The Clutha Lender. BALCLUTHA: FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1900.
Clutha Leader, Rōrahi XXVI, Putanga 1390, 6 Paengawhāwhā 1900, Page 4
Mō tēnei niupepa
The Clutha Lender. BALCLUTHA: FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 1900.
New regulations iot inspection and examination of schools came into force on the Ist of January, 1900. The ma,in feature of these regulations is contained in the following words •:— "The principal:. teacher of a school shall have full .discretion to arrange his pupils in /different classes for different subjects according to their ability and proficiency with respect to the several subjects, and according to the number of available teachers." That is if a pupil weak in, say, arithmetic, belongs to 8/ certain standard, he may be placed in the next lower standard for that- subject and the advancement of the pupils from standard to standard is almost entirely in the head teacher's hands. In the same Way a pupil . jstrofjtg in any subject may be placed in a higher class for the Btudy of . that subject. This .is a reasonable and humane course to adopt. Pupils vary considerably in their aptk. tude in picking. up different subjects and. so the old course of driving the. weak and the stropg— ihe .capable and the incapable—at tlie jsame pace was fruitful of much hardships, as it had the effect of retarding the brighter pupils and disgusting and oppressing the duller ones. "It must not be imagined, JhbWever, that the passing of the standards wilt be easier than heretofore. Under the' new regulations the pupil must pass *" in every^subject for his^tandMvbut in one, and in some case%f §ltWo subjectsfce may^ be $ll©wM to'tak^ the examination ol' tite'riext lower sta^darfl. *vA, pufii snail be held^-to liave S;4 or S. 2, if he fulfils the requirements of Sj 1 or S., 2 respectively in re'adirig, spelling, Vriting, arithmetic ; -provided that partial failure in spelling, or hi writing, or in arithmetic may be over* f looked if sufficient merit is ehoWn in the three other pass subjects." •' A pupil shall be field to have S. 3 or S. 4, or S. 5, if he jra-tisfies the requirements of such Btanclard, or oi ?jf^higher standard, in ipl readmg, f 2 arid dictation, (3) "w^Httg', (4) composition, (5) #ithmetr^iinff has received regular instruction in the class subjects (geography Jawing, grammar, history, element^fy science, recitation) ; provided ttw|Mfrqrk equal t& the requirements pi tj& Iraxt lower standard may be acceptectinlwo, but not more than two.of the Woje^ts (2), (8), : (4), (5)." It ifill be- seS& this regulation that unless a plpll attends school regularly, he cannot obtainia dettificate, for he cannot have receitel tegular instruction in the class subjects, and this point should be noted by parents. According to the old regulations, a pupil might be absent foi* months and oh his return the teacher was compelled to place him in the class with those who haid got months ahead of him in the school work, and* to use all sorts of, | means, bften incurring the displeasure of pupil and parent, to make good the ground Jost through absence, The irregularity of some pupils defrauded others of a fair share of the teacher's attention. Now tlie head teacher has full power to place a pupil in a lower standard, if through irregular attend-' ance, or delicate /health, or dullness not before fully recognised, he is unfit to take advantage of the general Reaching of his class. It is the head teacher's duty to annually examine all the standard classes except S. 6, and promote to a higher standard' those pupils that are efficient in their vfotk. The examination of S. 6. is entirely in the inspector's hands, and as the/.pupil; passing this standard represent? the finished product ; of our- elementary education the' *f certificates of .profici- i ency "awarded will be no doubt highly I prigd by papjls, "Tb© U»jptitoi ]
shall examine all the pupils in the VI Standard classes, and he jhall award 'certificates of proficiency;' to those that pass in (1) reading, (2) spelling and dictation, (8) writing, (4) cdm-, position, |5) arithmetic, (6) geography; (7) drawing, and thus satisfy the inspector that they iiave received regular; and sufficient instruction ih the otfier class subjects ; pj-ovided that work below the requirements of 5.„6, but noi below the requirements of S. 5, may be accepted by the inspector 'in -not more tha.n. one of the subjects (1) to (5) and in not more than two of the subf jects (1) to (7)." Here the pupils must pass in seven subjects to gain the final certificate, The "standard of exeiripftion* is no longer the IV Standard ; it is now the V Standard ; that is pupils under, 18 years cannot leave school until they have passed the V Standard. " The parent or guardian of any . child who wishes to obtain 4 certificate that such child has reached the standard of exemption, must give notice of .'such desire in writ* ing to ".' . the . head teacher at least two days before the annual visit of, the inspector." If the pupi's regarding -whom this notice has been given ; satisfy the Inspector in the requirements of the V Standard, an exemption certificate signed by th 6 Inspector or Board's Secretary shall be granted to them, but it is expected that most pupils will aim at th? higher, the VI Standard, certificate. Many teachers, especially, those in small districts will not welcome the change that places on them the responsibility of passing pupils in the .standards, as a parent's opinion of a pupil's ability and -proficiency does not always coincide with the teacher's. The following regulation, however, and Ithe note accompanying it affords a certain amount of protection to teachers who may fear unpleasant relation r&risirig out of a full exercise of their powers. In order to satisfy himself of the general efficiency of the instruction given in the school, the Inspector shall examine a due proportion of the pupils x>f each class, including Class P and S. 7, in such subjects as he shall choose. The Inspector may include in the ; number so examined any pupil concerning whom the teacher . desires his judgment. The responsibility of passing or. failing certain pupils may thus be thrown on the Inspector, but it is to be hoped that little cause will be given to teachers to thus shrink from their proper duties. Head teachers are recommended to make periodic examinations of all the classes in the school and to record and preserve the results. If the parents have" these results from time to time ~Tepqrted to them they will see the progress their children are making, and will be to some extent prepared for the result of the final examination. The new regulations seem to be framed on sound principles. Standard examinations'have, lost the prominence they once held, all excepting the VI Standard ;«^ been raised in imperta^c^, having a special certificate signed by the • Inspector or Board s Secretary issued for it. The promotion of the pupils is in the hands of the teacher, whose intimate acquaintance with their powers and. proficiency renders: him most fit for that duty. IJoubtiess there will be for a time :f rietiott and misinterpretation such as always accompanies changes, but if the principles on winch the regulations are based are sound, and we think they "are, a way WM be found of remedying any minor defects that experience may bring to light.
