The NZ National Curriculum, which had its genesis in the now faltering 'market forces' ideology of the end of the last century, is running out of the certainly it once portrayed. Premised on the need for coherence the NZCF has created confusion, teacher overload and considerable frustration. The Curriculum Frameworks are now being regarded by many as 'barriers' to realising the very learning outcomes they set out to achieve. Teachers are suffering from 'change fatigue' and show little passion, enthusiasm, or real belief in the ideas arbitrarily imposed from above.

With no shared vision or philosophy, no agreed values, education seems to be drifting now that the current curricula are losing their urgency. Only the problematic secondary NZCEA remains as focus for government imposition. To add to the confusion Literacy and Numeracy have been revived as a means to solve the growing number of failing students. This predictable retreat to 'basics' will not hopefully diminish the value of the creative arts these very students need if they are to develop their potential talents. New Zealanders deserve better! What we are seeing is akin to moving the deck chairs on the Titanic!

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

We need a national 'conversation' about the kind of Nation we want to become.

The challenge of globalisation requires that as a country we need to protect our special identity. Education needs to be reinvented as a key means to contribute to the development of NZ as a society we all can feel part of - country known for its innovative creative people, and for being an inclusive caring people that values cultural diversity. To do this we 'need to think out of the box' not blindly follow international trends.

'Every organisation has to be prepared for the abandonment of every thing it does. Be prepared to abandon everything lest we have to abandon ship.'
Peter Drucker.

'Queensland New Basics 2010'

Rather than 'stocktaking' our current curricula we only need to look to Queensland for inspiration. Queensland is the only state (or Western Country for that matter) not bothering to 'resuscitate', 'update', 'stock take', 'slim-down' or 'benchmark' their equivalent curriculum statements. They are facing up to preparing their students to thrive in a world that traditional education systems were simply not designed to cope with. Alan Luke, their Assistant Director of Education, in reference to stocktaking current curricula, says such an approach 'is a panel beaters delight: it's akin to sticking a 1980s Holden engine into a Falcon body, with a mid 70s Nissan chassis.' 'We need to start from scratch if necessary'. If only our Ministry bureaucrats, or the Minister, had such courage, creativity, innovative spirit or imagination!

A brief summary of the Queensland New Basics 2010

1. Queensland have defined the 'future literacies' all students will need to acquire for future success. Literacy is to be interpreted in its broadest sense to include information technology, citizenship and personal skills, and life long learning attributes.
2. To realise the 'future literacies' schools are to provide students with a range of 'Rich Topics' at all levels (removing the historical and destructive primary/secondary divide). Such topics, to be planned collaboratively are not to be limited to traditional Learning Areas, integration will occur naturally, as it does in the 'real world'. The 'Rich Topics' concept solves the problem of the 'overcrowded curriculum' as well as simplifying assessment demands. Students will need to be able to demonstrate their learning through authentic performances.
3. The third strand emphasises a focus on 'productive pedagogy.' Current international curricula are noticeably silent about pedagogy. In NZ, until recently, there has been a policy vacuum about teaching and learning as indicated by their absence from Ministry Contracts. This is with the exception of a small Integrated Studies Contact and the 'silver bullet' Information Technology Contracts. Overall there has been a lack of connection between National polices and the extensive research available on brain research and learning/thinking strategies that have been shown to dramatically improve student leaning.

It is not be possible to cover the full range of exciting new ideas creative schools are implementing. Every school will have to introduce ideas that are relevant to their own situation.

After a decade of confusion created by curricula changes and assessment demands it is important to return the focus to the neglected 'art and craft' of the teaching. An emphasis needs to be placed on developing every teacher's confidence, skill and passion for teaching. Lasting educational change will on each teacher's enthusiasm rather than imposed curriculum change.

Each school needs to help their teaching team clarify and articulate their beliefs about teaching and learning and encourage them to share 'best practices'. Teachers need to be open about their concerns and needs and this may mean breaking down, in some cases, norms of isolation. To open the dialogue visiting each other's rooms is a start and then to visit other schools known to be trying new ideas. A culture of valuing and sharing the wisdom that teachers already have between schools will be more powerful than the current system of delivering curricula by hit and miss contracts. By these means schools can develop into true collaborative learning communities, continually evolving at their own pace. By being exited about new ideas and by continually questioning their own teaching teachers will then seen as model of learning for their students. Passionate enthusiastic teachers have always inspired students.

'To much energy has been placed on reforming schools from the outside through policies and mandates. Too little has been paid to how schools can be shaped from within.'
Roland Barth

New schools for a new millennium.

What we want (according to Art Costa, author of 'The School As A Home for the Mind' 91) are students inspired by whatever talents they have to be able to: 'set goals, establish plans and establish priorities' who can ' generate, hold and apply criteria for assessing the own growth of their own thoughtful behaviour' who can 'take risks, share thinking strategies and venture forth with creative ideas...' 'The School as a Home for The Mind' is a challenging metaphor.

'The best we educational planners can do is to create the conditions for teachers and schools to flourish and get out of their way.'
Theodore Sizer

We need a more Informed Vision for the 21st C -' the best of all worlds'.

For far too long teachers, and the public, have been sidetracked by an either/or mentality about education -' child centred' or ' traditional'. Whether to encourage students to 'learn for themselves' or 'sit then down and teach and test them'. What is needed is to take the best from each 'mindset'. We do need to help students develop a strong sense of autonomy and creativity based around their talents and, as well, we need to help then value the importance of rigour, effort, working in depth and perseverance. When we add the new ideas about how students learn we have a powerful philosophy that can be used at all levels losing in the process the problems of transferring between schools.

The dynamic role of the teacher as a 'cognitive coach'.

Learning needs to be seen a movement from a position of being a 'novice' to one of being an 'expert'. To achieve such growth requires a master/apprenticeship role between the two parties involved. Teachers to be seen as 'cognitive coaches' need to believe that all students can learn given appropriate tasks, time and help. They need to hold high expectations for all learners with no exceptions. Then, by using their diagnostic skills, they need to assess the current knowledge and skill base of each learner and then negotiate achievable and explicit 'stretch goals' to further each student's ability. Such teacher/coaches are expert in mediating learning even for the most limited students by providing appropriate 'scaffolds', or temporary help, and always in the process encouraging every student to outdo their previous 'personal best'.

'I want you to get excited about who you are, what you have , and what you could still be. I want to inspire you to see that you can go far beyond where you are right now.'
Virginia Satir

All students need to experience excellence - the basis for all learning.

Whatever approaches a school uses it will be of little use unless every students gains an appreciation of the need for personal excellence. All too often schools take on board new ideas about learning, such as multiple intelligences, learning styles, and cooperative learning, before this concept is established .As a result what is often achieved is disappointing. It is important for all students to achieve something beyond their wildest expectations. When students are motivated by interest or relevance and with the assistance of a skilled coach/mentor, this should be the experience of all learners. To achieve such a vision schools would need to cover fewer topics but do them in depth to ensure understanding, aiming for quality rather that quantity. All too often this dedication to doing things well is only to be seen when students undertake out of school or extra curricular activities. Motivation is all about the pride and personal power of doing something really well.

'To play the trumpet well , a musician can not let more tan a few days pass without practising.'
Csikszentmihalyi

Once this quality mindset is accepted there are a range of proven ideas that can be introduced by a skilled teacher. Failing would no longer be seen as an option in such a learning environment.

Learning is about making meaning - constructivism.

A constructivist theory, where students 'construct' their own meanings, underpins this future vision of education. This does not exclude the role of expert helper as illustrated by the coaching metaphor. As the Russian educationalist Lev Vygotsky wrote 'What a child can do with help today he/she can do by themselves tomorrow'. A more suitable phrase would be 'co-constructivism. Teachers using a co- constructivist model would first find out (and value) the prior knowledge any student brings to a learning situation. Student's questions would determine the learning pathway but the teacher's role would be to confront their tentative theories and challenge them expand their knowledge and, in the process, help them develop improved learning strategies. This 'interactive' approach is already the basis of the successful Reading Recovery programme and is increasingly being used across the curriculum. For those who would like to learn more about constructivism visit www.thirteen.org/edoline/concepts2class This is also an excellent site to learn more about: Multiple Intelligence, Co-operative Learning, Inquiry Learning, Collaborative Learning, and Web Quests etc.

Awareness of the creative process to develop an appreciation of reflection and effort.

To achieve quality work in any area the teacher must 'slow the pace' of students work down, not only to introduce a reflective mindset, but also to provide time for the teacher to assist students thinking. Far to often work is spoiled in schools by students rushing in, without even considering what it is they are trying to achieve, with the thought in mind that first finished is always bet!

Students, when they are beginning new tasks, need to be helped through the learning process starting with idea generation and finishing with the idea being realised. An appreciation that in this process learning can be ' messy' until the idea 'gels' is an important understanding. Student's also need to appreciate that, when developing a new skill, it often gets worse before it get better and that perseverance, practice and effort will be involved. People involved in the creative arts are well aware of these important insights. If these insights are not appreciated, students, particularly those with a 'perfection mindset', can give up and in turn miss out on the excitement of doing something new really well. Shear talent may be enough for a gifted few but for most students, it important they learn to value effort, to learn to cope with setbacks (in the process developing resiliency), the need for perseverance and good 'old fashioned' practice.

'The principal task of education is to create is to create men and woman who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.'
Jean Piaget

Creating powerful, learners - learners with strategies.

There are those who believe that being aware of the process of 'how to learns' is now the real content of education. Understanding knowing how to do something is as important as being able to do it - a learner who can articulate his thoughts is a powerful learner. For those who are interested in creating 'mindful' learners visit Art Costa's website www.habits-of-mind.net. This site will provide information on what Costa calls the 'intelligent behaviours' that are used by all successful learners and will be needed by future learners. Costa states that it is only when you don't know what to do, that the real thinking begins. The future will be full of such 'ill defined' situations requiring such intelligent behaviour. Many schools in NZ are already using Costa's 'habits of mind'.

The Importance of Depth rather than Coverage.

The need for in depth powerful learning challenges ('Rich Topics') has already been mentioned. In recent years teachers have been 'encouraged' by a 'flood' of curriculum documents to cover and assess far too many requirements. This has lead to, what one educator (Perkins, 'Smart Schools' 95) calls a 'game of trivial pursuits' leading to 'fragile learning'. What is required is, what some have called, the 'Haiku Curriculum - simple and deep'. In the process of working in depth the problem of the 'crowded curriculum' will be solved.

'Do not teach too many things but what you do, teach thoroughly.'
A.N Whitehead

The teacher's role is then to encourage 'deep thinking' about the topics chosen to help students see connections between learning area. Developing links between Learning Areas is an idea almost impossible in current fragmented traditional secondary schools .The provision of cross curricular powerful learning themes naturally leads to the need to introduce a range of teaching and learning strategies. Refer www.thirteen.org/edonline/concepts2class

The best topics, as in the 'real world' will be messy and 'ill-defined' but such generative topics will provide the potential for students to explore a range of traditional disciplines. While planning will still be important much of what will eventuate will be unpredictable and the unexpected developments may well prove to provide the most insight. These ideas reflect discovery in the real world.

The Vexed Issue of Assessment - the need to reduce the 'assessment frenzy'!

'We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.'
Goethe

Assessment needs to be determined by what it is schools values and then integrated into every learning task. The creative coaching model naturally integrates feedback, both positive and 'suggestive', and negotiates with individual learners specific goals for future improvement. Students in the future will need to be able to self assess their own growth by using agreed criteria. The most important evidence of learning are the student's mindsets, behaviours, dispositions, enthusiasm and positive attitudes towards learning. The best assessments are student demonstrations and performances.

Management - the Lost 'Craft' of Teaching.

Classroom management has for too long left to chance. Focussed classroom management is a vital element in creating a positive learning environment. Too often, in the rush to cover too many things, teachers are becoming what Mary Hill (University of Waikato) calls 'activity managers rather than teachers!'

Students to learn, need safe, predictable classroom environments to encourage them to develop the confidence to take the risks so necessary in any learning. Teachers also need the time to stop and engage in 'focussed teaching', so necessary to help all students achieve quality learning. Teachers need to have negotiated with students, not only what they are supposed to be doing, but also when, how and why, or students may waste valuable learning time or, worse still, become behavioural problems.

A 'three step learning' format is one way to focus teaching and learning. Each lesson needs to start with an introduction outlining what is going to happen e.g. to introducing new vocabulary or relating the lesson back to previous learning. This is followed by focused group work session and concluded with a reflective 'wrap up ' session to draw ideas together. Each day should have the same format concluding with a reflective period before students leave for home.

It is a good management idea for the teacher to outline the day programme and any negotiated class goals and specific group tasks, on the black or white board. This will ensure students have enough information to get on with their tasks independently without interrupting the teachers on procedural matters. Four rotating group tasks are enough to ensure diversity without losing focus. One group task is normally working with the teacher in a focused 'social style' coaching/teaching situation. The other three groups could reflect the three other learning styles: the 'researcher' (perhaps using the computer); the 'active hand on style' doing a practical task; and the 'imaginative/ sensitive style'. This of course is a simplification of a complex idea

If quality work is the aim then students will also need to have the visual and presentation skills required 'scaffolded' until they become automatic. The way work is presented, in any media, cannot be left to chance. Often student quality thinking is spoiled by its poor presentation and as well quality presentation/design can 'sell' ideas to others. Schools that have defined these expectations are able to demonstrate to all the quality of their students work. It is all about valuing standards.

'The number one problem in the classrooms is not discipline; it is a lack of authentic learning tasks, procedures and routines.' Harry Wong

Room Environments to Celebrate and Inform

If student have been helped to achieve work of excellence it ought to be displayed with due respect. Displays should reflect, if a primary class, a range of Learning Areas, each with a provocative heading, study questions, in some areas processes and goals outlined, and if necessary, class evaluations. In this way room environments celebrate students creativity and inform students and visitors. Teachers expert in this area have classrooms with what can be called the 'wow' factor! and other teachers, if they are open to new ideas, can soon learn some simple display principles.

The room, and indeed the total school, should reflect a pride of achievement that can be picked up by even the most casual visitor. Aesthetics is an important, and often forgotten aspect, in schools.

Summary

This newsletter has placed emphasis on the 'art and the craft' of the teacher, the importance of passion and enthusiasm, and most importantly for the teacher to be seen as a learning model to all the learners lucky enough to 'taught' in such classrooms. Seeing students, particularly those who seem to have given up, achieve beyond their expectations, is the true physic reward of being a teacher.

Creating an environment for such teachers to practice their 'magic' is the role of leadership at all levels .In turn we need to honour and value those teachers who help students do wonderful work. Most of all we need to ensure that the collective wisdom of such teachers is not lost .The past decade has not been kind to creative teachers and many have 'burntout' or have left. If NZ is to become a creative, innovative and caring country we cannot afford to lose such people.


Bruce Hammonds Feedback about this Newsletter bhammonds@leading-learning.co.nz

'Whatever you can do or dream...begin it. Boldness has the power and magic in it.'
Goethe