Election 2017
Sandy Pasley
President, Secondary Principals Association of New Zealand (SPANZ) Of significance to New Zealand education both now and into the future is the Education (Update) Amendment Bill which amends the Education Act 1989. This update of the Education Act has wideranging implications for us in education. Submissions closed in November 2016 and the Minister has promised that the select committee will meet in various parts of the country. It will be critical that educationalists put forward submissions. Another wide-ranging implication for the education sector is the Education Funding System Review which started in 2016 and will continue in 2017. Every one of us wants to make sure we have an equitable education system
that allows a student from any background to succeed. Educationalists must have their say to ensure that New Zealand’s standard of education is not compromised by the outcome. Communities of Learning are being rolled out throughout the country. They have the very worthy goal of improving collaboration among schools. What is very important in the roll-out of Communities of Learning is that they are carefully researched by an independent researcher to ensure that the money being spent is actually making a difference to student achievement. 2017 will be an important year for the Education Council as it starts to roll out plans for how it will fulfil its mandate to provide leadership in education. In particular, how it will develop, support and grow leadership in the profession. The latest 2015 TIMSS (Trends in Mathematics and Science Study) raises questions about our curriculum in these areas. An improvement in science was positive but our mathematics results are below other countries with whom we compare ourselves.
To improve in these curriculum subjects we need to ensure the supply of high-quality mathematics and science graduates and that initial teacher education includes sufficient mathematics and science training. Continually reviewing our curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of 21st-century learners must be standard practice – this includes reviewing in the digital technology space. Finally, and not least, I am very concerned about the planning that needs to go in to ensure we have a high-quality workforce both in the near future and for many years to come. Insufficient planning and monitoring of the workforce has been a keynote of the past and cannot be allowed to continue happening in the future. The Minister and Ministry officials have the very best of intentions, but they are not working at a school level. It is very important that policymakers and the practitioners continue to closely connect to ensure that any policies and initiatives are founded in good common sense and are workable.
Go to educationreview.co.nz
Debt Empire, a lesson worth thousands. The new tool designed to make a game of financial capability.
Aligned to the New Zealand curriculum.
Debt Empire helps students learn the tricks of the debt trade so they don’t fall for them in the real world. Players take on the role of an unscrupulous loan shark and attempt to grow their empire by peddling debt loaded with sneaky terms and conditions. Through gameplay they build financial capability, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that contribute to lifelong learning and confidence around financial decision-making. Set your students the challenge of competing for debt domination and help make them make informed decisions around personal finances at the same time.
Download the game, teacher support material and view the curriculum guide at Sorted.org.nz/debt-empire
educationreview.co.nz
NZ TEACHER 7