Teaching In The Islands

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29856, 23 June 1962, Page 3

Teaching In The Islands

[Reviewed by E A.S.] Teaching Methods—Suggestions for Pacific Schools. By R. L. Middleweek. Whitcombe and Tombs. 279 pp. The first point to be emphasised in discussing this book is that it is intended for native teachers in the islands, and this accounts for the extreme simplicity of language and approach. The student teacher will find it an invaluable guide, for the author begins by discussing the relationship between the teacher and child, and goes on to talk generally of discipline, classroom organisation and procedure, taking care to describe in detail the wrong as well as the right methods of approach. Detail, in fact, is the keynote of the book. Mr Middleweek gets right down to practical things. He chooses his subject and age group, e.g. oral language for infants, and begins his explanation of exactly what is to be taught and how it is to be taught giving each step in the development and correlation of his subjects, and his reasons for doing it in this particular way. His chapters on the teaching of Cuisenaire are particularly clear and painstaking. The book abounds in diagrams, all suited to life in the islands, as is every example the author gives in any subject, and, taking care to remember the limitations of classrooms and materials in that area, he makes suggestions and gives detailed designs for apparatus necessary or desirable. Yet. as Mr Middleweek himself .emphasises, this book, despite its thoroughness, does

not attempt to lay down the law on methods. Rather, he suggests and leaves it to the individual teacher’s ingenuity to develop and amplify his suggestions. His 'suggested scheme of work in language, arithmetic and social studies is divided into four parts to suit the various age groups and he deals in general with spelling, agriculture, writing, physical education, health, music, art and crafts, and custom. He also has taken care to provide many hints on general organisation, for class teacher and headmaster as, for example, in drawing up timetables and a master scheme for the school. He has good advice to give on personal relationships between staff and headmaster. This very comprehensive treatise on teaching methods in the Pacific should be the indispensable part of equipment for every inexperienced island teacher, and indeed, any teacher will find here much that is of practical value.