Anne Tolley only has herself to blame for the National Standards shambles and the Auckland Primary Principal’s Association (APPA) response.
Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with National Standards the last way to implement any sort of change with forty thousand teachers is to have a Minister of Education, with no knowledge of either education or how to make kids learn say, “I know best, do what I say or I’ll sack your Board of Trustees.”
Change management is not Anne Tolley’s greatest strength. She’s bungled the implementation of National Standards from the start and is suffering the result of her own incompetence. The education sector has no confidence in her and while she continues to bluff and bully her way through this mess, she’ll continue to meet resistance.
I offer this advice to the Minister – stop, take a deep breath, swallow some pride, admit that her approach has been unnecessarily confrontational and that she’d like to sit down with members of the education sector to decide a path that Principals and teachers have confidence in.
I am pretty sure if Anne Tolley got off her high horse she’d find a degree of willingness to make the National Standards work. I doubt if there are any Principals or teachers who don’t believe in high standards or giving parents the information they want about their children – therefore there is common ground to build on, but from the very start of the National Standards debate Anne Tolley has bashed teachers and laid all the blame for under-achievement at their feet and done her best to turn parents and the public against the education fraternity without giving teachers the actual support they need to raise achievement.
If Anne Tolley really thought things through, the reaction from teachers and principals is a fairly natural and understandable response to being dumped on from a great height by someone with no credibility, without any opportunity to have input into something that has a significant impact on their work.
Teachers aren’t concerned about further transparency and accountability, rather, they want to correct the flaws in the National Standards so as to make them workable.
Every child, in every class in every school across New Zealand has the right to an excellent teacher. It is the responsibility of the government to provide the conditions where excellent teachers can weave their magic. If Anne Tolley believes that one of the conditions required by teachers to raise educational achievement is criticism and condemnation by someone like herself who knows next to nothing about teaching and making kids learn, then she will continue to find resistance to her bullying antics.
Which is a shame because the whole educational system, from the Minister to her Ministry of Education officials, through to Principals, teachers and parents need to be working together for the benefit of all New Zealand students.
As a special needs teacher I can say that all the schools I have ever worked with in NZ have been able to identify children who are struggling. Some then go on to get funding if they meet ORRs criteria, and some improve with ‘in-house’ extra provisions; teacher aide support, reading recovery etc. Those that don’t get funded who don’t improve with in-house support are left in limbo. Schools can’t afford to fund extra help for all these children, but they try their best to meet their needs. It costs money to meet the needs of EVERY child in EVERY school. Standards are nothing to do with meeting the needs and so pointless. They will not in themselves raise achievement, they will only tell us what we already know. That money could have been MUCH better spent on programmes that meet the needs of our kids.
Tail-end? Think about all the children who have dyslexia, dyspraxia, mid to high functioning autism spectrum disorders, moderate visual and/or auditory difficulties. None of these difficulties are funded. A wonderfully bright child who can’t write legibly – are they a failure or ‘below standard’? A useless label that tells us nothing about strengths and stuggles, nor what we need to do to facilitate success or progress.
Emma have you heard anything about schools planning on keeping children with special needs out of NS so that their results don’t bring the whole school’s down?
LOL
What about acuracy?
One of my lads wrote nothing at all right through Primary School. Really. Had great trouble forming legible letters. He would have been described as really Failed.
Last year he completed is Honours Degree Canterbury,and is now doing Law Auckland.
Ianmac – Spud just proved your point perfectly…..”acuracy”!
Seriously – your son is a classic case. It is well documented that boys are well behind girls in their cognitive development with respect to literacy and numeracy, until they are about 7 or 8 at least.
This what really annoys me currently when you hear of reports re people people shocked because our children aren’t ’school’ ready….I think it is expectations that have changed more than anything.
If Anne Tolley brings in changes that further exacerbate this issue then our preschool children will most certainly suffer.
I for one agree with the cuts to ECE and I like the implementation of NS in theory. I think the way she has gone about introducing them is underhand and for that reason I feel that they can’t help but have a detrimental effect on the education system.
Seems to me educators and education administrators aren’t primarily concerned about the *implementation* of NS, they are concerned about NS *itself*.
Just implement the standards. It’s really not a big deal.
Really Reducing Readiness
Has anyone seen the Singaporean film, “I Not Stupid?” (They do actually have a film industry, in spite of the censorship)
What will Tolley have next? Gakushuu juku, maybe?
LOL
Dave said:
Not only are National Standards not a big deal, they are a total zero for helping kids learn.
I don’t know about that. It is essentially for parents to know where their child is against the national standard.
I don’t see a downside to that at all.
and a lot of money going to the wrong area. Teachers already know so why spend the money on more testing instead of money that could be going on help the children at both ends of the the spectrum.
@Rebecca. Wouldn’t suprise me if this is done. It would make more sense. Then Anne Tolley can turn around and say look the standards are working, look at the stats. NZ tests all children now while as I understand that we are one of the only countries that does this. This would make it look like NS are working and she saves face.
If schools are to be judged on the standards then it would make sense too, just like schools where there is a lot of children that speak english as a second lanuage.
@Dave
They already had the asstel system that measured children as to where they stood. It is also more detailed and less waffle than NS, that really could be interpited differently from teacher to teacher within the school and from school to school. Now it also has to be reported to the MoE. Not only do they not have to report about any children that are well above the standard (as Tolley forgets these children deserve to learn too, which means learn what they DONT know)as their is no funding to extend them, but they have LESS funding to help the children that are falling behind, the teacher already knows who these children are.
If it was just a case of letting parents know, then they could have changed the school reports only.
As for being in line with NCEA then how far are we to go down? Preschool age?
Some preschool teachers are already being pressured by parents, for their preschoolers to learn to read so they have a head start and won’t be labeled a failure in the NS. This is why I’m worried about Anne Tolly’s comment about looking at the literacy standards in the ECE curriculum. What does she mean with that?
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/asttle/about_e.php
Dave is deliberately avoiding the substance of the concerns so him and Tolley have much in common.
@A Mother
What I understand about it is that it is separate from the Asttle system, but that it is basically a grading system placed over the top of Asttle to provide standardised results to parents.
No problem there.
It’s more productive racing turtles than measuring children against the NS. National Standards” indicates a global initiative that some children will inevitably fail. My oldest son was still in nappies at age 4 but was reading Roald Dahl at age 5. Won’t get his head out of a book and it takes skill to engage him. Apart from pointing our how I’m the mother of a budding genius my point is that the greatest progress has always been made teaching to a child, not teaching a child the test.
By the way, check out the NZ School Trustees Association. Have a look at when it last filed it’s financial returns with the registrar and ask if it is filling it’s constitutional obligations.
Seeing as they are such an authoritah on how boards are going to be sacked if they don’t implement NS. Watch that space.
yes it is seperate but why do they have to have a seperate one? Have you even seen what waffle they are? Have a look at one of my previous posts on this thread. NS are weak at best.
Pah.
Agreed A Mother
– I think you should home school your kids or hope Labour gets in, 
A Mother – I know with absolute certainty that some schools are doing that…
Monique re “it’s more productive racing turtles than measuring children against the NS” – brilliant!
yes they are, but still think the money would have better spent on helping the children rather than yet another way to measure where they are next to their peers. All that money that could have been spent on helping students. I also don’t like how they are written, and how vague they are.
I don’t like the idea of tables either.
I don’t like how the people at Uni’s that help create the curriculum for science, art, gifted education, social studies etc, have been cut, or funds hugely reduced. That will narrow the curriculum. That was really short sighted and it was done as the focus is on NS. Are the other areas not important?
“Ms Tolley said she had told the Ministry of Education to monitor training closely to make sure concerns about the standards were being addressed. If there were still questions then principals – who have been very public in their opposition to the standardss – should email her or contact the Ministry.
“It’s much quicker doing it that way and you will get results, rather than going to the media and making threats, which is just politicking and achieves little,” she said.
%3Cbody%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22http%3A//ads.apn.co.nz/accipiter/adclick/CID%3Dfffffffcfffffffcfffffffc/aamsz%3D440X400/POS%3DPOS2/SR%3D1/acc_random%3D89393290854/pageid%3D18092547450/site%3DNZH/area%3DSEC.NATIONAL.STY/keyword%3Dminister%20warns%20principals%20speaking%20education%20secondary%20primary%20teaching%20politics%20anne%20tolley%20told%20stop%20talking%20media%20focus%20implementing%20controversial%20national%20standards%20addressing%20federation%20conference%20queenstown%20morning%20stopped%20attending%20training%22%20target%3D_top%3E%3Cimg%20src%3D%22http%3A//apn-images.adbureau.net/apn/accipiter/images/AE0.gif%22%20alt%3D%22%22%20border%3D0%20%3E%3C/a%3E%3C/div%3E
%3Cbody%20style%3D%22margin%3A0%22%3E%3Cdiv%20id%3D%22adDiv%22%3E%3CDIV%20style%3D%22DISPLAY%3A%20none%22%3EXXXIXXX%3C/DIV%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv%20style%3D%22display%3Anone%3B%22%3ECCID%3A%2036739%20%7C%20adwidth%3D300%3C/div%3E%0D%0A%3C%21–%20Template%20file%20for%20Flash%20ads%20–%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3CSCRIPT%20language%3D%22javascript%22%20id%3D%22aamx36739%22%3E%0D%0Avar%20isIE%20%3D%20navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase%28%29.indexOf%28%27msie%27%29%20%21%3D%20-1%3B%0D%0Avar%20plugin%20%3D%20false%3B%0D%0Avar%20patch%20%3D%20false%3B%0D%0Avar%20flashver%20%3D%20%27%27%3B%0D%0Avar%20nwidth%3D300%3B%0D%0A%09%0D%0Aif%28isIE%29%7B%0D%0Avar%20a%20%3D%20new%20ActiveXObject%28%27ShockwaveFlash.ShockwaveFlash%27%29%3B%0D%0Aif%28typeof%28a%29%20%21%3D%20%27undefined%27%29%7B%0D%0Aplugin%20%3D%20true%3B%0D%0Afunction%20b%28%29%7B%0D%0Avar%20c%20%3D%20a.GetVariable%28%27%24version%27%29.match%28/%5B%5Cd%5D+/g%29%3Bc.length%20%3D%201%3Breturn%20c.join%28%27.%27%29%3B%0D%0A%7D%0D%0Avar%20flashver%20%3D%20b%28%29%3B%0D%0Aif%28flashver%3E%3D8%29%7B%0D%0Apatch%20%3D%20true%3B%0D%0A%7D%0D%0A%7D%0D%0A%7Delse%7B%0D%0Avar%20z%20%3D%20navigator.plugins%5B%27Shockwave%20Flash%27%5D%3B%0D%0Aif%28typeof%28z%29%20%21%3D%20%27undefined%27%29%7B%0D%0Aplugin%20%3D%20true%3B%0D%0Aflashver%20%3D%20parseInt%28z.description.substring%28z.description.indexOf%28%27.%27%29-2%29%29%3B%0D%0Aif%28flashver%3E%3D8%29%7B%0D%0Apatch%20%3D%20true%3B%0D%0A%7D%0D%0A%7D%0D%0A%7D%0D%0Avar%20encSrc%20%3D%0D%0A%27%3COBJECT%20classid%3D%5C%22clsid%3AD27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000%5C%22%20%27%20+%0D%0A%27codebase%3D%5C%22http%3A//fpdownload.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab%23version%3D8%2C0%2C0%2C0%5C%22%20%27%20+%0D%0A%27id%3D%5C%22obj36739%5C%22%20width%3D%27%20+%20nwidth%20+%20%27%20height%3D250%3E%27%20+%0D%0A%27%3Cparam%20name%3D%5C%22movie%5C%22%20value%3D%5C%22http%3A//apn-images.adbureau.net/apn/pasifika-300×250_100510.swf%3F89393290854%26clickTag%3Dhttp%3A//ads.apn.co.nz/accipiter/adclick/CID%3D00008f8367d37c2500000000/aamsz%3D300X250/POS%3DPOS2/SR%3D1/acc_random%3D89393290854/pageid%3D18092547450/site%3DNZH/area%3DSEC.NATIONAL.STY/keyword%3Dminister%20warns%20principals%20speaking%20education%20secondary%20primary%20teaching%20politics%20anne%20tolley%20told%20stop%20talking%20media%20focus%20implementing%20controversial%20national%20standards%20addressing%20federation%20conference%20queenstown%20morning%20stopped%20attending%20training/AAMMKW%3DEDUCATION%5C%22%3E%27%20+%0D%0A%27%3Cparam%20name%3D%22allowScr%27%20+%20%27iptAccess%22%20value%3D%22always%22%3E%27%20+%0D%0A%27%3Cparam%20name%3D%5C%22wmode%5C%22%20value%3D%5C%22opaque%5C%22%3E%27%20+%0D%0A%27%3Cparam%20name%3D%5C%22quality%5C%22%20value%3D%5C%22autohigh%5C%22%3E%27%20+%0D%0A%27%3Cparam%20name%3D%5C%22menu%5C%22%20value%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%3E%27%20+%0D%0A%27%3CEMBED%20src%3D%5C%22http%3A//apn-images.adbureau.net/apn/pasifika-300×250_100510.swf%3F89393290854%26clickTag%3Dhttp%3A//ads.apn.co.nz/accipiter/adclick/CID%3D00008f8367d37c2500000000/aamsz%3D300X250/POS%3DPOS2/SR%3D1/acc_random%3D89393290854/pageid%3D18092547450/site%3DNZH/area%3DSEC.NATIONAL.STY/keyword%3Dminister%20warns%20principals%20speaking%20education%20secondary%20primary%20teaching%20politics%20anne%20tolley%20told%20stop%20talking%20media%20focus%20implementing%20controversial%20national%20standards%20addressing%20federation%20conference%20queenstown%20morning%20stopped%20attending%20training/AAMMKW%3DEDUCATION%5C%22%20width%3D%27%20+%20nwidth%20+%20%27%20height%3D250%20wmode%3D%5C%22opaque%5C%22%20%27%20+%0D%0A%27allowScr%27%20+%20%27iptAccess%3D%5C%22always%5C%22%20type%3D%5C%22application/x-shockwave-flash%5C%22%20quality%3D%5C%22autohigh%5C%22%20menu%3D%5C%22false%5C%22%20%27%20+%0D%0A%27pluginspace%3D%5C%22http%3A//www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer%5C%22%3E%27%20+%0D%0A%27%3C/EMBED%3E%3C/OBJECT%3E%27%3B%0D%0Aif%28patch%29%7B%0D%0Aif%28isIE%29%7B%0D%0Adocument.write%28%27%3CDIV%20id%3D%22fDiv36739%22%20style%3D%22display%3Anone%22%3E%27%20+%09%0D%0AencodeURI%28%27document.write%28%5C%27%27%20+%20encSrc%20+%20%27%5C%27%29%27%29%20+%20%27%3C/DIV%3E%27%29%3B%0D%0Adocument.write%28%27%3CDIV%20id%3D%22iDiv36739%22%20style%3D%22display%3Anone%22%3E%27%20+%09%0D%0AencodeURI%28%27%3CBODY%3E%3CSCR%27%20+%20%27IPT%20src%3D%22javascript%3AdecodeURI%28parent.document.getElementById%28%5C%27%27%20+%20%27fDiv36739%5C%27%29.innerHTML%29%22%3E%3C/SCR%27%20+%20%27IPT%3E%3C/BODY%3E%27%29%20+%20%27%3C/DIV%3E%27%29%3B%0D%0Adocument.write%28%27%3CDIV%20id%3D%22renderDiv36739%22%3E%3C/DIV%3E%27%29%3B%0D%0Adocument.write%28%27%3CIFRAME%20id%3D%22renderIfr36739%22%20style%3D%22width%3A0px%20%21important%3B%20height%3A0px%20%21important%3B%20overflow%3Ahidden%20%21important%3B%20display%3Anone%22%20%27%20+%09%27src%3D%22javascript%3AdecodeURI%28parent.document.getElementById%28%5C%27iDiv36739%5C%27%29.innerHTML%29%22%20%27%20+%0D%0A%27onload%3D%22javascript%3Adocument.getElementById%28%5C%27renderDiv36739%5C%27%29.%27%20+%20%27insertAdjacentElement%28%5C%27beforeEnd%5C%27%2C%20window.frames%5B%5C%27renderIfr36739%5C%27%5D.%27%20+%0D%0A%27document.getElementById%28%5C%27obj36739%5C%27%29%29%22%3E%3C/IFRAME%3E%27%29%3B%0D%0A%7Delse%20document.write%28decodeURI%28encSrc%29%29%3B%0D%0A%7Delse%7B%0D%0Adocument.writeln%28%27%3CA%20HREF%3D%5C%22http%3A//ads.apn.co.nz/accipiter/adclick/CID%3D00008f8367d37c2500000000/aamsz%3D300X250/POS%3DPOS2/SR%3D1/acc_random%3D89393290854/pageid%3D18092547450/site%3DNZH/area%3DSEC.NATIONAL.STY/keyword%3Dminister%20warns%20principals%20speaking%20education%20secondary%20primary%20teaching%20politics%20anne%20tolley%20told%20stop%20talking%20media%20focus%20implementing%20controversial%20national%20standards%20addressing%20federation%20conference%20queenstown%20morning%20stopped%20attending%20training/AAMMKW%3DEDUCATION%5C%22%3E%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%5C%22http%3A//apn-images.adbureau.net/apn/pasifika-300×250_100510.gif%5C%22%20ALT%3D%5C%22%5C%22%20width%3D%27%20+%20nwidth%20+%20%27%20height%3D250%20BORDER%3D%5C%220%5C%22%3E%3C/A%3E%27%29%3B%0D%0A%7D%0D%0A%3C/SCRIPT%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3CNOEMBED%3E%0D%0A%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.apn.co.nz/accipiter/adclick/CID%3D00008f8367d37c2500000000/aamsz%3D300X250/POS%3DPOS2/SR%3D1/acc_random%3D89393290854/pageid%3D18092547450/site%3DNZH/area%3DSEC.NATIONAL.STY/keyword%3Dminister%20warns%20principals%20speaking%20education%20secondary%20primary%20teaching%20politics%20anne%20tolley%20told%20stop%20talking%20media%20focus%20implementing%20controversial%20national%20standards%20addressing%20federation%20conference%20queenstown%20morning%20stopped%20attending%20training/AAMMKW%3DEDUCATION%22%3E%0D%0A%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//apn-images.adbureau.net/apn/pasifika-300×250_100510.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20width%3D300%20height%3D250%20BORDER%3D%220%22%3E%0D%0A%3C/A%3E%0D%0A%3C/NOEMBED%3E%0D%0A%3CNOSCRIPT%3E%0D%0A%3CA%20HREF%3D%22http%3A//ads.apn.co.nz/accipiter/adclick/CID%3D00008f8367d37c2500000000/aamsz%3D300X250/POS%3DPOS2/SR%3D1/acc_random%3D89393290854/pageid%3D18092547450/site%3DNZH/area%3DSEC.NATIONAL.STY/keyword%3Dminister%20warns%20principals%20speaking%20education%20secondary%20primary%20teaching%20politics%20anne%20tolley%20told%20stop%20talking%20media%20focus%20implementing%20controversial%20national%20standards%20addressing%20federation%20conference%20queenstown%20morning%20stopped%20attending%20training/AAMMKW%3DEDUCATION%22%3E%0D%0A%3CIMG%20SRC%3D%22http%3A//apn-images.adbureau.net/apn/pasifika-300×250_100510.gif%22%20ALT%3D%22%22%20width%3D300%20height%3D250%20BORDER%3D%220%22%3E%0D%0A%3C/A%3E%0D%0A%3C/NOSCRIPT%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%3C/div%3E
The Minister then went a step further, saying “and while we’re on that subject, you are pretty unique among public servants who can speak freely in the media. May I remind you that I made representations to make sure that continues.”
“However, no public servants have ever been granted the privilege of picking and choosing which Government laws they choose to administer. Lawyers, accountants and all the other professionals working in Ministries can offer opinions, but it’s the Government that makes policy decisions.”
Some principals the Herald spoke to immediately after the Minister’s address viewed her comments about talking to the media as a “veiled threat”, but said it will not stop them from being outspoken.” july 2 2010
Sorry, no idea what happened there
@Rebecca.
According to this letter, NZ includes everyone in the tests while overseas they don’t.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-national-party/news/article.cfm?o_id=266&objectid=10623823&pnum=0
Anne Tolley has done the right thing! Why – because she has found out that some of the reports the Principals were doing on their students performances were inaccurate and they were covering up the failing students! A end of year report we had did not in any way reflect what was really happening in the school. By setting national standards test the school cannot hide children who are under achieving. This is in no way calling your child a failure – it is allowing you as a parent to see the honest results and have the power then to help get support from school and also do extra at home yourselves. Also can spot a gifted child or special needs child. Again empower you as a parent to get support. Schools are hiding this information and Anne Tolley will not tolerate this dishonesty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trust her – she wants you to get more involved in making decisions at your school so go along to PTA and BOT meeting and get your voice heard and check what the BOT charter is saying for the future of your school and have the power to say yes or no to it!!!!!!!!!!!!
A Tolley defender!
– I thought I’d seen everything! 
The code of ethics for Teachers says that their first responsibility is to their students. Not the Government, not Tolley and not even parents.
When they see something that in their considered opinion is not in the best interests of their students they have a right and a duty to speak up.
Such as not getting enough money? Beats me.
Paying Teachers enough so you can recruit the best and demand a higher standard is also in the students best interest.
@Natalie “Anne Tolley has done the right thing! Why – because she has found out that some of the reports the Principals were doing on their students performances were inaccurate and they were covering up the failing students!… Schools are hiding this information and Anne Tolley will not tolerate this dishonesty!”
I beg your pardon? Please provide the evidence for your outrageous statement that school principals are misleading and covering up failing students. I find your statements to be erroneous and exceptionally insulting to the professionals out there that work an inordinate amount of hours and extremely hard for their communities and their schools. Its a complex issue that you have managed to reduce to something that is both simplistic and under thought out.
Let me be very clear in saying that nat stds WILL NOT solve the issue of student underperformance nor will they assist schools who need assistance in an appropriate and child focussed way. Your blanket statements merely add fuel to a fire that is quickly getting out of control, and are far from helpful to those who have little experience or knowledge of the real issues – instead they paint a less than honest picture of the issues.