An old layman looks at education

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32562, 23 March 1971, Page 17

An old layman looks at education

(By

J.W. NICOLLS)

Mr Nicolls, in a note sent with this article, says: “I have no qualification whatever as an educational expert I am a retired farmer.” Nevertheless, his views on this all-important topic will be read with interest.

Because teachers have been grudgingly granted a rise, it is simply not good enough that the whole education complex should be swept under the carpet. Admittedly that is where lots of inconvenient problems are mouldering, but teaching is one of the two problems which are so complicated and so important that face them we must.

Is our sense of proportion warped? It was questioned in correspondence columns whether teaching qualifies as a "profession” comparable with medicine or dentistry. After all those two are merely repair jobs, mainly body work at that, while teaching builds, sometimes almost. creates, mind and character. If that is thought to be too sweeping, consider: some children become fogged and rudderless as a result of parental mishandling, bad example of elders, being bounced or sneered at. but when such a maladjusted child comes under the influence of a gifted and understanding teacher the fog can lift, the sun shine, and there is a useful citizen in the making. This happens, it may well happen often. In my short list of teacher acquaintances I think all might be able to perform this miracle, some certainly could, and how would a service like that be measured in cash?

Delicate relationship I can think of few people who are more to be pitied than the misfit teacher who hates his job, but his misfortune is unimportant compared to the damage which he or she might do. It is easy to imagine how a foolish, bullying, or sarcastic teacher could affect children adversely, but it is a complex matter —a case comes to mind where a reasonably good teacher somehow “got on the wrong side” of a quite bright pupil, rendering him so mulish that he seemed incapable of receiving direct instruction. That illustrates the extreme delicacy of the relationship between teacher and taught. Pupils will keep on coming, all sorts, each a problem to some extent. Parents and other influences outside school are unlikely to improve greatly, surely the question is not “For how little can we persuade someone to teach the kids,” but “How can we make sure that potentially good teachers do not slip into other jobs, and that care is taken to keep out mis-fits.”

A side-light I would suggest is that a gifted teacher could produce better results in a, tin shed, armed with chalk and blackboard, teaching children using slates and slate pencils, than a misfit could produce with unlimited modem equipment in a perfectly designed building. That is not an argument against equipment, it merely puts teacher and equipment in focus. This seems to make it obvious that good teachers should be kept teaching, not having to waste time on clerical or even executive chores, but this is not layman’s ground. Neither is the selection of the best teachermaterial from among secondary pupils a task that a layman can do much about, but the collection of opinions from a wide range of experienced teachers would seem a good starting point. Authority needed Matters which can be fairly commented on by laymen are the qualities desirable in a teacher and the ways in which the teacher can and should be helped by the general public. I had an experience in the army which is very relevant to the teacher-suitability problem. At different times I was under Sergeant A and Sergeant B. A was the most untidy man in the company, he was often drunk, yet no-one ever dreamt of questioning an order from him, any of us would have followed him

'anywhere. B was a normally smart and efficient N.C.0., yet when he gave an order the immediate inclination was to argue. These were extremes, A had abundance, B none, of a quality which can be called "authority,” and which is very unfairly divided among humans, but which must be of great importance when teachers are chosen.

If (in this case a big if) A had reasonable teaching ability he could have managed and taught the toughest class ever assembled. I may be overoptimistic, but if there were enough teachers with enough “Authority,” could they not so educate the unruly that vandalism (for instance) would disappear. If that result is possible, would anyone care to put a cash value on such a teacher?

It is doubtful whether “Authority” could be taught or even much increased by training, so that anyone possessing as little as Sgt B. would never make a teacher, but provided the difficult pupils could be directed to work under the “Authority” plus teachers, most keen would-be teachers have “Authority” enough, most children are fairly readily managed and taught if encouraged.

Public attitude That “encouraged” brings in the general public. I am told that among many African and Asian nations the scramble for education is intense. Why should New Zealand children be led to believe that school is a misfortune which has to be put up with? Children take their standards very much from their elders and it would be so easy for us to suggest that schooling is a privilege rather than a hardship. Most teachers try to have a happy, co-operative atmosphere in their classes, and so many succeed, that with disrupters removed, and a reasonable backing from the rest of the community —no need to labour the point All this is desirable from the community point of view, but it asks a lot from many parents, most of whom, though keen for their children’s advancement, do not realise what is entailed. The main essential is that the teacher must have the full backing and co-operation of parents —much more than “Have you done your homework” occasionally. It means trusting the teacher com-

pletely, so that, there is never a hint of criticism of teacher or method in the child’s presence. If the parent has reason to disagree with the teacher the sensible thing to do is to discuss the matter with the teacher, who is likely to welcome the opportunity. Explanations could be given in private concerning matters which are too tricky to be paraded publicly—this is probably an unavoidable cause of lack of parentteacher understanding.

Largest task Another point concerning child-parent-teacher relations is the rising number of teacher breakdowns, almost certainly the result of the antagonism of a few parents and lack of active support from most. In the immediate future this is probably by far the most pressing problem, and it is hard to see what teachers or boards can do about it: rather it is an urgent job of public education by press, radio and television.

Salaries should, ideally, be a minor consideration. The community should be determined to have the best teachers, regardless of cost, while the person attracted to teaching mainly by a high salary is unlikely to be the most desirable. However, trying to be practical and remembering that security of employment is very high for the competent teacher, might it be a good idea to have a low starting salary, below many others, rising more steeply with seniority,, to top all but the very highest Public Service executives by retirement While the opinions of experienced teachers must earn' by far the most weight in these matters of teacher selection and salary, might a thesis from each of a number of senior degree candidates have considerable value? Their memories of being taught would still be fresh, but matured. So, we have arranged to have the best teachers working under congenial conditions. What are they to teach? I know that here I intrude—this is a recognised battle ground for experts—so I shall be brief. Important study A few years ago I happened to have the opportunity to glimpse the methods of a teacher who, while teaching scientific subjects, was careful to see that his pupils used clear, economical and grammatical English. Surely this is the most important foundation study—to anyone who can speak, read and write his mother tongue fluently and with full understanding, the gates of all learning are flung wide open. During at least the primary period learning should cover as wide a field as possible, preferably by interest rather than by memorising. Talents should be developed, especially mental and artistic abilities, for many of the children will inevitably go into jobs which do not demand enough mental effort. At present many such people have to be entertained: how much better if they had in-built entertainment. Later, as abilities develop, some specialisation will be necessary, but it is to be hoped that the present grinding swot for examinations can be ended.

There is a theory that intensive memorising is achieved partly at the expense of observation and deduction—ruts can be got into. In any case, exact memorising is mainly for examinations: if principles are fully understood details are available in reference books. Research in many fields seems to alter the “facts” so fast that memory may well be less important than adaptability. I realise that at least some teachers, both primary and secondary, are striving to. turn out well-informed, mentally balanced human beings.

Where they succeed, surely their products can readily be trained for the callings to which they are best suited. If the majority of schoolleavers could be such wellbalanced people, they might produce a sane world. Surely no consideration of cash or effort should hinder attempts to reach such an end.