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Stephanie Mills THREE buses on the road this week...

I arrived in New Plymouth last night to meet the bus to the sun setting behind Back Beach, the mountain looking like a two-dimensional Michael Smither painting, and the aroma of silage in the air...this week we're off to schools around Taranaki and Wanganui, with another bus in Whakatane/Rotorua/Taupo and yet another one hitting Christchurch! So while we're getting nearer to the "last stop" at Parliament on March 31st, the bus tour certainly isn't losing any of its intensity!

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Added by Stephanie Mills on March 9, 2010 at 7:43am — No Comments

Rob george National Standards meeting in Tokoroa

The NZEI Tokoroa Branch had a NS meeting yesterday afternoon with Martin Thrupp and a colleague of his, Deborah Fraser. Both Martin and Deborah provided a good clear presentation of what was wrong with the NS. This was followed by a reasonable period of group discussion, questions and answers. Near the end NZEIs call for a trial of the NS was highlighted and various union resources were explained and given out. It was a pity only 22 people attended this meeting, this included some BOT members. I… Continue

Added by Rob george on March 5, 2010 at 11:10am — No Comments

Stephanie Mills Tolley's trail...or was that trial?

Interesting report from Taupo, Clint, thanks! You may be interested to read some more views about the Minister's trials and tribulations as she goes around the country - for example, see The Standard's Continue

Added by Stephanie Mills on March 3, 2010 at 4:48pm — No Comments

Clint Green Tolley fails to convince public at Taupo meeting

Last night (Tuesday March 2nd) Anne Tolley was in Taupo at a public meeting hosted by local National MP Louise Upston. The venue was small but was full. There was a mix of teachers, BOT members, parents, and a hand full of die hard national supporters. I was surprised on one hand at how few teachers turned up at the meeting and how many schools had no representation at all, but heartened on the other hand by the responses and questioning from those that were there.

We were s
… Continue

Added by Clint Green on March 3, 2010 at 4:00pm — 1 Comment

Rob george Central King Country Branch NS meeting with Martin Thrupp

This afternoon the Central King COuntry branch hosted Martin Thrupp to meeting to discuss National Standards. 37 people attended the meeting. This was a good opportunity for the CKC branch to consider what the NS mean for them and local schools. Especially as the NS Bus is not going through this branch. A range of NZEI resources was distributed to branch members. Continue

Added by Rob george on March 1, 2010 at 10:41pm — No Comments

Julie Fairey Two parter on National Standards from perspective of secondary teacher

Well worth reading,

Part One

Part Two

Including this quote:
So when the data says school X has lots of kids below the expected literacy level what happens next? This is what I would really like to know, and this is what people should be asking Key and Tolley because this is the… Continue

Added by Julie Fairey on March 1, 2010 at 10:51am — No Comments

NZEI Tolley flounders in the House


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Added by NZEI on February 25, 2010 at 12:00pm — No Comments

Stephanie Mills A view from the UK from a NZ teacher

Here's the perspective of a NZ teacher working in the UK...


"If you are passing on information to the Minister or Prime Minister then here is my five cents worth regarding the proposed National Testing. I am currently private tutoring in the UK picking up the pieces so to speak of the mess the local state school has created from focusing too hard on their league tables and not on the individual needs of the children. It

… Continue

Added by Stephanie Mills on February 25, 2010 at 10:27am — No Comments

NZEI Excerpt of newsletter from Southbridge school principal Peter Verstappen

National Standards – the board meets MP Amy Adams

On Monday the board of trustees met with our local MP, Amy Adams, to discuss the National Standards. The board explained to Mrs. Adams that our decision not to introduce the Standards at this time is driven by our desire to complete our work of introducing the new curriculum, an important and long-term project for us, and by our concerns about the accuracy of the Standard… Continue

Added by NZEI on February 24, 2010 at 10:00am — No Comments

Greg MacLeod NZSTA Stance

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Added by Greg MacLeod on February 23, 2010 at 7:05pm — No Comments

NZEI Great video from the NZPPTA - Tolley dims the lights on adult education

watch video
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Added by NZEI on February 23, 2010 at 12:05pm — No Comments

Stephanie Mills From deepest Ponsonby to way out West... the NZEI bus hits Auckland!

The NZEI bus has spent the last week in Auckland, and the reception has been pretty amazing. I think I must have succumbed to the Wellington belief that everyone north of the Bombays has somehow lost their judgement in the search of the perfect mansion by the sea.... and that therefore, people wouldn't care about National Standards.... but in fact, we have had a very strong and supportive welcome from parents and schools all over the Auckland region who have backed the call for a trial and signe… Continue

Added by Stephanie Mills on February 22, 2010 at 7:03pm — No Comments

NZEI Fantastic video from Dayle of the bus tour in the deep south

http://www.handsupforlearning.org.nz/recent-media Continue

Added by NZEI on February 17, 2010 at 12:00pm — No Comments

Rob george Cambridge Branch NS meeting with Martin Thrupp

Yesterday afternoon the NZEI Cambridge Branch held a National Standards meeting with Professor Martin Thrupp from Waikato University. Martin has been at the forefront of the NS debate. The meeting attendance surpassed expectations, around 130 people attended. This consisted mainly of Principals and Teachers however a significant minority of Board of Trustee members and interested parents also appeared. We got to hear Martin present his views about the National Standards package. His conclusion w… Continue

Added by Rob george on February 17, 2010 at 12:00pm — No Comments

NZEI Chris Slane in The Listener

view larger version

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Added by NZEI on February 16, 2010 at 1:30pm — No Comments

Stephanie Mills Whangarei, Dargaville, Maungaturoto, Kaiwaka...

I spent a couple of days last week in the mid-North and was bowled over by the warm reception we got everywhere. Kamo Intermediate's principal John Smith had previewed the bus visit in the school newsletter, and so there was a good flood of parents as well as Board members coming up to talk. The Intermediate has a really warm atmosphere, with fantastic artwork and great facilities. I remember the angular and rather grim intermediate principal I had (many moons ago!) who demanded that us girls wo… Continue

Added by Stephanie Mills on February 15, 2010 at 10:30pm — No Comments

Dellis Hunt Kia kaha everyone

I am constantly amazed at the support we are extending each other. Thanks NZEI for the untiring dedication to our teachers. I am eternally grateful that we have been able to do this for a profession that does us proud.

I have spent another night looking over articles and comments and they are still heavily weighted in our favour.

Best wishes and can't wait to join the bus in March when it rolls into Christchurch.

Love hearing the stories from people on the bus. Sounds… Continue

Added by Dellis Hunt on February 12, 2010 at 11:45pm — No Comments

Dayle Belcher Interesting links re National Standards

Here are some interesting links -

Invercargill principals boycott the training ; http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/3314013/Schools-boycott-ministry-training#share

a rather satirical play on national standards : http://www.trelease-on-reading.com/no-dentist.html#author

In… Continue

Added by Dayle Belcher on February 11, 2010 at 2:35pm — No Comments

Kerry Hawkins SO, I DID....

Doomed by the mandating of National Standards, the New Zealand Curriculum effectively becomes redundant............so I put it on Trade Me (no reserve!). Given it's potential and relatively pristine condition - who knows?

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Added by Kerry Hawkins on February 10, 2010 at 5:25pm — 5 Comments

NZEI Achievement trends for a Chch principal.

We have high standards and they are not "declining". This crisis is manufactured.

From Professor Terry Crooks, co director NEMP, EARU, Otago University.

PISA 2006, at age 15, in 57 countries

Mathematics literacy:
New Zealand score unchanged from the 2003 and 2000 assessments
Five countries higher than NZ (Chinese Taipei, Finland, Hong Kong-China, Korea, Neth
… Continue

Added by NZEI on February 10, 2010 at 4:30pm — No Comments

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