Alastair Wells
John Tait
My teaching career has always had a focus on improving outcomes for Māori. I taught Social Sciences and Te Reo at secondary schools in the North and South Islands and was principal of Motueka High School for twelve years. As Regional Manager, Central North for the Ministry of Education I was very closely involved in working at governance level with the many Iwi education partnerships across the region. After a period working in the Middle East as Executive Director of an education consulting company, I returned to New Zealand as CEO of Te Tapuae o Rehua, a partnership between Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu and five of the largest tertiary institutions in the South Island, which focuses on improved participation, retention and success of Māori at tertiary level. I am now one of the two regional coordinators for He Kākano in the South Island.
Tania Corbett
Kia ora, I am of mixed descent and have an appreciation for the diversity of cultures as well as a strong affiliation with my Maori heritage. My background is in education with over 20 years experience teaching in both primary and secondary schools, alternative education and in Maori educational settings including bilingual & Maori immersion.
The concept of Ako-a-Rongo, holistic learning, is something I am especially passionate about as I believe that all people, young & old, should be encouraged and empowered to exchange knowledge & skills in a reciprocal, respective and natural way.
Nau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora ai tatou katoa.
With your food basket, and my food basket, we shall all be well.
The concept of Ako-a-Rongo, holistic learning, is something I am especially passionate about as I believe that all people, young & old, should be encouraged and empowered to exchange knowledge & skills in a reciprocal, respective and natural way.
Nau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora ai tatou katoa.
With your food basket, and my food basket, we shall all be well.
Verena Gruner
Verena immigrated to New Zealand from Germany in 1981, and is currently living in Riverside Community. She is a founding member of Mountain Valley School, a small private parent-cooperative primary democratic school, and has been involved in democratic education for more than 30 years. She has an ongoing commitment to the development of holistic education, nationally and internationally, and is part of Ako-a-Rongo.
Verena will offer two Bezavta workshops and one presentation on Democratic Education
Bezavta (a Hebrew word meaning "Together") is a concept that was originally developed by the Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace in Jerusalem, Israel. The concept has been adapted to provide experiential education for children, young people and adults enabling them to experience and reflect on democracy and democratic principles. The Bezavta exercises will allow participants to gain deep insights into the conditioning of their attitudes and behaviours and learn about their impact on situations of everyday life. Verena learned this method from her sister Dorothea Schütze who is an education consultant and certified Bezavta trainer from Germany.
Verena will offer two Bezavta workshops and one presentation on Democratic Education
Bezavta (a Hebrew word meaning "Together") is a concept that was originally developed by the Adam Institute for Democracy and Peace in Jerusalem, Israel. The concept has been adapted to provide experiential education for children, young people and adults enabling them to experience and reflect on democracy and democratic principles. The Bezavta exercises will allow participants to gain deep insights into the conditioning of their attitudes and behaviours and learn about their impact on situations of everyday life. Verena learned this method from her sister Dorothea Schütze who is an education consultant and certified Bezavta trainer from Germany.
Lara Holt
I have taught for nearly 10 years and am currently privileged to be a classroom teacher at West Harbour School in West Auckland. I am the syndicate team leader for our Year 2 & 3 children and have additional responsibility for the school-wide implementation of Assessment for Learning. This latter role encompasses showing children how to become active participants in their own learning.
Personally, I have owned horses since I was 14 and am currently the proud owner of two horses – Noddy and Cita. All my horses – who have been and continue to be both my delight and the source of unending frustration (as anyone who has ever owned horses will understand) - have taught me more than I ever could have hoped to learn, both about myself and about life. To see the wonder and delight in children’s eyes when they are introduced to horses for the first time is a joy. To see the learning from that experience; an amazing privilege.
Lara and Rosemary will give an example of EAL (Equine Assisted Learning) in Parklands School/Motueka (Friday, 12 March) and also during the conference (Saturday, 13 March, after lunch).
Personally, I have owned horses since I was 14 and am currently the proud owner of two horses – Noddy and Cita. All my horses – who have been and continue to be both my delight and the source of unending frustration (as anyone who has ever owned horses will understand) - have taught me more than I ever could have hoped to learn, both about myself and about life. To see the wonder and delight in children’s eyes when they are introduced to horses for the first time is a joy. To see the learning from that experience; an amazing privilege.
Lara and Rosemary will give an example of EAL (Equine Assisted Learning) in Parklands School/Motueka (Friday, 12 March) and also during the conference (Saturday, 13 March, after lunch).
Rosemary Wyndham-Jones
As founder of Dune Lakes Lodge, Rosemary offers a unique perspective for anyone seeking personal growth through the gentle spirit and acceptance horses can offer humans. She is a certified EAGALA facilitator and riding instructor who is dedicated to the ongoing development of personal, professional and business performance using the effective and powerful tools and techniques that NLP and Equine Assisted Learning have to offer.
Rosemary has experience working with at-risk children and adolescents, young offenders and troubled youth. She demonstrates that horses can provide a means toward self-development, emotional healing and self-discovery. "They teach us about living in the moment, bringing peace, serenity and connection" she says. Rosemary's practice draws from the concepts of herd behaviour, and finds that horses provide powerful experiences from which clients can draw metaphors to life outside the arena.
Rosemary has experience working with at-risk children and adolescents, young offenders and troubled youth. She demonstrates that horses can provide a means toward self-development, emotional healing and self-discovery. "They teach us about living in the moment, bringing peace, serenity and connection" she says. Rosemary's practice draws from the concepts of herd behaviour, and finds that horses provide powerful experiences from which clients can draw metaphors to life outside the arena.
Ally Bull
Ally Bull is a senior researcher and resource developer at the New Zealand Council for educational Research (NZCER). She is a registered teacher with experience at all levels of the primary school, in pre-service and in-service teacher education, as a resource teacher of learning and behaviour, and in distance education. She has worked in a Māori enrichment class and has held a senior management position in a multi-cultural school.
Internet: http://www.nzcer.org.nz/research/ally-bull
Internet: http://www.nzcer.org.nz/research/ally-bull
Jane Gilbert
Jane is a Chief Researcher. She joined NZCER in June 2003. Before that she was a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at Victoria University of Wellington. She has also worked in the School of Education at the University of Waikato, and was a secondary school teacher (of biology and science) for ten years before that.
Her research interests include:
Her research interests include:
- the “knowledge society” and 21st century learning,
- the sociology of knowledge and curriculum theory,
- Maori education, gender issues in education, linguistic issues in education and science education.
Philippa Ross
Following in the footsteps of her Great, Great, Great Grandfather, Sir James Clark Ross who used the earth’s magnetic field to navigate his way to the Arctic when he discovered the North Pole; Philippa Ross has chartered a course in her own life as an Enthusiologist & Energy Health Consultant. She has an Honors degree in Psychology and an Advanced Diploma in Child Development. With five decades of wisdom under her belt including 20 years of professional acumen gained within the education and social welfare industries alongside her skills as a Usui Reiki Practitioner, Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator and Energy Dance Facilitator; she now helps people find direction in their lives enabling them to find the confidence and courage to navigate their own journey, express their true self and live life to the full as a happy, vibrant whole well being.
Philippa developed a Personal intelligence Programme™ while writing her forthcoming book Life’s a Load of Balls! How to Master the Game of Life and Handle Yours. Her book uses balls as a metaphor to explain how the earth's electromagnetic field affects our health and happiness; her tactics clarify how we can plug into natures currency to energise our own balls and magnetise the potential held within the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical parts our being.
Internet: www.cherishwellbeing.co.nz
Philippa developed a Personal intelligence Programme™ while writing her forthcoming book Life’s a Load of Balls! How to Master the Game of Life and Handle Yours. Her book uses balls as a metaphor to explain how the earth's electromagnetic field affects our health and happiness; her tactics clarify how we can plug into natures currency to energise our own balls and magnetise the potential held within the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical parts our being.
Internet: www.cherishwellbeing.co.nz
Catrin Jacksties
Catrin Jacksties has moved to New Zealand 16 years ago coming from a hospitality career background. She started a tour company and after separating from her husband bought a preschool which she ran for 7 years. In that time she did not only learn about the New Zealand way of life but did a lot of studies on the brain, the mind and how we learn. She continues to study the field of quantum physics and how we can apply that in our every day lives.
Catrin is also the editor of One Smile, a magazine with inspiring news and information.
Catrin is also the editor of One Smile, a magazine with inspiring news and information.
Birgit Baader
Birgit Baader, born in 1967, studied business management and social behavioural psychology in Munich. Further trainings in Systemic Communication Therapy, Living Dance (Anna Halprin) and Healing Tao. Since 25 years she works as a free lance journalist, book translator, editor and author for book publishers, print and TV media, with a focus on Interspecies Communication, conscious birth, alternative concepts of learning, shamanism. She also works with troubled youth, and developed alternative learning concepts for the Ministry of Education in Germany, IDEAL – Integrated Dolphin Education And Learning, by Dr. Horace Dobbs et al, Learning for Wellbeing. In 2011, she co-founded the Ako-a-Rongo – holistic learning group to explore and promote “other ways of learning” with the intention to empower young people to fulfil their true potential, take on self-responsibility and find balance in their lives.
Internet: www.birgitbaader.com
Internet: www.birgitbaader.com