Caucusing: Creating space to confront our fears.... Twelve years on

Breaking into Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti caucuses during classes regarding Aotearoa’s colonizing history, is a practice employed at Wintec on undergraduate Social Work and Counselling programs (Bachelor of Social Work and Paetahi Tumu Korero, Wintec, 2021) continuously for approximately 15 years. In 2009 research of students’ experience of the practice was published revealed among other things marked differences between the way Māori and non-Māori students experienced the practice, positive shifts in consciousness regarding white privilege and development of cultural identity. Since 2009 both programs have been re-developed. While aspects of the teaching differ today, caucusing and adjacent supporting practices remain. Tutors continue to observe relevant benefits gained by students, as well as grappling with challenges provided by the approach. Twelve years since the study the original researchers prepare to investigate the practice, including current students’ experiences, so as to establish further understanding. In preparation they invite symposium participants to a discussion of the practice, original research and plans for the next stage

Ngā Roopu Awhi: Integration in social work education

Ngā Roopu Awhi (NRA) is closed small group session students participate within during their 4 years on the Bachelor of Social Work. The group sessions provide a vehicle for integration of learning. Data collection undertaken in 2019 from students and program graduates have shown NRA has supported ability to participate in supervision, integrate theory and practice manage conflict and participate in teams are among developments acquired and making graduates ready to work as beginning social workers. The presentation provides historic development, theoretical underpinning, how NRA works and details responses from students and graduates. A tutor process that operates alongside the NRA sessions is provided also

Playing with Print? An Investigation of Literacy Indicators in Children’s Museums

The purpose of this study was to evaluate literacy indicators in ten members of the Association of Children\u27s Museums in eight states. The Museum Inventory of Literacy Indicators was used to assess factors across four areas -- Books and Other Reading Materials; Writing Materials; Signs, Labels, and Directions; and Print Integration – with 20 as the highest possible average. Area averages for quality (6.00 - 15.99) and quantity (6.00 - 15.74) were similar. Most museums concentrated their literacy efforts in a single area rather than considering the potential for facilitating literacy acquisition comprehensively, which could provide improved educational encounters for patrons

A Rosid Is a Rosid Is a Rosid . . . or Not

The current structure of 583 Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons) and 584 Liliopsida (Monocotyledons) in the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system reflects changes made when the life sciences were thoroughly revised in 1996. Since that time, considerable progress has been made in the phylogenetic classification of angiosperms (flowering plants). In particular, APG III, the 2009 version of the classification developed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, is finding use as a tool to organize both botanical information and botanical collections. The Dewey Editorial Office has received a request to revise 583–584 in light of this taxonomy ―as appropriate‖; relevant revisions would be likely to include both structural and terminological changes. In deciding how to provide accommodation for APG III, the Dewey editorial team must address many issues: Is APG III now stable enough and accepted broadly enough to be adopted as the basis for a major revision of the DDC? Should revisions in 583–584 be coordinated with parallel revisions in other parts of the life sciences? What revision strategies can be considered in revising 583-584 to accommodate APG III? What are their various strengths and weaknesses? How have other major classification schemes (e.g., the UDC) accommodated APG III? Discussion of these issues is guided by the principles (―editorial rules‖) that govern development of the DDC

Exploring caucusing as a teaching methodology

Effective teaching about Te Tiriti/Treaty of Waitangi and the colonial history of Aotearoa/NZ to adult social work and counselling students is a challenge in many training programmes in Aotearoa/NZ. The goal of education in this area, promoted by the authors of this study, is to go beyond an intellectual fact gathering exercise to a deeper understanding about the nature of the relationship that exists today, between the peoples that represent the partners who signed the Tiriti/Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. The authors describe the use of caucusing as a teaching method, to provide students with an opportunity to understand that their learning does not occur in a vacuum. They contend that a transfer of learning is possible since the relationships that they have within the classroom, between representatives of the signatories to te Tiriti o Waitangi, in important ways, mirror the relationships they are learning about. In the study it is found that there are some distinct differences between maaori and pakeha students reported experience of caucusing. Explanations for these differences are provided by the literature on white dominance. Comments from students highlight the shifts in understanding about the classroom relationships as the caucusing experience proceeds. The intense reactions that occur when the hidden dynamics of power and domination are revealed is also provided with explanation from the literature

Common Core State Standards and Text Complexity: An Invitation to Learn Language in STEM Disciplines using a Range of Quality Literature

The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) emphasize literacy learning within history/social studies, science, and technical subjects making students’ reading, writing, and language development every teacher’s concern, regardless of the discipline being taught. Books related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) can enhance students’ knowledge of key terms and concepts as they are revealed in authentic contexts. Students who often struggle harder to understand advanced vocabulary embedded in stories or in difficult, yet interestingly presented nonfiction gain an increased print vocabulary by reading quality STEM-aligned literature selections that exhibit the characteristics of complexity and richness of language advocated by CCSS. Effectively pre-teaching vocabulary and scaffolding students’ use of self-regulation strategies to discover word meanings will increase comprehension and content literacy as well as content learning

An Investigation of Prekindergarten Teachers’ Read Aloud Choices

The value of children’s literature as a tool for promoting literacy, improving content knowledge, and increasing print motivation is evident. Empirical evidence relating to the types of books early childhood teachers read aloud and the reasons for their choices, however, does not exist. The purpose of this descriptive study was to provide current, in-depth documentation of the read-aloud book choices of prekindergarten teachers (n=151) in a nationally recognized, state-wide program regarding the variables of genre, publication date, and diversity along with the teachers’ rationale for selecting the books. Responses to two open-ended questions inspired by Yopp and Yopp (2006) were analyzed thematically and compared with research-based recommendations for best practices. Books read aloud were quite homogenous, including mostly recently published examples of contemporary realistic fiction or folklore with almost no multicultural or award-winning books present. The findings highlight the importance of increasing early childhood teachers’ knowledge of children’s literature and the implications of book choice on children’s development and learning

Read the Past: Write Now! Responding to Historical Fiction through Writing

From the American Revolution through the Civil War and beyond, fictional characters enrich social studies by bringing the past to life for young readers. Historical fiction offers a great variety of topics in various formats, including novels, short stories, picture books, poems, and plays that provides useful background knowledge through a glimpse into the details of daily life during a particular time. This articles offers specific examples of how teachers can encourage writing using quality historical fiction picture books

The Nitty, Gritty of Sand Play

According to Maria Montessori, “There is only one substance that the modern child is allowed to handle quite freely, and that is sand” (Montessori, 1967, p. 168). Sand is accessible throughout the world and is one of the few granular materials that does not readily decompose. As an open-ended, sensory motor activity, sand play is highly compatible with the explorative, imaginative nature of young children and well-suited for promoting the fun and expansive learning that embodies childhood