Where has that Aussie confidence gone from their teachers -and a look at where New Zealand is about to go!

A little bit of Ned Kelly spirit is required to combat the technocrats in charge in Aussie (and now in New Zealand).Guest blog by Phil Cullen Ex Director Primary Education Queensland.Check out Phil's website.ORWELL IS HERE!The year of Orwell and  the introduction of Orwellism has been delayed. In the 1950s when we first read about a future manipulated, dysfunctional society, 1984 seemed to be so far away. ‘1984’ didn’t happen when it should have. Society was fairly comfortable in 1984, except for Queensland. The leader there had been appointed by divine authority, he had suggested; and made some curious judgements about schooling on moral grounds.None could even imagine, then, a future where the country was run by a focussed...

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Posted in: Big Picture,change,Creative teaching Educationalists,guest blogger,Leadership,Ministry of Education,national standards,national tests,Rants and Raves

Now the elections are over time to think of the 'big picture' - only the Greens had real focus on sustainablity!

The earth's climate was changed dramatically by a meteor in dinosaur times, and of course over time there are natural variations, but today it is humankind that is creating a crisis of its own that will effect all nations. So far world wide efforts to face up to this crisis has run up against national interests.I have just read 'Here on Earth' by Tim Flannery ( author of the 'Future Eaters' and the 'Weather Makers' and Australian of the year in 2007) and his new book is an argument for hope.The book is a provocative and visionary read providing solutions to the crisis facing us all.Politics , as exemplified in our recent election, is still locked into selfish and destructive practices that place self interest about the common...

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Posted in: Big Picture,change,Rants and Raves

National's 'brighter future' doesn't include the students or their teachers!

The current National Government has ignored educators worldwide and opted for an accountants view of education turning students into products and schools into factories so as to give consumers a choice - but what a choice!What many feared has come to pass. Populist political simplicity has won the day!If you repeat a half truth ( one in 5 students are failing) without also factoring in the effects of poverty and poor health of  unknown in other civilised countries. One fifth of our students live in distressing poverty ( that is , of course, 1 in 5)The Government seems to admire a McDonald's approach to education and , if they knew their history, one promulgated by Joseph Stalin in the 1930s. Joseph also believed in the pseudo...

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Posted in: Big Picture,Leadership,Ministry NZCurric,Ministry of Education,national standards,national tests,teaching and learning

John Key and Mrs Tolley turn education into a McDonalds - principals will now become managers complying to franchise regulations.

Early this week National finally showed its hand about National Standards testing and 'league tables.After months of weasel words Nationals agenda becomes painfully clear.And on TV John Key happily blamed failing children on poor teaching - he evidently didn't see the programme shown the same week about the effects of poverty, poorly heated housing was creating for 1 in 5 children in such areas. And in housing managed by the government . Funny how the 1in 5 failing children fits the same data as Mrs Tolley's - this time the data is correct; not  simplistic political dogma spread by both Tolley and Key. I think we could correctly call it propaganda. The figures for failing children in these...

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Posted in: Big Picture,change,Leadership,Ministry NZCurric,national standards,national tests,Rants and Raves

Are we losing interest based teaching?

Seven and eight year old children study Fuchsias.I have been busy cleaning out all the students work I have kept over the years - one teacher Bill Guild left me an amazing collection of research work, language and art.I used to take selections of this work to show schools but I got the impression they thought it all beyond their own students ( 'students are different these days Bruce'). On two occasions I took work back to the schools that the work originally came from and in both cases teachers thought it was beyond their low decile students! Teaching is about high expectations and skillful teacher interaction where teachers come alongside the learner assisting but taking care not to  do the work for the children....

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Posted in: Action Plans and Lessons,Creative teaching,inquiry learning,teaching and learning

Free market Stalinism in New Zealand Education.

Why are we following Joseph Stalin?John Key follows Joe's Communist policyNational goes for a 'big brother' approach - we always knew they would!!!!The critics of the previous Labour Government used to call its leadership 'Helengrad'.Ironically, in education, the current government is moving towards what looks very much like the philosophy of Soviet Russia under Joseph Stalin.We seem to be moving away from a benign 'nanny state' to a destructive and regressive Big Brother environment in education.If schools have not read the recent posting of Kelvin Smythe they ought to do so because once the election is over they will have to face up to surveillance culture that will have long term effects on education. The innovation, freedom and...

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Posted in: Big Picture,change,Leadership,Ministry NZCurric,national standards,national tests,Rants and Raves,teaching and learning

NZ educator's voice heard in America! Well done Allan

Guest blogger Allan Alach has been under attack from a right wing blogger and the Minister of Education  for expressing his democratic right to share his views on the government's pushing it's National Standards on schools against the majority of school principals and well respected NZ educators advice. This blog is a posting by Morna McGregor of the Baltimore Reform Examiner 8th November and shows how idea spread around the world. Standards are about  right wing corporate politics not education. And it is pleasing to see that old warrior Phil Cullen ( ex Director Primary Education) Queensland coming to his support.I only wish more principals had the moral courage to express their views but then those involved in education...

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Posted in: Big Picture,Leadership,Ministry NZCurric,national standards,national tests,Rants and Raves,teaching and learning

A book for those interested in making real changes in their lives

Earlier this week I was sent a delightful  e-mail by a former pupil, Jolene Stockman, of the school I was principal of.Jolene had read one of my blogs about the importance of schools developing in every student positive learning identity, enjoyed it, and thought and thought I would be interested in readinga  small book she has published.Although it is targeted at teenagers it is equally useful for anyone who wants to create a new life for themselves. I would think it very useful for secondary school students who are having problem working out who they want to become.The book is called Total Blueprint for World Domination - life planning for teens.It is a delightful read and I have made use of some of Jolene's ideas...

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Posted in: Big Picture,change,Creativity,Personalized Learning

Time for a real 'step change' for educationl change

The challenge our past or their future - the need for distant horizons ?By the pure serendipity of the internet I was sent a Scottish pamphlet ‘Transformative Innovation in Education’ which outlined the ‘three horizons’ of change. The pamphlet repeats the familiar argument that nothing less than transformational change is required but suggests that experience suggests all such attempts will fail due to the forces of conservatism, powerful vested interests, the enduring infrastructure of schools and even the forces of the market that all conspire against real change. Incremental improvement of the current model is all we can expect. ‘Warning lights’, they say, ‘have been flashing for decades but secondary schools; in particular, find it difficult...

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Posted in: Big Picture,change,Leadership,national standards,Personalized Learning,Rants and Raves,teaching and learning

Time for Democracy in Schools

John DeweyEverybody in the modern world believes in democracy so why would anybody question the need for our schools to be democratic? Rather, the question should be why if we believe in democracy are our schools manifestly so undemocratic?Educationalist John Dewey, writing early last century, saw implanting democratic ideals in students as the schools most important priority. Dewey believed that ‘children grow into tomorrow as they live today’.One wonders what messages students are currently receiving from ‘their’ schools that are still controlled by the same hierarchical power relationships that worried Dewey? The truth is that there is little evidence of democratic ideals in our schools.  Our traditionally oriented schools are places...

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Posted in: Big Picture,change,Leadership,Ministry NZCurric,Ministry of Education,national standards,teaching and learning