The best evidence syntheses (BESs) bring together research evidence about ‘what works’ for diverse (all) learners in education. Recent BESs each include a number of cases that describe actual examples of professional practice and then analyse the findings. These cases support educators to grasp the big ideas behind effective practice at the same time as they provide vivid insight into their application.
The New Zealand Curriculum identifies the Treaty of Waitangi principle as one of the “foundations of curriculum decision making”. But research, national monitoring, and a recent Education Review Office Report show teaching about the Treaty to be a nation-wide weakness in English-medium schools. This case, situated in an intermediate school, describes the use of drama to strengthen teaching and learning about the Treaty.
The source BES also highlights the Ngā Tauaromahi Marautanga o Aotearoa tikanga ā iwi exemplar, He Hui Raupatu, which describes how the members of a class attended a Treaty of Waitangi claim hearing so that their learning would be informed by direct experience and a structured inquiry process.