title: Can we call ourselves a Restorative School yet? Report on an Innovations Project in Restorative Practices

authors: Kaveney, Kathleen Mary

subjects: Restorative Practices

abstract: This report will discuss the impact of an Innovative Restorative Practices professional development of three years, 2009-2011, introduced to a mid-decile, urban, multi-cultural, New Zealand secondary school.

There are a number of reasons that a school might choose to commit to a restorative model and at the heart of this professional development (PD) was a belief that implementing Restorative Practices (RP) would have a positive impact on the well-being of teachers and students. In 2008 the school successfully won funding for a three year professional development and the project began in 2009. One of the challenges of Restorative Practices is the adaptation of the practices so that they can be utilised on a daily basis by teachers to deal with issues that arise each day, that impact both teaching and learning. The school developed a model of classroom meetings and taught teachers to use a discursive process of inquiry. This process and these skills were used to challenge poor learning behaviours by students and difficulties in relational dynamics in classrooms.

This report analyses data that is collected as a matter of course by the school to consider whether or not the introduction and implementation of Restorative Practices has had an impact. It discusses evidence that this adaptation of RP for daily use has made any difference to the school and explores the implementation of Restorative Practices by considering various data: stand down, suspensions and exclusions, referrals from class and the student management records that record student behaviour. It also explores the self reported impact of the professional development on participants.

The data show decreased involvement of Senior Leaders in various behaviour situations and increased contribution from the deans, form teachers and classroom teachers in the management of student behaviour. This suggests that teachers/staff are more able to de-escalate behaviour situations and that behaviour management is better aligned with staff roles and/ or expectations. Feedback from participant teachers suggest that learning the new skills and the regular discussion meetings have positively impacted their classroom management and their mental well being.

The teachers’ self-reported sense of competency in using the skills and processes introduced/ taught to participants is analysed and it is apparent that some of the skills are more readily utilised than others. It appears that the use of a discursive process, and the regular opportunity to discuss issues of learning and teaching, have provided teachers with an opportunity to better understand both themselves and their students, enhancing their professional identity. Restorative practices at this school have been utilised in both a proactive and reactive way. It seems that the practices have much potential as an everyday tool, rather than just a reactive device. This report sought to answer the question “Is the school able to call itself restorative yet?” but argues that perhaps the concern should be “Are we restorative enough?”

text: Can we call ourselves a Restorative School yet? Report on an Innovations Project in Restorative Practices This report will discuss the impact of an Innovative Restorative Practices professional development of three years, 2009-2011, introduced to a mid-decile, urban, multi-cultural, New Zealand secondary school.

There are a number of reasons that a school might choose to commit to a restorative model and at the heart of this professional development (PD) was a belief that implementing Restorative Practices (RP) would have a positive impact on the well-being of teachers and students. In 2008 the school successfully won funding for a three year professional development and the project began in 2009. One of the challenges of Restorative Practices is the adaptation of the practices so that they can be utilised on a daily basis by teachers to deal with issues that arise each day, that impact both teaching and learning. The school developed a model of classroom meetings and taught teachers to use a discursive process of inquiry. This process and these skills were used to challenge poor learning behaviours by students and difficulties in relational dynamics in classrooms.

This report analyses data that is collected as a matter of course by the school to consider whether or not the introduction and implementation of Restorative Practices has had an impact. It discusses evidence that this adaptation of RP for daily use has made any difference to the school and explores the implementation of Restorative Practices by considering various data: stand down, suspensions and exclusions, referrals from class and the student management records that record student behaviour. It also explores the self reported impact of the professional development on participants.

The data show decreased involvement of Senior Leaders in various behaviour situations and increased contribution from the deans, form teachers and classroom teachers in the management of student behaviour. This suggests that teachers/staff are more able to de-escalate behaviour situations and that behaviour management is better aligned with staff roles and/ or expectations. Feedback from participant teachers suggest that learning the new skills and the regular discussion meetings have positively impacted their classroom management and their mental well being.

The teachers’ self-reported sense of competency in using the skills and processes introduced/ taught to participants is analysed and it is apparent that some of the skills are more readily utilised than others. It appears that the use of a discursive process, and the regular opportunity to discuss issues of learning and teaching, have provided teachers with an opportunity to better understand both themselves and their students, enhancing their professional identity. Restorative practices at this school have been utilised in both a proactive and reactive way. It seems that the practices have much potential as an everyday tool, rather than just a reactive device. This report sought to answer the question “Is the school able to call itself restorative yet?” but argues that perhaps the concern should be “Are we restorative enough?”

year: 2012

title: Microbial abundance and diversity surrounding mummified seals in Miers Valley, Antarctica

authors: Robson, Lisa Marie

subjects: Dry Valleys

abstract: The presence of a number of mummified seal carcasses have been reported in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The location of seal carcasses were observed up to 240km in-land, and approximately 1500m above sea level. The extremely cold and dry conditions in the Dry Valleys act to mummify the seal remams, preserving these anomalies for an undetermined length of time.
Given the virtual absence of above ground plant biomass in the Dry Valleys, the primary source of soil organic matter sustaining microbial ecosystems was not obvious. It was hypothesised that these large sources of organic contamination, in the form of a seal carcass, may act to enrich the localised environment surrounding the carcasses with carbon and nitrogen. The increased levels of organic carbon and nitrogen would result in increased microbial abundance and diversity.
A total of 100 environmental samples were taken by Professors S.C. Cary, and D.A. Cowan, surrounding, and directly beneath eleven mummified seals located in Miers Valley, the Antarctic Dry Valleys, on Event D023 Terrestrial Microbiology Antarctic New Zealand 2001/2002. Three of these seals (MVSl, MVS3 and MVS 13) and the areas surrounding, were sampled extensively, and were the basis of research in this Master of Science thesis.
Microbial diversity was investigated using molecular cloning and sequence analysis, and Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, of 16S and 18S rDNA amplicons. A large diversity in bacterial populations present in the environmental samples taken from directly beneath the Miers Valley seal carcasses was observed in comparison to control samples of Miers Valley soils.
The levels of microbial abundance were determined by luciferase-dependent luminometric ATP analysis, and analysis of the total quantities of double stranded DNA extracted from the environmental samples. Microbial abundance was found to be increased in samples taken in closer proximity to a seal carcass.
Carbon and nitrogen analysis were conducted on all samples, using a fully automated Europa Scientific 20/20 isotope analyser. The level of carbon present in an environmental sample appeared not to influence the abundance of microorganisms. The levels of nitrogen measured were higher in environmental samples collected in close proximity to the seal carcasses. These samples displayed the greatest microbial abundance, and indicated large differences in the bacterial diversity compared to Miers Valley control samples.
On the basis of these results, and ATP data, the hypothesis of this MSc thesis was determined to be correct. Microbial abundance was found to increase with enrichment of nitrogen surrounding MVS 1 and MVS 13 seal carcasses, and large differences in bacterial diversity were found in environmental samples showing the highest levels of nitrogen enrichment, compared to samples taken further away from the seal, or in Miers Valley control samples.
This thesis effectively described the utilisation of cloning and sequence analysis, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to investigate microbial diversity in Antarctic environmental samples. This study gave a greater understanding in microbial ecology in Miers Valley, Antarctica.

text: Microbial abundance and diversity surrounding mummified seals in Miers Valley, Antarctica The presence of a number of mummified seal carcasses have been reported in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. The location of seal carcasses were observed up to 240km in-land, and approximately 1500m above sea level. The extremely cold and dry conditions in the Dry Valleys act to mummify the seal remams, preserving these anomalies for an undetermined length of time.
Given the virtual absence of above ground plant biomass in the Dry Valleys, the primary source of soil organic matter sustaining microbial ecosystems was not obvious. It was hypothesised that these large sources of organic contamination, in the form of a seal carcass, may act to enrich the localised environment surrounding the carcasses with carbon and nitrogen. The increased levels of organic carbon and nitrogen would result in increased microbial abundance and diversity.
A total of 100 environmental samples were taken by Professors S.C. Cary, and D.A. Cowan, surrounding, and directly beneath eleven mummified seals located in Miers Valley, the Antarctic Dry Valleys, on Event D023 Terrestrial Microbiology Antarctic New Zealand 2001/2002. Three of these seals (MVSl, MVS3 and MVS 13) and the areas surrounding, were sampled extensively, and were the basis of research in this Master of Science thesis.
Microbial diversity was investigated using molecular cloning and sequence analysis, and Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, of 16S and 18S rDNA amplicons. A large diversity in bacterial populations present in the environmental samples taken from directly beneath the Miers Valley seal carcasses was observed in comparison to control samples of Miers Valley soils.
The levels of microbial abundance were determined by luciferase-dependent luminometric ATP analysis, and analysis of the total quantities of double stranded DNA extracted from the environmental samples. Microbial abundance was found to be increased in samples taken in closer proximity to a seal carcass.
Carbon and nitrogen analysis were conducted on all samples, using a fully automated Europa Scientific 20/20 isotope analyser. The level of carbon present in an environmental sample appeared not to influence the abundance of microorganisms. The levels of nitrogen measured were higher in environmental samples collected in close proximity to the seal carcasses. These samples displayed the greatest microbial abundance, and indicated large differences in the bacterial diversity compared to Miers Valley control samples.
On the basis of these results, and ATP data, the hypothesis of this MSc thesis was determined to be correct. Microbial abundance was found to increase with enrichment of nitrogen surrounding MVS 1 and MVS 13 seal carcasses, and large differences in bacterial diversity were found in environmental samples showing the highest levels of nitrogen enrichment, compared to samples taken further away from the seal, or in Miers Valley control samples.
This thesis effectively described the utilisation of cloning and sequence analysis, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to investigate microbial diversity in Antarctic environmental samples. This study gave a greater understanding in microbial ecology in Miers Valley, Antarctica.

year: 2004

title: Romeo and Tusi: An eclectically musical Samoan/Māori Romeo and Juliet from Aotearoa/New Zealand

authors: Houlahan, Mark

subjects: Romeo and Tusi

abstract: Is there a distinctive New Zealand Shakespeare? What ‘new’ approaches to Shakespeare have originated from New Zealand? This article explores the issue by contextualising a version of Romeo and Juliet staged successfully throughout New Zealand in the late 1990s. The production is set against the background of the history of Shakespeare in New Zealand, which goes back to the arrival of Captain Cook on the Endeavour in 1769.

Pacific Underground's Romeo and Tusi sought a looser and more populist kind of Shakespeare performance. They used the conceit of rehearsing the play at high school, where a Māori Romeo and a Samoan Juliet cross community boundaries. Drawing on several music genres, and performing outdoors, they generated a Shakespeare that audiences from a diverse range of ethnic and cultural communities could enjoy.

text: Romeo and Tusi: An eclectically musical Samoan/Māori Romeo and Juliet from Aotearoa/New Zealand Is there a distinctive New Zealand Shakespeare? What ‘new’ approaches to Shakespeare have originated from New Zealand? This article explores the issue by contextualising a version of Romeo and Juliet staged successfully throughout New Zealand in the late 1990s. The production is set against the background of the history of Shakespeare in New Zealand, which goes back to the arrival of Captain Cook on the Endeavour in 1769.

Pacific Underground's Romeo and Tusi sought a looser and more populist kind of Shakespeare performance. They used the conceit of rehearsing the play at high school, where a Māori Romeo and a Samoan Juliet cross community boundaries. Drawing on several music genres, and performing outdoors, they generated a Shakespeare that audiences from a diverse range of ethnic and cultural communities could enjoy.

year: 2009