Principals receive valuable curriculum resource

Primary and intermediate school principals around the country have been sent a valuable resource to help with the implementation of the revised curriculum.

NZEI, in partnership with well-known educationalist Lester Flockton and with support from the MoE, has produced a DVD/on-line resource – The Connected Curriculum.

The NZ Curriculum sets the direction for teaching and learning in NZ for the 21st century.  It is being progressively implemented and while it will become mandatory in 2010, its development will go well beyond that date.

In the DVD/on-line resource, Mr Flockton gives principals solid sensible advice and also asks them guiding questions to help them connect the curriculum to their own school context such as:

• What are the learning priorities for our students in a balanced curriculum?

• What are the characteristics of effective teaching that we choose to uphold in our school?

• How will we interpret the NZ Curriculum in ways suited to our school and its students?

• What strategies will we use to give every encouragement and opportunity to parents and whanau to engage with their children’s school learning?

NZEI president Frances Nelson says implementing the revised curriculum is a massive undertaking for schools.  It gives them the authority to produce programmes which they can tailor to their own communities and means they must revaluate their direction and practices to suit the learning needs of their students.

She says NZEI felt it was important that principals and schools had access to the expertise and insights of curriculum specialists such as Lester Flockton.

“We hope that this resource will be an effective tool for principals as they think about how they can adapt the curriculum to their own school context.  In particular it can help them to know the requirements of the revised curriculum, see and make connections and map out the overall design of their school curriculum,” she says.

The principal of Dunedin’s North East Valley Normal School John McKenzie says Lester Flockton is a rare breed of theoretician and practitioner who easily engages with educators.

“Lester makes a lot of sense and I believe principals will welcome this resource and enjoy hearing what he has to say.”

The DVD – The Connected Curriculum – has been sent to principals around the country and is also available to download at http://www.nzei.org.nz/connectedcurriculum.html