New Zealand Conservative

A controversial Question Two (e) from 2016 Day 2 Level One Algebra Exam - the MCAT Last month’s NCEA Level One Algebra exam hit the news in a big way, with children upset over its difficulty, and teachers and parents outraged that the exam was not reflective of what the students were taught. (See NZQA slammed over ‘far too difficult’ maths exam – students left in tears ) Over the intervening weeks, letters sent to NZQA and to Hekia Parata, and the responses to those letters have been aggregated on this page: 2016 MCAT Feedback . They make for very interesting reading. A number of them contain detailed analyses of the questions that were set at too high a level for NCEA One. A letter has just appeared today that was sent by Rhona Lever to Hekia Parata (PDF link), the lead writer of the controversial Algebra standard, that explains how NZQA and/or the Ministry of Education are out of control and seeking to impose their own curriculum ideas outside of the normal processes when it ...

The Promised Part II on the Failure of Mathematics Teaching in New Zealand... I really, really like mathematics. I understood it easily at school, came first in my entire 6th form year in Maths, Physics and Chemistry in the mid-80's, and enjoyed teaching it to my boys when we were homeschooling. I grew up to be a computer programmer (and software developer and more). In other words, I moved into a STEM field with ease. Strangely enough, I have discovered that people's eyes glaze over when you talk too much maths. Even just a little bit can be too much. For instance, no one has commented on my previous post: Mathematics in NZ at NCEA Level in a dismal state .  Ok, there were a couple of comments on Facebook , but one of those comments was about the picture I accidentally chose for the post.  Also, I've gone and on about these same issues and more to my husband, and after listening politely, he is unable to comment much and changes the subject. Hopefully this w...

Hello readers of NZ Conservative!  Yet again, it has been a long time between posts. It's funny, I think blogging only works if you are angry about something.  Otherwise it's just not worth the effort.  That certainly explains sites like WhaleOil and The Standard, but not KiwiBlog.  I don't know what David Farrar is angry enough about to keep him blogging for so long, but that's a mystery for another day.. Right now, besides Russia invading Ukraine and lying about it, I've found something else to be angry about.  Maths.  Specifically NCEA Maths.  Boy am I pissed. When I was home-schooling, January was the month when I'd plan for the year.  After a number of years of hiatus, since both my boys have entered the state schooling system, I have again reverted back to typical January planning.  Because I have to. Since mid-last year, I have been studying mathematics in an attempt to help my mathematically able but struggling in the last cou...