REDUCING THE ‘LONG TAIL’ OF UNDERACHIEVEMENT

The OECD estimates that approximately 40 000 Australian 15 year olds (that is, one in seven students) fail to achieve an international baseline proficiency level in reading.

After 10 or more years of school, these students lack the reading skills that the OECD believes are required to participate adequately in the workforce and to contribute as productive citizens.

The situation is worse in mathematics, where an estimated 57000 Australian 15 year olds (that is, one in five students) fail to achieve the international baseline level.

ref: Policy Insights Five Challenges in Australian School Education ACER Issue #5 May 2016 pp14.

Educational Innovation: a lesson from Steve Jobs?

In 2011, Apple lost more than Steve Jobs. They lost their unique, rebellious nature. With Steve in charge, they had a win-at-all-costs attitude, that went against business norms and the expectations of their investors and board.

You have a better chance at two balls colliding, by throwing a hundred of them down the stairs than you do by tossing one in the air and throwing another one at it. Innovation comes from making connections that don’t seem possible; by doubting the way something is currently done and replacing it with a new way.

...These connections aren’t made through systematic processes. Innovation stems from controlled chaos. Einstein was famous for his messy desk covered in idea-filled papers...not an orderly notebook of theories.

...Innovation has to come from a place of hungry desire to change the world in your own way; not the way someone before you had laid out.

...For this reason, innovation very often comes from the “little-guy” or “a nobody”--the person or team working out of their garage with the vision to change their industry and and the high aptitude for risk.

Steve Jobs Knew Tim Cook Would Kill Apple’s Innovation By Focusing on Sales and Marketing Published on November 1, 2016 Featured in: Leadership & Management, Marketing & Advertising, Technology

Educational Innovation: The BR vision for 2035 Less money$$ more results

At BR we rebel. No longer are we content to have illiterate, poorly educated people. We do something about it and invite you to do so as well.

In 2035 we believe schools, budgets, staffing and results should look like this:

Now 2035

General Teachers 100 100

Learning Support Team remedial 6 2

Teacher Aids remedial 5 0

Students years 1 - 12 2000 2000

Students per year grade 165 165

Student cohort averaged results (OECD) C B

Students in remediation by Grade

see OECD 1:5 Grade 2 33 2 Grade 3 33 22 Grade 4 33 12

Grade 5 33 5

Grade 6 33 4 Grade 7 33 3

Grade 8 33 2

Grade 9 33 1

Grade 10 33 1

Total active remediation files 297 52

Number of at risk students on completion

Grade10 (less than a C average grade

OECD ratio 1:5 ) Grade 10 33 1

Budget

Teaching and Aide Staff 11 @ $75,000 $825k

2 @ 125000 $ 250k

Single largest assumption: that it is possible to effect the needed educational outcomes with less people.

You need to call us: