Let’s just trust them . . .

Was it the McKinsey crowd who said, “The quality of a rugby team cannot exceed the quality of its players”? It was John Key who said we all have to rally around the All Blacks now, as long as they win in 2011. That could be seen by some as a country-call for a group hug but I don’t think so. I hope not.

Personally, and it’s just my humble opinion and I know as much about rugby as the next couch kumara, I say, let’s just trust them to do their job. Graham and Wayne and Steve – they know what they’re doing, as do Mils and Piri and Ma’a. I know for sure that they know more about rugby than me so it’s not for me to be telling them what to do and how to do it.

What the McKinsey people actually said was “The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers”. In the same way that we should trust Graham and Ma’a et al to go on and do what they’re best at, so should they and the rest of NZ trust teachers to do what they’re best at – and no calling teachers Nancies either.

Jeez Louise, we used to trust doctors but now we go to the internet for a second opinion. Just because someone’s second cousin’s neighbour had the wrong leg amputated doesn’t mean we should mistrust all doctors. I prefer to trust my doctor than do my own prostate check up.

We trusted Mother England, and then she joined the EEC. America was good until it did that ‘neither confirm nor deny’ nuclear warships thing. France was bon until they blew up our Rainbow Warrior. Joseph Savage was trustworthy, but then Helen did that signature thing and the tantrum at John Campbell.

The beach used to be all good and then along came evil UV and melanoma. Eggs were good and then they had cholesterol but now they don’t I think as long as they’re free-range. Fresh fruit and vegetables were good but not avocados or bananas, and coffee is good but only if it’s fair trade and caffeine-free.

I don’t like it when my students and their parents and my bosses don’t trust me. It’s like they’re calling me a big fat liar and that doesn’t make me feel good.

So here’s the plan – to make them trust me (and all other teachers) I have to get them to understand that while I’m (we’re) not perfect (just as the All Blacks aren’t perfect), I’m (we’re) the best they’ve got. Without teachers, and this is what the McKinsey thing is all about, the education system is nothing.

— Peter Giddens