Monthly Archives: July 2015

Marlene Campbell: the Dreyfus case of New Zealand education

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Kelvin Smythe

Introduction Marlene Campbell and her lawyers have smashed the government’s case in triumphant style. The initial impetus for the Salford disgrace came from Anne Tolley’s office and her secretary in some association with Cameron Slater; all this at the height … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Policy, Ministry of Education, Principals | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

A transcendent education clarion call: clicks unbroken for hours

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Kelvin Smythe

The response to ‘Mathematics: here is the answer’ had the feel of something wondrous: it was remarkable to observe the clicks unbroken for hours. Mathematics: here is the answer On June 10, 2015, readers of a networkonnet posting communicated a … Continue reading →

Posted in Curriculum | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NCEA Level 2 corruption: John Roughan, Herald, Pamela Stirling, National Radio, John Morris, TV3, PPTA, Manawatu Standard, Dominion, Michael Johnston … Uncle Tom Cobley and all

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Kelvin Smythe

I had written a posting before Christmas saying that with the drop in UE results for NCEA, many schools would be organising quickies to boost their marks. It would be, I implied, the NCEA equivalent of a fierce, murky front-row … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The bifurcation at Point Dot: the beginning of everything

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Kelvin Smythe

The Education Council along with the Education Review Office are the principal means by which teachers and schools are being ground down. They are the means by which resilience is being taken out of schools, leaving them exposed to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Policy, Schooling | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments