My helping hand to those reviewing education in Australia

Obviously, I only write on my blog when something has really got under my skin. Just read my last post from September - some prophetic stuff there. Didn't realise I was so political. Actually, I'm not. I usually turn over the tv/radio as soon as I spot a politician. But I think they need my help right now, so I'm offering them my vast expertise for free. You can thank me later Australian taxpayer!

Messrs Pyne, Donnelly and Wiltshire,

I admire your goal to improve Australia's international standing in education. I, too, think we can learn a great deal from the Asian countries that continually score so highly in these ratings. My findings here are based on significant research (I did a google search or two) and vast experience. I teach Japanese, and consider this makes me an expert on Asian education. Whilst my suggestions are based on observations of the Japanese education system, I'm sure they apply to all those other successful Asian countries too. Asians are all the same, right?

So, to assist in your review, I would like to propose the following changes be applied in order to allow Australia to climb those all important league tables:

1. Curriculum change - We need to change the Australian curriculum to place far greater emphasis on the learning of facts. Academic rigour and consistency can be assured, as all students will be taught from a limited range of State authorised text books. Far too much time is currently wasted in the Australian classroom on left wing ideas such as creativity, team work, problem solving and, perhaps worst of all, critical thinking. Imagine allowing students to question what they are taught? To even sometimes question authority. How outrageous! We all know that these things have no place in the real world. What we need are people who know a lot of stuff and can pass standardised tests. 
2. School systems - Australia needs to completely change the way our school systems operate. One suggestion could be to align our secondary schools with particular universities (or TAFE colleges for those who aren't quite clever enough to get to university). Each school could then set their own entrance exams, so that we can weed out those less valuable individuals who can't pass a test. This whole system could filter down to even the early childhood centres, so that we could have 4 year olds vying for positions at the top kindergartens. Wouldn't that be fantastic competition? Of course, this all leads to a new business opportunity for enterprising Australians. The government could provide special grants for people to set up 'tutoring centres' to cater to all those students studying frantically to pass the test for the school of their choice. This will be fantastic for families, as it keeps those annoying kids out of the house until 9 or 10 at night. Think of the business opportunities! There will be plenty of willing workers - mostly parents trying to pay for their kids' tutoring sessions. Not to mention all the extra psychologists and counsellors we could employ dealing with students' depression and stress caused by the pressure to pass all of these exams. A sharp rise in youth suicide rates will be a small price to pay for those improved test results.
3. Teacher standards - Teachers will be far more effective if we implement some of the teaching conditions experienced in Asia. Firstly, teachers do not teach more than two lessons per day. The rest of the time is spent on preparation, marking and helping individual students. Of course, this is going to mean we will need a lot more teachers, but I'm sure that will be financially supported to ensure that Australia climbs those league tables. We could partly reduce the numbers required by increasing class sizes to at least 40 students. I'm sure teachers and parents would be happy to do that. Pre-service training could also be overhauled, with new teachers more or less serving an apprenticeship with a master teacher. Of course, the master teacher would have no other teaching duties other than to supervise and support the new teacher, and he/she would be well compensated financially. The Federal Government would naturally be happy to fund this initiative. This will, of course, be paired with ongoing mentoring and professional development of the highest calibre throughout a teacher's career. at government expense of course.
4. Cultural Change - This is the easiest thing to do by far! We need to change the whole way that Australians value education and teachers. Teaching will become a highly desirable career choice and will be treated with the kind of respect usually afforded to people like doctors. Parents will understand that teachers are well-trained professionals and will work in partnership with them. Parents will happily welcome their child's teacher into their home to discuss the education of the child. Parents will openly support teachers, and back up what they are doing at school in the home. Mothers will give up on their careers to make the primary purpose in their lives to improve their child's performance at school. Parents and teachers will set high standards for each student and expect them to be met. Students will respect their parents and teachers and will work hard to achieve these high standards, even studying until the early hours of the morning if necessary. They will gladly attend their extra tutoring sessions, as they understand that the way to happiness and fulfilment in life is to get into a good school, so they can get into a good university, so they can get a good job and live happily ever after. Until they die. Of stress and overwork. 

I can hardly wait for this incredible education revolution to occur here in Australia.

Or we could look to Finland, arguably the best overall performer in recent years. Some of those wacky Finnish ideas include:

1. No compulsory standardised testing, except at the end of high school
2. No rankings or comparisons of students, schools, regions
3. Funding for special classes for non-Finnish speaking students, or students with special needs. Intervention is done at a school level and is seen as temporary, until a child overcomes whatever difficulty they were having. More assistance in the classroom.
4. Compulsory education doesn't begin until age 7
5. Voluntary participation in pre-primary education for 6 year olds, focussed on play.
6. Small class sizes in science - capped at 16 - to enable more practical work, small class sizes generally
7. Extended play time for primary students
8. Students generally have the same teacher for 5 years of primary school. In this way, the teacher really gets to know the students and their families and how to best meet the needs of each individual.
9. Students are fed state-funded meals
10. Teachers are selected from the top 10% of graduates and require a Masters Degree, with strong competition for places. 
11. Teachers are well-respected by the public and authorities (hmmm, I see a common thread here...)
12. Students attend compulsory education at a comprehensive school for 9 years (age 7 - 16). They then move to either a vocational high school or a general high school for three years. Vocational education is popular and can also lead to higher education. There isn't greater value placed on one type of school over another.
13. The education system is almost entirely state funded and run by educators, with consistency and stability regardless of political changes. 
14. There are very few private schools (religious affiliated or alternative) but these are also state-funded. Students of all ability levels and social status learn together. There is not a 'two-tiered' system.
15. The Finnish made changes to their education system about 35 years ago and then waited for those changes to have an impact on the student outcomes. Imagine that? 
16. Finnish students learn 3 languages. They must be super smart!

Just some more ideas for you all to ponder.

I really hope that I have been able to help you. I look forward to being able to provide some more feedback to you as you consult teachers on how they feel about the Australian Curriculum. I would love to go through the History Curriculum with you, as it seems you have never seen it. Let me know if you would like to consult with me further.

Regards

Batcat

Election Day

Firstly - hello there blog! It has been 5 months since I have seen you. The middle part of the year has just disappeared. I think the addition of winter sports just tips me over the edge time wise. But they are now all FINISHED!! Yay!!!!!!!

So, it is election day. A day I usually have only a mild interest in. Generally, I have a preference for who will win, but don't feel particularly passionate about it. I figure it is all swings and round-a-bouts, and we end up about the same in the end no matter who is in power. I certainly wouldn't feel the need to publicly write about it.

But this year I feel entirely different. I have a heavy heart. And I am deeply worried about the future. This is because, if we are to believe all the polls, the team that is going to win has the potential to do irreparable damage.

Now, let me first of all state that I am not  a die-hard Labor voter. Philosophically, I probably lean more that way, but I am what is commonly called a swinging voter. I also wholeheartedly agree that their leadership battles and back stabbing have been, well, irritating to say the least. But is this really a reason to vote them out? Really??

You see, I actually vote on the POLICIES a party has. I can be influenced by personality, but at the end of the day it is the policies that truly matter. So how about this year? The Liberal Party and Tony Abbott have done an amazing job of keeping policy out of the spotlight. In fact, they waited until the eleventh hour to release costings and ideas to the voting public. The fact that they released these things just TWO DAYS ago should be ringing alarm bells with the voting public. But it seems many are not suspicious at all. SCARY!

Then there are the constant lies and scaremongering of the Liberal Party. I can't believe that Joe Public has fallen for this trickery, just blindly believing what they hear and read in the media. All this when all the FACTS actually show a vastly different story. And how come the Labor Party has been completely unable to cut through these claims to counter them?  Even in political advertising, I have seen constant ads by the Liberals, and ads from the Greens and Clive Palmer. But I can't recall a single Labor ad. What on earth is their media department doing?

So, for what it is worth, here are my reasons I REALLY REALLY wish you wouldn't vote for the Liberal Party today.

• The National Broadband Network is absolutely vital to the future of Australia. VITAL! More and more things will be conducted online and in ways we cannot even begin to imagine. And yet the Liberal Party is going to only do half the job. This will then all need to be fixed up later, at a much higher cost and a great deal of inconvenience. Now is the time to do this, while the cost of money is low and the economy is booming (in a relative sense). Do the job properly the first time you fools!!!
• Which brings me to the lie that the economy is in a mess. Um, no, no it isn't. We have AAA credit rating. Most countries don't. We have low unemployment. We have low interest rates. Our borrowings are low compared to income. To assume we should have no debt as a country is ridiculous. Businesses and individuals borrow money and go into debt all the time in order to grow assets and wealth. No-one blinks an eye at a mortgage. Borrowings are not out of control. I am not an economist, but any one of them will be able to explain that this bit of scaremongering by the Liberal Party is a lie.
• The present government is not a chaotic mess. Leadership and infighting aside, they have passed a record amount of legislation, including some huge long term stuff. All of this in a minority government. Pretty impressive actually.
• Humanitarian Issues  - don't even get me started here! We are NOT being swamped by millions of refugees. Far fewer come here than most other places. We take a tiny proportion of the world's refugees. The Liberal Party mantra of 'Stop the Boats' sickens me. Mind you, neither side is 'floating my boat' on this issue, so to speak. But the Labor party reaction was enforced by the constant criticism by the Liberal party. To use this human tragedy as a political football actually sickens me. And then just add cuts to foreign aid by the Liberal Party to show how mean spirited and inhumane they can be. Australia is rich. It is our moral obligation to help the poor. Here's an idea - increase foreign aid and help people in desperate situations and maybe that would stop the boats! Or you could try and buy all the leaky rust bucket boats in the world and burn them. Yep, that might work.
• Climate change has to be dealt with. Not sure if the Carbon Tax is the right way to go, but it certainly hasn't been disastrous. At least it is a start. Perhaps the rises in power costs are not all entirely attributed to this tax (seeing as it is the State Government that keeps raising them!). In any case, maybe if we all reduce our individual power use it isn't actually such a bad thing. And if you think for one second that costs will go down if the Carbon Tax is axed then you are dreaming. 
• The Liberal Party hasn't fully committed to the Gonski reforms for education. You can bet your bottom dollar there will be cuts in spending there. But who would know. What are their policies again?

So, I could probably go on, and on, and on, but I think that is enough. I think Tony Abbott is a power hungry maniac who will stop at nothing to get and stay at the top. I will get no pleasure in the 'I told you so' I will get to say to the people who vote in Tony Abbott today. I am just sad and embarrassed for Australia :(

Rant over!

Well, today was an up and down kind of day!

It started with heading to work. It was nice to see everyone in casual dress - glad the message got through. And it was good that I managed to delegate most of the tasks to lighten my load. Not sure they got done properly, but hopefully the kids will learn. And of course, there were the inevitable dubious clothing choices. *sigh*

Then it was off to the post office to renew my WWC card. Ugggh!!! What a pain!! Surely this can all be done on line. Seriously - if I can do my entire tax returns for the last three years online, I think this renewal should be achievable. Do they really need a new photo?? The problem is that the line for the WWC is also the line for passport applications. If you happen to be behind two people doing passports you are stuck there for an age. I was at the front of the line for 30 minutes. Just a tip Australia Post Bunbury - how about you have one line for passport stuff and another line for all the other licence type things that take 1/10 the amount of time. Wonder who I can charge my time to? Do you think I can claim it on my tax return as a 'cost' of my job??

Anyway, after that annoyance I went out to lunch with the lovely work ladies. Thank you all for making me feel special today :)))) I feel bad because I wasn't prepared - I owe you one birthday gift Carrie! But I got flowers, a gift, a 'birthday cake' and a free lunch. You girls are the bomb!

But this evening I feel a little sad. Sometimes it is a bit heartbreaking being a Mum and today was one of those days. Just a case of little Pickle not being invited to a birthday party - which normally wouldn't bother me very much. I get the fact that you can't invite everyone and it isn't someone she is particularly friendly with at the moment. It is just that it seems that pretty well everyone else WAS invited. All her friends assumed she would be going so they kept talking to her about it and she had to keep telling people she wasn't invited. And now my FB feed is filled with party stories. :(  Weirdly I feel like we have both been snubbed. Stupid really but sometimes surprising things get to you. And this is why I never want my kids to have parties - somehow you always manage to hurt someone's feelings.

But on a positive note - Fremantle just got beaten :D

Another week done! After last weekend of four days this weekend seems very short :(

 

 

Playing with friends at Jetty Baths

 

Helping Dad wash the Car

 

 

During the week we were treated to some absolutely beautiful sunsets. Pickle and I watched the sunset from BSHS after ballet on Friday night - just lovely! And this one was some time earlier in the week. The photo doesn't do it justice - but still it is nice to get a shot of the streetscape.

 

 

Today Erin came for a visit. It is always lovely to catch up and the kids were very excited to see her. We all went to the Port Park for a play. Football, chasey and football chasey - phew! Wore us all out!

 

 

 

TJ has had us all in stitches all day with some classic one liners.

"I am in peak physical condition"

"Nobody stands in the way of my love of Pokemon"

"This computer game is old school"

"Zombie apocolypse!"

Too much tv and youtube for this young lad!! xoxox







How lovely was this weekend? The weather was perfect and I think that 4 day weekends should be mandated from now on. Didn't get much achieved, but had a lovely relaxing time.

The kids certainly did well for themselves in the chocolate stakes. They were super excited about the visit of the Easter bunny. On Saturday night we put out some little bunny paw prints that have 'Happy Easter Sophie and Tyler' printed on them. Very cute!

 

The kids left out a home grown carrot and a little note too.

 

 

 

 

Searching for eggs.

 

 

The whole stash! Lots of yummy choccies - thanks to the Easter bunny, Erin and Grandma. Let's see how long they last!

 

 

The kids also helped Dad wash the cars. Help might be stretching things a bit!! But it looked like lots of fun. Photos to come!

 

 

Today, Tyler and I went to the Vat and Jetty Baths for a catch up with Luke and Tracy. The boys had a great time and we got to sit in peace and drink coffee. We were having such a lovely time we decided to stay for lunch. Definitely the way to go!!

 

Now it is all back to reality and work and school. Didn't manage to finish marking the assignments I brought home. Ooops!! Oh well, there is always tomorrow. :)



 

Body Issues

You know those body issues we all have? I seem to have more and more of them as time and weight gain take their toll :( Probably the bits I hate most about my body are my arms - tuckshop lady arms. EWWWWW! I always try my best to cover them up. Definitely no sleeveless summer dresses for me! (and while we are on this - clothes manufacturers - I am not the only person with this issue. Can you PLEASE make some summer clothers with sleeves. Thanks!) But my sweet little girl got me thinking last night....

After we had taken a shower last night Pickle says 'Do you know what my favourite bit of you is?' 'No' I say, already getting scared, because you never know where these things might go with her! 'Here' she says grabbing my upper arm.
'Really, I hate my arms' (just reinforcing body issues with the next generation).
'I love them - they are so soft and squishy and feel so nice!'

Sometimes you just need to see things from a different perspective. LOVE!

Oh and she said her next favourite bit is my lips because they give her kisses xoxoxoxo She can have as many as she likes if she keeps saying cute things like that.

Good Friday!! I love this day because I can laze around all day without any guilt whatsoever. I even got to sleep in past 8am this morning. Ah, bliss!!

What a great week we have had. It all culminated in a Thursday that had all the feeling of impending holidays. A four day break does that to you! Took part in the Stations of the Cross Chapel in the high school, which is always a nice way to remember why we get this fantastic break. Then I went down to watch the primary kids in their Easter hat parade. Always makes me teary with laughing and just general cuteness.

 

 

 

Nice to get a photo of us all together - a bit of a rarity!

 

After that I went back and taught. Wow, it is just so pleasant taching at this school. I think this year is my favourite year of teaching in 23 years. Everyone is just plain fun to be around. Makes getting up on these mornings when it is getting colder and darker a little easier.

 

 

Finished the day with footy and champagne with Graham. Welcome back footy season - even if my footy tipping is already looking very dodgy!

 

Today I have finally finished a LO that has been sitting half done on my desk for so long. I decided to just finish it, rather that fiddle around for ages trying to make it more interesting with perfect embellishments etc. It still looks ok - just not quite as finished off as I like. But it was time to move on!! I have another nearly completed on my desk. Having the same problem with that one. Just don't seem to have the perfect embellishments - which seems pretty impossible seeing as how I own a truck load.

 

 

And the kids went beachcombing with Graham, leaving me in peace and quiet for a bit. They had quite a fun adventure and Sophie came home very excited because they found a crab's leg. OK.....whatever rings your bell :) Here is a photo of their booty. I personally like the butterfly wings best. And my favourite part about all of this is that the kids are starting to do news at school again this week, so at least they both have something they can talk about.

 

 

 

And I still have 3 days of weekend to go - YIPPEE!!