Chris
@chriscosmas.bsky.social
Pākehā history teacher. Doing more research than actual teaching at the moment. Also interested in other things. Sorry about the typos.
As the only specialist education reporter left I always appreciate Gerritsen's work, but this needs some distinction between curriculum and professional learning. It seems much of the benefit came from the professional learning connected to the Common Practice Model rather than the curriculum.
Better reading, maths results but two new curriculums a massive job - principals
Some said they focused on either the new maths or English curriculums, not both, and had more work to do next year.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 7, 2025 at 8:15 PM
As the only specialist education reporter left I always appreciate Gerritsen's work, but this needs some distinction between curriculum and professional learning. It seems much of the benefit came from the professional learning connected to the Common Practice Model rather than the curriculum.
It was moving today to learn about the Dieter Meyer's 1978 interviews with leaders and central figures in the 1975 Māori Land March archives.library.auckland.ac.nz/resources/di...
Collection: Dieter Meyer collection on Māori land issues | ArchivesSpace Public Interface
archives.library.auckland.ac.nz
November 6, 2025 at 7:24 AM
It was moving today to learn about the Dieter Meyer's 1978 interviews with leaders and central figures in the 1975 Māori Land March archives.library.auckland.ac.nz/resources/di...
I'm reading the new Social Sciences curriculum content and I wasn't prepared for how sad I would feel. We spent thousands of hours working with the previous iteration and the NZ history content and all that enthusiasm and excitement was just killed for something so bad.
October 28, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I'm reading the new Social Sciences curriculum content and I wasn't prepared for how sad I would feel. We spent thousands of hours working with the previous iteration and the NZ history content and all that enthusiasm and excitement was just killed for something so bad.
This year I've been teaching on the UoA Waipapa Taumata Rau course. It's been infuriating to see it attacked and misrepresented by ACT and NZ Herald. Alison Jones' piece gives a clear account of what it is, what it isn't, and why it should remain a requirement e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-...
A betrayal of academic freedom | E-Tangata
e-tangata.co.nz
October 19, 2025 at 8:23 PM
This year I've been teaching on the UoA Waipapa Taumata Rau course. It's been infuriating to see it attacked and misrepresented by ACT and NZ Herald. Alison Jones' piece gives a clear account of what it is, what it isn't, and why it should remain a requirement e-tangata.co.nz/comment-and-...
Reposted by Chris
This government has been doing DEI on behalf of unqualified white men, as showed by their appointments for The Waitangi Tribunal and the NZ Human Rights Commissioner, all slated as unqualified by officials. End this woke shit.
March 10, 2025 at 11:04 PM
This government has been doing DEI on behalf of unqualified white men, as showed by their appointments for The Waitangi Tribunal and the NZ Human Rights Commissioner, all slated as unqualified by officials. End this woke shit.
If Erica Stanford wants to win over teachers, I recommend she continues to make her disdain for Seymour clear. She’s never been more relatable.
Teacher-only days continue after Seymour oversteps, Education Minister says
Education Minister Erica Stanford says it wasn't David Seymour's place to say teacher-only days would be cut back.
www.rnz.co.nz
February 16, 2025 at 9:46 AM
If Erica Stanford wants to win over teachers, I recommend she continues to make her disdain for Seymour clear. She’s never been more relatable.
So “how far” exactly does Luxon think Destiny Church should have gone?
Destiny Church protesters 'went too far' - Luxon
Luxon said protesters linked to Destiny Church "went too far" by disrupting Pride events in Auckland, while church leader Brian Tamaki said he told protesters, "I want you to storm the library they're...
www.rnz.co.nz
February 16, 2025 at 12:36 AM
So “how far” exactly does Luxon think Destiny Church should have gone?
I’ve been watching the schedule waiting to see when the inhabitants of the Ōwairaka fairy house will be going their Treaty Principles Bill submission #nzpol
February 14, 2025 at 1:41 AM
I’ve been watching the schedule waiting to see when the inhabitants of the Ōwairaka fairy house will be going their Treaty Principles Bill submission #nzpol
Watching TPB submissions today and my son thinks people are copying ideas from his submission. Reminds me that when I was his age I was convinced I'd come up with the lyrics to the Addams Family Groove before MC Hammer.
January 27, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Watching TPB submissions today and my son thinks people are copying ideas from his submission. Reminds me that when I was his age I was convinced I'd come up with the lyrics to the Addams Family Groove before MC Hammer.
Reposted by Chris
Explore books on Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi – available in schools, libraries, and bookshops across Aotearoa, as well as digitally through the BWB Collections.
#NZHistory #TeTiriti
#NZHistory #TeTiriti
January 27, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Explore books on Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi – available in schools, libraries, and bookshops across Aotearoa, as well as digitally through the BWB Collections.
#NZHistory #TeTiriti
#NZHistory #TeTiriti
I just had this happen doing a submission with my son. Don't really trust someone to be in touch in time, so we just submitted again and it went through #nzpol
Anyone else have an issue when trying to submit on the Treaty Principles Bill? I'm not sure if I should try submitting again. #nzpol
January 6, 2025 at 6:59 AM
I just had this happen doing a submission with my son. Don't really trust someone to be in touch in time, so we just submitted again and it went through #nzpol
Reposted by Chris
In "oh shit, there's another Bill that requires a submission" news, feedback on the Social Security Amendment Bill closes JANUARY 10TH.
Here's my (very quick) submission, and the link.
www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/mak...
Here's my (very quick) submission, and the link.
www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/mak...
January 3, 2025 at 6:57 PM
In "oh shit, there's another Bill that requires a submission" news, feedback on the Social Security Amendment Bill closes JANUARY 10TH.
Here's my (very quick) submission, and the link.
www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/mak...
Here's my (very quick) submission, and the link.
www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/mak...
Reposted by Chris
Thinking about Dr Angus Macfarlane and his grieving whānau tonight. His contributions to mātauranga have impacted so many for the better. My fav is his work on the braided rivers model for the intersection of science and indigenous knowledge.
November 27, 2024 at 7:09 AM
Thinking about Dr Angus Macfarlane and his grieving whānau tonight. His contributions to mātauranga have impacted so many for the better. My fav is his work on the braided rivers model for the intersection of science and indigenous knowledge.
Reposted by Chris
This is so bad, and there will be more of it.
This person was on the English years 0-6 curriculum writing group and now they are selling their services as experts in an aspect of literacy they wrote into the curriculum.
The curriculum is now a vehicle for personal enrichment of a select few.
This person was on the English years 0-6 curriculum writing group and now they are selling their services as experts in an aspect of literacy they wrote into the curriculum.
The curriculum is now a vehicle for personal enrichment of a select few.
November 5, 2024 at 9:25 AM
This is so bad, and there will be more of it.
This person was on the English years 0-6 curriculum writing group and now they are selling their services as experts in an aspect of literacy they wrote into the curriculum.
The curriculum is now a vehicle for personal enrichment of a select few.
This person was on the English years 0-6 curriculum writing group and now they are selling their services as experts in an aspect of literacy they wrote into the curriculum.
The curriculum is now a vehicle for personal enrichment of a select few.
Reposted by Chris
Structural unemployment doesn’t do its job of suppressing wages if being on social welfare isn’t a nightmare.
October 30, 2024 at 11:19 PM
Structural unemployment doesn’t do its job of suppressing wages if being on social welfare isn’t a nightmare.
For Rā Maumahara, I wrote a short piece on te Tiriti and the NZ Wars on the NZARE blog: nzareblog.wordpress.com/2024/10/28/r...
Rethinking the relationship between the New Zealand Wars and te Tiriti o Waitangi
Chris Burns reflects on the relationship between the New Zealand wars and te Tiriti o Waitangi on Rā Maumahara
nzareblog.wordpress.com
October 28, 2024 at 6:35 AM
For Rā Maumahara, I wrote a short piece on te Tiriti and the NZ Wars on the NZARE blog: nzareblog.wordpress.com/2024/10/28/r...
Even if the Treaty Principles Bill is stopped, that reading of ToW is still being persued by the govt. See the proposed changes to the Education and Training Act. Giving effect to te Tiriti is being moved from a primary objective, to a secondary objective when is supports "high student achievement"
September 13, 2024 at 9:28 AM
Even if the Treaty Principles Bill is stopped, that reading of ToW is still being persued by the govt. See the proposed changes to the Education and Training Act. Giving effect to te Tiriti is being moved from a primary objective, to a secondary objective when is supports "high student achievement"
Reposted by Chris
People within the Ministry of Education expressed in writing their unease with the actions of the MAG led by Michael Johnstone and the writing group led by Elizabeth Rata.
August 22, 2024 at 6:41 AM
People within the Ministry of Education expressed in writing their unease with the actions of the MAG led by Michael Johnstone and the writing group led by Elizabeth Rata.
I had hoped the ANZ history curriculum would help develop enough knowledge of NZ history that claims like the PM's - that Māori ceded sovereignty in 1840 - could not pass. Unfortunately, it was pretty clear after the changes to the draft that that kind of specific knowledge would not be included.
August 20, 2024 at 7:18 AM
I had hoped the ANZ history curriculum would help develop enough knowledge of NZ history that claims like the PM's - that Māori ceded sovereignty in 1840 - could not pass. Unfortunately, it was pretty clear after the changes to the draft that that kind of specific knowledge would not be included.
It's remarkably common for students, and others, to talk as though te Tiriti o Waitangi caused the NZ Wars (and conflict more generally). I wrote about this with my colleagues Maia and Alison and how it sits within a broader idea of te Tiriti as flawed link.springer.com/article/10.1...
The Idea of a “Flawed Treaty” and its Influence on Students’ Perceptions of the New Zealand Wars - New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies
This article reports on students’ accounts of te Tiriti o Waitangi as a flawed agreement that was a cause of subsequent conflict. We examine how the notion of a “flawed treaty” is developed in history...
link.springer.com
August 9, 2024 at 11:48 PM
It's remarkably common for students, and others, to talk as though te Tiriti o Waitangi caused the NZ Wars (and conflict more generally). I wrote about this with my colleagues Maia and Alison and how it sits within a broader idea of te Tiriti as flawed link.springer.com/article/10.1...
There is a narrative being pushed that the ANZ histories curriculum is failing - often based on very little engagement with schools. This research (and my own) tells a very different story and illustrates why we should not rush into changes: www.nzcer.org.nz/blogs/school...
Schools are excited about localising the Aotearoa NZ histories curriculum – and so are we | New Zealand Council for Educational Research
www.nzcer.org.nz
May 3, 2024 at 4:44 AM
There is a narrative being pushed that the ANZ histories curriculum is failing - often based on very little engagement with schools. This research (and my own) tells a very different story and illustrates why we should not rush into changes: www.nzcer.org.nz/blogs/school...
Anyone know if Luxon is also still collecting $45,000 a year for renting the electorate office he own mortgage free? www.newshub.co.nz/home/politic...
National leader Christopher Luxon 'very comfortable' with $45,000 taxpayer top-up from renting office back to Parliament
www.newshub.co.nz
March 1, 2024 at 7:11 AM
Anyone know if Luxon is also still collecting $45,000 a year for renting the electorate office he own mortgage free? www.newshub.co.nz/home/politic...
Reposted by Chris
This is the cause Efeso was running for, raising money for fresh drinking water in the Pacific. I reckon sending some donations this way would be a wonderful way to do something with the sadness you're feeling.
childfund.org.nz/childfund-wa...
childfund.org.nz/childfund-wa...
ChildFund Water Run
6 Kiwi celebs racing in the ChildFund Water Run to raise awareness and money to bring safe, clean drinking water to children in the Pacific.
childfund.org.nz
February 21, 2024 at 12:43 AM
This is the cause Efeso was running for, raising money for fresh drinking water in the Pacific. I reckon sending some donations this way would be a wonderful way to do something with the sadness you're feeling.
childfund.org.nz/childfund-wa...
childfund.org.nz/childfund-wa...
Who knows where this aspect the coalition agreement will go, but I wrote something on my concerns with the agreement to “restore balance” in the history curriculum thespinoff.co.nz/politics/07-...
December 7, 2023 at 5:28 PM
Who knows where this aspect the coalition agreement will go, but I wrote something on my concerns with the agreement to “restore balance” in the history curriculum thespinoff.co.nz/politics/07-...