Kaikohekohe Learning and Change Network

Kaikohekohe To prepare for the future we must honour the past History reveals that the name Kaikohe came from an incident involving fighting between inland and Hokianga groups. Kaikohe Hill was known to the Maori as Tokareireia, and was then covered with kohekohe trees. Pakinga Pa to the west of the town was one of the strongholds of Ngapuhi. While the warriors were away waging war the defenceless pa was attacked. Being without food the people were forced to eat the bitter berries of the kohekohe trees. This was when the name Kaikohekohe was first used – thus Kaikohe.

Kaikohekohe Learning and Change Network -How we got started -Our journey so far -Successes -Challenges and difficulties -Some advice -Where to next.

Writing Area of weakness as identified from our end of year data Annual report and analysis of variance Professional development had taken place within our schools An area we all wanted to improve in

Scoping Exercise Key Questions: Who helps you to write? How do you know what level you are in writing? Who else know and why? What do you use in your classroom to help you to write? How do you use what is in your classroom to help you to write?

Students learning from each other in writing is useful

Refining our achievement challenge This included all stakeholders - students, teachers, leaders and parents and whanau. We examined the: Practices Reasons Consequences

Learning together in writing is empowering

Our School Based Plans Once again all stakeholders were part of the plan What we were going to do Why How would we measure the outcomes Goals and expectations Links to our Strategic Plans

Our Network Plan Key Areas: Goals Community involvement plan Business partners Resources Infrastructure Systems Support group Facilitation support Professional development Measures and trends

Learning together in writing is empowering

Our Successes Our children learning from each other Teachers open to work together and learn together Parents feel involved Our future is not based on assumptions Bringing our school, teaching and community into the 21st century Working with all stakeholders Clear mandate Accountable to ourselves Learning about Manaiakalani as a model

Our Challenges and Difficulties Not knowing what this LCN was all about Taking time and not rushing in Not getting ahead of our parents and whanau Leading staff through significant change Not losing sight of our achievement challenge – keeping it foremost Not knowing what we don’t know Rural location and access to resources and providers Change in leadership

So what have we learned? Our advice: Your LCN will not work without buy in and passion from all stakeholders Get used to the idea there is no money Keep the focus on learning Do not lose sight of your achievement challenge Trust the process

So what have we learned? The power of student and whanau voice Teacher voice can be very different to student voice Do not make plans based on assumptions

A cquiring knowledge using authentic learning contexts (Ako) B uilding skills (Whakamana) C ommunicating locally and globally (Hono)

So what… Our Trust Community meetings PD All stakeholders Collaboration GAFE Blogs Children working together Excitement Kaikohekohe Learning and Change Network

Learning together is empowering

Kaikohekohe Learning and Change Network