Hothouse thinkers push for shake-up

TASMANIA needs to “break the mindset of denial” about the state’s dreadful education outcomes, and shake up the system by scrapping Year 10 leavers’ dinners and making all high schools extend to Year 12.

The changes are among initiatives put forward by experts involved in a Tasmanian Hothouse forum aimed at improving education in the state.

The Hothouse Ideas also advocates greater community engagement in schools, with programs aimed at bringing outside experts into classrooms to engage and inspire.

The ideas follow a series of sessions and debates by Tasmania’s best thinkers on Salamanca Lawns last week.

The sessions have been distilled into 12 key ideas, which are underlined by a desire to ensure public opinion embraces the importance of change and the need for a “groundswell of action”.

“Our educational outcomes are dreadful and we make excuses for them,” the Hothouse Ideas statement says.

“We will break the mindset of denial that exists in Tasmania about our standard of education through a combination of cultural and organisational change.

“We want to increase the community’s hunger for better educational outcomes. We also want to change the way the system delivers education.”

Towards these aims, some of the Hothouse Ideas include: EXTENDING all government high schools to Year 12. EXTENDING existing colleges back to Year 7 so they also go from 7-12. PROVIDING frequent, external performance feedback and coaching for all teachers. USING the term “leavers’ dinner” only for those graduating from Year 12.

A key plank in improving student engagement would be in creating greater ties with the wider community, so that external mentors could be brought into schools offering their expertise and experience.

It suggests mentors stay with the same small class or group from years 7 to 12.

The Hothouse Ideas also advocates stronger links between education and employment, and motivating students to think about their futures and careers from Year 9 up.

Australian Education Union Tasmanian president Terry Polglase said many of the ideas advocated were already in place but had become difficult to implement because of budget cuts.

For the full 12 ideas see the Sunday Tasmanian tomorrow