National standards and my son
I am feeling a bit uneasy and quite frankly speaking, scared for my sons future, Tyler is 11yrs old on sunday and he is a child who lives his life in the fast lane due to A.D.D he is behind main stream children of his age in most class room activities.
Last year his teacher took the most part of the first term to figure out tylers distractions and routines to best suit his learning abilities. Tyler gained in reading from around 6 yrs to around a 9yr olds level thanks to Miss K and all the support workers at Donovan primary school in Invercargill.
I keep thinking of one word for this and that is DISCRIMINATION
if the teachers can not spend time with him because of strict teaching timetables for subjects then I might as well turn to home schooling as he would then at least have a chance to be like normal kids.
Tyler needs constant help and repetitive learning, if the system fails then it fails more than one child and if these children are our future like politicians remind us at election time then the country will fail and there will be social issues such as all time high numbers of young people becomeing reliant on the unemployment benifit,
higher rates of crime ,and social disorder as these young people begin to feel they are worthless and lord I hope that suicide rates do not rise.
So yes I am petrifyed for my son with A.D.D and my 7yr old.
Views: 30
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Giarne Clarke Harrison on -
Kia ora Nigel,
Thank you for sharing your concerns. Your persistence to get the best and interest in Tyler's learning bodes well.
Many parents in similar situations mentioned these sorts of concerns to me while I was in Southland on the first three days of the Bus Tour. Parents are really worried that progress will take a back seat to meeting the standards and school communities will feel like failures when in fact they have made such a difference in some childrens' lives.
Encourage others to ask the Government to answer the question of what support will be available for children with special learning needs. There are still cuts being made to interventions that are making a difference to children in the 'tail' - re-directing funds to a propaganda campaign won't help these children as much as teachers who will spend time working alongside the families of children like Tyler.
Kia kaha!
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Permalink Reply by Stuart Lithgow on
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So far as I understand, Students at Special Schools and any student on an IEP (Individual Education Programme) are not assessed through the National Standards process. Maybe more parents can press for an IEP for their child and anyone with a diagnosis of ADD has more chance of getting one. There are other exemptions. It seems Kura Kaupapa are not required to have their students in the system. I am not sure about other integrated or non-integrated "special character" schools like Catholic, Rudolph Steiner, Montessori etc. I have asked the ministry and haven't received a clear reply yet.
Stuart
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Permalink Reply by Nigel murch on -
my son is not at a special school, and as I have stated he is getting all the help avalible from our school ie IEP, teachers aid. Tyler has issues with sitting still and concentration, and has every chance to become like all other children his age.
He does not need to be in special school, all he needs is time!!
Under national standards that will not be possible.
I know what my son needs, as I myself had the same issues as he is experienceing now.
I have been able to control my compulsive behaviour and inattention and belive that in time and through role modeling and as he matures he to will have the skills and techniques to control his behavours and inattention.
I would take it as a large insult to him, and myself if he was taken and shoved into a school for special needs.
I have seen children who were slow put into a special school, they developed other behaviours from seeing those with greater issues and imitateing them.
I am tired of goverments sticking their noses into the education sector. Thanks to politicians we have schools like the old waikiwi primary in Invercargill sitting boarded up, vandals and squaters have used the rooms to deficate in, and the year before it was closed by the goverment the school spent thousands of dollars we helped raise to build a new hall/gym and now it is sitting wasteing away, The reason I am saying this is when goverments decide to play around with the education of our children there is allways victims, and it is our children,
My kids went to Waikiwi primary, they loved the staff and the school, and were proud
then that Trevor Mallard said sorry we are shutting you down,
go to another site and amalgamate, He did not take into account how hard that was for the kids thier familys and staff of the schools, now Johns crew are going to have our kids education like the production line of a car assembly plant.
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I think that if a student is on an IEP then the national standard does not apply. One would have to check. I agree that the Government pretends they are working FOR parents AGAINST those nasty teachers but in truth most teachers are parents as well. Governments are all about accounting so closing schools or making teachers redundant is their stock in trade. I'm not sure that the church funded schools are much better. Finding a school that is best for each of ones children is a hard task and some children would literally be better off at home. I'll think more on this.
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Permalink Reply by Nigel murch on
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I have always had full confidence in the wonderful staff at donovan primary miss k has been my sons teacher since last year and we elected to have her continue for his last year before heading to james hargest junior campass, and of course Miss K also chose to keep working with Tyler, their relationship as teacher and student has clicked well as these children have trust issues with new people and it is very intimidateing for them to settle into another new class and assume the role of learning I have talked with other perants of children with attention issues and we all cant see how teachers will get the time to work with their average students presing on at the direction of the standards and still have time for these children, will the goverment have a test next that our little kids will have to conform to to be main stream and if they fail go to a special school, I feel as if our leaders are becoming more dictorial and oppressive, both of these seem to fit well with the direction our goverment is heading. one thing I wish to say to the goverment is.
Leave the education of our young children to the experienced teachers, principals, and other titles, these people know our kids and our kids trust them.
Do not interupt this or you shall undo all the good that is happening.
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Thanks for the last paragraph especially. What you say about the need for continuity is absolutely true. These kids need stability. I can't see the government wanting to put more students into special schools. They consider them too expensive as it is. The good news is that in the end the teaching done by parents is still the most influencial. I salute your work for your and other children in this situation. When a politicians child is in this situation, things might change.
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Permalink Reply by Zachary Markham on
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Hi ,
I am also a parent as well as a teacher in a highly sucessful classroom within a specialist school . One of my sons is in a mainstream class but has been diagnosed with Autisum and ADHD . This has created signifcant learning barriers for my son at no fault of the classroom teachers . My son does not qualify for ORRS ( which is based at the top 3 % - from the worst point of view ) Looking at the school report from last year and the standards , my son would be considered a failure . I ensure you he is NOT , my son has made signifcant gains in acheivements but these standards will not show this . My son is one of many children in the mainstream who does not qualify for extra support but that does not mean he doesn't have that basic human right to assess this support . Even my daughter who is strong in literacy , will be considered a failure at yr 6 ( in maths ) because the standards are higher than the current testing / assessments that the school uses
This is personal because as a parent of my committment and love towards my children . My other son is approaching 4 , he has also been diagosed with additional communication needs but will that make a failure according to the level 1 standard YES !!!!
This takes me to my job . I teach in a specialist school . I have 14 students in my classroom . The MOE documentation and this was gazetted last year indicates students must be ORRS funded to go through the IEP process rather the NS . Half my class aren't ORRS !!! These kids have been labelled all their lives is it worth placing another label on them !! The MOE have also indicated using Narrative assessment as a framework for the IEP process . Ok , how about PD on this . My past teaching history was steeped in learning stories so this direction doesn't worry me , does this apply across the board . Finally the reason specialist schools are considered so expensive is the role they are forced to play by GSE - perhaps the way we use funding needs to be looked at - unless mainstream schools want all the students on my schools roll ?? ( 140+ )
Just a few thoughts
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Permalink Reply by Di on -
Dear Nigel
It's exactly parents such as yourself that we need the Ministry or moreover Anne Tolley to see the effects of singling out areas that we teach. Our jobs are difficult enough without the added pressure from parents worried about their kids learning or lack of specific focus on individual needs.
I am not in a classroom now as I don't wish to be ruled by an iron fist! My husband is a school principal and is going through similar feelings. Are we being selfish? how will our students cope (or the many students) if teachers and principals leave the profession in droves? Where will that leave the 'tail' then?
As fas as I can see from your comment - enforcing the standards is probably going to cause more deficiencies in our teaching and individuals won't be targeted. It will be the students whom can reach and exceed standards that will be targeted so now the tail will grow! Lower Decile schools will become grounds for the 'unteachable' - what to do then?
Tolly does not have the expertise like so many in the Education profession to realise what a big mistake she has made by mandating schools.
WE have to pass on the messages to parents et al that national standards are not the way to go. Unfortunately some people just don't get how destructive this is going to be.
The top educationalists are trying really hard to sort this out.
Good luck to you with your boy though.
Di Palfrey
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Permalink Reply by Nigel murch on
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Thankyou Di, I would love to be able to stand before MZ Tolley face to face along with my son, and not only have a verable disscussion but to have her come around the schools and see what our Wonderful teachers and all other support staff have to deal with now, I also feel that Mz Tolley should spend at least a week in a mixed abiltiy classroom as both a member of parliment and an assistant, I think it is time we all unite and call upon her to front up and accept the challenge I am paritally disabled with both Multiple sclorossis and chronic pain due to a back injury/surgery wich didnt quite work, and I run my household while my wife works in which we have 5 children 3 whom are still at school, yet I find the time to help our school, as I am not a qualifyed person, I dont tell the staff to do this and that, I ask how can I help.
So I wish everyone to band together and give Mz Tolly the challenge.
I wish you and your Husband all the best and please dont lose faith in yourselves or the family you have in your school/s community, they will cherish the work you have done for their children.
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Permalink Reply by Di on
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Hi again Nigel
Long time I hear you thinking! I am now an RTLB and my husband is still a principal.
WE are both working hard in our fields to help as many people as we can understand these blimin standards. Did you happen to see the two principals on 'Breakfast' this morning - one for and one against the standards? talk about confusing - if that's the example of discourse that parents are listening to, no wonder our families and parents aren't worried!
You stand tall on your moral fibre and do what you can. I wish you were able to be as supportive in our school!
You would be an asset!
Keep it up and spread the news OK.
Kindest regards and with the deepest respect for you and your family
Di
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Permalink Reply by Nigel murch on
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Hi DI
Thankyou very much for your kind words.
I sent an email to Invercargills National MP MR Eric Roy, To see if he would really read it I started to state.
"Mr Roy I know you wont read this letter as your p.r person will glance at it then throw it out.
Mr Roy replied That it sadened him that I would feel this way, he then replied to most of my email with the same guff that he told our Principal who had a meeting with Mr Roy just days before I got my reply.
I also stated to Mr Roy that if children are labled and pushed to the back of the class because of National Standards, then in the future these Children will grow up feeling as if they are worthless, thus increaseing crime and further stressing the prison system.
Mr Roy then stated that at least 80% of persons incarcerated in the justice system are il-literate anyway.
But If this is his attitude then this must allso be the National partys attitude too.
Mr Roy is also not very good either as his reply email was full of spelling errors which was a surprise to me.
I also sent a challenge to him and The education minister to go and sit in classes at schools for a week to see for themselves that they are trying to fix something that is in good going order for the reason MS Tolley is not an education profesional. As of today The challenge has not been taken up by them.
I ask why not and get no reply, could it be they are afraid they are wrong.
I feel we need to push sending mass emails challengeing The goverment to get going and go back to school Take the challenge.
Maybe you could convince people you know to do this with their MPs.
I feel the fight is just warming up, and as long as teachers and perants stand united as one voice then we will be heard, one large loud voice.
I belive in those who know, all teachers and education profesionals who are standing up for what they belive, are in my heart and thoughts,
Good luck and god bless all who are makeing this stand.
Di it sounds as if you are the pillar your school needed belief in what you do and yourself leads you onward in times of despair.
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