Background
Tararua College, Pahiatua, is a decile 4 school with approximately 428 pupils. Food Technology teacher Diana Eagle taught Home Economics at Tararua College for three years, returning in 1996 after time at home raising her young children. Having moved from Home Economics to Design Technology in 1999, she made the transition to Food Technology with the introduction of the new curriculum in 2002.
That same year, Diana made contact with food technologist Carol Pound and worked with her on a trial unit. Their working relationship has continued. Carol helped Diana develop her Year 11 Tararua Chocolates unit, and in 2007 they developed a Food Technology Toolbox, a document to support teachers in their planning, and aimed at providing a progression of Food Technology knowledge and skills from Years 7-13.
'Chunky Choc' student work board
(click to jump to gallery page)
Geoff Craig started his career as a welder, moving to education when he trained as a teacher in 1987. Although his main focus has been Technology, he has taught a range of subjects over the years. Geoff came to Tararua College in 2000.
The Technology department is located in a purpose-built suite, but there was no history of collaboration between the Food, ICT, Materials, Graphics and Electronics programmes.
Diana was unhappy with the fact that the Year 9 Technology programme was being taught in isolated technological areas, and that time constraints limited her to focussing on ensuring students acquired the basic cooking skills they needed. "Although students did work on aspects such as planning and brief development, it ended up being a more glorified Home Economics. Technology needed to be integrated more fully into the course, and highlight progression into Year 10."
