A strong science future for Motueka South School

A Motueka teacher’s life-long environmental passion is about to be supercharged, through a six-month immersion in an esteemed national study programme.

Deanna Ferguson, who teaches Year 2 and 3 students at Motueka South School, is delighted to be one of 15 teachers nationally to be accepted into the prestigious Science Teaching Leadership Programme, beginning in late January 2025.

The course’s first six months will see her working with a local science organisation, as well as attending leadership courses, professional learning days and wānanga around the country.

Deanna, who has taught at MSS for 15 years, will return to her teaching duties in term three, but she will also be working to develop the school’s science programme. She will use all that she has learned during her study leave, and will have continued support from the programme’s tutors for a further 12 to 18 months.

After the programme has ended, the plan is to have a well-imbedded science curriculum that endures into the future.

The programme is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and managed by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Although she is eagerly awaiting the first teachings of the course, Deanna’s application was based on her drive to use local areas like the Motueka estuary and Te Maatu/Thorps Bush in the science curriculum.

Logically, she reckons, it just makes sense. The school has easy access to these areas, and they are meaningful to the students.

She wants to shape their sense of kaitiakitanga/ guardianship and “develop their sense of understanding and care” of the world around them, she says.

“It’s something that I’ve been passionate about for a long time.”

In 2017 she facilitated a citizen science project with her class that led to a year-long student-led inquiry into soft plastic reduction and recycling, the process of which was published in the School Journal. She says the children were really engaged with this, taking the learning home to their whanau and out into the wider community.

The opportunity is timely, with all schools compelled to develop a localised curriculum, and MSS students are already engaged through other environment-themed projects at the school.

The school has recently re-introduced an environment group, and Deanna says that they are thrilled that about 30 students have signed up already.

“That’s also really sparked the kids’ interest – they want to make a difference.”

Principal Paul Shand calls this an “exciting opportunity for both Deanna and our kura”.

“While it will take time to implement sustainable change to our science curriculum, this will allow important steps in the right direction for learning and for our local environment. Many thanks to the Board for their support of Deanna's application and also to our students for their drive to make a difference in the world.”

Deanna has had the support of Eric Buenz, an MSS parent who is also Research Professor of Applied Industries at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. Eric acted as her referee and gave her constructive feedback on her application, and Deanna spoke of his enthusiasm and encouragement.

“This kind of opportunity doesn't come about without support from others, particularly Eric, Paul and the MSS Board, and I am extremely grateful to all of them.”