NGĀ KŌRERO

An RTLB Perspective on Maslow, Neuroscience, and the Power of Curiosity. Connection before correction. In today’s unpredictable world, with rising costs and increasing hardship, the need for genuine human connection has never been greater. In an education lecture more than 30 years ago, I vividly remember seeing the children in Russian orphanages on a big screen. I will never forget those black, gaunt, hollow eyes. Why did they look like this? Their lives ran on a schedule of

Stress can be our worst enemy, at times. Especially, when we are asked to do some public speaking, which is one of the greatest human fears and stressors of all time! That bloody presentation! (Why did they even ask me?) The scenario goes like this- you have been asked to co-facilitate a presentation on neurodiversity by your RTLB Cluster Manager and RTLB Practice Leader. They are enthusiastic and believe that you can do an effective job, which is co-facilitating to a range o

Education is evolving rapidly, and with it comes the need for teaching methods that cater to all learners. An inclusive learning approach ensures that every student, regardless of their abilities or backgrounds, has equal access to quality education. This approach not only benefits students with diverse needs but also enriches the learning experience for everyone involved. The Importance of an Inclusive Learning Approach in Modern Classrooms Inclusive learning is about creati

We need to change the traditional narrative around the concept of resilience. Shanker, Showalter and Hopkins (2025) rightly argue that it is a state, not a trait. That is, the foundation of resilience is a physiological state within our nervous system and it is sourced deep in our brain (Shanker et al., 2025). I would further argue that a paradigm shift in educational (and parental) thinking and approach towards resilience, is required. This is the central argument of this bl

I have never been a great fan of the scarf. This personal dislike goes back to the early 1980s, when my nana had good intentions of knitting me a scarf, with those bold, bright colours in the pattern. She knitted all seven grandchildren one, including a jersey each. They were knitted in chronological order of age. I was third in line-my brother first, then my female cousin. My jersey was very David Bain-like, I must say. You get the picture? Knitting was the thing to do and m

My ADHD diagnosis was the most useful label I ever received. I was staring down the barrel of middle age, and suddenly my entire life was put into a fresh perspective. The challenge with deadlines, perpetual overwhelm, the dance between what I now know to be hyperfocus and paralysis. It reframed decades of internalised narratives. As a child, I had grown accustomed to different labels: lazy , unmotivated , not applying herself . Over time, those words stop feeling like someon

I don’t know about you, but this year started at a ‘run’ and shows no sign of slowing down! As RTLB we are trying to come to grips with new Operating Standards and Procedures as well as supporting our teachers to implement not one, BUT two new curriculums. RTLB navigating the contract changes to only accept cases from Year 2 as well! With the additional weather that the gods have decided to throw our way over ‘summer’ in Aotearoa! Our resilience is certainly being tested. Ne

Aotearoa RTLB have been privileged to have Kathryn Wright, PhD candidate in rural mental health and community connection and accredited counsellor, to outline some of her findings from her recent PhD research. Kathryn's PhD explores how wellbeing, purpose, and social connection are shaped in small rural communities, through a mix of personal resilience, informal support networks, and the everyday realities of rural life. It examines the pressures created by distance, time sca

# The Importance of Partnership in RTLB Practice ## Understanding the Concept of Partnership If you had said to me at work, five to ten years ago, “Do you want to partner up?” I would have taken a step back, blushed, and left wondering whether you wanted my company outside of work! I would have worried and gone home to my wife, saying something like: I need to tell you something, dear. I think I got propositioned at work today. Just letting you know. This is what happened...

Usually, I don’t write a Shitty First Draft (SFD). When things get tough, I usually just try and think things through, not write anything...

“Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua.” Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who...

We have trialed a different way of working to support secondary schools — one that’s collaborative, sustainable, and grounded in the...

I don’t know about you, but I am a ‘list maker’ and I feel most productive when most, if not all things on that list get crossed off....

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini My strength is not that of a single warrior, but that of many This whakataukī...

" Am I Māori Enough? A Journey of Whakapapa and Identity " Understanding Whakapapa “Hey babe, are you going to wear your new taonga to te...

We all have a story of how we ‘stumbled’ into the RTLB world. At the beginning of this century, when I started teaching in a Secondary...

In the world of wellbeing and trauma-informed practice, calm is a word we hear often. It’s a destination in many classrooms and a goal...

The concept of evolving my own professional identity is something I candidly wrote about in one of my previous blogs . RTLB and other...

In every interaction—whether we're leading a team meeting, teaching a class, or navigating a tough conversation—we're constantly sending...

We were privileged to attend a conference with Shelley Moore in Christchurch last week—what an incredible opportunity! Shelley was warm,...