|
|
Leaked ERO report shows
opportunities for improvement
An Education Review
Office report into teaching practices in Years 1 and 2 was leaked
over the school holiday period with both the education sector union
NZEI Te Riu Roa and the Minister of Education, Anne Tolley taking
something from it. Anne Tolley says it is alarming and uses it as a
reason why there needs to be National Standards, while the NZEI says
the report provided some useful information and is not as alarming
as the government claims.
The report is designed to identify areas of good teacher practice as
well as areas for skill development. It found that in the vast
majority of the 212 schools evaluated, reading and writing is being
taught to a high or good standard. It also confirms that most
teachers take on the responsibility for literacy learning and a
child’s success with passion, commitment and a high degree of
skill.
The report also found that while 70 per cent of teachers are doing
well, 30 per cent are not teaching reading and writing effectively
and set low expectations for students and that almost two-thirds of
school leaders - principals and senior managers - aren’t properly
monitoring how well young children are achieving or progressing, and
that three-quarters of principals don’t set expectations of high
achievement levels.
NZEI President Frances Nelson says there is a lot of information in
the report which comes as no surprise.
“For example we know that because of lower junior class ratios and
the way staffing comes in to schools at varying times during the
year, many schools are putting beginning teachers into their Year 1
and 2 classrooms. Ideally, teachers in these levels should be the
most experienced. This is a well documented problem,” she says.
Ms Nelson says as the government continues to push its controversial
National Standards policy, it’s good to see the report recognising
that teachers are using a range of tools to assess children’s
reading and writing – rather than a narrow one size fits all
approach. The report acknowledges that New Zealand children achieve
very well by international standards.
The Minister has a different take on the report saying that it shows
the current system is not working.
“That is why it is vitally important that National Standards are
introduced in primary schools next year. Schools will be required to
assess, monitor and report in plain language on each child’s
progress in reading, writing and maths. The Standards, or
benchmarks, will allow us to identify those children that need extra
help, and will provide a valuable tool for improving teaching,” says
Mrs Tolley.
“It should not be used to manufacture a crisis for political gain,”
says Ms Nelson. “Teachers and principals are committed to raising
student achievement across the board. The value of this report is
that it gives us some good baseline information. The challenge is
to build on the effective quality teaching which is happening in the
vast majority of schools, and support the very small percentage
where this needs to be developed.”
ERO evaluated 212 primary schools in Terms 1 and 2, 2009. A full
copy of the report’s findings and recommendations can be found at
http://ero.govt.nz/publications/pubs2009/readingwriting-y1&2-dec09.doc
|
