EducationMay 20, 2009 6:14 pm
What a horribly written headline
How many possible different meanings could this headline have? New Zealand's journalists are clearly just as skilled with the English language as those in the US. It turns out the story is about this:
The Ministry of Education's draft national standards, released this week, provide benchmark numeracy and literacy achievements for primary and intermediate school children from next year. Schools will be required to report to parents in "plain language" about their child's progress, including how their child is doing against each national standard... Paparoa Street School principal Philip Harding [said] "You will be preparing children for those assessments, as opposed to the rich education children now get," Harding said.

Hey, what your saying isn"t nice. Your reportors may have Bad English, but our's dont.
More seriously, I think fear standards are an excellent idea for the public schools. Without an adequate level of fear, you get the sort of daily warehousing-without-learning for which American public schools are becoming famous. High time someone finally set some standards for a minimum level of fear. Oderint dum metuant... and how I wish I knew how to write "Let them fear so they will learn!"
Comment by Prof. X — May 22, 2009 @ 2:18 am