Nelson May08 The New Zealand Curriculum f or English-medium teaching and learning in years 1 – 13 Setting the direction for teaching & learning Supporting flexibility – in school curriculum, in teaching & learning In partnership with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa

Nelson May08 Clarify learning outcomes Enable school curriculum development Support effective teaching Foster community engagement The New Zealand Curriculum Project

Nelson May08 E4tF … What skills and competencies are needed for individuals to lead a successful & responsible life & for society to face the challenges of the present and future? (DeSeCo)

Nelson May08 E4tF … What skills and competencies are needed for individuals to lead a successful & responsible life & for society to face the challenges of the present and future? (DeSeCo) All skills will become obsolete except one, the skill of being able to make the right response to situations that are outside the scope of what you were taught in school. We need to produce people who know how to act when they are faced with situations for which they were not specifically prepared.’ (Seymour Papert, 1998)

Nelson May08 The New Zealand Curriculum for English-medium teaching and learning in years 1 – 13 Confident, connected, actively involved, life long learners Te Marautanga o Aotearoa Kia tū tangata te ākonga - students achieving their full potential The learner is at the centre - personal awareness - school, whānau, community, hapū & iwi will work together A healthy environment is a healthy people

Nelson May08 What is knowledge … a growing and evolving form, whole & of itself but also a community of parts (leaves, roots, trunk…) each of which is a community of cells & other vibrant forms … It is both unpredictable & familiar Davis, Sumara & Luke-Kapler - Engaging Minds

Nelson May08 learning … requires sustained involvement over time, in different places, with many people… involves manageable choices, personal decision making, different ways of thinking, making sense of things & solving real problems in real contexts, taking informed action, using different codes, symbols & texts to develop & express understanding…

Nelson May08 key competencies: To live, learn, work, & contribute as active members of their communities  the key to learning in every area  ends & means  opportunities to develop occur in social contexts  continue to develop over time ‘we’ve also learnt that when you get into the big community when you grow up, it’s all up to you. There are lots of ways you can help.’ Daniel Yr 6

Nelson May08 The teaching–learning relationship Supportive …reflective thought & action …relevance… shared…connections…inquiry what is teaching …

Nelson May08 school curriculum development The fact that the national curriculum specifies only general outcome goals, rather than the path by which to attain them, means that teachers in chools have to work together to develop the curriculum & instructional strategies tailored to the needs of their [students]. Sir Michael Barber, in McKinsey, (2007). How the world’s best performing school systems come out on top.

Nelson May08 school curriculum development Schools have the scope, flexibility, [responsibility] & authority to: …make ‘decisions … the school’s students & community’…set priorities for learning …choose the ways those will be addressed NZC pp37 ff ‘I see the revised curriculum as really just the bones and what schools have to do is put the meat around them, add the muscles, and then get the heart pumping. This is just the skeleton.’ Barbara Duckworth, Principal

Nelson May08 how will we know if we are succeeding? Clarified outcomes Localised curriculum Effective teaching Community partnerships Some indicators … Greater student understanding of what they are learning & why it is important More evidence based pedagogy Stronger connections between schools & communities More students learning te reo & second languages Foundations seen as literacy & numeracy & the key competencies school curriculum aligned to the NZC effective teaching

Nelson May08 the curriculum – key shifts (Task) Critical understandings Shifts in curriculum Potential misunderstandings Changes in teaching

Nelson May08 the curriculum – key shifts Critical understandings curriculum as a framework for planning curriculum to meet learning needs metaphors for learning – eg participation not acquisition Shifts in curriculum the central location of the key competencies emphasising learning to learn focus on depth, understanding not coverage Potential misunderstandings ‘student voice’/community - professional responsibility socio-cultural model of learning woven through the ‘front end’ teachers’ understandings of curriculum / purposes for learning/nature of learning/nature of knowledge Changes in teaching selecting & justifying teaching approaches in relation to desired outcomes

Indicators: What could good curriculum implementation look like? Receptivity …understanding… shifts in practice Clarifying… understanding.. making meaning… Exploring… reviewing Embedding… succeeding… sustaining Clarified learning outcomes Localised curriculum Effective teaching Community engagement task

Nelson May08 Feedback ‘early adopter’ schools deep changes needed: purposes of education, devising own approaches, shared school vision in daily school life engaging teachers (learning communities): coordinating learning from different learning areas - unique & varied contributions; more varied assesment engaging students greater opportunity to work on real life problems, self selected topics, self asssessment

Nelson May08 feedback (MECI, NZEI…) Resources valued Concerns about access to & quality of in-school support, varied responses to learning community support Varied recognition of links to other PD Varied responses about responsibility (independence/dependence) Concern about time (for planning, for ‘full’ implementation) Concerns about documentation principals: committed to NZC,relatively confident

Nelson May08 feedback (NZC Advisory group…) Focus on learning & teaching NZC as core of ministry expectations & PD Support diverse needs (quality & capacity) Share experiences of diverse schools Time / Timeframe messages (‘full implementation’) Community engagement

Nelson May08 Plans for 2009 Curriculum learning communities increased number, refined & targeted SSS (regional plans/funding) Print information engaging communities, Māori learners, learning areas, processes (for later starters) The NZC On-line school stories, tools to collaborate specific secondary school & key competencies information.

Nelson May08 Plans for 2009 R&D, MECI engaging Māori students & communities, small & isolated schools, later starters, secondary PD alignment continues ERO discussions continue NCEA alignment continues (integrating key competencies, phased introduction of levels) Pre-service academics, educators’ discussions/symposium

Nelson May08 Timeline Confident, connected, actively involved, life-long learners Official notices 24 Jan 08 (New Zealand Gazette) ‘State schools are to provide learning and teaching programmes underpinned by [principles, values, key competencies, drawing on achievement objectives] from the commencement date of 2 February 2010.’ Transition period ‘…should work towards full implementation of the new curriculum by 2 February 2010.’ Letter to Dr Stoop ‘During 2008 and 2009, I would expect Boards of Trustees and school principals to be aware of the changes, to review their practice to consider what actions to take to meet the new requirements, and to progress towards fully basing their teaaching and learning programmes on The New Zealand Curriculum by February 2010.’

Nelson May08 Timeline Confident, connected, actively involved, life-long learners ERO [2008, 2009] either the current curriculum OR the new curriculum, or … transition. From July 2008… ERO will seek assurance … preparing to teach the new curriculum …how ready the school is. About a year after [Feb 2010]… how well the curriculum as a whole is being taught. After that …how well aspects of [NZC] are being taught … NZQA – assessment for qualifications Aligned drafts of achievement standards Nov 2008 Level Level Level

Nelson May08 Processes Confident, connected, actively involved, life-long learners The School Curriculum: design & review (NZC pp37-42) Requirements for Boards of Trustees (NZC p44) School Curriculum Design & Review: Three-step development markers 2007 – Managing Your School 12. Leading Your School’s Learning Environment: Curriculum Design & Review Other schools’ experiences

Nelson May08 Documentation Confident, connected, actively involved, life-long learners To support school curriculum (the curriculum students experience) To meet the demands of: The BOT The MoE (Charter – vision & values, strategic plan, annual plan) ERO (“implementation plan”, “curriculum delivery plan” …) What do you have now? What changes will you make to it? Why? (key shifts)

Nelson May08 Vision