Oops! The wrong model
In education the current curriculum structures,
based on strands and measurable learning
objectives, represent an outdated 20th C mindset.
These curriculums may be 'scientific' with their endless array of objectives but they have proved impossible to realise- hence the 'new' revised NAGs.
Unfortunately the Ministry of Education has 'hardwired' itself into this restrictive approach. The NZCF is a 'global' model adapted for NZ by adding a Maori dimension etc but it's global parentage remains clear.
Schools caught up in the fast pace of the imposed ideology have had no choice but comply. Or have they?
Now we is the time for educationalists to take a stand. But are there leaders willing to taking the first risky steps?

Where are the Leaders?
This was the challenge given by Dr Judith Aitken CEO ERO during her address to the NZ Education Administration Conference 19 Jan 2000.
Dr Aitken stated that the problems of poor educational leadership are as entrenched now as they were before 1989.
She believes principals have allowed their energy to be sucked up by mechanistic structural changes.
And we feel ERO we feel haven't helped the situation!
Dr Aitken believes principal's have in the process avoided facing up to the problems of inadequate curriculums and to what is actually happening in classrooms. She says that she struggles to find educational heroes and influential leaders. She goes on to say and that she can barely make out, even dimly, the intellectual movers and new architects of ideas that you would expect to find in a vibrant educational community
She accuses many schools of: being centres of complacency; of teachers and principals being frightened of testing and stretching their professional competence being unable to see how banal and depressing much of what is being taught, and how low many schools expectations are of what will move, excite, unsettle and inspire youngsters.

All a little hard to accept but difficult to ignore.
All this after ten years of an imposed National Curriculum and associated Curriculum Statements must be a worry to those respnsible. As well International tests show NZ students falling behind other nations. No wonder the Ministry has had to revert back to the traditional 'back to basics' emphasis on literacy and numeracy to 'close the gap'!

Where did 'we' go wrong?
Dr Aitken believes we are in this position because we are 'stifled by the subject-labelled boxes of the present National Curriculum'.

Once again we agree.
She believes we need to educate in depth rather than the current superficiality. That we need to encourage greater risk taking rather than compliance and conformity

Again who would disagree!
There seems some irony in all this as the ERO Reviewers themselves create what one writer calls a 'Corrosion of Character'. This is caused by principals trying to guess what is wanted by others rather than deciding their own position and taking a stand. This 'anticipatory dread' contributes to the creation of an environment toxic to innovation and risk taking. Schools can only combat this depressing environment if they show leadership and preferably work collaboratively with others.
Such schools have fared well. A lesson for all.

Not all bad news!
Dr Aitken assures us that she can think of powerful school principals and she does applaud the innovation and creativity of individual teachers. She still however believes that at the national level we need strong and influential leaders that are identifiable in the popular mind. She asks that we need to identify, celebrate and encourage them because we can no longer afford the tiresome pre occupation with structures and systems that have pre- occupied us for so long. The focus needs to return to teaching and learning.

Once again we couldn't agree more!
We aren't sure what Dr Aitken has been reading (or 'taking') or if she is in touch with the lesser mortals that harass schools creating, along with the Ministry demands, what Fullan calls 'cultures of dependency'.
Whatever there is, in these times of uncertainty, a vacuum of leadership that creates, as she says, 'a truly marvellous opportunity to spring out of sweet complacency.'
The 'sweet' complacency she mentions is in reality an oppressive compliance created in part by her own reviewers.

Is Dr Aitken right?
We do not agree that there is a vacuum of leadership, more a capturing of the territory by the ideology that resides in the minds of those at the Ministry. As David Lange said, at a Rural Principals Course, we are led by people who have competence and information but no wisdom, bureaucrats who are marginally deaf to contrary points of views.
Unfortunately so far the new Government has provided little in the way of real visionary educational leadership to give us much heart things will change.
It will thus fall back to schools to pick up the leadership challenge. Attendance at educational conferences can only be judged successful if those who attend return to their schools 'fired up' to take on this leadership challenge!

The next Decade - the rediscovery of the art of teaching?
If we are to leave the rational excesses of modernism behind we need to focus on what is really happening in our classrooms. The next decade will see a need to focus on the lost art of teaching and classroom management rather than the current curriculum emphasis
Contrary to Dr Aitken's views. there are leaders local, national and international to gain inspiration from. Our Newsletter is based on this leadership premise and we are not alone, the writings of Kelvin Smythe and Ivan Snook come to mind but who is listening?
We recognise that being a leader in a hostile environment is no easy job, particularly as many principals have only too readily accepted the imposed CEO management model. To make things worse such principals have in turn imposed compliance on those beneath them. To compound the problem many overworked teachers have now come to adopt the 'modern' technocratic curriculums as 'normal'. They have had little choice. Those who have resisted have had to face up to unacceptable accountability pressures.

Now is a great time for Leaders.
Leadership will be greeted with enthusiasm by teachers if principals can provide the security to all involved in the school. by developing a shared sense of direction. Such leadership will calm the assessment frenzies and tame the overcrowded curriculums, which are, as Lester Flockton says, 'stuffed in both sense of the word'.

Recognise local heroes- visit schools and be inspired.
We can begin by recognising the creativity of teachers that exist in all schools. Let's make them the heroes not advisers with their Ministry contracts. Only teachers know the true reality of classroom teaching.
In recent times teachers are beginning to visit other schools that have gained recognition on the 'grapevine' for developing outstanding programmes. Visiting such a school can be an aesthetic experience, both affirming and 'mind-blowing'!

Read & Reflect.
There are also a number of lots of great books to give you courage and to inspire creative action. Books by:Fullan; Hargreaves; Sergiovanni; Barth; Stoll and Fink; David Perkins; Art Costa; Howard Gardner; Renzulli; etc and also the ASCD Magazine etc.
All talk about the importance of creating a learning community.

Network
Develop networks with other teachers and use the Internet to learn about innovative ideas from around the world. We hope to have our own Newsletter Web Page in the near future.
You will soon come to appreciate there are countless alternatives to the current standard based global curriculums with their genesis in the wrong century!

Introduce Innovative Programmes.
There are a range of innovative programmes available for schools to experiment with once you clear some intellectual space! Such programmes are 'post-modern' in their approach in that they move away from the certainty of the current curriculum model and instead encourage individual creativity and diversity.

How many of the following are you aware of?

• Art Costa's Intelligent Behaviours.
• Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences
• Integrated learning.
• Integrating Information Technology
• Constructivist Teaching
• Co-opertative learning
• Action Learning
• Values based learning
• Talent based Education

Less is best - depth.
Most important of all is the need to do of fewer things well if we are to avoid 'fragile learning'. We need what one writer calls it the 'Haiku Curriculum'- simple and deep.

Quality rather than quantity
Quality of experience rather than coverage is the key. This applies to assessment as well. To avoid the current 'assessment frenzy' we need to assess fewer thing well, use the data gained to improve teaching and encourage self assessment. The revised NAGs are catching up on good practice in this respect!

Effort above talent.
Asian cultures value effort above talent and believe as if all students can learn given appropriate tasks and help . This is the premise of accelerated learning approaches as well.

The teacher as a coach.
To achieve the above we need to introduce the metaphor of the teacher as a 'coach' interacting with students to develop greater skill, confidence and self-responsibility. We may have expected far too little of our students in the past.
We also need to reinstate effort, 'deep practice' and perseverance back into our schools.

Focused Teaching
Lets introduce what one school in New Plymouth calls 'Focussed Teaching' - a process where teachers keep in mind one or two goals for any individual and don't move on until students achieve them.

Complexity means distracted effort. Simplicity means focused effort.

Edward De Bono

Foundation skills and 'magic'!
We need to take advantage of the 'revised' NAGS (the closest the Ministry will admit to introducing the wrong model!) and ensure that the foundation skills are in place for all learners and then have make certain all students gain success in the Learning Areas. Basic skills and some magic! Students will apply themselves to what they love.
One reason why we need this NAG 'revision' is because schools have been asked to introduce and assess far too many curriculum areas - beyond the energy/ stress level of any one teacher.
Even the Ministry now admits this. They are currently 'stocktaking' the curriculum!

We have the leaders but do we have the will?
We believe, that contrary to the pessimistic tone in Dr Aitken's speech, we do have leaders at all levels to inspire us but we do need to encourage them.
There are international leaders - they are available on the web and at educational conferences.
There are national leaders that are happy to share their insights.
There are inspirational heroes from the past that we can rediscover.
Most of all there are educational leaders in our own schools - principals, teachers and people from the wider community.
All have wisdom to share but only if we seek them out - it hasn't been a happy decade for them!

The 'Power of One'
Leadership exists at all levels in our school system. In a post-modern world a leader is simply a person who creates the conditions that empowers others to act.
Any body who helps any one else realise their dream is a leader- all teachers are.
We can all become leaders - it is an attitude of mind.
There are no 'silver bullets' or right answers, contrary to the Ministries curriculums. The best advice is to give it a go, work with others, continually improve and keep what is best.
If your beliefs are clear and you act with integrity what is there to lose?

'Life is the path you beat when you walk it
It's the walking that beats the path. It is not the path that makes the walk'

Antonio Machado Poet

An African saying goes;

'It takes more than one person to beat a track'.

Whatever you can dream begin it. Boldness has the power and magic in it.

Goethe