title: Tribute to John Thomson

authors: Lodge, Martin

abstract: THE MOTIVE OF HISTORY is at bottom poetic." Those significant words of Trevelyan were used by John Thomson to introduce a speech acknowledging his receipt of the Composers Association of New Zealand Citation for Services to New Zealand Music in February 1988. And there is poetry in all John's writings; poetry in the finesse of their polished presentation as well as in their psychological origins. Until the end of his life, John declined to be called a musicologist, preferring instead the term music historian. He considered history writing to be a noble profession. As an historian of New Zealand music, his avowed aim was to create a "sense of community, not only with the present but also with the past" and thereby "satisfy a craving we all have for a valid, dynamic history." In the end he achieved that goal, but it cost him many years of labour, not to mention incidents of thanklessness and hurtful controversy. It is too soon, yet, to gauge exactly the full measure of John's musical history making contribution to this country, but I feel sure time will reveal it to be substantially greater than most musicians here are currently aware of. He succeeded in laying the foundation stones of our music history, uncovering artistic vitality and continuity where previously there had been vagueness or ignorance.

text: Tribute to John Thomson THE MOTIVE OF HISTORY is at bottom poetic." Those significant words of Trevelyan were used by John Thomson to introduce a speech acknowledging his receipt of the Composers Association of New Zealand Citation for Services to New Zealand Music in February 1988. And there is poetry in all John's writings; poetry in the finesse of their polished presentation as well as in their psychological origins. Until the end of his life, John declined to be called a musicologist, preferring instead the term music historian. He considered history writing to be a noble profession. As an historian of New Zealand music, his avowed aim was to create a "sense of community, not only with the present but also with the past" and thereby "satisfy a craving we all have for a valid, dynamic history." In the end he achieved that goal, but it cost him many years of labour, not to mention incidents of thanklessness and hurtful controversy. It is too soon, yet, to gauge exactly the full measure of John's musical history making contribution to this country, but I feel sure time will reveal it to be substantially greater than most musicians here are currently aware of. He succeeded in laying the foundation stones of our music history, uncovering artistic vitality and continuity where previously there had been vagueness or ignorance.

year: 2003

title: Forging school–scientist partnerships: A case of easier said than done?

authors: Falloon, Garry

subjects: Collaboration

abstract: Since the early 1980s, a number of initiatives have been undertaken worldwide which have involved scientists and teachers working together in projects designed to support the science learning of students. Many of these have attempted to establish school-scientist partnerships. In these, scientists, teachers, and students formed teams engaged in mutually beneficial science-based activities founded on principles such as equal recognition and input, and shared vision, responsibility and risk. This article uses two partnership programmes run by a New Zealand Science Research Institute, to illustrate the challenges faced by scientists and teachers as they attempted to forge meaningful and effective partnerships. It argues that achieving the theorised position of a shared partnership space at the intersection of the worlds of scientists and teachers is problematic, and that scientists must instead be prepared to penetrate deeply into the world of the classroom when undertaking any such interactions. Findings indicate epistemological differences, curriculum and school systems and issues, and teacher efficacy and science knowledge significantly affect the process of partnership formation. Furthermore, it is argued that a re-thinking of partnerships is needed to reflect present economic and education environments, which are very different to those in which they were originally conceived nearly 30 years ago. It suggests that technology has an important role to play in future partnership interactions.

text: Forging school–scientist partnerships: A case of easier said than done? Since the early 1980s, a number of initiatives have been undertaken worldwide which have involved scientists and teachers working together in projects designed to support the science learning of students. Many of these have attempted to establish school-scientist partnerships. In these, scientists, teachers, and students formed teams engaged in mutually beneficial science-based activities founded on principles such as equal recognition and input, and shared vision, responsibility and risk. This article uses two partnership programmes run by a New Zealand Science Research Institute, to illustrate the challenges faced by scientists and teachers as they attempted to forge meaningful and effective partnerships. It argues that achieving the theorised position of a shared partnership space at the intersection of the worlds of scientists and teachers is problematic, and that scientists must instead be prepared to penetrate deeply into the world of the classroom when undertaking any such interactions. Findings indicate epistemological differences, curriculum and school systems and issues, and teacher efficacy and science knowledge significantly affect the process of partnership formation. Furthermore, it is argued that a re-thinking of partnerships is needed to reflect present economic and education environments, which are very different to those in which they were originally conceived nearly 30 years ago. It suggests that technology has an important role to play in future partnership interactions.

year: 2013

title: Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: ‘I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past’

authors: Rameka, Lesley Kay

subjects: Māori

abstract: This whakataukī or ‘proverb’ speaks to Māori perspectives of time, where the past, the present and the future are viewed as intertwined, and life as a continuous cosmic process. Within this continuous cosmic movement, time has no restrictions – it is both past and present. The past is central to and shapes both present and future identity. From this perspective, the individual carries their past into the future. The strength of carrying one’s past into the future is that ancestors are ever present, existing both within the spiritual realm and in the physical, alongside the living as well as within the living. This article explores Māori perspectives of the past and the models and inspiration they offer. In this way, it provides a critique of the practices in early childhood education, highlighting the importance of cultural concepts and practices, and discusses implications for both teaching and academic practice.

text: Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: ‘I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past’ This whakataukī or ‘proverb’ speaks to Māori perspectives of time, where the past, the present and the future are viewed as intertwined, and life as a continuous cosmic process. Within this continuous cosmic movement, time has no restrictions – it is both past and present. The past is central to and shapes both present and future identity. From this perspective, the individual carries their past into the future. The strength of carrying one’s past into the future is that ancestors are ever present, existing both within the spiritual realm and in the physical, alongside the living as well as within the living. This article explores Māori perspectives of the past and the models and inspiration they offer. In this way, it provides a critique of the practices in early childhood education, highlighting the importance of cultural concepts and practices, and discusses implications for both teaching and academic practice.

year: 2017