The More Things Change…

Dear Reader,

The 2024 NAPLAN data focused on individual school results has just been released, measuring the performance in key areas of nearly 10,000 schools across Australia.

What is most noteworthy is the cluster of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn that I have written about in a previous Class Action newsletter. This cluster abandoned failed teaching methods (student-led learning) and returned to old-school teaching methods.

Old-school teaching methods, now referred to as direct instruction or explicit teaching, is based on the scientific concept of “cognitive load theory”. Students do not learn by guessing or by sitting in groups choosing their own adventure. Students are seated facing the teacher in straight rows, given small chunks of information, and given time to practise and repeat concepts until they’ve mastered them. This ensures that new information is embedded in their long-term memory. Sound familiar?

This cluster of schools has seen significant academic progress and delivered their best ever NAPLAN results. Ross Fox, director of Catholic Education for the Archdiocese said the incidence of disruptive behaviour has also fallen and teachers were saving five hours a week in lesson preparation. An unsurprising win-win-win.

Another school, in Ipswich, ranked 128th among Queensland primary schools before it became one of the first to embrace direct instruction in 2016. It now ranks third.

“We need to know how our schools are doing, but it is also important that this information is presented in a way that considers the individual circumstances of a school,” ACARA CEO Stephen Gniel said in a statement. “This is especially true for its level of socio-educational advantage, which our reporting takes into account.”

Sadly, Mr Gneil is missing the point. Explicit instruction does not know what your parents do for a living, or where you live. It doesn’t cost extra money – in fact it is more cost effective – and it brings other benefits, such as improved student behaviour, enhanced self-esteem for the students, and dramatically improved job satisfaction for the teachers. Success begets success. Being literate and numerate is the key to unlocking a brighter future, and our students – all students – deserve nothing less.

TIMSS

2023 TIMSS (Trends in Maths and Science Study) results have also just been released. TIMSS is an international assessment conducted every four years in years four and eight. Results show 72 per cent of Australian participants ‘at or above proficiency standard’ at grade four, and by year eight, that figure drops to 64 per cent. The fact that 36 per cent of year 8 students do not meet proficiency is by-and-large consistent with NAPLAN and the OECD PISA.

NAPLAN assesses years three, five, seven and nine. PISA assesses years nine/ten and TIMSS assesses years four and eight. These assessments uniformly show about a third of the nation’s students are effectively illiterate and innumerate.

The ongoing challenge to the future success and happiness of our children is the stubborn adherence to failed teaching methods by schools and education unions, which persist with long discredited teaching fads and a determination to indoctrinate students with a long discredited leftist ideology.

Pioneers Who Made Australia series – curriculum material new release

The latest release in the ‘Pioneers who made Australia’ series is Mary Reibey.

The Reibey name may not be instantly known, but you see her most days as she is depicted on the $20 note. A pioneer businesswoman, widowed at the age of 34 with seven young children, with interests in shipping and property, Mary Reibey gained great respect for her charitable work and her interest in the church and education.

Our teaching unit, aligned with the National Curriculum, is aimed at upper primary years and is free to download here:

Class Action Out and About

Class Action held a gathering in Perth with an enthusiastic group of teachers and parents. Several teachers commented that even they, as the classroom practitioners, were unaware of the omnipresent nature of the cross-curriculum priorities across all year levels.

In a private home in Perth for the launch of ‘Families for Australia’ I made a presentation on the state of the education system and what we can do about it. (One helpful thing we can all do is share the Class Action Schools Program materials.)

I presented at the Western Districts Education Forum hosted by Bev McArthur MP.

IPA Christmas Campaign

2024 has been an amazing year for the Class Action Schools Program. Your support for our important work is very much appreciated.

If you are able, you can make a tax deductible donation to our 2024 Christmas Appeal online at ipa.org.au/christmas2024 or call our office on 03 9600 4744 to make a donation over the phone.

Quote:

I find historical quotes and proverbs interesting reminders that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Human endeavour and innovation, liberty, education and a decent economy is what makes a society thrive – be it in the times of Aristotle or 21stcentury Australia.

As children make up about one third of our population, and all of our future, this proverb is a reminder to those in authority with the capacity to make the changes so desperately needed: 

“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”

Socrates

Wishing you and yours, a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy Chanukah.
Thank you for your support.