tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post5728667943048963864..comments2024-03-26T10:03:51.827+13:00Comments on Karl du Fresne: An opinion column with moving picturesKarl du Fresnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05054853925940134404noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-21208106443943608672016-06-01T12:42:02.368+12:002016-06-01T12:42:02.368+12:00Couldn't agree more with your critique and fel...Couldn't agree more with your critique and felt exactly the same.I watched the show hoping to learn something about the New Zealand education system. But unfortunately the presenter had a predetermined line which seems to me to be about "fairness". Fairness for him is about everyone having the same school system, without any irksome parental involvement on the Board of Trustees and no school rising above any other school.<br />I also thought the Shanghai school visit was a waste of time because the kids were learning from a teacher who was upfront and teaching them something. Apparently the Shanghai school system is getting very good results. But then the presenter openly contradicts his own research by lambasting authoritarian schools who teach from the front!<br /><br />I think the school system is doing quite well in New Zealand for some people. But for many people, the bottom 20%, they are barely learning anything. I run a youth group on Thursday night with about 20 high school age students. Of those 20 there are about 5 or 6 that just can't seem to read at all. After 10 years of state school education they can't read!<br /><br />To me that is a disgrace. I would like to see more choice in education, different models being used so that parents can have a real choice about where they send their children.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09006013946847228416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-18088175170109011262016-05-26T15:04:48.855+12:002016-05-26T15:04:48.855+12:00***The last PISA survey (2013) found that 23% of 1...***The last PISA survey (2013) found that 23% of 15 years did not have the necessary numeracy skills needed in the modern workplace. That is a damning indictment.*** <br /><br />I wonder to what extent that is due to educational standards. Professor James Flynn pointed out a few years ago that the population is gradually getting less intelligent as smart women have fewer children on average. <br /><br />http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10450313Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01133142115539961665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-69791174249524172272016-05-26T12:30:18.767+12:002016-05-26T12:30:18.767+12:00With hindsight, my review of the Bruce documentary...With hindsight, my review of the Bruce documentary was gentle. For a much more devastating (but fair and accurate) critique, go here:<br />http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11644290Karl du Fresnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05054853925940134404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-24562313835028825592016-05-26T10:16:43.783+12:002016-05-26T10:16:43.783+12:00It should be noted that only the city of Shanghai ...It should be noted that only the city of Shanghai is producing such <i>*ahem*</i> enviable PISA results, not the whole of China. This makes the comparison between China and the rest an apples with oranges exercise.<br /><br />Furthermore, New Zealand's education system has attracted a lot of interest from the Chinese, who are looking to break away from their rote way of learning and instead spur creative thinking.<br /><br />Third and last, New Zealand has an excellent education system in that our top performers are comparable with the top performers in any jurisdiction. Where we fail is the long tail of underachievement. The last PISA survey (2013) found that 23% of 15 years did not have the necessary numeracy skills needed in the modern workplace. That is a damning indictment. <br /><br />In conclusion, if we continue to do as we have always done, we can reasonably expect to produce the same results. Experimentation and adaptation are not nice to haves in a world where the pace of change is increasing.Overtechhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02325868790341812047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-64992958142734201312016-05-25T22:26:36.949+12:002016-05-25T22:26:36.949+12:00***Chinese education system for producing results ...***Chinese education system for producing results that put Chinese pupils at the top of the OECD achievement rankings while New Zealand kids are falling behind. ***<br /><br />I'd be interested to see how Chinese students in NZ perform relative to their peers who attend school in China. For instance, US public schools are regularly criticised, but European & Asian students in those schools actually perform as well as, if not better, than their peers in Europe and Asia respectively. <br /><br />http://tino.us/2010/12/the-amazing-truth-about-pisa-scores-usa-beats-western-europe-ties-with-asia/Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01133142115539961665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-1092841682554612722016-05-25T19:10:24.481+12:002016-05-25T19:10:24.481+12:00I just spotted an error in my comment above. Obvio...I just spotted an error in my comment above. Obviously I meant to say "Why wouldn't I?" etcKarl du Fresnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05054853925940134404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-31586246358406529362016-05-25T14:21:30.369+12:002016-05-25T14:21:30.369+12:00And the other difference is that this doco was fun...And the other difference is that this doco was funded by taxpayers. I expect a critical, balanced research piece when the money comes from the state. Karl du Fresne, on the other hand, is entitled to be as biased as he likes. Not at all, on this occasion. I must confess that I'm tired of funding people to display their biases. If they want to pedal a particular line of thought then go raise the money yourself - and not from the tax-payer!Max Ritchiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09700377308425417842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-42547447040737868322016-05-25T13:52:58.939+12:002016-05-25T13:52:58.939+12:00Not so. I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Why w...Not so. I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Why wouldn't why? I don't have any particularly fixed views about education and was open to persuasion by fair and reasoned argument. Sadly it didn't materialise.Karl du Fresnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05054853925940134404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-12768648858384642962016-05-25T13:29:32.909+12:002016-05-25T13:29:32.909+12:00You seem to suffer from the same lack of even hand...You seem to suffer from the same lack of even handedness that you criticize Bryan Bruce for. Maybe you shouldn't have 'forced' yourself to watch it as it is clear you didn't do it with an open mind. I agree that there were inconsistencies and his style can be a little irritating but he's not the only one with a predetermined conclusion - you appear to have already decided yours before you started watching.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10065258825173041550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8442430064359197279.post-24709909445897449972016-05-25T12:49:11.911+12:002016-05-25T12:49:11.911+12:00Nice post. I happen to see the trailer for the lat...Nice post. I happen to see the trailer for the latest Michael Moore movie last night. <br /><br />It does seem to have a lot of pictures of him walking to and fro interviewing people around the world without regard to his carbon footprint.Jim Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02233668500637892711noreply@blogger.com