CoL workshop with Lester Flockton

Taking the lead … Celebrating our New Zealand Curricula

Lester Flockton

·     Te Whāriki

·     The NZC

·     Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

Have a clear sense of direction.

 

What sort of leader I am? 

Educationalist or managerial technicist

Follower leader or leader leader

Courageous or timid

Beware of Education’s Swingers!

“Do you openly encourage and engage in critical analytic thinking an debate before deciding whether to swallow?”

In which direction, whose direction and how?

Important for the principal to be leading the direction, not just delegating to senior management.

Different mindsets around NSs ….

  

Focus in on what each curriculum area really means (without looking at achievement objectives).  The essence of each area.

Curriculum Literacy:

4 vision statements

*8 principles

7 values

5 key comps

7+ learning areas

Do we really know what the essence statements are??

Can we come up with one objective for our school which we focus on and report against with progress in mind?

NZC Direction:

·     Rationalisation What learning?  How much?

·     Quality teaching (pedagogy)

·     Localisation (what is impt to us?)

·     Community ownership (team up)

NAG1a: Teaching and learning with ref to NZC

All areas of NZC

Priority in Lit and Num

Regular quality physical activity

NAG1b: Assessment.  Priority to Lit and Num, breadth and depth of leraning and scope of NZC.

The Curriculum Levels (banding image is not on the online version)

Where is my child in reference to same age peers?  Achieving and making progress?  NZC does not provide for this.   These need to be developed for schools.

The achievement objectives are problematic but there is no requirement to report against the AOs. 

Main focus goals for our school:  (ie what does a good writer do? Ie – sense, style and conventions – right across the school)

Sub goals for literacy and numeracy to fall out of the above.

Assessment for Learning impt. 

Part of everyday practice seeks, reflects upon, responds to info from dialogue, demonstration and observation in ways that enhance ongoing learning.

Achievement - not yet.  Succeeding.  

Progress – slow, steady and confident, easy progress.   Progress is linked to achievement.

The time for checklists are over.  

NAG2: reporting twice a year, including Lit and Num (not overwhelmingly weighted towards it).

James Popham (American educator)

OTJs are still really valuable ways to understand exactly where kids are at. 

Report against learning goal norms.  Where is the child achieving and progressing in relation to these learning goals?

ERO should be focusing on the NAGS.  Not the govt priorities.

If reporting against key comps add in “within the school setting”.   Use peer and self assessment.

lester.flockton@otago.ac.nz