The Story Behind The Stories
This is how we got to be where we are ...
Our founder, Del Costello, was working as a professional learning facilitator in New Zealand when she noticed something troubling. Many children weren’t engaging with literacy and classroom learning in general. Digging deeper, she discovered two key issues: students struggled with storytelling, and often the learning materials they encountered didn’t reflect their identities or communities.
Teachers shared their own challenges. Many didn’t feel confident as storytellers, didn’t know their school’s local narratives, and were hesitant to incorporate features of students home language into stories for fear of making mistakes.
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The Breakthrough
Del’s solution was revolutionary yet simple: work directly with schools to co-create their own stories. These were stories of place, identity, and community. The first school’s story became a phenomenon, sparking demand for resources and professional development to weave these narratives across the curriculum.​​
The inital project has been supported by the New Zealand’s Ministry of Education, and as TYS there was opportunity to bring this nationally recognised approach to Australia. This journey is transforming literacy and broader learning engagement through authentic, place-based storytelling and narrative pedagogy.
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Now Bringing This Wisdom to Australia
Building on this proven model, we’re adapting TYS for Australian schools – honouring First Australian knowledge, local histories, and each community’s unique voice. Just as in Aotearoa, we empower teachers and students to claim their stories, fostering belonging and literacy success.
Telling Your Stories is Powered by EduCulture
About EduCulture
We’re independent thinkers who blend creativity with deep educational expertise to build world-class EdTech solutions. Born in New Zealand, a land of innovators and boundary-pushers, we bring that same bold spirit to Australia, reimagining learning for tomorrow’s challenges.
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The Innovator’s Mindset
Our approach is rooted in three core values:
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Curiosity: Always questioning, always improving
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Connection: Building strong educational partnerships
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Care: Creating solutions that truly serve communities
These principles drive our evidence-based, locally-responsive educational design that delivers real results. From Australasian roots, we’re now developing brave new learning tools at the pace today’s connected world demands starting with the transformative TYS approach.
Just as we helped New Zealand schools harness the power of place-based storytelling, we’re now adapting this proven model for Australian educators by respecting First Australian knowledge and wisdom, learning more about the places we call home all the while empowering students to see themselves in their learning.
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