Acronyms in education organisations are rife. Here’s a basic translation of the common ones in New Zealand education.

Assessment:

NCEA – National Certificate of Educational Achievement

AS – Achievement Standard

US – Unit Standard

Ministry of Education:

NZQA – New Zealand Qualifications Authority

ERO – Education Review Office

Salary/responsibility:

DP – Deputy Principal

HOD – Head of Department

MU- Management Unit

PRT – Provisionally Registered Teacher

LTR – Long Term Relief

Some subjects:

SOS – Social Studies

SCI – Science

ECO – Economics

BST – Business Studies

ENG – English

PHY – Physics

Miscellaneous:

LSU – Learning Support Unit

PD – Professional Development

ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages

EOTC – Education Outside The Classroom

Hope these help in some way at some time in your life as a Parent, Student, Teacher, Taxpayer or other.

In conclusion, here’s a much longer list!

It’s been a few weeks since we returned from a two week visit to the United States. It’s also been a few weeks since I posted.

In the US we had a real fun time and it’s taken a while to get back into the swing of things here at work.

I’ve never had a desire to go to The States but it kinda fell into my lap so I took the opportunity with open arms.

Highlights for me were:

• Surfing in the Gulf of Mexico
• Santa Barbara town

• Driving through Silicon Valley
• Fort Point San Francisco

• Our super friendly and generous hosts in San Clemente
• Meeting and hanging with people new everywhere
• Downtown San Francisco and 22nd st, SF

• The Pacific Coast Highway
• The Honor Till at the Organic Strawberry farm, north of Santa Barbara on the PCH.

Lowlights:

• Missing Kelly Slater and Sean Penn on the Trestles path by 1 day.
• Two US$50 parking tickets in the space of 14 minutes. Ouch. (thanks to the San Francisco council we were let off one of them)
• Tap water in motels
• LAX and Global Rent-a-Car at LAX (we didn’t use)
• Being sunburnt through my t-shirt in the surf (on top of old sunburn)

South padre island

• Faking an American accent to speed up responses to questions

The +’s and the -’s. That’s what travel is all about right?

End.

Statistics can be fascinating. Google trends is a helpful source, where I learnt that Texas is bigger than Russia?

Applying them is even better. Sprint have made use of a whole bunch of stats in a commercial currently on US television.

Enjoy!

After a marathon 40 hours either in the air or sitting in airports we arived in Austin, Texas at 2am local time. Hanan’s place is nice. Austin is a cool town. Wide streets, wide footpaths, wide hallways. It’s all big.

We woke around 10am after a ‘wet double cappuccino’ (the closest thing to a flat white) and started our trip south in a hired dodge, 484 Kilometres, to Brownsville, Texas. We’re travelling with with Hanan’s room mates from Germany.

Right now we’re in Brownsville and plan to surf in the Gulf of Mexico today at South Padre Island. This place gets pumping surf when hurricanes hit the gulf of Mexico. Photos show waves breaking from swells generated by Ike, Gustav and Katrina.

Some highlights so far in a thousand words:

Last night’s mexican meal.

Warehouse church?

Traffic lights.

Crow at the service station.

The 5+

In one week’s time we’re heading over to the USA for a 2 week holiday. We’re visiting my wife’s brother in Austin, Texas then flying back to LA for a trip around California. The plan is to check out San Diego, LA, and San Fransisco, with all the other bits in between.

As of this morning, having looked at a friends donated maps of the area, i’m anticipating visits to the following:

• Hollywood
• Beverly Hills
• Disneyland
• Sea World
• Tijuana
• Huntington beach
• Venice beach
• Alcatraz
• Golden gate bridge
• Silicon Valley
• Trestles
• Mavericks – Half Moon Bay
• Steamer Lane
• Rincon
• Santa Cruz
• Steamer lane
• Las Vegas*
• Not enough time

Obviously some of these (e.g. disneyland) fall into the “so we can say we’ve done it” category rather than because we’re really gagging to go.

Of the above list, is there anything missing? Where should we go that you recommend? Where shouldn’t we go?

Some interesting facts having researched California this week:

• Central Valley is California’s agricultural heartland and grows approximately one-third of the nation’s food
• There is a tree (Bristlecone pine) in the California White mountains that is 4,700 years old
• Death Valley recorded the highest temperature in the Western Hemisphere, 57 degrees celcius (July 10, 1913)

Looking forward to the trip. As they say, the anticipation is half the holiday.

Over the past few weeks my business class groups have been busy trying to develop business venture ideas for their YES companies. It’s always a great ride. Witnessing teenagers get that glimpse of the very real notion that they are already in control of their own financial future, even just by being in business at school, is always a privilege to witness.

The challenges are always the same. Given they’re students and usually low on cash, they require an idea with the following characteristics:

• Minimal financial outlay
• Low barriers to entry
• Not been done before
• Innovative (preferrably)

The big problem is the ability to come up with a concept that matches most (if not all) of the above points. Most of their initial ideas will usually have one of two problems:

1. Lack of scalability or continuity, e.g. school sausage sizzle’s or school dances
2. Issues around time and expense to get to market, e.g. prohibitive prototyping expense

On day one, I extensively cover what I believe to be the first rule of the business start-up; solve a problem.

Obviously, some of the student groups companies don’t quickly identify problems to solve, so I use a different tactic. I ask them to write their own answers to the following questions on a sheet of paper.

One aim of this was to inspire them to explore areas of business that align with their talents and the interests in their own lives (Paul Graham’s ‘What you’ll wish you’d known’ post was an inspiration for this).

Next, I suggest that instead of trying to come up with a business idea, perhaps they should identify:

1. A target group of people with identifiable characteristics (or worldviews)
2. A solution to one of their problems

When we did this, atleast one company thrived. They identified numerous prospects, including one which looks at first glance to be very promising. Encouragingly, it also has the 4 characteristics needed for most teenage YES businesses. Again…

• Minimal outlay
• Low barrier to entry
• Not been done before
• Innovative

Their chosen target group? The Elderly. Their solution? … by all accounts, well on it’s way to market.

In conclusion, providing an environment for teenage kiwi entrepreneurs to develop business venture ideas is a unique challenge. It’s often fun, sometimes tiring, but mostly rewarding and a privilege.

What processes have you used when in a formal idea generation setting?

The surfing industry has done a pretty good job of cleaning itself up in the last decade.

I’ve been enjoying mostly great coverage this past week of the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast of Australia. The one let down from my point of view was in the live footage of the heats. A constant stream of girly shots from the cameramen. Who are they… teenage boys or seedy middle-aged men? During heats there’ll be girls being filmed sunbathing, adjusting their bikini’s etc.

It seems a crass, insulting and frankly unprofessional method of presenting the elite level of the sport of surfing. Sure some people might enjoy it but i’m there to watch surfing not soft porn and anyone stumbling across surfing for the first time via the live footage would think it was all a bit of a joke. My point is, I believe the WCT Dream Tour isn’t the place to be showing ‘peeping’ footage.

Watching these heats with anyone other than ‘the boys’ would make one embarrassed at the adolescent behaviour on display. Quiksilver should be ashamed their producer of the live heat coverage is lowering the tone of this otherwise polished event.  The phrase ‘an insult to my intelligence’ comes to mind.

I’m reminded of a comment a friend once made about Madonna’s music videos. Something along the lines of being ’sick of her bringing soft-porn onto TV and that if he wanted to look at porn he’d just go and buy it’.

Finally, on a more general note we know that sex sells, but just because it sells things, it doesn’t justify using it does it?

Some thoughts for parents with kids at secondary school in NZ from a teacher:

• If your son or daughter has a report card saying “talks too much”, don’t be overly concerned. They’re probably socially advanced. They might not become a librarian, but they’ll have plenty of opportunity to use the habit of ‘talking too much’ to their advantage.
• The circles your kids move in at school really do matter. Care about this. Peer groups are profoundly influential. Research suggests (as hard as it might be for fabulous parents to understand) that the influence of your wonderful parenting pales in comparison to the influence of your kids peers on behaviour and outcomes. 
• Ask your kids “What did you learn today?” rather than “How was school?”
• Ring your kids teachers (all of them). There should be around five or six. The good one’s would love to hear from you. They’re really not so busy that they can’t talk to you, and those that say they are, are probably just busy talking about how busy they are. If you can’t extract their names from your child, call the school and ask for the dean of their year level, they’ll have their teacher’s names.
• Do the above before parent teacher interviews.
• If you can, get involved [manage, coach, administer] in the sport your kid is involved in at school. It’ll create great connections.
• If there’s a sport your child enjoys that’s not offered at their school, pioneer the group yourself (call the sports director). It’ll create great connections.
• Bring homework alive by telling them your story and giving them real your examples.
• Regarding resources, try to check that they atleast have pens and a book for class. This will help immensely (sounds obvious, but…).
• Help them see what subjects lead down what career path.
• Maybe don’t encourage them too much in ‘your’ passions unless theirs is the same passion, or they don’t yet know what theirs is.
• Encourage their passions no end!

I believe that every kid has huge potential in this world in some way. Their challenge is to align it.*

As their teacher, I try to do number 10 everyday. As their parent i’m sure you have plenty more to do than me, however I hope these thoughts assist somehow.

What are some questions you have about school’s and how they work? Feel free to comment below.

Further reading:

Seth Godin – What is school for?

Paul Graham – What you’ll wsh you’d known*

Note

This post is aimed to be progressive, while raising some issues that may seem negative, ultimately it’s hoped it’ll be a post that prompts positive outcomes.

It naturally takes a ‘for surfing’ angle.

Context

Wellington’s most convenient surf spot Lyall Bay has numerous uses. One of which is surfing. This being the case, there is a desire by the author to advance the pursuit of surfing at Lyall Bay (and in the Wellington region as a whole). While some of you may not understand the sport of surfing, i’m sure you can appreciate there is a legion of those who find general satisfaction and health benefits from the sport. These outcomes are gained with a minimal impact on the environment and resources.

Some Wellington surfers may take a lethargic approach, not being concerned about the services they are provided with and the resources required to improve their sporting environment. Maybe this will change for the better?

A symbol of commitment – “sound of the sea”

This Lyall Bay ‘eye-sore’ is a failed never used changing shed, which has seemingly morphed into a wierd 70’s art tribute. The ‘thing’ in the photo above represents the commitment the Wellington City Council have to the sport of surfing in Wellington. Do you accept this level of commitment? A sport in which hundreds if not thousands participate each year in the Wellington region.

Questions arising:

1. Who at the council was responsible for this ‘thing’?
2. What kind of consultation process took place before the decision was made to build it?
3. How much did it cost?
4. How many pohutukawa’s could’ve been planted instead?
5. Was it erected because of complaints from those who are tired of driving past surfer’s getting changed by their cars?

Build it and they won’t necessarily come. This thing was never used. Surfer’s the world over will not depart from their car to get changed. It’s a standard surfer behaviour: Wetsuit/gear is in the car, surfer stays by car to get changed. 

I am truly fascinated as to why and how the green “Sound of the Sea” monstrosity came about. Does anyone know?

Sand, carparks and waves

The issue of the changing shed come art canvas leads me to another issue surrounding our council’s consultation processes:

The carpark retaining wall near the ‘corner’ or east end of Lyall Bay.

Numerous surfers have commented that the wave at ‘the corner’ has been severely compromised since the development of the impractical carpark adjacent. The comment’s in the main focus on the now lack of hollowness of the wave. In other words the ‘quality’.

Surf-bank or bar building 101: Let sand blow back out to sea with the same freedom that it blows onto the beach and waves of quality are produced. Waves that peel and are hollow. In case you wondered (and have a long memory) why the middle of Lyall Bay no longer has peeling waves, the reason is sand. Ten or so years ago a concrete wall was built to ’save the dunes’.

As an aside, dunes like whales, seem to be the ‘thing to protect’ in recent times. For reasons that can be argued.

You may also have noticed the stony nature of the beach in the middle of Lyall Bay. The reason? The concrete wall prevents the offshore wind from blowing sand back across the beach and out to sea in an offshore, north quarter wind. Again, no quality peeling waves, and again, who is responsible for this and why did it happen?

Here’s what a lack of sand did to Mundaka’s fragile economy, and what it could do at Whangamata if the proposed marina is built.

Wellington Surfonomics

A couple of Saturdays ago I was at Lyall Bay and counted 160 surfers in the water. That’s surfers and bodyboarders. This figure does not include swimmers, bodysurfers or kayakers. That means, on a sunny, surfable day at Lyall Bay, the equivelant of 10 rugby teams make their way to the city beach and have a blast riding waves. Triple that to include those at the playground, Maranui cafe, walkers, swimmers etc.

Obviously official sports teams pay their clubs subscriptions, possibly some of which go to the council, but in the main the council take care of the upkeep of parks. What spending the council do provide to sports and recreation teams could undoubtedly be justified by the benefit gained through the exercise/recreation etc. Surfing has benefits also. The economic spin off of such activity should not be sneezed at. Beaches are not even mentioned in this seemingly definitive list of council services. However ‘beaches and coastal areas’ are mentioned later in a single paragraph within the recreation support page.

As it reads on this page;

“Wellington City Council aims to make it easier for all Wellingtonians to enjoy healthy, active lifestyles.”

It goes on;

“Sports and recreational facilities maintained and operated by the Council include sportsgrounds, swimming pools, recreation and sports centres, community centres and halls, botanic gardens and parks, beaches and coastal areas, walkways and cycling tracks, and children’s play areas.”

Surfing aside for a moment, is Wellington not one of the most coast-rich cities in the world. Having travelled extensively, the amount of beautiful coastline in Wellington, with such varied uses, in such close proximity to our CBD must surely be a rarity, and would place us among only a handful of cities (towns and small cities aside) in the world?

Sure, we’re in Wellington. It’s not a surf town. Wellington is a major city and the financial, government and IT centre of New Zealand. The fact that we get consistent waves in town, on the west coast and in the wairarapa means we are actually in a unique situation. The amount of infrastructure in close proximity to Lyall Bay makes it unique indeed. Last time I looked Auckland, Hamilton or Christchurch didn’t have a good wave between 12 and 20 minutes drive from the CBD. Given the fact that Wellington is a town with comparatively good surf, there is an economic benefit for the council, government and country as a whole in surfing as a sport. A sport to be encouraged, fostered and developed. In saying this, Lyall Bay would have to be one of the most bleak beaches you could hope to find. The surrounding roads and pedestrian entrances are an ugly mix of poorly planned, concrete shrubs which add to an unwelcome feel about the place. I for one wouldn’t plan a walk along the parade on a nice calm day anytime. While it’s as bleak as it currently is, i’ll only go there to surf.

Some of the stakeholders in Wellington’s surfing arena:

• surfshop owners
• dairy owners
• cafe owners
• supermarket owners
• petrol station owners
• magazine outlet owners
• bus company owners
• property investors
• staff of all the above businesses
• government & council

The Artificial Surf Reef

The Surf reef is not happening any time soon. Resource consent expired on the 20th of January 2009. For detailed reasons why, email me (my email address top left).

Much gratitude must be given to Tony Lines (and unnamed others) for his 8+ years of commitment fighting for the cause in his personal time. As mentioned by Rod Drury, the reef would be of immeasurable value to the city.

Frustration exists. ASR Limited, having [apparently] not completed the mount or opunake reefs (Wellington city council won’t even look at the Lyall Bay reef project again until these reefs have been completed) have credibility issues. ASR Limited are supposedly overseas ‘consulting’ on other reefs. If this is true, it is disappointing that they didn’t finish the reef’s in NZ first. This council stonewall, as well as the resource consent expiry and also skyrocketing costs of building the reef since it was first proposed have led to a hefty mountain to climb.

Whether you are for or against the reef, as a Wellington surfer it’s in your best interests to be informed.

Recommendations

I now list a number of recommendations for the Lyall Bay surfing experience to be enhanced and made better use of:

(Please feel free to comment or add to the list):

1. Permanent floodlights along the airport wall for reqular all-night surfing
2. Fresh water showers along entire parade
3. Proper entrance to a sealed parking area by army hangar
4. Pedestrian crossing from parking by army hangar to beach
5. Indented parking spaces created along the airport wall
6. Viewing platform erected along the airport wall.
7. And, to make sure it all happens: [possibly] a surfer’s collective!

Final thought

Around 10 years ago I was living in Raglan and was an active member of the point boardriders club. A few years prior, the club actively lobbied against the building of a hotel at Indicators that would have exploited a great surfspot enjoyed by many. The point isn’t whether the hotel should or shouldn’t have gone ahead. The point is, the boardriders club had a say, they had a voice, they had influence. Who better to look after Lyall Bay than the surfers of Lyall Bay. To do it we’ll need to be alot less passive and alot more united as a surfing community in Wellington.

What do you think? Feel free to comment below. It’d be great to get some feedback.