In School and Out

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29890, 2 August 1962, Page 11

In School and Out

An Assessment Of Secondary School Changes

I cannot pretend to know much about the theory of education. Forty years of teaching may, perhaps, qualify me to say something, although not necessarily anything important, about education in practice. Education, both in theory and in practice, has now been thoroughly investigated by a commission of experts whose findings have just been published. Scores of submissions and mountains of evidence have been heard and examined by members of the commission. The report of this commission is likely to determine educational policy in New Zealand for many years to come. Education Today In these circumstances a wise man might prefer to remain silent, but as I make no claim to wisdom I shall risk saying a few things about education as I see it in the secondary school today. Two important developments that have taken place

in the last 20 years have had a considerable influence on our secondary schools. Accrediting One is the introduction of the system of accrediting for entrance to the universiiy. This system has its critics. Criticism comes from three quarters—from the parents who suspect the impartiality of the accreditors: from principals who dislike lhe responsibility; and from those teachers who prefer the defined syllabus and the examination goal. I believe that the accrediting system has several advantages and not the least of these are that teaching can be broader and that new subjects can be taken up more easily. And I w'ould add to these advantages a third, although it is an impression only—pupils work harder in a class where accrediting operates.

It is interesting to find that the commission recommends the retention of accrediting. The survival of the accrediting system may well depend on the goodwill as well as on the integrity of school principals. The second development that has had a far-reaching effect upon our secondary schools took place about the same time as the introduction of accrediting for the university. The establishment of the school certificate examination and the liberalising of the secondary school curriculum fallowed from the recommendations of the Thomas Report.

The concept of a curriculum consisting of a common "core" of subjects supplemented by other subjects to suit the interests and abilities of all pupils was put forward as a solution to the problem of catering for the needs of a complete crosssection of the adolescent community. It has been said that the immediate effect of these recommendations was to make the academic schools less academic and the technical schools less vocational. I think that this has happened. The theory and practice of secondary education as expounded in the Thomas Report has largely determined the course of education in our schools during the last 20 years. The report has stood the test of time very well. Educationists have not found it easy to suggest a more sensible solution to the problem of ensuring that all pupils receive, according to their talents, a sound and well-balanced education. School Certificate The school certificate examination provides an incentive, formerly lacking, for many Form V pupils. Its wide range of subjects allow pupils from all courses to look to it as a possible objective. The introduction of an honours pass for candidates who

obtain marks of 80 per cent, or more provides incentive for the brighter members of the fifth forms. A more recent innovation is the granting of a certificate of education in specified subjects to those candidates who attain 30 pe cent, or more marks in these subjects. This is a thoroughly bad development. A subjec standard of 30 plus is far too low for specific recognition It will have the undesirable effect of encouraging all fifth formers, even the weakest. U’ sit the examination in the hope of receiving this certificate of education. One examination should not be made to serve ah put poses. I make no commen on the choice of title for this new certificate. Slow And Bright A good deal of time and thought has been given to two groups of pupils, the slow and the bright, or (as we prefer to label them) the slow learners and those ol high intelligence. The raising of the school leaving age, together with social promotion at the primary school level, have increased the number of lowability entrants to the secondary schools. All. schools have some of these pupils. Schools with a selective entrance policy are not likely to make ability the only criterion, if in doing so, they exclude the sons and daughters of loyal or prominent old boys and old girls. And so all schools to a greater or lesser degree are concerned with the education of some slow learners. What kind of curriculum and what kind of teacher do we need for these pupils? Satisfactory answers to these questions will not easily be found. At the other end of the ability scale are the pupils of high intelligence. They have been the subject of much discussion lately and the views of those who believe their interests have been neglected have been much publicised. Some critics contend that this neglect lies squarely on the shoulders of those responsible for our educational policy. Others, while not entirely disagreeing with this view, prefer to place the major responsibility upon the Welfare State. If these highly-intelligent children have been neglected I can see little evidence of such neglect in the secondary schools. It is my impression that the intellectual development of the brightest children proceeds at a commendable pace. Most secondary schools today are big enough to allow of the grading of pupils by forms or streaming according to ability in particular subjects with the result that the bright pupils work in association with other bright pupils and are not retarded at any point by having to associate with class mates of lesser ability. If we compare standards of attainment reached today at Form VI level by highlyintelligent pupils with standards reached in former years, we find no evidence of decline. The 90 Per Cent These attempts to give special treatment to pupils at the two extremes of the scale of ability must not be allowed to blind us to the needs of the remaining 90 per cent. from whose ranks will come plumbers and politicians, architects and artisans, leaders in business, in industry and in the professions. I am prepared to climb on any band waggon that is concerned with this 90 per cent.. I am sure there will be plenty of room. Let us make sure that in our concern for the bright pupil and the dull pupil we do not neglect to provide what is fundamental for all pupils—well qualified, welltrained and enthusiastic teachers. The real work of education is still done by the teacher in the class-room.