Thanks @briarlipson for the copy of New Zealand's Education delusion. I just read it this morning and it is a thought-provoking read no matter what educational beliefs you may have. Packed with some hilariously brutal lines on the nature of the institutional ideologues.

I personally thought the national system reviews could be something worth bringing into the conversation to highlight the decline across upper primary and lower intermediate. It is both sad and funny that they the Geo KS1 you mentioned is something I had to consult to start .1/?

because I had no idea that it was possible for learners to have so little knowledge coming into secondary when I started at GGHS. We have since prioritised this locational knowledge with an intent to get learners up to many (not all) areas of locational knowledge in KS1, 2 & 3

It's slightly ironic that taking a more critical stance of the power that institutions like NZCER and the MOE have in pushing ideology while simultaneously critiquing Freire was interesting. The early history of NZCER was something I was not familiar with and will prompt further

investigation. I am wary of gaps. Recently we had our stats show our Maori + NZE started to widen again and this was compared to the gap closing during Te Kotahitanga. Further investigation showed that the gap closed due to special magic credit wananga days and staff pressure

to pass. What it comes down to is what data can you even trust? I had none so I generated my own standardised testing for social science. I now only ever look at external assessment to determine the success of interventions at different schools.

Yet, I am very hopeful. The practical usefulness of Rosenshine and other things had led great spread of effective techniques based on cognitive science through a range of staff. NCEA will hopefully have robust numeracy & literacy measures in the future. 50% externals for

subjects to come (including non-exams). Even the TKI dyslexia page has changed to have the emphasis on phonics. I do feel positive changes are coming but more slowly than we may like. There will never be, though, a curriculum like you would like in the next decade.

Therefore, I only see practical ways of ensuring local curriculums are knowledge-rich and full of robust thinking and that these good models are shared is needed.