Tough post to read from the US, where many of us have hopes that folks in NZ (and parts of Australia, and parts of Canada, and and and) will continue grow new ideas about what it's like to center imagination and joy and wonder and awe and beauty and connection in your work with children. When that work is happening in public schools anywhere, it's a light for everyone fighting against anti-child movements at home. And yet.
Let's keep finding ways to capture, nurture, and highlight those experiences - even when (especially when?) they rise in contexts that are not entirely welcoming to them. So much depends on that!
I had a hui last night with a group of people from Taranaki outdoor pursuits and Education TOPEC, what i have seen in the last 3 years there has been a growth unlike any other in student engagement, staff growth , problem solving. What the meeting highlighted was that the future was about growing the strength of community connections, which may be somewhat more immune to the fluctuations of government and ministry whims. Outdoor education ...play based learning .. rite tonu.
Totally agree with the points you raise and understand your dismay and uncertainty going forward. I don't think declining literacy rates can be attributed as much to teaching as they can to the amount of time children are spending on screens, the lack of free time they have, the pressures put on their families...
Keep persevering Bevan! I'm pretty sure you're on the precipice of Utopia. And there isn't success where there isn't struggle. Think of the caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly...
Tough post to read from the US, where many of us have hopes that folks in NZ (and parts of Australia, and parts of Canada, and and and) will continue grow new ideas about what it's like to center imagination and joy and wonder and awe and beauty and connection in your work with children. When that work is happening in public schools anywhere, it's a light for everyone fighting against anti-child movements at home. And yet.
Let's keep finding ways to capture, nurture, and highlight those experiences - even when (especially when?) they rise in contexts that are not entirely welcoming to them. So much depends on that!
I had a hui last night with a group of people from Taranaki outdoor pursuits and Education TOPEC, what i have seen in the last 3 years there has been a growth unlike any other in student engagement, staff growth , problem solving. What the meeting highlighted was that the future was about growing the strength of community connections, which may be somewhat more immune to the fluctuations of government and ministry whims. Outdoor education ...play based learning .. rite tonu.
Totally agree with the points you raise and understand your dismay and uncertainty going forward. I don't think declining literacy rates can be attributed as much to teaching as they can to the amount of time children are spending on screens, the lack of free time they have, the pressures put on their families...
Keep persevering Bevan! I'm pretty sure you're on the precipice of Utopia. And there isn't success where there isn't struggle. Think of the caterpillar before it becomes a butterfly...