1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,880 Speaker 1: A new math curriculum is on the way for our 2 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:05,920 Speaker 1: primary and intermediate school students and new structured maths will 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: be based on curriculums from Singapore and Australia, altered for 4 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: Kiwi students and it comes into the classroom from term 5 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: one next year, so it is soon. Twenty million dollars 6 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: will be spent on teacher training ahead of the introduction 7 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: and the Teaching Council will raise the math's entry requirement 8 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: for new teachers so they will have to be at 9 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: least competent in NCAA Level two. The Langholm School Principal, 10 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: Martin weather Well, it's a primary school in Auckland, is 11 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: with us this morning. Martin, thank you for being on 12 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: the show. Good morning, good to have you on. What 13 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: do you make of this announcement. 14 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 2: It's an announcement that was not unexpected. We are obviously 15 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 2: concerned about the workload that it's going to create the teachers, 16 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 2: I mean, the proposals are going to add incredibly to 17 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: teachers and principles workload. With the short turnaround it's five 18 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: months that we continue to meet all the government's other 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 2: expectations and requirements and of course this is the second 20 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 2: curriculum that has been announced. We are currently under undergoing 21 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 2: to training for the literacy program announced earlier in the year. 22 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: It's a lot of work. But when twenty two percent 23 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: of year eights on are at benchmark level four maths, 24 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: we've got to do something, don't we. 25 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 2: Oh don't disagree with that. No teacher, no parent is 26 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 2: going to disagree with that. But let's address the fundamental issue. 27 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 2: Thirty years of chronic and systemic underfunding of the primary 28 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: education system cannot be solved by throwing twenty million dollars 29 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 2: and five months at the program. The issue that we 30 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 2: have right the way through this is that political interference 31 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 2: in the teaching practice has caused the problem. Now politicians 32 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 2: are saying political interference in teaching practice will solve the problem. 33 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: I don't see how that's possible. 34 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: Do your teachers know basic maths? 35 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 2: My teachers do. My teachers actually teach one of the 36 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: Singapore structured maths programs. The issue is not teacher competence. 37 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 2: The issue is I physically do not have the money 38 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 2: to buy the resources that I need to teach maths. 39 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 2: This is a resourcing is So it's not an. 40 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: Education this year, right, But the government has said that 41 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: those resources are coming. 42 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 2: I am old enough to remember BSM maths, and we 43 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 2: will promise the resources were coming. Thirty five years later, 44 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 2: we've never seen them. I'm old enough to remember the 45 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: Numeracy Project and we will promised resources and we've never 46 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: seen them. With all due respect to the current minister, 47 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: I'll believe that statement when I see it in fruition. 48 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: If Erica Stanford produces these these resources at the start 49 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: of next year, while you eat your hat. 50 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 2: If those resources are available and they are adequate, and 51 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 2: those resources are available to meet the needs of my 52 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 2: diverse range of needs. Now remember my children are not 53 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 2: one size fits al. This approach is one size fits all. 54 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 2: Those resources must meet the needs of neurodiverse students. They 55 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 2: must meet the needs of students who's English is not 56 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 2: their first language. They must meet the needs of our 57 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 2: indigenous learners. They must need the needs of all of 58 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 2: our learners. You cannot supply a resource for a single 59 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 2: cohort of people and say your job is done, as Minister. 60 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 1: Lang Holmeschool Principal Martin wither Or reacting to It's an 61 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: Auckland primary school reacting to the governments announcement at the weekend. 62 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 2: For more from News Talks THE'B listen live on air 63 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 2: or online, and 64 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our 65 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.