Twelve Eastern Bay schools and educational institutions have joined forces to launch Te Aka Mātauranga (The Vine of Knowledge), a ground-breaking two-year pilot programme set to redefine quality teaching.

Te Aka Mātauranga is the first group of New Zealand schools to commit to work together to provide consistency in how teachers will teach children through primary, intermediate and secondary school.

The 12 schools, along with Eastbay REAP, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, and Nga Pouwhirinaki o Whakaari (RTLB Cluster 19), will work with 440 teachers and 4300 students across the region.

Te Aka Mātauranga has been engaged by Education Minister Erica Stanford and the Ministry of Education to implement High-Impact Teaching Practices (HITP). This evidence-based approach to teaching is used worldwide. It is grounded in the research of Barak Rosenshine, focusing on how the brain learns and teaching methods that are proven to be effective.

Trident High School principal, Mikaere October said Te Aka Mātauranga aimed to blend HITP approaches with other approaches such as culturally sustaining pedagogy to enhance outcomes for all students, including the region’s large Māori population.”

“Our goal is to develop a specific New Zealand pedagogy (how teachers teach) that is evidence-based while remaining deeply responsive to our local students and teachers,” said project lead for Te Aka Mātauranga Simon Akroyd.

“High Impact Teaching Practices work across all age groups, all subjects, and it is equally effective in any language, such as Te Reo Māori or English.”

The pilot is supported by renowned Australian education expert Professor Lorraine Hammond. Under her guidance, Te Aka Mātauranga aims to develop a New Zealand pedagogy that remains evidence-based while maintaining the diverse linguistic and cultural needs of classrooms, including Te Reo Māori and English.

“This pilot is the first of its type in New Zealand and a genuine coup for Eastern Bay of Plenty education,” Mr Akroyd said.

“By committing to a consistent way of teaching from primary through to secondary school, we are ensuring our students have the best possible opportunities for success.”

The momentum for the project reached a new peak this week with Professor Hammond and three members of the Shaping Minds team from Australia in Whakatāne to lead an intensive professional development series.

On Monday, 650 teachers gathered at Trident High School for a mass training session.

From yesterday through until tomorrow, 120 teachers will participate in hands-on workshops with students to master HITP techniques in real-time.

Twenty-five educators are undergoing intensive training in instructional coaching to ensure the programme’s long-term sustainability.

The event has drawn interest from across the country, with attendees traveling from Kerikeri and Wellington, alongside a significant delegation from the Ministry of Education’s national and regional offices.

Participating schools include Allandale School, Awakeri School, James Street School, Nukuhou North School, Waiotahe Valley School, Edgecumbe Primary, Te Kura ō te Pāroa, St Joseph’s Whakatāne, Ōhope Beach School, Whakatāne Intermediate, Whakatāne High School, and Trident High School.