Day 9/100

"Setting-the-world-to-rights" session today. We got close. (Sorry everyone, I know you'll be disappointed that we didn't make it!) Also, forgot to set a date for the next session. Now wonder what will happen if no one remembers to do this ever again.
 ?
Any answers?
Anyone?

We did figure out that politics has no place in education (sorry politicians, I guess this may come as a bit of a shock to you.) To be able to have a useful part in education, first a person would need to spend a few weeks in a classroom (no, many classrooms, reading with groups of children, talking to them about their counting, art, ideas, lost shoes, no food, "they're mean to me!", sticker charts and the rest), listen to what people (teachers (yes teachers are people (and often parents) too)) say and be prepared to change your mind. And say "OK, I'm wrong."

If you want the above in plain language, then the current NZ model of National Standards is 19th Century thinking in the 21st century.

The education minister has set a higher arbitrary standard for the country. Fine, but it is based on what her government want for the economy since 2008, not on what 5 thousand years of educators have learnt about children and the learning of children.

The best two things to come out of the discussion was firstly a viewing of Gever Tulley  speaking on TEDtalks about his 'Tinkering School'. And secondly an idea of a poem came floating by...

Say it Plain

Say it plain.

Use only a few words.

Dr.Suess used 50

and made a world wide

bestseller.

Say it plain.

or be a Star Belly Sneetch

forever.

Say it plain.

Speak it true.

From the heart.

These National Standards

won't work;

The concept is flawed

not the teachers.

Say it plain.

Teachers are people.

People are flawed.

Teachers are wrong and right

as often as other people.

(Not politicians though.)

Say it plain.

50 % "below" (or worse)

no-one "at"

and 50 % above (How far above?).

Say it plain.

No better recipe for mediocrity.

Say it plain.

Andrew Thompson