Week 30 – The Broader Professional
Context
Using Rolfe’s
model of reflection, I Identified a trend that I am passionate
about and want to see it working for the betterment of all students and their parents,
who want to be on this learning journey.
Step 1. (What): One trend I
have identify and is relevant in my practice is bilingualism, in main stream schools.
Language, as a tool
for communication and for trade, has been used for a very long time by
indigenous people throughout the world. Te Reo, the second language of New
Zealand, has been going through a revival in primary schools over the last five
– ten years. This increase in the spoken language can be seen as a trend or the
popular thing to learn. Researchers have shown, that children who speak more
than one language can problem solve and adapt to learning situations faster
than monolinguist.
So What - My
problem with this trend, is that we do not have enough trained teachers to
assist and teacher our children. Our teacher training establishments
disadvantage us by not having Te Reo as part of their main stream
qualifications for student teachers. The action I am taking is to go back to
university and learn Te Reo then applying this knowledge to my classroom teaching.
Step 2. (So What) Analyse the trend
Money spent on education in these countries.
Almost 50% percent of these countries sending students here to New Zealand to be educated.
The growing trend – education in New Zealand is a growth industry.
International education is New Zealand's fifth biggest export industry
and the second biggest services sector. It was provisionally worth $3.1 billion
for the 2015 calendar year, according to Statistics New Zealand, and it's
growing so quickly it looks set to be the fourth biggest, overtaking wood at
$3.52 billion.
The Government has set a target to grow the value of international
education to $5 billion by 2025, and the industry is well on the way to
reaching that.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education
The next growth
area in New Zealand will be languages and by the way the new government is
talking it will be Te Reo. The reason why the focus will be on Te Reo, is
because New Zealand is a unique country with a unique language. Studies have
shown that learning a second improves a number of copying and problem
solving.
Step 3. (Now What)
I believe the Trend for schools and education
facilities is to teacher Te Reo. This will cause the government and the private
sector to seek language tutors/teachers so they can train our student teachers
or recruit fluent speaker to be educators of Te Reo in our teacher training
facilities. Te Reo will need to be a compulsory subject in pre service training
of all new teachers.
References
National Intelligence Council. (2017). Global trends: The
Paradox of Progress. National Intelligence Council: US. Retrieved from https://www.dni.gov/files/images/globalTrends/documents/GT-Main-Report.pdf
OECD. (2016) Trends Shaping Education 2016, OECD Publishing,
Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/trends_edu-2016-en
Rolfe et al.'s (2001) reflective model
https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/media/MyCumbria/Documents/ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf
Visser, L., & Gagnon, K. (2005). Defining “Trends” and
“Issues” in Distance Education. Conversation with Donald Paul Ely Y. Visser, L.
Visser, M. Simonson & R. Amirault (Eds. de la serie), Trends and Issues in
Distance Education. International Perspectives, pp.83-89.
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteYou raise some interesting questions to think about here Paul.
Te Reo could easily become lost amongst all other other things we are doing and we do need to keep it at the forefront of what we do to ensure we don't lose it.
You haven't set yourself an easy task, but I can see that you are passionate about ensuring Te Reo being taught in our schools. I does need to be taught and should be part of what we do not an option.
Good luck with your studies.
Kia Ora and tika te korero Amanda. I know it easy to leave a few things out during a days teaching and then say to yourself " Ill pick it up next time." but next time slips away and something else step to the forefront and Te Reo get pushed back until the next powhiri or MOE visit. We need to be passionate about all topics and give them equal time in class and in school.
ReplyDeletenga mihi Paul