There's claims the Ministry of Education hasn't delivered on key promises.
Specialist teachers are slamming the draft curriculums for music, PE, science, technology and history.
Auckland University Associate Health Education Professor, Darren Powell, says there are positive elements.
But he says he's concerned there's too long between introducing students to concepts, and expanding them further.
"When they've talked about carefully sequencing content across those 10 years, there's large gaps. It hasn't really been sequenced very well at all."
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, specialist teachers have slammed the draft curriculum for music, PE, science, technology,
history and health. They say music is unteachable, science is silly,
and PE is unfit for purpose. As Sociate Professor of Health,
Darren Powell is with us, Hi, Darren, what is it
that you're worried about?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, I think within the draft curriculum there's some positives
in there, and I think there's some new aspects that
could be really useful for our students. One of my
major concerns is that the Ministry has really failed to
deliver on some of their key promises, which was to
(00:40):
create a knowledge rich curriculum that builds deep understanding over
time and as has carefully sequenced progressions, and there's some
major gaps and limitations from what they've delivered.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Okay, so when you say sequence progressions, it's the way
that they build. They teach one thing year one, they
teach a second thing in year two, and that building
doesn't work for you.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yes, there's a number of instances where there's gaps of
several years. For instance, in around mental health education, they
introduced the concept of resilience in year one, they don't
return to it again until year four and five, and
it's very similar to the year one curriculum, and then
(01:28):
it's not discussed again until year ten. So when I've
talked about carefully sequencing content across those ten years there
with resilience and a number of other areas, there's large gaps.
It hasn't really been sequenced very well at all.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
And then what about PE being unfit for purpose? Do
you agree.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
From discussions with people within the physical education community. Yep,
there's certainly that very strong sentiment that it's very performance based,
not knowledge based. And I'm more focused on the health
education side, but that's been a very clear signal film
(02:12):
physical education teachers and subject experts.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Now, when I was reading about this, one thing that
struck me was that a lot of in fact all
the submissions that were made public have referenced Maori content,
not enough meaningful Maori content. Do you share this view?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yes? Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
What is your concern?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Well, from I was a primary intermediate school teacher for
thirteen years, I've been involved in initial teacher education for
ten years, and something that not just sits our curriculum
apart from pretty much every country in the world, is
our ability to engage students with Maori knowledge with other
(02:59):
forms of culture knowledge in a way that really engages
students from the verse backgrounds. Yeah, and so for instance,
for health education and physical education, since nineteen ninety nine,
we've had the concept of how order and Mason Jury's
(03:20):
model of tefado Tapafa, which demonstrates how health is holistic.
It involves physical, mental, and emotional, social, and spiritual aspects.
And it's a way to be able to engage students
and get them to understand how health isn't just one
thing or the other. It's connected and it can be
connected in a really positive way, such as our eating
(03:44):
and how are you eating?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Who can't I can't believe that there's a health curriculum
there that doesn't talk about that. The new health curriculum
doesn't talk about mental health and the need to have
good physical health and they need to do exercise and
eat well.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
In the draft curriculum, the term mental health is not
used once. I think it's used. I think mental well
being is once and maybe year nine, But there's no
mental health.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Okay, So is it possible that what you're describing as
just at I mean, is it possible that it's that
these things should be covered off rather than it's a
mental sorry that it's a Maori lends to this.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well, I think we can do both.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I st if you guys might have if you might
have lost a bit of an audience by by kind
of politicizing it along race lines, which feels like part
of the culture war at the moment.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Now, I understand how that can be seen to be
playing out, but certainly for our Maori students, it's a
significant issue. And my experience in teaching from five year
olds up to university students is incorporating and embedding maoriculture,
Maori knowledge and a range of different ideas and concepts
(05:02):
about health actually broadens their understanding and discussion of what
health is, what health can be. It's not just a
one size footsal.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Okay, Darren, thank you appreciate your time. Darren Powell, Associate
Professor of Health. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive,
listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Now, specialist teachers have slammed the draft curriculum for music, PE, science, technology,
history and health. They say music is unteachable, science is silly,
and PE is unfit for purpose. As Sociate Professor of Health,
Darren Powell is with us, Hi, Darren, what is it
that you're worried about?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, I think within the draft curriculum there's some positives
in there, and I think there's some new aspects that
could be really useful for our students. One of my
major concerns is that the Ministry has really failed to
deliver on some of their key promises, which was to
(00:40):
create a knowledge rich curriculum that builds deep understanding over
time and as has carefully sequenced progressions, and there's some
major gaps and limitations from what they've delivered.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Okay, so when you say sequence progressions, it's the way
that they build. They teach one thing year one, they
teach a second thing in year two, and that building
doesn't work for you.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yes, there's a number of instances where there's gaps of
several years. For instance, in around mental health education, they
introduced the concept of resilience in year one, they don't
return to it again until year four and five, and
it's very similar to the year one curriculum, and then
(01:28):
it's not discussed again until year ten. So when I've
talked about carefully sequencing content across those ten years there
with resilience and a number of other areas, there's large gaps.
It hasn't really been sequenced very well at all.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
And then what about PE being unfit for purpose? Do
you agree.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
From discussions with people within the physical education community. Yep,
there's certainly that very strong sentiment that it's very performance based,
not knowledge based. And I'm more focused on the health
education side, but that's been a very clear signal film
(02:12):
physical education teachers and subject experts.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Now, when I was reading about this, one thing that
struck me was that a lot of in fact all
the submissions that were made public have referenced Maori content,
not enough meaningful Maori content. Do you share this view?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yes? Absolutely?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
What is your concern?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Well, from I was a primary intermediate school teacher for
thirteen years, I've been involved in initial teacher education for
ten years, and something that not just sits our curriculum
apart from pretty much every country in the world, is
our ability to engage students with Maori knowledge with other
(02:59):
forms of culture knowledge in a way that really engages
students from the verse backgrounds. Yeah, and so for instance,
for health education and physical education, since nineteen ninety nine,
we've had the concept of how order and Mason Jury's
(03:20):
model of tefado Tapafa, which demonstrates how health is holistic.
It involves physical, mental, and emotional, social, and spiritual aspects.
And it's a way to be able to engage students
and get them to understand how health isn't just one
thing or the other. It's connected and it can be
connected in a really positive way, such as our eating
(03:44):
and how are you eating?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Who can't I can't believe that there's a health curriculum
there that doesn't talk about that. The new health curriculum
doesn't talk about mental health and the need to have
good physical health and they need to do exercise and
eat well.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
In the draft curriculum, the term mental health is not
used once. I think it's used. I think mental well
being is once and maybe year nine, But there's no
mental health.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Okay, So is it possible that what you're describing as
just at I mean, is it possible that it's that
these things should be covered off rather than it's a
mental sorry that it's a Maori lends to this.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Well, I think we can do both.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I st if you guys might have if you might
have lost a bit of an audience by by kind
of politicizing it along race lines, which feels like part
of the culture war at the moment.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Now, I understand how that can be seen to be
playing out, but certainly for our Maori students, it's a
significant issue. And my experience in teaching from five year
olds up to university students is incorporating and embedding maoriculture,
Maori knowledge and a range of different ideas and concepts
(05:02):
about health actually broadens their understanding and discussion of what
health is, what health can be. It's not just a
one size footsal.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Okay, Darren, thank you appreciate your time. Darren Powell, Associate
Professor of Health. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive,
listen live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
iHeartRadio 24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.