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Education Readings By Allan Alach I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz Better together ‘ Social learning is one of the vital components of contemporary learning and development. None of us lives in a vacuum, and we are better, stronger and wiser when we learn and work together. Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky  (1978) argued that we learn best when we are immersed in a socially rich, culturally relevant environment.’ http://bit.ly/2FnxJO3 Secret Teacher: social media makes it impossible to switch off from work ‘ Social media and messaging apps are a blessing and a curse for t eachers . While it has broadened our horizons and inspired new ideas (thank you, Pinterest), it has also increased the intrusion of work into our personal lives. We are always contactable, and in many different ways. What starts off as a message containing a funny aside or lighthearted remark can quickly become a virtual planning meeting.’ ht...

With the election of a new government maybe it is time to reflect on the history of educational change since the 1980s and also for some fresh thinking? The below blog written December 2012   Cathy Wylie outlines new wave  of change for New Zealand Schools! Time for a new wave of change! In the 1980s a new political ideology swept through Anglo American countries. It was a time of dramatic change as the democratic welfare state was replaced by  what has come to be known as a ‘Market Forces business oriented’ approach based on small government, valuing self-interest, privatisation, competition, choice and accountability. This neo liberal approach was believed to be the only way to cope with dramatic worsening worldwide economic circumstances. A common phrase at the time was TINA (there is no alternative). New Zealand was not immune . The recently elected Labour Government led by David Lange was influenced by finance minister Roger Douglas and the Treasury. ‘Th...

Education Readings By Allan Alach I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allanalach@inspire.net.nz Pass on to creative teachers you know Helicopter Parents Are Raising Unemployable Children ‘Helicopter parents are in the news a lot these days. These are the parents who can't stop hovering around their kids. They practically wrap them in bubble wrap, creating a cohort of young adults who struggle to function in their jobs and in their lives. Helicopter parents think that they're doing what's best for their kids but actually, they're hurting their kids' chances at succes s. In particular, they're ruining their kids' chances of landing a job and keeping it.’ http://bit.ly/2sv2EED The Reading Achievement Gap: Why Do Poor Students Lag Behind Rich Students in Reading Development ? ‘ What has become clear over the past 35 years is that low-income students learn as much during each school yea r as do middle-class students (Alexa...

Teachers and principals need to find their collective voice and fight back against the current destruction of the public education system - a system  once based on the centrality of education as a common good. At the New Zealand Primary Principals Federation's Annual meeting the warnings about the negative future scenarios  couldn't have been made more clear. .   One after the other  highly respected international educators made it very clear - do not follow the failed reforms that have been been imposed in their countries as part of a neo-liberal 'market forces' agenda/ideology. Unfortunately,  since the introduction of Tomorrows Schools,  we are well on the way to making the same mistakes .    Tomorrows Schools, introduced by the then Labour Government, held out a promise of  democratic neighborhood schools. Schools  were to...