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Returning to the early world of creative education Elwyn Richardson 1925-2012 He toi whakairo he mana tangata – where there is artistic excellence there is human dignity . Back to the future There was a time when New Zealand  primary education was internationally recognised for placing the learner at the centre of learning . When education was driven by a belief in the creative power of the learners themselves; when learning was based on the internal and external lives of the children. But sinceTomorrows Schools things have changed .   Today schools have been distracted by assessment, achievement data and measurement by standards.   The evidence is becoming clear in our rush to towards achieving measurable results children’s curiosity has been eroded. As part of this change educational decision making has shifted from innovative teachers to political imperatives and their non-teaching policy makers . Today ‘flexible learning environments’ and access to modern information ...

Reflections by Phil Cullen who retired from his role as Director of Primary Education Queensland and who, since his retirement, has fought the good fight to resist the neo-liberal GERM ( Global Education Reform Movement that has infected Australian Education.   Charles Philip [Phil] Cullen  AM;  A.E d., B.Ed.[UQ], Dip.Ed.Edmin, M.Ed.Admin (Hons) [UNE];  FACE, FACEL, FQIEL, Gold Medal ACEL;  Life Member:  CCEA, QASSP, QSPSSA, QSSSA, Bris. SSRLA;  Co-author: 4 books;  Author 1 book; Former Q’ld Director of Primary Education; Chairman:  Q’ld Day Comm, Primary Curric.Comm, Review Primary Educ’n in A.C.T. Gov’t Schools; Regional Director NQ & N.West Q’ld;  Former member:  Lismore Catholic Diocese Ed. Council,  McAuley College  [now ACU] Council,  James Cook U of NQ Council ,  Townsville CAE Council.  Primary School Teacher/Principal 23 years; Regional Director & Inspector 6 year...

Educational ideas from Ireland 'Learning by Wandering' by Marie Martin I have just been looking at a book ,'Learning by Wandering: an Ancient Irish Perspective for a Digital World'  sent to me  because the Irish author Marie Martin had made use of some of my writing from an e-zine I wrote in 2009. I felt it a bit of a honour to be included in her book alongside well recognized  international  educational writers she made reference to. The book is all about 'restoring' a vision for education in a digital age ; to help reengage learners meaningfully in their own learning. 'Restoring' because Marie draws on her extensive knowledge of  cultural perspectives of ancient Irish understanding of learning as nourishment for the human spirit, expressed in early Ireland as 'learning by wandering '. A synthesis of old and new She believes that a synthesis of ancient wisdom and new technologies can transform our current education system - one that is alienati...

A number of years ago many schools implemented the ideas of Dr William Glasser . Glasser had written a number of books  all with a focus on achieving quality work for all student s  without teachers using coercion. There is a New Zealand Glasser Association  for anyone interested. Glasser's belief is that  , with the appropriate conditions, all students can do quality work but, it would be fair to say, many teachers find this hard to believe .  Currently schools focus on students achieving imposed standards which sadly labels a number of students as 'not achieving the standards ( or in the students and parent's eyes failing).  The currents government's dogma is that 1 in 5 students fail while at the same time ignoring the  effect of poverty on achievement; that the students from poor socio-economic backgrounds lack the 'social capital' of their more well off classmates. This lack of 'social capital' does not mean the teachers cannot assist such studen...