Best teaching practices to be developed

The Government is to fund a work programme to develop and support effective and best practice teaching that caters for students of all backgrounds, Education Minister Trevor Mallard announced today.

“Research indicates that effective classroom teaching can explain up to half of a child’s educational achievements. It is vital that the best teaching practices of our most effective teachers are shared with their colleagues,” Trevor Mallard said.

“It’s essential that we’re able to respond effectively - and simultaneously - to an increasingly diverse range of students, so every student has the chance and is encouraged to develop to their full potential. Our education system has performed very well for some groups but not for others, and particularly not for many Mâori, and many Pasifika students.

“Teachers themselves acknowledge, and monitoring data shows, that teachers don’t always have the expertise and support to identify, and respond effectively, to the educational needs of all students. It’s not that they don’t care or don’t try, but they need knowledge, and support.”

Trevor Mallard made the announcement during a visit to Queen’s High School in Dunedin, where he viewed the school’s Mâori language and mentoring programme and discussed the school’s alternative education programme. Funding of $2.65 million over four years will be provided in this year’s budget to set up a working group of experts in the field of teaching to develop a framework for best teaching practice for students from diverse backgrounds.

“This initiative is about working collaboratively. The Ministry of Education will consult with teachers, researchers and educators, and with iwi and Pasifika communities.

“The work will also build on the success of Te Kauhua Mainstream Mâori pilot, through an exploratory study involving clusters of schools, and on the Early Childhood Primary Links Project.

“The initiative will help us sharpen what we’re already doing well – helping us to use our professional development resources more effectively,” Trevor Mallard said.

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