Westlake Girls High School is dedicated to collaborative, high-quality teaching and learning across its Kahui Ako (community of learning). Through the appointment of Within-School Leads (WSLs), teachers have engaged in action research to refine their teaching practices and improve student outcomes. Lizzi McCormack (teacher of Maths and Statistics) and Geetu Bhanot (Teacher of Science and Chemistry) presented their inquiry at the Action Learning Action Research global conference in Auckland in the last week of term 3.
Lizzi McCormack presented her research: Co-creating Numeracy Confidence and Resilience in Year 9 Wāhine. This inquiry began in 2024, sparked by growing concerns about mathematics achievement in New Zealand, alongside an increase in student anxiety and a decrease in student confidence in mathematics. We introduced targeted strategies in Terms 2 and 3, and the data was evaluated in Term 4. Following encouraging results, a second cycle of action research began in 2025, with strategies shaped by shifts in government direction, changes at the primary school level, and insights from the Singapore curriculum. We developed and implemented three evidence-based strategies: ‘basic facts fitness’, to build mastery and perseverance, reflective journals to strengthen metacognition and learning-to-learn skills, and peer teaching to encourage collaboration and ‘paying it forward.’ Recent feedback has shown that these targeted approaches have successfully increased student confidence and competence.
Geetu Bhanot shared her 2024–2025 Action Research on co-agency, focusing on shared power, collaboration, and student autonomy. During the reconnaissance phase, data from surveys, interviews, and observations was collected to capture both teacher and student perspectives. Teachers identified challenges such as time constraints, diverse learning needs, and inconsistent student participation. During the implementation phase, we employed Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) using Bybee’s 5E model, with a focus on promoting active participation, collaborative inquiry, and discovery-based learning.
Students reported increased engagement and independence, with 90% providing positive feedback. The findings highlighted the need for professional development, a hybrid model of teaching, and systemic support to sustain inclusive co-agency practices.