Collective Matters #3
Kia ora,
Welcome back to Collective Matters. It feels like things are moving quickly in the education space. The major announcement this month has been the release of the Ministerial Advisory Group’s (MAG) report and the government's response to it. We will come back to this shortly.
AEC continues to grow. As we grow, we are looking to provide more opportunities for our members and supporters to engage in what we are about. Over the coming months, you will hear us talk more about curriculum, initial teacher education, and charter schools.
This month we have launched our Substack. This will be the go to place for professional discussion. (This also takes the place of the blog that we started at aec.org.nz.) The other vital service we get through substack is the ability to transparently receive money from those people that want to fund the work that we do. If you can, we encourage you to become a paid subscriber on our Substack (you can do so for as little as $10 a month). This funding will allow us to fund research, host larger events, and employ an administrator).
It has been so encouraging to read the feedback from people who are finding our work for the first time. Overwhelmingly, people are commenting on how nice it is to find a group that is providing a counter-narrative to a lot of what we are hearing from the government.
Where to next with the curriculum?
As mentioned above, we have had the MAG release its report, and while we share a common purpose around improving outcomes for learners, the report itself has very concerning recommendations. You can read our full review here. Here are a couple of excerpts:
3. Structured Approach to Teaching Literacy and Mathematics
Report Recommendation: Implementing a structured approach to teaching literacy and mathematics, including specific sequences, methods, and checkpoints based on cognitive psychology.
Counterpoint: While structured approaches can standardise teaching practices, they may also limit teacher autonomy and the ability to tailor instruction to individual student needs. Effective teaching requires a balance between structure and flexibility, allowing teachers to use their professional judgment to meet students' needs (Darling-Hammond et al., 2008). Moreover, a strictly structured approach might not accommodate the varying developmental rates of children, particularly those from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
6. Engagement with the Education Sector
Report Recommendation: The MAG report acknowledges the need to explain the evidence base for the indicated changes and offers their availability to engage in meetings with schools, teachers' organizations, and other stakeholders.
Counterpoint: There is an increasing concern among the sector regarding the credibility of some MAG group members and their wider socio-cultural and political affiliations (Walters, 2024). This review also raises concerns about the MAG’s selective use of evidence as a basis for recommendations (see point 1 under ‘general comments’ below). It is crucial for the success of the proposed changes that the education sector trusts and respects the expertise of the advisory group. Ensuring transparency about the backgrounds and qualifications of MAG members will help build this trust and address any potential biases that could influence the recommendations. In relation to mathematics, the lack of expertise in mathematics education was evident with only one member of the MAG having qualifications in mathematics education and the majority of the MAG with qualifications in pure mathematics. A collaborative approach, incorporating feedback and insights from a broad range of educators and New Zealand researchers with internationally recognised expertise in relevant areas, will be vital in achieving meaningful and sustainable improvements in the curriculum.
Event - Beyond the Basics
Looking forward, AEC is hosting an event on 25 June at 4pm. You can get your free ticket at aec.org.nz.
Beyond the Basics: Equipping Learners for the Future:
Join the discussion with our panel on curriculum mandates, building teacher capacity and the need to shift beyond the binary of knowledge vs competency based curriculum.
Niki Penny - Deputy Principal/SENCO at Te Kōmanawa Rowley School
Cathy Wylie - Cathy is a recently retired Emeritus Chief Researcher at NZCER.
Jenny Ritchie - Associate Professor School of Education at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
Claire Amos - Principal at Albany Senior High School.
How you can help
Help fund our work, join our Substack as a paid member.
We want to work alongside people to create content for the Substack. You do not need to agree with everything the Collective has said. But we do want to create a place for wide-reaching professional discussion. You can see more info here.
Become a collective member. Be listed on our website as a collective member and help build this movement.
18 June - Press Release - The Curriculum MAG’s evidence base falls short. - Full release here
Substack Summary
17 June - Review of the Ministerial Advisory Group Report March 2024: Redesigning the English and Mathematics & Statistics learning areas in the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum - full release here
12 June - ECE as a public partnership - full release here
Events