“Te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere. Te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao.
The bird who feasts upon the miro, resides only in the forest. The bird who feasts upon education, resides in the world.”
The Blind and Low Vision Education Network NZ (BLENNZ) is a school that is made up of a national network of educational services for children and young people who are blind, deafblind or have low vision in New Zealand.
Vision
Every BLENNZ learner is well prepared to achieve in life.
- Older student mentoring a younger student with a Braille display
Mission
To enable learners who are blind, deafblind or have low vision to reach their full potential, BLENNZ provides quality education and specialist teaching services in partnership with whānau, educators and the wider community.
Beliefs
The following beliefs underpin the BLENNZ approach to learning and teaching:
- Parents and whānau are the prime educators in their child’s learning
- Education is focused on the learner within the context of whānau, community and culture
- Learning occurs through active engagement in meaningful environments
- Ākonga have unique needs requiring specialist learning and teaching approaches
- Ākonga have the right to equitable access to education
- Ākonga have a right to belong and to realize their potential as participating and contributing members of society
- Team collaboration promotes positive outcomes for ākonga
Values
The services and programmes of BLENNZ are aligned to support the principles and intent of government priorities, goals and strategies for education; the aims of the Disability Strategy for an inclusive society and the removal of barriers; and the principles of best practice in blindness education.
BLENNZ whānau includes ākonga, their whānau, educators and the wider community.
Whanaungatanga
At BLENNZ we demonstrate whanaungatanga through valuing people by building relationships with whānau, prioritising time to get to know them and establish connections.
Manaakitanga
At BLENNZ we elevate the mana by showing respect for their emotional, spiritual, cultural, physical and mental wellbeing in the way we welcome, nurture and nourish them.
Awhinatanga
At BLENNZ we demonstrate awhinatanga through the spirit in which we engage and empathise with each other by assisting the learning of ākonga and whānau.
Kotahitanga
At BLENNZ we demonstrate kotahitanga through striving to reach consensus and unity of purpose, while acknowledging and respecting individual differences and perspectives.
Ako
At BLENNZ we demonstrate ako through creating opportunities where we can learn from each other, recognising that everybody brings knowledge and that ākonga and whānau are intertwined.
