ERO on reading/writing in Years 1 and 2

Maybe it is clearer why the unions are so against implementing the national standards in literacy and numeracy. I recommend people read the ERO report out today. Some extracts:

In contrast, the remaining 30 percent of teachers had little or no sense of how critical it was for children to develop confidence and independence in early reading and writing. These teachers had minimal understanding of effective reading and writing teaching, set inappropriately low expectations and did not seek opportunities to extend their own confidence in using a wider range of teaching practices. In these classrooms learning opportunities to motivate, engage or extend children were limited.

30% is a minority, but it is a significant minority of teachers.

Although many classroom teachers used assessment information well, school leaders were less clear about how they should use data to set and monitor appropriate reading and writing achievement expectations for children in Years 1 and 2. It is of concern that only about a quarter of school leaders set expectations that strongly promoted high levels of reading and writing achievement for children in their first two years. Furthermore, in nearly two-thirds of schools, leaders used limited or poor processes to monitor the progress and achievement of these young children.

And now this is a majority, not a minority.

The NZ education system performs well on average. But the 20% it does not serve well, are amongst the worst in the OECD.