I have mentioned how sucky the NZ school system is before here and in this post and also here.
And now I am totally ashamed of the principals and teachers. They are being so arrogant and self-absorbed. Here, read for yourself:
Threat to fudge exam results
By NATHAN BEAUMONT - The Dominion Post
Schools are threatening to fudge test results and find the easiest tests possible to boost results and undermine the introduction of the Government's controversial national standards.
Hundreds of primary school principals have said they will boycott the Government's flagship policy unless changes are made to limit public access to schools' performance data.
Under the policy, pupils from years 1 to 8 will be assessed in numeracy and literacy against national academic standards, with performance data publicly available under the Official Information Act.
The Government has abandoned plans to fully introduce national standards in primary and intermediate schools next year, with schools not having to report back to officials on pupils' performance against the standards until 2012.
However, parents will still have to be told how their child is performing against the standards from the beginning of next year.
Principals are still concerned about the prospects of league tables and have aired their thoughts about possible ways to undermine them on an Education Ministry website forum.
Paul Heffernan, principal of Auckland's Laingholm Primary School, wrote on the forum: "We are going to teach the easiest test we can find. We are going to re-teach and re-teach baby.
"We will even fudge the results big time. My school is going to be top school on the league table so that my community will know I run a brilliant school. Parents will flock to my door. To hell with anything creative. And don't say this won't happen. It sure did with NCEA."
Auckland's Summerland Primary School principal Luke Sumich, who started the discussion, was pleased so many of his colleagues were having their say.
"We need to get our concerns clearly expressed and into the hearts and minds of parents and politicians. If we could all speak with one majority voice, perhaps then [Education minister] Mrs Tolley might accept that parents do not want league tables just ready access to their child's data."
He had not decided if the standards were good or bad but was annoyed with the prospect of league tables being produced.
"If you are in a poor area but the school does an amazing job, I may not get good results on a league table. They assume that a school ranked higher than its neighbour is performing better. They assume better teaching, but it does not tell the full story."
Mrs Tolley said most of the sector was working constructively with officials to raise pupils' achievement levels.
"Parents have made it clear that they support national standards."
It means that principals will cheat on the tests to make themselves look good if everybody gets to see the results.
Well, if they did their jobs correctly, they would be able to stand on their own merit!
3 comments:
Hi Bettyl, thank you for visiting my (neglected) blog!
I am inclined to agree with you re out School System. There has been a huge upheaval in the last 10 years or so with the introduction of NCEA standards.
Employers have difficulty understanding, and I think parents and students do also!
I trust , by now, you will have read the original article for which Paul Heff wrote a response. You will, by now, be aware that his response was 'tongue in cheek'. Paul is the head of the school my ( high achieving until recently GB educated ) kids attend. They have soared under his leadership. He runs a tight, but immensely fun, ship. The staff team is exceptional and every single kid WANTS TO GO TO SCHOOL! That's success in my book.
I am a teacher myself. I think standards and league tables ruined the English education system adn stifled creativity. I don't want to see the same thing happen here.
Oh and Paul retires this Christmas after 16 very successful years. He head my league table!
Hi Bettyl, thanks for your response to my response. Sorry about my spelling earlier, late night and trying to type too fast.
Sorry if I came on a bit strong. I have been deflecting insults about good ole Mr Heff all week from teachers in other schools, who don't know him, and who are appalled by his 'attitude to the standards' issue'. Most people don't take the time to read the original article and his responses in context. You are so right about how the media reports all of this.
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