How do we get the education system we need?
In the last two weeks, a diverse group of knowledgeable and passionate New Zealanders began to guide the nationwide conversation on how to make the New Zealand education system the best in the world , beginning with two education summits in Christchurch and Auckland . In that same week, ACT's David Seymour has been clamouring for teachers pay based on "merit" as an approach to do just this. Craig Kemp has also blogged about the global issues of teacher retention . In particular, Craig discovered through asking teachers, that they feel they need more time to focus on teaching, and school leaders need time to focus on instructional leadership over the administration . I am sure the education summits will call for a focus on evidence-based classroom practice. I would suggest that any recommendations from these conversations from such esteemed leaders as former education ministers Lockwood Smith and Marian Hobbs must be one that is unifying and one which educators