I Hear Your Concerns- Yeah Right!

Not sure where to start really as some good things may just yet come out of National Standards if the whole thing is not rushed through and thought is given to the long term consequences and ramifications of National Testing. Unfortunately attending the ‘consultation’ meeting yesterday left me with more questions than answers. I wanted to blog my thoughts right there and then but didn’t want to appear to be a nerdy swat. The atmosphere was warmer than the hall we were in- and that’s saying something. Good Lord- one of the coldest mornings we have had and we are all sat in a huge school hall with NO heating what so ever. By the end of the morning I had lost contact with my toes.

Below is my takeaway from the meeting. I probably got it wrong in places but it is not my job to be a reporter. One thing I do know that at least I will quote myself correctly when I publish- unlike this chappie from the Nelson Evening Mail– apart from getting my name wrong he got what I said wrong as well. My question was ( and I quote ‘cos I wrote it down before I asked it ) “If a child is identified to be at risk as a consequence of National Testing what will be done to support that child above what is already been done now”. That answer was that the Ministry has put aside $35m for National Testing. I replied that I didn’t think that would be enough. Don McClean asked more eloquently than me,

“If we measure a kid’s height it doesn’t make them taller, so how is measuring kids nationally going to make them achieve more?”

To write my thoughts I have added my questions/thoughts in CAPITAL LETTERS in a Wes Fryer sort of way in order to separate them from the messages I took from the presentation.

The learned people engaged in reading the Ministry spiel made sure that they stuck to the script so that everyone who came to the meetings throughout the country would hear the same message. Anne Tolley, our Minister of Education started off virtually with a video. In the video she said that formative assessment informs our teaching.

OH SO I GOT IT WRONG. NATIONAL TESTING IS INTENDED TO BE A FORM OF FORMATIVE TESTING!

HOW WILL NATIONAL TESTING RAISE ACHIEVEMENT?

The MOE people reitereated that National Testing is not about publishing league tables and it was all about noble ideals of developing partnerships between school/whanau/community. IT MAY NOT BE THE INTENTION BUT I FEAR THAT LEAGUE TABLES MAY WELL BE THE END RESULT.

The National Standards will connect with NZCEA Level Two and work backwards to what children will need to know in order to be successful participants in society. Benchmarks will be set at the end of each year level. Year 1, 2 and 3 will be reported at the end of a complete year at school and thereafter at the end of the school year.

IF NATIONAL TESTING AND PARENT REPORTING HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE YEAR HOW WILL NEXT STEPS OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT BE ACTIONABLE?

ESOL and Special Education children will be exempt from the testing regimin. WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO AREN”T SPECIAL NEEDS AS SUCH BUT ARE STILL WORKING AT LEVEL ONE OF THE CURRICULUM? WILL THEY BE EXEMPT? EVEN COMPLETING PAT TESTS IN YEAR FOUR IS A DODGY PROPOSITION?

If I got my listening right it is expected that 75% of Year Six children will achieve the standard and only 50-60% of Year 7/8. SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE 25% OF CHILDREN WHO WERE SUCCESSFUL WHO NOW SUDDENLY AREN”T?

The mathematics part of the testing is not necessarily based on NUMPA learning but on the ‘big ideas’ in each learning area of maths. LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL TEST SAMPLE IT APPEARS THAT ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS ARE HAND MARKED BY THE TEACHER AS ARE THE LITERACY SAMPLES. WORKLOAD?

I did like that the literacy samples be marked OBJ- On the teacher’s Balanced Judgement. GREAT BUT WHAT SORT OF MODERATION WILL BE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT DIFFERENT TEACHERS IN THE SAME SCHOOL AND ACROSS SCHOOLS WILL BE JUDGING AGAINST THE SAME MODERATED CRITERIA?

I did like the use of the term ‘readability level’ of text as opposed to a reading age. I have long held to the belief that it is readability that is more of use in grading a text than reading age that implies that having on its own a high reading age, is more important than a deeper understanding of the reading material in itself. THE LITERACY SECTION OF THE NATIONAL STANDARDS WAS ADDRESSED BY JILL FORGIE AND I THOUGHT SHE SPOKE SOME SENSE. I HOPE SHE IS BEING LISTENED TO.

ANOTHER COUPLE OF QUESTIONS CAME TO MY MIND AS WE WERE TALKING….

WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO PROTECT INFORMATION FROM THE ZEALOUS PRESS IN PUTTING THEIR OWN SLANT ON RESULTS? The response to that one was that principal’s should draft their own press releases. MY RESPONSE TO THAT ONE IS TO LOOK AT THE WRITE UP IN TODAY”S PAPER– I WAS MIS-QUOTED AND DIDN”T EVEN REALISE THAT THE PRESS WAS REPORTING THE EVENT!

WHAT EVIDENCE BASE IS THERE TO SET THE STANDARDS AS THEY INTEND TO DO???

I HAVE A FEELING THAT THESE TARGETS ARE ASPIRATIONAL ONES WE WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE. THE MATHS STANDARDS WERE WRITTEN I THINK BY MATHEMATICIANS- A RARE BREED APART FROM ORDINARY FOLK. DO WE NEED TO BE MORE REALISTIC IF THE GOAL IS NOT TO PUNISH GOOD SCHOOLS BUT TO RAISE THE LONG TAIL OF UNDER-PERFORMING SCHOOLS? WE ARE ALL GOING TO BE LUMPED TOGETHER.

HOW DO WE REPORT TO CHILDREN THAT THEY ARE BELOW, BELOW, BELOW STANDARD. I AGREE WE HAVE TO HAVE HONEST REPORTING BUT FOR SOME KIDS THIS SORT OF REPORTING COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. I WAS TOLD AT SCHOOL THAT I WOULD NEVER PASS SCHOOL CERTIFICATE MATHS- SO WHAT WAS THE POINT OF TRYING? I AM STILL TRYING TO GET OVER IT!

WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR FEEDBACK WAS VALUED AND WANTED BUT FEEDBACK IS DUE ON JUNE 30th- NEXT TUESDAY- ONE WEEK IN WHICH TO SHARE THE LEARNING WITH OTHERS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING. NOT LONG TO GIVE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON SUCH AN IMPORTANT CHANGE IN NEW ZEALAND’S EDUCATION GIVEN THE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW CURRICULUM.

I MAY HAVE GOT THE WHOLE THING WRONG. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO WADE IN THE MURKY WATERS AND HELP CLARIFY MY THINKING ON THIS.

GIVE THE MINISTRY YOUR FEEDBACK BEFORE NEXT TUESDAY!!!!

Other articles you may like to read

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10576265

There’s even a National Standards Ning started by the NZEI http://www.nationalstandards.org.nz/

Greg Carroll has some views also that are worth reading here.

Don’t know who Subversive ICT blogger is but he/she makes some good points also.

“The point is that kids come in a variety of sizes and having a standard “height” for 6-year-olds is absurd. Someone will always come up short – not meet the standard. There will always be a distribution of height, weight – or achievement. Go find your Plunket book. If you set a standard “height”, all those short kids get hurt and resentful, and their parents fret, when it’s just normal for some people to be shorter (or just grow slower).”

Derek Wenmoth expresses himself on National Standards here.

Herald Newspaper Article written in March on Anne Tolley’s election promises.

Isaac Day‘s Reflection on National Standards.

MOE National Standards Forum Comments

I am adding more links here as I come across them.

If you know of any other places people can go to find out more then please add them in the comments and I will link from this main page.

Cheers

10 thoughts on “I Hear Your Concerns- Yeah Right!

  1. My most important comment – please, please, please look at what is happening in the United States because of NCLB and testing! Teaching has almost come to a standstill while we prepare students to pass tests, the results of which are returned too late to affect any teaching in the present year. After years of NCLB we have no great results to show – student learning did not improve, teacher knowledge did not improve, children don’t like school any better (in fact I would guess they like it less). And those of us who want better for our students fight the system at every turn. Don’t go down that path.

  2. Thanks Lisa. Yes I should have mentioned that overseas countries that have gone down the National Testing path have found it to be a nightmare. We have done/are doing such great work exploring the possibilities of the new curriculum it would be such a shame to see it gone down the gurgler as teachers give their energy into teaching to the test.

    http://www.notonthetest.com/

    Hate to see my teaching end up being focussed on ensuring children pass the National Standard.

  3. Good on you …. a good summary of largely the same speil we got too.
    It is dishonest for the MoE to assert that any sort of aggregation of data nationally or regionally will not be subject to an Official Information Act request and subsequently end up in the media. It is the sort of stuff journos and editors get orgasmic about.

    We were told the change in percentages you quoted was for maths not across the board – interesting.
    more jargon – we have been using OBJ for ages now …. calling it teacher judgement or ‘best fit’.

    Lots of thinking for all of us to do here … and no time to do it. I guess thats the point!
    enjoy your Friday, Greg

  4. Thanks for the post, Allanah. I hadn’t given the standards much thought when they first came out, but after having a good look at them over the last few days, and reading the opinions of others, it seems clear that they are not the answer to ‘our problems’ that the government would like to think they are.

    I don;t think that I would have such a problem with them if they were an original concept. Not only do schools have their own standards already, but the fact that other countries and states have tried them already without success frustrated me. Why does the Ministry think that they can make this work when others have not? Are they that arrogant?

    I am concerned that they will implement these standards despite the backlash and negative feedback. After all, this has been on the agenda since before the election – it’s hard to see them backing down now.

  5. I agree with lots of what you are thinking – you have put into words what I’m sure lots think.
    I too have a big concern re;what the std will be in terms of moderation, what 1 school, 1 teacher says a child can do – and is it all things at that level – just some, etc,,,??? to say they reach that level may well be different to std another teacher and/or school says.
    Also the leaving out of some students, for ESOL and special needs – what level is this determined by…and does that then show the true need within a school ?

    They have based nat std’s on 1 of several things, 1 is the draft literacy learning progressions, which 1 year ago they told us was aspirational, and now being used as std’s. I see a lot of what in these progressions are what is included in nat stds , so what was aspirational is now the std. ! seems a big leap to me.

    Good in terms of some will have to pick up their pace, that is not a bad thing. Some schools still carrying out assessment half way into the year and their teaching prog’s haven’t started yet (true fact) ! So maybe some guidelines on what to assess and how much would be a good idea.

    I agree the measuring doesn’t mean that learning takes place – or growing !

    And the research from other countries where this measurement doesn’t work – in terms of ‘making students better learners’ must surely be taken into account. They have trialled it, given it a go, lets take a different path !

  6. Pingback: National Stand’duds’ | Leading Learning in the 21st Century and Beyond

  7. As a parent it is extremely frustrating. I feel like the school only cares about their report card back to the state, not about the students and what areas they are struggling in. I am trying to be proactive. My oldest son has always struggled with Math. It has always been hard for him to get through it. He is in middle school. So as usual this year we struggled this year in Math, but because he didnt have to take the state test for math this year, it didnt matter that he failed the class. They are going to promote him on to the next grade… no summer school, no nothing. So as usual, trying to be responsible, I went out and bought books and workbooks to try to help him so he can ready for the next year… It is frustrating and you really start to feel like they dont care about the students. So, I am just tyring to do my best and keep pushing him at home.

  8. Hi Melodie

    Thank you so much for a parent’s perspective. The more I teach I think the more I realise the helping children learn is a partnership between the parents, the school and the child. Much more effective when we all work together. I suppose the state has right to a say as they want results and effective teaching but I know that league table comparing school is not the answer.

    I feel your anguish in trying to help your son keep up with his peers. In New Zealand we don’t have the summer school concept and everyone keeps with their age appropriate peers and we do our best to cater for students through differentiated ability group teaching within that scenario.

    If a child falls behind we try and give teacher aide support within the class but this again works best if the teaching in the classroom is consolidated and supported at home.

    Thanks again for your prespective.

  9. I understand your frustration Melodie. It sounds like the school that your child is attending is not providing the support that either you or your son need. I think you need to speak to the school (more seriously) about your son’s maths and work out what the next step should be for him.

    Unfortunately, the implementation of National Standards would not improve this situation. You would be told that your son is not reaching the desired standards, but not help you to “fix the problems” so to speak. These are steps that schools should be taking as a matter of course, irrespective of National Standards.

    I teach seniors in a primary school and as is, I struggle to find the time to teach my class the basic skills or reading, writing and mathematics because their are so many requirements and expectations made upon us. Implementing National Standards will further increase this pressure, and in my mind reduce the effect that we teachers can have on our students’ learning.

    Having children of my own, I understand your view point and your concerns. I feel that our schooling system needs a change to address the needs of all learners like your son. I just don’t think that National Standards is the answer.

    Thank you for showing us the view from the other side of the coin.

  10. I know it’s a bit late to be commenting on this since the deadline has been and gone for submissions but I firmly believe that the National Standards will turn many schools and teachers into a teaching for assessment model as opposed to an assessing for teaching model.

    True, we have a long tail in literacy here, but if, as teachers we are having to be using time to assess and moderate on top of the formative assessment we already do, it takes away from the learning and time we can spend getting the kids on the tail up to their peers. Doesn’t that sound like a vicious circle.

    I like the idea of reporting to parents in “non-teacher talk” and the parent/school/student partnership – we are currently setting this as our way of reporting from the get-go at our school, but whether the MOE like it or not league tables will be generated.

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