The post-primary education of non-academic boys

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
H. L. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Education For All ◽  
Large Section ◽  
Economic Changes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fresh Impetus ◽  
Physically Handicapped

This thesis is an attempt to examine what is probably the greatest single problem in New Zealand education; the problem of the non-academic child in the New Zealand post-primary school. It is an urgent problem, on the solution of which depends the welfare of a large section of our post-primary population. Our post-primary schools have gradually ceased to be selective and must now cater for an adolescent age group which omits only the most mentally defective and the most physically handicapped. This movement towards "secondary education for all" received fresh impetus in 1944 when the minimum school leaving age was raised to fifteen years. During the last eight years, post-primary schools have been faced with an increasing number of new entrants of a wide range of intelligence and .ability. Among these are found pupils who, under an earlier education system, would never have entered the door of a secondary school. The requirements of the Proficiency examination would have eliminated some, economic factors would have debarred others. Many would have found in a job the success and satisfaction which they had never achieved in a school. Now, as a result of educational and economic changes, these pupils are legally compelled to remain at school until they reach the age of fifteen years. The practice of social promotion in the primary school has resulted in most of these adolescents entering a post-primary school at thirteen, fourteen or fifteen years of age. These are the pupils wbo have been commonly labelled "non-academic".

The post-primary education of non-academic boys

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
H. L. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Education For All ◽  
Large Section ◽  
Economic Changes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fresh Impetus ◽  
Physically Handicapped

This thesis is an attempt to examine what is probably the greatest single problem in New Zealand education; the problem of the non-academic child in the New Zealand post-primary school. It is an urgent problem, on the solution of which depends the welfare of a large section of our post-primary population. Our post-primary schools have gradually ceased to be selective and must now cater for an adolescent age group which omits only the most mentally defective and the most physically handicapped. This movement towards "secondary education for all" received fresh impetus in 1944 when the minimum school leaving age was raised to fifteen years. During the last eight years, post-primary schools have been faced with an increasing number of new entrants of a wide range of intelligence and .ability. Among these are found pupils who, under an earlier education system, would never have entered the door of a secondary school. The requirements of the Proficiency examination would have eliminated some, economic factors would have debarred others. Many would have found in a job the success and satisfaction which they had never achieved in a school. Now, as a result of educational and economic changes, these pupils are legally compelled to remain at school until they reach the age of fifteen years. The practice of social promotion in the primary school has resulted in most of these adolescents entering a post-primary school at thirteen, fourteen or fifteen years of age. These are the pupils wbo have been commonly labelled "non-academic".

scholarly journals Unlocking the Potential of School Libraries: What Actions are New Zealand Primary School Principals Taking to Integrate the School Library in Information Literacy Initiatives? Final Report

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elisabeth Mei-Xing Ngan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Library ◽  
External Support ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Literacy Initiatives

<p>Information literacy is implicit in the national education curriculum’s key competencies for students, yet primary schools lack an explicit path to develop students’ information skills. The literature shows that school library programs can foster information literacy and improve student achievement, with the principal’s support identified as a significant factor. This study investigates the actions of New Zealand primary school principals to integrate the school library in information literacy initiatives. An online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data from a random sample of primary school principals, stratified by decile rating to reflect the school population in microcosm. Sixty-nine responses were collected and the low response rate meant it was not possible to generalise the results of the survey. Key findings of the research were that a majority of principals supported information literacy initiatives through advocacy; professional development; use of external support; student assessment; separate library budgets; and reasonable library opening hours. A minority maintained a separate information literacy policy; adequately resourced the library with trained staff; or promoted collaborative planning between teaching and library staff through flexible scheduling of class library time. Actions were not affected by decile rating but differences by school size and locale were identified, particularly for small and rural schools. Principals’ perceptions of information literacy did not appear to affect their actions. Suggestions for further research are made to expand upon the findings.</p>

scholarly journals Relationship between decile score of secondary school, the size of town of origin and career intentions of New Zealand medical students

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clinton Mitchell ◽  
Boaz Shulruf ◽  
Phillippa Poole
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Rural Students ◽  
Career Intentions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Lower Decile

INTRODUCTION: New Zealand is facing a general practice workforce crisis, especially in rural communities. Medical school entrants from low decile schools or rural locations may be more likely to choose rural general practice as their career path. AIM: To determine whether a relationship exists between secondary school decile rating, the size of the town of origin of medical students and their subsequent medical career intentions. METHODS: University of Auckland medical students from 2006 to 2008 completed an entry questionnaire on a range of variables thought important in workforce determination. Analyses were performed on data from the 346 students who had attended a high school in New Zealand. RESULTS: There was a close relationship between size of town of origin and decile of secondary school. Most students expressed interests in a wide range of careers, with students from outside major cities making slightly fewer choices on average. DISCUSSION: There is no strong signal from these data that career speciality choices will be determined by decile of secondary school or size of town of origin. An increase in the proportion of rural students in medical programmes may increase the number of students from lower decile schools, without adding another affirmative action pathway. KEYWORDS: Education, medical; social class; career choice

scholarly journals External providers and their impact on Primary Physical Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Dyson ◽  
Barrie Gordon ◽  
J Cowan ◽  
A McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Intermediate Schools ◽  
Aotearoa New Zealand ◽  
Wide Range

© 2016 Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Within Aotearoa/New Zealand primary schools, External Providers (EPs) have steadily increased their influence on physical education. The purpose of this study was to explore and interpret classroom teachers’ perspectives of EPs in their primary school. The research team obtained questionnaire responses from 487 classroom teachers from 133 different primary and intermediate schools in six regions across Aotearoa/New Zealand. In addition, 33 classroom teachers, selected from the six regions as a purposive sample [Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (3rd ed.). Newbury, CA: Sage], were interviewed. The research utilised a case-study design [Stake, R. E. (2005). Qualitative case studies. In N. Denzin & Y. Lincoln (Eds.), The sage handbook of qualitative research (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage] and incorporated a mixed-methods approach [Greene, J. C. (2007). Mixed methods in social inquiry. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass]. Our findings support the belief that EPs are established as major providers of physical education and sport in the primary schools space. Teachers identified a large number of EPs (n = 638) active in their schools. A number of categories were drawn from the interviews: Prevalence of EPs, Expertise and professional development (PD), Valued programs, Evaluation and assessment of EP provided programs and Pedagogical limitations. The teachers valued the EPs for their expertise, PD and the opportunities for students to experience a wide range of sports. However, schools conducted little assessment or evaluation of the programs. Teachers expressed some criticisms around the pedagogical approaches used and the EPs’ lack of knowledge of the curriculum. As a profession it is our responsibility to ensure that all students experience quality physical education programs and that EPs are working in ways that maximise the benefits for our students.

scholarly journals Negotiating multiple identities in educational contexts: Stories of Tamil Heritage Language Users as Multilingual Malaysians

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Thilegawathy Sithraputhran
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Private University ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
National Language ◽  
General Description ◽  
Linguistic Communities

<p>Malaysia is a multilingual and multicultural society comprising of ethnic Malays (dominant group) followed by ethnic Chinese, Indians and other indigenous groups. The national language is Malay and English is the second language. Heritage languages such as Mandarin and Tamil are used as the language of instruction in some primary schools. This study explores how a group of Tamil Heritage Language Users from Tamil primary schools (THLU-Ts) at a private university recounted maneuvering through their multilingual world during their early lives at Tamil primary school, at state secondary school (Malay) and then at a private university (English). Nine first year undergraduate participants were selected from a private university in Malaysia where English is the medium of instruction. They were selected as THLU-Ts based on two criteria. Firstly, they were ethnic Tamils and secondly, they had completed six years of primary education at Tamil primary school. I used photovoice interviews to construct their narratives. The participants, prompted by photographs they brought as artefacts, described their language experiences in a multilingual setting. The participants’ voices were storied into narratives based on three narrative inquiry strategies of broadening, burrowing and restorying. Two in-depth interviews were conducted over a six month period and these were video-taped and transcribed. The interview transcript from each first interview contributed to a narrative summary or story. This was a general description of the participant and events (broadening stage). The second interview was held towards the end of the semester. During the second interview, participants were asked to reflect on their narrative summaries (which had been distributed earlier) and comment on them. I sought data to reexamine the existing data (burrowing stage) before rewriting a complete and coherent story (restorying) for each participant. This story was also individually reviewed by each participant. Data analysis was an iterative process that included storying and coding. I identified three broad themes and then examined them in the light of relevant literature.  This analysis allowed me to understand how the THLU-Ts shaped their identities during social interactions with different linguistic communities in Malaysia, including THLU-Ms (ethnic Tamils from national primary schools) and non-Tamils (Malays and Chinese). Initially, THLU-Ts faced challenges as they transitioned to secondary school coming from a Tamil- medium primary school. At secondary school, they had to adjust to a Malay linguistic environment for the first time. As their proficiency in Malay grew, they felt they were accepted as authentic members of the academic community. When they entered the English-medium university, there was pressure to develop proficiency in English. They repositioned themselves once again and made deliberate language choices during social interaction with other linguistic communities. When the findings were viewed through Blommaert’s sociolinguistic scales, it was apparent that participants scaled languages depending on the value assigned to each one (Malay, English and Tamil). This reflected the way language was used in society. As powerful multilinguals who invested in a multilingual repertoire, participants displayed linguistic accommodation. These findings suggest a need for educators and policy makers to reassess the role and importance of HL education. Currently, the Malaysian education policy is silent on its commitment to HL education in Malaysia. Yet, this research supports the One Malaysia concept which stresses unity in diversity and encourages educational policies to take a pro-multilingual stance.</p>

scholarly journals Attitudes to Foreign Language Learning in New Zealand Schools

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Sandra Shearn
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
The United States ◽  
Retention Rates ◽  
Current Status ◽  
School Students ◽  
Wide Range

<p>This thesis examines attitudes towards the learning of languages other than English and Maori among New Zealand school students in years 8 and 9, parents of year 9 students, and a wide range of teachers. The research examined the extent to which participants subscribed to certain commonly held views about second language learning, for example: that it is too hard for most students, that it serves no purpose for future employment, that languages are 'girls' subjects', and so on. The investigation adopted a theoretical framework derived chiefly from the social psychological literature concerning language learning attitudes and motivation. Students were surveyed by means of questionnaires over two successive years in the same part of the country, so that it was possible to discover if the intentions of the year 8 students to study a foreign language when they started secondary school were carried out. Parents and teachers were interviewed to discover their experience of foreign language learning and their thoughts about its place in New Zealand schools and in their children's education. The findings are set against detailed information about each of the seven schools involved, the place of languages in the official curriculum framework and the Ministry of Education's efforts to promote language learning. For comparison, information is also presented on the recent history and current status of foreign language learning in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia. It was found that attitudes towards foreign language learning, of both adults and children, were mostly positive. Although many teachers were pessimistic about the views of their colleagues and students' parents, the majority of all the adults believed that language learning was desirable and possible for all or most students for a range of reasons. The majority also supported an earlier start to language learning, most favouring year 7. The findings suggest that the main reason that the proportion of students starting a foreign language in year 9 remains around 50%, and that retention rates in subsequent years continue to drop, is that languages are optional for most secondary students. This research found that choosing to study a language often meant sacrificing other subjects which students would like to have tried, and thus depended on strong intrinsic motivation, Although no participants claimed that language learning was more suitable for girls, it was found that the majority of students who opted for, and continued, language learning were girls, that boys tended to prefer practical subjects, and that, in the case of one secondary school, the minority of boys who were permitted to start a foreign language were discouraged from continuing by the general organisation and ethos of the school. Ultimately, the research indicated that attitudes towards foreign language learning in schools involved a complex web of factors. External factors often outweighed even the most positive attitudes among students, parents and teachers when option subjects were chosen. The low level of language learning in New Zealand, contrasted with the importance it has in comparable countries, was shown to result not so much from negative attitudes but rather from barriers within the education system as a whole and individual school cultures.</p>

scholarly journals Social distance of class leaders from primary and secondary school students and their parents

2020 ◽  
pp. 43-66
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Milošević
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Collective Good ◽  
Emotional Climate ◽  
School Students

The quality of interpersonal relationships between participants in the educational process (class teachers, students, parents) affects the creation of a favourable socio-emotional climate in and out of the classroom, and is also a significant factor of integration or disintegration of the collective, good or bad interpersonal relationships, satisfaction or dissatisfaction, success or failure achieved by students. In general, it always has a positive effect on the development of students' behaviour, and it depends on the conditions under which a class was formed, the way the class is managed, the position that students have in the class, their mutual relations and students' readiness for appropriate cooperation. With this paper, we explored the social distance that the class teacher sets in relation to students and their parents as an important prerequisite for a qualitative, open and productive cooperation among the actors of the educational process. The sample consisted of teachers in the role of class teachers, students and their parents from 36 primary and secondary schools in the Zlatibor district. The results of this research indicate that class teachers in primary and secondary schools generally have a close relationship with students and parents, although a more direct cooperation is achieved by class teachers in primary schools than in secondary ones. This confirms a more intensive educational function of primary school, as opposed to a more dominant educational function of secondary school and thus a more dynamic, complex, open and direct work of class teachers in primary school with students and parents.

scholarly journals A Case Study of the Manageability and Utility of Assessment in Three New Zealand Primary Schools 1993-2006

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
John Richard Young
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Assessment Practice ◽  
Curriculum Assessment ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Current Assessment

<p>This study is concerned with the manageability of assessment in New Zealand schools. In order for assessment to be effective in schools, it needs to be manageable. This is especially important for New Zealand schools in the light of the changes in administration and curriculum introduced in the early 1990s. These reforms which were termed Tomorrow's Schools introduced radical changes to New Zealand schools in the areas of governance, management, the curriculum, assessment, and quality assurance. In the area of assessment, primary schools were presented with a number of challenges which included a requirement to assess a highly structured curriculum with close to 1000 achievement objectives, many of which were open to different interpretation. There was also an expectation to assess against the structure of this new rapidly introduced curriculum, without any tools provided for such assessment. The New Zealand system also departed from other countries in that it made no distinction in terms of importance in teaching and assessment between what are usually considered the core activities of primary school education, literacy and numeracy, and other learning areas. In light of these challenges it is not surprising that a number of the assessment processes that schools developed and used were questionable in terms of manageability and utility. The aim of this research is to examine the effect of government policy and international movements in assessment on the manageability of assessment practice in New Zealand primary schools during the period 1990-2006. The research also examines what is meant by the terms manageability and utility when applied to the context of primary school assessment. By means of case study research, the investigation explores assessment practice in three Wellington primary schools during 2006-2007. The case studies sought to understand current assessment practices in terms of the reforms of the early nineties, as well as more recent developments in assessment in New Zealand. The research illustrated that while these three New Zealand schools still faced some major issues in terms of the manageability and utility of assessment, their views were more optimistic and positive than earlier research studies had reported.</p>

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF CONTINUATION OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN PRIMARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS

InterConf ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 37-43
Author(s):  
Mikhail Kalenyk
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Education ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Primary And Secondary Education ◽  
Content Classification ◽  
Primary And Secondary School

The curricula of the new Ukrainian school for grades 1-4, grades 5-6, physics programs for grades 7-11 and the content classification between subjects are analyzed. Appropriate methodological improvements are proposed to close the gap between primary and secondary education, in the context of studying certain physical concepts, by improving the adaptation of students in the transition from primary to primary school, in particular, in the transition from certain issues of mathematics, science and others to physics, where the implementation of subject competence. In view of this, it is suggested that primary and secondary school teachers, when studying the components of the content of the school course of physics, follow the generalized plans for their study, as in the school course of physics.

scholarly journals ‘Seeing is believing’: Exploring the perspectives of young autistic children through Digital Stories

2020 ◽  
pp. 1476718X2095123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Parsons ◽  
Kathryn Ivil ◽  
Hanna Kovshoff ◽  
Efstathia Karakosta
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Digital Storytelling ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Everyday Lives ◽  
Digital Stories ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Children First ◽  
Day Nursery

Young autistic children are amongst the most scrutinised and assessed in their everyday lives, often leading to characterisations and descriptions that focus on their difficulties and challenges rather than on their abilities, strengths and positive experiences. Consequently, much discussion about autistic children tends to forget that they are children first. While research has considered the transitions of autistic children from primary to secondary school, and from secondary to post-compulsory contexts, there is almost no research focusing on transitions for young autistic children from nursery to primary schools. There is also very limited representation of their voices and experiences being explored, promoted, and valued directly as evidence in their own right. We aimed to address this gap through a project funded by the Froebel Trust and co-constructed with practitioners and families. The project used an innovative Digital Storytelling methodology to explore the experiences and perspectives of five 4-year-old autistic children, and their families, as the children prepared to make the transition from an inclusive day nursery to primary school. This paper provides an overview of the rationale, methodology, and findings of the project to address two related questions: How do we listen to those children who ‘have no words’?; and what do we learn from them when we do?

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