Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Dunce Dunce Revolution

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  • Joe Wylie,

    He was the only kid in the class who knew how to spell "attorney".

    This was the guy, if I remember rightly, who was once assessed as being a potential trolley hand in a garden centre?

    From my own experience, I once got rather angsty over someone being IQ tested by 'experts' as not much above a rhesus monkey. Didn't stop them eventually marrying an outgoing intellectual and having a lovely family. Personality, for lack of a better word, counts for so much.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Andre,

    I imagine the budget for state-sponsored time for kids to be taught WASP religion will be okay though.
    My friend home-schools his kids. It may be a way forward for many kiwis if Tolley stays in too long.

    New Zealand • Since May 2009 • 371 posts Report Reply

  • Kerry Weston,

    I do wonder what might have happened had there been more for him in the system.

    Does music , as in playing an instrument, work for Leo?

    My boy started learning electric guitar this year - 5 months later he's playing whole songs, practising obsessively a couple of hours a day, it's quite astonishing.

    Same lad has never been to secondary school. Yet he's nearly through ncea 1, plus ncea 2 computing - and, zounds, is articulate too.

    Music has been key, ugh no, change that word, central to his dramatic rise in confidence by finding the perfect means of self expression for him. And a bloody good guitar teacher. Heavy Metaller - the Tollinator would hate him.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Hail the mighty hyphen, wonder grammatical tool that suffers awfully from misunderstanding and disuse.

    Alas, poor hyphen...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    I know nothing of these new standards, apart from what I have read here, and in the papers. And you know what? I stand by my original reactions in regards to my career when I found out National came to power, which were, in this order 1) Who the hell is Anne Tolley anyway? and 2) She's a scary bitch. That's all from me. Good night.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    its as irrelevant to the US Senate as state governors are to Congress.

    State Governors (tend to) appoint temporary replacement Representatives, and Senators following death or resignation...

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Stephen Judd,

    Has anyone got a seismograph set up near Beeby's grave? With all these earthquakes recently, and these latest reports of assaults on our education system, I'm beginning to wonder whether the rotational force of his spinning might be disturbing the Alpine fault.

    ... the education system suffered from undue centralisation and conformity and should open itself to variation, experiment and change. The abolition of the proficiency examination in 1937 held out hope for primary schooling responsive to the range of children’s abilities. But the exclusionary nature of secondary and university education was at odds with the country’s democratic ethos, its economic conditions, and the expectation of parents that formal education should enable their children to get on in life. All young people had a right to continuing education not because they were especially brilliant academically but because they were citizens of a democracy. Scholarly ideals must of course be maintained but the university colleges should broaden the range of their teaching and the composition of their student enrolments. Beeby also foresaw the need for technical schools to take up the vocational and cultural education of apprentices and technician trainees, in order to prevent a national crisis arising from shortages of skilled labour.

    Also, to the barricades, my friends. Fuck this. I have a great supply of bottles, both full and empty. I'm not planning on waiting for Phil Goff to decide to scrape the gloss off himself. I promise that should a National party member advocate these policies to me personally, I will punch them in the face*. Do you likewise, if not better.

    *rhetorical flourish. Violence is wrong, except in self-defence, ok?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    State Governors (tend to) appoint temporary replacement Representatives, and Senators following death or resignation...

    Which would make the answer "Gubernatorial" then, I guess.

    But really, "fish" is more appropriate.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    I think most people kind of hoped last year we went from people who read the Guardian online and watch the BBC to people who read the Telegraph online and watch CNN.

    Unfortunately, this government clearly aims no higher than the Daily Mail and Fox News.

    Prolefeed, anybody? How about whitebread and media circuses?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    Isn't it all in the parenting? Who'd dare to dream of an education system that was anything other than sufficiently inadequate. Certainly not a good environment in which to teach.

    re: an earlier thread, I've found the best way to clean CDs/DVDs is with my tongue

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol,

    Isn't it all in the parenting?

    Absolutely, any shortcoming in the formal education system can be overcome in the home. Unfortunately there are shortcomings in many homes that really should be overcome in formal education.

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    But is that our business Morgan? Seems to me there's been interference with the natural flow of the family to such an extent that some people have been basically stupefied into regression in large enough numbers to elicit macro societal concern.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Morgan Nichol,

    Which part? Providing high quality education to people, no matter how fucked up their home life? Assuming we want a healthy, well educated society, then yes it is our business.

    Auckland CBD • Since Nov 2006 • 314 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov,

    But is that our business Morgan?

    Which part?

    shortcomings in many homes

    As far I recall at school, I don't know if that was particularly lackluster school or what, but a majority of kids did the bare minimum, but once they could read write and wipe their own shit, some of them discovered books, and learnt the rest themselves. Where did this desire to learn come from? who knows.

    Did the system ever let us down?

    It wasn't anything to do with the teachers, the rules, the syllabus or the assessment method, the only let down to the good student is lack of resources.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Amy Gale,

    (This has weighed on my mind somewhat because on Saturday I have to sit the general GRE)

    Sending good wishes in your direction. You'll do great!

    [Well, I mean, I cried after mine, but because of how much was riding on it not because it was hard.]

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report Reply

  • dc_red,

    There's a surprisingly good Simpsons episode from last season (SE20EP11), entitled "How the test was won"

    The basic premise is that on the day of the standardized test day (pursuant to the "No Child Left Alone Act"), Superintendent Chalmers conspires to have Bart and a bunch of the other ne'er-do-wells sent off on a 'fieldtrip' (with Principal Skinner) so as to prevent them from bringing down the school's average score.

    Some brilliant dialogue. Such as:

    Principal Skinner: At the end of the month we'll be participating in the Vice President's Assessment Test.
    Nelson (standing up in audience): He stinks!
    Principal Skinner: We're assessing you, not him!
    Nelson: Withdrawn.

    But the part that takes the cake in my book is Lisa's battle with the questions, where all the answers are synonyms. Unfortunately I can't find the script for that part, however.

    The kids who stay behind for the test learn nothing, while those on the 'fieldtrip' learn the law of conservation of angular momentum (and how to apply it).

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • dc_red,

    Watching online to transcribe the test for our mutual amusement:

    Pride is to downfall as overconfidence is to:
    A) Setback
    B) Comeuppance
    C) Failure
    D) Humiliation

    Lisa: "Huh? They're all equally valid. But that can't be. In life everything only has one answer."

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Parker,

    The basic premise is that on the day of the standardized test day (pursuant to the "No Child Left Alone Act"), Superintendent Chalmers conspires to have Bart and a bunch of the other ne'er-do-wells sent off on a 'fieldtrip' (with Principal Skinner) so as to prevent them from bringing down the school's average score.

    Although they won't admit to as much similar things are actually happening in our secondary schools with NCEA because of the publication of league tables. I've also heard of a school area in Oz where certain schools refuse to enrol children with learning/behaviour difficulties so that their results do not look bad. Consequently the schools that do take these children have "poor" test results creating an ever increasing downward spiral of teacher despair and negative views of the schools.

    Napier • Since Nov 2008 • 232 posts Report Reply

  • tim kong,

    For some reason yesterday as I sat reading the various stories about these National Standards being announced - (they even shutdown the nzcurriculum website for a few hours to sort it all out!) - this small phrase came to mind.

    "This too shall pass."

    I couldn't recall if it was song or a story I'd read - so went searching for the wikipedia entry - and it made me smile.

    "And this, too, shall pass away." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!

    Teachers will still strive to teach, students will still desire to learn, parents will still worry and we will still have those who underachieve.

    National Standards are a political point - which National said they would implement during the election campaign. They will do nothing to make good teachers better, or improve the learning that is currently going on (or not going on) in a class room. But National are doing what they'd said they would do. So fair play to them.

    We already have many various ways of measuring student achievement, and good schools are doing that measurement on a regular basis. Good schools are also sharing and celebrating that achievement with parents and students and local communities.

    My current practice will not change - I will still strive to meet the needs of my students - all of them, as best I can. In the areas that interest them, in the areas that they need to focus on. I will still meet with parents, discuss with colleagues and continue to learn about ways to be the best teacher I can be.

    I will fail, some of my students will not achieve, some days I won't enjoy the my job - but it will pass.

    To Ms Tolley, who yesterday reported that parents were coming to her asking what "stanine 5" meant. I would suggest these parents meet with the schools of their child instead of running to politicians to discuss their child's report card. The education sector may not have done the best job of explaining the language of assessment - and we need to do that better, but parents who are passive in this process of learning, are as damaging to their child as the teachers who ignores the student in the back row of the classroom.

    The only real issue I have with yesterdays announcement is the new reporting standards/templates - which IMO are an insult to anyone with half a brain.

    Reporting templates

    While these are not mandatory, they are a blunt and crude means of describing a student, which tells you something about where they are in relation to some artificial national standard - but nothing about them as a person. If this is the type of reporting that parents truly want - then it's not really the children we should be concerned about....

    Our young people can be measured by an ability to work with numbers or letters.

    They can also be generous, helpful, kind, earnest, resilient, curious, constructive, appreciative, caring and hard-working. They have personalities and perceive the world in ways unknown to us as adults. They see problems and unfairness in clear and often precise ways. They are spiteful and nonchalant, abusive and passive. They reflect the communities they are brought up in and need to be challenged to step into the shoes of another.

    As teachers we must continue to recognise and value that person, not just the one who memorizes their basic facts and can spell the 50 words in the test. Our duty of care must be to the whole child.

    In the classroom, the communities and the society around our young people - it's the whole person that matters. As Ken Robinson says - it's not just the top 2 inches that make a difference.

    This too will pass.... for now I'm off to the toy library with my 8 month old. While it's not quite Armageddon, the line for a jolly jumper can be brutal! :)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 153 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Vouchers, Paul, vouchers..

    Vouchers of course need information about where the best place is to spend them, which means league tables, which means a method of building the league table, which means - standardised tests!

    Did anyone check Tolley for Act membership before she stood?

    FFS, TVNZ "news" manage to turn the issue into a toss up between teaching kids to count strawberries or putting on calf club days.

    It really was an in depth analysis of the issues wasn't it? I mean it's only the education of almost every child in the country, doesn't matter how it's done does it TVNZ? Ohh look! Sheep! Cows! Pretty pictures!

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Sending good wishes in your direction. You'll do great!

    [Well, I mean, I cried after mine, but because of how much was riding on it not because it was hard.]

    Thank you! I feel it went quite well. (There was, unfortunately, no opportunity to answer "fish", but at one point fish was part of the question and if it hadn't been multichoice I would have been very tempted to answer "gubernatorial".)

    The best bit was actually the analytical writing, which is, of course, the bit universities don't care about - because god forbid two essays should tell you more about a student than sixty multi-choice questions - but nevertheless gave me the opportunity to mercilessly enumerate every logical fallacy in an argument, which always makes for a good start to the day.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ohh look! Sheep! Cows! Pretty pictures!

    Yes, I'm sure the govt appreciated the trivialisation and denigratation of all beyond the 3Rs. You wonder if they still teach young journos or editors about "truth to power" as a function of their profession.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    There's a surprisingly good Simpsons episode from last season (SE20EP11), entitled "How the test was won"

    A large chunk of series four of The Wire concerns the practical repercussions of No Child Left Behind on inner city schools and the madness of 'teaching to the test'.

    Now that I've reminded myself, if somebody needs me I'll be in the bathroom, crying.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    It really was an in depth analysis of the issues wasn't it? I mean it's only the education of almost every child in the country, doesn't matter how it's done does it TVNZ? Ohh look! Sheep! Cows! Pretty pictures!

    In New Zealand, criticisng the media is our patriotic duty. If we lose public discourse, and the ability to discuss how our country is shaped, then the power goes even further out of our hands and into the 20 or so around the cabinet table.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • tim kong,

    A large chunk of series four of The Wire concerns the practical repercussions of No Child Left Behind on inner city schools and the madness of 'teaching to the test'.

    It's worth remembering that there's no extra testing being implemented by National Standards - as yet. We are NOT being asked to teach to a test.

    So it's not quite the extremes of the NCLB.

    While I admit to some disquiet as to the political methods by which these have gone through Parliament, and I cringe at Key's grandstanding about it being "one of the most important steps his Government will ever take" - in reality the majority of schools in NZ are doing damn good work.

    This policy is not going to make good schools better. Or poor teachers better for that matter.

    It's a political band-aid, that appeals to a sector of the electorate - but in reality is making pretty pictures from existing data - without realistically addressing the issues that are behind that data.

    When the long tail is predominantly Maori and PI students, instead of this - we should be engaging in the more serious discourse of why these students are failing and what we can actually do about it.

    Like listening to more of Russell Bishop's work - and applying it the classrooms.

    Of course that's probably too difficult to include in a 2 minute TV report - and can't be shown with strawberries - so it might never get heard.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 153 posts Report Reply

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