lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz
Does it not seem rather odd that New Zealand’s scores curriculum and, later, for success in further education and and country ranking in international tests of reading and employment, the report said. maths (and the same would undoubtedly apply to writing) But the part of the ERO report that captured headlines was its have been progressively falling? Odd indeed, because these statement that declines have been coinciding with a period of considerable literacy and numeracy intensification through curricular Leaders in some schools talked about the present and the concentration, teaching concentration, Ministry of Education future without paying much attention to what had gone concentration, ERO concentration, government expenditure before, including what may have been working. These concentration, professional development concentration, target schools risk dropping successful practices and wasting setting concentration, assessment concentration, reporting time replacing them with approaches that are actually less concentration – National Standards concentration! effective in raising achievement. Now there are some serious limitations in international testing More alarmingly the report went on to programmes, and we have to treat say, “In a very small number of schools, them with considerable caution, but The National Standards, leaders were wedded to an action or they are nonetheless symptomatic programme without evidence it relentlessly force and indicative. We most certainly worked”. I say alarmingly, because are not on the rise, despite all of the fed by the Key Government I would argue that it isn’t a small concentrations that have been driven number of schools but a very large from the highest quarters of power. and all of their associated number that have become betrothed Indeed, ERO1 has gone so far as to players, have categorically to actions or programmes without declare that we are “on a trajectory existence of substantive evidence of accelerated decline” according to proven to have made that they work for their children OECD’s PISA tests in mathematics and teachers. (Admittedly, a lot of and science, with reading scores being very little difference forced weddings!) Glaring examples “on a steady decline”. include National Standards, the to our literacy and numeracy Clearly, things are nowhere near as Numeracy Project, and the formulaic shiny as some would have us believe. achievement profile. arrangements for Communities of The National Standards, relentlessly Learners (CoLs). They might work for force fed by the Key Government and all of their associated some, but there is no evidence that they work across the board players, have categorically proven to have made very little or even for most. Yet they have been put before every primary difference to our literacy and numeracy achievement profile. school in the country as recipes for improving learning and as All of this amounts to no gain from a lot of pain. So where are the way forward for raising student achievement. we going wrong? In Gerritsen’s interview with Stephanie Greaney, advisor to the In a report by Radio New Zealand’s John Gerritsen (Bad chief review officer, she said “I think it is time for some system Marks for NZ Approach to Core Subjects, 29.11.17), he refers change.” She hit the nail firmly on the head, even though the to the latest ERO report, “Teaching Approaches and Strategies realisation has come somewhat belatedly. But that leaves the that Work”, noting that the percentage of children achieving at question hanging: what kind of change, and who should be the expected level of the curriculum fell as they reached the end helping to formulate and guide (not impose) it? The same old of primary and intermediate school in years seven and eight. crew of officials, favoured consultants, advisers and hangers-on, Gerritsen further notes: or those who know from groundwork what has worked well in It (the ERO report) called for change to ensure children the past and why, and who can successfully contextualise those were achieving at the required level before they started practices into the 21st Century and the scope of The New Zealand secondary school. Curriculum? Declining rates of achievement must be reversed so David Lange in his lead up to instigating Tomorrow’s Schools students are prepared for the demands of the secondary in 1989 commented that we had “good people – bad system”. So
what is the situation almost 30 years on: right/wrong people – good/bad system? We have wasted excessive amounts of time and resources replacing approaches of the past that weren’t broken and didn’t need fixing by the fixers. For too long now our system has suffered from those who mistakenly think they know better. But take heart, the OECD has given some strong pointers for the way forward, including:
Financial Reporting
Help motive students by creating a nurturing environment. Teachers with high morale, who support and hold high expectations for all students, and help low performers the most. Distribute resources more equitably across schools and encourage social diversity. Give school more freedom to decide what to teach and how they assess student progress.
Education Services provides a Financial Reporting Service to over 660 New Zealand schools – we are the largest provider of accounting services to school’s in New Zealand – and would love the opportunity to help you. Take all the worry out of Financial Management (Including completing your Annual Financial Statements in the new reporting format with ease) and have everything done on time, every time and done right! We have an office and personnel near you: Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, New Plymouth, Whanganui and Wellington. If you would like a no obligation quote to compare the cost of our service to what you are currently receiving, or would like to enquire exactly what our service involves, please phone:
Pete on 06 757 5489 or email: pete@educationservices.co.nz www.educationservices.co.nz
If system change does not enthusiastically embrace these principles in every attempt to step forward, then we are likely to end up with a different shade of the same old wallpaper. It’s time to put the shine back into teaching. References:
Education Review Office, November 2017. Teaching approaches and strategies that work. Keeping children engaged and achieving in the upper primary school.
OECD. http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/Low-performersinfographic-
Specialists in Audio Visual Supply & Installation for Schools
p: 09 912 7222 Classroom Interactive Learning Auditoriums & Theatres System Design and Equipment Microphones, Mixers, Processors, Amplifiers, Video/Data Projectors Infrastructure Wiring, Supplying Portable PAs User Training • Bayview School • Vauxhall School • Carmel College • Glenfield College • Freemans Bay School • Kristin School • Auckland Waterfront Theatre
e: info@comsec.net.nz • w: www.comsecav.co.nz