Posts by Ngaire BookieMonster
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Doesn't this sort of ignore the fact that surely a large problem with those kids at the bottom is a sustained lack of parental involvement and interest in their education? And nothing about this scheme would change that without a vast bureaucratic effort?
Which, speaking of, wouldn't this necessitate diverting a significant amout of funds to administration?
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I know the discussion has moved on from the ERO report on reading and writing in Years 1 and 2, but I had an interesting discussion about this with my mum who has taught the junior years for longer than she probably cares to remember.
She feels there is a real problem with principals appointing first year teachers (and early career teachers) to New Entrants and year 1 and 2 classes. She thinks that in general they don't have the specific knowledge or experience to cope with students who are starting right at the beginning, with either very few or non-existent reading and writing skills, but they are being appointed either out of desperation or because they are seen as being enthusiastic (and possibly cheaper).
Whilst this is obviously totally anecdotal, to me it indicates the shallowness of reducing a review of our education system to the sum of one statistic.
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Reckon they'd ship overseas?
Heh. In reality, they used to quite a lot with our reading programme (in particular).
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Fortunately, as with everything, we can still buy the old system on Trade Me.
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Or perhaps I'll find Sydney Bridge Upside Down so lauded in The Listener.
Read this in just over a day this weekend - which for me at the moment is impressively fast.
Read it, y'all. It's that good. I'm writing a review of this and The Graveyard Book (Neil Gaiman) in the next couple of days and I'm almost embarrassed at how I'm loving every book I read at the moment.
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So pleased to see the NZers playing again last night.
With two McCullums. Two. Lovely. We are spoiled.
But it would be nice if someone could help Bangladesh with their fielding. *sigh*
BTW I saw a piece on Jesse Ryder on sport news several weeks ago - he looked terribly jaded and not at all well. To be honest it was bloody worrying.
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This weeks' Listener has an extract from Kate De Goldi's excellent introduction to the new edition of my Dad's "great, unread New Zealand novel,' Sydney Bridge Upside Down, which is being republished by some Australians who know the marvelous when they see it.
Damn but I am so excited about this. I haven't read it but it sounds like the New Zealand book I Do Want. Sorry, but stuff saving my pennies for the iPad when I can spend them on this.
The book trade in New Zealand is long overdue its enema.
Made me lols.
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It's not the fiction that is amazing - well it is - but it's the non-fiction as well.
Fair call. I can see the value. Personally I'd probably go for more mobile internet access but you make a good point. I still don't agree with the music library = book library equation, but I guess I'm in a fiction mindset.
Can see the appeal of being able to find any Terry Pratchett quote anytime, anywhere though.
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It felt forced to me. It didn't have the air of effortless entertainment and cleverness that his other books seem to exude.
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next on the reading list is the new Jasper Fforde - "Shades of Grey".
Oh, I'd LOVE to know how that goes - I am a huge fan of Jasper Fforde but found the last Thursday Next a bit wanting - love the Nursery Crimes books though.