Read what you will into the title of this post… a play on words about the National Government, my beliefs about the way we have been consulted ‘with’ (National taking a stand), or how I view the impact of this proposed intervention to lift national student achievement (dud).  Regardless of all of the discussion around National Standards (The link takes you to Derek Wenmouth’s very good blog post on consultation around national standards), it is very evident to me, that it is not the National Government’s intention to do much, for example:

• Q:  Will this lead to national testing?
• A: It is not our intention that this will lead to national testing
• Q: How will this affect our current curriculum developments and implementation?
• A: It is not our intention that this will take over those priorities, curriculum implementation is still your priority. (WHAAAAAAAT!  You want these implemented by next year!!!)
• Q: What about league tables?  Are we going to be faced with league tables?
• A: It is not our intention that national standards will lead to the publication of league tables.

Ohh please, I may have looked a bit ’shell-shocked’, but I didn’t have ‘prize winning turnip’ written over my face!  While these may not be intentions, they could certainly result in everyone of these.  The grey areas surrounding the implementation of these standards are enormous, gaping chasms which require more than rope and crampons to traverse.  The consultation around these standards has been poor, ill-timed and badly planned in terms of implementation time frames and the fact that some regions were left out of the consultation altogether!  And I believe that is because what is intended and what agenda informs this stand, is not being made clear.

I must point out that I am not frightened about these standards (see this earlier post), in fact, we are attempting to plan to implement our own way of communicating achievement to learners and parents directly related to curriculum levels as part of our implementation of the New Zealand Curriculum.  What does frighten me, is the nature of the consultation, and that 49% Schools are failing to do this (According to ERO).

What is clearly ‘intended’ by the National Government, is that these be implemented as soon as possible.  Well this is good, there is some intent (*sarcasm*)… what intent is less clear is that, are these standards for learners, or parents?  The Ministry of Education’s statement:

This will help students; their teachers and parents, families and whānau better understand what they are aiming for and what they need to do next.

…indicates that this is good for all of us.  But is anyone asking the big question?  HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?  Is it because Mr Hattie says so?  (I am unsure – he has been quiet on this issue despite being quoted in the National Party’s flyer on National Standards prior to last year’s elections… but we know that Mrs Tolley is a fan).  I want to see the cast iron proof that this has the pedagogical power to do what the government say it will do.

I believe we (the students, parents, teachers and community) are owed this, before this potentially flawed and rushed policy becomes reality, and a potential ‘dud’.

…and if we don’t get this?  Well, it doesn’t really matter we will implement them in a way that works for our kids anyway.

Check out this blog post too! (Thanks AllanahK)