I'd written a post on the stupidity of National's education announcement, hot from the forked-tongue of Hekia Parata (see here for commentary on that unpleasantness), and was set to hit 'publish', when I checked Every Tiny Straw for today's lazer-like comments, and found that he too had worked on an education post. His was more scathing even than mine, so I'll link you to his (better) effort. He notes the idiotic situation National has created for itself, as described here.
" Requiring a post-graduate qualification would require a student loan. Teaching is not a profession that people choose if they are motivated mostly by money, and adding an extra financial burden, as National have just done, is ludicrous. Now I'm past the swearing stage, I'm laughing. In contempt."
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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13 comments:
Actually there are quite a few courses at S.I.T that people study at for the love of the job, not money, that requires them to take out a loan. There was a certificate in surfing, the Arts degrees, plenty of outdoor courses. None of them real money makers.
Mute point, no matter how strongly put.
Guess you mean, 'moot', Towack, but I still don't see what you are getting at - teachers will be required to study for longer, but will not be supported for the final years. How is that not a disincentive? Do you see the student loan tightening as supporting or enhancing the recruitment of good teachers?
Tell me more.
Absolutely enhancing.
Are you sure you have properly thought this through before you typed it up Robert?
So who will this discourage again? people that have a passion for the work or people concerned about money? ;)
It's mute, because the point says nothing.
Teachers are great, and important, but when thrown in with the rest of the workforce they are nothing special, just people like you and me trying to make a difference in whatever career we has followed.
I don't believe for a second that someone considering a teaching career will be put off by having to support themselves.
This is life RG in a world where the money is tightening up, esp for those who want to lend it. No money means no money, which means cuts are made.
" No money means no money, which means cuts are made."
Ah, Towack, the Greek model. That's going very well, I hear.
Austerity for all. That'll get us through.
Shunda - yes, I see the point you are making but it's a matter of wood and trees. The general picture of education in New Zealand is a good one, by objective measures. The changes taking place now are individually defensible, but collectively describe a profound and unnecessary change to our education system. It's moving from a collegially-based co-operative model that has been developed gradually over decades, to a business-based model that springs from the ideology of this neo-liberal Government. You cheer the cahnges on, one by one (go national standards!) but cannot see the whole picture. Having been inside of the tent, and now standing on the outside, I reckon I have a more sound view than you do and have to say, I'm greatly saddened by what's going on. Yes, we can argue the toss over the importance of class size (I hear on talkback, Hekia saying, 'It's only a matter of 1 or 2 children in the middle school classes) but I can't help but feel that the creature that is our education system, is being slaughtered, one slice at a time.
Robert, I am sure you know more about the education system than I do, but what you have to realise is that it is people like me (swing voters) that you have to convince.
You won't do that by telling them that their bad experiences with the education system are invalid.
Because of my negative experience, I am more sympathetic to change than the status quo. Does that make me a supporter of far right ideology? no.
You may even be correct that this is all about ideology, but because so many NZers can see problems, they are not opposed to changes.
It sucks doesn't it, when people tear down things you value due to ideology and blind adherence to it.
This is how I feel regarding several issues such as the institution of marriage and it's imminent redefinition.
But I also understand that society has reacted more unfavourably toward radical fundamentalist Christians on this issue than those seeking the tradition.
I would suggest many NZers feel the same way toward the education system and are simply giving the other side a crack at it.
But I can accept you may be right about some of this, just don't try and tell me that my experience is invalid, things are not good up here at the moment with some of our schools.
Shunda - I have not told you that you bad experiences in education are invalid.
I've suggested to you that you might temper your views with other sources of knowledge.
As for 'giving the other side a crack at it' - therein lies the tragedy. National's 'crack at it' is destroying a system that has been built over time on the back of experience and expertise. This idepological 'crack' cares not one whit for that. In fact, it revels in destroying what it believes to be an ideologically-based structure, witness the glee shown by commentators of the Right, Michael Laws etc, who see teachers in a very negative light, as John Key does and says. This is not an improvement to the education system in NZ, Shunda, this is it's undoing.
where and when did John Key say that he see's teachers in a bad light RG
He said it in every policy so far
Towack - you were asleep when Key began his teacher-diminishing comments? I guess you were, having no recollection, seemingly. Think 'actresses' and his smarmy dismissal of their worth in commenting on anything other than acting. Key does a fine line in dog-whistling his anti-union, anti-teacher, anti-environmentalist supporters.
RG - Your 'objective measures' can be argued both ways. Ultimately your wonderful system has been failing at least 20% of students and families (possibly more depending on which stats you choose). You may be surprised that I beleive a lot of the changes are coming from inside the system.
It is hard to see it in your terms - a wonderful institution that has been torn asunder and rebuilt in a whole new framework. All of what you talk of still remains - for example collegiality will not be removed by any of these changes.
Paranormal
" for example collegiality will not be removed by any of these changes."
I don't believe that's true, paranormal and I can't see why you hold that there will be no erosion of collegiality.
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