This is America, but the English-speaking world is experiencing widespread illiteracy. The Latin world is fine; they still read. But we need to get children reading, and we need to worry less about feelings. Just read, anything.
Showing posts with label High Schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label High Schools. Show all posts
May 08, 2026
December 07, 2018
NZ: Education Shake-up
Finally, an admission that Tomorrow's Schools was a disaster. That's the way I read the proposed changes to the way schools in New Zealand are organised.
Read about it here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12172927
What is proposed is essentially reinventing the wheel, putting in place the framework that existed before Labour destroyed education in NZ. I note the media are avoiding attaching blame. They're such suck-ups.
However, I'm not convinced scrapping Intermediate schools is a good idea. Many Intermediates do an amazing job. Likewise, year 1 through 8 primary schools already exist and they're often fine too. Where things could go badly wrong is having year 1 through 13 at the one school in urban areas. That's fine in Area Schools in the rural areas but it's misguided to allow it in urban areas. There are some schools already set up like this, we are yet to see if they work. I'm not holding my breath.
It comes down to how these changes are implemented. Given Labour's poor record on Education, I remain doubtful.
Read about it here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12172927
What is proposed is essentially reinventing the wheel, putting in place the framework that existed before Labour destroyed education in NZ. I note the media are avoiding attaching blame. They're such suck-ups.
However, I'm not convinced scrapping Intermediate schools is a good idea. Many Intermediates do an amazing job. Likewise, year 1 through 8 primary schools already exist and they're often fine too. Where things could go badly wrong is having year 1 through 13 at the one school in urban areas. That's fine in Area Schools in the rural areas but it's misguided to allow it in urban areas. There are some schools already set up like this, we are yet to see if they work. I'm not holding my breath.
It comes down to how these changes are implemented. Given Labour's poor record on Education, I remain doubtful.
May 27, 2016
More NZ Education and the Bryan Bruce Documentary
Following on from what I said earlier, the challenges New Zealand education face run a bit deeper than just schools are falling apart and failing, and teachers are promoted away from actually teaching.
There was a battle for control fought many years ago. The battle was between those who wanted to see education with a practical application, such as technical high schools, and those who wanted to take New Zealand toward a more academic approach. The academic approach won.
Both Hagley High School and Wellington High School started life as technical colleges. They were very good at what they did and they produced many good engineers and tradespeople. They're still good schools, but now they're like most high schools, turning out lawyers and accountants.
If I go back to my high school days, I always got an A plus in metalwork. My work would often be held up to the class as an example of perfection, to the collective groans of all assembled. I had skill, and in life I used that skill to good effect; designing, innovating and building plants across the world. But back then at high school, as I had some above average academic skills, I was sent to the classes that turned out lawyers.
What happened to me and is still happening to others right now, is a colossal waste of human potential. It took me years to unlearn stuff (I know you can't do that, I'm being dramatic), and replace that with useful skills. Part of this process was self taught. I had to teach myself stuff I'd missed because I was too bright for the metalwork class.
I know this is anecdotal and therefore easy to dismiss. But think about it anyway. New Zealand is not only destroying schools, sapping teachers will to survive, but also ignoring so many children with skills that don't fit a neat structure the authorities have invented.
Look at it another way - lawyers like other lawyers - right? Accountants like other accountants too. Teachers like teachers. So it is natural for accountants to think it's good to produce lots of bean counters and lawyers to do whatever they do, and teachers to teach stuff you probably don't need to know. They replicate the system and produce more of what we don't need.
This is the key I think. We need schools to prepare children to do things. Important things like flying in the sky, plunging the ocean depths or even saving the god damn planet. Lawyers and accountants won't get us there. Nope, not at all. But teachers can, by teaching.
There was a battle for control fought many years ago. The battle was between those who wanted to see education with a practical application, such as technical high schools, and those who wanted to take New Zealand toward a more academic approach. The academic approach won.
Both Hagley High School and Wellington High School started life as technical colleges. They were very good at what they did and they produced many good engineers and tradespeople. They're still good schools, but now they're like most high schools, turning out lawyers and accountants.
If I go back to my high school days, I always got an A plus in metalwork. My work would often be held up to the class as an example of perfection, to the collective groans of all assembled. I had skill, and in life I used that skill to good effect; designing, innovating and building plants across the world. But back then at high school, as I had some above average academic skills, I was sent to the classes that turned out lawyers.
What happened to me and is still happening to others right now, is a colossal waste of human potential. It took me years to unlearn stuff (I know you can't do that, I'm being dramatic), and replace that with useful skills. Part of this process was self taught. I had to teach myself stuff I'd missed because I was too bright for the metalwork class.
I know this is anecdotal and therefore easy to dismiss. But think about it anyway. New Zealand is not only destroying schools, sapping teachers will to survive, but also ignoring so many children with skills that don't fit a neat structure the authorities have invented.
Look at it another way - lawyers like other lawyers - right? Accountants like other accountants too. Teachers like teachers. So it is natural for accountants to think it's good to produce lots of bean counters and lawyers to do whatever they do, and teachers to teach stuff you probably don't need to know. They replicate the system and produce more of what we don't need.
This is the key I think. We need schools to prepare children to do things. Important things like flying in the sky, plunging the ocean depths or even saving the god damn planet. Lawyers and accountants won't get us there. Nope, not at all. But teachers can, by teaching.
June 19, 2014
Reform of NZ Education
What went wrong?
We incentivized Teaching the wrong way, and what we incentivized we got. It's as simple as that. Forget national standards, and the expert teacher status upgrade and all that nonsense, none of it makes a difference. All that these so-called reforms do is entrench the drop. It doesn't even arrest the decline in standards.
The main problem as I see it is - as teachers become better they do less teaching. The more promotion, the more administration, and the less classroom time. In the end, all that are left in the classroom are teachers unable to get promotion, or younger ones with less experience.
We incentivized Teaching the wrong way, and what we incentivized we got. It's as simple as that. Forget national standards, and the expert teacher status upgrade and all that nonsense, none of it makes a difference. All that these so-called reforms do is entrench the drop. It doesn't even arrest the decline in standards.
The main problem as I see it is - as teachers become better they do less teaching. The more promotion, the more administration, and the less classroom time. In the end, all that are left in the classroom are teachers unable to get promotion, or younger ones with less experience.
June 18, 2014
NCEA
I've got three daughters, the eldest has been through High School and is now finishing up her BCom on the way to being an accountant, then the middle child is doing NCEA level 1 this year, the youngest being still at Primary School.
Observation - the NZ secondary education system is broken. I'm talking about State schools here, as I have knowledge of them as a parent of children attending State schools.
Basically, NCEA is flawed. Several problems as I see it:-
Observation - the NZ secondary education system is broken. I'm talking about State schools here, as I have knowledge of them as a parent of children attending State schools.
Basically, NCEA is flawed. Several problems as I see it:-