Expensive mistakes frequently start as “fiscally neutral” initiatives
PPTA News October 2009, p. 3
“Political pressures are one main reason that worthwhile changes in education do not last or even worse why wrong changes are made in the first place”.
You’re telling me! The comment belongs to Dr Ben Levin who is currently professor and Canada research chair in education leadership and policy at the Ontario Institute and was, before that, the deputy-minister of education in Ontario so he should know. To add to these credentials, he has written a book entitled How to Change 5000 Schools (2008) about making effective and sustainable change in education
When I hear the new minister of education say the education sector must face change, I wonder if she is familiar with Levin’s work and indeed where she has been over the past 20 years to have missed the most active period of change in the sector in centuries.
Levin points out that education reform in the 80s and 90s “was driven in most places by the idea that improvement could be created by changes in governance, through increased testing and accountability or by threats and punishment for failure.” He sees this approach as a recipe for destroying teacher morale and, in the end, reducing student achievement rather than raising it. He thinks the focus should be on providing the sort of wide-ranging professional support that enhances teachers’ capacity to be effective in the classroom.
The quality of change management in New Zealand certainly deserves some scrutiny and criticism. During the 80s and 90s the profession saw severe erosion to teachers’ autonomy and deliberate undermining of their sense of mastery and purpose as the New Zealand curriculum was reviewed and reviewed again. Assessment was completely revolutionised and “new” pedagogies emerged based on personalised learning, IT relationships and key competencies.
Without a doubt lessons can be learned from expensive mistakes – expensive mistakes that frequently started their life as “fiscally neutral” initiatives that have since cost millions in the mopping up.
The Taumata Whanonga, for example, highlighted the costs of a fragmented, underdeveloped, under resourced jumble of services and the need to invest in what Judge Andrew Becroft refers to as a comprehensive “Rolls Royce” service. By learning from expensive mistakes, we can save ourselves some much needed dosh. The key to that according to Levin is, “Effective leadership at all levels including political support… critical to the whole improvement endeavour”.
While we have seen the germs of political support for cross sector problem-solving addressing behaviour issues raised at the Taumata Whanonga – it is the beginning only. It will require politicians to actively listen and respond to the expertise and practical advice from teacher unions and specialists.
This is not something they do willingly – consider the 18 months of industrial action it took to persuade Hon Trevor Mallard that teachers deserved non-contact time and a reasonable pay rise.
The current government shows no willingness to respond to the question of how cutting $50 million from the staffing budget effects student learning. It refuses to reconsider the ACE cuts even in light of the growing evidence that they are harming the very communities that most need literacy and numeracy support. New Zealand teachers will not receive any more mandated time to get to grips with the implementation of one of the most cutting edge curriculum documents in the world. No money is to be spent on “easy, across the board increases” in wages.
Thankfully, governments come and go while PPTA stands the test of time.
And our resolve will be tested when it comes to bargaining new collective agreements next year.
The start of this process, the term 3 paid unions meetings, have been very positive. Across the country a high proportion of members have engaged in considering the industrial, economic and political scenario. There is wide agreement and understanding of the risks of under-investing in secondary education and the impact of minister Tolley’s desired staffing cuts on students were expressed as key concerns.
Indeed, members voted overwhelmingly for executive to oppose the cuts and present a plan of industrial action, if that is deemed necessary to prevent the cuts. They also suggested a range of possible industrial actions should they be needed.
Let’s hope it won’t be and that our political leaders consider the insights that Ben Levin offers. Because in spite of everything, the profession has managed to shape itself into a highly effective and sought after workforce, nationally and internationally – one I feel privileged to work alongside and represent. I enter my second term in this position as determinedly optimistic as I began my first. It is inspiring work seeing colleagues supporting each other in branches, schools and communities to achieve the best possible results for students and the profession as a whole.
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