PB Tech Education supported the Cook Islands 2022 Teacher Summit at Te Uki Ou School in Rarotonga. The summit was a two-day event from October 10 to October 11, 2022, providing a professional learning experience for New Zealand and Cook Islands teachers.
Hosted by Manaiakalani Education Trust and Cook Islands Tourism, the summit held teacher workshops focusing on technology innovation in the classroom, effective teaching practices and cultural capability.
On behalf of the rest of the Manaiakalani team, Programme Lead Dorothy Burt said they received overwhelmingly positive feedback from teachers with support for another summit next year.
Burt shared a comment she received from one of the teachers, “I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the other teachers who shared their experiences, challenges and how they addressed them.”
The teachers travelled to Gallery Tavioni and Vananga, a space for creativity and culture.
Gallery Tavioni and Vananga is a cultural arts centre, education facility, and hub for artists, family and friends to come together.
Burt said this summit is a wonderful opportunity for teachers to connect and learn from each other with a common purpose of providing students with the best education.
"We discovered we have so much in common, and we also had a lot to learn from each other."
Teachers rotated between different cultural experiences, which included learning to play the traditional Cook Islands Ukerere.
Teachers also learnt how to weave, using material from pandanus plants or rito (the young fronds of coconut palms), to make mats, baskets, and hats.
PB Tech has been working closely with educators and Manaiakalani by supporting low-decile schools to increase digital inclusion and literacy in New Zealand.
PB Tech Education believes that giving students access to technology is an equaliser that can have a significant flow-on effects on the rest of their lives and their families. This is especially true for those in underprivileged communities. That’s why we focus on initiatives that provide students with access to technology and support Maori and Pasifika communities and businesses.