New Zealand Principal Magazine

Section

Opinion

School Lines

Lester Flockton

2016 Term 2 June Issue

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 […]

Opinion: Why Biculturalism

Helen Kinsey-Wightman

2016 Term 1 March Issue

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 […]

School Lines

Lester Flockton

2016 Term 1 March Issue

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 […]

School Lines – Collaboration it’s all abuzz

Lester Flockton

2015 Term 4 November Issue

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 […]

School Lines – It’s not adding up. What counts most – sticking with the “Project”, or confidently numerate children ?

Lester Flockton

2015 Term 3 August Issue

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 […]

EDUCANZ Researched – Is it too late to professionalise the Education Council

Professor John O'Neil

2015 Term 3 August Issue

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 […]

Rural Ramblings

Baabaara Ramsbottom

2012 Term 1 March Issue

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

Lester Flockton

2012 Term 1 March Issue

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

Baabaara Ramsbottom

2012 Term 2 June Issue

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 […]

School Lines

Lester Flockton

2012 Term 2 June Issue

subject specialists. For them to provide effective programmes across the curriculum they need and deserve access to ongoing professional support and guidance of a kind more powerful than TKI and the like can hope to offer despite good intentions. The MOE’s much-vaunted Best (Available) Evidence Syntheses proclaim that high-quality teachers make the most difference for […]