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National curriculum review premature, say parents and teachers National curriculum review premature, say parents and teachers
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The Abbott government’s rapid-fire review of the national curriculum has been labelled as premature by parents and teachers given the new content has not been fully rolled out in schools.The Abbott government’s rapid-fire review of the national curriculum has been labelled as premature by parents and teachers given the new content has not been fully rolled out in schools.
The criticism of “constant” changes comes as the lead writer of the history curriculum, Professor Stuart Macintyre, rejects claims the material contains leftwing bias, saying it was refined through an “exhaustingly consultative” process that included a wide range of education experts.The criticism of “constant” changes comes as the lead writer of the history curriculum, Professor Stuart Macintyre, rejects claims the material contains leftwing bias, saying it was refined through an “exhaustingly consultative” process that included a wide range of education experts.
The education minister, Christopher Pyne, announced on Friday the appointment of the conservative education commentator Kevin Donnelly and the public administration academic Ken Wiltshire to lead the Coalition’s promised review of the national curriculum.The education minister, Christopher Pyne, announced on Friday the appointment of the conservative education commentator Kevin Donnelly and the public administration academic Ken Wiltshire to lead the Coalition’s promised review of the national curriculum.
Setting a deadline of May or June, Pyne said the “consultative” review would look at complaints the curriculum was overcrowded, heavily prescriptive and rigid. The minister also raised concerns the curriculum downplayed western civilisation, the Anzac story and the role of conservative prime ministers while placing excessive focus on unions and the Labor party.Setting a deadline of May or June, Pyne said the “consultative” review would look at complaints the curriculum was overcrowded, heavily prescriptive and rigid. The minister also raised concerns the curriculum downplayed western civilisation, the Anzac story and the role of conservative prime ministers while placing excessive focus on unions and the Labor party.
The Australian Council of State School Organisations, a peak national group affiliated with most state and territory parents and citizens associations, questioned the review’s timing and motivation.The Australian Council of State School Organisations, a peak national group affiliated with most state and territory parents and citizens associations, questioned the review’s timing and motivation.
The council’s chief executive officer, Dianne Giblin, said parents were “a bit bemused” by the review because the national curriculum was yet to be completely rolled out. She said parents and parent groups had been heavily involved in developing the national curriculum, with the process attracting thousands of submissions.The council’s chief executive officer, Dianne Giblin, said parents were “a bit bemused” by the review because the national curriculum was yet to be completely rolled out. She said parents and parent groups had been heavily involved in developing the national curriculum, with the process attracting thousands of submissions.
“What we saw with the writing of the national curriculum was thorough consultation and we believe we should just get it implemented first and then look at reviews further down the track,” she said.“What we saw with the writing of the national curriculum was thorough consultation and we believe we should just get it implemented first and then look at reviews further down the track,” she said.
“Our concern is this may be politically driven and we want to keep politics, within reason, out of education … We need to get on with education rather than constantly making these changes … Education is ever changing and a living entity but change for change’s sake and a couple of people’s opinions, as opposed to a long consultation process, has to be questioned at this time.”“Our concern is this may be politically driven and we want to keep politics, within reason, out of education … We need to get on with education rather than constantly making these changes … Education is ever changing and a living entity but change for change’s sake and a couple of people’s opinions, as opposed to a long consultation process, has to be questioned at this time.”
The Independent Education Union, which represents teachers in non-government schools, echoed suggestions a review of implementation may be premature because a number of jurisdictions were only fully rolling it out in classrooms this year.The Independent Education Union, which represents teachers in non-government schools, echoed suggestions a review of implementation may be premature because a number of jurisdictions were only fully rolling it out in classrooms this year.
The union’s president, Chris Watt, said attempts to link concerns about student performance to the new curriculum were not logical given the timeframe of its implementation. But Watt saw merit in examining whether the curriculum included too much content, saying teachers needed more time to revise material and take remedial action to help struggling students.The union’s president, Chris Watt, said attempts to link concerns about student performance to the new curriculum were not logical given the timeframe of its implementation. But Watt saw merit in examining whether the curriculum included too much content, saying teachers needed more time to revise material and take remedial action to help struggling students.
Asked about claims the curriculum was too leftwing, Watt said people sometimes read into curriculum documents “what they want to read into them”. He said teachers at a local level were ultimately responsible for teaching their class and “just wanted to get on and do the job” without paying attention to political “grandstanding”.Asked about claims the curriculum was too leftwing, Watt said people sometimes read into curriculum documents “what they want to read into them”. He said teachers at a local level were ultimately responsible for teaching their class and “just wanted to get on and do the job” without paying attention to political “grandstanding”.
The public school-focused Australian Education Union has been one of the most vocal critics of the review.The public school-focused Australian Education Union has been one of the most vocal critics of the review.
But the Australian Parents Council, a national federation of Catholic and independent school parents' organisations, welcomed the review as a worthwhile exercise. Its executive director, Ian Dalton, said the “timely” move would help satisfy the new minister about the national curriculum.But the Australian Parents Council, a national federation of Catholic and independent school parents' organisations, welcomed the review as a worthwhile exercise. Its executive director, Ian Dalton, said the “timely” move would help satisfy the new minister about the national curriculum.
“There’s a bit of a political element to this in that I think education is a reasonably leftwing profession, so I think that the current government would look at the work of educators with some caution,” Dalton said. “I just hope that it’s a good review, a timely review and hope it doesn’t get caught up in political rhetoric. “There’s a bit of a political element to this in that I think education is a reasonably leftwing profession, so I think that the current government would look at the work of educators with some caution,” Dalton said. “I just hope that it’s a good review, a timely review and hope it doesn’t get caught up in political rhetoric.''
He hoped the two appointees would conduct the work scrupulously and “with a critical eye rather than a confrontational eye”. He also praised the Australian Curriculum Reporting and Assessment Authority for improving its consultation processes in recent years.He hoped the two appointees would conduct the work scrupulously and “with a critical eye rather than a confrontational eye”. He also praised the Australian Curriculum Reporting and Assessment Authority for improving its consultation processes in recent years.
Dalton raised concerns about the curriculum being overloaded, schools being asked to take on an ever-increasing role of educating children in more aspects of life, the adequacy of support for students who were above or below average abilities, and teenagers leaving school underprepared for life. But he said parents were not “jumping out of the trees saying it’s unbalanced”.Dalton raised concerns about the curriculum being overloaded, schools being asked to take on an ever-increasing role of educating children in more aspects of life, the adequacy of support for students who were above or below average abilities, and teenagers leaving school underprepared for life. But he said parents were not “jumping out of the trees saying it’s unbalanced”.
“I’m on the Tasmanian schools registration board and in my visits to schools I don’t hear a lot of criticism of the curriculum,” Dalton said.“I’m on the Tasmanian schools registration board and in my visits to schools I don’t hear a lot of criticism of the curriculum,” Dalton said.
“Generally what I hear is that schools and teachers think it’s very much an asset and it is giving them a framework to operate in that they haven’t had before.”“Generally what I hear is that schools and teachers think it’s very much an asset and it is giving them a framework to operate in that they haven’t had before.”
Macintyre, who was asked in 2008 to write an outline of what a national history curriculum might look like and then served as a reference group member, said the process had taken about three years and involved wide consultation “at every stage”.Macintyre, who was asked in 2008 to write an outline of what a national history curriculum might look like and then served as a reference group member, said the process had taken about three years and involved wide consultation “at every stage”.
A professorial fellow at the the University of Melbourne’s school of historical and philosophical studies, Macintyre said the process was always going to lead to compromises and the mix of Australian and world history in years 9 and 10 did not “work as well as it might”. He said he was astounded by Pyne’s call for greater emphasis on the Anzacs because the substantial unit of study in the curriculum dealing with the history of the first world war was entirely from the perspective of the Australian Imperial Force.A professorial fellow at the the University of Melbourne’s school of historical and philosophical studies, Macintyre said the process was always going to lead to compromises and the mix of Australian and world history in years 9 and 10 did not “work as well as it might”. He said he was astounded by Pyne’s call for greater emphasis on the Anzacs because the substantial unit of study in the curriculum dealing with the history of the first world war was entirely from the perspective of the Australian Imperial Force.
Macintyre said lots of people had opinions about what children need to learn but they failed to appreciate the demands placed on teachers, who may variously be teaching a group of mainly Indigenous students in Alice Springs, a multicultural classroom in western Sydney, and a group on the outskirts of Melbourne.Macintyre said lots of people had opinions about what children need to learn but they failed to appreciate the demands placed on teachers, who may variously be teaching a group of mainly Indigenous students in Alice Springs, a multicultural classroom in western Sydney, and a group on the outskirts of Melbourne.
“If all the people who said this is what ought to be taught stood up in front of a class and tried to do it I think they would be more temperate in their statements,” he said.“If all the people who said this is what ought to be taught stood up in front of a class and tried to do it I think they would be more temperate in their statements,” he said.
He said the two reviewers appointed by Pyne did not have curriculum expertise in history and he questioned the willingness of the states and territories to implement further changes.He said the two reviewers appointed by Pyne did not have curriculum expertise in history and he questioned the willingness of the states and territories to implement further changes.
Macintyre has previously been the target of criticism by Pyne, who told the ABC’s Q&A program in June 2012 that the first offering of the national history curriculum was “very leftwing” and was “certainly written by an ex-communist”. Macintyre said on Monday that the audience at the time recognised the comment as a diversion and he was a trained historian and past president of the Australian Historical Association.Macintyre has previously been the target of criticism by Pyne, who told the ABC’s Q&A program in June 2012 that the first offering of the national history curriculum was “very leftwing” and was “certainly written by an ex-communist”. Macintyre said on Monday that the audience at the time recognised the comment as a diversion and he was a trained historian and past president of the Australian Historical Association.
Save Our Schools, a public education advocacy group, called on Labor and Greens senators to use their numbers in the upper house to launch their own “thorough and objective” inquiry into the national curriculum.Save Our Schools, a public education advocacy group, called on Labor and Greens senators to use their numbers in the upper house to launch their own “thorough and objective” inquiry into the national curriculum.
The group’s national convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said Pyne’s appointees were known critics of the national curriculum, particularly Donnelly, who told the ABC at the weekend he wanted more religious education in schools.The group’s national convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said Pyne’s appointees were known critics of the national curriculum, particularly Donnelly, who told the ABC at the weekend he wanted more religious education in schools.
“Dr Donnelly is entitled to his views, but such a partisan should not be appointed to do an independent review and he should not be entitled to promote his partisan views after being appointed,” Cobbold said in a statement. “He has openly prejudiced the outcome of the review and many people will see no point in spending time preparing submissions.“Dr Donnelly is entitled to his views, but such a partisan should not be appointed to do an independent review and he should not be entitled to promote his partisan views after being appointed,” Cobbold said in a statement. “He has openly prejudiced the outcome of the review and many people will see no point in spending time preparing submissions.
Pyne said on Friday said the aim of the review was "to turn out a robust curriculum, a good curriculum that improves the results of our students" and he was confident Donnelly and Wiltshire would produce an objective and fair report.Pyne said on Friday said the aim of the review was "to turn out a robust curriculum, a good curriculum that improves the results of our students" and he was confident Donnelly and Wiltshire would produce an objective and fair report.
He said the national curriculum should not be a static document and should always be questioned, tested and argued about.He said the national curriculum should not be a static document and should always be questioned, tested and argued about.
"I haven’t appointed a committee that tries to please everybody and therefore does not produce a robust result," Pyne said."I haven’t appointed a committee that tries to please everybody and therefore does not produce a robust result," Pyne said.
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