Element C: Professional learning with purpose

Support teachers to reflect on how practice affects outcomes, using the Standards to guide learning and professional growth.

Element C of the teachers’ professional growth cycle asks that:

Every teacher will engage in professional learning using the Standards or Paerewa to advance their understanding of the relationship between their professional practice and outcomes for learners.

Our next Rauhuia Symposia explores the considerations leaders need to take into account when deciding what they will prioritise and resource in terms of Professional learning. We will also look at how the Standards can be used to support teachers to understand the relationship between professional practice and outcomes for learners.

Our presenters are:

Dr Therese Ford

Dr Therese Ford has a background in classroom teaching and senior leadership in primary and secondary English-medium schools. For the past 15 years, she has worked as a researcher and professional learning development facilitator, specialising in educational leadership. Therese currently works for Te Akatea Māori Principals and Leaders Incorporated. She is the National Director of Huia Kaimanawa - the Beginning Māori Principals and Māori Emerging Leaders Programmes.

Polly Thin-Rabb

Polly Thin-Rabb is passionate about educational leadership, currently serving as Deputy Principal at Te Puke High School. Until recently, she also served as the Lead Principal for the Kāhui Ako o Te Puke. She champions culturally responsive and relational pedagogy alongside transformative leadership. Throughout her ten-year career at Te Puke, she has focused on strengthening professional learning to grow kaiako pedagogical capability. She has also fostered student agency and identity by driving initiatives such as Kia Tū Rangatira Ai Mō Āpōpō (Māori Leaders of Tomorrow) and the school’s vibrant cultural scene to ensure every student feels a genuine sense of belonging.

With a Master of Educational Leadership from the University of Waikato, Polly’s work is deeply rooted in research. Her thesis, "Listening to the Winds of Change," focused on measuring changes in the educational experiences of Māori learners following deliberate professional learning interventions aimed at addressing educational inequities. Before her time at Te Puke, Polly spent many years as a professional learning facilitator for programs such as Te Kotahitanga and Kia Eke Panuku. She also served as a National Assessment Facilitator and Panel Leader for NZQA. As an active member of the New Zealand arts community, Polly founded the Fresh Moves Dance Festival in 2001, which continues to provide a creative platform for young performers in the Bay of Plenty. Her career has been dedicated to improving equity and inclusion, empowering ākonga, kaiako, and leaders to thrive within culturally responsive environments that prioritise both academic excellence and holistic wellbeing.