Section
Commentary, critique, and advocacy from voices across the New Zealand education sector.
This section publishes opinion pieces on curriculum reform, education policy, equity, standardisation, political change, and the lived realities of school leadership. Contributors include principals, academics, sector commentators, and federation leadership writing in their own voice — not necessarily reflecting NZPF policy. Topics range from the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill to school culture, staff wellbeing, and the place of equity in curriculum design. Use this section to engage with the debates shaping education in Aotearoa, sharpen your own thinking on contested issues, and hear how colleagues are responding to the political and curricular pressures on schools.
I recently visited the UK to catch up with my family. My sister works in the Careers Department of Priory Community School (a secondary school of 1280 students aged 11–16 years). Ten years ago, based on results and reputation in the community, this school would have been widely viewed as one of the poorest secondary […]
feedback, feedforward, Feedup, feeddown lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz The Ministry of Education is to be commended for its well- ‘thinking’, then technology, then MLEs, then ‘collaboration’, and presented summary of submissions to proposed Government so it goes on. Regardless, interest in defining and asserting the changes to the Education Act (euphemistically termed ‘updates’), goals of education is always […]
Why Biculturalism? Helen Kinsey-Wightman Christmas is a time of giving – this year it has also been a time of loss, both on a personal level and a global one. As a young teacher I tried to find innovative ways to grab my students attention and music was a big part of hooking intermediate students […]
feedback, feedforward, Feedup, feeddown lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz Late last year Education Minister Parata, along with her Ministry of Education, announced intentions to ‘update’ parts of the Education Act 1989. A pretend consultation exercise was part of their game plan with an eye towards an Education Amendment Bill that will most likely go before Parliament this year. The […]
feedback, feedforward, Feedup, feeddown lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz collaboration |k lab r SH n| noun 1 the action of working jointly with; something produced or created by collaboration 2 traitorous cooperation with an enemy | | When Mr Key announced IES to an Auckland gathering of his party faithful in January 2014, it came as a complete surprise […]
The article by the above title, was first published in the NZ Principal magazine in 2000. It was authored by the NZPF President of the time, Kelvin Squire as an abridged version of his speech to the May 2000 NZPF conference. Many of the arguments published fifteen years ago remain as relevant today as when […]
Last week as I picked my son up from childcare, his teacher called out, “I must tell you about something that happened today . . . ” Of course I naturally assumed the worst and prepared to give my son my best ‘patient but stern telling off face’! In this situation I’m never sure whether […]
School Lines It's not adding up What counts most: sticking with the “Project”, or confidently numerate children? Lester Flockton feedback, feedforward, Feedup, feeddown lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz Repeatedly the evidence from international surveys (TIMSS, PISA) and national surveys (NEMP, NMSSA) has been showing a pattern of decline or negligible improvement in mathematics performance by our nation’s children. A […]
Is it too late to professionalise the Education Council? Prof John O’Neill Massey University The National-led government has seriously misstepped to strengthen capability and quality. Logically, the capability and in creating the Education Council. One can only hope this does quality of registered teachers are substantively different from not prove to be a tragedy for both […]
The family I grew up in was very different from the one in when we collected it from the supermarket, so it defrosted in which I now live. We were the typical 1960s nuclear family; the brine and we said a short prayer as we pulled it out hoping parents who married in their early […]
School Lines Like it or lump it? Lester Flockton Feedback, feedforward, feedup, feeddown lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz When Mr Key announced his political party’s education policy a matter of a days before voters went to the ballot box, with the then Minister of Education standing behind him and clearly on the way out in favour of a party […]
Rural Ramblings Size does matter! Baabaara Ramsbottom It was only very recently – during an excellent Incredible three sets of scrabble, all with pieces missing.) Despite four years Years Teacher session when we were asked to recount what led of weekly lectures on the sociology of education, nobody had us to become teachers – that […]
