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Superman and being entangled in the government narrative
The government narrative goes that, yes, New Zealand has a public primary school system that performs very well for most children, but for many Maori and Pacific Island children it has demonstrably failed. Hence the need for the government to step in on behalf of those children and, with the bureaucracy and certain academics and consultants, impose solutions. Progress will only be made, the narrative continues, by heroic outside intervention, through supermen (and women) appearing out of the bureaucracies, academia, education businesses, foreign education systems, and globalised corporations – all willing to work within the boundaries set by their patron, the government.... more
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You are not in Somalia now, Mr Shearer
I want to make clear to Shearer and his group of advisers that I lived and argued and struggled through the first betrayal of teachers by a Labour government in the form of Tomorrow’s Schools, often a voice in the wilderness, and I’m not going to tolerate a second betrayal – this web site will be relentless in doing what it can, to the extent of its influence, to that end. And I want to warn Shearer and his group that the teachers of today and their teacher organisations are very different to the teachers and teacher organisations of those days – they are battle hardened, savvy, and angry.... more
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I have something to say by Gail Loane with Sally Muir
Please note: The name of the book is 'I've got something to say' but my computer won't accept apostrophes (or italics) in posting headings.
Stan Boyle, that eternally mischievous and questioning former principal of Hillcrest Normal, storyteller par excellence, and someone who knew Elwyn, writes in the Foreword: ‘ “I’ve got something to say” is more than just another book on the teaching of writing and reading. It embodies a vibrant philosophy of education.’... more
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National Standards argument is about self-managing schools
Meanwhile, schools are sending home reports that comply with the Government directive requirements but which are little more than ticky boxes, below the standard, at the standard, or above the standard, with minimal information. We may as well have smiley faces. There are also low level moralistic or patronising instructions to parents as to how they can assist the learner’s further education. In effect one unintended consequence of National Standards is poor reporting systems in some schools have been replaced nationally by an even poorer one.... more
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The class size issue: riposte from a professor - Wow!
John O’Neill, in his final words, speaks directly the minister: ‘I would respectfully suggest that the only logical and moral actions open to you are (i) publicly and forcefully reject Treasury’s suggestion to increase student teacher ratios; and (ii) ensure that any class size-related policy proposals you make to Cabinet are founded on thorough, free and frank policy advice on the known effects of larger class sizes on your priority groups of students.’... more
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The government administrative moves mooted this morning
The government has made its move to establish a chain of charter schools to push the privatisation of education as a means to weaken the teacher unions, to push the neo-liberal ideology, to narrow and industrialise teaching, to have education for profit, to tie New Zealand to global corporations, to demean public schooling, to bureaucratise schooling, to de-professionalise the school work force, to reduce parent voice, and to increase bureaucratic and centralised control of schools.... more
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Finally the decision was made for English to play the bad cop to the Parata good one
Hovering over discussions right to the end was the idea of Bill English being the minister of education with Hekia Parata in a supporting role. Finally, though, the decision was made for English to play the bad cop to the Parata good one. English would announce education changes out of Treasury; Parata would smile and disarm as minister. (The consensus behind the scenes, was that Parata didn’t have two worthwhile education ideas to rub together but did have considerable ability to charm, enthuse, and bullshit.)... more
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How to run an education system: questionnaire
Before beginning answering it is important for participants to know that the correct answers may, at times, seem counter-intuitive, but that is all part of the wonder of the managerialist philosophy, and the New Zealand’s prime minister’s leadership genius for tapping into another vein of logic, and alternative morality, beyond the reach and understanding of the rest of us.... more
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Bitter and cynical strategy on poverty
In the NZ Herald (Friday, December 16, 2012) deputy prime minister Bill English announced that ‘the new ministerial committee on poverty he heads won’t be about – it won’t be about throwing money at the problem of what he calls hand-wringing or writing strategies.’ He went on to say that some agencies are driven by ‘caring and supporting and helping’ not by ‘real results’. ‘Asked what measure the committee would adopt for poverty, Mr English said measuring poverty was not a big issue.’... more
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Charter schools: Multi Serve betrayed us
The key point is that charter schools could never constitute a system; are not intended to constitute a system: charter schools are designed to destroy a system, the public education one.... more
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