This press release from the NZPF sums up well what I see too on the political and educational landscape at the moment:
The NZPF has identified four critical areas that it will focus on this year:
Standards, Assessment & Reporting:
Buutveld [NZPF President] says the Government has stated that the focus for schools must be on the basics – literacy and numeracy, and that schools will be expected to implement a set of standards national testing around these. “Britain is just realising its mistake in narrowing its curriculum and undermining its curriculum with testing. New Zealand does want or need its curriculum undermined by short-sighted election promises. This is an area where the NZPF has grave concerns – concerns around how school data will be used by media and in relation to performance based pay. These could become the shell holes in a no-man’s land without winners. The Minister has publicly said this policy will make use of current assessment tools, rather than bring in new ones – a small glimmer of hope! But we have yet to see how the the National Education Goals and National Administration Guidelines will be rewritten to enforce the political will rather than what’s good for teaching and learning. So far, the Government has not yet asked us to help shape this policy. Given the speed with which it is being pursued, the urgent will drive out the important. We represent more than 2300 schools in New Zealand – we want to be involved at the earliest stages and throughout with meaningful and constructive consultation.”
Special Education:
The current special education system is in crisis and needs immediate attention, says Buutveld. “The underlying philosophy of mainstreaming might be right, but the promises that the Ministry of Education makes to special education students and their families is currently greater than the structures and supports they allow schools to put in place. We see firsthand how that inequity affects our students, and we intend to make sure the Government is held to account. The system needs to get more of the promised resource closer to those for whom it’s intended.”
Professional Leadership:
Buutveld says that whilst principals need to maintain excellent school systems, they must be supported in order to allow them to move past the mechanics and maintenance of those systems to support teaching and learning. “For too long, we have been anchored to the desk in the Principals Office saving the budget’s administration line. This Government has promised an era of less bureaucracy, and putting the resource saved into school’s operations grants. We want to use our time now to lead learning within our schools. Resourcing is needed specifically to support schools with the demands of compliance, planning.”Extreme/Challenging Behaviour:
Buutveld says there is no doubt that there is now a trend of elevated levels and frequency of violence in schools, and the aggressors are becoming younger year by year. “The NZPF has been instrumental in helping to set the upcoming Taumata Whanonga, a behaviour summit which will bring together 150 participants to discuss how we address the extreme and challenging behaviour in our schools. Participants are paying their own way on the understanding that they in turn will have work to do prior and subsequent to the two day summit. There are no quick fixes, but the village of New Zealand needs to join hands and embrace its children with better coherence across education, social and justice policy and resourcing. Let’s not use an economic crisis to give adults the excuse to love their children less. It may be harder and we might have to rethink how we do spend our dollars. Many schools and their communities are doing great things for their youngsters. This is an opportunity to see how better we as a nation can honour our most precious together.”Buutveld says these areas will be the focus for 2009, but work will also continue on providing advocacy and support for its members. “The landscape changes constantly and the complexities of running a school are thrilling, but schools and those who work in them need both understanding and real support from their minister, their government and their communities.”
“The NZPF will be working to ensure the Government allows our schools’ leaders to keep teaching and learning as a first priority. These issues need unhurried debate and collective wisdom if educators are expected to put them in place. But if they don’t turn up and listen to the issues of 2300 schools in the context of moving forward together, then how can they possibly say New Zealand students will receive the education they deserve.”
What would be yours?
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