“The New Zealand Curriculum allows schools the flexibility to design their learning programmes based on what their own students need,” says Dr Graham Stoop, the Chief Review Officer.
“Schools that look closely and regularly into the impact their teaching has on students are able to make well-informed decisions to change and improve their school’s curriculum and programmes.”
The Education Review Office (ERO) has recently published a report: Directions for Learning: The New Zealand Curriculum Principles and Teaching as Inquiry.
The New Zealand Curriculum sets out eight principles that represent what is important and desirable in a school curriculum. These principles are: high expectations, Treaty of Waitangi, cultural diversity, inclusion, learning to learn, community engagement, coherence and future focus. They are the framework by which schools can review their curriculum plans, priorities and outcomes.
The curriculum document describes teaching actions that promote student learning. One of these, Teaching as Inquiry, involves teachers asking questions, gathering evidence and then making decisions on their teaching. It is through Teaching as Inquiry that school leaders and teachers are able to see how well the elements of the school’s curriculum are working in classrooms. ERO evaluated the extent to which both of these elements of the curriculum were being used in schools.
Curriculum principles
Dr Stoop said it was pleasing to see that, in more than 80 percent of schools in ERO’s study, the principles were evident in the school’s curriculum.
“What is important is that schools and their teachers understand the curriculum principles and make links with their school’s existing curriculum framework and content. Schools need to explore what the principles might look like when applied in their classroom programmes,” said Dr Stoop.
ERO found the three principles most often evident in schools were: high expectations, community engagement and inclusion.
Teachers indicated that they expected all students to “succeed and to behave well” in order for teaching and learning to happen. High expectations for learning underpinned the approach teachers took when they encouraged students to set and review goals. Inclusive practice focused on implementing a range of programmes for students with specific learning needs, and encouraging students’ participation in a range of academic, sporting and cultural activities. Parent engagement included helping with school events, participating in reporting processes and providing input into the direction of the locally-developed school curriculum.
The principles least in evidence were: Treaty of Waitangi, cultural diversity, coherence and future focus.
ERO found that teachers took a range of actions to encourage bicultural understanding, but that schools still needed to address strategically, through the curriculum, the Treaty of Waitangi principle.
Schools’ practice in addressing cultural diversity could also be improved, particularly by creating opportunities for students to express their cultural perspectives and views.
Some schools needed to achieve a seamless, progressive and coherent curriculum for students, that encourages their future learning.
While schools were comfortable with environmental sustainability, there was a need to extend their understanding of a focus on the future to include citizenship, enterprise and globalisation.
Teaching as Inquiry
The primary purpose of Teaching as Inquiry is to improve outcomes for student through purposeful assessment, planned action, strategic teaching and focused review. ERO found 72 percent of schools were promoting the use of Teaching as Inquiry.
In the Teaching as Inquiry process a teacher will ask:
Schools that were successful in promoting Teaching as Inquiry encouraged teachers to use research findings to challenge their thinking and assumptions, and to help them make decisions on classroom teaching strategies. Some schools used the performance management system to set goals for teachers’ practice and to build teachers’ ability to think about their teaching and its impact on the learning of their students.
Teachers in these schools planned initiatives together, selected appropriate learning programmes and chose strategies for individual classroom teachers. They also regarded students at risk of education failure as a shared priority.
An important aspect of Teaching as Inquiry is that teachers have the flexibility and are encouraged to change a programme when they have evidence that this would benefit their students. As always, school leadership in this is the crucial factor.
This report is on ERO’s website, and ERO will send copies of this report to all schools.
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For more information please contact Jenny Clark, National Manager Public Affairs, Education Review Office: jenny.clark@ero.govt.nz; phone: 0-4-474 1228
The eight principles of The New Zealand Curriculum
High expectations: The curriculum supports and empowers all students to learn and achieve personal excellence, regardless of their circumstances.
Treaty of Waitangi: The curriculum acknowledges the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand. All students have the opportunity to acquire knowledge of te reo me ōna tikanga.
Cultural Diversity: The curriculum reflects New Zealand’s cultural diversity and values the histories and traditions of all its people.
Inclusion: The curriculum is non-sexist, non-racist, and non-discriminatory; it ensures that students’ identities, languages, abilities, and talents are recognised and affirmed and that their learning needs are addressed.
Learning to learn: The curriculum encourages all students to reflect on their own learning processes and to learn how to learn.
Community engagement: The curriculum has meaning for students, connects with their wider lives, and engages the support of their families, whānau and communities.
Coherence: The curriculum offers all students a broad education that makes links within and across learning areas, provides for coherent transitions, and opens up pathways to future learning.
Future focus: The curriculum encourages students to look to the future by exploring such significant future-focused issues as sustainability, citizenship, enterprise and globalisation.