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.
Henry conquers the fort. By Kelly Goodsir
Every day children show us their heart and courage as they navigate difficulty, persist with challenges and face the unknown in their learning about life. Through their words, creations, actions and play behaviours children’s stories of courage unfold before us.
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When courage shows up. By Kelly Goodsir
Courage recognises children’s persistence in a challenge, creative problem solving and the power of standing up and out on issues that concern them.
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Cale loves mud! By Julie Killick
These two stories, written about Cale, show how these questions can be documented through learning stories.
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Finding a happy place. By Mihaela Enache
Culture, language and identity are key concepts in Te Whāriki- the early childhood sociocultural curriculum. In an increasingly globalised world, how do teachers honour children’s individualities, their identities, languages and cultures? One answer to this complex question is through the...
Kelly’s respectful korero. By Harriet O’Sullivan
Kaiako Story: Just as Learning Stories are a way of valuing and celebrating the work of our tamariki we can use teaching stories as leaders and colleagues to champion, celebrate and value the work of other kaiako.
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A map of thoughts. By Catalina Thompson
These days, spent with nature, nurture the process of wondering, asking questions, where children and teachers invest all their senses to gather information. Nothing is black and white, there is no definite answer (yet!) but the all consuming desire to...
Tractors! Tuna Rau Take. By Gill Wright
Beau yesterday your mum came to pick you up from Kindy in a big storm, it had been so windy a tree had fallen over on your drive way. The...
The butterfly tree. By Tara O’Neill
I saw a very caring part of your personality today Tamati. Together we noticed a tree full of butterflies and went to try and find where they were coming from.
The Kingfisher – Kotāre. By Rachel Ryan
“There’s no way that we can help children to learn to love and preserve this planet if we don’t give them direct experiences with the miracles and blessings of nature”...
Exploring the Kura. By Michelle McIntosh
Kaiako can support you to develop a connection with and knowledge of the physical and spiritual features significant to the local community through hīko and waiata.