Three-Year Teacher Training Plans

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31124, 29 July 1966, Page 14

Three-Year Teacher Training Plans

Arrangements now completed for three-year training at the Christchurch Teachers’ College, to begin next year, involve studies in greater depth, heavy emphasis on reading, written expression, and arithmetic, and advancement in selected subjects, rather than new topics or extended time in the schools.

“We expect to produce better-educated and better-qualified teachers who, in their extra year, will be more discriminating in what they see and ask, and then join the profession with greater maturity in both age, training, and understanding,” said the principal (Mr George Guy) yesterday. Mr Guy said the change would involve a new college curriculum, many new books, and new staff, all based on continuous discussions since 1963. The Education Department had been extraordinarily helpful in providing special courses for those concerned. Overseas Ideas The college also had the benefit of leave overseas granted by the Canterbury

Education Board. He had travelled extensively in the United States and Australia; the vice-principal (Dr. J. F. Mann) took his doctorate in teacher education in London; and the dean of women (Miss J. M. Herbison) had taken a post-graduate degree in similar fields at lowa State College. This gave a very complete insight into new methods. Visiting lecturers had also helped and Dr. Dale G. Paul, a curriculum co-ordinator. from Ventura, north of Los Angeles, would spend next i year at the college. Teaching Practice ' There would be no increase in time spent in teaching ’ practice in the schools, Mr Guy said. The time allocation for throe years would be the [same as for two but there would be much more work I with associate teachers, dei monstration classes, and observation. The two normal Schools and five model coun-

try schools would be used extensively. The new provision for “principal lecturers” had improved status and stabilised staff, Mr Guy said, and extra staff would be allowed at the rate of five a year. Accommodation depended on the secondary department moving to Ham in 1969 when the retention of students for the third year would first be apparent. Generally stated, teachers trained in Christchurch leach college is developing a distinctive pattern within a broad framework will take compulsory studies in English, education, including child development, teaching practice, and the philosophy of education and all subjects of the primary school syllabus. Options will be offered in “selected studies” including history, geography, science, physical education, art and craft, music, French, English, and mathematics which may be advanced to different levels at the college or university. Mr Guy said many departments of the University of Canterbury had given help in the programme. Division A (primary) of the college expects an intake of 360 next year which would bring its roll to more than 1000 by 1969 and it is expected that eventually about 1500 students a year will be in training for the primary service.

“An enormous amount of team work has gone into this,” said Mr Guy. “We are now reporting plans to professional bodies and others. We expect great gains to appear in the schools when three years of training is completed.”