December 2011
1 post
It's been a while...
It’s been a while since the last posting here. Under the heading “The Most Important Speech on Education in Years”, this link arrived in an e-mail this morning:
http://www.ucc.org/justice/public-education/pdfs/NatlOTL.pdf
Please take the time to read all of it.
And then ask yourself why would the USA do this to their kids; and having seen the damage: why exactly are we in New...
November 2011
2 posts
More reason than ever to worry...
I have always trusted and admired Kelvin Smythe’s educational ‘nous’. He has a proven track record of being “on the money” with things educational. Worryingly, his latest blog concludes:
“What a spot we are in. Social democracy is a more fragile thing than we might suppose. The Orwellian characteristics of the current control over schools are ominous. There...
So, where are we now...
This week, our Board of Trustees received another letter from the Ministry of Education. Long story short; after three weeks of providing documented evidence of our capabilities and processes regarding student achievement via e-mail, phone calls, and a meeting in Dunedin, the Ministry has completed reviewing us and has informed us that they are “…satisfied that your Board can meet its...
October 2011
1 post
A sad time indeed...
From time to time, something happens that puts life on hold and tests your general perspective.
On Sunday 9 October Marie Watts died in a head-on collision at St Andrew while en route to her new life in Auckland. Until earlier this year, Marie was one of our teachers; friends and colleagues alike remain deeply shocked by the news of this tragedy. Traveling in separate cars, Marie and her husband...
September 2011
6 posts
This is the statement preceding the NS target in...
STATEMENT OF DURESS
Under duress, the Board of Trustees has reluctantly agreed to comply with Ministry of Education direction to include a student achievement target in reference to the “national standards”.
While we have been unanimous, consistent and open in our ethical opposition to National Standards: having literally run out of alternatives, our Board of Trustees has now been forced to...
What's next?
Last week, Aranga School was in the firing line:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/85372/claim-school-being-put-under-statutory-management
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/85423/number-of-schools-threatened-by-ministry-nzei
So Kelvin Smythe wrote ...
Tolley has been suckered into a mistake by NZPF, BTAC, NZEI, this web site, and the courage of schools.
I recommend decisive action on this one. We can call Anne Tolley’s bluff.
Recommendations for how to do this follow.
On Tuesday, the ministry was all over my web site. I have learnt from experience that this often occurs around the time of the ministry making a move. I rang up a friend and said...
From our Board...
As members of our Waverley Park school community you will be well aware of our Board’s opposition to National Standards.
We believe our decision to oppose National standards is an informed one. Sound research undertaken in many countries has found that it leads to a narrowing of the curriculum, an increase in the divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ and a detrimental effect on the...
Is this our kids future too? →
Very good and right on the button...
Hat’s off to the creator of this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mywMNyMLko
August 2011
2 posts
The Perils of Policy (What we are failing to learn...
A friend sent me this today. I have included only the conclusion of the address; (the full text can be found at http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/downloads/Alexander_Miegunyah_lecture_FINAL.pdf)…it all seems eerily familiar.
Miegunyah Distinguished Visiting Fellowship Program 2010 Public lecture, Wednesday 10 March 2010 THE PERILS OF POLICY Success, amnesia and collateral damage in systemic...
Momentum buildeth...
http://www.networkonnet.co.nz/index.php?section=latest&id=338
July 2011
3 posts
The reality now obvious...
An excellent and accurate post: go to the original blog to read the comments that are mounting:
http://thestandard.org.nz/20-of-schools-break-the-law/#comment-358644
20% of Schools Break the Law!
Reposted from bsprout* at Local Bodies blog.
Written By: The Standard - Date published: 4:03 pm, July 31st, 2011 -
I have already expressed my concern that this government’s focus on numeracy...
Half-time's over...
Hmmmmmmm……..a whole month since my last posting; a delay I cannot blame on the updating of our website either: that was very efficiently done – even if my blog was left off for a few days!
Incredible times recently: from the sublime (Southland winning back the Ranfurly Shield); to the ridiculous (the at times huffy debate over the ‘Oxford comma’); to the horrific (ongoing African famine); to the...
June 2011
3 posts
I didn't write this, but...
This is on Bruce Hammond’s blog - it is nice to know that I’m not alone in my thinking.
“As the weeks go by, and as the pressure to implement the “national standards” (better phrased as ‘National’s standards”) is increased, I’ve been noting, with growing concern, what seems to be an increasingly tacit acceptance of the situation. I guess there are three possible reasons for...
For all intents and purposes...
ASCD is an internationally reputable education organization that was “founded in 1943. ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) is an educational leadership organization dedicated to advancing best practices and policies for the success of each learner. Our 160,000 members in 148 countries are professional educators from all levels and subject...
May 2011
2 posts
So...??
“So… who’s responsible for that?” In these accountability-conscious times, how often we hear this question. It gets asked of children large and small. It gets asked of employees and employers; organizations and governments: and time and time again, it is asked of schools…
- who’s responsible for this kid’s learning;
- this kid’s behaviour;
- the other kid’s behaviour;
- ...
The reality of today's world....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ECAVxbfsfc&feature=player_embedded
April 2011
2 posts
This lady gets it too...
http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/opinion/letter/?id=22260
From the latest New Zealand Principals Federation...
“That at this point in time, the NZPF Membership has no confidence in the education policy and direction of the current government, in relation to National Standards, as led by the Minister.’
This motion was passed almost unanimously, endorsing the fact that you are opposed to implementing the National Standards in their present form. Given that we have exhausted all avenues and efforts to...
March 2011
1 post
And today: amen...
National Standards fly in the face of social justice say Catholics
The New Zealand Catholic Primary Principals’ executive, resolved today that the government’s National Standards policy flies in the face of basic principles of social justice, fairness and equality.
President of the Association, John Coulam, of Marian Catholic School in Hamilton East said, “The National Standards do...
February 2011
4 posts
Getting your head into the game and keeping your...
Despite starting with the obit below (and the realization that I’m starting to sound like my own grandfather); I am happy to report that the Waverley Park school year has started smoothly for kids and staff alike. Many thanks to those of you able to get along to the information night on Wednesday. For those who were unable to get there but heard about and wanted to see the Sir Ken Robinson...
An Obituary printed in the London Times…
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: - Knowing when to come in out of the rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm; - Life isn’t always fair; -...
December 2010
3 posts
Professor Elley thinks so too...
The NZ Herald article opens “Why aren’t we celebrating our international success in education, asks Warwick Elley, emeritus professor of education.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/education/news/article.cfm?c_id=35&objectid=10695426
Merry Christmas indeed!
All I want for Christmas...
Guess which country sits seventh (out of 64 OECD countries-economies) in the latest PISA results? New Zealand? Yes - our essentially still non-national-standards-based education system continues to produce students whose overall achievement in literacy, mathematics and science sees New Zealand one of eleven systems whose students are performing “significantly above the OECD...
We live in seriously worrying times...
This week, the following advisory was sent to all schools from the Ministry of Education. Sadly, it is all too self-explanatory. It is reproduced here in it’s entirety:
SUGGESTED MESSAGE FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
Keeping your child safe over the holiday period
The summer holiday period is a time many of us look forward to when we can spend time with our families, whānau and children,...
November 2010
2 posts
Makes more sense than national standards though...
On Thursday, 24th January 2002, Derek Guille broadcast this story on his afternoon program on ABC radio.
In March 1999 a man living in Kandos (near Mudgee in NSW, Australia ) received a bill for his as yet unused gas line, stating that he owed $0.00. He ignored it and threw it away. In April he received another bill and threw that one away too.
The following month the gas company sent him a...
Is this the spreading dawn?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10685124
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/opinion/4319138/National-Standards-crisis-looming
October 2010
1 post
Apologies for the delay...
It’s been a hectic few weeks since my last contribution; suffice to say that having cleared the e-phlegm from my e-sophagus: e-communication is once again e-possible!
Not surprisingly, the issue of national standards remains writ large on the horizon. A good link for people wishing to understand principals’ (and many boards’) concern regarding this ill-conceived concept is...
September 2010
1 post
Hmmmm...
Ahhh the vagaries of IT in the hands of a semi-Luddite! To blame the technology for the challenges encountered in changing to a new computer would be neither accurate nor fair. Suffice to say that all usernames, passwords, pin numbers and access codes have now been recovered, repaired or replaced: like the governor said: “I’m b-a-c-k!”
A lot is happening in education land at the...
July 2010
3 posts
Service with a difference...
http://www.stservicemovie.com/node/94#
Good point(s)!!
Two good arguments - albeit oof slightly different ilk from NZ Listener readers. Check out the fifth and sixth letters (yes - National’s standards) http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3663/letters/15808.html;jsessionid=1E4D5DBC7776A10293FA5D5328503497
No - I want it like this!
‘Tis a new term and, despite the gathering clouds of confusion emanating from points north of 45 degrees south, it’s a good time to have a bit of a laugh. Go to http://www.committedsardine.com/blogpost.cfm?blogID=1272 and feel the frustration. Very clever.
June 2010
5 posts
Indigestion, reflux, or heart attack...
It’s mid-year reporting time: here that means pupil, parent and teacher sitting down to discuss progress to date (the pupil’s); and what needs to happen next to ensure further progress (also the pupil’s). Added to the interview this year has been the requirement to provide a written, plain-English report too. So far so good.
Each written report takes one to two hours to write; it varies slightly...
"It's going well." Is it really?
“Education Minister Anne Tolley said no other country had National Standards like New Zealand’s. “This is a world-leading initiative and many countries are watching with interest,” she said yesterday.”
So the Minister was quoted in responding to Thursday’s article (Southland Times 27/05/10) regarding our opposition to national standards.
The first point may well be valid. However,...
Sir Ken Robinson - brilliant! →
An oh-so sensible and enjoyable discussion on why we need to avoid standardized education systems.
May 2010
2 posts
The Stranger...
This delightfully sobering story appeared today on Ian Jukes’ site “The Committed Sardine”. To read more, go to http://committedsardine.com
Some years ago, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from...
And so it begins...
The heat’s already on…this from letters to the editor in the New Zealand Listener this week:
“Recently I received my dyslexic 11-year-old’s first report using the National Standards. It contained his scores from six tests (spelling, reading, listening, comprehension, numeracy and maths). On all these he was below or well below average. It then showed his level on the three...
...so's this!
http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/kKQK
April 2010
5 posts
Pure gold!
Why we need to resist now; before what’s been done unto others’ kids is done unto ours:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/apr/16/headteachers-boycott-national-tests-sats
http://www.networkonnet.co.nz/index.php?section=latest&id=200
The National Government's National Standards
It the risk of sounding like a one-note-song, I’ll continue to harp on the one note that has been the mainstay of my recent repertoire: the National Government’s National Standards - ‘cos that’s what they actually are; theirs and no one else’s - have got to go.
The context in the entry below - taken directly from Ian Jukes’ site...
A New Agenda For School Reform
This is taken directly from Ian Jukes “Committed Sardine” blog today (http://www.committedsardine.com):
By mandating a utopian goal of 100 percent proficiency, the law encouraged states to lower their standards and make false claims of progress.
I used to be a strong supporter of school accountability and choice. But in recent years, it became clear to me that these strategies were not...
March 2010
6 posts
A starter for ten...
So, here’s an easy starter for ten: just how possible is that renowned educators, and their researched evidence could be so wrong while the politicians and their media spin are so right?
This week, along with a hundred or so other Southland educators, I had the privilege of attending a two-day workshop run by noted assessment guru Lester Flockton. Not surprisingly, the issue of National...