Nationwide there are very real concerns about National Standards.
The National Party campaigned on these and so when they came to power they claimed they had a responsibility to introduce the Standards, indeed they claimed they had a mandate to push through the introduction.
Schools were not consulted. The National Standards were presented to schools with the instructions that they were to be implemented.
Having been a school that went through a District Education Review we appreciated the importance of full consultation, of listening to all groups involved when introducing change. We understand the importance of giving people a voice in the change process so that they gain a sense of ownership and grow to support the changes introduced.
National Standards were introduced in a hurry and without the government taking heed of the above change process. Why then has the Minister been so surprised that many in the education sector have not supported her demands to implement the Standards? In fact the Minister who has told schools that they must consider the best evidence synthesis when change and improvement is considered by schools, totally ignored her own advice. The leading assessment researchers told the Minister that there was no evidence that the introduction of these National Standards would result in an improvement to the tail of underachievement. Indeed overseas experience highlighted the waste of money and the lack of success in countries overseas when similar initiatives had been introduced.
Still the Minister has pushed ahead, and accused teacher groups of opposing the Standards for all the wrong reasons. Principals want the very best for their students. They want their students to succeed. I do not know of any Principals who are not constantly seeking for their students and their schools to be the very best! It is hard to credit that the Minister has not been prepared to listen to the reasoned concerns of the NZ Principals Federation and the NZ Educational Institute. These people are the ones who work with the children of our nation every day. If these National Standards were guaranteed to lift student achievement Principals would be whole heartedly behind them. The Standards represent the hopes and aspirations of the government. They are certainly not realistic! Many students who have been achieving at the National average will now be reported as being below the National Standards. This will confuse students and their parents. Yes it is a great ideal to aim high and yes we all want students to do better BUT lets us be sensible and realistic! National Standards need to be achievable or they will have a negative effect as learners become disheartened and disillusioned.
The public have been sold the rhetoric that student achievement will be lifted to new heights by the introduction of the National Standards. And of course when time proves concerned educationalists right the government will then be able to blame schools for the failure!
At Bluestone we will implement the Standards as we are required by law to do BUT had we been consulted, had the standards been developed in liaison with the education sector, had the supporting documents been in place BEFORE we received the instruction to proceed with implementation, had ALL teachers received meaningful professional development provided by people who ACTUALLY understood and believed in the Standards, had funding been provided to support the introduction of the standards (not after the event), and if the tools to measure and monitor the Standards were properly aligned, had staff had the time to hold moderation discussions, then MAYBE just MAYBE there might have been some benefit.
I have no problem with high expectations and high standards but if you have worked with these National Standards you will understand that these standards are not the solution that is needed!
