Kay: Former Head of Social Sciences on the problems with the new history curriculum

The Education Review Office has found teachers are overwhelmed by the scale of change in teaching the new history curriculum. 

Teaching New Zealand’s histories became a requirement for students in years one to ten at the start of last year. 

The report found schools are finding it challenging and time consuming, often struggling to understand what's required. 

Kay is a former head of Social Science with a specialty in commerce teaching, and although she hasn’t taught social studies since 2000, was shocked at the vagueness of the previous curriculum. 

“When I came into being head of Social Science, it was a nine sentence curriculum,” she told Kerre Woodham.  

“What it resulted in was such a huge range of knowledge and skills being taught across New Zealand.”  

She said that she was glad when Labour said they were going to review it and add specifics for teaching New Zealand history, but what they did was “unbelievably a mess”. 

“The new curriculum is so much New Zealand History that it lacks space within any given year for a teacher to teach anything except New Zealand History.” 

“There’s so much missing it’s not funny.” 

Kay told Kerre that teachers were giving feedback over and over as Labour made their changes, and they weren’t listened to. 

“It’s just been an absolute shambles.” 

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