And this, from Massey University Professor, Ivan Snook, via John Minto:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1002/S00098.htm

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So the govt misinformation propaganda campaign shrunk did it. The other day you told us it was a $26 million propaganda campaign. Now it’s suddenly shrunk to less than 1% of that.

And YOU throw about accusations of misinformation.

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It sounds bad, photo. No doubt we’ll read about it in tomorrows paper.

The Government didn’t go the ‘uniformed officials haranging’ way.
The took taxpayer money, $200 000 of it and went for the soft-sell propaganda technique.
When that pap arrives in my mailbox, I’ll be sure to let you know my reaction.

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greenfly says – “They didn’t. The brought the battle to the schools.”

Other way around I think. I didn’t see a group of uniformed government officials haranging parents to sign up to their scheme – making two lines that parents had to walk through with their kids to leave school – stopping every parernt who wasn’t holding one of their leaflets.

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photo – “the problem with National Standards is that they seem to have become a proxy political battlefield.”

Indeed.

Those who introduced them should have done a much better job at describing the benefits and admitting to the perils.
They didn’t. The brought the battle to the schools.
There have been many, many changes made to education over time, most of those changes have been accepted and supported by the education professionals. Not this time.
Photo – can you outline what you believe to be the educationalist’s concerns?

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greenfly – the problem with National Standards is that they seem to have become a proxy political battlefield.

The group of parents I was talking to today at the end of school were all for them. Some had signed the petition just to stop the pestering. I didn’t realise it, but four out of five of us were from out of zone – so ERO reports are already being used as league tables.

Everyone had a story of someone shifting schools, and having problems with being near the top of their previous class, but struggling with their peers at a new school. It was clear some schools were way ahead of others, but the parents of the poorer performing school had no idea.

That’s not good. Especially when experts say parents play a much greater part in a childs education that was previously thought (a greater part than schools)

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photonz1 – Toad’s put the squeeze on me to ease up on you and your standards promotion.

Naturally, I will.

Ever been squeezed by a Toad?

Clammy!

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greenfly – you;’d have to be incredibly stupid to not realise heavy handed tactics with parents will have the opposite effect of what you want.

I didn’t realise you were in favour of uniformed groups presurising people to sign up to something they don’t really want to.

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‘fly – give photonz1 a break – at least he is talking some sense on the tax thread, albeit not here.

bro ain’t talking any sense anywhere (unless we can divert him onto cricket, upon which he and I tend to be of like minds).

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Three like-minded parents Bro!

Are they yours?

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photonz1 – they were breaking up parents conversations!

Out-friken-rageous!!!!

You must be livid!

Conversations are sacrosanct!

Making parents stop and talk !!

Not since Tiananmen Square!

Bro’s supporting you. Two Authoritarians, standing for the Board.

Exciting times!

Crush the teachers and their Evil Union!

Hang them out to dry!

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photonz1

Stand for the board of Trustees then, I plan to do just that and I have three like minded parents who are going to do the same.
Should we be elected we will ensure that the school does indeed implement the national standards, we also plan to see what we can do about not providing any information to the education board when that information is race based.

I think John Key is gutless on economic issues but on the issue of National Standards he has my full support.

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paretns at our school just had the decidely unpleasant experience of a press gang of uniformed labour party and unionists bailing them up to get tehm so sign a petition against national standards.

They were breaking up parents conversations in order to push their line, and not letting parents out of school without making them stop and talk. Two rows of them that parents had to pass through to get out.

Some parents I was talking to signed just to get rid of them, but felt very pressured to do so. Not nice stuff.

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Take your “pick” of sayings greenfly.

I’m just calling a spade a spade.

You can go and rake over the old messages looking to dig up something.

But I’ve got work to do so I’ll fork off.

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Ah! You’re playing the ‘kitchen implements’ card, eh!

I might have to lay down my ‘garden tools’ ace, if you don’t watch out!

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greenfly you say “your singleminded approach”

two words

pot kettle

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greenfly – I think there are big advantages for all schools to use the same tests.

If the parents attitude and input have a larger weight in how successful a child is than the school they are at, then it is paramount that there is very good feedback to parents of how well children are doing.

It’s very easy (and teachers will tell you this) to give “above average” assessment to children who are at the top of a poorly performing class, even if their assessment would be different if compared on a national level.

btw, I’ve always been cynical. That’s why I don’t beleive all the arguements against national standards.

Particularly when we are told by staunch opponents that the world is going to come to an end if we have them, then they finish off with their final arguement – “besides, they’re pointless because they’re almost exactly the same assessment as we are doing now”

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But photonz1, it was so important, you said repeatedly, that everyone uses the same tests, the same speedo, for how can we know, how can we know, how each child is progressing compared with every other child. It’s a no brainer you said.

” Having lots of different tests for school achievement, when everyone could easily use the same one, is simply a really silly idea. ”

Guess so.

Sorry to hear that you’ve become cynical.

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