ABSOLUTELY!!!! The main flaw in the Labor governments response to the Gonski report and the NSW, Victorian and South Australian premiers demands for more money is the mistaken assumption that spending additional billions will lead to better outcomes... While responses to the Gonski report have focused on the funding model, involving a schooling resource standard and loadings for disadvantage, it is important to acknowledge the report does address the issue of how to improve performance. After noting increased investment is a necessary condition for improved outcomes but not a sufficient one, the report lists factors such as: effective teaching and school leadership; school autonomy over allocating resources; fostering innovative pedagogy; engaging with parents and communities; and quality assurance. There is much to recommend in what Gonski suggests, and the report is not alone in arguing that factors such as school autonomy, parental engagement, quality teaching, effective school leadership and an innovative curriculum plus a degree of accountability are essential if standards are to improve.... Related to teacher effectiveness is the need to ensure those entering the profession are academically capable with a high overall level of literacy and numeracy, strong interpersonal and communication skills, a willingness to learn and the motivation to teach... The Gonski reports argument that government schools, in particular, require greater autonomy and flexibility in decision-making than is currently the case is also supported by research here and overseas... Instead of acting on the Gonski reports suggestions about how to raise standards, the Rudd governments model of policy development, enshrined in the National Plan for School Improvement of the National Education Reform Agreement, is more of the same command and control, inflexible, top-down approach guaranteed to fail. While nodding in the direction of autonomy, Labors strategy to lift performance includes imposing a national curriculum, national teacher registration and certification, national standards for school leadership, national standardised testing, now extended to emotional and behavioural characteristics, and a raft of intrusive accountability requirements. The new regime applies to every school in Australia, Catholic, independent and government and is being imposed as a condition of funding. Those parents seeking diversity and choice in education by choosing non-government schools because of their autonomy will now find such schools must comply to the dictates of Canberra... In its attempt to strengthen schools and raise standards its also the case that the Rudd governments model ignores two of the most pressing challenges faced by teachers, and the reason so many schools underperform: disruptive classrooms because of badly behaved students, and the fact so many inexperienced teachers are on short-term contracts... In addition to reducing bureaucracy and compliance costs, giving schools greater autonomy, overhauling teacher training and better rewarding effective teachers, simplifying the national curriculum and implementing accountability measures that dont overwhelm schools and teachers, teaching practice needs to be evidence-based. Instead of the curriculum and classroom interaction adopting progressive fads and whatever the educrats decide is the latest fashion, teaching and learning must be based on sound principles and what is shown to work. The past 20 to 30 years of waste and mismanagement in education prove increased investment is not the answer. Restricting arguments about Gonski to funding will simply condemn future generations of students to continued underperformance and failure. What is needed is a multifaceted approach to school improvement and lifting standards, recognising there are no simple and easy solutions and that autonomy, diversity and choice in education are preferable to a one-size-fits-all, statist and inflexible approach.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 06:05:04 +0000
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