Survey Suggests Nelson Is Living In Wonderland

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday December 9, 2004

The tables and graphs look impressive in their analysis, ("Our students world class, but maths trips girls", Herald, December 8) but are we really expected to believe that there is even a hint of validity in results taken from different cultures, different curriculums, different tests and procedures?

It is surely more than enough that our children are increasingly tested and valued against each other. Many of us are not fooled. We just get on with the job.

Janice Creenaune,

Austinmer, December 8.

The international survey of educational standards for students indicates that the United States has the poorest outcomes for students per dollars spent on education.

It is ranked 28th out of 40 in maths and 18th in reading. With results like that let us pray that Australian teachers, parents and academics will resist the desire of the Education Minister, Brendan Nelson, to introduce US teaching programs into this country's educational institutions.

The minister needs to let go of his Government's obsession with all things American and perhaps look at how Finland achieves such outstanding results in the education of its young people.

Also, he needs to give a nod of approval to our teachers and the results they achieve on the international scene.

Pam Pitham,

Glendale, December 8.

The Program for International Student Assessment has given Australian students a well-deserved pat on the head, but I would like to send congratulations to their teachers for a job well done.

Ian Tait,

Picton, December 8.

Reporting of the Program for International Student Assessment results leads us to question the purpose of Dr Nelson's focus on a national literacy inquiry. The international study, among others, clearly indicates our strengths and weaknesses.

Surely funds for an inquiry would be better used for developing a cohesive national strategy for intervention programs, with advice from experts in the fields of literacy, mathematics and education.

Dr Maureen Walsh,

Senior lecturer,

Australian Catholic University,

Strathfield, December 8.

According to a principal colleague who visited there several years ago, one reason Finland does so well on the literacy tests is that you can't get married in Finland unless you can read.

Kevin Farrell,

Ardlethan, December 8.

Again, tests show that Australia scores high on "quality" in reading education and low on "equity", with one of the biggest gaps between the rich and the poor. Meanwhile, what is our federal Minister for Education up to? The high quality is met by a review of literacy teaching, in which the committee is stacked with people who think reading education in Australia is poor, while low equity is met by throwing more money at the richest private schools. Is this Nelson in Wonderland or could there just be another agenda here?

Wayne Sawyer,

Associate Professor, Schoolof Education,University of Western Sydney,

Penrith, December 8.

A colleague recently provided me with an article about Finnish education by a Swiss educator, Petra Grappendorf. She reported that the Finns invest significant funding and, more importantly, trust in their schools, and that Finnish society generally values learning, schools, teachers and obviously learners.

The Finns also have what she terms a pedagogical conviction that no student should feel shame at low achievement and that targeted and individual support is always available from teams of subject specialists and psychologists. Could this be why only 1 per cent of Finnish students are considered poor readers?

It's probably a little too cold over there at the moment but maybe Brendan Nelson should explore the possibility of a fact-finding mission to Finland, instead of listening to the relentless bleating of certain literacy specialists and praising questionable US-based reading programs.

Warrick Smith,

Camden, December 8.

The news that Australian boys outclass girls at mathematics may explain why many women rely on intuition, whereas men use logic.

J. Davies.

West Pymble, December 8.