Sarah
Te One

Accredited Facilitator (English-medium), Senior Researcher

Sarah Te One

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy – Victoria University of Wellington
Master of Education (Distinction) – Victoria University of Wellington
NZ Free Kindergarten Union Diploma
Diploma of Teaching (ECE) – Wellington Teachers College
Bachelor of Arts (Education and Classics) – Victoria University of Wellington

Professional experience

Sarah is a highly respected facilitator especially in the early years sector. She brings her experience as a researcher on local and national projects to her work at CORE. Her recent research focus has been on student agency, wellbeing and learning, and on transitions to school underpinned by an abiding commitment to equity and social justice issues.

As well, Sarah is a sought-after keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on children’s rights. Her experiences are broader than just the early years, and she works across the social services sector to advocate for children’s wellbeing.

Expertise

  • Researcher
  • Workshop designer
  • Facilitator
  • Writer
  • Project leader

Current projects

  • Research Advisor:
    • Rātā Foundation and CORE: Supporting pathways for lifelong learning for Pacific families and fanau
    • Supported trial of Kōwhiti Whakapae. Practice and progress tools.
  • Co-lead for Supporting giftedness in the Early Years (an MOE project).
  • Te Whāriki online – content developer, various topics including Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories; Physical health and wellbeing; Tapasā and Te Whāriki
  • Equity conversations
  • Research lead: eFellows (2019 to present)
  • Mobilising research about transitions to school.

Previous projects (selected)

  • TLIF: The RIPPLE Effect (2018 - 2019) Student agency, wellbeing and learning. He kakano ahau i ruia mai i Rangiatea. This TLIF research investigated how students (Y0/1 - Y13) navigated their rights to wellbeing at school across primary, intermediate and secondary settings
  • Rātā Foundation (2018 - 2020): He hautū i te awa whiria o ako. Supporting pathways for lifelong learning in English-medium schools. Focused on new entrant kaiako, this research supported them to be courageous, innovative and creative in their approaches to transitions between early years and school settings.

Professional body membership

OMEP
Steering Committee, Child Rights Alliance Aotearoa NZ.

Publications (selected)

2021 with T. McAllister and S. Whiting. Te hautū i te awa whiria o ako. Supporting pathways to lifelong learning in English-medium schools. Research and resources by CORE Education in partnership with the Rātā Foundation.
2021 with M. Martin, L. Beattie, L. Sula, and K. Campbell. Student agency, wellbeing and learning. He kakano ahau i ruia mai i Rangiatea. Wellington, Ministry of Education. Available on request from the authors.
2019 with M. Welsh Sauni. “I have a new taiaha”: Learning new ways to advocate for the rights of mokopuna Māori. In F. Farini & A. Scollan (Eds). Childhood in the mirror. The reflexive construction of children self-determination in discourses, policies and practices. Springer.
2017 with J. Cox, G. Frater, N. Kirkwood, J. Pennington and S. Robinson. It’s a big deal for all of us. Supporting transitions from early childhood education services to school. Wellington: Ministry of Education
2017 with C. Dalli, and A. Pairman, "Involving children in educational research: Researcher reflections on challenges". In P. Garnier & S. Rayner (Eds) Recerches avec les jeunes enfants. Perspectives internationals (135 – 155). Bruxelles: P.I.E. Peter Lang
2016 with N. Taylor. Children’s rights in Aotearoa New Zealand. C. Dalli & A. Meade (Eds.). "Research, Policy and Advocacy in the Early Years". (pp. 48-58) Wellington: NZCER Press.

Conference presentations (selected)

2021 with Megan Martin, “Student agency, wellbeing and learning”. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Conference. Gold Coast, Australia: (online)
2021 with Tracey McAllister and Sarah Whiting, “Flipping the script about starting school”, uLearn21 (online)
2021 with Megan Martin, “Student agency, wellbeing and learning” uLearn21 (online)
2020 with Tracey McAllister and Sarah Whiting. “The sparkle in the child’s eye must be kept alight”, Wellbeing in Education NZ; Christchurch
2020 “See what I think about starting school”, uLearn20 (online)
2020 with Sarah Whiting, “Meaningful relationships that matter. Empowering kaiako to be creative, innovative thought leaders”. Ed Personnel: (Online)
2019 with Megan Martin and Liz Beattie: Student agency, wellbeing and learning. He kakano ahau i ruia mai i Rangiatea. The Positive Education Conference (PENZ19), Christ’s College, Christchurch
2019 with Liz Beattie and Megan Martin. Hear what I say: Embedding a rights-based wellbeing culture, uLearn 2019 Rotorua

Personal statement

My strengths are to bring research and policy into the reality of practice for kaiako. I have the ability to work across the children’s sector, in early years services, schools and communities, using a child rights framework. As an experienced researcher, I understand how the inquiry models can work to support innovation and changes to teacher practice in ways that make positive differences for children and whānau.