‘Laugh or heave’: Mem Fox’s verdict on NAPLAN

Possum Magic author Mem Fox has unleashed on NAPLAN saying it demeans teachers, is a strain on kids, and one aspect of the national testing is “so ridiculous it just makes me want to either laugh or heave”.

Acclaimed author and literacy expert Mem Fox has slammed NAPLAN as a waste of time that puts unnecessary strain on children and demeans teachers.

“We have nothing to do with NAPLAN in our family — that’s how much worth we think of it,” the grandmother and famed Possum Magic author told News Corp Australia.

Author Mem Fox is no fan of NAPLAN. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“Every good teacher knows the information than NAPLAN provides.

“Every good teacher is aware of their students’ capabilities and weaknesses, otherwise they are not a good teacher.”

She said you only had to consider what was being tested to see it was not appropriate for younger pupils.

“I mean really, the things that they look at — persuasive writing!” she said. “Persuasive writing in Year 3 — who writes persuasively at that age?

“You write persuasively at 16 when you’re fired up about climate change, saving the whales, same sex marriage, whatever the issues of the day, that’s when you write persuasively.

“But NAPLAN is judging children on the persuasive writing in Year 3, and it is so ridiculous it just makes me want to either laugh or heave — one or the other.”

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She said the strain on students was not worth the assessment, the results of which a teacher should already know.

“The teacher already knows everything about the pupil — the teachers have been teaching all this time so know their weaknesses and strengths, know where she needs to work, know where she needs to be left alone to get on with it, know the comparison with the rest of the class and where she should be.”

Mem Fox wants students to be relaxed and happy with their learning, not stressed about tests. File picture

Fox grew up in Africa, where her father was the director of a teacher’s college in a local mission and said one of his maxims was “a laughing child likes learning”.

“I adore that and I lived by that myself as a teacher,” she said.

“I have just loved that when kids are roaring with laughter and relaxed, coming at a new concept from the back door instead of the front door — it’s just so exciting.

“Teaching is just so exciting, it’s so rewarding, it’s absolutely the best.

“But NAPLAN demeans teachers.”

Queensland principal Peter Britton said the testing provided essential information, but parents had to weather the NAPLAN “sideshow”.

“It has become a high stake test due to the development of rank orders and associated commentary,” he said.

Testing is a national requirement for grades three, five, seven and nine. File picture

“Consequently, just mentioning the word NAPLAN in some circles ignites disapproval, grunts, whimpers or tears due to the pressure it creates on systems, schools, teachers, and students.

“But students need to develop good skills in numeracy, reading, writing, spelling, and grammar and punctuation in order to grow into confident, well-educated young men and women.”

The Ipswich Girls’ and Junior Grammar Schools principal said: “As an educator, I like parts of the NAPLAN concept.

“The data helps students identify where they are positioned in developing their literacy and numeracy skills and what they need to aim to achieve to improve their skills.

“It also helps teachers to identify each student’s needs, enabling them to adjust their practices in order to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of their students.”

Fox said the best thing parents could do was to read with their children because they love to, not because they thought they should.

“When I talk as an educator and say, ‘Please read to your kids’, I say this because it helps them so much to understand stories, vocabulary and grammar,” she said.

“Read because you love to. It’s a special time. I still love it.

“My grandson is nine and you know we just sort of sit there — it’s divine, it’s beautiful. It’s sort of air coming out of a tense balloon.”

Originally published as ‘Laugh or heave’: Mem Fox’s verdict on NAPLAN