Ko Tainui te waka Ko Ngāti Raukawa ki Wharepūhunga te iwi Whetu Cormick
National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation
After almost six months in the role as NZPF President on improving his national standards scores in reading, writing one of my friends recently asked me, ‘So, how’s it all going?’ and maths. In response, I said it’s great visiting the regions, meeting with We know that talents and creativity will not emerge through principals from all over the country and listening to what they drilling and rote learning in a narrow range of subjects have to say. Then I said it’s also very challenging and at times like reading, writing and maths. And they will not emerge uncomfortable because I am driven by through endless episodes of standardised what I think is right for the young people National standards assessment. Our young people aren’t in our schools.’ standard! They are unique, diverse My friend found this a puzzling is not the only individuals. Any form of standardisation response. He assumed that everyone I policy that stifles will fail them. Unfortunately the architects would be engaging with in the Ministry, of standardised forms of assessment do parliament and other educational children’s learning. not understand the difference between organisations would also be driven by achievement scores and success. They are what is best for young peoples’ learning in our schools. not the same thing. Even if that was true, many of the people in the organisations National standards is not the only policy that stifles children’s I now deal with do not understand or accept the conditions under which children’s learning thrives. What I am finding is that changes to legislation and changes to policies and structures sometimes bear little or no relationship to what is best for students’ learning. Take our NZ Curriculum, as an example. Since the government’s policy for national standards was introduced and the national standards results have been used as a measure OL of school performance, national standards data has become ENR W pivotal to many different functions. As the significance of NO national standards has risen, the importance of providing multiple learning options for our young people through our broad NZ Curriculum has diminished. National standards with Could your Teacher Aides and Support Staff their classic culture of targets, school competition through gain from a qualification that validates and published league tables, and narrowed curriculum have sucked develops their skills and knowledge? the oxygen out of our NZ Curriculum and the morale out of our teachers. We offer three certificates: Guiding Children’s Behaviour (Level 3, 40 credits) All teaching professionals know that if you offer a variety Supporting Literacy and Numeracy (Level 3, 40 credits) of learning opportunities especially to our young people who Assisting Children with Special Needs (Level 4, 40 credits) struggle with learning, more of them will have a greater chance Tutor of life-long success. Offering different learning experiences, Enrol today and we will provide you with: ✓ Strategies and skills that can be applied including the humanities, performing and visual arts, science, immediately to the students you are supporting. technology, outdoor education and sport, is how we find that ✓ Tutoring from qualified & experienced staff. unique talent within each of our students that we can build on ✓ A qualification that is approved by the NZ to set them on their special journey of success. Educational Institute (NZEI) and NZQA. ✓ An online programme so you can study where Sir Ken Robinson (p.16 of this issue) tells the story of a KERRAN BARTLEY and when it suits you. young boy from Illinois who at age six could walk on his hands as readily as his feet. With the opportunity to expand on Find out more 0800 438 848 this unusual talent through access to gymnastics, he became Email: kerran@trainingforyou.co.nz Mobile: 027 232 4294 America’s most decorated Olympic gymnast and now runs Website: www.trainingforyou.co.nz his own gymnastics business. He might well have ended up a NZQA Category 1 Provider | Celebrating 22 years in business dismal failure had he been at school today and made to focus
learning. There are other factors standing in the way of teachers’ The Update also calls for the abolition of school charter ability to do their best by the children they teach. All teachers documents which define each school’s unique context and know that risk taking is an important factor in children’s community. Again we see another step towards courting learning. There are many ways that teachers promote risk taking sameness and central control, rather than celebrating diversity and again they draw on a very broad repertoire of learning and difference which is what we increasingly find in our school experiences. Placing children outside communities. of their comfort zones is important NZPF wrote a substantial Returning to my friend’s question, if they are to progress their learning ‘how’s it all going?’ I say if we allow and become confident. Risk taking is submission on many aspects the profession to lead we can give the another victim of the standardisation young people of New Zealand the of the Update, because it movement which is strangling the very best learning opportunities in life out of the NZ curriculum. further reflects the drive the world and the greatest life success As I write this column the Update possible. If we continue to support of the Education Act has just been towards standardising the direction of standardisation passed. NZPF wrote a substantial for education, we will be putting as much as possible in the submission on many aspects of the increasing numbers of young people Update, because it further reflects education sphere. under pressure and negative mental the drive towards standardising health statistics for our young people as much as possible in the education sphere. It includes a will soar. The costs to our health and ultimately welfare systems Statement of National Educational Learning Priorities which will be unnecessarily inflated. Meanwhile we will have failed is entirely under the control of the government’s Minister of to reach any of the standardisation targets for education that Education. This is an attempt to standardise our whole system we are so zealously setting now. of education and bears no relationship to children’s learning. Politicians come and go, but the children in front of us today It will have the effect of undermining, not strengthening the have their future lives in our hands. NZ curriculum.
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2017 FUTURE TRANSPORT COMPETITION Investigate – create – and win.
WHO CAN COMPETE?
New Zealand school students in Years 1–13. TEAM SIZE:
Three or more students. WHAT TO DO:
MORE INFO
education.nzta.govt.nz/ competition
Investigate transport challenges in NZ. Create solutions or explore possibilities for the future. Share your ideas as a playable game or narrative. Competition entries can be in many formats to reflect student learning. PRIZES:
Categories for Years 1-6, 7-10 and 11-13. DEADLINE: FRIDAY 30 JUNE 2017