http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.learningmatters.co.nz en-us Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:56:15 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/170533/learning-out-loud-different-systems-shared-challenges/ Last week at Harvard, I had the privilege of hearing from and meeting Rwanda’s Minister of State for Education, Hon. Claudette Irere. As I listened to her speak so openly about the challenges of leading change across Rwanda’s education system, I found myself thinking constantly about what is happening at home in New Zealand. We are in the midst of significant change in education. In literacy particularly, we have seen a substantial shift in what we expect to be taught, the evidence... Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:52:36 +1200 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post170533 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/170532/learning-is-learning-three-conversations-worth-continuing-rhys-coulson/ Leadership has never been more complex. Schools are navigating significant curriculum change, new assessment expectations and an ever-growing number of competing priorities. It can sometimes feel as though the list of things outside our control continues to grow. During our Learning is Learning Symposium, Rhys Coulson offered a timely reminder that has stayed with me. "You are the author of the rhythm of your school. You dictate the rhythm and the weather of your school. These are... Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post170532 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/170531/learning-is-learning-three-conversations-worth-continuing--brendan-lee/ One of the highlights of the Learning is Learning Symposium was hearing from Brendan Lee, whose keynote challenged us to rethink one of the longest-running debates in education. ... Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post170531 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/167306/learning-is-learning-three-conversations-worth-continuing--dr-sarah-brown/ One of the things I value most about the Learning MATTERS community is that we never stop asking questions. Some of us have been exploring structured literacy, implementation science and the science of learning for many years. Others are just beginning that journey. Regardless of where we are, we all share the same purpose: improving outcomes for learners through evidence-informed practice. Our Learning is Learning Symposium was a wonderful opportunity to bring that community together.... Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:54:34 +1200 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post167306 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/164138/5-critical-levers-for-structured-literacy-success/ "Are we trying to do too much?" It is a question many school leaders and teachers are asking right now. Across Aotearoa, schools are working incredibly hard to strengthen literacy outcomes while also navigating significant curriculum and system change. In the middle of this, it can feel as though everything needs to be implemented at once. But sustainable change rarely works that way. Strong Structured Literacy implementation is not about doing everything, everywhere, all at ... Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 +1200 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post164138 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/163596/the-through-road-is-instruction-reflections-from-the-numicon-nz-conference-2026/ Before moving into literacy leadership and later school leadership, I spent ten years working in mathematics education as a Mathematics Advisor with the University of Waikato. So attending the recent Numicon NZ Conference held a particular significance for me. It was genuinely enjoyable to sit back in that space again, albeit briefly, and reconnect with a discipline that shaped much of my early professional life. This conference was less about new thinking for me, and more about t... Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:54:17 +1200 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post163596 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/163417/from-foundations-to-sustainability-the-journey-of-port-vila-international-school/ For the past three years, Learning MATTERS Head of Consultancy, Fiona Wilder, has partnered with Port Vila International School in Vanuatu, working both online and in person to strengthen evidence-based teaching and learning across the primary school.  Fiona has just returned from her latest visit.Serving a diverse community of learners across multiple cultures and languages, including a growing number of EAL students, the school has a clear goal: to build a consistent, high-impact approach... Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:02:42 +1200 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post163417 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/162101/coaching-the-lever-we-cannot-ignore/ Reflections from a recent Chit Chat with Daryl Michel, Fiona Wilder, and Carla McNeil... Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:43:37 +1300 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post162101 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/161224/learning-is-learning-what-it-really-takes-to-shift-the-dial-in-classrooms-schools-and-intervention/ As we enter our tenth year of Learning MATTERS, it is both exciting and grounding to look back and see how far we have come. A decade ago, much of our work was about developing awareness, translating the research into practice, building community, and advocating for an evidence-based system. Essentially, our work was centred on cultivating the literacy landscape. We were focused on challenging ineffective practices and helping schools reorient around structured literacy and explicit in... Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:02:34 +1300 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post161224 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/post/160421/three-lanes-on-the-teaching-highway-and-the-on-ramp-that-is-explicit-instruction/ Teaching is complex.At any given moment, teachers are managing content, lesson structure, and live instruction. At the same time, they are responding to students in real time and ensuring that delicate balance between too much and too little cognitive load. The challenge is not doing more, but doing specific things well, based on what we know about how learning actually happens,  without overwhelming working memory.... Fri, 13 Feb 2026 13:14:46 +1300 http://www.learningmatters.co.nz/blog/#post160421