New National Library Access proposal

Posted on 2015-01-08 by Barbara

An email just received from Melissa from the Coromandel….

Hello fellow homeschooling support organisations. You need to be aware of this!

Please read this page ( http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/national-library-services-schools-transformation-programme-questions-and-answers )

As homeschoolers no information was sent out to us about this AT ALL. I have stumbled upon this because a person from the National Library approached me yesterday to get my thoughts and was surprised I did not know about this.

Also please read my response below….to the Auckland National library home schooling representative, a lovely man who is equally as upset about this as I am, and you will be.

We may need to be collective about a response to this. I know personally that this new proposal will cripple my topic teaching…

and

As a recap, this is how this will affect us as teachers/home educators *IF*we are included in the current proposal (which we are not at this moment, they have forgotten about us completely):

**We will not be able to physically visit the National Library to borrow books.

Schools will have to have a single representative for all school orders, which will be dealt with via online orders….and individual teachers can no longer go to the National Library to take out books themselves. If we as homeschoolers are not attached to a school, the question arises of OUR individual access to the NL.

*Teachers will only be able to advise the National Library of which topic they want to study with their children, and the librarians will choose the books for the children themselves (teachers will not be able to choose) and the focus will be on ‘reading for pleasure’, which has an emphasis on fiction books, with minimal non-fiction books added. At their discretion, not teacher’s choice. (Effectively having the ability to selectively censor the information we receive, which can leave us open to personal bias of librarians). Most educators use the National Library as a resource for in-depth topic studies….to enhance our curriculum. Historically the NL has been the source for school classrooms to have non-fiction topic books on the shelves.

So, no physical access, no choice in books, and an emphasis on fiction and not textbooks or non-fiction books.

The move is being made AWAY from non-fiction information, to just reading for pleasure…..’reading engagement’, as they term it.

The ability to borrow books under the current system ends in March this year.

Here is the email address for responses to this new initiative…..which, disturbingly is by the department of internal affairs!! — s2stransformation@dia.govt.nz

Begin forwarded message:

From: Melissa
Date: 8 January 2015 8:57:30 am NZDT
To:
Subject: New Library Access proposal.

Thank you for your time yesterday

I have now thoroughly read the webpage that you forwarded to me, and am feeling distressed about how this will impact not only homeschoolers like me, but education in general in New Zealand.

This feels like a ‘dumbing down’ of learning options. The National Library has always been seen as a specialist topic provider to teachers and students, and in truth I see no alternatives being provided within the structure of the new proposal that would provide at least the current status quo of being able to choose topic books ourselves as teachers, and to go deeply into a specialised topic within our curriculum.

‘Reading engagement’ as defined within the page on the national library website I have read, (http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/national-library-services-schools-transformation-programme-questions-and-answers) seems to take an assumption that children do not enjoy reading specialised books that may be in non-fiction form. What a narrow view on how children’s minds work! My children love data mining from non-fiction, and studying this type of material brings very important life skills to the table, and equips a student for further study at a tertiary level. Non-fiction, topic-specific books are very much minimised as learning channels within this page.

This is concerning.

I am also very worried that Home Educators are not mentioned or catered for in the new proposal. It seems we have not been taken into account on any level.

Consider our lack of access to the data bases that schools can access, and the fact that we are not classified as ‘schools’ with a representative contact person for National Library. This now directly affects whether or not we can access the library physically. So it seems both streams of information and access will now be impossible for us as individual teachers.

…….. can you please forward this email to the highest level of decision makers in this process?

I would very much like to be kept in the loop with what happens here, and I will be forwarding this email to the New Zealand Homeschooling Associations across the country for their collective responses to be contributed also.

Sincerely

Melissa

National Library Services to Schools Transformation Programme –

questions and answers

What is the Services to Schools Transformation Programme?

The National Library is transforming its Services to Schools in response to library and education directions. We have developed a new vision statement which is for “all young people to have access to effective and connected library services and library learning environments that support their development as readers and digitally literate learners”.

Services to Schools will continue to support teachers and schools through the provision of print and online resources, and the development of school libraries. We will be moving to achieve our vision by implementing services with an increased emphasis on the priority areas of reading engagement, digital literacy and modern library learning environments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please share/forward this link with others

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the Smiths: https://hef.org.nz/2011/craig-smith-26-january-1951-to-30-september-2011/

Updated 1 October 2014: Three years on (Craig Smith’s Health) page 7 click here

*****

Needing help for your home schooling journey:

https://hef.org.nz/2011/needing-help-for-your-home-schooling-journey-2/

And

Here are a couple of links to get you started home schooling:

Information on getting started: https://hef.org.nz/getting-started-2/

and

Information on getting an exemption: https://hef.org.nz/exemptions/

This link is motivational: http://hef.org.nz/2012/home-schooling-what-is-it-all-about/

Exemption Form online: https://hef.org.nz/2012/home-schooling-exemption-form-now-online/

Coming Events: https://hef.org.nz/2013/some-coming-events-for-home-education-during-2013-2/

Beneficiaries: http://hef.org.nz/2013/where-to-for-beneficiary-families-now-that-the-social-security-benefit-categories-and-work-focus-amendment-bill-has-passed-its-third-reading

Minister of Education

Posted on 2014-10-08 by Barbara

Government

National

New Ministerial List (pdf 44.06 KB)

Hekia Parata remains in the position of Minister of Education

A number of Ministers continue largely in their current portfolio responsibilities. These include Steven Joyce in Economic Development, Hekia Parata in Education, Murray McCully in Foreign Affairs, Nathan Guy in Primary Industries, Tim Groser in Trade and Climate Change, and Nicky Wagner in Customs.

Nikki Kaye Associate Minister of Education

Opposition

Labour

Chris Hipkins Spokesperson for Education
Spokesperson for Early Childhood Education

Megan Woods Associate Spokesperson for Education

Green Party

Catherine Delahunty Spokesperson Education

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the Smiths:

https://hef.org.nz/2011/craig-smith-26-january-1951-to-30-september-2011/

Updated 1 October 2014: Three years on (Craig Smith’s Health) page 7 click here

*****

Needing help for your home schooling journey:

https://hef.org.nz/2011/needing-help-for-your-home-schooling-journey-2/

And

Here are a couple of links to get you started home schooling:

Information on getting started: https://hef.org.nz/getting-started-2/

and

Information on getting an exemption: https://hef.org.nz/exemptions/

This link is motivational:https://hef.org.nz/2012/home-schooling-what-is-it-all-about/

Exemption Form online:https://hef.org.nz/2012/home-schooling-exemption-form-now-online/

Coming Events:https://hef.org.nz/2013/some-coming-events-for-home-education-during-2013-2/

Beneficiaries: http://hef.org.nz/2013/where-to-for-beneficiary-families-now-that-the-social-security-benefit-categories-and-work-focus-amendment-bill-has-passed-its-third-reading/

Archives New Zealand and National Library open the files on the First World War

Posted on 2014-08-04 by Barbara

Today marks 100 years since England declared war on Germany

“More than 141,000 First World War service files are now available online, adding to the wealth of information detailing New Zealanders experience of the war made available by Archives New Zealand and the National Library.

“In possibly the largest and most complicated digitisation project in New Zealand’s history, Archives New Zealand staff identified over 141,000 First World War files, scanned the often crumbling, fragile pages and then digitised them and published them online.

“All 141,000 files can now be accessed at: http://www.archives.govt.nz/world-war-one

“As the keeper of the public record, Archives New Zealand is proud to make this fascinating, sometimes poignant, record available to everyone,” said Chief Archivist, Marilyn Little.

“Archives New Zealand and National Library of New Zealand First World War centenary resources can be found at:

World War One New Zealand Personnel Files: http://www.archives.govt.nz/world-war-one

Index of National Library WW1 resources: http://natlib.govt.nz/researchers/guides/first-world-war

WW100 official centenary site: http://ww100.govt.nz/find-WW1-content

Papers Past offers day-by-day coverage of the War years from a huge range NZ newspapers: http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast

NZ Official War Art Collection: http://warart.archives.govt.nz/

Services to Schools WW1 resources: http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/multimedia/primary-sources/anzacs

Life 100 Years Ago twitter feed: https://twitter.com/life100yearsago

Education Law in New Zealand- updated with extra links

Posted on 2014-08-02 by Barbara

We are often asked:

“What does the law say about homeschooling in New Zealand?”

Here is the Act: New Zealand Education Act 1989

The law: New Zealand citizens and residents between 6 and 16 to go to school

PART III ENROLMENT AND ATTENDANCE OF STUDENTS

20 New Zealand citizens and residents between 6 and 16 to go to school

(1) Except as provided in this Act, every person who is not an international student is required to be enrolled at a registered school at all times during the period beginning on the person’s sixth birthday and ending on the person’s 16th birthday.

(2) Before a child’s seventh birthday, the child is not required to be enrolled at any school more than 3 kilometres walking distance from the child’s residence.

Compare: 1964 No 135 ss 108, 109

Section 20 heading: amended, on 1 January 1993, by section 5 of the Education Amendment Act (No 4) 1991 (1991 No 136).

Section 20(1): amended, on 30 August 2011, by section 13 of the Education Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 66).

Section 20(1): amended, on 1 January 1993, by section 5(1) of the Education Amendment Act (No 4) 1991 (1991 No 136).

Home Education: Long term exemptions from enrolment

21 Long term exemptions from enrolment

(1) An employee of the Ministry designated by the Secretary for the purpose (in this section and section 26 referred to as a designated officer) may, by certificate given to a person’s parent, exempt the person from the requirements of section 20,—
- (a) on the parent’s application; and
- (b) if satisfied that the person—
  - (i) will be taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school; or
  - (ii) in the case of a person who would otherwise be likely to need special education, will be taught at least as regularly and well as in a special class or clinic or by a special service.
(2) A certificate under subsection (1) continues in force until it is revoked or expires under this section.

(3) If a designated officer refuses to grant a certificate under subsection (1), the applicant parent may appeal to the Secretary who, after considering a report on the matter from the Chief Review Officer, shall confirm the refusal or grant a certificate.

(4) The Secretary’s decision is final.

(5) Every certificate under subsection (1) or subsection (3) shall state why it was given.

(6) Subject to subsection (7), the Secretary may at any time revoke a certificate under subsection (1) or subsection (3).
(7) The Secretary shall not revoke a certificate under subsection (1) or subsection (3), unless, after having—
- (a) made reasonable efforts to get all the relevant information; and
- (b) considered a report on the matter from the Chief Review Officer,—
the Secretary is not satisfied of whichever of the grounds specified in subsection (1)(b) the certificate was originally granted on.
(8) If the Secretary thinks any person exempted under subsection (1) would be better off getting special education, the Secretary may revoke the certificate and issue a direction under section 9.

(8A) A certificate for the time being in force under subsection (1) or subsection (3) expires when the person to whom it applies turns 16 or enrols at a registered school, whichever happens first.
(9) Every certificate of exemption under section 111 of the Education Act 1964 that was in force on 30 September 1989 shall be deemed to have been granted—
- (a) on the ground specified in subsection (1)(b)(i) if it was in fact granted—
  - (i) before 20 July 1987, under section 111(4)(a) of the Education Act 1964; or
  - (ii) after 19 July 1987, under section 111(3)(a) of that Act; and
- (b) on the ground specified in subsection (1)(b)(ii) if it was in fact granted—
  - (i) before 20 July 1987, under section 111(4)(b) of the Education Act 1964; or
  - (ii) after 19 July 1987, under section 111(3)(b) of that Act;—
and may be revoked under this section accordingly.
Section 21(2): amended, on 19 December 1998, by section 10(1) of the Education Amendment Act (No 2) 1998 (1998 No 118).

Section 21(6): amended, on 23 July 1990, by section 10 of the Education Amendment Act 1990 (1990 No 60).

Section 21(8A): inserted, on 19 December 1998, by section 10(2) of the Education Amendment Act (No 2) 1998 (1998 No 118).

Section 21(9): inserted, on 1 January 1990, by section 8 of the Education Amendment Act 1989 (1989 No 156).

Section 21 compare note: repealed, on 20 May 2010, by section 11 of the Education Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 25).

walking distance, in relation to travel between a person’s residence and a school,—

(a) where there is no public transport that the person can conveniently use, means the distance (measured along the most direct route by public road, public footpath, or combination of both) between the residence and the school; and

(b) where in both directions there is public transport that the person can conveniently use, means the sum of the following distances (each measured along the most direct route by public road, public footpath, or combination of both) or, where the sum is greater in one direction than the other, the greater sum:
- (i) the distance between the residence and the place where public transport must first be taken (or, as the case may be, finally be left); and
- (ii) the distance between the school and the place where public transport must finally be left (or, as the case may be, first be taken); and
- (iii) every intermediate distance between one element of public transport and another