It's not 1-in-5 who are failing, it's less than 1-in-10

Emeritus Professor Terry Crooks (who specialised in student assessment at Otago University) supplied this analysis of the 2010 NCEA level 2 results.

He concludes that only around 7% of students leave year 8 ill-prepared to pass NCEA level 2. The 1-in-5/20%-are-failing statistic much-beloved of politicians includes students who are on track to pass level 2 but who drop out of school or don't sit the tests, and students with serious disabilities. New Zealand's problem is that too many capable Maori students drop out of high school.

Click to read more ...

Charter schools - why would you bother?

The President of the education sector union NZEI Te Riu Roa says the biggest question New Zealanders should be asking about charter schools is -  why?

Click to read more ...

Reporting National Standards Data

Attention Board of Trustee Chairs and Principals from NZEI, NZPF and BTAC

Dear Colleagues
The National Government has been re-elected with an education manifesto that includes an increased emphasis on reporting student achievement at both school level and system level. There will be a requirement for Boards to "publish annual plans, provisional targets, and achievements by 28 February each year". The National Party says it will "shift the resourcing model, so it incentivises performance," with Education Minister Anne Tolley reported as saying this means paying top performing schools more. 

Click to read more ...

Additive-free schools

By Julienne Law

Children and adults who live on fast food or any food that is packed with chemicals will be adversely affected to some degree. Watch children after a birthday party and you will understand how some children behave on a daily basis. Dealing with this aspect of child abuse has not been explored. Child abuse is not confined to lower socio economic families because all have to eat.

Click to read more ...

The problem of charter schools

by Liz Gordon, Quality Public Education Coalition

Charter schools have been around in parts of the United States for nearly two decades. They are attractive there because the US school system, with Federal, State, City and School District levels is very top heavy with bureaucracy. Also, high levels of poverty in many city areas have impacted on school outcomes.  As a result, many groups have felt that they could ‘do better’, given the chance.

Click to read more ...

Makeover time

It’s never been more important to be professional and look the part.
Former kindergarten teacher turned fashion stylist, Rachel Annett, spent a day
with Hutt Valley kindergarten teacher Carolyn Evans. Here’s her advice

Rachel can be contacted at: email t.saunders@clear.net.nz, ph 021 053 5426

Click to read more ...

Internet innovations will shape education this year

Four e-learning educators sum up 2011 and predict the ICT highlights of 2012. Sarah Jones reports.

Click to read more ...

National Standards: narrow-minded

Pressure is coming on teachers to narrow the curriculum as National Standards begin to bite. Diana Clement investigates

Click to read more ...

The tragedy of closed school pools

Gone are the days when the sound of children splashing in the pool was part of the fabric of summer school days. Elizabeth Brown looks into New Zealand’s growing poolside crisis.

Click to read more ...

The Canterbury Tales

As the first anniversay of the devastating February quake approaches, a few of the many local heroes share their stories.

Click to read more ...

Public money up for grabs

“We’re running a revolution,” Denise
Torrey told EA before the
government’s charter schools
announcement. “And we’re hoping the ministry
will listen to our ideas. As stakeholders it’s up to
us to make that happen.”

Click to read more ...

Gin’s plea for a broad curriculum

Gin Wigmore is part-way through an education degree. She tells Amanda Hanan about her concerns for art-inclined students in the current climate.

Click to read more ...

When libraries go wild

New technologies, tight budgets and the changing needs of learners are transforming our school libraries. Sarah Jones talks to one school who has reinvented their library and another who has shut theirs down.

Click to read more ...

Pity the little children

Educators in the ECE sector were holding their breath ahead of announcements they fear will make early education more expensive for parents.

Click to read more ...

When worse is better – the tragedy of mild hearing loss

Children with mild hearing loss and other overlapping conditions aren’t getting the help they need – despite severe learning difficulties. Jane Blaikie reports

Click to read more ...

Support staff face too many obstacles

Support staff are passionate to assist great teaching and learning, but their quest to be treated as professionals and paid accordingly is an uphill struggle. Rose Northcott reports.

Click to read more ...

Being Maori, Being successful

Māori students who learn within their own cultural context are more likely to succeed. Heeni Collins investigates

Click to read more ...

English schools rush for the exit

Canterbury principal Peter Verstappen spent his sabbatical talking to some of the hundreds of UK schools that have jumped at incentives to become academies.

Click to read more ...

New head impressed by Kiwi “frankness”

Lesley Longstone from the UK has been appointed to head our Ministry of Education. She tells EA why she’s so excited about the job.

Click to read more ...

Standardistan

Elizabeth Brown talks to three principals who’ve taken a stand on National Standards.

Click to read more ...