kainui concert

Don't forget your school needs a representative to come to our kainui Concert meeting at Colyton School on the 24th of March at 4pm. I'll even bake something for afternoon tea.

Cheers

Colin

National Standards

I went to the National Stnadards day at Awapuni yesterday which promted me to write the following for our school newsletter. I'd encourage people to look at Leter Flocktons blog and that on the NZEI site.
Making sense of the National Standards is pretty big on everyone’s agenda in primary education at the moment. What is surprising is that only 11.9% of parents polled in a New Zealand Herald survey claimed to have a good understanding of what the National Standards are about, which is surprising as they directly affect our kids. Any resistance by educators to National Standards is often interpreted by parents and community as paranoia around accountability. Schools are already amongst the most tied down organisations for accountability in New Zealand; (and so they should be, they are mini government departments responsible for the appropriation of crown funds for education). The big issue for us around National Standards is that there is no evidence that a one size fits all mentality will bring any gains for our children whatsoever and in fact the experience of many countries, especially England and the USA, is that National Standards and the vehicle for assessing them (National Testing) is really detrimental to a broad based curriculum.
Currently we have a fantastic Curriculum, that allows us to focus on a National set of Values as well as key competencies which are incorporated in Colyton Schools TEAM SPIRIT motto.
We really have no idea what the world will look like when our children will enter the workforce and so a narrow focussed curriculum, based around ‘jumping through hoops’ may hinder our children from being the creative, innovative successful and global thinking individuals that they currently are. Values of Excellence; Innovation, Curiosity; Diversity; Equity, Competencies of Managing Self; Relating to Others; Participating and Contributing are; in my view, far more important than a set of hurdles prescribed for us for children to experience success.
This issue some might argue is not really valid in the Colyton context. We already report to parents against National Norms, our mean PAT results already exceed the National mean, our mean reading age is above our mean chronological age and so National Standards will bring about little change for us. But ponder this; how will it feel to be achieving under the National Standard for your whole life? How will schools in areas of socio economic stress manage? Will National Standards cause racial division as New Zealanders of European decent and Asian kids leave schools with under performing Maori and Pacifica kids? How many of us and New Zealand’s most successful performers would be labelled as underachievers under the new standards? What happens if in 2/5/10 years time the standards have been a failed experiment or no longer relevant for our kids?
I have tried to be honest and objective about National Standards and I really don’t have a big problem with what they mean for Colyton School but I do support the stance of the NZEI that they need some more careful consideration into their implementation and that they should be trialled well before we consider changing what we have in our great system. As Kiwis we can often let our laid back approach get in the way of good sense at times and I encourage all of you to find out more. Look at www.tki.org.nz and search for the standards. Search National Standards blogs on the web or just come and talk to me. The best decisions are always informed.

Ka Kite

Colin

My thoughts exactly

I did feel that while I was writing on the wiki that a blog made more sense. We'll see if the energy lasts.
Staff making good use of Maths PD at Massey so all but Austin will be off site this morning.

Colin

Professional discussions at Awahou

Here at Awahou we are having great professional discussion about the purpose of blogs and wikis and how much should be teacher directed vs student directed.  We have been discussing whether it is appropriate to have spelling errors in students work that is put onto the wiki what do others think?
Colin I really like the sound of your self managing of your Year 8's I would like to see it in action if that ok?

Lets get the ball rolling..

Thanks to Colin for the inspiration to get this blog setup.
Hopefully it will provide a useful forum for cross cluster conversations.
Maybe we can start with comments on possible appropriate uses and even a post or two.