Comments on: A principal writes

By: Sam

Sam — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:01:03 +0000

From Wikipedia:

During the first years of primary school, grading may be limited to verbal assessments rather than formal grades. The start of numerical grading is decided locally. Most commonly, comprehensive school pupils are issued a report card twice a year: at the ends of the autumn and spring terms. If a comprehensive school pupil receives the grade 4 in one subject at the end of the spring term, they must show by a separate examination at the end of summer term that they have improved in the subject. If the pupil receives multiple failing grades, they may have to retake the year. This, nonetheless, is rare and non-automatic. The decision to have a pupil retake a year is made by the teachers and the headmaster after hearing the pupil and the parents.

Sounds very much like they have some kind of standards in Finland.

By: fraser

fraser — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:16:04 +0000

“I am actually really really mainstream.”

no your not! i am!

at least… thats my my mates think

By: fraser

fraser — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:12:11 +0000

“determine how qualified you are to preach to us”
“You have a expert opinion on everything that you have no experience in.”
“self qualified experts like you”

what are your qualifications then? (and no, procreating doesn’t count)

seeing as your qualifications are about as good as anyone without an education background, would you be intersted in the views of those who do have the qualifications to know what they are on about?

If not, i would be more than willing to do your next dental checkup for you – no charge

By: mickysavage

mickysavage — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:47:22 +0000

I am actually really really mainstream.

I am not poisoned. I have a reasonable understanding of the education system from my children who have gone through it and relatives and friends who are teachers.

My eyes are wide open.

Tolley is unfortunately really stupid and for political reasons is wanting to stuff around with the education system.

Her goal is to get the nats reelected in no more than 20 months time. The changes to the eduction system will have repercussions for many years.

The proposal is bullsh*t. There will be no benefit to those parents of kiwi kids who have not managed to talk to their kid’s teacher lately. They may feel better but the available information will be the same.

Lots of money will be wasted. The budget for kids with problems will be insufficient to do the job.

This is not a party political rant, this is angst caused by the stupidity of the Crosby Textor designed campaign.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:10:05 +0000

And this is especially true given that the achievement tail is made up of a disproportionate number of Maori and Pacific Island kids. And that the MOE have invested heavily in things such as Kotahitanga and Ka Hikitia to address this issue.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:07:25 +0000

If this was just about reporting to parents there would be little outcry. Some schools do this well some less so. If the government wanted to improve this then it would be easy. The truth is they want reporting to parents to be in a way that they can use for their own ends.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 07:03:45 +0000

This is true. ERO’s report says about 10% are poor at teaching reading in years 1-3. This is not good – no doubt about that – but probably pretty much the same across most professions. I’ve personally had a couple of fairly average lawyers and the name ‘quack’ for doctors didn’t come about by chance for example. Is it reasonable to expect all teachers to be outstanding? All Principals to do everything right?

By: prism

prism — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:39:25 +0000

I can’t keep up ms. I try and read up on policies and understand them, but I took it for granted the National Standards would be for primary level.
I can’t believe only 5 and 6 yrs. They need to be tested on whether they are properly potty trained and wash their hands when they’ve been to the loo at that age.
No wonder Tolley was reading from a kiddy’s book, she has obviously understood the ages being addressed.

By: prism

prism — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:34:03 +0000

Is this the gitmo and gus singing duo – completely in tune with each other?

By: Hands up for Learning » Waitangi Day 6th Feb

Hands up for Learning » Waitangi Day 6th Feb — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:26:13 +0000

[...] The Standard Pat Newman: A principal writes. link [...]

By: pollywog

pollywog — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:31:32 +0000

Exempting kura buys Turia’s support, but it does an injustice to underperforming maori students and teachers. Of course Goff cant call bullshit without being seen as brown bashing. So what has Shane Jones or Carmel Sepuloni and their like got to say ?

if anything, national standards are whats needed more to see how maori students/schools and teachers compare to mainstream and how well placed students are to enter the workforce or higher education from that comparison ?

whats to be scared of…losing funding and closing of schools ?…big deal !!! what with elite iwi having the resources to fund their own high performance schools and scholarships it would free up state funding to go towards underachieving mainstream schools.

By: mickysavage

mickysavage — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:24:46 +0000

Or should that be from the neck up?

By: gitmo

gitmo — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:24:18 +0000

Sorry I mistook you for Trevor Mallard.

I’ve also admitted many times to being a troll……… I think all politicians apart from a very few exceptions should be euthanised.

By: mickysavage

mickysavage — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:22:23 +0000

Agreed.

Some sort of instruction from MED could avoid the expenditure of huge amounts of money on a scheme which will do nothing more than suck in resources and hurt decile 1 schools.

By: mickysavage

mickysavage — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:20:03 +0000

The current proposals are for testing of 5 and 6 year olds. This should be said many times so that everyone can comprehend this.

The current proposals are for testing of 5 and 6 year olds.
The current proposals are for testing of 5 and 6 year olds.
The current proposals are for testing of 5 and 6 year olds.
The current proposals are for testing of 5 and 6 year olds.

I looked at my original reports for me at that age (they are pretty old now) and there is no sign of any marks.

You should have a look at current NCEA results. They provide detailed grading of students’ abilities, far more than I received.

NCEA was introduced gradually with appraisals and reviews. National Testing is being smashed through with a sledgehammer.