Leading from the Middle and 'Bits and Bobs'

Ministry of Education - use of Data to Drive Student Achievement.

The leadership team met for the day to look at school organisation for next year, discussion of data for literacy and numeracy and the MOE continuum for Learners, Parents, Teachers, Principals, Boards, ERo etc. A progression of ideas to develop monitoring tools, -PAI -Public Achievement Information, PaCT -
This document reinforces the need for teachers to be aware that this is a system akin to the failed models from England, US and Australia. NZEI's drive -GERM is  raising awareness of the Government's agenda which includes standardisation, competition amongst teachers and schools, data driven accountability -effectively eradicating the elements that have made NZ education system one of the top five in the world. Standardisation is at odds with creativity, diversity and the individual - where does the life long learner fit with this new direction?

Progress and Consistency tool

·         A way to measure students’ progress in a meaningful, accurate and nationally consistent way.

·         A framework that supports teachers’ judgements and builds their knowledge in assessment of reading, writing, mathematics.

·         Improvement in the consistency of teachers’ overall judgements across the country and over time.

·         Tools to create reports for parents, school boards of trustees.

 

It is a little reassuring that some principals are realising the implicatons. Charles' Olivers opening statement to our NZEI PUM last week sums things up quite neatly:

"A clever government who had their plans for education changes long before they became the Government," Mr Oliver told the meeting of about 160 teachers from schools through the region.

"They are very clever, [Prime Minister] John Key and [Education Minister] Hekia Parata, they work towards creating crisis after crisis," he said. "A crisis like the national standards and when that's done, they create a new one and another after that."

Mr Oliver said the National-led Government was in league with right-wing governments throughout the world with a plan to create a crisis in education and impose competitive business models in "our world class schools".

That meant national standards, league tables, proposals for charter schools and performance pay for teachers, he said.
 

We also looked at 'Leading From The Middle p17-20 and discussed implications for us as leaders at SJHS.

Our roles are changing -if things didn't change it would indicate apathy and no progress. We have always had changes to deal with and not all have been met with open arms but we have made modifications and adjusted accordingly. However this has implications on our practice and whilst we all must be held accountable and perform to our best abilities to produce successful learners,it seems to me that this MOE latest initiative is very scary.
Ben Franklin said 'When you're finished changing, you're finished'.
Let's hope we are not finished even though we have changed!