Our Suggestions
This Newsletter is an attempt to put forward some positive ideas to be considered. Nothing is being suggested as new but non-the less together they could change education as we know it.

'If we always do what we've always done we will always get where we've always got'
Adam Urbanski

What sort of NZ?
The key questions the government must ask is 'What kind of country do we want to be seen as?' What conditions need to be put in place to ensure all citizens feel included? More importantly how can everyone feel able to make a worthwhile contribution rather than waiting for
wealth and opportunity to 'trickle down'. What is the role of education in creating a new vision for NZ.

'It is today that we create the world of the future .'
Eleanor Roosevelt

I have learnt to use the word impossible with great caution.'
Vernher von Braun

Education the key
An aware government could reframe schools into positive places where young people could be encouraged to accept the awesome challenge to gain the knowledge and skills to be key players in creating a better world.

'Lifelong learning also requires learning be alluring; indeed, that it become a high satisfaction in itself, if not something the individual craves.'
Peter Drucker.

The original vision
The promise of Tomorrow's Schools. The image was of neighbourhood schools run by parents free of the restrictions of central bureaucracy within a Charter agreed to by all parties.
What we now have is more bureaucracy than ever. Schools have to comply to Ministry confusing regulations and curriculum demands as well as presenting evidence of their compliance to the Education Review Office. And if this isn't bad enough these two organisations seem to be in conflict with each other!

Community voice
Community input into the teaching and learning beliefs has never been realised. Not withstanding demands on BOT members time and energy in managing schools is real enough.
Even the concept of self-managing schools is struggling as many schools are becoming 'at risk'. The Ministry has thankfully 'seen the light' by providing contracts for clusters of schools to collaborate and have also introduced regional support groups.
However it is when it comes to curriculum that self-management is shown to be a real sham. What we have had is what one writer (Michael Barber 'The Learning Game') calls 'Free Market Stalinism!'
Currently the Ministry is asking schools to return their focus to literacy and numeracy and rather than having to cover the impossible demands of the curriculum statements school now have to only provide success in learning areas. This is welcomed.
Schools currently have to comply to a bewildering array of curriculum statements. If they have been lucky they may have had access to Ministry Contracts to assist them. If
not they have to do their best gaining advice from a shrinking advisory service.

What has been gained?
If all these changes had resulted in improved results there might be some small satisfaction but this has not been the case. Students not only are not achieving acceptable levels of basic skills in many schools and students are still leaving secondary schools with lack of qualifications and more worrying poor attitudes towards learning.

Lazy students or poor students are the responsibility of the school. There are then only schools that perform and schools that do not perform.
Peter Drucker

What is needed is a new vision for a new Millennium.
One would hope that the new government is thinking hard about a new positive creative role for education to build on the new found pragmatism of the Ministry.

No shortage of ideas.
Michael Barber, Adviser to Tony Blair, provides six guidelines to consider. Improving schools need:

• a clear sense of purpose.
• to practice fearlessness - they cannot do all things, they make choices.
• To set clear targets for themselves which focus on student learning
• To practice continual self review and are open about their performance.
• Have a planed professional development strategy related to the school development plan and performance appraisal.
• All staff, not just the teaching team need to be regarded as part of the learning community.

'No other institution faces challenges as those that will transform the school.'
Peter Drucker

Learning Organizations.
The business world is now talking about transforming their firms into Learning Organizations based on shared beliefs and values.
Culture, how people behave, is now felt more important than inflexible policies and structures.
This concept is similar to the original premise of Tomorrows Schools.

'Treat people as they might be, and you will help them become what they are capable of being.'
Goethe

A possible agenda
What we need, now that all the 'new' curriculums are in place, is a government that says no change for five years.
Before they do this they should indicate their vision for education to allow schools to start thinking for themselves within reasonable guidelines.

A reformed Ministry
Could provide 10-20 pages outlining requirements in the interim. This could outline basic requirements including, core literacy and numeracy, the need to provide success in a range of Learning Areas, the Essential Skills and Attitudes as outlined in the new NAGs. This document could well be a revised New Zealand National Curriculum Framework. This revision would provide no difficulty as Framework never been officially gazetted. The remainder of curriculum statements should be made advisory to encourage innovation.

A new Curriculum by 2005?
A new Curriculum could be gazetted in 2005. By then many schools will have had time to put many ideas into action. Such a Curriculum, when gazetted ,would then represent best practices. This would be a reversal of the current top-down approach. Innovation would become the norm - teaching would be seen as an exciting career.
The new NAG's are a good start even if they are more a reaction to failed policies of past governments than a new vision
The focus for the 21stC should return back to the 'core functions' of creating environments for teaching and learning.

Some ideas for BOTs to consider:

1. Involve the community in developing the values and shared beliefs that should underpin their school. This could be the first step in revitalizing the school charter as a 'living document'. The metaphor should be The School as a Community' to replace the current 'business' model.
2. As part of the above begin a programme of simplifying all school documents. Simplicity and focus are important attributes in any organization. Most importantly BOTs must always judge their success by the attitudes and skills of their students. BOTs must make certain all are aware of what the school stands for.
3. A vital task of the BOT of any school to achieve this focus is to establish it's learning policy. The elements of this policy should be known by all. It should be the key document to ensure the school's vision is implemented. This Learning Framework/ Policy should be integral to school self review and all staff performance management systems

1. BOTs and teaching teams need to be aware or the implications of the 'Multiple Intelligence' findings of Howard Gardner. The current emphasis on achievement needs to be re- focussed on talent development. Gardner outlines eight ways students can be intelligent. Schools that are unaware of his ideas are failing their students.
2. The challenge for teachers is to provide 'authentic' studies and projects that motivate students.
3. As part a Learning Policy schools need to encourage students to apply effort to all they do - too many of our students give up too easily.
4. BOT's Learning Policies should encourage teaching teams to study fewer things well - to value depth rather than mindless coverage currently encouraged.

   'Do not teach too many subjects and what you teach, teach thoroughly.'
   A.N.Whitehead
   
   

5. School structures, particularly at the secondary level will need to be reconsidered. The current model is more in line with a transmission model of learning suited to the past century. One current model retains core teaching in the a.m. but develops thematic/ talent based programmes in the p.m.
6. The teaching of thinking should be central to all teaching. There are those who feel that thinking ( 'life long learning') should be the real content of education. Implementation of the 'intelligent behaviors' of Art Costa would seem worthwhile any school considering as a viable programme.
7. BOT's need to consider what broad areas they want the school to be known for. Schools for: talent development, Environmental Studies, Information Technology, Art and Design, Cultural Heritage, Young Achievers programmes, Self Confidence and Leadership Skills.
8. National Testing should be guaranteed by national sampling while each school could 'guarantee' literacy and numeracy to an appropriate level depending on the socio -economic level of the school.
   As part of the school's Learning Policy the school would have to show evidence to the community on areas deemed important relating to school agreed values through Self Review.

'The guiding principle being put forward here is that the school must become self directing.'
John Goodland

• Involving 'Third Age' citizens, community members etc to work in schools as teacher assistants. Such assistants could gain 'training credits'.
• Provision for schools to employ outside expertise to assist with talent development programmes.
• Establishing out of school learning centres for talent development - progress could be linked back to school student achievement data.
• Establishing Homework Centres with Info Tech. in areas of real need. Once again linked back to base schools.
• Encouraging Secondary Schools to extend work experience and to
  introduce 'service' education to develop in students a responsibility towards others Students could gain credits by working in Primary Schools etc.
• Developing Community Education Councils with representation from BOTs. These councils to assist school with advisory services in all areas of school management. This is a means to introduce community obligation of schools towards their community as well as providing help to school at risk.
• Extending the school day /year but using this time for talent development and extension programmes.
• Integrating medical and health services on school sites to monitor problems that effect school learning.
  
• Developing the idea of parent school contracts to encourage parent obligations to student learning

BOTs should be more involved in teaching and learning.
BOT need to be more involved in learning Many BOT member have NAG responsibilities but often feel left out of curriculum concerns.

• By creating a Learning Policy for their school
• By being more visible in schools e.g. holding meeting in school classrooms and including a small report from teachers. By having regular planned classroom visits; by presenting at assemblies etc.
• By focussing all meetings on requiring the teaching team to demonstrate how the school's Learning Policy is being put in place.