Connection before Curriculum

Do you remember the teacher that truly saw you, that recognised your potential and whose presence made you want to turn up and be the best you could be? How much did they influence your life?
Akonga are entering our schools from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of abilities and needs. Our staff span a number of cultures and bring a variety of attitudes and perspectives to their work. Sometimes it can be hard to fi nd the connections that unite us.

In this keynote we dig into the neuroscience of connection, examine the ways we connect and discover the secret to engaging with one another in a way that builds lasting bonds of trust.

Te Mātaiaho, the refreshed curriculum, places wellbeing and excellence as important and connected. It reinforces inclusion through a focus on positive, inclusive relationships, a sense of belonging for all, and a promotion of diversity as ordinary and expected.
In describing Te Mātaiaho, Graham Hinengaroa Smith said that it was about ‘seeking ways to bring people together and to be more focused on what holds us together rather that what divides us.’

Inspirational stories and examples from schools around the country illustrate the way that connection can enable ākonga and staff to stand up and be seen for who they are. When we know who we are, when that’s encouraged and celebrated we can move into a shared future with clarity and confi dence.