workshop is to build your knowledge and understanding of the physical education component of the Health and Physical Education learning area. The session will not give you all the answers but it will be thought provoking through a range of practical activities and discussion.

We will explore the different terminology used in schools, the Health Physical Education curriculum, what constitutes quality PE and participate in some activities that you can play with your students.

The takeaway from this session is that teaching Physical Education is easier than expected, you have the ability to change the rules of the activities and as long as you have learning intentions connected to what you are doing the possibilities are endless! We will broaden your perception of what is possible when teaching Physical Education.

Presented by the Healthy Active Learning Team, CLM Community Sport: Nikki Johnson and Florence Rodwell

Afternoon:

Teachers’ Presentations;

This is an opportunity to draw on the strengths and passions that our teachers have developed over their last two years of teaching. Now that the teachers are approaching full certification, we encourage several teachers from the programme, who show leadership qualities, to step forward and provide short presentations of their choice, showcasing their areas of developing expertise from which we as educators can all benefit.

Presented by the PCT Teachers

Contact & Enrol​

If you are interested in a programme, are wanting to enrol, or have more questions please call Alison Miller 027 544 2924 or Jo Williams 021 178 1672, or use this form to contact us.​