First we were told to fear the enemy. Some people got richer.
Then we were told to fear climate change. Some people got richer.
Then we were told to fear the global financial melt down. And still some people got richer.
Is the education of our children our next great fear? Will some people get richer?
There is no doubt that public education is under an organized assault by corporate reformers who seek to script our curriculum and make us teach to their tests. This will make them richer, but at what cost to our children and our children's futures?
Bill's budget supports this reform unequivocally.
NZ schools had a much broader vision for a different kind of education: one that supports each and every child to dance and sing and think and debate and play and create and dream and make art and show their ideas about how to make the world a better place.
It was called the NZ Curriculum and it has been lost in a haze of National Standards data and a myriad of so-called initiatives.
I just wish the budget had included more money for supporting our children and less money for 'measuring' them.
Friday 17 May 2013
Monday 6 May 2013
More National Standards Concerns
When will the government realise that learning does not behave like an economy? There is no business model. There are no straight lines. We are dealing with children, not exchange rates.
e-asTTle is an assessment tool widely used by lots of schools in NZ for 'leveling' students' achievement in Reading, Writing and Maths.
It is not currently used at Limehills.
e-asTTle has suddenly discovered that last year's assessments were significantly inflated.
The mean score for e-asTTle was dropped nationally as a result and adjustments were then made to the results from all schools who have submitted results this year.
Some children have been dropped by two grades, which is the difference between being 'at' the 'standard' or 'below' it. (A year's learning - whatever that looks like.)
This was done without consulting schools, many of whom only found out when they found their results had been changed by somebody at e-asTTle.
If that wasn't alarming enough, nothing has been done to those inflated scores from 2012. These scores have been fed into the national standards data about to be published and will 'inform' public opinion on how well one school is performing in relation to another. Accordingly, schools who used e-asTTle will appear to perform well in relation to those who do not.
National Standards continue to be a farce. This latest e-asTTle saga makes a mockery of the government’s claims about quality data.
The current political agenda includes aligning teacher pay to their performance as indicated by that same flawed data.
Surely, better performing schools would then attract higher performing and better paid teachers and continue to improve. Poorer performing schools make do with lower paid staff and continue to struggle. How would that narrow the achievement gaps in NZ? If you remember, that's what National Standards were supposed to be about - "narrowing the gap" and helping the "1 in 5".
Not a chance. We now know that National Standards were inextricably linked to a larger plan to destabilize the teaching unions and privatise education. Politics aside, Kiwi kids will simply be much worse off as a result. Only the corporate elite will benefit.
e-asTTle is an assessment tool widely used by lots of schools in NZ for 'leveling' students' achievement in Reading, Writing and Maths.
It is not currently used at Limehills.
e-asTTle has suddenly discovered that last year's assessments were significantly inflated.
The mean score for e-asTTle was dropped nationally as a result and adjustments were then made to the results from all schools who have submitted results this year.
Some children have been dropped by two grades, which is the difference between being 'at' the 'standard' or 'below' it. (A year's learning - whatever that looks like.)
This was done without consulting schools, many of whom only found out when they found their results had been changed by somebody at e-asTTle.
If that wasn't alarming enough, nothing has been done to those inflated scores from 2012. These scores have been fed into the national standards data about to be published and will 'inform' public opinion on how well one school is performing in relation to another. Accordingly, schools who used e-asTTle will appear to perform well in relation to those who do not.
National Standards continue to be a farce. This latest e-asTTle saga makes a mockery of the government’s claims about quality data.
The current political agenda includes aligning teacher pay to their performance as indicated by that same flawed data.
Surely, better performing schools would then attract higher performing and better paid teachers and continue to improve. Poorer performing schools make do with lower paid staff and continue to struggle. How would that narrow the achievement gaps in NZ? If you remember, that's what National Standards were supposed to be about - "narrowing the gap" and helping the "1 in 5".
Not a chance. We now know that National Standards were inextricably linked to a larger plan to destabilize the teaching unions and privatise education. Politics aside, Kiwi kids will simply be much worse off as a result. Only the corporate elite will benefit.
Saturday 4 May 2013
Role of ERO?
I have always genuinely enjoyed ERO reviews. You might think that this is slightly unusual, but I believe this statement says more about ERO and the way they operate, than it does about my sanity.
Previous reviews have always left me a better Principal than I was before, with clarified thinking and fresh ideas that often led to positive outcomes for students. Conversation with highly skilled and experienced officers (educators, not politicians mind you) have always been a privilege.
So why this post? It is certainly not to flatter ERO in the hope of a favourable review!
After re-reading my recent posts, a major question has emerged:
Are ERO an independent education review body? Or, are they a political tool for a government hell bent on privatising schools?
I hope ERO can forgive me for asking the question, but this is how OfSTED seems to have evolved in the UK, with disastrous results.
I can't wait to continue the conversations about learning and look forward to an enjoyable and productive few days.
Previous reviews have always left me a better Principal than I was before, with clarified thinking and fresh ideas that often led to positive outcomes for students. Conversation with highly skilled and experienced officers (educators, not politicians mind you) have always been a privilege.
So why this post? It is certainly not to flatter ERO in the hope of a favourable review!
After re-reading my recent posts, a major question has emerged:
Are ERO an independent education review body? Or, are they a political tool for a government hell bent on privatising schools?
I hope ERO can forgive me for asking the question, but this is how OfSTED seems to have evolved in the UK, with disastrous results.
I can't wait to continue the conversations about learning and look forward to an enjoyable and productive few days.
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