Backlash from teachers over National Standards data

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Backlash over education data

3News NZ

By Charlotte Shipman

There's been a backlash from teachers and school principals to the publishing of National Standards data, which has seen parents comparing their children's schools with others. Some boards of trustees have been asking why their schools look like they're failing.

Island Bay School has achieved good results under the National Standards scheme. Regardless, principal Perry Rush says the data collected from the data is too immature to be valuable.

“We fully support parents being well informed,” he says. “The question is whether this data is something parents can rely on, can have confidence in, and the answer is quite clearly no.”

At the weekend, Fairfax Media published National Standards figures from more than 1000 schools throughout the country. Online, users can also compare schools.

Mr Rush says literacy and numeracy standards are different at each school, making comparisons between schools unfair.

The head of the Principals’ Federation agrees and says the figures set an alarming precedent.

“These standards will become even more dangerous, risky and harmful the more reliable they become,” says Paul Drummond, “because then the comparisons that will be made will be deemed to be more accurate. But they will only be accurate around three parts of our curriculum. And I think as a parent we are more ambitious for our children than just reading, writing and maths.”

But parents 3 News spoke aren't as concerned about the numbers.

“I'm only worried about what my own child does and what the teachers give me feedback,” says parent Lousie Wells. “As long as they're doing well I'm happy.”

“It comes back to the child's happiness and if you see them progressing,” says parent Adele Morris. “I've always felt that it's not just up to the school to take responsibility for their learning.”

“We know that parents want this information, that it's part of a bigger picture of children getting what they need,” says Education Minister Hekia Parata.

On Friday the Government will make available on its website each school’s own reporting of its National Standards data.

3 News

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Comments

30/09/2012 9:21:58 p.m.

Jenny wrote:

Not all teachers the same! Not all schools the same! Not all kids the same! Teachers (or the ones I talk with) have nothing against accountability and authentic assessment. The way National Standards was introduced implies that all schools have a level playing field. Ask any new entrant teacher and they can tell you on day one if a child is ready for school learning or if they are at a 3 year old level or whether behaviour will be an issue through their schooling. Teachers are professionals and are rightly worried about the rushed way the National government is pushing through changes without proper consultation. @Carlos re the 15 weeks holidays... 5 days a week I arrive before 7 and leave sometime after 5. I complete work at home, including over the weekend. I work hard for my kids and I love teaching. If I didn't I'd get a stress free, 8 hrs day job that I can leave at the door when I walk out!! 1 in 5 kids living in welfare dependent homes; 1 in 5 kids below standard; It's not rocket science but assessing kids is not going to make them learn. Our kids deserve a top rate education and for 80% of them they get it! The government needs to stop blaming NZ world rated teachers and address the issue of poverty in NZ. Not as easy as playing the "look we're doing something" game and the " it's not societies problem it's the schools" blame game. If we want NZ to be a place that our children will want to stay and raise their own children, run their business e.t.c then we need to stop putting money into short sited filler solutions and attack the real issues even if we won't see 'big' results between elections.

27/09/2012 11:11:16 a.m.

Carlos wrote:

Most Teachers should be on a different Planet, as they are not in this real world, if they don't believe in national standards.

25/09/2012 10:06:20 p.m.

@Carlos wrote:

Planet Carlos must be a very different place from Planet Teaching, of which you clearly have no knowledge whatsoever.

25/09/2012 5:00:57 p.m.

Carlos wrote:

Good parents want this, and for their kids to actually be able to read and write. Teachers want an easy ride, and their 15 + weeks paid holidays intact.

25/09/2012 4:48:02 p.m.

joe wrote:

" “We know that parents want this information,". Parata doesn't give a flying toss about what parents want. If she did, she wouldn't be taking an axe to Chch schools. This is just more govt control.

25/09/2012 2:52:49 p.m.

Glenn wrote:

It's a bit like the country is riding a runaway horse, isn't it. Charter schools; publishing national standards data when they said they wouldn't; tolerance of a shonky coalition partner; 3 strikes law; private prisons with less staff, double bunking, and more prisoner assaults; more families in poverty; more people going to Australia; more unemployment; more public service dismissals; less taxes for the rich; selling assets that bring the govt income. I could go on but am running out of space! Are NZers idiots for putting up with it? Yes.

25/09/2012 12:12:59 p.m.

Mike wrote:

Successful kids through hard work = failure?
Welfare collecting through bumming about = success?

What kind of drugs David on?

The difference between the sucessful and the not is typically getting off ones backside and making things work.

Take 2009 farmers incomes. Labour claimed that revenue=profit as they want hard workers taxed into extinction. Now back in 2009, the average tax paid for farmers was $1500, which for a family is lower than the single unemployement benefit - but they worked for that income!

Why so low? Well years of losses built up, and farmers will have moved earlier losses forward. They had been living out their mortages basically instead. The figures they used, low as thats basically what they could live on, so they declared as income for IRD the minimum they could live on (and IRD would accept) as a family, and the rest of their income they ofset against prior losses. Dont worry, when they have had enough good years, they will have no losses to carry forward and will be taxed like anyone else. But these people didn't have their hands out demanding a free lunch, they just dug in and worked harder to make farming a success.

It would be like a beneficary borrowing instead of collecting a benefit, and then when they get work, paying back the borrowing. How many prepared to invest that much in themselves?

25/09/2012 9:19:24 a.m.

David wrote:

@Erm, by the way.. blaming teachers for your failure as a parent.. is using excuses.. it would appear to me like many right wing haters that all you know is excuses.

25/09/2012 2:48:36 a.m.

Erm... wrote:

@David - I don't have hate thanks, I have reality, and seems like I've seen more of the real world than you have. And I have no respect or caring for your thoughts on me. But my kids will grow up successful because they work hard and don't look for excuses, same as me.

24/09/2012 11:15:23 p.m.

David wrote:

@Erm actually is probably bad parenting that has screwed your children... I have seen you hate filled posts when it comes to women, maori and beneficiaries. A childs greatest role model is their parent. And seeing you hate filled rhetoric in other stories Erm.. I have never had any respect for you. But teachers in a system rated second best in the world... I have a lot of respect for.