Are schools being distracted? The Politics of Distraction

I always enjoy reading Hattie.  He keeps

things pretty simple, and makes them easy to read and digest.  A paper he put out in June of this year has finally found its way onto my table - something to do with my babies being down in Wellington, me having no life, and a lot of readings piling up!

But Hattie's 'The Politics of Distraction' has kept me entertained for the last hour and a half - see, easy read.  But I have written notes, as some of his one-liners (or those he has used from other brainy people) are really hitting home.

Below is a list of the key points I have taken from this paper.  I'm not going to just list the 5 distractions he talks about, but rather, write (in his or my words) the things I will take away with me and seriously put some thought too.  And BTW, some are not new, but he revisits them all over again.

• Student Outcome = One years progress for One years input.
• Make evidence-informed decisions and policy rather than evidence-based.
• Improve teacher expertise: Recognise, Value, Enhance and Resource.
• Insist upon high expectations for the impact of your teaching.
• Develop collective expertise in and between schools.
• Robust discussions must be had regarding the purpose and desired outcomes of teaching.
• Standards really set an in-built failure system in schools, as there will always be a 'tail'.
• Be careful with language eg. minority tail.  
• Applaud educators who 'add value' to a students learning each year - even if this means the student 'plateaus or flatlines'.
• Believe 'I can make a difference' everytime I walk into a school - for every/any student.
• Create the circumstances for success.
• Remove barriers - especially low expectations.
• Worry about what is happening 'within' a school, rather than 'between' schools.
• Choice of school matters less than choice of teacher.
• Tests should provide interprative information on teacher impact and where to next, rather than student achievement.  
• Tests should inform the teacher not the student.
• Before the 'environment' changes; coach the staff on how to improve student achievement and outcomes using this environment (collaboration, alternative methods, evaluating impacts).
• The atmosphere in both the staffroom and the classroom need to be indusive to high level learning.
• Resourcing in schools should be on enhancing student outcomes not enhancing adult satisfaction. 
• Use technology to enhance knowledge production not knowledge consumption.

To read the full paper click here.