While there is a questionable moral imperative for the implementation on the National Standards from our government, I must share a gem of an attitude shared with us during the Michael Fullan seminars from early November.

National Standards are to be exploited, not implemented.

This brings in to question our real moral imperative.  I believe our moral imperative as educators is now to use the standards to make a difference to our kids.  If the policy makers make this difficult, we need to stick to our guns.

While I commend all of the work being done by our academic educational experts. it is now time to accept that this is being done whether we like it or not, for better or for worse until cabinet reshuffle do us part…

So what do the best teachers do?  The variety of research will tell us so many things… can this be whittled down to some simple and key areas?

I know that you didn’t ask for this, but you’ll get it anyway.  My three genetically engineered ingredients to procreate that ‘teaching’ golden goose.

1. I will contend that care and compassion for learners and their learning is at the forefront of my mind when it comes to what the best teachers do.
2. Throw in a heap of passion and the desire to make a difference in some way to them all (and their learning) and we are getting somewhere…
3. Then mix in a large dose of capability – the best teachers are capable of putting 1 and 2 into action!  And with that we have the golden goose that lays those golden eggs…

Has anyone got some quality research to back this up?

It appears that everything is not at all as it seems.  From what I read, schools and clusters can continue to use ICT PD funds to support their attendance at national conferences in 2010.

This is indeed good news and recognition of the value of these events.

So what about 2011?

There is so much going on in education at the moment… I wonder about the moral imperative of our policy makers?

Yep, that sums it up.  Got a message this morning…

from after L@S in 2010, the direct ICT cluster funding cannot be spent on national or international conferences. This will be emailed as a message to schools from the MOE and is about the govt signalling fiscal restraint. This does not prevent schools from sending people to these events but payment for such things will have to come from school budgets not from the direct ICT cluster funding.

Well, ‘fiscal restraint’, that’s fresh coming from a bunch of people (politicians in this country) who very rarely exhibit such a characteristic.  This won’t be my last entry on this matter as it is frustrating for it to happen at such a time and very difficult for educators in this country.  The message is clear, ‘we undervalue conferences’ as a learning, networking and capacity building tool.  Clearly if ICT-PD cluster funding cannot be spent on this, then it perceived to be of little value by the Minister and this Government.

I don’t expect that they will stop taxpayer funded Political Party Conferences in a hurry?

‘ve been thinking a little about this over recent months and it didn’t hurt a bit!  In a learning culture where thinking is the norm, this doesn’t have to be ’something else’ to add on to an already very busy curriculum… it can very ably run alongside it.  The thinking curriculum also must be based on a solid pedagogical imperative, we are doing this because our kids need it and it will benefit them now and in their future.  While I like the concepts put forward by Howard Gardner, with his theories on multiple intelligence and also his 5 Minds for the Future – their translation into a classroom setting, or even schoolwide, is complex and at times sporadic and I contend not really in tune with the intent of the theory.  What schools need is a simple and easy to implement process around thinking that has impact and allows for learners to KNOW that they are thinking.  This is a mindset change and is not just about the teacher saying we are a thinking classroom, because there are pretty thinking posters on the wall… but clear evidence that all students KNOW that they are thinking, can articulate this and think about what is the appropriate tool for them to use to illustrate their thinking.  Yes this is still complex, but I have seen 5 year old who can do this in the right ‘thinking environment’.

I have been extraordinarily busy over the last wee while and blogging has taken the backseat.  A bit sad really, because the last post has probably been the forefront of my rants for too long and I don’t want to be known as a ‘one trick pony’.  I stand by the comments, but have more to offer than just political raving.  Check out this space over the next few weeks for some real developments with learning and professional learning.  I am getting very excited about our evolving ideas and the emerging leadership of quality teachers in these ‘innovations’.

Even though I promised I would not do it, I will also have some more on National Standards (Yes, these have been released and not without some growing controversy over the ‘mandate‘) and some ways to implement and integrate these where our kids and their learning is at the fore, and not unwieldy compliance and narrowing of curriculum.

So much to blog… and so much sleeping, work and keeping fit to do too.  This environment will become an increasingly important tool for me and I am planning to make it a more reflective avenue for me to continue to grow and learn.

The money promised to provide ‘wider access’ to private schooling is ridiculous!  For a start, the means tested eligibility means the applicants must be earning less than $65k gross per annum AND have a net worth of less than $150k!  So conceivably, someone who is doing well enough (thank you) can apply for this grant to pay for private schooling for their kids!  What is more, the selection process is by ballot – a clear indication that selection is not based on highest need (which, is obviously not the intent).  Therefore I have to draw the conclusion that this scheme is not targeted at the ‘lower income bracket’ at all… my thoughts here are; if you want to send your kids to private school, YOU pay for it.

The money being poured into private education is crazy.  This money should be used to support the public sector, in particular focusing on areas of highest need  and for me, this means supporting learning lower decile schools… these are where the ‘truly’ low income families have to send their kids.  How often do the ‘truly ‘ poor get access to private health care?  (I don’t actually know but suggest that it would not be much, if anything).

The direct correlation between poverty and educational underachievement cannot be ignored, and certainly cannot be resolved by pumping another $2.6m into private schooling (not withstanding the other $50m going into private schooling over the next 3 years).

Time to acknowledge the wonderful work being done by many of our lower decile schools and to work with them to provide the resourcing to help them (and therefore all schools) lift under-achievement among our poorest.