Principal's Page

Kia Ora - Greetings Friends  

I often discuss with our WHS staff a theory I developed 30 years ago. I contend that humans have four original languages that date back to our beginning as a species.

We are social-emotional beings, and the four original languages are how we connect socially and emotionally. Emotion is essential to learning and should not be underestimated, or misunderstood as a trend. Emotion is where learning begins or, as is often the case, where it ends. Thinking deeply about things we don’t care about is neurobiologically impossible.

So far, I have shared my thinking on Movement as an Original Language, Visual Language and Storytelling. The last original language to cover is Music.

Music

This is the first of the four original languages. It begins in the womb - the regular and comforting rhythm of a mother’s heartbeat is the constant companion for the foetus. It’s the first baseline in the song of life. A mother’s humming and singing is the melody that eventually accompanies it.

Interest in the effects of music on the brain has led to a new branch of research called neuro-musicology, which explores how the nervous system reacts to music. The evidence is that music activates every known part of the brain. Music affects mood by stimulating the formation of certain brain chemicals. Listening to music increases the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is the brain’s “motivation molecule” and an integral part of the pleasure-reward system.

Playing music with others or enjoying live music stimulates the brain hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin has been called the “trust molecule” and the “moral molecule” since it helps us bond with and trust others. There’s evidence that the oxytocin bump experienced by music lovers can make them more generous and trustworthy. 

Children with musical backgrounds do better in subjects like language, reading, and math and have better fine motor skills than their non-musical classmates. Early music lessons encourage brain plasticity, the brain’s capacity to change and grow.

Listening to and playing music can make you smarter, happier, healthier and more productive at all stages of life.

More on this on the Learning Page in this newsletter.

Ministry Focus on Structured Learning: 

There were announcements made by PM Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanniford about the decline in Numeracy standards in New Zealand.

They will introduce structured numeracy programme expectations for all NZ schools from 2025. We understand one of the key programmes they will recommend as part of their initiative is PR1ME Maths, which we have had in place for five years at Western Heights.

The government previously announced that all schools must introduce Structured Literacy for Writing, Decodable Text, and Phonics for reading. We have had these same programmes in place at Western Heights for many years.

We should note that the data the Prime Minister and Education Minister shared was misleading. It was based on a sample of only 853 year 8 students and was measured by testing a maths curriculum that has not even been taught in New Zealand.

While the data as presented by the Ministers painted a concerning picture, we are far from alone in this problem, as follows:

Overview

Between 2018 and 2022, teenagers in wealthy nations experienced significant declines in reading and math proficiency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This period saw an unprecedented drop in educational performance, exacerbating pre-existing issues of stagnating educational standards.

The Scale of the Decline

According to the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), test scores dropped significantly across many affluent countries. On average, math scores fell by 15 points, and reading scores dropped by 10 points from 2018 to 2022. The OECD considers a 20-point change equivalent to one year of learning, underscoring the severity of this decline.

Factors Contributing to the Decline

1.    Pandemic Disruption: 

The closure of schools and the shift to remote learning during the pandemic severely impacted many students’ ability to learn effectively. This disruption was particularly pronounced in subjects requiring consistent practice and teacher interaction, such as math.     

2.    Pre-existing Issues: 

Even before the pandemic, there were signs of stagnating or declining educational standards. This trend was observed in many countries, including the United States, where educational performance in reading and math had been declining for years.    

3.    Other Influences: 

Several additional factors have been identified as contributing to declining educational outcomes:    

•    Increased Mobile Phone Usage: 

Excessive use of mobile phones can distract students from their studies, leading to lower academic performance.    

•    Migration: 

Migration can introduce challenges such as language barriers and the need for adaptation to new educational systems.    

•    Disruptive Learning Environments: 

Disruptive classroom environments can hinder effective teaching and learning.    •    Prolonged School Closures: 

Extended periods of school closures, as seen during the pandemic, have had a lasting negative impact on students’ learning progress.

Global Context

Countries like Finland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands have reported significant declines in international test scores. For instance, Germany saw substantial drops in math scores, indicating a loss of over a year’s worth of learning. Similarly, the Netherlands experienced notable declines, reflecting the widespread nature of this issue.

The decline has been more prolonged in the United States. Although U.S. students showed a smaller decline in reading scores compared to their international peers, their performance in math continued to lag behind other OECD countries. This suggests that while some areas have seen temporary declines due to the pandemic, others are facing deeper, systemic challenges.

Conclusion

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education has been profound and multifaceted. Addressing these issues will require comprehensive strategies that include increasing investment in education, improving classroom environments, and leveraging technology effectively to enhance learning outcomes. The data underscores the urgent need for policymakers and educators to implement reforms that can mitigate the long-term effects of these educational disruptions.

For further details, you can refer to the studies and reports by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and other educational research institutions.

It is vital we understand that the achievement concerns the government is sharing are not due to poor schools or poor teachers. Yes, there will be individual teachers and schools that can lift their game, but the root causes of these achievement issues are much bigger and much wider - world-wider, in fact.

You can rest assured our school and our teachers are well ahead of the government initiatives announced this year. We have had these structured approaches to learning in place for many years. We are thorough in our research, engage in comprehensive professional learning and are deeply reflective in our teaching practice. Because of this, those children who are with us for six years leave us at the expected standard - at a minimum - with very few exceptions.

As always - if you have questions or concerns about anything school-related - email me at macash@mac.com, and I will get back to you asap.

My very best regards to you all,

Ash Maindonald

Principal.