“Mini-school” Experiment

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31783, 13 September 1968, Page 2

“Mini-school” Experiment

INI. Frets Association) SYDNEY, Sept 12. A young Christchurch schoolteacher is taking a major role in what is claimed to be the “vanguard of a revolution in the Australian educational system.”

The fair-haired 22-year-old Mr Chris Eilers is in charge of a suburban “mini-school” in Sydney for four students whose parents withdrew them from the State educational system “because of its lack of purpose.” Mr and Mrs Ciro Donvito, parents of the four students, have opened a small school at their own home and it is there that Chris teaches. “It is the most exciting thing to have happened to me,” Mr Eilers said. “I came to Australia six months ago, but soon became disillusioned at teaching methods here.” No Set Study He does not have his students follow the set study schedule of New South Wales Education Department schools. He said it was left to parents, teachers and students to choose books and work out a curriculum. Those children who wished to compete in public examinations would be encouraged to do so. “It’s part of the hypocrisy of the system in State schools that children now learn a series of facts one year, reproduce them for an exam at the end of the year and then forget them completley,” he said.

“They can be brought to exam standard in months if they are enthusiastic enough. We aim to make lessons so interesting that they will want to study in their own time.”

He believes this theory will work. The Donvito children enjoy school so much that they gave up school holidays to continue their studies voluntarily. Interest In Scheme

The four students at the school—David, aged 13, John, 9, Andrew, 8, and Elizabeth, 4—and their teacher are being watched by many people. The Donvitos have received hundreds of letters from parents, teachers and students, all wanting to see similar establishments in their own cities. As well, the Education Department believes it may learn from the experiment Mr Donvito said he believed Mr Eilers was playing an important role in education today. “He is the vanguard of a revolution in the Australian educational system,” he said.