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The Forum > Article Comments > Peter Garrett: encouraging signs (a Kiwi perspective) > Comments

Peter Garrett: encouraging signs (a Kiwi perspective) : Comments

By Kelvin Smythe, published 27/8/2012

The way to help Australian children is to empower schools and classroom teachers, not self-serving academics and bureaucrats.

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Its hardly surprising that literacy rates are flatlining when the prof. in charge of educating teachers at Sydney Uni believes teaching teachers how to teach children to read isn't a necessary part of an education degree. You need to know how children learn, but not how to impart the most fundamental skill necessary for learning - literacy. Add to that the growing cohort of dumbed down teachers, most of whom wouldn't have been admitted to any degree course in years gone by, and the only surprising thing about the NAPLAN results is that they don't show a downward trajectory.
Posted by Candide, Monday, 27 August 2012 1:41:19 PM
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Well here's (possibly) an interesting reflection on literacy in this country: There is no way I'm going to read an article that's 6 pages long - I simply can't accept that it would be worth the time!
Posted by Sam Jandwich, Monday, 27 August 2012 4:21:40 PM
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Peter Garrett would make an excellent microphone stand or a lamp post.
Posted by individual, Monday, 27 August 2012 6:48:46 PM
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Isn't this interesting. One of the very few good things Gillard, & Garrett have done, & professionals, so called, hate it.

There is no way of knowing how kids, schools, & particularly teachers are doing, unless you have outside set tests, the same for all students.

Teachers hate them, as there are only so many times you can blame the students for lousy results. When lousy results continue for years you know it's the school & it's teachers at fault.
Posted by Hasbeen, Monday, 27 August 2012 7:26:43 PM
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Blame it on google, I say.

I can remember a day when every class room had a shelf with encilipidas on it ( no idea how to spell that),so even the teachers refer to google.

It's a changing world, and with bullying getting out of control for many schools, I can see a day without schools.

Cause let's face it, many of them these days are simply glorified child care centers. This is evident when one witnesses the kaos caused by student free days.
Posted by rehctub, Tuesday, 28 August 2012 6:18:49 AM
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What a strange post, rehctub.

Blame it on google....", indeed.

What you fail to understand is that children derive their literacy and learning habits from home just as much as what is reinforced during school hours.

I might add that if you had chosen to employ google to look up "encyclopedia" or "chaos", you would have found the correct spelling in any of the online dictionaries. Like everything, if one can be bothered to seek out answers, one can usually find them.

This is the type of thing we should be teaching our kids - independent, self-directed learning, not just sitting back, teaching to test and expecting children to merely regurgitate facts that have been crammed into them.
Posted by Poirot, Tuesday, 28 August 2012 8:41:13 AM
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Sorry P, my bad.

So tell me, why is correct spelling so important.
Posted by rehctub, Tuesday, 28 August 2012 12:56:00 PM
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Hi rehctub,

I usually run on a policy of not being too picky about spelling, etc on the forum because we all "amke" mistakes : ) - and my editing is much to be desired at times.

However, since you were mentioning google, I thought I'd point out how easy it is to check on a word. I used to rely solely on my book dictionary which I still store under my computer desk, but it's so easy when you're online to hook up with an online dictionary.

As to why correct spelling is important - I think if you have a template for communication, it's best to try and stick to accepted practice. If everyone went about spelling words any way they liked, we'd soon lose the ability to decipher meaning. I'm quite a good speller, but I often look up words if I'm in doubt.

Something interesting is that my son has never had a spelling lesson in his life. I found that he reads a lot and asks me for help with spelling or looks up words. Being homeschooled, I chose not to bother with specific lessons as he seemed to be picking it up well through his own curiosity.
Posted by Poirot, Tuesday, 28 August 2012 1:14:36 PM
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Poirot, you have a valid point, however, you also knew what I meant, even though my spelling was off.

As for home schooling, how is that going.

I think it may well be the way of the future, as not only do schools have the bullying issues to deal with, which they can't, but funding only goes so far, and this will only get worse, not better.
Posted by rehctub, Tuesday, 28 August 2012 9:17:49 PM
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rehctub,

Yes, you're right, I did understand what you were saying.

Homeschooling is going well. He's happy, bright and enthusiastic in his learning which is what I was hoping for. : )
Posted by Poirot, Wednesday, 29 August 2012 7:40:40 AM
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