This week saw the announcement by the Government that the Novopay payroll system that has been nothing but trouble since it was inflicted on schools in 2012, would be ‘taken over’ by the Government. This takeover is due to take place in October. It appears that Talent2, the Australian company who won, but should…
Children Are Not Collateral Damage
War and conflict dominates our headlines lately. Every time we turn the television on, check our Facebook and Twitter feeds or spy a paper – digital or of the old fashioned, newsprint kind – war confronts us. For the most part, people like you and me (yes, you and me) generally zone out. Another war,…
The Mythology of Education – Time to Bust Some Myths
Several weeks ago Readers Digest published its 2014 Trusted Professions list. Teachers were the 11th most trusted profession, up one from the previous year. Teachers haven’t been in the top ten since 2010. Prior to that they were at least 9th. It got me wondering, why don’t the public trust us more. It really is…
What Would Kate Sheppard Do?
There has been a lot in the NZ media lately about violence against women. Most of it has been centred around the misinterpretation of the Labour leaders ‘I’m sorry for being a man‘ statement, (and subsequent backlash from what I can only imagine are men insecure with their own masculinity), and some of it…
Labour Education Policy Headliners
This is an important statement that highlights the differentiation between left and right wing educational policy. This weekend the Labour Party has been meeting in Wellington for its Election Year Congress. Whilst there were a number of big announcements over the week for Labour, the area I am most interested in and the one that…
It Is Not Truth That Wins, But Perception
In the world of politics, it is seldom the truth that wins out, but the perception of truth. How painfully true that statement is right now. It would be fair to say that it has been a tough old week for some in the world of kiwi politics. The main party on the left has…
Teflon Politics
Have you ever thought about Teflon and Politics, and how they relate to each other? Stay with me – its not as strange as you may think. In this particular context, I am referring to specific politicians and how they have qualities similar to Teflon. It seems that no matter what they do, what the…
IES – Insane Educational Shambles
$359 million dollars!! Let me type that in for you again – slowly – so you understand just how much money we are talking about. Three hundred and fifty nine million dollars. In words or in numbers it is a lot of money. A LOT. It is money that has been magically found for the…
Busting out of the Classroom – Time to Break Free
Has the world gone mad? I appreciate this is a bit of a loaded question but stay with me. This morning, whilst idly scrolling through my twitter feed I saw a tweet by Pasi Sahlberg (an educationalist that I hold in great esteem and who, incidentally, is fabulous to listen to if you get the…
The Left Can Do This
Last week I posted on the new introduction to politics on the left, the alliance between Mana and The Internet Party. In that post I outlined my wonderings about this new player on the field of political footy, promising to lay out my wonderings around why I think the left is a serious contender in…