Learning Story Exemplars
He tauira Kōrero Ako
On this page you will find Learning Stories from Aotearoa/New Zealand, and from all over the world. Some of these stories come from previous Celebrating Learning Stories conferences, others have been written and shared with ELP as part of teachers’s learning journeys. We hope that you can enjoy these stories, and find inspiration in writing your own!
Please also take a look at our ELP Learning Story Assessment Facebook Group. This group has been created by ELP as a place for teachers to share Learning Stories. Important: please remember to seek parental permission if the learning story has a photo or alternatively take out or blur the photo before uploading.
Browse through the stories below. To find a topic you are intersted in select from the options below on the right.
He mihi Ōtanewainuku. Shared by Tanya Johnson
On our Forest/Farm Adventures, we get to go to places that are unique and very special to tangata whenua. These places resonate with us as tangata triti too - the partners of The Treaty of Waitangi. I had been...
Ka tūhurahura ahau ki a Hine-Uku-Rangi kia tau te mauri i roto nei. Shared by Molly Northcott
Enthralled in the beauty of the uku, Daniel finds his creative flow. With his mauri balanced and in a state thatebbs and flows between 'oho', 'tau', and 'ora' learning is limitless and there are endless possibilities.
...“Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei”. Shared by Molly Northcott
"Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei"
Pursue that which is precious and do not be deterred by anything less than a lofty mountain.
Te kaitiaki i Te Reo Māori. Shared by Catalina Thompson
As kaiako Te Tiriti writing learning stories for tamariki Māori, we can sometimes feel out of our depths and perhaps uncertain about robust ways of celebrating learning success through a Kaupapa Māori lens. This is a challenge I often recognise...
A rainbow tunnel and mahi tahi feeds Ruby’s mauri tau. Shared by Tanya Johnson
Magic unfolded as Ruby and Dellow stayed completely absorbed in their play for such a long time. The construction grew each time I looked, as train tracks and the rainbow were shifted around to trial new ideas. This was...
Thea’s balanced mauri ora leads her explorations. Shared by Tanya Johnson
Here is one of our teina, deeply immersed in the flow of learning. Mana aotūroa and mana atua are flourishing as she has the freedom to explore in ways that are meaningful to her.
...Willow has tenacity. Shared by Tanya Johnson
Willow uses determination and tenacity to achieve her goal of climbing up a very tricky challenge. Her bravery has grown so much over the short time we have known her!
...Zara cloaks her community in aroha and manaaki. Shared by Molly Northcott
A two-part Learning Story. From the very beginning, Zara has been wrapped in the pōkeka of her whānau embrace and enveloped in a cloak of aroha, and empathy. This pōkeka has been carefully woven to take the shape of her...
Sand, water and mahi tahi are winners. Shared by Tanya Johnson
I wrote this learning story to celebrate the way these boys managed their play, and how a balanced mauri is growing their ability to learn. Mahi tahi is magical to witness for all that it enables. These boys spend hours...
Mauri Tu, Mauri Ora An active soul is a healthy soul. Shared by Catalina Thompson
I often think of learning stories as incredible avenue for weaving together different voices to create an intricate and deeply connected image of the child. Lived experiences that occur across times and spaces are brought to life inside thoughtfully written...
Rainbow mountains sustain Juno’s taha wairua. Shared by Tanya Johnson
One of the things that I love about Te Whāriki, is the recognition of mokopuna as holistic, spiritual beings. It is hard to capture with words just how deeply a moment can make an impression on me, as a kaiako....
He Mauri tangata The child as an energetic life force. Shared by Molly Northcott
"Just like Maui mohoi, who was resourceful, resilient, and determined when he took on the challenge of slowing the sun, Arlo you took on the challenge of riding a bike knowing that this goal could be conquered in the same...