UNEMPLOYED TEACHERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 171, 22 July 1931, Page 8

UNEMPLOYED TEACHERS

VOLUNTARY SERVICE. DEPARTMENT AGREEABLE. QUESTION OF GRADING MARKS. . The Education Department has no objection to unemployed teachers widening their experience by attending schools until such time' as they receive permanent position*;, but, in the meantime, it is not proposed to coinpeheate such service by the awarding of grading marks. Recently the Auckland Education Board complied, with a request of a young woman teacher to be allowed to give gratuitous service in order that, she might not deteriorate as a teacher by reason of unemployment. The suggestion was made that she, and other extraining college students wishing to jentfii" schools under . similar : circumstances, should be rewarded by grading marks. . The Department stated that the matter had given it much concern. .Various proposals for the alleviation of the position had been considered, but the present financial stringency had made it very difficult to bring any scheme to fruition. It saw no objection to exrstndents being admitted to schools to observe methods of teaching. Such attendance, however, would not entitle teachers to grading. Department's Scheme. "The Department bile under consideration, and will submit to the board shortly, a scheme for the awarding of grading marks to all ex-students who have been unemployed throughout the ! year." added the memorandum. With ■ this end in view, the board was asked to' obtain from headteachers comprehensive reports on all teaehere temporarily unemployed during 1931, for submission at the end of the year to the ■ senior inspector for grading purpose*. j The board was further requested to i furnish, after November 30 next, the names of all ex-students who had not had permanent positions on that date. The return i<s to show: (a) Which of the teachers had voluntarily relinquished or had been forced.to relinquish a permanent position; and' (bj which of the teachers had been temporarily employed during the year. The chairman, Mr. A. Burns, said that under the scheme to alleviate distress among , unemployed teachers, according to the Director of Education, Mr. T. B. Strong, it was proposed to award mechanical marks. He did not know how the system was going to work, but, even if the teachers received a few marks; it would help them. Members' Views. Mr. E. C. Purdie considered the Department was not justified in giving marks for no work at all. Mi-. Burns: But why should they b?. penalised through no fault of their own? Mr. T. V,. Wells said that if teachers received no employment he could not see 'how they were going to improve in ; their work. ! "Surely voluntary work should be rewarded," said Mr. J. Patterson. It was explained by Mr. Burns that some of the ex-students who could not afford to give free service objected to ! o-rading marks- beiner given those more fortunately situated than themselves. One youiitr woman had explained that to' si've voluntary service entailed expenditure on train fares, and a higher standard of "dressing was demanded in the .schools, than if one remained at home. ... Mr- W. J. Campbell ?aid that immediately grading marks were allotted for voluntary service, clase distinction would, be created. Mr. E. C. Banks said that teachers were given grading marks during, the period' .they were absent on active service in war time. . Mi\ Burns eaid that the marks were then given by way of reward. • Mr.. Purdie considered the unemployment position among teachers should be "adjusted by curtailment of the number of students to the training colleare. It was decided to supply the Department with the information it required.