MIC 17 | Hijacking the school bus: Ideologies, curriculum, and teacher training

This MIC 17 conversation examined concerns about academic standards, teacher burnout, and ideological conflict in New Zealand classrooms.

The event brought together researchers and educators to consider those concerns.

At the time, the figures highlighted included more than 40% of students failing writing and maths in recent NCEA testing. The discussion considered how to improve educational outcomes.

The discussion explored how best to support teachers in their training, the place of politics in the classroom, and the balance between ideology and practical teaching skills in teacher education.

The panel considered practical approaches to improving educational outcomes.

The panellists were Dr Melissa Derby, a University of Waikato lecturer researching literacy; Stephanie Martin, co-author of a study examining teacher training programmes; and Maryanne Spurdle, a Maxim Institute researcher specialising in education.

The conversation considered how an education system can help all children reach their potential.

Our Panellists:

Melissa D.

Dr Melissa Derby is a senior lecturer at the University of Waikato. Her research focuses on early literacy skills, particularly how families can help. She has received various awards for her scholarship, including the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award and two from the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi. She is also a board member and expert advisor for several government-funded national projects.

Steph M.

Stephanie Martin is an experienced educator and researcher. She has a Master of Teaching (Primary) and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology. Stephanie worked as a primary school teacher and held various positions such as Associate Teacher, Mentor Teacher, and University Liaison Lecturer. She is currently developing new teaching qualifications for the Primary teaching sector with the New Zealand Tertiary College. Stephanie is also an Adjunct Fellow with the New Zealand Initiative where she co-authored a report recommending substantial changes to the way primary and secondary teachers are trained in New Zealand titled “Who Teaches the Teachers.”

Maryanne S.

Maryanne Spurdle holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Auckland, a BA in Communications from California State University at Fullerton, and is a World Journalism Institute Fellow. She held a variety of positions before joining Maxim Institute in 2023, writing, editing and designing material for mainstream media and non-profit organisations. One of Maryanne’s early roles was at a charity that supports vulnerable and homeless adults in the north of England. That experience informed and fuelled her desire to discover and communicate the best ways that families, communities, and governments can encourage human flourishing in a complex world.

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Education Events Future Government New Zealand Policy Politics Society
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