Board not committed

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33539, 21 May 1974, Page 8

Board not committed

The Canterbury Education Board was not committed to “team teaching,’’ I' said the general manager (Mr D. Wilson) in answer , to a correspondent, “Concerned Parent.” The correspondent had I asked if the board was com-' mined to ‘‘team teaching” in, spite of it being an “abys-| ma! failure" in the United 1 States. “How many of us realise that this theoretician’s daydream is being quietly j foisted on our children, whereby instead of one overworked teacher trying to cope with 35 plus pupils: ir. a room, three even more harassed teachers attempt toi deal with 100 plus assorted problems in one room. It is doubtful if many of us are; capable of visualising the inevitable resultant chaos.” i The board had discussions, :-with the Cashmere High: School principal and school! committee on the planning of a three-storev block, said !Mr Wilson. > I “The committee’s object-; ion was more concerning the! design of the building on a hillside site than the type of teaching proposed. However.! an assurance was given at the time that should this j form of teaching be considered less effective than the I !conventional type, the board! would be prepared to consider partitioning classrooms to convert them to a more conventional design.”