PRENTICE TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 155, 27 March 1926, Page 8

PRENTICE TEACHERS

FOURTH PROBATIONARY

YEAR

IN PRIMARY SCHOOL, NOT IN TRAINING COLLEGE

DEPARTMENT’S NEW SYSTEM

The Education Department has introduced a new element into the probationer service. Normally, the probationer now becomes in his fourth year a "probationary assistant.” And that fourth and final year in bis probationary period is to be spent not at the Teachers’ Training College, but in a primary school, under the guidance of the primary school head-teacher (who shall be responsible for the probationary assistant's further training), and subject to inspectorial report.

Hitherto the initial period iu the career of a primary school teacher has consisted of two years’ probation, followed by two years in the training college, after which the probationer became due for certification. But a new system is being introduced that materially alters the incidence of this four years period. Instead of the probationer putting in two years as a probationer in a primary school, followed by two years in training college, he (or she) will now put in one year in the primary school, two years (if necessary) in training college, and one year (during which he will be known not as a probationer but as a probationary assistant), back in the primary’ school. Certification is then due to follow; . but, in exceptionally progressive cases, the intermediate period of two years in the college, may be reduced to one, and the probationer now thus becomes probationary assistant in his third year instead of his fourth year. In that case he may become a certificated teacher on completing three years from his entry as a probationer, a Enter the P.A.—Exit the P.T. The term “probationary assistant” is a new one in the Department’s classification phraseology. On the other hand, the old-time term “pupil-teacher” may be now regarded as finally eliminated. The alteration iu the incidence of the four-years period means that the young teacher will begin it and will end it in a primary school, instead of ending it in the training college. It also means that he will »ave only one year of probation (instead of two, as hitherto) in which to prepare himself for admittance into the training college. Rut it is contended that this change (that is, the halved pre-college period) is helped bv a change that was made last year, when the standard of admittance of probationers was raised. It is thought that the standard of probationers on entry is therefore high enougn to permit a shorter period of preparation ■before entering the training college. Iu sporting parlance, the entry hurdle is higher and the college hurdle can be brought closer. . The fact that the lour years period —for it will no doubt be four years in the average case—will end in a primary .school under the. guidance of a headteacher, and will not . end, as now, in the training college, is obviously important. Under the new system, when the probationer comes out of the college and becomes a probationary assistant in a primary school, the headteacher of such primary school will become responsible for the probationary assistant’s further training in teaching and class-management, and must report to the Board of Education at the end of each quarter (and oftener if occasion requires), on the probationary assistant's “conduct, diligence, and progress in the art of teaching. Ihe senior inspector also tomes into it, tor it is provided that “a probationary assistant who has fulfilled all the requirements for the issue of a teacher s certificate may, on the completion of his service as a probationary assistant, receive a trained teacher’s certificate if recommended therefor by the senior If assistant fails to obtain a satisfactory report from either the head teacher or the inspector, the Board of Education may, after consultation with the Director of Education, terminate such probationary assistant s engagement on one month’s notice. As a general practice, the term o service of a probationary assistant shall end on the 31st dav of January following the date on which he commenced duty as a probationary assistant, but his term of service may, with the approval of the Di recto- of Education, be extended for an additional year Except with the director’s approval, a probationary assistant shall not be eligible for appointment to anv position in the education service’ until he ’has completed his course of training as a probationary new svstem the advances navable to probationers will be the same as hithefto-£Ro’per annum,, with an extra £5 for a" male, and with a boarding allowance of £3O where obliged to live away from home.