New Zealand Principal Magazine

Section

Opinion

Hidden Politics of Tomorrow’s Schools

Brigit Manning

2013 Term 4 November Issue

The Hidden Politics of Tomorrow’s Schools from a Parent’s Perspective Brigit Manning Havelock North – brigit.manning@gmail.com It is tempting to feel sorry for the teaching profession which often seems caught between a rock and a hard place. But this is a mistake! If any profession has the talent, energy and organisational ability to advance change for […]

The Manufacture of Education Myths and Mantras – some reflections on the Christchurch school renewal project

Gregory Lee and Howard Lee

2013 Term 4 November Issue

Some reflections on the Christchurch school renewal project Gregory Lee and Howard Lee Readers of The Press who reside in Christchurch City, the commentators as possible, especially if it is to be employed in Selwyn district, and the Waimakariri district will have received other communities throughout New Zealand subsequently– in their mailboxes (if they can […]

What’s on Top? – The wonders of modern technology…

Helen Kinsey-Wightman

2014 Term 1 March Issue

WHAT’S ON TOP? The wonders of modern technology . . . Helen Kinsey-Wightman Like many parents of teens I sometimes feel that the use of technology has become a battleground for my son and I. I should clarify that we are talking about his use of technology here, not mine! Despite the fact that my […]

School Lines – Sceptical, Cynical, Critically Analytical, or Naive?

Lester Flockton

2014 Term 1 March Issue

School Lines Sceptical, Cynical, Critically Analytical, or Naïve? Lester Flockton feedback, feedforward, Feedup, feeddown  lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz In the education environment, to be Sceptical is to to be spent refreshing the Avon in Christchurch this year), to have doubts or reservations about claims of likely benefits or the naïve it nonetheless seems like a silver-wrapped, chocolate outcomes […]

A Principle to Govern Education Policy – Abolishing National Standards

Associate Professor John Clark

2014 Term 1 March Issue

School of Educational Studies, Massey University, Palmerston North – j.a.clark@massey.ac.nz For fifty years, from 1939 until 1989, education policy in New Zealand was governed by a fundamental principle against which all proposals could be judged. In 1990 it was abandoned and for the next twenty five years until now, our education policy has been held […]

What’s on top – Then there were none

Helen Kinsey-Wightman

2013 Term 3 September Issue

WHAT’S ON TOP? Then there were none . . . Helen Kinsey-Wightman Three weeks ago 50 community members assembled in my classroom to hear the news that we had one child remaining on our roll and that following that consultation our Board would be meeting to make the decision to apply for voluntary closure. I […]

School lines

Lester Flockton

2013 Term 3 September Issue

School Lines PAI in the SKAI Public Achievement Information seen through Simplistic Kaleidoscopes of Amazing Inexactitude Lester Flockton feedback, feedforward, Feedup, feeddown  lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz Kaleidoscope noun. A toy consisting of a tube containing mirrors and pieces of coloured glass or paper, whose reflections produce changing patterns that are visible through an eyehole when the tube is […]

A better start in life

Helen Kinsey-Wightman

2014 Term 3 September Issue

As parents we endeavour to give our children a better start in life than we remember having. The danger is, that when we feel we have achieved this, we constantly berate our children with tales of our own hard upbringing. In my house this goes along the lines of . . . Whilst there is […]

School lines

Lester Flockton

2014 Term 3 September Issue

feedback, feedforward, Feedup, feeddown  lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz Systemness – Collaboration – Communities of Schools – Teaching as Inquiry – Raising Achievement Has it ever struck you, dear reader, that education and those who work in education are victims of relentlessly robotic rounds of new jargon, new panaceas, new fix-its, new initiatives, new spinoramas, new “love words”? And […]

Outside looking in: IES, A research perspective

Dr PattyTowl

2014 Term 3 September Issue

IES, a research perspective Dr Patty Towl PhD I was relieved to hear the concern raised by the primary its home environment. Finally there is no obvious, rigorous school sector about the proposed Investing in Education Success research evidence that IES actually raises student achievement; Initiative. I am a retired high school principal and special not […]