For reasons no one has yet explained Anne Tolley ran out of things to say to a recent PPTA meeting and decided to share her current library book. It is great book for kids and good on her for having some recreational reading but I would have thought she would have had something more substantive to say to teachers. Then again may there are some messages about her role that she was trying to share.
I really enjoyed my time as Minister – if Anne really feels like this then I’m sure John could find someone else to do the job.
That is a pretty sad place to be. I just about feel sorry for Anne.
So although she didn’t get to the end of the book – maybe this is the message she was trying to give to teachers.
OMG, Tolley can read?!?! I wonder if that level of literacy meets the standard??
If this is true all I can say is, how sad.
She could have just finished the meeting short. Looks like she’s just given up on even trying to be a competent Minister, and is now practicing for a job as a kindergarten teacher?
Can I post or am I still banned?
So, the Minister told the Post-Primary Teachers Association to learn to be happy with less. With pictures.
Presumably students will need to learn how to be happy with a lower quality education, as staff numbers diminish.
In the end of it, New Zealand will have to learn to be happy with students becoming citizens with a lower level of education.
Just incase a reader thinks Trevor is having a joke, here the story on Stuff.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/3094162/Tolleys-rat-tale-shocks-teachers
Bear in mind, the PPTA was expecting to hear about possible teacher lay-offs resulting from $50 million being dropped out of the staff budget, and she thought a childrens book would make her audience feel happier about being laid off.
@noexit – lol!! At least she fronted – she did not even bother to tell Aorangi face to face that she was closing them, despite the bull she had been fed by the moe – instead she sent an official to met with them in I believe the airport!! Then dropped it to the press before they evern had a chance to look gobsmacked. Nice – could have been worse – could have read them a book!
It’s always helpful to have pictures to help explain things when you’re not that bright. Good old Anne, I’m pleased that she is trying to be at the same level as her audience (sarcasm) but perhaps she just needs to read a couple more picture books before she’s got the hang of it!
Very funny Mr Mallard – I enjoyed it; as always!
That’s an impressively insulting thing for the minister to do.
And she didn’t even consider that this is the secondary teacher’s union, not the primary teacher’s union. She should have read Of Mice and Men.
Really Riveting Reading
Cheers. 
“That’s an impressively insulting thing for the minister to do.”
Yep Bea, show a real talent.
Is this the best child’s book that Chopper Tolley could read?
What about the one “We are all going on a Bear Hunt”. The Bear would be a good metaphor for Education itself!
We all know what happens when the bear-hunters find the Bear. The Bear turns on the hunters and chases them away!
Chicken Licken has some appeal – especially with sky about to fall on Education. In fact shouldn’t the Chicken Licken story be part of National Standards – if we are to have pre-1960s education practices then lets have the best resources of the period too!
Hello all
I am now wondering if National Standards is being implemeted, despite an overwhelming reply of ‘danger’ from the education sector, for the purpose of identifying teachers for the chopping block? Are they seriously going to do this when the fallout is a generation of kids who will be demotivated and negatively labelled?
Check out ‘PAL-Parents Against Labelling’ and add your voice to the many who are not prepared to allow our kids to be labelled. (Or our teachers for that matter)
http://apps.facebook.com/groupsplus/wall/all.php?gid=7877