Karen O'Leary

Stuart McNaughton ONZM FRSNZ

Building on our Strengths: Improving education in Aotearoa New Zealand

Topic: 
In the face of persistent challenges within Aotearoa New Zealand's education system, improving our system also requires understanding what we are good at. I propose 5 evidence-informed system strengths. Identifying these helps to balance a national focus on deficiencies and crises, and recognise possible risks to what we do well associated with current policies and interventions. In addition, we can right some of the misinterpretation that has permeated recent descriptions of the system. On the basis of these strengths, we can make recommendations for change. 

Janelle Riki-Waaka

Ko te Mauri o te Akomanga / Getting the ‘Culture’ Right in Your Classroom: Tikanga, Kawa, and a Te Tiriti-led Practice

Topic: 
Starting your journey as a kaiako in Aotearoa comes with a profound responsibility—creating a learning environment where all ākonga feel seen, valued, and empowered. But how do you get the ‘culture’ right in your classroom?

This keynote will explore the power of tikanga and kawa in shaping a culturally responsive and mana-enhancing space. We will delve into the importance of uara Māori-led practices that not only enrich teaching but also honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi in meaningful and practical ways.

By weaving together mātauranga Māori, relational teaching, and authentic partnerships with whānau, Mana Whenua and your hapori, you will gain insights into fostering a classroom where equity, belonging, and success thrive. Mauri tū, mauri ora—let’s set the foundations for teaching that uplifts and empowers all tamariki! 

Monique Lubberink

Creative mindfulness - Learn to make beautiful art, following the 8 steps of the Zentangle 

Topic: 
Discover your creative side, even if you think you don’t have one. You might surprise yourself!  If you can hold a pen, you can do this. Creating Zentangle patterns is super relaxing and a creative form of mindfulness. Increase your awareness and focus, get absorbed and feel more confident while making your own unique and original art. Learn about borders, strings, and shading. Learn your first tangles and discover the world of Crescent Moon, Hollibaugh, Printemps, and Florz. It feels great to have creativity flowing. Anything is possible one stroke at a time. There are no mistakes to make here!

Biography:
Monique moved to NZ from the Netherlands, 11 years ago with her family. She has a background in psychology, working with adults with ADHD and ASD, and has a passion for creative mindfulness, colouring, zentangle®, crochet and running her own Easy Now mindfulness business.

Presenters:

Val Little, InsideOUT Kōaro
Val Little (She/They) is the Schools Co-ordinator for Te Upoko o Te Ika/Wellington Region for InsideOUT. She has been active in the queer spaces in Aotearoa since the late 1980s, having lived through significant social and legislative changes for these communities. They bring a wealth of experience and passion for social justice, intergenerational knowledge sharing, and activism. Val has worked in the mental health and disability, and rainbow diversity and inclusion sectors using community development processes to enact change. Hobbies include collecting vinyl records and DJing with them and anything to do with the outdoors - including learning to surf.

Michael Cabral-Tarry
Michael Cabral-Tarry (he/him) is a field officer with the New Zealand Post-Primary Teachers' Association Te Wehengarua. He looks after schools across South Auckland and is the national field officer for Te Tōpūtanga Āniwaniwa, the PPTA's Rainbow Network. A union activist for over two decades, Michael was a teacher for 13 and a half years in schools across Northland and Auckland. As a teacher and trade unionist, Michael is a strong advocate for all schools to be safe places for all rangatahi to learn at and for all kaiako to teach at. When he's not at work, Michael enjoys spending time in his favourite places (art galleries, dusty second-hand book shops, and gourmet ice-cream parlours) and being at home with his wonderful husband.

Navigate Your Subject: Support Networks for Teachers 

Topic: 
Embarking on your teaching journey can be both exciting and challenging. This interactive session aims to introduce PCTs to the wealth of support available through subject associations and Kaiārahi (subject advisors). Learn how these networks can assist you in curriculum planning, resource development, and professional growth. 

This isn't a presentation, it's a kōrero. Come with your questions, worries, or wonderings about your subject area. We'll show you how to tap into networks, PD, resources, and real people who want to help you succeed. 

Objectives:

• To demystify what subject associations and Kaiārahi are-and how they can support you in your first years of teaching.
  
• To connect PCTs with people and organisations that offer subject-specific advice, resources, and mentoring. 
• To share real-world examples of how teachers have been supported in areas like curriculum planning, behaviour management, and assessment. 
• To provide a relaxed space for PCTs to ask questions and feel supported across a range of subject areas.

What to Expect:

• A brief, engaging intro to subject associations and who Kaiārahi are. 
• A panel of Kaiārahi from different subjects sharing quick stories or "how we helped" examples. 
• Interactive Q&A and breakout prompts: "What do you need most right now?" "Where are you stuck?"
• Receive curated materials and contacts to support your ongiong professional development. 

Pip Osborne
Pip Osborne is an accomplished educator with over a decade of experience in secondary education, specialising in Design and Visual Communication. She holds a Bachelor of Design and a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education from Massey University. Currently, she is a lecturer in Senior Secondary Technology at the University of Auckland and is actively involved in the BCATs skills standards development with Waihanga Ara Rau. Previously, Pip was an NCEA Implementation Facilitator for the Ministry of Education, leading Level 1 NCEA implementation as the BOP Regional Lead while supporting Technology kaiako nationwide. She was the Learning Area Leader of Technology at Matamata College, where she led future-focused learning initiatives, professional development, and culturally responsive pedagogy. Beyond education, Pip has a strong entrepreneurial background, having successfully relaunched a restaurant, and served as Managing Director of two early childhood centres, focusing on curriculum development and structured literacy. Earlier, in her career, she worked as a Graphic Designer and a Production Designer at TVNZ, honing her skills in set and event design. 

Keeping Sound

Topic: 
In this interactive workshop, we will explore breathing, looking after your voice, and the relationship between music and the brain. Discover how music can affect our brains, for better or for worse, and how we can make it work for us and not against us. We'll also have a look at how to improve our mental health with breathing, and experience sounds from a different viewpoint. Attending this workshop will help kaiako to develop new strategies that can be applied in personal and in classroom settings to support rangatahi in their academic and personal development.

Cecilia Sanahuja 

Cecilia is a vocal coach, yoga teacher and sound healing facilitator. She is an eternal geek that likes reading, learning and experimenting about energy, the brain and how music and sounds can affect us. Through sound meditation and workshops, as well as working 1:1, she helps people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings and find their own voice.

Find Cecilia on her website:
https://www.tuningyourself.com/

Lifting the Tide by Catering to the Neurodiverse

Topic: 
With as many as 34% of learners in our classes needing learning support, teachers need to know who to create a “rising tide that lifts all ships” to improve attendance and engagement. This workshop links strengths-based neurodivergent support, trauma-informed and relationship based practice to help our PCTs lift that tide. Participants will come away with practical and effective strategies that they can use immediately to improve attendance and engagement. 

An experienced educator, Brooke is passionate about providing teachers with the knowledge and strategies to support neurodiverse learners in their care. Brooke was President of the New Zealand Association for Gifted Children (2016-2020), a NZ representative on the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (2016-2020) and is a MoE Accredited education consultant through her own company, Potential to Performance Ltd. Brooke is a trained a secondary teacher who has also taught from early childhood through to tertiary level and been an assistant director of an English language school in Taiwan. Brooke’s specialisations include inclusive learning (multiple labels), trauma informed education, coaching and leadership support. Brooke was on the Reference Group for the Ministerial Review of Curriculum, Progress and Achievement, the Curriculum Voices Hui for the NZ Curriculum Refresh and has sat on the Ministerial Advisory Group for Gifted Education since 2018. 

Developing a collaborative working relationship with your mentor

Topic: 
It’s no secret that the quality of the mentoring relationship for beginning teachers can make or break your induction to the teaching profession in Aotearoa. All provisionally certificated teachers in Aotearoa should have a quality induction and mentoring programme to be able to apply for full certification.

Amy-Lee Wells

Amy-Lee was a secondary teacher for 16 years before joining Tātai Aho Rau as a professional learning and development facilitator. She was a reliever, classroom teacher, Head of Department, Specialist Classroom Teacher and PCT Coordinator.

PPTA Field Officer Workshops

1. STCA Entitlements and Career Planning
How the STCA is here to support you

We will be reviewing the provisions of the STCA that are specifically to support you as a provisionally certified teacher, such as time allowances for mentoring. We'll also be discussing how your entitlements under the STCA will change as you progress through your career, such as pay progression and leave entitlements. Lastly, we will review how the STCA supports the development of your career, whether that's through pastoral roles, curriculum roles, or one of the other vital roles that is provided by the STCA.

2. Professional Boundaries
Professional boundaries

As teachers, you are likely to come across many situations where you have to question your role as a professional in the lives of ākonga and your colleagues. Teachers are subject to many different requirements between your school's expectorations, the Professional Standards, and other legal frameworks. PPTA Field Officers will be leading you through some common scenarios and advising you about how to assure whānau, learners, and staff of your professionalism. We will also be discussing where you could turn for support in these situations.

Field Officers:

Rachel Burnett

Rachel has been a PPTA Field Officer since 2022 and is based in the Palmerston North office, covering branches in the Manawatū-Whanganui and Taranaki regions. Before this, Rachel was a secondary English teacher in Northland and then in Porirua, during which time she served as a voluntary regional representative for the PPTA. In her role, Rachel supports branches, regional committees, and individual members to ensure that teachers have access to Collective Agreement entitlements and are represented fairly in their schools. 

Derek Morris

Adele Towgood

Adele is the PPTA Deputy General Secretary for Membership. Ensuring all members are aware of their rights and responsibilities through the PPTA Education programme is a core part of Adele's role. This includes the development of best practice policies and processes to help schools establish and maintain positive work environments, and she is pleased to support all members in tackling issues in a way that strengthens relationships and outcomes for all. 

Panel Discussion Title: Weaving together your Kete

Chair: Clare Preston

Topic: Our panel members, who have recently graduated from being beginning teachers, will discuss their personal experiences and the challenges they overcame early in their teaching careers. They will provide valuable insights into knowledge they wish they had during this period and offer perspectives on how to establish essential support structures for achieving balance and success in the teaching profession.

Panel Members: 

Louise Ryan
Louise Ryan is a 5th year Media Studies teacher in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. She is currently the Teacher in Charge of Media Studies and a Kahu Ako Within School Coach at One Tree Hill College. She is an active member of the PPTA as both the Southern Auckland Ward Co-Convenor and NETs Coordinator for Tāmaki Makaurau, as well as an Establishing Teachers Committee Member. Louise is a passionate advocate for the teaching profession and is dedicated to empowering the next generation of educators to ensure their voices are heard.

Laurence Earl
Hi, I'm Laurence Earl - Whāre Pastoral Leader, Digital Tech teacher, and full-time chaos coordinator at Te Paepae o Aotea. I joined teaching thinking I'd be changing lives...turns out, most days I'm just trying to find the whiteboard markers and remember where my class is. Still here. Still smiling. Still pretending I know what I'm doing.

Josh Wilson

Kia ora, Ko Josh toku ingoa. I'm a third-year Media Studies and History teacher at Pukekohe High School. I'm interested in helping students think clearly about the past and the media they engage with every day. Outside of school, I'm a keen sailor. It's taught me a lot about staying calm under pressure and working through challenges - skills that have been just as useful in the classroom as on the water.

TENZ Workshop

Topic: 
Come explore the Kauri Growth Model - a uniquely Kiwi way to reflect, connect, and grow your teaching practice. Let's kōrero about where you're at, what nourishes your growth, and how we can support you to thrive. 

This interactive workshop-space invites Provisonally Certified Teachers to visualise their journey through the metaphor of the mighty kauri - from seed to canopy. Through engaging reflection discussions and activities, teachers will identify their current stage, what's nourishing their growth, and the values that ground their practice. Explore guides and resources for using the Kauri Growth Model. Have access to ongoing support with subject association contacts and online forums. 

Hamish will be available in the catering area during breaks. 

Hamish Johnson 

Hamish holds a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning (Secondary) and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. He currently teaches Digital Technology and Technology at Kaiapoi High School. Over his time, he has taught NCEA Digital Technology, Product Design & Electronics, and Junior Secondary Digital Technology, Design and Visual Communication, Food Technology, Hard Materials & Biotechnology, as well as Junior Secondary Social Studies. In addition, at his school he is currently the Assistant Head of the Technology Facility, Leader of Learning-Wellbeing, Marketing Lead & Transition Data Coordinator. Hamish is passionate about technology and seeing ākonga learn and succeed. His commitment to supporting kaiako in their teaching and learning within his own Kura and beyond is representative of TENZ's core values. 

He also is the Waitaha Canterbury PPTA Regional Secretary and has sat on the CDTT (Canterbury Digital Technology Teachers) Committee. He is also a co-author of the published research paper "Belonging and adjustment for LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ students during the social transition to university'. He received the Asia New Zealand Foundation Advocate for Inclusion and Diversity Award at the Canterbury Youth Awards in 2018.