CLASSROOM AIDS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27094, 18 July 1953, Page 5

CLASSROOM AIDS

TEACHERS TO MARKET OWN DEVICES

ASSOCIATION FORMED The provision of classroom teaching aids is now being organised by teachers themselves. During a refresher course in January equipment made by teachers was demonstrated. Improved designs gained from practical experience were presented. Costs were much less than for commerciallyproduced apparatus.

At that time it was suggested that teachers might market such goods individually, but now an association has been formed under the chairmanship of Mr J. Barnett, a former president of the New Zealand Educational Institute. The association aims to make available to the profession, at a minimum cost, aids and apparatus devised and used by individual teachers. Protection from exploitation for teachers originating these ideas is also envisaged.

The original scheme simply to distribute the products of teachers making such apparatus has since been extended. The association will pay cash for ideas for suitable equipment, arrange its manufacture where this is beyond the capacity of the teacher, and also buy quantities of approved articles made in spare time by individual teachers.

The association is negotiating with overseas suppliers to provide displays of new material in New Zealand and, as a teachers’ purchasing organisation, will supply imported aids at a substantial discount on commercial rates.

Generally it is hoped that a fair return will be assured for the classroom inventor, and a supply of aids, made from practical experience, provided for all concerned in education.