Reflections from Shelley Moore’s Conference – Inclusion in Action

We were privileged to attend a conference with Shelley Moore in Christchurch last week—what an incredible opportunity! Shelley was warm, funny, and genuinely excited to be in Aotearoa New Zealand.

During the conference, she spoke about the Guiding Conditions of Inclusion—principles that ensure all students are considered and supported. As she described them, we found ourselves reflecting: Do we actually do these things? Are they front-of-mind when we're planning and supporting our kura, whānau, and ākonga?

So, what are these conditions that Shelley Moore believes need to be in place to truly include all learners? And how well do we think we are meeting them?

Shelley Moore’s Guiding Conditions of Inclusion:

1. Presumed Competent and as Having Potential

2. Placed and Attending Inclusive Programmes

3. Proximity to and Participation with Peers

4. Purposeful Roles and Responsibilities

5. Planned for from the Start

    (Source: Shelley Moore - Five Moore Minutes)

   
   

Let’s unpack some of these and explore our practice:

Presuming Competence and Potential

Are we truly presuming competence—or just hoping for it? It made us think of The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. The engine repeats, “I think I can, I think I can.” But what if we shifted our thinking to, “I know they can”? That subtle difference signals belief rather than doubt. How often do we say this to ourselves or to others when planning for our ākonga?

Inclusive Programmes

What does an inclusive programme actually mean? Who gets to decide if a programme is inclusive? Is it simply about being physically present in a classroom, or is there more to it? Shelley raised a powerful distinction between existence and belonging. Reflecting on the classrooms we’ve been in—can we see belonging, or is it something we feel?

Relationships are at the heart of inclusion. When ākonga feel welcomed, valued, and understood, they’re more likely to believe they belong. But these are complex questions, and the answers aren’t always clear.

Proximity to and Participation with Peers

This idea sparked rich conversations with colleagues. Who counts as a peer? Is it based on age, gender, culture, or ability? The Oxford Dictionary defines a peer as “a person of the same age, status, or ability as another specified person.”

We talked about some of our local schools where students with ORS funding attend. Are those learners really in proximity to and participating with their peers? We had many thoughts—but no definitive answers. Perhaps the key lies in continuing to ask and explore.

Purposeful Roles and Responsibilities

Purpose matters. Everyone needs to feel that what they do has meaning. Even as we write these BLOGs, we often wonder: what’s the purpose behind them? We all have the responsibility to write them—but does that responsibility equate to purpose?

For our ākonga, we believe purpose is more important than responsibility. And it's our role to ensure that every learner can see their purpose and feel that their contributions matter.

Planned from the Start (Backwards Design)

Shelley talked about “Backwards Design”—planning with the goal in mind first, then creating multiple pathways to get there so that all ākonga can succeed. This is a rich area for further discussion, and perhaps a topic for another time.

We hope these reflections leave you with some thoughts and wonderings. Let’s keep saying: “I know they can. I know they can.”

Pai tū, Pai hinga, Nāwai rā, Ka oti

Good to Stand, Good to fall, Continue on and eventually, The work is complete.

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