WOMAN'S WORLD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3169, 21 August 1917, Page 3

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Continud from pago 2.) MONTESSORI METHODS AS APPLIED TO NEW ZEALAND EDUCATION. Yesterday evening, at tho monthly meeting of the Wellington Women Teachers* Association, a very interesting lecturo was given by Miss Edith Howes, the well-known writer, upon the application of itontessori principles, to N«w Zenland education. Miss Coad presided, and after a certain amount of routine business had boen dealt witli introduced Miss Howes to tho very large gathering of teachors who had assembled to hear her lecture. One of tho great difficulties to be met with in tho application of Montessori principles to education in this country, Miss Howes pointed out to her duiiieiico, was the great dearth of Montessori apparatus. So far as her own efforts in this direction had gone sho had fount] herself obliged to make what she could, and in doing so had realised the value of the great fundamental principlo of self-help and self-education. There were manv difficulties in the way of applying tho Montessori principles, quite apart from the fnct that whatever apparatus was needed had to be made by the teachers, ono being that schools in New Zealand were not built for self-help, nor were thoy furnished for self-education. I'reedpm of movement was absolutely necessary to eeouro freedom of mind with the child, and in all the schools the furniture (tablets and chairs) should be movable. It had been found to be an admirable idea for tho children to carry their tables and chairs outside when the climatic conditions were suitable, and do their work there, the health of teach* I ere and children alike gaining. One oi the great drawbacks that ensued, however, was the scraping and grating noise that resulted from this movability, and the educational authorities did not yet appear to realise the wearing effect upon the nerves that resulted. Something should be laid upon the floor to deaden tho sound, something light and clean, like cork linoleum. Although it was hardly possible to secure Montessori equipment at the present time, owing to circumstances over which they hn-1 no control, it was quite possible for teachers to make a little themselves, and in doing so they would find that thoy had aobieved a deeper understanding of tho principles that lav behind Montessori work. Miss TTowes did not forget the corollary that with tho acquirement of material and equipment, £ place to put in was needed, and, as eho remarked, there were never enough cupboards providod in which children could put thinge away when they were not needed. It meant a- great deal of ex pense and worrying to get what was wanted in the schools, and far, far more ought to bo spent in meeting seh.w! needs. In the end It would bo money saved in other directions if the authorities would only recognise the fact. Yet jnother important factor in Montessori teaching, Miss Howes pointed out, was freedom in teaching. It was a most difficult, thing for any teacher to be free to teach upon, new lines. The women who worked among infants were simply aching for more freedom in training these pliable, receptive minds., It was they who knew what could be flono with the , )!). Infant teachers knew that the work in the past had not been conducted on the right lines. Children wanted movement, they wanted to do tilings, not to be cramped in mind and uody. Much would he gained if experienced infant teachers had more freedom to work out ideas on the Montessori 'fines. At the present time, however, it was very difficult. It was important also that the teacher should cultivate the right spirit for the work. It was so easy to harass the child, to lecture him, and to do too much of the work for him. Under the Montessori system the child did the

work. In doing it ho was teaching himself, wna acquiring self-education, selfknowledge, though behind him all the time was the guiding infinonco of Ms teacher. Madamo Montessori had said "Trust to liffc, watch tho unfolding of tho child's mind, guide it, but do not force it. All that was wanted was to supply the right environment." Until they got this right environment physically and mentally, self-education could never bo realised." After Miss Howes' lecture, a general discussion followed. Miss Bowdswell expressed the opinion that it was £on\cwli&t discreditable to the educational authorities in this country that so little was known of the Montessori system. Other countries had sent teachers to Borne to study it at first hand, and she could seo no reason why teachers should not l>o sent to Australia to study tho system there, since wo "could not send them to Italy at_ tho present time."

MiSB Riley, principal of the Wellington Kindergarten, said she had ono big objection to tlio system, and that was thut the children did not apply tho knowledge they had gained. They needed to be mode more creative. Miss Myers held that tho Montessori methods were not altogether suitable lo the needs of the children in this country. For ono thing, Jladaine Montessori did n great deal of her work among sub-nor-mal children. Tho conditions of live here were so altogether different, as well as our temperament and outlook. She thought, however, that if, as an outcome of the meeting, they could start an organisation that would study the underlying principles of MonteFsori work, sq that they could apply them lo work in our own schools from the early days of childhood upward, the meeting that evening would Iμ a memorable one, as a valuable work for education would be achieved. A hearty vote of thanks to Miss Howes for her interesting lecture was passed unanimously.

On Wednesday Mesdnmes Dutnbell and Montague will be in charge of the Red Triangle Cake Room (Y.M.C.A.), Lambton Quay. The conveners desire to thank members of the auxiliary and the following ladies:—Jf'Mames Stone, Wade, Williams, Cromie, M'Donald, Piper, sen.. Gillies, Houston, Cousins, Kinniburgh, Denton. jun., Martin, and the Berhampore W.N.E.

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