After 18 months of research and development, SPCA has launched an exciting new education programme for schools:
- Teachers’ Portal teachers.spcaeducation.org.nz
- SPCA Kids Education kids.spcaeducation.org.nz
Teachers’ Portal
Teachers are invited to register for free and unlimited access to SPCA’s extensive collection of innovative New Zealand Curriculum aligned animal welfare resources.
“As a registered user you will have full access to SPCA’s online Teachers’ Portal,” said Nicole Peddie, Education Manager, SPCA Auckland. “This exciting suite of comprehensive and ready-to-use unit plans and teaching resources will save you hours or even days of planning and preparation time. Each unit provides you with everything you need – lesson plans, suggested learning experiences, printable and digital materials, and assessment templates covering an array of NZ Curriculum achievement objectives!”
SPCA Kids Education
This is an interactive learning tool and developed to support, extend and consolidate students’ learning about animal welfare, responsible pet ownership and the work of SPCA. It’s packed with resources for teaching animal welfare that are designed specifically for Years 1 to 8 and completely aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum.
Real life meaningful contexts
“SPCA is very conscious of teachers’ workloads, so we have ensured our innovative education programme is not ‘another thing’ for you to try and fit into the school day.
“Our resources have been designed to fit in with schools and support you with your planning and curriculum delivery. They provide teachers and learners with real-life, meaningful contexts to explore learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum through engaging values-orientated, inquiry-based projects.”
Learning materials
The site is packed with information, advice and activities, including videos, quizzes, and the opportunity for children to share artwork, photos, and stories. It’s divided into sections:
- Animal Care
- Pet Ownership
- About SPCA
- Get Involved
- Share
There’s also content specifically for teachers and parents.
Consultation and evaluation
“To ensure the programme is both evidence based and effective, several external parties and multiple resources have been involved throughout its development,” explained Nicole. “The programme is based on the findings from several studies in the field of animal welfare education and humane education.
“Curriculum consultant Mary Chamberlain provided both guidance and advice on the content. New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) were employed to formatively evaluate resources during both development and piloting phases. All of this aside, one of the most important factors about this programme is that it was written by teachers, for teachers.”
About the SPCA
SPCA New Zealand is a charity that helps protect animals who are sick, injured, lost, abused or abandoned. Every year, its 45 SPCA Centres across the country receive 60,000 animals through their doors and respond to 14,000 animal welfare complaints.
