Posted by: blogger
on 12, May, 2009
By Hawkeye
On March 26 the City of Manukau Education Trust (COMET) convened a group to discuss the difficulties schools face collaborating across the boundaries created by Tomorrow's Schools. This is a particular problem in Manukau where a number of experiments with school structures are going on. As well as year 7 to 13 schools and year 9 - 13 schools, Manukau has a large urban area school, combined boards of multiple schools, collaborative boards on shared campuses and the possibility of a tertiary high school.
COMET Director, Bernardine Vester set out the problem. "Though not yet at system crisis levels, restrictions provided by ‘class' and ‘designation' that currently shape schooling design are outdated. The legislation as it is offers a single constitutional model as a template. This results in all other constitutional arrangements becoming ‘exceptions' or ad hoc arrangements to fit emerging needs, rather than a planned approach to shifts in the environment." Boards, principals and teachers working in less common school structures can find their vision for student learning constantly compromised and undermined by governance and legislative arrangements that do not facilitate collaboration.
