Strategy for Voters

 

This letter got printed in the Press on 26 September - the heading I had selected was Strategy for Voters. I am sad that it was changed. 

Insert photo of Brian'sletter

 

Complex Task

 

Brian Ward (25/09) is right. Making good decisions is a complex matter.  Voters are NOT helped by simple sound bites.  Voters are also turned off by the political commentators who highlight and laugh at petty fights and focus on what voters might think. Politicians and commentators struggle for attention - their jobs depend on it - entertainment is most important. Policy sits behind entertainment.  But more importantly, behind both entertainment and policy sits political strategy. 

The strategy of the right is to create diversions that entertain the commentators and thereby reduce voter turnout.  The extreme right is now actively undermining democracy and turning people away from voting through disinformation. Both National and Labour know this. They both care for the wellbeing of this nation and they fight for their policies to be heard. 

So what can voters do?  Voters can sift through the nonsense and vote for the future, for our young people and for the planet.  It is especially important for voters to encourage those who are bored or disenchanted by politics to vote for the future of their children.  The strategy of voting against the extreme right is critically important.  Let's get everyone to vote.

Elaine Mayo

Hoon Hay

Here is the original of the letter published, abridged, on 19/09/23.  The abridged is better - and almost at the limit of the length the Press publishes.  

 

The story of collaboration in maths ed awaits. 

Insert Photo of the printed versionand also of Hitchin's post.

Ping pong and petty politics

Doug Hitchin (Sept 16) is both right and wrong. Learners from disadvantaged homes lose most if schooling does not inspire them. However, neoliberal dogma rather than "old fashioned organisations" has destroyed progress in education.

I was one of the lucky ones who began teaching in the 1970s when young teachers were respected for the gifts they brought to the system because of their enthusiasm and up to date knowledge.  Fresh approaches to teaching and learning were developed in partnership with experienced teachers, teacher educators, academic researchers, and, importantly, under the guidance of expertise within the Department of Education. 

I benefited personally from this collaborative development.  During the 1980s our Kiwi educators worked together, nationally and internationally, on initiatives which gave girls and "ethnic minorities" opportunities to learn to love mathematics.  This even included "family maths" which included parents.  The fun of exploring ideas while learning maths was previously limited, mainly, to boys in top-stream classes.  Mathematics flourished as a subject during the 1980s.

Then came neoliberalism. The "New Right" reformed the education system by removing centralised control.  It also opened up deregulation and destroyed the collaboration which had enabled this country to achieve high international rankings in education.

Since then we have had 40 Years of ping pong where successive governments have focused on restructuring education, tinkering with the curriculum and assessment, and correcting the perceived errors of the previous administration.

Have we now reached the point, now, where petty politicians can attract voters by telling them how teachers should teach and what equipment they may use, and for how many hours each day?

 

How can we work together to reestablish a shared vision for education?  Our children need it and our teachers need it.  Please, let us move away from ping pong and petty politics. 

 Dr Elaine Mayo

 Hoon Hay