Presents an overview of the New Zealand national education system founded on the premise that the individual student is the center of all learning and teaching. Includes a brief discussion of educators' beliefs about children's learning, examines principles that guide assessment and how they translate into practice, and discusses issues of…

Reports findings, based on a two-year study, of a collaborative effort to develop a learning-centered curriculum which would result in an inviting learning-centered classroom community. Supports the tenet that effective programs feature knowledgeable teachers who have the expertise and inclination to encourage all children to succeed. (RJM)