Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1937. CHANGES OF STAFFS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 111, 20 February 1937, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1937. CHANGES OF STAFFS.

Parents of pupils will heartily endorse the hope expressed by headmasters of schools in Ashburton that the present year will not see as many changes in the personnel of staffs as occurred in most schools last year. The manner in which teachers were transferred shortly after the opening of the schools and at different periods during the year was the subject of protest by committees, who pointed out that the system militated against the interests of the children. While the teachers are entitled to the advancement in their profession merited by ability and service it should be possible to devise a system by which that advantage may be gained without imposing a penalty on the pupils. There should not be, except in exceptional circumstances, any changes in staff during the year. Differences ih methods of imparting instruction and of working, however slight, are confusing to the young mind and there is also the important factor of personality to be considered. Both teacher and pupil require some time to acquire that knowledge of one another that is essential to successful work. So that frequent changes operate against the pupil in more ways than one. In the primary schools, as the pupils pass from teacher to teacher as they advance in the standards, changes at the end of the year do not effect them greatly, though there is of course a certain amount of gain in coming under the tuition of one who is already familiar by sight and reputation. The greatest effect in this case concerns the staff itself, for the headmaster whose assistants are constantly changing must be under a disadvantage, while the transferees themselves have to become accustomed to a new personality in their superior. As regards Ashburton schools the position that prevailed last year, particularly in the earlier months, was serious, but if the. same practice is pursued this year the effect will be even worse. With the curtailment of the school year by a month as a result of the epidemic it is essential that study should be carried on in the best conditions possible.