As an elderly, long serving primary teacher/principal, with two teaching daughters, I am somewhat reluctant to state views which will be seen as "the good old days" because they weren't always, however there are times in the history of education where teaching was delivered some very bad consequences. Firstly, in my view Tomorrow's Schools gave politicians the ability to become too involved in curriculum matters and the internal operation of schools. Teaching at this point became a profession that everyone knew how to do better than those who were trained for the role. Then the politicians applied "accountability" so that teachers were subject to appraisal systems that were time consuming, recording processes that were way too time consuming and meetings and meetings and meetings. Finally National Standards I feel was the final straw with even more recording, testing etc etc that took away from the time teachers enjoy spending with their classes. Teachers of course deserve more money, they also deserve more support for the many more students who find school a hard place to manage nowadays and primary teachers also deserve non contact time to match that enjoyed by their secondary colleagues. We from the NZEI marched a long time ago for equal pay and equal conditions and they have not ever really been realised. Long rant in support of all of those teachers out there with the hope that Jan Tinetti can indeed provide a fair outcome.
Good to read your analysis. Growing up in a whānau of teachers in the 50s and 60s, teaching in the 70s and comparing those times to working in classrooms of today (as a guest) leaves me shocked - mainly with the time and emotional energy that teachers have to spend on keeping the peace. Teachers deserve much more support from parents and less intrusion from governments.
I totally disagree with performance pay and the suggestion "make it easier to get rid of bad teachers". : you will find the teacher unions do too. Who decides who is a good teacher? This is National/ACT policy and it stinks. I also dislike your attack on the MOE. Again, sounds like the usual "bureacrats" put down argument we see so much of from National/ACT. Your experience is in the private sector. Teaching is different. It is a public good and as such there is a responsibility to not treat education like a corporate.
Thanks for this really informative article. And it's great to hear the thoughts of those carrying out the teaching work. You noted - 'I think somewhere along the line we were fed a line that government jobs were less important than ones in the private sector.'
Doesn't that sum up the attitude of one side of the government, who want to reduce the public service by however many jobs, without any sort of reasoned approach? Why would any government jobs be valued when people hear that sort of message so frequently. And it's not something new either, previous conservative govts have also referred to public service roles as over-inflated, and made sweeping generalisations. Very frustrating and demoralising for staff accoss the sector.
I trained as a teacher in the 80s as an adult (who returned to NZ after years of work and travel). I could see in my first year on placement that the job of teaching in schools was untenable.
I switched my degree and went on to teach at tertiary level, but those institutions are rife with political infighting. It's exhausting trying to do right by the students and counter the corruption of Management .
Yes, a good assessment of things, but noooo to performance pay. It's just not an even playing field and would be impossible to regulate.
As an elderly, long serving primary teacher/principal, with two teaching daughters, I am somewhat reluctant to state views which will be seen as "the good old days" because they weren't always, however there are times in the history of education where teaching was delivered some very bad consequences. Firstly, in my view Tomorrow's Schools gave politicians the ability to become too involved in curriculum matters and the internal operation of schools. Teaching at this point became a profession that everyone knew how to do better than those who were trained for the role. Then the politicians applied "accountability" so that teachers were subject to appraisal systems that were time consuming, recording processes that were way too time consuming and meetings and meetings and meetings. Finally National Standards I feel was the final straw with even more recording, testing etc etc that took away from the time teachers enjoy spending with their classes. Teachers of course deserve more money, they also deserve more support for the many more students who find school a hard place to manage nowadays and primary teachers also deserve non contact time to match that enjoyed by their secondary colleagues. We from the NZEI marched a long time ago for equal pay and equal conditions and they have not ever really been realised. Long rant in support of all of those teachers out there with the hope that Jan Tinetti can indeed provide a fair outcome.
Good to read your analysis. Growing up in a whānau of teachers in the 50s and 60s, teaching in the 70s and comparing those times to working in classrooms of today (as a guest) leaves me shocked - mainly with the time and emotional energy that teachers have to spend on keeping the peace. Teachers deserve much more support from parents and less intrusion from governments.
I totally disagree with performance pay and the suggestion "make it easier to get rid of bad teachers". : you will find the teacher unions do too. Who decides who is a good teacher? This is National/ACT policy and it stinks. I also dislike your attack on the MOE. Again, sounds like the usual "bureacrats" put down argument we see so much of from National/ACT. Your experience is in the private sector. Teaching is different. It is a public good and as such there is a responsibility to not treat education like a corporate.
Teachers need to paid well, their jobs are so important . no to performance pay .
Thanks for this really informative article. And it's great to hear the thoughts of those carrying out the teaching work. You noted - 'I think somewhere along the line we were fed a line that government jobs were less important than ones in the private sector.'
Doesn't that sum up the attitude of one side of the government, who want to reduce the public service by however many jobs, without any sort of reasoned approach? Why would any government jobs be valued when people hear that sort of message so frequently. And it's not something new either, previous conservative govts have also referred to public service roles as over-inflated, and made sweeping generalisations. Very frustrating and demoralising for staff accoss the sector.
Thanks and agree - but no to performance pay!
The problem is within the Ministry of Education.
I trained as a teacher in the 80s as an adult (who returned to NZ after years of work and travel). I could see in my first year on placement that the job of teaching in schools was untenable.
I switched my degree and went on to teach at tertiary level, but those institutions are rife with political infighting. It's exhausting trying to do right by the students and counter the corruption of Management .