Parent-led boards of trustees have been a feature of the New Zealand education system for almost 30 years. Over that time there have been consistent reports of difficulties in getting parents to participate on the boards of low-decile schools. However, there appears to be little research on what influences parent ...

All teachers require professional learning throughout their careers to ensure they are effective practitioners. This article reports on outcomes from a doctoral study that explored the impact of teachers transitioning between primary school year levels. The findings suggest that transition can have a significant impact on teachers’ professional learning and ...

The term constructivism is used very widely and somewhat loosely in education. In this article I aim to clarify the term, which can be used in relation to two quite different theories: one related to how we learn and the other related to what we learn. Being clear about the ...

Intercultural education is often a contested area. This is true of Pasifika education, the education in Aotearoa New Zealand of students with links to Pacific Island nations. Despite shifts of framing, one area identified as significant in Pasifika education is student–teacher relationships. This article describes two phases of research which ...

There is a strong case for building inclusive relationships with families in order to support academic success for Pacific secondary students. In this article, I review literature which considers the perspectives of Pacific students, their families, and teachers. An important conclusion is that listening is a key ingredient for teachers ...

Pasifika students’ cultural knowledge and practices have long had low value in New Zealand schools. It has been argued that culturally responsive teaching practice is a priority for improving the achievement of Pasifika students. Teachers who are culturally responsive in their practice know how to capitalise on the key learnings ...

Over a period of 4 years (2012−15) the kaupapa Māori research project Ka Whānau mai te Reo focused on how whānau reo Māori development is, or could, be supported as whānau move into, within, and beyond the compulsory education sector. Transition practices that prioritise te reo Māori would be a ...

Academic vocabulary is important for academic achievement, but many students, especially English-language learners, struggle with understanding and using academic vocabulary. This study reminds secondary teachers to address academic vocabulary learning and to have high expectations of all students within our increasingly diverse populations.