PPTA Education 2023

Keynote Speakers

Jehan Casinader

The power of stories

Each of us has a story about who we are. But where do those stories come from? How can we tell more helpful, hopeful stories about our lives? Jehan Casinader, one of New Zealand’s top TV journalists, has wrestled with these questions. While he was reporting on the Christchurch terror attack or filming in Hollywood, he was hiding a dark secret: a crippling struggle with depression.

Jehan will teach us about the powerful link between storytelling and mental health, and offer a fresh, challenging perspective on how we can promote wellbeing – for our learners and ourselves.

Jehan Casinader is a journalist, author and mental health advocate. He was named “Broadcast Reporter of the Year” at the Voyager Media Awards in 2020, and “Reporter of the Year” at the New Zealand Television Awards in 2018.

In the aftermath of natural disasters, terror attacks, sporting triumphs and everything in between, Jehan has helped hundreds of Kiwis to share their vulnerable and deeply personal stories with the rest of the country. He is the author of This Is Not How It Ends: How rewriting your story can save your life (HarperCollins).

Rosemary Hipkins

Confessions of a “lifelong learner"

Who would disagree with the NZC vision of educating students to be/become “confident, connected, actively involved lifelong learners”? The words are easy to recall, easy to say, but what do they mean in practice? More particularly, what do they mean for teachers’ professional practice? In the spirit of ako, we could say that teachers are also expected to be lifelong learners. But what could that look like and what risks might we anticipate? For me, simply knowing more and more content, or even new pedagogical strategies, won’t cut it. Professional learning that takes us over “vocational thresholds” is a rare thing, but it’s powerful and sometimes painful when it happens. In my talk I will draw on a small number of stories about my own professional learning to illustrate what transformative learning has looked and felt like for me. Your stories will no doubt be different from mine, but I hope I can establish enough points of commonality to get you reflecting on your own learning journey in a whole new light—and maybe even thinking forward to next learning challenges.

Rosemary Hipkins is a Chief Researcher/ Kaihautū Rangahau at NZCER. She was a science and biology teacher in her first career and then worked for a few years in teacher education before joining NZCER in 2001. Rose has led research projects related to both curriculum and assessment innovation in New Zealand, drawing on this work to help develop a weaving approach to coherent curriculum design. Her recent books include Key Competencies for the Future, NCEA in Context (both co-authored) and Teaching for Complex Systems Thinking (published November 2021).

Welby Ings

Disobedient Thinking: Intelligences that dance beyond assessment criteria

Welby Ings is a Professor in Design. He is an elected Fellow of the British Royal Society of Arts and has been a consultant to many international organizations on issues of creativity and learning. He is also a multi-award winning designer, illustrator, author and filmmaker. He has taught at all levels of the New Zealand school system and currently supervises practice-led doctorates at AUT University.

Welby has written and spoken extensively on dehumanized systems of teaching, our obsession with performance, and the benefits of disobedient thought. His book Disobedient Teaching has had significant influence on educational reform both in New Zealand and internationally. In 2001 Dr Ings was awarded the Prime Minister’s inaugural, Supreme Award for Tertiary Teaching Excellence and in 2014 and 2022 he was awarded the AUT University medal for his contributions to research and creativity

Professor Carol Mutch

After the cameras have gone: Building critical hope

This presentation will introduce the audience to Carol and her research on the significant role that schools play before, during and after disasters and community crises. She will share stories from overseas as well as the Canterbury earthquakes, the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent floods. These stories will resonate with everyone who has been working in schools over this time. She will conclude with more recent examples of how schools are reviewing what they have learned and are developing trauma-informed, arts-based and resilience-building programmes to prepare their young people for an uncertain and complex future.

Carol Mutch is a professor of critical studies in education at the University of Auckland. She has had a long and varied career as a classroom teacher, educational leader, policy advisor, researcher and writer. Originally from the West Coast, she has lived and worked in various New Zealand cities and travelled extensively overseas, with long stints in the UK, Canada, Japan and Samoa. Her research asks questions such as 'who makes the decisions?' and 'whose interests are being served?' Since 2011, she has been researching the role of schools in disaster response and recovery, in New Zealand, and around the Asia-Pacific. Her research was awarded a University of Auckland Research Excellence Medal. She is also the Education Commissioner for the National Commision for UNESCO.

Hon Jan Tinetti

Jan is a list Member of Parliament based in Tauranga. She was born in Hokitika and grew up rurally on the outskirts of Christchurch. Jan attended Villa Maria College before graduating from Christchurch College of Education with a Diploma in Teaching (Primary) and the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Education. In 2016 she graduated from the University of Canterbury with a Master’s in Education with First Class Honours.

Jan pursued a career in primary school teaching which saw her working in schools in Invercargill and Greymouth before embarking on a career as a school principal. Over her 20 years as a primary school principal, she led across four schools across Southland and Tauranga.

Jan’s last position as principal before entering politics was Merivale School, in one of Tauranga’s most financially disadvantaged communities. Throughout her career in education, she has fiercely advocated at a national level for equal educational opportunities. After seeing families struggling in her local community, she has campaigned for them to access everything they need to thrive.

Jan’s entry into politics stemmed from her belief that the Government has a role to play in ensuring all New Zealanders have access to the services they need to help them to be the best they can be

Dr Paul Wood

From Adversity to Advantage

Dr Paul Wood is an expert in helping people and organisations strive towards their potential and flourish through change and adversity. Paul works with everyone from senior leaders in fortune 100 companies such as Google to at risk-teens.

He is a regular contributor in the media, an author, and his recently released second book, "Mental Fitness; Build your mind for strength and resilience every day" was another instant best seller. Paul’s passion for the pursuit of excellence and turning adversity to advantage comes from his own journey from delinquent to Doctor of Psychology. Paul uses this journey to illustrate key lessons for us all.