THE SCHOOLS OF 1938

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22318, 4 February 1938, Page 17

THE SCHOOLS OF 1938

EXPLORATORY WORK IN 1 CURRICULA MAKING t i | ABOLITION OF PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATE "The Education Board anticipates the thorough co-operation of inspectors of schools and teachers in discussing problems which have arisen as a result of the greater freedom which it is believed the abolition of the proficiency certificate examinations and the issue of the new regulations for the classification and promotion of pupils have conferred on the schools," says an article in the February issue of the Education Gazette. "The department is confident that the departures from traditional method and content in the various subjects will be freely and wisely investigated and teachers may look forward to all well-considered experiments being met in a liberal spirit. - "The department does not wish at present to amend the syllabus, which always has been merely suggestive; it considers that the next year or two will afford an excellent opportunity for exploratory work in curricula making. The department is well aware that for many years past enterprising teachers have done valuable work in this respect; it feels that the time is now opportune for a general advance. "Radical Change of Attitude" "It is anticipated that the drafting of schemes of work will be much more interesting than formerly. Too often these were but attentuated shadows of existing syllabus lacking the impress of the individual teacher or the individual school. The time has come for a radical change of attitude. But any such change will necessarily be limited by two factors: the need for a common plan within the school itself, and the necessity of seeing that changes are not of so radical a nature that teachers will be embarrassed by receiving from other schools pupils whose education in some subjects has been comparatively neglected. For it must often have been obvious to many that one of the greatest obstacles to experimentation has been the fact that a considerable percentage of our pupils spend only a few years in any one school.

"Though it will probably be convenient to speak of 'subjects' the con- I tent of education or the result of the education process should not be regarded as a series of disparate parts. "Facility in ordinary arithmetical calculations will naturally be expected, though teachers will seek to link arithmetic as closely as possible with the requirements of everyday life," the article continues. "It is well, however, to realise that without clear ideas of number, human activities and interests could never have reached their present stage of development. In composition there is a wonderful field to survey; hitherto the letter and the essay have been the main objects of consideration. Creative work in all forms of written expression should go hand in hand with appreciation of literature. History, geography, science of everyday life, music, art, and crafts—the term 'drawing 1 might be dropped—choral speaking, recitation, and dramatic work will afford unlimited scope for originality. Oral reading of poetry might well be substituted for much of the traditional recitation from memory. History and Geography "History, geography, and science should, as far as possible, be presented on lines which will explain present day life to the pupils. There are some who maintain that nothing should be taught in history that has no influence on life to-day; analogously in geography the teaching should centre on, radiate from, and converge on the pupil's country, province, or home town, whether or not this geography be political, physical, mathematical, or economic. It is obvious that if geography is directed primarily to explaining the significance of 'this place' and history 'this day' many interesting schemes are possible. "Ranking in importance above all other attainments is that of health. It is inevitable in schooling that the pupils should remain indoors the best part of the day for the major part of the year. Here is territory awaiting exploration. Recent research seems to show that it is not impure air which is a menace to health so much as moist air of uniform temperature. There is a growing body of opinion that young people should not be allowed to enter on post-primary education, nor, later still, on university education, unless they can produce a certificate of physical fitness.

"Though the organisation of the school in classes of approximately the same level in maturity and possessing the same intellectual needs will in general be the basic arrangement, there will be times weekly, or even daily, when that organisation will give way to one of another type, 4s in the club-work now developing 13 many schools. Of little less importance is the organisation of the staff itself so that each can give of his or her Dost, says the article.