”The Teacher Aide education has really motivated and improved the capabilities of my team. They are so much more professional and are using all the new strategies they have learnt to support their students and getting great outcomes”.

- Trish Walton Leader Special Education Unit

“I wanted to say thank you for the sessions that you ran with our people this week...The feedback that I have had has been very positive – everyone I have spoken to got something out of it. Your generosity to our business is much appreciated”.

— Susan Bech

"Great I learnt so much. Delivery absolutely fantastic, easy to understand. I will revisit resources often, definitely value for money. Fantastic workshop especially for someone who is new to moderation."

- Identity available on request

"Good activity the fishbowl, useful resources, highly applicable. Material was interesting when added with group activities, well done!".

- Identity available on request

"The programme I am about to teach is the best designed programme I have ever seen. The designers thought of everything, it is so helpful."

- Experienced Tertiary Programme Leader

  
"Fun, quite interactive which helps our attention. Great delivery speaks slowly and clearly and makes it fun for all of us. Learnt a lot in this one day work shop. Made me think about my formative assessment tasks and using some Multiple Intelligences. Useful take home resources. Very good delivery, speaks well and provokes critical thinking."

- Glenda Hamilton

   
"Whakatoo Te Reo is the best Te Reo programme I have have ever done and I have tried so many. It explained everything and I got to practice so I have retained all I learned. The best part was learning my pepeha. Can't wait to do the next level"

- Robyn Atkins
  
“I really love the professional honour code you have, you havelike an inventory of all the most important characteristics that businesses in New Zealand are looking for. I think that is fantastic for the students (and staff)so they can actually have standard and characteristics. Values and standards are embedded, this puts it in place for the them”.

- Tertiary Sector Academic Manager

“Actually, we thought that the Honour Code would be more on academic writing. We thought that it was like more on how to write proper academic writing, plagiarise or something like that. That is why we were very interested because this is more than that. Equipping our students with the right conduct before they join the New Zealand workforce is truly important. It is a tedious job that was done here Susan.”

- Tertiary Sector Academic Manager

Certificate in Pastoral Care and  Universal Wellbeing Coordination

(Halfway through programme)

Initially I was apprehensive about the course as it was so different to my previous study experiences. I enjoyed the course and found a new way of thinking and I enjoyed learning. I feel like I definitely benefited from doing the course. I saw my attitudes towards wellbeing change over the course. I have noticed a more intricate way of looking at it. I saw myself and students learning things about themselves, sharing, and opening up. I can see some great ways we are inherently providing wellbeing support to our staff. This is not a documented procedure, just through the culture we have in our workplace.

 I think that what I have learnt is so beneficial to our student and staff. I am now thinking about how best to present this to them to have a good uptake of this information as this is not your typical content to present to our students. I think that we have made some excellent changes to our wellbeing support for staff and students in comparison to general industry standards in years gone by.

 What have I learnt, it’s hard to summarize! I learnt about the complexity of human behavior! This course gave me different perspectives and ways of thinking regarding wellbeing. I learnt a lot about our business, this course started a lot of conversations about how we operate and how we have handled situations in the past.

 My approach to the students/client’s wellbeing now has definitely changed. Although many things I was doing were okay, this course has given me a tool to explain, dissect and articulate what I might be looking at and then how we can look to improve the situation for our students. I think this has allowed me to look at far more dimensions that can relate to one behaviour and therefore opened my eyes to what else might be at play with students.

 The UWM allows us to build our own understanding of wellbeing as well as explain it to others. It takes a holistic approach to understanding, explaining, and working to improve the wellbeing of people and communities. There are a number of components of the UWM that also have a number of variables that play a part in the overall wellbeing and the understanding of how this presents in people, groups, and communities.

 It helps us understand the complexity of behaviour and causes of behaviour, and helps us understand our students better and in turn be able to better to better support their wellbeing

This course gave me an insight into my own wellbeing. I am generally reasonably aware of my own wellbeing but in particular this brought up my issues around ethnicity and cultural acceptance. I found this really interesting and super beneficial for me to take some time to reflect.  The resources have greatly supported the course learnings and have helped me better understand the UWM. The emotion wheels were particularly beneficial and although I see this would be hard to get uptake in my trainers I could see the benefits from using this resource in particular.

Culture Dimension

This was actually quite interesting learning for me about myself. I noted how I seek validation from my own ethnic group. I can feel alienated sometimes. The ties to one’s ethnicity and culture can be difficult and intertwined but are ultimately important to how we view ourselves, confidence, and possible self-worth.

I think this highlighted for me personally that I do not need external validation. My biological DNA is my identity and does not have to be proven or genetically quantified. I was not expecting to have learnings about myself rather than students in this course.

What I will do differently now is to stop the negative self-talk and be confident and open to learning more. I already try and embrace any ethnic and cultural differences within our students and love finding the common ground that we all have somewhere to make a connection. I think we can definitely work on fostering that common ground between students on a course.

 Emotional Dimension

I think these dimensions, emotional recognition, safety, knowledge, emotional regulation, and acceptance, are incredibly interesting and often hard to articulate and quantify so this course has been very helpful. The emotion wheels were very interesting, and I found them helpful for myself. I think that for me personally – to take a minute to allow the emotions to pass is very helpful.

 Spiritual Dimension

I learnt a bit about myself – my way of moving through the world and I learnt a lot about how people’s values and life attitudes are developed over time and often stem from generational bias and beliefs. This can mean that changing our own and trying to help others with their beliefs and values can be difficult.

 Dissecting these variables allows me to recognise the fundamentals of what makes each of the dimensions up and then how we can identify and issue in them and then how we can look at supporting our students and staff.

 This course has given me more basis for understanding the behaviour patterns I may see in our staff and students. For each particular behaviour that our staff or students display there can be multiple dimensions or variables at play. Far too many to list one by one but it has given me a good overall picture. Wellbeing is a very complex subject; it feels like a lot of the recognition of the what’s and whys is done intuitively however this course has given me tools and a method of articulating what it is I may be intuitively feeling in regard to our staff and students’ wellbeing.

 I enjoyed learning about the others situations and feelings on the topics of the day. Especially the people of significance to them. I think having the other students so willing to share is amazing, I learn lots from their ideas and their examples.

 I learnt a lot about the ways people can mask their negative self-value and loci of control. It was good to discuss loci of control as I think I had a concept of this but have never had it articulated as people having a feeling of external control i.e., no control over their destiny so it made sense when we discussed the negative behaviors that may rise with this.

 I valued the example used of the folded paper and writing down the roles people play in life. Even just reframing it in this way for me made me self-reflect on the many roles I have which was quite a shift in perspective.

 Aimii Pascoe                        Tertiary Pastoral Care System Manager

 I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Universal Wellbeing Model. I have worked with other holistic wellbeing models, however the UWM provides digestible, tangible variables within each dimension of health to look at deeper and keeping an eye out for. It has changed the way I think about wellbeing and how we meet our wellbeing commitments within an education space – it has removed a lot of the vague aspects of wellbeing and given me concrete leads to better direct my support questions for a learner, as well as referrals for further professional support where needed.

 The UWM also helps to better inform our organisational wellbeing strategies, with tangible areas of wellbeing that we can be investigating further and providing more targeted, robust supports for.

 I believe the learning I have done in this course is already helping me to become a better Student Mentor for Wellbeing Services. I find myself keeping an ear out for different variables and breaking learner challenges/needs down into different dimensions of health. This helps to “clear some of the fog”, so to speak, in what a particular learner needs from us , and what further supports they may need help connecting with elsewhere (e.g. counselling, financial support, whānau counselling etc...). My learning in this module has really helped eliminate much of the vagueness around wellbeing, and will continue to help me transform my support approach into direct, measurable action.

 Interestingly, I have also been navigating my own wellbeing journey throughout this module. In the early days of the programme, I was still in the earlier months of a journey and the challenges that came along with that. My learnings about the UWM have helped me gain a deeper understanding of why I was feeling the way I was feeling, where the overlaps were (e.g. seeing connections between challenged variables in different dimensions of wellbeing), and specific areas where I had the power to start making changes (or at least holding space and having compassion/patience if I was unable to change them just yet). It served as a very timely reminder that, when multiple variables across different dimensions of health are challenged or under pressure, overall wellbeing is negatively impacted. And that, with time, by addressing the individual variables that need attention, you can slowly move your wellbeing from a negative to a positive state.

I’ve gained a solid foundational understanding of the UWM model and how I can apply it in my role, in an educational setting. I’ve learned new things to be looking out for when working one-on-one with learners, as well as variables and other things to consider when developing wellbeing strategies for the wider organisation.

 I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Susan. She has been very informative, and I love the collaborative approach to learning. She has also been very flexible and understanding when things have come up that clash with class and has set aside her own time to catch us up on things we’ve missed. A 10/10 learning experience! The paper has been well organised. Both classes and communication have been regular and reliable, and Susan has been very reliable and approachable when flexibility has been needed at short notice. Very pleased with the content of the paper. I have a lot of learnings and takeaways that I feel I can apply to my working and support experience with learners straight away, as well as to overall organisation wellbeing support strategies and initiatives.

 During the first sessions, I was thinking about how aspects of the Universal Wellbeing Model resonated with me and reminded me of the Te Whare Tapa Whā realms (or taha) of wellbeing, but also how much it expanded on this model. By the end of theses sessions I was thinking more deeply about each of the variables, and how they can overlap and intersect with other variables and cause change/flux within the parent dimensions. I thought about how complex this woven web could become, particularly when faced with the prospect of multple different variables falling over or being at odds with one another.

 I saw many connections in the UWM, both within the model and to my own work. It prompts a wider lens of consideration when working with learners who disclose challenges to wellbeing, and an ability to drill deeper into what seems to be affecting a wellbeing dimension (e.g., Social – we can go deeper than saying “whānau connections are impacting this learner’s Social dimension. We can say they are being impacted by the specific variables i.e., the family variable, the social safety variable, the social confidence variable etc and this can give us a more nuanced picture of what is going on for this learner and how we may be able to unpick some of the threads to remove or reframe the negative impacts to the students wellbeing.

 I thought about the complexities of the variables and how, while a bit overwhelming at first, they paint a more detailed picture of what wellbeing is made up of and how we as professionals should be thinking about wellbeing. I also thought about how I might be able to start incorporating some of these variables into the work I do, both with my learners directly and in helping to guide new processes and training. I anticipate that the UWM will eventually become second nature in my thinking around wellbeing and will broaden and deepen both my understanding of wellbeing and my response to support needs and issues.

 I am used to thinking in terms of wellbeing dimensions and what may fall into these realms of wellbeing, as well as ways to foster and develop elements within these dimensions to improve overall wellbeing. However, learning to zoom out even further to consider the many different variables, environments and inputs allows for a more concrete and detailed understanding of the aspects we need to acknowledge and reflect on when thinking about holistic wellbeing support.

 This model improves how we respond to learners who disclose wellbeing challenges and a need for further support and builds on our existing support services.

 My aim is to start incorporating some of this broader understanding into my work with learners. Using the Social dimension as an example, I have a more concrete understanding of how they can impact on a learner’s ability to study (Self-talk: I’m too stupid to learn this, Family: my family think it’s a joke I’m trying to study, Community/iwi: how do my studies translate into my community? Am I even contributing to my community with this? Social Confidence: I won’t  fit in with my classmates, they’re all much smarter and friendlier than me etc).

 It is encouraging me to start thinking beyond my past wellbeing model understandings e.g., Te Whare Tapa Whā which encompasses 4-5 different realms of health. This course was a  good first step into the complexities of the UWM and it’s mirroring of the complexities of holistic wellbeing; realizing how granulated the different realms and variables of wellbeing are and how, though there are many, they all have equal importance and weight in balancing good mental wellbeing. I’m looking forward to learning more!

 I have learnt the importance of entering a relationship with a learner with zero expectations, assumptions or driving thoughts. Instead, working to keep an open mind, stay curious, and explore ways of supporting different variables that I might otherwise have passed over or placed in the “too-hard basket.”

 I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the Universal Wellbeing Model. I have worked with other holistic wellbeing models, however the UWM provides digestible, tangible variables within each dimension of health to be looking deeper into and keeping an eye out for. It has changed the way I think about wellbeing and how we meet our wellbeing commitments within an education space – it has removed a lot of the vague aspects of wellbeing and given me concrete leads to better direct my support questions to a learner, as well as supporting referrals for further professional support where needed. The UWM also helps to better inform our organisational wellbeing strategies, with tangible areas of wellbeing that we can be investigating further and providing more targeted, robust supports for.

 I believe the learning I have achieved in this programme is already helping me to become a better Student Mentor for Wellbeing Services. I find myself keeping an ear out for different variables and breaking learner challenges/needs down into different dimensions of health. This helps to “clear some of the fog”, so to speak, in what a particular learner needs from us (supports within our power as an education provider), and what further supports they may need help connecting with elsewhere (e.g. counselling, financial support, whānau counselling etc). My learning in this programme has really helped eliminate many of the vague aspects of wellbeing, and will continue to help me transform my support approach into direct, measurable action.

Interestingly, I have also been navigating my own wellbeing journey throughout this programme. In the early days of the programme, I was still in the earlier months of challenges that came along with that. My learnings about the UWM have helped me gain a deeper understanding of why I was feeling the way I was feeling, where the overlaps were (e.g. seeing connections between challenged variables in different dimensions of wellbeing), and specific areas where I had the power to start making changes (or at least holding space and having compassion/patience if I was unable to change them just yet). It served as a very timely reminder that, when multiple variables across different dimensions of health are challenged or under pressure, overall wellbeing is negatively impacted. And that, with time, by addressing the individual variables that need attention, you can slowly move your wellbeing from a negative to a positive state.

 I’ve gained a solid foundational understanding of the UWM model and how I can apply it in my professional role, in an educational setting. I’ve learned new things to be looking out for when working one-on-one with learners, as well as variables and other things to consider when developing wellbeing strategies for the wider organisation. It’s been helpful to have professional code of conduct from the get-go, so everyone knows is aware of conduct expectations

 Samantha Cotton         Polytechnic Student Mentor for Wellbeing Services

Certificate in Universal Wellbeing

 Really excellent, approachable teaching methods. Conversational class allowed for discussions to further deepen our understanding of each variable via discussion of personal/ work-related experiences with that variable. Really good prompts, struggled with the reflection exercises in the beginning but mastered them by the end., They were a really good addition the programme. I find myself using them now to process a hectic day at work. Great way to emphasize the importance of learning effective self-care techniques in this line of work. Overall, really enjoyed the course and learned so much from it. I will benefit from the learnings both on a personal and professional level going forward so thank you. Excellent                                                                   

 Katy Quinn – Primary School Teacher

 Wellbeing is influenced by complex, often multi-directional interactions between a large number of influencing factors. An appreciation of the complexity of wellbeing is essential when conceptualising universal wellbeing. It is as important to consider how these variable may interact as it is to consider their direct influence on wellbeing. I now feel more equipped to consider multiple avenues that may be affecting a child that I believe to be struggling. I also now have built in more techniques to improve wellbeing through various variables, not just social and emotional, as I had prior to this course. I now can also target variables such as those in the spiritual dimension to improve wellbeing.

 I have learned the unique influence that my culture played in shaping me as a person and building a strong sense of resilience in me., I also now am much more aware and mindful of my own self-talk.

 Overall, I have learnt about the complexity of wellbeing and the various ways that we can actively improve our own wellbeing.

 Katie Telesia Hastings           Pasifika Learning Support Teacher

Teacher Aide Supporting Behaviour Module

 This is not a refresher course. It consists of so much input, strategies, and ways to support emotional/wellbeing needs and positive behaviours. It has helped me to support students and decode things that are happening and to teach them new skills. Not only for them but I myself have learnt so much from this course. My own behaviour, reactions towards students and staff have changed.

 Brainstorming together behaviour plans/programmes for students with special needs, but also other needy students around me by just changing my attitude. With this extra knowledge a whole new window opens, and you face some difficult challenges with more confidence.

Defusing and de-escalation ways to assist students before major meltdowns or violence episodes is very helpful plus assisting in restorative programmes.

 I really enjoyed the sessions and loved hearing how others have dealt with issues. It really highlighted the fact that we are all on the right track and we have the knowledge to cope with the ever changing natures of our jobs.  It did make me think about how I manage some of the behaviours in our class and I needed to be more tolerant of behaviours, but also to keep trying to find more ways to correct some of the behaviours. I think because I work in a class and not with specific students that I tend to react rather than manage behaviours.

The course content was excellent, I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's been so useful to me.  Looking forward to the next course.

 I enjoyed the opportunity we had to discuss the situations that we are dealing with at school and all the practical advice provided. I learned so much just from listening to the other teacher aides that also attended and that shared what they are dealing with at school. 

 The facilitator is very experienced, she is not only professionally knowledgeable but also a great person who can give practical guidance from her experience, wide knowledge, research as well as the heart that she has put into listening to each conversation. Through her, I viewed a good example of a great teacher who cares, loves, and has real influences towards students that help them to live in a better way of life.

 Secondly, I think this course is important as it provides us the opportunity to have the process to know how to change a behaviour from a negative way to positive perspective and amazingly, we can see the result straight away, that gives us confidence and really helps the complicated situations we encounter every day.

 Teacher Aide Supporting Wellbeing Module

 Before seeing the Universal Wellbeing Model, I would have utilised basic indicators to assess the wellbeing of a child: whether their body language indicated if they were sad or happy, whether they appeared to enjoy playing outside, or whether they seemed enthusiastic to learn or engage in activities (which I believed indicated how much they enjoy living life). This narrow view of wellbeing definitely limited my ability to consider all the factors that could be affecting a student’s wellbeing, and therefore, their readiness to learn.

 Upon understanding this model, I now have so many more avenues that I can use to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that may be affecting a child’s ability to engage and learn or regulate themselves. For example, a child may appear happy and confident in the playground and then not want to engage in classroom learning activities. Potential factors that I might investigate now to understand what the issue for this child lies are their emotional wellbeing- do they lack self- belief when it comes to academic performance? cultural factors - does their culture encourage quiet, non-engaging behaviours in the classroom? social wellbeing - do they feel safe enough to ask questions? This depicts how much richer a picture of wellbeing understanding this model has enabled me to create. 

 Sensory inputs are the first level of the model- this was interesting to me as it highlights how an individual’s processing of the world is at the core of their wellbeing.

I will appreciate the spiritual aspect of wellbeing more. On a personal level, I have always felt that this was an important aspect of wellbeing; however, I would not have considered it when assessing the wellbeing of my students as it felt as though I was simply allowing my own values to taint my observations. Upon seeing it included in the model, I will feel more comfortable that it is professionally appropriate to consider this aspect of an individual’s wellbeing when assessing their overall wellbeing.

 On the Social Dimension

In particular, I am now aware of the importance of discussing our self-talk and investigating whether a student is being affected by negative self-talk.

 On the Physical Dimension

I realized the complex indirect impact that some of these variables can have on children’s wellbeing. For example, some parents at school struggle with financial security. This evidently impacts the wellbeing of those parents’ children through nutrition, social acceptance (missing out on school outings) and missed learning opportunities in extracurricular activities

 I learnt that physical affection and touch significantly affects wellbeing.

I noticed a link between the lack of sufficient nutrition in some children’s lunchboxes and them struggling to pay attention for prolonged periods of time. Although correlation does not mean causation in the slightest, it was an interesting observation that I would not have made prior to this course.

 Intellectual Dimension

I will use the knowledge of these variables to foster higher levels of intellectual wellbeing in the students that I work with. I will do this by increasing the number of discussions that I have that aim to increase the students understanding of both them and their interactions with both their environment and peers. This will increase their wellbeing levels by improving their comprehension and therefore, the amount  of learning that they can derive from learning challenges that arise.

 Cultural Dimension

I realised I need to deliberately ask certain children questions in order to ensure they understand a topic due to their culture discouraging them from asking questions even when they don’t understand something. I clarified my understanding of the difference between ethnicity and culture.

 Emotional dimension

I noticed the impact of low and high self-esteem on children’s willingness to try new things in school, especially in sports activities on sports day. I ensured that the children who appeared to have lower self-esteem about their capabilities in sport had a positive experience during sports time. I also ensured that I praised them for their performance afterwards in order to foster some higher self-esteem. The relationship between self-esteem, learning and success was really highlighted to me during this session.

 I now provide honest, mostly positive feedback to all my students in order to foster higher levels of self-esteem as this will benefit their learning and willingness to try. I saw the importance of believing one has a unique value as I noticed the huge impact that not holding the belief can have on a child’s confidence, which therefore also obviously impacts their ability to make friends, try new things and find meaning in their life,

 Spiritual Dimension

Interested and intrigued as I had never studied the connection between spirituality and wellbeing before. I noticed the impact that values can have on connections within families and how this can feed into a child’s wellbeing both directly through influenced the quality of bonds they have with their families, as well as indirectly by influencing the amount of time and energy that they were willing to invest into fostering strong friendship with their peers. Children who spent a lot of quality time with their family were more likely to invest in creating strong bonds with their peers, especially younger children. I thought about the impact that my trust in ‘higher powers’ has on my wellbeing. It most definitely brings me a sense of peace when I am unsure about how something in my own life will work out.

I learnt the deep impact that intuition can have on wellbeing- I had not considered the influence of this prior to this class, I will discuss intuition and what it feels like with the children that I teach to try and foster the positive influence that being in tune with your own intuition can have on wellbeing,

 Teacher Aide Practice Module

 I enjoyed this Module. Though I do believe that our school is good with the use and support of teacher aides it is nice to be able to put labels on some of the practices I do i.e.: external versus internal loci, also I liked the give good specific feedback. 

What did I learn? Blinking heaps actually. I am looking forward to using Socratic questioning.

Socratic teaching/questioning with my older kids it is going to be NEAT.

I liked the Facilitator’s explanation of how the treaty works within teacher aide work. Though I had a small idea that we did follow treaty guidelines I found out the school actually does it really well. It is the words and correct phrasing that I am learning that I'm valuing as I do have a hard time expressing concepts. ie: Equity I think I will try to be more aware of the mutual care aspect of what was taught today, and reward people who practice equity so it will become the norm, not the exception.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to do this module and I'm looking forward to doing more. One of the big things I have learnt is to be more conscious of things like being inclusive ensuring that all my students are part of a group and thriving.

I am very, very glad I took this module, I had felt  like a fraud a lot when talking to peers as I don't have any qualifications. The small number of classmates I had was definitely a bonus for me. I'm really glad that our school seems to be really good in the guidelines that have been taught in this module. Susan’s friendly teaching was excellent. The booklets were good, but the slides were better for me. I know I will change a lot of things. BUT Socratic teaching/questioning is still my favourite thing I've learnt, and I will be doing.

 Wera Smith Primary School Teacher Aide and Te Reo and Mātauranga Māori Advisor

The availability of training for Teacher Aides filled me with encouragement. Our discussion, rich in quality and significance, left me feeling understood. It sparked a sense of encouragement and motivation within me. I’ve come to understand the pivotal role that Teacher Aides play. I’ve grasped the significance of personal values and those inherent to a Teacher Aide’s role. I’ve realized how these values profoundly influence the quality of assistance I can provide in fostering learning. I am now more conscious of the importance of adhering to my values, even during challenging days or moments of frustration. I understand that maintaining these values is crucial for enhancing the children’s learning experience. I am also motivated to devise innovative strategies to engage the children when their attention begins to wane.

The module enlightened me to reflect deeply on our actions, their impacts, and the effectiveness of our methods as Teacher Aides. It underscored the importance of engaging in more of such insightful discussions. I found by nurturing my own well-being, I can enhance my effectiveness in my role as a Teacher Aide. Learning about Te Tiriti o Waitangi is an enlightening experience. It provides a profound understanding of New Zealand’s history and the foundation of its current society. The treaty’s principles of partnership, participation, and protection offer valuable insights into the relationship between Māori and the Crown. This knowledge fosters a deep respect for the cultural heritage of New Zealand and the importance of maintaining harmonious relationships. It was truly a privilege to learn about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its significant role in shaping New Zealand’s identity.

I found the illustration of children looking over a fence to be a powerful visual representation of the concepts of Equality and Equity. It underscored the importance of providing necessary support to all children, rather than placing them in any environment and expecting optimal outcomes. This image served as a poignant reminder that tailored assistance is crucial for individual success. I discovered that our approach to work, or “mahi,” aligns with the principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi. This realization was enlightening, as I wasn’t previously aware that our practices were in harmony with the treaty. To me, these practices seemed intuitive and necessary, irrespective of their connection to the treaty.

 I felt great and see both inclusiveness and equity play crucial roles in education. They ensure that all students, regardless of their backgrounds or abilities, are given the opportunity to thrive and reach their maximum potential. In the programme I observed teacher aides brimming with enthusiasm, and eager to ensure that we are employing all necessary strategies to provide our students with the best learning opportunities. I believe that all the topics we discussed were of utmost importance. I’ve absorbed a great deal and am eager to apply the knowledge I’ve gained to my role. I learnt that in education, we need to make sure everyone gets a fair chance. This means creating a system that works for all students, no matter who they are. Equity is about making this happen on purpose, not just once, but all the time. Inclusion is about making everyone feel welcome and part of the group. Doing this is not only right, but it also helps everyone do better.

 In the future I will explore methods to foster inclusive teaching, put my strategies into action, and evaluate their effectiveness through constructive feedback. I will reflect on the successes and areas for improvement, make necessary adjustments, and persist in my efforts to enhance inclusivity.

 I thoroughly enjoyed the Susans teaching approach, we have meaningful and constructive discussions on all topics of learning. The way the materials were arranged was really good. Susan sent us the slides for our next meeting early, which was useful. This experience was excellent. Thinking back on it helped a lot, and the right questions made sure we understood everything. I believed I learnt so much from this module and it’s only the beginning. Susan’s assistance was invaluable, creating an environment where I felt at ease to inquire without any apprehension. Her wide knowledge, coupled with her intriguing personality, facilitated engaging and profound discussions. Even when we delved into emotional or sensitive topics, we felt secure in expressing our thoughts. Susan’s empathetic understanding and insightful responses to our queries underscore her aptitude and preparedness to guide this learning journey.

 Psalms Kawau                                  Primary School Teacher Aide

  Supporting Neurodiversity

Some of what l learned in this made me feel sad as I realised l have seen a lot of these behaviours throughout my life, l now feel informed and the information is certainly thought provoking. l see a lot of these behaviours throughout my Māori communities both in the past and the present. l think there are so many people affected by neurodiversity that most people are completely unaware of what they are seeing and how to deal with it. I learned that different people’s brains are wired differently and that everyone should be treated with respect and understanding. I will be open to learning variations, find ways to communicate and observe behaviours to understand how best to support, (find common ground ?) We need to have a holistic approach to learning and be brave to continually try new ways of doing things. Respect is the foundation for great relationships. I have an opportunity to build deeper relationships with the students. I realise there are so many neurodiverse conditions that I wasn't aware of. I realise I need the support of all my fellow learning support team, staff, and parents to get the best results for the students.

 I felt apprehensive at first, but it didn’t take long to settle in. I saw lots of familiar behaviours in our community school, hapu, and iwi over a long period of time, I thought the various conditions were covered well and easy to understand. I now know there are so many behavioural challenges in our school that are related to neurodiverse conditions that we need to understand to be effective. I will in future be more patient and listen to understand. Facilitator was very helpful and practical. Thank you for all you do to help us understand the behaviours in our school and how we can help support everyone

 Wiremu Katipo                     High School Learning Support Teacher

 I had no idea what Neurodiversity was before this module. This is the first time I have ever heard the word neurodiversity. I have now learnt I can be open to new information even if I don’t fully understand it, I also learnt more about Neurodiversity and what a great purpose I have set for myself to help our students. I thought all the teachings and information given broke down my own barriers to the unknown and made me feel comfortable to embrace more. I learnt that understanding neurodiversity helps me in my work field a lot more and having a better understanding of our students helps me and that I need to get to know the students better. I feel this module has taught me more respect and empathy to help in my work field. This module is a great way to learn more in depth with our students and helps us understand being in their shoes. I think the more I put into my work it will make day to day activities easier no matter if it is a good or bad day. I’m learning a lot from this module to help better myself to be open of whatever comes from the students. I think given all the information for all different conditions helps me get a better understand about the conditions and the students. I felt this module had been an eye opener for myself and I need to learn more and study more about the different neurodiverse conditions.

I feel this module has given me a lot of closure and more understanding of what I didn’t know before I started this module. I feel that it gives me more confidence to help our students through their schooling. I think we need more classes like this for all teachers and teacher aide to expand our knowledge of all the neurodiversity conditions. I have so much more knowledge in my kete to help me develop and put everything that I was taught into practice. I will now be open to all knowledge and new things to adapt to my work for our students. What matters the most for our students is to be understanding to them on their good days and their bad days. Thank you for the knowledge and new ideas to help myself in my work. Perfect easy reading and understanding of all information given. I enjoyed this module, it was excellent!

Francine Pomare                                 High School Learning Support Teacher

Well taught, knowledgeable, and experienced teacher. Good resources and sent before classes that we could use during classes. I see caring as an important element for students who suffer from neurodiverse conditions. Since they have to deal with all sorts of things already at home or in their brain itself, a warm, caring, and genuine conversation would allow them to experience something different from their negative side of their life. I think what we are doing seems little but could have a big impact on them and these memories might support them to go through their tough times or open up their door to connect to the world in a positive way. I have learned that sharing information with others (classmates and school staff) about the conditions of the students would make these student easier life in the environment with more accommodation and more understanding which I think would definitely support the student’s learning and wellbeing. I would like to remind myself to be more understanding and to do the homework to know the student about their condition, their life story and what they enjoy doing. When Susan asked the question if in our lifetime if we’ve ever being asked how we like to learn? I feel a strong impact on me because I have never asked my students this question too. I am happy and I think it is great to learn about the MI so that we have another tool to know about our student and the teaching/learning can be conducted in the way that the student’s brains tend to work better in that way. I was shocked about my MI graph. I think I am a more logical person, but it turned out that I am both learning and assessing towards Naturalistic. I feel that I don’t even know enough about myself. Susan keeps mentioning in the classes, we tend to teach the subject(s) but forget that we are teaching the person (student) of that certain subject(s). With this realization, it reminds me to focus on the student instead of the material or planned lesson. I learnt when each individual has some control, they tend to work/learn/do things with more motivation and happiness. I learnt every person will perform in their utmost effort once they enjoy something, encouragement is important.

From now on I would also give them more space and flexibility and allow more time for them to process things when interacting with or assisting them. Each week’s homework is clearly set. Covered very essential things. People, people, people the core of our job. Excellent

 Tiffany Lin                                           Health School Learning Support Teacher

 At first, I was doubting myself to be able to do this Module or to cope. Now I am so grateful for been given this opportunity and for putting myself out there to do this and to gather the information provided and knowledge. I saw how we got together as strangers and left as friends. Working together and no judgements. There was so much helpful information and tips as a team that has been passed on. I have learnt strategies to cope and assist students with and I have taken in so much helpful information in this module that I cannot wait to start trying with the students and look forward to putting them into action in 2024. I now know no two people are the same and what works for one might not work for the other. What affects one student might not affect the other. In future I will not over think things and keep it simple. Keep communication clear, simple, and fun. Take breaks if needed for the student. I have learnt I need to help my students tthrough empathy and understanding and take the time to understand their challenges and that they have different needs. I have also learnt to act on information or an observation. Anything that comes to my attention must be dealt with and passed on to the appropriate person/leader. Taking responsibility. Being their voice. I must also be specific with my praise and encouragement. I can make a difference. I am worth it and can do this. Excellent Module.

 Belinda Campbell                                High School Learning Support Teacher

 I felt a growing sense of confidence as I engaged with the provided materials and participate in discussions about effective strategies that have practical applications. Hearing everyone's experiences is enriching and makes this module extremely beneficial for me. I believe that by the end of this module, I have a clear understanding of my role, rights, and responsibilities as a teacher aide but also a valuable set of tools and insights to apply in real-world situations. This learning experience is contributing significantly to my professional growth and effectiveness in my role. The universal values presented serve as core principles and guidelines for teacher aides, helping us become exemplary role models in society. Susan's emphasis on these ethical standards contributes to creating a culture of integrity and responsibility, fostering a positive and ethical learning environment for both educators and students alike. I think it was highly beneficial to embed these values in the module. It provided us with the opportunity to interconnect these values to our daily lives, both personally and professionally. This approach not only enhances our understanding of the principles but also encourages practical application in real-world situations. It's a valuable integration that goes beyond theoretical concepts, fostering a more profound and lasting impact on our roles as teacher aides.

The quote "When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on" by Franklin D. Roosevelt encourages resilience and determination in difficult situations and not giving up when faced with hardships. It encourages individuals to find inner strength, and courage, and cling to hope even in the toughest times. The quote is a motivational reminder to persevere through difficulties and to find creative solutions or strategies to overcome challenges rather than succumbing to them.

From now on, I will recognize the dynamic nature of education globally. As a teacher aide, I often encounter changes in curriculum, policies, or student needs. Inspired by the quote, which was previously referred to, I commit to being more adaptable and maintaining hope during challenging times. In my role, I will foster greater flexibility, willingly embrace change, and actively seek opportunities to learn new methods. This approach will empower me to navigate the evolving landscape of education with resilience and optimism.

 I have really enjoyed and learnt a lot about neurodiversity. All the sessions were well planned and delivered. The material and readings created was very clear, helpful, and relevant. The facilitator unpacked all the various conditions and provided us with effective skills and also empowered us in our role. I felt that reflecting after each session is really crucial and an effective way of learning.

I have noticed that all our sessions were timely and were very straightforward. PowerPoint slides provided before the session were very helpful. The Facilitator was always very approachable and prompt in answering and replying to questions. l appreciated how welcomed she made us feel and was grateful of how she shared her own experiences. This helped me feel connected and more involved with the subject. Her sense of humour, dedication, and passion for teaching has inspired and motivated me a lot.

I think neurodiversity is a very huge topic to cover in 10 weeks time. But I really like how this module has offered and covered the basics of all the various conditions.  The aspect of wellbeing and the professional code for each session was really informative. I was not sure about the online session for my  learning style, but I guess I enjoyed learning online and was able to manage well.

Studying online was not in my comfort zone in terms of  how I interact with learning. However, this experience has changed my view. Regardless of how the content was delivered through online means, I still found myself feeling more equipped with the skills and awareness about neurodiversity and have learnt to be even more empathetic and compassionate about my approach. I hope to introduce understandings of neurodiversity, how to be empathetic and respectful, support strategies, reduce barriers for neurodiverse learners and provide specific supports to apply for a range of neurodiverse conditions (Autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD as selected for attendees).

In future I will be able to bring awareness about neurodiversity and share my new gained understanding with staff and practice these skills in my school. I am excited to apply this knowledge into my learning space and make a difference in the learning experience of different neurodiverse students. I will be focusing on building relationships and encouraging them to be independent learners  and practice respect and empathy. Role modelling communication and creating an inclusive environment for all learners will adobe another action I’d like to implement. I will continue to reflect and be flexible to the needs of  my students and maintain a high quality of work standard. The facilitators approach was organised and clear. She portrayed a very helpful teaching method and was supportive during all the zoom meetings and communication. I really enjoyed the way she would share examples to get a better understanding of the learning The structure of the paper was easy to follow. There were many helpful resources provided that gave insights to my learning experience. The layout of the paper assessments was clear and concise. I liked it because we can add all the notes and information to our booklet which will be an ongoing useful resource for all times. Paper content was good, had a valuable information. The slideshow was excellent and easy to follow. Reflecting  was a big part of this module which was hard at times but a very useful strategy for my role as a teacher aid. This journey has been emotional, and it has developed my understanding. Even though I'm far away, I feel more confident about supporting my family back home during these challenging times. It shows how learning and thinking can change our perspectives to make a difference. It was like diving into a big ocean of learning, and now I can't wait to explore it all. Furthermore, I would like to focus on building strong relationships with my students. Knowing them personally, understanding their interests, and being aware of their challenges will be my priority. Excellent module.

 Auroshri Jain                           High School Learning Support Teacher

 I really like the way that this module was taught, it is full of information. Lots of paper again, but I like to have a paper copy that I can access when needed, as sometimes I do not always have access to my laptop. The different sessions all worked well in an order that built up specific conditions. I found the assessments in this module to be easier to understand and I felt more comfortable writing about the different conditions. The content was exactly what was needed, the ways that we deal with neurodiverse conditions will always be changing as we better understand what these students need to learn. I think the individual condition documents was a fantastic way to keep the information up to date and also to record what works and what doesn’t work. The facilitator has such a vast knowledge of all things education. I have thoroughly enjoyed this module; it has given me a renewed enthusiasm to be the best learning assistant that I can be. I really enjoyed the different videos that we watched, it gave me a better understanding of what a student sees, hears, and thinks. That old saying about a picture saying 1000 words is definitely true here, the videos got the point across way better than a whole bunch of slides.

 Yayy, we’ve finished!!! Although I have really enjoyed this module it feels amazing to have finished. I saw lots of conditions flashing before my eyes. I think that these last sessions have helped me so much. I loved learning about the individual conditions, and I think the extra knowledge particularly the ways to help these students will be so helpful, I learnt the importance of chunking information so that it is manageable and achievable for the students. I also learnt that many conditions benefit from breathing exercises, yoga, and mindfulness. I have breathing exercises on hand and mindfulness colouring,  but I don’t use them.

 I would love to introduce some sort of mindfulness activity into our daily schedule. I think our whole class would benefit from this. There are so many ways to relax and reset that it wouldn’t seem too boring. A 5 minute session after morning tea and after lunch would be a great way to get students to relax, quite often things happen during break times, and this could be a way for students to let any anger, anxiety and stress go so that they can learn.

 I saw some fantastic resources that helped me understand some of the neurodiversity that I had not come across before, for example dyscalculia and dyspraxia.  These resources are an excellent start to building a document that can be updated and added to as we come across them. I think teachers should undergo more training on all the different neuro diversities, learning about the barriers to learning and also the best ways that we can help these students be successful in their learning. I think that I needed this module to join all the dots up, we tend to get lots of information thrown at us about what causes these conditions and what they look like but very little information on the best ways to help these students learn.  The more options to help students overcome their learning barriers the better off we would all be.

 I learnt so much but probably the most valuable information was around how we can remove learning barriers for our students. The importance of breathing exercises, chunking, simple instructions, building social relationships and recognising emotions really hit home. The most important takeaway for me is that we need to build a good relationship with our students so that we can help with their wellbeing needs and by removing their wellbeing barriers we can then work on teaching these students because they are finally ready to learn.

 I am feeling a lot more ‘zen’ about my ability to help the students that I work with. The extra knowledge that I’ve gained has made me reevaluate my expectations. And by removing these expectations I can make sure that the work is at the right level and that will remove some of the undesirable behaviours that we get. Thank you, looking forward to the next Module 😀

 Brenda Franklyn                         High School Learning Support Teacher

 The facilitator has been great. This module was a great introduction to neurodiversity. Learning new ways to understanding and give support will not only help the students but also us. It was good receiving the sessions in advance and being able to print them out. Completing the reflections each week challenged me. I enjoyed learning and gained some great insights especially about getting to know students well.  It was an enjoyable ten weeks and helps me know where to go next.  I have learnt valuable lessons about empathy, wellbeing, and respect. Also learned to open to knowing and change and everything will go as planned but you should also always be prepared. I now know that unexplained burst of anger can be caused by trauma. I learned so much more about kids with trauma and how they may present themselves at school, they can act perfectly normal one minute, be triggered by unexpected things which then lead to their outburst. I felt sad learning about how some kids get treated and why they could potentially end up having the behaviours they do. I will try and understand that there could be something deeper instead of assuming that they are just putting it on. It is important I try to build a trusting relationship with these kids. The facilitator was so helpful.  Looking forward to the next module.

 Shasta Dang                                                                 High School Learning Support Teacher

At first, I felt nervous and overwhelmed but now I feel grateful that I got the opportunity to learn and gather all the knowledge and education on the neurodiverse. At first, I misunderstood the term but by the end of the module I was a woman who had better understanding of this module and all the conditions. I really enjoyed doing this module with my peers. Neurodiverse is about how differently the brain works and I am neurodiverse. I really want to do more. I can see no two brains are the same and need to be more understanding. Respect is very important and trying to see things from my student’s perspective. I now know the difference between sympathy and empathy. The more the module went on the more interesting it got. There are so many strategies you can use to remove barriers. I learnt there are 70 wellbeing needs to be met! Excellent!

 Joelean Henry                                                   High School Learning Support Teacher

After our first session and many questions for Susan …Paper assessment was easy to understand and complete. I like the fact that we can do our assessment any way comfortable for us, Computer or Paper form. NO judgement. I loved that fact that I got to know another peers, as we don’t really have contact apart from hi and Bye. As we have completed the first module, we can bounce ideas of each other, comments, and discussions when a situation has arisen. Support each other. I was so sad when this module came to an end. Also pleased we have a new module next year but want to do a lot more on this. I see unfinished work for me. I have learnt that neurodiversity is now the new name for learning difficulties and neurodiverse students have strengths not  a disability. I will look at very person, student or adult as having their own personal strengths. There are several strengths that come from thinking differently. The ability to think differently and think outside the box is an extremely beautiful skill to have. I love listening to Susan and her stories of knowledge. Found out about multiple intelligences, I am definitely a visual learner. I am now teaching students to their limits and quickly. Would have loved more time.  Excellent.

  Janet Siger                                                   High School Learning Support Teacher

 I see that neurodiversity is becoming more common.  Drugs/alcohol are becoming more common for people to use and are ‘harder’ than they have been in the past, having more of an impact on the user, unborn babies, etc… I think that I’m on the right track to support students, being caring, speaking calmly to students, not putting pressure on them to hurry. One thing that I learnt today, that has shocked me, is that 25% of students are affected in some way by neurodiversity!  I also learnt that neurodiversity can be temporary, life-long, or develop over time. I am going to make an effort to get to know the students more - what they like/dislike, and make an effort to find out more about them, (although some may only be in the Learning Support Room where I am based, only once or twice a week), but I’ll try my best.

  I watched the FASD video and it really opened my eyes to FASD, seeing how it causes such a vast range of difficulties, including problems with motor skills, changes with physical appearance, memory, communication, hearing, etc. I think I’m getting a good understanding of seeing things from another person’s point of view, and to me this includes reading up on the ND condition(s) and finding out how I can support the students better.    I was really surprised to learn that skipping is a good exercise for people who have trouble with handwriting.

 I have been really enjoying meeting Susan and the other participants each week, gaining so much valuable information, and learning from each other. I saw that a lot of neuro diverse conditions have the same/similar ‘crossover’ traits. I think that I am a good role model for the students, using kind words, smiling, and I am firm, but fair. I learnt that role modelling good behaviour to the students’ (how to act, speak, interact with others) is so important. We need to remember that a lot of learning is done by copying. It is also important for us as Teacher Aides to have some ‘down time’ when we can, so organising some activities for the students to do on their own, is beneficial, for myself and the students. And not to hesitate to ask for help or talk to other staff if I need some ‘time-out’ or to ‘rant’.  

 I feel confident that I am on the right track with supporting ND students, being empathetic, flexible with teaching them (acknowledging that what I have planned, and the learning that actually takes place, could be 2 totally different things) and understanding that no 2 days are the same. As I am learning more about the ND conditions, I see that we set the students up to succeed each day, whether it’s providing them with learning resources, giving them food, allowing them to sleep, re-wording instructions, removing barriers, etc. I think it’s important to give students honest feedback, and feed forward advice, to help with their learning in the future.

 I learnt the importance of having the Learning Support Room, a safe space where students are valued and can be themselves, learning at their own pace with no judgement. I really enjoyed Susan facilitating the sessions. She is extremely knowledgeable about many neurodiverse conditions and explained things in a clear and understandable way.  I enjoy reading hard copies of resources, so I enjoyed being able to print the Weekly Modules and read/refer to them when needed. The content was easy to follow and understand. I really enjoyed the entire course. I liked the fact there were only about 8 attendees, as it felt more ‘personal’.  And it was good to learn from the other attendees’ experiences and swap ideas. Thank you. Excellent.

 Angela Brown                                              High School Learning Support Teacher

Supporting Wellbeing Module

I admired every minute of all 10 sessions. Not only that but before it begun during emails had the connection with Susan build before Session1 as preparation for myself and 3x work colleagues. Even doing the survey/questionnaire beforehand had me clear the head and check where I was with hauora, with the help of Social Services course I’ve been doing all year. 1 work colleague unfortunately had to drop. The continuous patai(questions) being thrown in from all 4 made us keep onboard and have work colleagues and I assure the practice was being used before, during and after each session. Homework was awesome alongside this Booklet to revise and absorb it all. Definitely a challenge that was well worth the time and effort. That sense of achievement is always a great feeling. Great to absorb, privileged to have so many extra resources and references I may use,  I’m kicking into next year.

I loved how a lot of the resources and paperwork to this Module was never mentioned to us at work. So it was a great eye-opener for me(and I’m sure 2x work colleagues). I wish I had gotten round to asking if I could voice-record some of these sessions.

- These notes and work completed makes it much more valuable. Having the honour to do observations was also a privilege.

- I also admired building whanaungatanga with these 3 wonderful wahine I know won’t be a last time.

standout for me is being given that advice at the beginning with Professional Honor Code for Honesty which included ‘Time to step up into the Leadership Role’. I’ve been offered multiple Management Roles in last 6mths but haven’t quite felt ready. Definitely opened my eyes after latest happenings through Social Services study as well. Also the reminder of using the Change Management Process with 8 steps. I continue to work amongst this and other additional resources. My main lesson learnt is stepping outside the shell but always knowing my limits and boundaries. Time management is still a challenge but I continue to do the reflection straight after the session. Being more informative had me work till 10.30pm as I went back over the agenda, PowerPoint and some references/links in regard to the session to have it all embedded.

Time whips by in these sessions so I continue to observe and take in every detail possible. It’s encouraged me to recap over every session, homework and quick flick through some websites again absorb all that’s learnt in that long-term memory(a major challenge for me). Great interactions strengthening between work colleagues, Susan and I each week. Excellent

 Jaeden Hanara                                              High School Learning Support Teacher