THE OPEN AIR.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15769, 9 December 1916, Page 9

THE OPEN AIR.

HOW TO TEACH

CHILDREN

A PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATION.

A milkman passing through Cranmer square the other day noticed a school group—such as so many of the passers through that Square have noticed during the late hot weather —of boys and girls sitting round a teacher. Curious to know what the teaching was about he put down his milkcan on the pavement with a clang, and half-shyly moved to the little class. None noticed him —not an eye turned to see what was tho cause, of the sound. Teacher and children were intent on their lesson. Closer he crept, and soon was drinking in the history lesson as eagerly a« any of the children themselves. This story caused a "Press" reporter to make it his business to see something of tho open-air teaching practised at the Normal School, and this, thanks to Mr C. T. Aschman, the principal, lie was enabled to do under most favourable circumstances.

The school itself is advantageously situated for the purpose. The cold, grey ivy-clad south front is forbidding in winter,' but where it turns to the south the inside courtyard lies under the northern sun. The courtyard, therefore, even in winter, can be used for open-air teaching, and .t 's a common sight, Mr Aschman assured tho representative of "Tho Press" to sec ten or twelve classes out in the open sheltered by breakwinds doing their work in bright sunshine. This training has the great advantage of teaching the chiluren the value of concentration. Herb they learn tnat whatever happens the enief —nay the only thing—they have to think about is their lesson. Tho objection is often launched against the system that the little ones are not likely to concentrate their minds on tho subject before them, and thus lose time and training. But the tuition in the courtyard trains them to such an extent that the milkman may clatter his cans and they will not turn to see.

The children were at work when they were seen by our representative, not in the sun, but in a sheltered corner of the quadrangle —seeking the shade. Though the headmaster camo out, they did not turn a head to look at- him. To tho questions the hands shot active little forms in tho back rows stood up to make tho hands seem higher; the eyes of all were fixed on the master, and took no notice whatver of tho visitors. It was the same as in tho Square. The headmaster took tho pressman to the infants' department. Here, under Miss Inkpen, the little dots under five, at an order, picked up their little chairs and tables and prepared to march out' —one child taking two chairs, and her or his mate taking the little table to their corner in the courtyard. These children practically are taught in tho open-air, and only verv bad weather or something special ke'eps them out of the courtyard. At the back of the grey stone building of the Normal School are rows of sheds - and shelters, and in these this hot summer weather the children are taught. The difficulty is seating accommodation —tho big forms in use are too heavy to be carried out, but this is got over, and any visitor to the school can see classes, on forms or benches, all round the master or misress, all keen on learning. The open-air teaching is not confined to "the scholars in the primary classes. The students boing trained for the teaching profession aro taken out —as was the case on Wednesday and Thursday—bv the headmaster on a trip to tho Hills for a physiographical lesson, and they learn from the configuration and formation of the rocks open-air lessons, drinking in ozone, acquiring knowledge. The art students are also taken out for open-air lessons by the master in charge, and altogether the open-air teaching in the Normal School is an institution in itself, typical of the work that is being done as far as circumstances permit in the other schools in the district. In tho playground across Montreal street, before the weeds grew too luxuriant and tho bevy ryegrass prevented the work being done, tho children were taught topography and local geography in a very simple and effective manner. Outlines were cut of an area, representing, say, Canterbury; rivers were lined out, mountains more or less elevated created to show the rauges of the province, the configuration of the coast-line, the position of the towns, the direction of railway lines etc., wore shown. Thus the children wore encouraged to apply their geographical knowledge. Tho whole visit was one full of interest to the visitor, and the value of the teaching is shown in the attention that is centred on the teachers and the. teachers' remarks, in the health of the children, in tho spacious class-rooms which, owing to tho children being away, aro not overcrowded, and the pleasant relations that exist between tho teachers and the taught.