Address Title: 'Stepping Up Pasifika Education'

The theme of listening to the Pasifika youth and community voice is a critical part in raising student achievement. Lessons learnt from effective community engagement and the importance of communication in cultural diverse environments.

He devised a programme called Community Approach, that was used as a blueprint by the Police to launch a further 29 projects around New Zealand.

Nick has travelled extensively throughout Australasia speaking of his work, and is a popular with community and youth groups, organisations and conferences.

Address Title: The Short End of a Smaller and Smaller Identity Stick

Abstract: “ “They don’t care about normal kids like me.” Restructuring a school to fit the kids” describes the journey of these two schools towards a learning approach that is driven by social justice, is integrated, culturally responsive, critical and based in the concept of whanau. Ann’s PhD thesis (a work in progress) is about the role of school practice in the development of cultural identity.

JEFFREY DUNCAN-ANDRADE, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Raza Studies and Education Administration and Interdisciplinary Studies, and Co-Director of the Educational Equity Initiative at San Francisco State University’s Cesar Chavez Institute.

Address Title: "Effective Teachers in Urban Schools: The Gangsta, Wanksta, Rida Paradigm"

Abstract:The persistent failure of schools to serve poor and nonwhite children has been well documented for the last several decades. Most recently, Jonathon Kozol has dubbed this condition the ³shame of the nation². These studies have laid important groundwork for the documentation of educational inequality. However, as academic achievement for youth of color remains intolerably low, it is necessary to highlight, examine and understand the practices and strategies that actually work for youth of color. Rather than putting the work of highly effective educators on a pedestal, telling their stories as though they have some mystical gift that allows them to reach the unreachable, we must work to understand their success. This talk will present a three-year research project in Los Angeles schools that identified and documented the work of five highly effective urban educators. Drawing from classroom practice and student voice, five common elements of effective urban pedagogy will be defined and connected to successful teaching.

Address Tile: Different -But Not Wrong- Just Different

Are you driven nuts by someone who can’t make up their mind? Or exasperated by someone’s need to get it right and perfect, every time! Perhaps you have a “Show Pony” in the office who keeps horsing around, even before they talk! Or you feel shortchanged, as the most outspoken person gets what they want every time. Those weird people who you want to sort out; those very same people who want to sort you out! Perhaps they’re not Weird, but Wired a certain way.

Address Title:Children’s Reading Self-Perceptions: The Link Between Beginning Readers’ Views of Themselves as Readers, Motivation, and Reading Performance

Abtract: Competence in learning requires not only certain skills, but also beliefs by learners that they can use those skills effectively. It is not enough to have a set of learning skills: learners need to know that they possess skills, and they have to believe that they can use the skills, and that their use will make a difference to learning outcomes. Beliefs like these influence motivation. In reading, the motivational influence of self-perceptions determines whether children look for opportunities to read, or avoid them; whether a lot or very little efforts is put into reading; and how much persistence children will show whey they come across difficult text. In this presentation I review research on the development of the relationship between self-perceptions and learning to read. I then discuss the link between children’s preferred word identification strategies and their self-efficacy beliefs about resolving difficulties that arise when they are reading. I close by discussing teaching approaches that address both reading skills and negative self-perceptions.

Address Title: A conceptual framework for classifying and remediating persistent literacy learning difficulties

Abstract:

Reading is the process of extracting and constructing meaning from text. Students who have trouble recognising the words of (age appropriate) text and/or have trouble understanding the language being read, will have trouble understanding the text. These considerations provide the basis for conceptualising three broad categories of reading difficulties. Students who can understand a text when it is read aloud to them but cannot decode the words even after receiving extensive (evidenced-based) instruction are referred to as dyslexics; students who can read words accurately but have difficulty constructing the meaning of text are described as having specific reading comprehension difficulties; and students who have problems in both word recognition and oral language comprehension are described as having a mixed reading disability.The factors that contribute to developmental reading problems vary across the three subtypes of reading difficulties. Each subtype therefore requires a different intervention strategy.

Address Title:“Seeing Things as They Really Are”

Abstract: Nigel will discuss the key principles he believes underlie effective casework in the school system. With RTLB now being asked to work with increasingly complicated young people, there is a clear need to focus on approaches that are the most likely to produce behavioural change. In this presentation, Nigel will describe how to produce good “P”; the curse of the thinking chair; the problem with being too nice; a guy sitting under a tree who had some really good ideas; and how to deal with unattractive parents.

Executive Director
External Relations and Student Affairs
Manukau Institute of Technology

Abstract:

Stuart Middleton will draw on the work he has been undertaking as a member of the Fulbright New Century Scholars Global Think Tank in 2007-2008 to develop a view of education that increases engagement rather than the dysfunctional structures that commit too may people to educational failure. RTLB initiatives are valuable in their own right but more fundamental questions should be asked about how the promise of educational success can become a reality for all young people. His presentation will draw on international experience and have grounding in the realities of New Zealand suburbs and school. His work on increasing access and equity in higher education has led him to conclude that it takes an entire system to get the results that are so critical to the future of New Zealand.

Presenters: Carmel Hoetawa, National Co-ordinator:RTLB Ministry of Education and Hilary Rendell, Ministry of Education Library

Session Title:Communities of Practice: Exploring communities of practice, improving outcomes for students and developing professional practice.