At last, spring really feels as though it has arrived. We have a special offer for the final term of 2018. Click HERE for more information and the latest news for Term 4.

The Team from Bamzonia welcomes you back to the new school year 2015

We have some exciting plans for the new school year. In the next week or so we are upgrading to Bamzonia Version 2 with the following new and improved features.

1. A fresh new Home Page with more intuitive navigation
2. Clear instructions on how to use Bamzonia in the classroom
3. Updated ‘Summaries’ of each lesson
4. A much easier reporting system for teachers
5. A Troubleshooting page
6. FAQ’s page
7. Available on the IPad and Android devices (later this term)
8. Voiced lessons (later this term)

We would like to extend our thanks to BNZ who are continuing to contribute 50% of the site licenses for Decile 1-4 schools. This was extremely helpful last year and we are expecting a surge of additional registrations in these areas.

We are in the process of writing 4 new lessons specifically for years 12 and13. These will cover career choices particularly in business, commerce, and accounting.

Your students will be happy to know we are looking at unlocking another Mini Game later in the year. We are also extending to Australia with the launch of Bamzonia Australia by mid 2015.

For further information please contact ronel@bamzonia.co.nz or register at info@bamzonia.co.nz

All the best, and thanks to our schools that have joined Bamzonia over the last 18 months.

We would like to extend our thanks to BNZ who are continuing to contribute 50% of the site licenses for Decile 1-4 schools. This was extremely helpful last year and we are expecting a surge of additional registrations in these areas.

We are in the process of writing 4 new lessons specifically for years 12 and13. These will cover career choices particularly in business, commerce, and accounting.

Your students will be happy to know we are looking at unlocking another Mini Game later in the year. We are also extending to Australia with the launch of Bamzonia Australia by mid 2015.

For further information please contact ronel@bamzonia.co.nz or register at info@bamzonia.co.nz

All the best, and thanks to our schools that have joined Bamzonia over the last 18 months.

Who says bribery doesn’t pay?  Year 9 Financial Literacy students came out richer – both in pocket and mind – after participating in an interesting presentation about financial software.

Guest speaker, Ronel Schodt, caught the students interest straight away with the money shot: “Who can tell me what animal is on the New Zealand $1 coin.”  The student with the correct answer was given the coin to keep. Needless to say, keen interest and enthusiasm ensued with correct answers earning a monetary value as the prize!

During her visit, Ronel introduced an online Financial Literacy Education programme for New Zealand students, called Bamzonia. This resource is designed to assist teaching Financial Literacy in a fun and effective way. Using the software, students learn about financial matters such as personal and family budgeting, credit, debt, income, tax, KiwiSaver – and much more.

See the article HERE

Philip Mahoney from Kamo High School was one of well over 100 teachers who registered in the draw for our Free School Site Licence at ULearn.

Congratulations on winning the site licence for well over 600 students and teachers at your school. Philip was very happy to receive the news “It made going to ULearn a much better experience – great!” he said, on hearing the news.

We look forward to your feedback on how the students are using Bamzonia and if you think it is going to make a difference for your community – good luck.

Come along to the ULearn Stand 43 to enter the Prize draw for a FREE School Site Licence for the rest of 2014. You’ve got to be in to win!

We have been demonstrating the new Bank mini-game at Ulearn 2014 here in Rotorua. We are hoping to have this live on the website by the first day of term 4. This has been extremely popular with those teachers with a quick mind and nimble fingers! Fun for all ages.

The interest in Financial Literacy has seen a remarkable increase this year. With over 1,600 delegates at the conference, we have hundreds of of people visiting the stand: teachers from primary to senior secondary schools. The new Site Licence cost structure has been particularly popular with everyone. We will be contacting all the people who have requested more information or their free registration, over the next week or so. We will also be announcing the winner of our Prize Draw – a free school site licence for the rest of 2014.

When the 2013 school year was winding down, Year 10 students at Aorere College were ramping up their money skills by taking part in a four-day financial literacy programme, run by the school’s Business Department.

Teaching Financial Literacy in the New Zealand curriculum;  a free Workshop for classroom teachers supported by the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income and facilitated by Rick Whalley from Core Education.

Date: Thursday April 10

Time: 9.30am – 3.30pm (Morning tea and lunch included)

4.30pm – 6.00pm – Cocktail style Formal Launch of the Financial Capability progressions  ( optional event)

Venue: The Cube, Level 2, ASB North Wharf, 12 Jellicoe Street, Auckland

Registration – Click this Link: Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income

Required by: Friday April 4

Financial Literacy; Skills for life. Developing our students’ financial capability

 Young people face a myriad of financial decisions from an early age. Empowering and equipping them with the tools they need to make sound financial decisions is vital in our fast paced world. This practical, hands-on workshop will provide ideas and inspiration for primary and secondary teachers who are interested in helping students become more financially adept. You will also get the chance to experience working with the new financial capability progressions– and attend the launch event for these from 4.30 – 6.00pm.  You will also have the chance to hear from internationally acclaimed speaker Dom Thurbon.

The Workshop will explore:

• The financial capability progressions which set out suggested curriculum based learning outcomes across a range of learning areas.
•  The links with financial capability and the New Zealand Curriculum; including the key competencies and learning areas
•  The ways in which the financial capability progression themes of Managing Money, Setting Goals and Managing Risk can be woven into your everyday classroom teaching and learning.

You will also have the opportunity to hear from a range of presenters including teachers involved in financial literacy programmes in their schools, as well as educators involved with the development of financial capability of our young people. 

Keynote Speaker

The Opening address for the day will be given by internationally acclaimed speaker Dom Thurbon.

Dominic Thurbon is co-founder and Chief Creative Officer at ChangeLabs. A business leader ‘in the trenches’, he directs over 50 full-time researchers and facilitators (across three countries) in the design and delivery of multi-award winning behaviour change programmes that touch over 500,000 people each year. Most recently Dominic has been involved in the creation of Educator Impact, a revolutionary tool based on rigorous research into teacher effectiveness and development that is currently being rolled out in Australia.

Dominic has worked extensively in areas of behaviour and generational change, innovation and collaboration with clients around the world including Apple, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, the Commonwealth Bank and Lexus. Dominic holds a political science degree from the University of Sydney, and is a co-author of the White Papers Talent Magnets: Attracting Top Talent to Education and Game On: How Video Games Change Education.

As a world top-10 debater and internationally sought after keynote speaker, his dynamic style, deep research and real-world experience building a multinational business uniquely equip him to challenge and inspire teachers to help their students ‘get ahead financially’ .

Bamzonia

You will also have the opportunity to meet the Bamzonia team in person for an in depth view of the programme and how it aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum: Financial Capabilities Progressions and the NZQA recently revised Unit Standards: Personal Financial Management. 

Aorere College, in Papatoetoe, are serious when it comes to teaching such an important subject as Financial Literacy – and they have developed a very creative programme of events to ensure the best results.

The teachers at Aorere are running an intensive four day Financial Literacy programme from 3rd to 6th December for their Year 10 students to really make an impact on their student’s skills and knowledge. The intention is that this new found knowledge will kindle an understanding of the importance of Financial Literacy throughout their lives and motivate them to be responsible with finances in them long term.

Over the 4 days, 320 the students are focusing on three core disciplines: Income, Spending, and Budgeting. Aorere realised that teaching this complex and serious life skill needs to be relevant and interesting. So they have looked at engaging their students with resources like Bamzonia, Gumption, and face to face education with ASB support.

Bamzonia is an online resource with interactive lessons, quizzes, and a 3D game where students can rebuild the economy of a devastated island community – and create the health wealth and happiness of the inhabitants.

Gumption is a highly entertaining and educational business board game that celebrates NZ enterprise, innovation, and business success.

The ASB Bank is supporting the programme by talking with the students about savings and budgeting with some of their specialised staff. The Commission for Financial Literacy Retirement and Income (CFLRI) have helped coordinate the week with Aorere – and the YWCA are also supporting with content and are advising on the Spending modules as they run a Fin Lit programme with their Future Leaders programme.