National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation
When national standards were introduced, the do this at a national level with the right support. In the case of Government was very clear about their rationale. It was to address the MACs I acknowledge the support we have received from the the disproportionate number of Māori and Pacific Island students Ministry who, in joint partnership with us have resourced us to alongside those from lower socio-economic communities and get the MACs established. those with special needs who were not succeeding as well as Given the right support, the profession will also develop a everyone else. We argued that introducing national standards was culturally appropriate solution to give our Pacific Island students a not the best mechanism to lift achievement but we never argued more positive schooling experience and I don’t doubt we could create that there weren’t inequitable a more functional model to deliver educational outcomes for the As a group of professionals, the a richer education to our special identified groups. That fact is needs students too. We are up for patently obvious and applies to NZPF national executive was all of these challenges and more more than just education. because we are the ones who have As a group of professionals, deeply concerned about Māori the knowledge, the wisdom and the NZPF national executive achievement . . . the collective educational expertise. was deeply concerned about It is therefore frustrating when Māori achievement and none more so than the three Māori policy makers create obstacles to our creative solutions. On my representatives at the time, Peter Witana, Keri Milne-Ihimaera and Whetu Cormick. These three led the executive in their own Māori education programme to better understand what succeeding as Māori might look like. Out of this experience came meaningful discussions on how to assist principals, especially those in the mainstream, where MAGNESS SOUND LTD most Māori students are located, to apply strategies that would make a difference. Whilst the Ka Hikitia strategy for Māori Schools Auditoriums Churches contained some very useful guidelines, the document landed Sports & Shopping Complexes in schools without the necessary professional development behind it to assist principals to use it well. Drawing on their own experience within the national executive, committee Let Us Design, Build and Install a new sound members worked together to develop the concept of the Māori system that will meet your budget using the Achievement Collaboratives (MACs). See p.18 of this issue for latest technology from around the world the full story on the development, implementation and current success of the MACs. The model we used for the MACs was to cluster schools Equipment hire: public address systems for large public geographically with a facilitator. You could call it a ‘Community events, outdoor entertainment, sports days, at-home of Schools’ model. All schools joining MACs are self-selected celebrations & weddings. Scaled systems for bands, and have the common purpose of giving their Māori students conventions, celebrations, promotions, markets . . . a more meaningful, more engaging and culturally relevant Sound system design & installations: for schools, educational experience. The MACs are about opening hearts churches and significant public buildings and minds so that principals can embrace the rich complexities Sophisticated custom designed permanent sound of a Māori world view, which is the key to understanding how systems: for single or multiple location organisations Māori succeed as Māori. Early research shows that the MACs are where perfection is expected having a positive impact and barriers to learning for our Māori students are beginning to crumble. Consulting & existing installation assessments I draw your attention to this example because it demonstrates our capability as professionals to recognise an area of weakness, F1/130 Newton Rd, Newton, Auckland rise to the challenge and collaboratively work together to find a p 09 309 4460 fax 09 309 4463 solution. Within our schools we do this every day. We can also
recent trip to the UK, I attended the conference of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT). At the conference, NAHT declared its intentions to work together with the profession and the government to develop a model that ensures ‘all schools are part of a collaborative structure that offers mutual support, accountability and development.’ This was a refreshing approach and quite the reverse of how the IES, for example, was launched in NZ. What was even more refreshing was to hear a Member of Parliament, and partner in the coalition Government, David Laws, say that the Government and educationalists should develop policy together because it is the educationalists who know about education. If this attitude prevailed in New Zealand politics, we would never have had the stressful and distracting national standards debacle, nor the present stand-off over the IES policy. We wouldn’t be arguing over the introduction of yet another type of school called charter schools. We would have sat down together to discuss what the Government was trying to achieve and what we as a profession are trying to achieve for children. Together we would have reached creative and useful conclusions which would satisfy all parties concerned. Instead we have the profession and the Government working in isolation from each other and often in opposition to each other which is unlikely to ever lead to better learning outcomes for children. This combative environment, in which the profession is in constant brace position awaiting the next policy bombshell, is unhelpful and dysfunctional. I do hope before I complete my term as NZPF President that the light of reason will prevail and the Government invites the profession in for a long overdue cup of tea.
Artwork courtesy of Tauranga Intermediate School Mackenzie Groos, 2012
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