It's Only Fair to Assume the Worst

New Zealand's Long Slide Down the Global Educational League Tables

The failing government education system never ceases to underwhelm.  In a Level III history exam the word "trivial" was used.  It was embedded in a quotation from Shakespeare.  Some students protested the injustice of being confronted with a word they did not know.

Some authorities agreed with the students' complaint.  "Trivial" is a far from trivial word.  It is polysyllabic for one thing.  How on earth could Level III students be expected to know the meaning of such a word?  But Level III is the highest level of educational achievement in our government education system.   It is hardly a trivial matter that 15, 16, and 17 year old students did not have "trivial" stored away in their vocabulary.

Year 13 students are worried they might fail their history exam because they didn't know what the word "trivial" meant.   The senior students have launched a petition asking for the essay to be marked based on students' own definition of the "unfamiliar" word. It has so far received more than 2000 signatures.

Students sitting the NZQA Level 3 History causes and consequences paper on Wednesday were confronted with the word in a quote from Julius Caesar: "Events of importance are the result of trivial causes."  Students were asked to analyse the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with Caesar, with reference to the causes and consequences of a historical event.  [Stuff]

But the educational establishment rushed to the defence of the apparent functional illiteracy of the 16 year olds.

One Brick At a Time

Here a Little; There a Little

There is an old adage that says the only way to change society is to change one life at a time.  This is why the family is such a powerful socialising institution: it brings concentrated, focused help to individuals (children growing into adults) over a long period of time.  The opposite is also true.  When families are dysfunctional the bad outcomes are as devastating to society as their opposites.  A child growing up in such an environment is normally transformed into an habitually bad citizen.  

No state programme can compensate or replace the family--for good or bad.  Once a bad citizen has become an adult, it's far better to focus upon small interventions over long periods.  Here is an example:

Literacy changing lives at Tongariro Prison

A student at Tongariro Prison believes his life has changed since learning to read.  For six months the student, who is being referred to as Sam for privacy reasons, has been participating in the Howard League Literacy Programme delivered by volunteers.

About 70 per cent of prisoners have low levels of reading and writing.  Volunteer Sandra works with Sam once a week.  "Before I started learning with Sandra, I would not even attempt to try and read, I used to push books and papers away," Sam said.  "I did not enjoy learning [but] I can now read words and I have even written a letter to my mother."