A Response to recent media & opinion reports. And the blame game begins another round. Long-service teachers, myself included, can discuss the many pendulum swings between favoured methodologies. Politicians, academics and experts near and far will put their spin on these appalling results for New Zealand. Each will make proclamations in support of their research, or a solution which lies in applying a particular method or resource, and certainly for improvement in teacher training. There will be a debate for and against school readiness, shouts for more investment in early education, no doubt some will want to throw more digital devices and ‘new apps’, and ‘modern mayhem’ into the remedying