Editor
A new decade, a General Election, and for NZPF, a new no such specialization in ITE right now. president! President, Perry Rush, will be known to many of you as Further, they are skeptical about the promise of an influx in a fierce supporter of the BTAC (Boards Taking Action Coalition) specialist teachers to meet the current diagnostic and individual from the cheerless days of national case planning needs for the most severely standards, and is currently principal of youngsters right now. The Another exacerbating challenged Hastings Intermediate School. prospect of importing these specialists As is frequently the case, education is issue is the threat of does not over-excite principals who again likely to be a prominent theme for have already found shortcomings with this year’s Election, and as ever, there is teacher shortage, employing overseas teachers for ordinary no scarcity of issues. What is also likely is classroom teaching. Principals point to which is never far from there will be a disconnect between what the cultural gaps, lack of understanding the Government believes is an education principals’ minds. of Tikanga Māori and say that some policy achievement and principals believe overseas teachers struggle with the is an on-going problem. diversity of contexts within which our New Zealand schools For example, it is likely that teachers and principals will function. Importing teachers from overseas was never a longcontinue to list the shortcomings of learning support as a term solution. Rather, it was a response to a teacher shortage key unresolved issue, whilst Government might point to the crisis. Suffice to say the teaching profession is over dealing with substantial additional funds that have been allocated in the crises. Stability and calm are what it hankers for. past two years, the 600 Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs) Playing front stage to this dispiriting backdrop of learning that have been funded, the new learning support plan and support issues, are new curriculum and assessment expectations. implementation trials underway in the Hawke’s Bay. An endless menu of tasty and colourful topics abounds. Schools The battle line is drawn between the systemic view and the have been freed from measuring the reading writing and maths day to day realities. Teachers and principals want immediate achievement of children against a dodgy set of standards! They expert support for the young people in their schools who are are now invited to participate in a curriculum that can be as presenting with severe behavioural challenges every day. They broad and rich, contextual and authentic as a school and its want respite for the teachers of those youngsters who cannot community chooses. successfully function in a full-time mainstream school without Future focused is a common theme and usually includes the placing both the teacher and other children at risk. They are five key competencies, developing EQ skills and resilience, sick of battling restraint regulations or guidelines when those understanding globalisation, environmental awareness and with severe disfunctional behaviours – the ones likely to need climate change, civics, Te Reo and other languages, social studies restraining – should be offered safer alternative education options and digital competencies. There will also be more topics that in the first place, not just full- time mainstream schooling without emerge after consultation with local communities – they will expert help. depend on the aspirations of the community. Alongside and Whilst LSCs will be a very welcome addition for many, there embedded in these curriculum subjects will of course be learning are concerns from some principals that RTLBs and existing, to read, write, comprehend and function numerically. There will school funded SENCOs – who already have strong relationships be New Zealand history, performing arts, physical education, with the special needs children and their support teams in their music, art and more . . . school – might leave their posts and choose the LSC route as a It is a veritable feast of learning – exactly what teachers trained career path instead. There are further concerns that little progress for. Teachers want to excite kids about learning every day. They has yet been made on alternative education. want to provide authentic learning contexts so that young people Another exacerbating issue is the threat of teacher shortage, can discover meaning through doing, take ownership, be excited which is never far from principals’ minds. Now, with the LSC about their new knowledge and thirst for more. option available, they fear more quality classroom teachers The stage is set for a grand future performance, from will be lost. A further concern is how the LSC workforce will which Kiwi kids can soar to the dizzy heights of international be sustained over time. Only if Initial Teacher Training (ITE) recognition and ready themselves to take a lead in making our courses include specialization will we have a future work force country, our region, our planet, a better and more functional to help give our most challenged youngsters a fair go – there is place. We just need to change that gloomy backdrop!