Parents 'Hack insight'

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32708, 10 September 1971, Page 17

Parents 'Hack insight'

New Zealand would become “a very sick country” within a short time through the behaviour of young persons with little parental guidance, Mr W. W. Fugler, of Wellington, told the Canterbury School Committees’ Association.

“It’s about time that parents got down to the root of the matter and realised just what is happening In the community today,” said Mr Fugler, a member of the national federation of school committees. There was an attitude among parents which might be called “the achievement syndrome”—emphasis on a child’s achievement in school; what job he got, and how much he would earn afterwards. With children who

could not pass examinations, this gave a sense of failure. Too often there were double standards of “do as I say” and “do as I do.” Young persons were aware of these and were confused, said Mr Fugler. Their rebellion might be against these double standards. Now many parents were almost demanding that the State do everything in schools. They expected the teaching service to teach such things as ethics, social living, and conduct, which should be responsibilities of parents.

“Parents would be just giving away their responsibilities to the family and to the child. If we as a country expect the teaching service—which is of a good standard now—to do this, then the teaching service will have to be of a much higher standard than today.”

Mr Fugler said there were; many instances of violent be-i haviour, drug-taking, demon-1 strations, and other forms of i rebellion which if parents 1 had shown a little more understanding towards their ’ children, they probably could ' have avoided. ’ BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS ] Social sciences had been 1 implemented in secondary. schools to supplement the ] “three Rs” and to gain some ’ basic knowledge of citizen- 1 ship and government, said 1 Mr Fugler. Now it was sug-; gested that behavioural! sciences be introduced to

primary schools, because of the violent trends among young people. “I wonder whether education has had an effect on their behaviour—the demands for achievement and the demands for better living. I wonder too if young persons are rebelling against the double standards of their parents.” If behavioural sciences were introduced to primary schools, it was necessary for parents to enforce them at home, he said. “SOME PUNISHMENT”

Much youthful rebellion stemmed from the behaviour and manners of their parents, Mr Fugler said. As this country had grown more

affluent, parents had tended to give in to their children. Sometimes punishment was needed to enforce proper behaviour, however. “Is New Zealand ready for what we call a full education? Will’you people be satisfied with an education which turns out academics or scientists or moneymakers? “Or will education not only help a person to make his way in the world, but also make him a good citizen, mature him, make him respect property, other people, and authority,” asked Mr Fugler, BALANCED TRAINING This would be a challenge to any educational authority and to make young persons fit into a balanced society, better-trained teachers were needed, with good training in behavioural sciences. Changes were likely in the syllabus and examinations. Mr Fugler said that these would have some effect on the less-than-average child, for whom the emphasis no longer would be on achievement in passing examinations. “The student will become a better balanced person in social and moral behaviour, a thing which has been worrying many people,” he said.